TV’s most intrepid survival tip expert is soon back on our screens to teach us all how to fend for ourselves out in the wild.
Notorious wilderness warrior Bear Grylls is no stranger to a close shave or two, throwing himself into perilous situations with boundless (some might say reckless) enthusiasm. With a new US series of his popular survival show Running Wild underway, which tests the survival credentials of movie and TV stars Kate Hudson, Michelle Rodriguez and Kate Winslet among others, you can be sure to see more of the same extreme antics.
While there are challengers to Grylls’ survival crown, such as Ray Mears or ex-cricketer and part-time survivalist Freddie Flintoff, it’s hard to match the genuine love and passion Grylls displays while recording his survival shows. With that in mind, here’s a look back at some of his craziest exploits for a taste of what his next set of stars have let themselves in for…
Quicksand
“Fall into this and you’d be in big trouble,” Bear Grylls announces as he duly hops in, seemingly without any reservations whatsoever. The nonchalance with which he describes the deadly aspects of the quicksand is staggering, as he illogically wriggles himself in deeper and deeper.
According to our intrepid explorer, all you have to do is stay calm and not struggle, then simultaneously pull your legs out and monkey crawl to safety. He admits that “the more you fight it the more it pulls you in,” but how hard can it be? Apparently not very difficult at all for Bear.
Arctic River Crossing
Surely the last thing you’d want to do in arctic conditions is remove all your warm clothes, especially when the alternative is swimming across a river naked. There is method in the madness though. Once your outdoor gear is soaked through, you have no chance of warming up again once you’re on the other side, so the only logical conclusion is to strip off except for your boots, to offer protection from the rocky river bed.
That’s just the theory of course, as actually putting into practice is a completely different kettle of fish. Nevertheless, Bear Grylls happily wades through the river, using an ice block for his pack as if it were a foam float from a swimming pool, then shakes his arms to warm up on the other side. Easy right?
Beetle Larva
Apparently these types of beetle larvae contain more protein pound for pound than beef or fish, but judging by this video there’s a good reason why they’re not served in restaurants as a side dish. However, Bear has eaten much more superficially stomach churning “survival food” in the past, including both raw goat testicles and a moose’s heart.
But don’t let appearances deceive – you know when he claims that it’s one of the worst things he’s ever eaten that you’re dealing with something particularly vile. If you were in any doubt, just watch the way it pops like a giant spot.
Railway Bridge Climb
Scaling an old 200 foot high railway bridge with no harness and then being chased through a dark tunnel by a train is not exactly everyone’ perfect picture of a holiday in the U.S state of Montana. Both the climb and train chase are terrifying and exhilarating to watch in equal measure, but it does beg the question of why he had to climb all the way up instead of just following the tracks from where he was.
All the same, you can do nothing but admire Bear’s strength and determination, and it’s always good to see the great British understatement is alive and well, when he observes that “you’re just not human if you don’t feel aflutter.” It’s probably fair to say most people would feel more than aflutter, Bear.