From October 6-9, 2014, the International Appalachian Trail held its Annual General Meeting in and around the historic city of Plymouth, England, in conjunction with a National Trails Annual Meeting.
The event was hosted by the South West Coast Path National Trail, and included tours of Dartmoor National Park, English Riviera Geopark and South Devon AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).
The October 7 Meeting was held at the National Marine Aquarium on the waterfront in Plymouth
and was sponsored in part by this home port of Sir Francis Drake, first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe (1577-80)
and Sir Humphrey Gilbert, adventurer, soldier and member of Parliament who established the first English colony in the New World at Newfoundland in 1583.
Plymouth was also the departure point of the Mayflower Pilgrims, who established the Plymouth Colony near Boston in 1620
and home of the British Navy’s Royal William Victualling Yard.
The meeting was opened by Plymouth Deputy Lord Mayor Pauline Murphy and Council Leader Tudor Evans
and included presentations by Iain Stewart, MBE FGS, Professor of Geoscience Communication at the University of Plymouth, BBC Presenter and Member of the Scientific Board of UNESCO’s International Geoscience Programme
Melanie Border, Coordinator at nearby English Riviera Global Geopark
Dave Startzell, long-time Executive Director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)
and Mark Owen, Trail Manager for Southwest Coast Path National Trail.
Of course an IAT Annual Meeting wouldn’t be complete without some inspiring walks
guided tours
and delicious group meals at landmark restaurants and pubs!
