© Alexis Berg. Snowdonia. The Welsh valleys have a beauty that seems almost cinematic.
From the highest peaks to the furthest reaches of uninhabited nature, the great outdoors is endlessly awe-inspiring, and has provided the perfect canvas for jaw-dropping feats. Discover the best action sports across the globe, from cycling through deserts to following rugged trails through the mountains of Colorado – or even conquering Mount Everest. This selection of thrill-seekers' books celebrates the wonders and excitement of the wilderness.
1. Mountaineering Women
As adventure pursuits like climbing and mountaineering continue to gain popularity on the world stage, women's visibility in the sport has also grown. Mountaineering Women brings together climbers from a wide range of nations – each with their own compelling stories – and seeks to redress a narrative that frequently focuses on the exploits of white, male ‘explorers’. The first publication of its kind, this volume celebrates the awesome and often surprising stories and achievements of twenty of the most daring women mountaineers from around the globe.
Discover Mountaineering Women by Joanna Croston.
2. Grand Trails
Here is the very best of trail running brought together in one spectacular showcase. Grand Trails: A Global Anthology of Trail Running surveys thirty-six races in twenty countries that feature trail running in all its forms: short trails, ultra-trails, mountain running, stage races and skyrunning. With breathtaking photography, and inspiring interviews with leading trail runners past and present, this is an unforgettable book for anyone planning their own trail running adventure or simply dreaming about what might be possible.
Discover Grand Trails: A Global Anthology of Trail Running by Alexis Berg, Frédéric Berg and Aurélien Delfosse.
3. Running Wild
Trail running is as simple as it sounds: just put one foot in front of the other, somewhere unpaved and outdoors. Follow routes that run through some of the most wild and beautiful places on Earth, from the heights of the Alps to the jungles of Latin America with Running Wild. Presenting the finest trail-running locations around the world, this anthology showcases what makes each location so spectacular and provides practical information to keep you moving on the ground.
Discover Running Wild by Julie and Simon Freeman.
4. The Art of Climbing
A fascinating journey through time in the world of climbing, but also the life’s work of Simon Carter, one of the world’s leading climbing photographers. The outstanding pictures in this book provide a vision for why we climb. Simply put, climbing is sport, adventure and the joy of life – all at the same time - Alexander Huber.
Renowned photographer Simon Carter’s dramatic collection of photographs reveals the world’s most beautiful climbing locations, from Tsaranoro in Madagascar and Teplicke in the Czech Republic to Mount Huashan in China.
Discover The Art of Climbing by Simon Carter.
5. Escape by Bike
Cycling writer and photographer Joshua Cunningham spent eleven months cycling from London to Hong Kong, a journey that spanned twenty-six countries and 22,000 kilometres (13,670 miles). In Escape by Bike: Adventure Cycling, Bikepacking and Touring Off-Road, Cunningham details his experience and provides a wealth of practical information, from arranging travel and selecting the best bike to what to pack for each climate and terrain, and how to choose and navigate your route.
Discover Escape by Bike by Joshua Cunningham.
6. Mountains: Epic Cycling Climbs
For over a century the mountains have provided the setting for the greatest cycling contests, where human determination and willpower can triumph over nature and opponents. The dramatic landscapes are a way of life for locals or a peaceful moment for visitors, but for cyclists they mean something quite different: suffering, pain, agony – and glory. Mountains: Epic Cycling Climbs brings together personal recollections from leading road cyclists of those challenges and victories, and is sure to inspire wonder in anyone who wishes to confront the power of the mountains.
Discover Mountains: Epic Cycling Climbs by Michael Blann.
