In 1917 St John Philby journeyed east to west across Arabia, from the Arabian Gulf to the Red Sea. 105 years later, the Heart of Arabia Expedition set out to follow in Philby’s footsteps across the Arabian Peninsula Read more
“There could be nothing more symbolic than travelling to the top of the world and swimming across a stretch of open ocean that used to be frozen over." RSGS Writer-in-Residence interviews endurance swimmer and RSGS Mungo Park Medallist Lewis Pugh. Read more
Last year, Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance was discovered at the bottom of the Weddell Sea by the Endurance22 expedition. We reflect on the life of Shackleton and this amazing discovery ahead of our talk by the expedition crew this March. Read more
We were delighted to present RSGS Honorary Fellowship to Nigel Miller, Pete Ritchie and Andrew and Seonag Barbour for their outstanding work towards promoting sustainable farming in Scotland Read more
Engaging stories, topical articles and fascinating insights from across the RSGS network.
It has been called the Apollo mission of the Victorian era. In December 1872, exactly 150 years ago, the Royal Navy ship HMS Challenger set sail on an extraordinary four-year voyage around the world... Read more
With the upcoming edition of The Geographer themed on Colombia, we share an article about The Nukak, the last Indigenous people to be contacted by mainstream Colombian society, and one of the last nomadic tribes in the country. Read more
In celebration of the birthday of Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl, Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf reflects on his life and the renowned Kon-Tiki expedition of 1947. Read more
Exactly one week before RSGS Chief Executive Mike Robinson had the honour of attending the funeral of Her Majesty The Queen, he was in Perth Foodbank, hearing about the challenges of front line staff. In this blog, he reflects on a week of contrasts. Read more
"As a lifetime supporter of public transport, I found it incredibly disheartening, that after taking the train from Perth to Edinburgh this week, I really wish I hadn’t..." RSGS CEO Mike Robinson reflects on our Scottish railways. Read more
We are delighted to announce the programme for our 2022-23 Inspiring People talks, featuring a stellar line-up of speakers, held in person at our 13 Local Groups across Scotland. Read more
Last week we were very pleased to present RSGS Honorary Fellowship to Galina Toteva, Robert Fleeting and David Geddes, for their contributions over the last 6 years in delivering the Climate Solutions courses. Read more
We were delighted to present RSGS Honorary Fellowship to Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, for overseeing significant growth in the renewable energy sector, and showcasing her dedication to implementing renewable energy across Scotland. Read more
Branklyn Garden has been described as ‘the finest two acres of private garden in the country’. Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf wanted to find out more about the history of this beautiful garden, which is celebrating its centenary this year. Read more
Artist Michael Durning was inspired to celebrate Scottish explorers, and at the Royal Scottish Geographical Society HQ he found that Amundsen’s race to the South Pole began in Perth! Read more
We were delighted to present the Tivy Education Medal to a group of volunteers and inspirational teachers, for their collective work creating free geography lessons for Scottish secondary students forced to work and study at home during lockdown. Read more
We were delighted to present RSGS Honorary Fellowship to author and conservationist Clifton Bain, for his crucial work towards the conservation of peatlands, and promoting public awareness of their importance. Read more
'It was while he was dangling in mid-air, making painful progress towards a tiny ledge on the vertical rock face of Roraima, that Hamish MacInnes noticed his rope was badly frayed'... RSGS Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf reflects on Hamish MacInnes' expedition up Roraima by its hardest route. Read more
RSGS Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf reflects on the journey of Sir Everard Im Thurn in leading the first successful expedition to the summit of Mount Roraima. Read more
Our Chief Executive, Mike Robinson, was delighted to receive the Cairncross Trophy for his services to Perth, from Joe Cairns, President of the Rotary Club of Perth. Read more
As we approach the New Year, we reflect on some of the activities we have been involved in during 2021 at RSGS, and what we have achieved. Read more
When the weather outside was frightful, Captain Fred Burnaby was pole-vaulting across the Volga and battling across the frozen Kazakh steppe in a sleigh drawn by three camels, written by RSGS Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf. Read more
When Charles Darwin looked at the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy, he was seeking evidence that would support his personal theory about their formation. He was looking for seashells - or, more precisely, marine fossils. On this occasion, however, he was wrong. Read more
RSGS Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf interviews recent Scottish Geographical Medal recipient Professor Roger Crofts, former Chair of RSGS, who reflects on his life and career in Scottish nature conservation. Read more
On 24th September 1975, Dougal Haston and Doug Scott reached summit of Everest via the treacherous south-west face, becoming the first Britons to conquer the world's highest mountain. Later that year, the 1975 British Everest Expedition was awarded the Livingstone Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Written by RSGS Writer-in-Residence Jo Woolf. Read more