In reply to laetitia:
I'm surprised there weren't more replies to this thread. Then again I don't know why it took me so long...
I'm in the Lincoln Mountaineering Club & one of our members (Kath) forwarded a link to the ticket application for the symposium. I have been toying with the idea of going to the Alps for the first soon so it seemed like a great idea. My mate Dave & I went & it was excellent, to see Mick & Andy in the flesh for starters was a real treat. Neil's beginners advice was good & Barbara Swindin's personal account of her alpine career was interesting and inspiring. It wasn't til I bought & read her book I realised she had history with the elder LMC members I see in the pub monthly. Also great at lunch to find we're sitting with the first British woman who did climb all the 4000ers!
Anyway, the thing that amazed me was that most people there seemed to be aged between 60 and 70 or more. I'm 52 & I felt young there! I didn't see any actual young people until after lunch where I saw maybe half a dozen. Are young climbers obsessed with bouldering and going to the wall these days? Are they less adventurous than in the past?
btw I didn't start hillwalking til i was 38 & climbing at 43 so I'm not a great model...but I never thought I'd contemplate going to the Alps...
