Expedition of the Imperial Geographical Society to Box Hill

The Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) earlier today conducted an expedition to Box Hill in Surrey. The expedition traversed valleys and woodland around Box Hill on its way to the viewpoint at the top of the hill itself, which commands a spectacular view of Dorking and the surrounding countryside. On their way up the hill, the expedition encountered a large bed of bluebells and some mysterious tiles embedded in the woodland floor. Fourteen people took part in the expedition, including Emperor Jonathan I, the Emperor Mother, and Crown Princess Caroline. The route had been planned by John, former Baron of Zephyria. This marks the twentieth expedition of the IGS, almost ten years to the day since its first was conducted on 4 May 2009. A video of the expedition will soon be uploaded. UPDATE – 3 October 2019: A video of the expedition can now be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKSUyeyNNWg

IGS Expedition to Dorking

The Emperor, Emperor Father, and Crown Princess earlier today embarked on the Imperial Geographical Society’s nineteenth expedition. The Expedition travelled to the British town of Dorking. An initial plan to explore the town’s high street had to be cancelled due to a lack of parking spaces, and so the three instead went to a nearby pub for lunch. While driving near the town, the expedition encountered a large statue of a cockerel, a famous local landmark. The expedition was undertaken at the suggestion of Emperor Father Terry, primarily to give Crown Princess Caroline practice at driving her new car. Despite the relatively uneventful trip, the expedition (and lunch out) was enjoyed by all.

Imperial Geographical Society Expedition to Soria

The Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) yesterday undertook an expedition exploring sites of interest in the Spanish city of Soria, and following part of the course of the Duero River. The expedition, the members of which consisted of Emperor Jonathan I and his sister Crown Princess Caroline, is the first of the IGS to have taken place outside of the United Kingdom. The Emperor has been living in the Spanish city of Soria since September with his fiancée Princess Hannah, and will continue to do so until June. The Crown Princess visited the imperial couple from Tuesday to Friday this week, and on Thursday 12th it was decided to designate a comprehensive tour of Soria’s sites of interest as an official IGS expedition. The main sites visited on the tour of the city were: An outdoor refuge for stray cats The ruins of the Convent of St Francis (17th century) and of the church of St Ginés (12th century) The churches of St John of Rabanera (12th century), Our Lady of the Hawthorn (16th century), and the Co-Cathedral of St Peter (16th century) The Hermitages of St Saturio and Our Lady of Miron (both 6th century) A hill behind the Hermitage of Miron from which a view of the ruins of Numantia (2nd century BC) can be seen The high street in central Soria

IGS Expedition to Cheam and Nonsuch Parks

The Imperial Geographical Society yesterday conducted an expedition of exploration through Cheam Park and the adjoining Nonsuch Park. The two parks together make up a large area of fields and woodland which straddles the border between the London Borough of Sutton and the county of Surrey. The expedition of three was led by Emperor Jonathan I, and discovered a dry riverbed, some basic wooden shelters constructed in the woods, and some wild parakeets. Views of various London landmarks, including Battersea Power Station, Wembley Stadium, and the BT Tower were available from high ground on Cheam Park.

IGS Expedition to Warlingham

The Imperial Geographical Society has conducted a successful expedition of exploration through woods, farmland and suburbs in and north of the British town of Warlingham. The expedition was led by John of Zephyria, and was comprised of fifteen people, the largest number of people to have been on an IGS Expedition since 2011. Emperor Jonathan I and Emperor Mother Margaret were amongst those taking part, with the other members of the expedition being from Carshalton Methodist Church, at which the walk was advertised. The expedition encountered several areas of interest, including a disused chalk quarry and a beautiful patch of bluebell woods. A steep hill near the start/end point of the expedition has been named Hyerdunscar Hill by the IGS, in memory of the recently deceased Edd (Hyerdunscar being the kennel that bred him). Photographs and videos were taken of the expedition, and a short film narrated by the Emperor can be seen here.

First IGS Expedition held under new rules

The extended Imperial Family yesterday embarked on their annual New Year’s walk on Wimbledon Common, classified as an Imperial Geographical Society expedition under new rules for the organisation. In an Imperial Edict, Emperor Jonathan I laid out rules for the Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) in regards to its structure and the launching of expeditions. Any excursion in which two or more IGS members are partaking may be made an official IGS expedition after obtaining authorisation from the Director of the IGS. Yesterday’s walk, led by Lord Michael, was designated an IGS expedition with four of the eight taking part being members of the society. It is traditional for the immediate Imperial Family to have a walk on Wimbledon Common with the Boxalls (the family of Emperor Mother Margaret) on New Year’s Day, with the walk moved to 2nd January should the 1st be a Sunday. The expedition first explored woodland north of the famous Wimbledon Common Windmill, passing by the Queensmere and Kingsmere ponds, and then traversed the golf course and woodland south of the windmill. In the Imperial Edict, Jonathan I also directed that IGS expeditions “must do everything that is reasonably possible to refrain from damaging the natural environment”. The Imperial Geographical Society was founded in 2009. Yesterday’s expedition was the fifteenth since its foundation, and the third to Wimbledon Common.

Imperial Geographical Society Expedition to Sealand

The Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) yesterday conducted an expedition to Sealand. Not the Principality of Sealand, a tiny sovereign state off the British coast, but rather a Welsh town of the same name. The expedition, consisting solely of Emperor Jonathan I and Princess Consort Hannah, walked two and a half miles from the latter’s university accommodation in Chester over the English-Welsh border to Sealand, stopping for lunch near the border sign. Sealand is not only of interest due to it sharing a name with the famous Principality; the land used to be marshland under shallow seawater until a land reclamation project in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

IGS Expedition revisits original route

An expedition of the Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) yesterday retraced the route of its original expedition in 2009, through woods and farmland south of the British village of Bletchingley. The 2009 expedition was the very first launched by the IGS, which had then been in existence for barely two months. Twenty seven people participated in total, with it remaining to date the largest expedition of the IGS. Yesterday’s expedition walked the same route as that taken in 2009, comparing the area today with how it was seven years ago. A small detour had to be taken to find an alternative spot for lunch, with the gate to the clearing used during the original expedition having been locked by the landowners. There were only eight people on yesterday’s expedition; far smaller than the original, but numbering one more than last year’s May bank holiday expedition. Yesterday’s expedition was led by Emperor Jonathan I, with other members of the Imperial Family taking part alongside members of Carshalton Methodist Church. A film of the expedition can be seen here.

IGS Expedition to Friday Street and nearby woods

The Imperial Geographical Society has conducted an expedition through woods to the south of the British hamlet of Friday Street. The expedition was led by John of Zephyria, and included Emperor Jonathan I and Emperor Mother Margaret. Since 2009, it has become customary for the IGS to launch an expedition on the first Monday of May exploring rural areas of Surrey, accompanied by several members of Carshalton Methodist Church. This year, the turnout was unfortunately rather small; including the three Austenasians, only seven people took part in the expedition, compared with over twenty in 2009 and 2010. The expedition set off south from Friday Street, turning west before reaching Leith Hill and then stopping for lunch at the village of Holmbury Saint Mary before walking north-east through Abinger Common to arrive back at its starting point. After the expedition, its members travelled to the café at the nearby Denbies Wine Estate for refreshments. Photographs and video clips were taken, and a short film of the expedition can be seen here.

IGS Expedition to Woldingham

The Imperial Geographical Society has conducted an expedition through woods and farmland to the south-west of the British town of Woldingham. The expedition, which was led by John of Zephyria (Officer of the Austenasian Order and father of Lord Marshal William), consisted of ten people. These included Emperor Jonathan I and Emperor Mother Margaret. The rest of the expedition’s members were from Carshalton Methodist Church, which organises a ramble on the first Monday of May to coincide with the annual IGS expedition. The expedition encountered several farm animals – chickens, ducks, horses, cows and goats – in fields adjacent to the paths followed, and walked through some areas of beautiful bluebell woodland.  It also had a look inside St. Agatha’s Church, a tiny High Anglican church close to the route being followed. A footpath which the expedition travelled along for part of the way has been named Paloma Path in memory of Rose (whose pedigree name was Bramarley Paloma of Carothan), who sadly died last month. Photographs and video clips were taken, and a short film of the expedition can be seen here.