THIRTY years ago Stephen Venables made history with a new route up Mt Everest, being the first to summit via the gigantic Kangshung Face.

And, remarkably, he did it all without supplementary oxygen.

But anxious not to rest on his laurels, the explorer has since turned his attention to the bottom of the world and the icy mountains of the Antarctic Circle, where he has climbed peaks that are just as testing as the loftiest on Earth.

In a change to the previously advertised schedule featuring explorer Beth Christie, he’s sharing these icy exploits in the latest Inspiring People talk in Helensburgh for the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS).

During the talk, Stephen will recount his marvellous career to date – the highs of climbing Everest, and his new focus on the summits of the south: sailing, skiing, and making first ascents on the remote mountains of Tierra del Fuego, the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia.

And his stories will be right up to date as he has just returned to Scotland after a large-scale expedition to South Georgia, an island he described as “simply magical, sitting in the vastness of the Southern Ocean”.

But, having recently made home in the Scottish capital, Stephen is becoming increasingly unsure whether such long-range trips are really that necessary.

“Now that I live in Edinburgh and have all the glory of the Highlands right on my own doorstep, I must confess to niggling doubts about the value of these big trips,” he said.

Mike Robinson, chief executive of the RSGS commented: “The RSGS has played host to many of the great mountaineers of the past 100 years – Eric Shipton, Edmund Hillary and George Mallory to modern-day greats such as Chris Bonington and Leo Holding.

"It’s a great privilege, therefore, to be once again hosting Stephen in our talks programme and continuing this enviable tradition.

“I hope Stephen’s talk inspires those in attendance to get outside and conquer their own unclimbed summits, however big or small.”

Stephen added: “I always enjoy my speaking tours with the RSGS and will enjoy this one even more, now that it is so close to home.”

Stephen will be speaking in Helensburgh on Thursday, February 28 at the Victoria Halls, Sinclair Street, beginning at 7.30pm.

Tickets for the evening will be available on the door or online via Eventbrite until noon the day before.

See rsgs.org/events for links and further details.

Full price tickets are £10; £8 for Tiso Outdoor Experience Cardholders and free for RSGS members, students and U18s.