Andrew Eames is a former journalist who has worked as a freelance travel writer for national newspapers for over 30 years. Along the way he has written five books, and for this talk he will highlight his two most successful titles: a journey in the footsteps of Agatha Christie into Iraq, just as war was breaking out. And a journey down the Danube from the source to the Black Sea in the footsteps of Patrick Leigh Fermor, hiking, biking, horse-riding and even eventually rowing his own boat.

This is a change to our originally advertised programme with Lillian Cespedes Gonzalez speaking on hidden Portugal, as Lillian is no longer able to attend.

Aleppo, Syria