Trips

Crete Expedition Reunion Tour 1977 - 2011

2011-09-17T18:30:23Z

34 years after the original Geog-Ex trip to Crete - several of the original members are returning to the area.

Iain Christie writes:

"to celebrate our 50th year a few of us are going to re-visit the scene of our Geog-Ex trip to Crete (1977) and walk the Samaria Gorge!

Three of us were on the original trip: Iain Christie (me!) , Steven (Danny) Kay and David Lymburn - who is coming over from Perth Australia where he has been living for 25 years.

The others are from the same year at school - and both former Scouts! - Martin Shaw and Neil McArthur.

All of us have kept in touch since Port High days. We will be taking our photos from 1977 to reminisce with over a glass of Ouzo and I will email you photos and a full report of the Crete 2011 trip! I know Ian would have been disappointed to hear that this time there will be no rucksacks, sleeping bags or Kendal Mint Cake! Instead we have rented a Villa.

Geog-Ex Crete 1977 was just the most amazing trip that was enjoyed and never forgotten by all on it. From the moment the school mini bus left Slaemuir until the day, 3 weeks later when we arrived back in Dover (with the school mini bus waiting with our O-Grade results!) we had experienced and seen so much. From witnessing 2 Yugoslavs jumping out of our train compartment window in the middle of the night while at border control and disappearing through the fields with their sackfulls of Levi denims to sell. It was a true trip of a lifetime, all down, of course, to Ian."

A gallery of images from the original 1977 trip can be seen here.

Update:

"A great time was had by all on our 50th year re-union trip to Crete!....

Our fantastic villa was in a village called Kournas with great views over the bay by Georgioupli (between Chania and Rethymno). We arrived Friday lunch and raised a glass (or 3) of Metaxa to Ian.

Early start Sunday, taxi pick up at 7am.

Over an hours taxi drive later we were dropped at the top end of the Samaria Gorge in Omalos. (passing through the small village of Lakki, half way up, where the bus dropped us 34 years ago)

9.30am we started our hike through the gorge. It hasn’t changed apart from a new footbridge here and there. Hard work underfoot, had to make time to step aside and look up to admire the ‘views’ as you had to concentrate on every step. Litres of water and 6 hours later we emerged at the very welcome beach of Aghia Roumeli.

Getting our boots off and falling into the warm sea was heaven!!

After our swim we had a well deserved beer(s) before getting the ferry to Chora Sfakeion where our taxis were waiting to take us back over to the North side and a great meal in Geourgioupli.

We all agreed to do something similar for our 55th!

Down to Ian, Crete now has become quite a special place for all of us."

"Ian was such an awesome teacher..."

2011-05-18T19:53:50Z

"The website made me smile so much. Ian was such an awesome teacher and his stories never failed to bring a smile to anyone who heard them.

The class room picture is of my 5th year Higher geography class, which was taken either in 1999 or 2000, and as it turns out we where the last Higher class that Ian ever took, which is something that at the time we all felt immensely proud of, although we where all very sad to see him go.

The second photo is again of my 5th year Higher class and was taken outside the Dynamic Earth exhibition in Edinburgh. The original plan for this trip was Ian was going to drive us all through in the school mini bus but on the day of the trip as we where about to leave the bus broke down, never one to let us down, Ian managed to get a bus booked through a local bus company, although the only bus they had left was a 52 seater coach. So for the journey there and back to had me and my class mates sitting up the back while Ian sat down the front talking to the driver!"

- Andrew McKinnon

"a photo he took of us on the Spitsbergen trip has pride of place above our computer""

2011-04-13T13:36:17Z

"We certainly remember Ian – a photo he took of us on the Spitsbergen trip has pride of place above our computer – he managed to catch us both looking very happy and smiling.

Here is a photo of Ian from that trip – the caption I put in our photo album reads: “Ian’s attempt at keeping his feet dry was amusing but not very successful!”.

We had just completed a river crossing and Ian had pulled out these amazing plastic bag boot/leg covers which were supposed to keep the water out. Unfortunately they failed heroically and Ian just ended up with bags full of water over his boots.

But I suspect you won’t be surprised to see from the photo that he is still grinning broadly."

- Julie and Colin Gadsden

2002 Trip to Spitsbergen

"We didn't do anything as exciting as those on Iain's expedition"

2010-11-10T16:06:45Z

As a result of Iain's expedition to Andorra in 1964, the Scottish Headquarters International Commissioner (Jack Stewart) arranged a Scottish Scout Expedition to Andorra in 1965, led by Dr George Smith from Stenhousemuir. We camped at the village of Ordino, which was the weekend stop on Iain's expedition, in the company of the Andorra Scout Association. We didn't do anything as exciting as those on Iain's expedition, but for many of us it was a very good introduction to Scout expeditions abroad.

Duncan Alexander

1964 - Andorra

"He was far more than a teacher..."

2010-11-10T16:05:02Z

Was at Port Glasgow at the weekend and my dad showed me an article in the Greenock telegraph about Mr Barr and a link to this page.

Brings back so many fantastic memories of my trip to Sicily.

Such a life changing experience and one i shall never forget.

Everything we did, see, touch, experience is something money can't buy.

Memories of the Vatican, Pompeii, Etna, volcanoes and the overall experience.

Sleeping under the stars on a warm Sicily night !!!!

(Unaware of wild pigs till Mr Barr told us in the morning)

Re Mr Barr- For me they don't make teachers like that anymore - He was far more that a teacher - he was a legend. total respect for all he did for me, the school and all other pupils who experienced him.

Would be so fantastic to see the Full box of stuff from the 1979 trip.

Glad to see trying to find a place for the records to be viewed. I so hope that comes to fruition.

I still tell my kids about the trip to this day................

My mum passed away two years ago and i found old Telegraph clip of the photo above.

If anyone else has any pics of 1979 Sicily trip it would be fantastic to see them.

Cheers

Rob Curran

1979 - Sicily

"Thanks to him I began a life long love of travel…"

2010-11-10T16:03:25Z

Hi, I found out about this website via my parents who still live in Greenock and kept the Telegraph article for me. I'm so glad that someone has taken the time to put this website together to celebrate the life & work of Mr Barr. I heard about his death via my parents and I regretted not being able to tell his wife & family of the positive effect the Geog-Ex trips had on my life. I fondly recall his humour, his organisational skills and his easy way with people. I took history rather than geography but I'm so glad he allowed me to go on the Geox-Ex trips.

Thanks to him I began a life long love of travel, I've since taken my family to some of the places I went with Geog-Ex. I have wonderful memories of those trips to Sicily & the Pyrenees. I'd forgotten about the wild pigs but I recall sleeping in the orchard under the stars.

It was great to see the picture from 1979, I'd forgotten all the people that had made the trip. My boys were laughing to see their dad with hair ! How the time has passed so quickly.

We had some great teachers at Port High - Mr Carmichael & Mr McCann (Maths), Mr Bonar (History), Mr Lappin & Samuels (PE), Mr Winch, Mr Young (Headmaster). I owe all of them and other teachers at PGHS a debt of gratitude for pushing me on and giving me a love for their subjects.

Thanks Mr Barr, I will always remember you fondly and with a smile.

Alan Morgan

1979 - Sicily Expedition Members & Photo

1981 - Pindus Mountains Radio Interview

2010-03-04T22:13:34Z

"I would argue with you that it is not a holiday in the first place..."

Interview by Jamieson Clark with Ian Barr on the Ken Bruce BBC Radio Show, transmitted on Tuesday 3rd February, 1981

[MP3 file, 4.3Mb]

When I climb the hills today, I always give a little nod to Ian Barr...

2009-12-02T16:06:31Z

I have been an active hillwalker for as long as I remember. I remember my first climb, Ben Lomond in Scotland on Remembrance Day when I was about 12 with my local scout troop (7th Paisley JNI) run by Ian Barr (John T.K. Barr) who, unfortunately, passed away a couple of years ago.

When I climb the hills today, I always give a little nod to Ian Barr as he was the one who inspired me to start climbing the hills all those years ago. This first climb was the start of a long love of the Scottish countryside that has never left me.

During my scouting days, I found a book in my early teens by the Scottish mountaineer Tom Weir called Highland Days which inspired me even more, so after my Scouting days, I yearned to continue my adventures into the mountains. I continued my hillwalking with various clubs around the local area, including the Paisley Ramblers and The Paisley Hillwalking Club.

Dave McGuinness

www.davemcguinness.com

I will never forget those days...

2009-10-26T14:55:30Z

Went on the 1978,79 and 80 Trips with Mr Barr (Port Glasgow) - Will never forget these days - Iceland was a hard grind but amazing considering the weights we were lugging at an early age and have been back to the country several times since. Sicily - God I remember the rumble on the rim of Etna....2 weeks later it blew its top - we must have had God on our side as I remember a few were killed at the top. Sleeping in Olive groves under the stars - the famous Night of the Giant toad - the noise of the piglets in the night looking for food - tapping out boots in case of scorpions and stamping the ground to warn off any snakes at Mr Barr had tought us - 3 shift watches when we hit night time at the coast...God and scaring the hell outta 2 midnight bathers - oh and there was the sinking of the so called unsinkable pedalo.

10,500 feet up the Pyrenees - Totally the best trip for me...Linked together at the top and boot skiing down over the Glacier to camp - Sorry to be rude but that dried food certainly caused some interesting noises.....The midnight rustle of people secretly taking food out of packs and Mr Barr and his Pipe observing from the front of his tent and aways taking notes for the journal - In a way a second father and teacher more than you could ever wish for.....Miss ya.

Martin Pollock

Use the map - thats what its for!

2009-10-26T14:25:32Z

They say you dont miss something till its gone, and many will say that of Ian, in hearing of his passing firstly of shock and sadness I can say this but it wasnt always so.

Ian was his own man, he was opinionated and somewhat set in his ways he was there to give his advice when requested or not and he believed that scouting had something to offer all.

Ian and I didnt see eye to eye I thank Bill Currie for his kindness and his fatherly advice when we first started out as Venture Scouts all those years ago, he was a mediator between to different camps his own little UN force, As a young man I didnt see the bigger picture

I loved my time with the JNI I met many friends who though I do not see daily weekly or even once a year will remain deep in my heart as friends each bringing into my life a friendship that I relish today and everyday. The likes of Roger, Alan and Fuzz young leaders who were in the shadow of Ian all had their part to play in my own shaping to adulthood.

My reason to write is to the "wee man":

I have no words to say thank you I have now words in my head or heart to say how as a person you have been one of the biggest influences in my life, I write this small comment with a tear both in eye and heart.

I have been in scouting since the day I met you, I have tried to be the traveller with my scouts as you requested us to be. I have tried to be not like you but have your openness and understanding of different ways to see the path ahead in my working with young scouts and adults.

Ian was a person that reached you though you didnt know it then, he had his way which as I am older I see in its full respect.

- I remember your words of "their is a cafe at the top, and there was"...
- In Sardina at the point of a gun on top of a mountai: "if we dont come back run", where I asked?, "well use the map thats what its for"
- Tending to a young motor cyclist who later died from his injuries at Lapwing and working to your best to keep him alive till ambulance came.

comments that keep me and remind me of the man he was.

All I can say as many others have done is that we have lost our leader, we have lost a friend.

But we have all been privilidged to say Ian Barr, yes we were one of his boys!

Ian always my thanks.

My thoughts with those JNI past and to those who have yet to folllow.

Dougie McPhee