The desire to push the boundaries has been a motivator in many a daring expedition, testing the human spirit and physical abilities to the utmost. The publication of the latest edition of Extreme Survivors contains stories of people who were motivated to do just that in their quest for adventure and freedom. But at what cost? Reading the stories will offer a nail-biting insight.
Extreme expeditions often take place in extreme environments and conditions. We have been looking at some associated vocabulary:
Extreme sports
Many people choose to put themselves in extreme situations, with the popularity of extreme sports steadily growing. Some of the most extreme sports that excite people today are:
- Paraskiing
- Cliff diving
- Base jumping
- Skin diving
- Free climbing
- Free solo climbing
- Wingsuit flying
- Highlining
- Volcano boarding or Volcano surfing
Collins Adventure Collection
Stories of derring-do and survival with our Collins Adventure Collection
Extreme Survivors
60 epic stories of human endurance
The most daring escapes, famous shipwrecks, and ultimate survival stories. These are astonishing stories of human endurance and endeavour. Compelling descriptions combined with illustrative maps give you a full understanding of the world’s greatest survival stories.
Find out how:
- Joe Simpson crawled to safety in the South American Andean mountains
- Anthony Farrar-Hockley evaded capture after the Battle of Imjin River in the Korean War
- Shackleton’s men survived the incredible journey by boat to South Georgia
- Naheeda Bi survived ten years in captivity after her notorious tribal kidnapping in Pakistan
Adventures for a Lifetime
An inspiring selection of hand-picked adventures, chosen by Ed Stafford. For those who don’t mind a bit of discomfort in order to experience the wilder side of our amazing planet.
- Stunning photography, sketch maps, as well as Ed’s commentary throughout to inspire adventurers to create their own expeditions.
- Open your mind and reboot your soul with these unforgettable adventures.
- Get a taste of total freedom as you soar like an eagle over mountains and lakes
- Come-face-to-fin with ocean giants as you kayak spectacular coastlines
- Strap on your skis and head off for an adventure in the frozen wastes
- Experience jaw-dropping sights and lung-bursting trails from the seat of your saddle …….and more
Great Expeditions: 50 Journeys that changed our world
Throughout history there have been brave men and women who dared to go where few had gone before. They broke new ground by drawing on incredible reserves of courage, fortitude and intelligence in the face of terrible adversity. Their endeavours changed the world and inspired generations.
Spanning several centuries and united by the common theme of the resilience of the human spirit, this is the ultimate collection of the stories of the intrepid explorers who forged new frontiers across land, sea, skies and space.
50 incredible journeys including;
- Tenzing and Hillary’s conquest of Everest
- Neil Armstrong’s giant leap
- Christopher Columbus’ new world
- Amelia Earhart flying the Atlantic
- Gold fever in the Yukon
- The hunt for a man-eating leopard in India
SAS Survival Handbook
The SAS Survival Handbook is the complete companion for adventurers everywhere. From making camp and finding food in the wild to security and self-defence in the streets, be prepared on land or sea. SAS legend John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman’s unrivalled guide will teach you:
- Preparation – Understanding and assembling latest, most resilient, kit.
- Navigation – Skills, technologies and techniques to get you through unfamiliar terrain.
- Food and Health – Finding resources in your environment, feeding yourself, healing yourself and avoiding disease.
- Safety and Security – Recognising dangerous situations, defending yourself and saving others.
- Disaster Survival – Dealing with unstable environmental conditions: what to do in the face of flash flooding or fast-spreading fire.
Scott of the Antarctic
‘It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more…For God’s sake look after our people.’ ROBERT FALCON SCOTT
- The definitive biography of Scott that re-examines his mythical status.
- Written with the full co-operation of Scott’s family, who have granted David Crane unlimited access to the entire Scott archive.
- With access to the voluminous diaries and records of key participants, this definitive biography sets out to reconcile the very private struggles of the man with the very public life of extremes that he led.
- A fresh and exciting perspective on both the Discovery expedition of 1901-4 and the Terra Nova expedition of 1910-12.
Shackleton’s Epic
‘Never for me the lowered banner, never the last endeavour’ SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON
- APRIL 1916:
After his ship Endurance was crushed by Antarctic ice and now trapped on a small inhospitable island, cut off from all hope of help, with winter approaching, Sir Ernest Shackleton made the fateful decision to attempt a risky, almost foolhardy voyage across the wild Southern Ocean to South Georgia with five of his men. From there, he would attempt to trek over unmapped and treacherous glaciers to reach safety. Neither journey had ever been attempted before. Showing the courage and leadership which would become synonymous with his name, Shackleton prevailed, and returned to rescue the entire crew of his ill-fated ship. His feat was dubbed the greatest survival journey of all time. - JANUARY 2013:
Using the same equipment as Shackleton, eating the same food, sailing a replica of the small, keel-less boat, author, explorer and environmental scientist Tim Jarvis led a six-man crew in an attempt to recreate Shackleton’s epic journey for the first time. A veteran of Antarctica’s frozen wastes, Tim found himself facing his greatest challenge yet — a never-ending struggle against conditions which fought him all the way. - Shackleton’s Epic tells the stories of these two expeditions, separated by nearly one hundred years, but unified by the struggle to survive the timeless savagery of the Southern Hemisphere.
