Coronavirus

This week Kaisa shares a favourite film and Jonathan shares a book Soul Surfer Why I like it: It’s a true story about the high level competitor, teenage surfer Bethany Hamilton, who gets her arm bitten off by a shark while surfing. It’s about her tireless struggle to survive, come back to any kind of joy and quality of life, to actually take up surfing again, and to help others enjoy being in the sea again. I really like this film because of its lovely shots of the beautiful sea... Read More

This week, Ashley shares his favourite climbing films: The Trilogy Why I like it: This is a film about one of the best climbers in the world, and maybe the best female climber, tackling the three biggest vertical climbs in the Banff national park in Canada. This is one of my favourite outdoor films because I first watched it with Sasha during her tour around the UK, but also because every step of the way through the film was nail biting. You feel like you are there with her as... Read More

Robin picks some classic TV series to get our nature documentaries on! Planet Earth & The Blue Planet Why I like them: I like these because I find it really grounding to see the range of environments and animals on this planet. I find it puts everything in perspective and I definitely think there’s something relaxing about that. Seeing the range of landscapes is very inspiring too! It always makes me want to travel to experience it in person. It goes without saying that David Attenborough’s narration is top notch... Read More

This week Kristine shares two films, one for the family and the other for some introspection. Snow Dogs Why I like it: The story is about a Miami dentist who inherits a house and a pack of sledge dogs in Alaska from his birth mother. Although he is not used to the cold climate of Alaska and the dogs are rebellious at the beginning, he decides to stay and compete with the dogs in a local race, where the adventure begins. It is a traditional story about friendship, challenges and... Read More

This week Brett shares a favourite book and film which both celebrate a life in the outdoors: Fishing in Utopia by Andrew Brown Why I like it: I bought this book on a whim a couple of years ago, and couldn’t put it down; one of the few books I have read that I genuinely wanted to be much longer! Andrew Brown moved to Sweden in the late 1970’s, married, and lived with his wife and son in a cottage in the woods. The book is partly about the sheer... Read More

This week, Gus shares one of his favourite outdoor-related books, whilst Jonathan and Marta recommend an awesome but nerve-jangling film that’s an Oscar winner and already a classic: Dead Lucky by Lincoln Hall Why I like it: Another Everest tale, this time from veteran Australian climber, Lincoln Hall. Upon having successfully summited Mt Everest, Hall was struck by a cerebral oedema (high altitude sickness), collapsed, and was pronounced dead after an unsuccessful revival attempt by Sherpas. News of Hall’s death travelled rapidly around the world and to Hall’s family in... Read More

This week, it’s Marta’s turn to share some of her favourite outdoor- and travel-related books and films: A Walk in the Woodsby Bill Bryson Why I Like It: Set on the Appalachian trail, this story follows the footsteps of Bill Bryson as he attempts to complete this 2,200 mile behemoth. As with much of Bryson’s writing, this book holds plenty of belly laughs. Although undeniably funny, the heart of this novel follows an exploration of the self through nature and how being out in the wilderness can help introspection. Plus... Read More

This week, it’s the turn of Open Airist’s hairy climber Will to share some of his favourite outdoor- and travel-related books and films: Mountaincraft and Leadership (Revised Third Edition)by Eric Langmuir Why I Like It: What else is there to buy for a 9 year old’s birthday present? Although somewhat of a strange gift at the time, I’m glad I was given it. Having now read it from cover to cover twice (lies… the first time I skipped the nutrition section), I have lost count of the number of times... Read More