Shackleton's Endurance

August 1914: Europe descends into what will become a long and bloody war. Days later, after being given the order to proceed by Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, Ernest Shackleton and his men set off to cross and conquer the Antarctic. 

Portrait of Ernest Shackleton, © National Maritime Museum, London

The expedition consisted of two ships, Endurance and SY Aurora. Meeting Endurance in Buenos Aires, Shackleton sailed with his men to the Weddell Sea, to begin their march via the South Pole. The Aurora sailed to the Ross Sea, on the other side of the continent, ready to set up supply depots along the route to the Pole, supporting the men of the Endurance on their trek and undertaking scientific research. 

Things did not go according to plan. By early 1915, Endurance had become frozen in pack ice. The crew camped on the drifting floes for months, salvaging what they could before the ship finally sank to the icy depths in November. Below are some items rescued from the expedition. 

Leonard Hussey's banjo

© National Maritime Museum, London

When the men abandoned ship, they were only allowed to take minimal possessions with them. The exception was this: the meteorologist Leonard Hussey’s banjo, which Shackleton called “vital mental medicine”, crucial to maintaining morale. They kept it with them as they made a five day journey in the ship’s lifeboats to land on Elephant Island.

Marine chronometer

© National Maritime Museum, London

From the remote Elephant Island, Shackleton decided to launch a mission to get help. He and five others set off in the James Caird lifeboat, hoping to reach the whaling station at South Georgia, some 800 miles away. The men were reliant on Frank Worsley’s navigational skills in heavy winds and rolling seas. This chronometer was probably used on their epic voyage.

Liquid boat compass

© National Maritime Museum, London

It is likely that Worsley used this liquid boat compass for navigation on that horrendous trip. The men had to continuously bail water and chip ice from their leaky boat in freezing conditions. They finally made landfall 16 days later. The exhausted Shackleton, Worsley and Crean then had to traverse mountains and glaciers to finally reach help.

Victor Hayward’s Journal

© National Maritime Museum, London

On the other side of the continent, things had also gone awry. In May 1915, Aurora was carried out to sea, stranding 10 men without much of their equipment, food and fuel. They continued to lay depots for the anticipated continental crossing, although hungry and weak. Three died. Victor Hayward, one of those men, last wrote in this journal two days before he disappeared following a blizzard.

The men on Elephant Island were rescued in August 1916; the remainder of the Ross Sea Party in January 1917. Shackleton and his men finally returned to find the world still in the midst of war. Many of them served in the conflict. Shackleton returned south once more, but died in South Georgia in 1922, and, according to his wife’s wishes, was buried there.

Written by Claire Warrior, Senior Exhibitions Interpretation Curator of the National Maritime Museum, the world's largest maritime museum, filled with inspirational stories of discovery and adventure at sea. rmg.co.uk

Home Ground

Shot during a nautical voyage between Iceland and Greenland, Home Ground is a short anthropological film exploring how two very different, but geographically close cultures relate to one another within a striking and vast natural landscape. We chatted to film maker James Aiken about his journeys in the far north.

I think there is so much to be said about Iceland and Greenland, and as a filmmaker there are unlimited stories and people that can make a project rich. As these are personal projects, it's important for me to have a rewarding experience outside of the film making, and being among these truly wild places is definitely food for the soul.

I think this project was really defined as much by the things that I couldn't capture as by those moments I could. On one of our night shifts during the crossing we had a particularly moving experience. It was about four in the morning and brutally cold with dark skies overhead. A gap in the cloud developed and we could see the aurora developing behind. At this moment fellow crew member Vidar noticed phosphorescence being disturbed by the passing swell. For the next 10 minutes we were treated to an almost full Arctic light show, aurora overhead and phosphorescence below, the whole world dancing green. It was unreal, something I will never forget.

When I was in Iceland filming Almost Arctic, I met a lot of people around the town of Ísafjörður, including Siggi the captain of the Aurora. He invited us round to his house for dinner: traditional Icelandic roast puffin. He's an inspiring, well-travelled guy, and we spent the night hearing stories of his early life in the Westfjords and about his trips to Greenland. I mentioned that I grew up sailing and would love to crew if the chance arose.

That opportunity came in September, when Siggi needed a crew to sail the boat back from the east coast of Greenland after a summer of tours. He invited Vidar and I to fly to Kulusuk, sail north to the narrowest crossing point and then for the passage across the Denmark Straits to Iceland.

If you read any book about the area, it says to leave before the end of August as the autumn storms are particularly violent. Not to mention how dangerous moving through the ice can be in anything but calm conditions. But Siggi was confident a crossing was possible if we picked our moment. There were two storms brewing as we embarked but, with Siggi's meteorological understanding and intuition, we threaded our way between them back to Iceland.

I only had a few hours with Dines, the local Greenlander, as we were due to sail north almost as soon as Vidar and I arrived. After only an hour in the country, I was whipping through the fjords in his small boat, butchering seals to feed to his sled dogs and sampling muktak (whale blubber), a local delicacy that is as rich in Vitamin C as an orange. 

I'm inspired by people who live closely with nature. If we look at these people, who live quiet, happy lives in tune with their surroundings, we can begin to understand how we must adapt our own to experience a more sustainable and rewarding lifestyle.

Look to James Aiken's tumblr for more from this talented film maker.

Come on in, the water's fine!

Our feet may be fidgeting under the desk, but our minds are wallowing in one (to be honest all) of these outdoor baths – just three of the many alfresco bathing experiences you can enjoy in Britain. Whether you fancy stretching out beside your own private waterfall or wriggling your toes in clay-rich Welsh water, be sure to add taking a bath outside to your to-do list this year.

Bemuse the local wildfowl

The Wild-de-go in Cornwall is a grass-roofed, refurbished old day-tripper, and is as romantic as Lionel Ritchie singing Hello down with the phone with a longing look in his eye. No? Oh well, it's still perfect if you've got a few days of stargazing and alfresco bathing in mind.

The boat is an Isles of Scilly ferry that once chugged around Cornish waters in the 1920s, but has now come to rest near Bude. Owners Ivan and Emma have thoughtfully restored it while keeping its rustic charm – think original old port holes and exposed beams. Inside, you do really feel like you're on a boating holiday, moored in a little harbour, calling on the mainland for supper. The real treat though is the wood-fired hot tub outside, sunken into the decking and overlooking the pond. Just you, the night sky and the perhaps the odd curious duck.

If you fancy choppier waters, close by you'll find sandy beaches at Bude, puffins on Lundy Island and gorgeous Cornish towns such as Boscastle, Padstow and Port Isaac.

The Wild-de-go, Cornwall, cabin for two from £70 per night, Canopy & Stars

Re-enact a Timotei commercial

Take a bath under the stars while listening to the sounds of your very own, private waterfall. Eco retreats don’t get much more idyllic than this one with its choice of two bathtubs in rather dreamy locations.

There's the glass-ceilinged hot tub dome for a sheltered soak with views of the starry sky and surrounding hills. The gorge bath is an outdoor, hot bubble bath right next to the retreat’s natural waterfall. All bathing is conscience-free as the power for the centre is generated from a hydro-electric power station, solar panels and a biomass pellet wood-burner.

After your bath or yoga session or hot-stone massage, you can bed down in the newly refurbished bothies, close to the café, kitchen, showers and relaxation room. The retreat nestles in the hills overlooking Loch Awe. 

If you've had quite enough of lazing around in fluffy robes and feel the need to expend some energy, the wilds of Scotland abound. Take a walk to nearby Kilmartin Glen or a daytrip to Easdale Island and get suitably muddy and worn out before your evening soak. 

The ecoYoga Bothy, West Scotland, cabin for four from £228 per night, Canopy & Stars

Splash it up with the sheep

Somewhere out in the lush greenness that is Powys in mid-Wales, you'll find a holistic retreat like no other. Eddie, Kim and their bonny baby live in complete bliss in Mellowcroft, 12 acres of land where they've built their home, shepherds huts and cabins with their own bare hands, using old pallets and coppiced wood. You can sleep in one of their yurts or cabins, or you can bring your own tent if you wish.

But what you must do before you shut your eyes is have a bath, Mellowcroft style. It may look alarmingly like Eddie and Kim want to cook you for their supper, as they stoke the fire beneath you, but just pick yourself some herbs and flowers from the array of little plants the tub, sink into the clay-rich water and let the rising temperature, the candlelight and the bleating of sheep lull you into a floppy stupor. By this point, you won't care if they've had dinner yet or not.

If you fancy making it a longer stay and you're a bit of a handy man, you can volunteer in exchange for your accommodation and food.

For prices, contact Mellowcroft via their website.

When it’s too stormy for a dip in the sea, guest blogger Laura Rollo-Smith likes to find other outdoorsy places to enjoy a swim, including Art Deco lidos and wild swim spots in the South West.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike...

Spring is coming. There couldn't be a more perfect way to shake off the winter doldrums and witness the budding greenery than from the comfort of your saddle.

We asked Martyn Brunt from Sustrans to recommend the best cycle paths for downhill forest trails, dazzling stretches of coastline, quaint villages, crumbling castles and short city-centre dashes. All these paths form part of the huge Sustrans National Cycle Network – a series of traffic-free paths and quiet on-road routes that stretch 14,500 miles across the British Isles. There's a whole two-wheeled world out there to explore.

Image: Jenny Baker/Sustrans

I'll be coming round the mountain

If you want spectacular mountain views then there is no better place to head than the Scottish Highlands and the Callander to Killin route. 

OK, so we’ll be upfront – this ride is definitely a challenge but trust us, it really is worth the effort. Showcasing Scotland’s natural beauty, the route travels into the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Starting in the pretty town of Callander (known as the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’) you’ll pass waterfalls, glens, lochs and heather clad mountains.  

Image: Gail Frederick

Quaint and quintessentially English

If you’re after unspoilt, quintessentially English villages in a beautiful rural setting, then the Cotswolds is the perfect destination, and the Windrush Valley Cycle Route in Oxfordshire is the perfect ride.

Transport yourself from the bustle of historic Witney to the beautiful, quiet lanes of the Windrush Valley on this ride into the Costwold countryside. Burford makes a great stopping off point – it's one of the most picturesque towns in England – with a medieval bridge, old stone houses and attractive Georgian and Tudor shop fronts.  

Image: Forestry Commission Picture Library/John McFarlane

Sylvan adventure

If vibrant forest trails are what you’re after then the Afan Valley in South Wales is the ultimate destination.  

This great route takes you on a short jaunt from the coast right into heart of Afan Forest Park. With panoramic forest views, extensive wildlife and campsite facilities you could make this a multi-day adventure. If you fancy testing your mettle, there are five world class mountain bike trails and mountain bike hire available in the park. 

Image: Nikki Wingfield/Sustrans

Crashing waves and coastal sunsets

There are so many stretches of amazing British coastline that it’s almost impossible to choose a favourite, but the unexplored Burgh by Sands to the Solway Coast trail in Cumbria is idyllic.

The perfect place to watch the sun going down, this ride offers 24 miles of beautiful salt marsh and farmland before arriving at the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

Alternative: We can't recommend coastal cycle routes without mentioning the Causeway Coast Cycle Route, in County Antrim This stunning 23-mile cycle route runs along the North Atlantic coast from Castlerock to the Giant's Causeway World Heritage Site and a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  Along the way you can enjoy fine sea views from Barmouth Viewpoint across the mouth of the River Bann, and also over the sandy beach at Portstewart across to Scotland and the Mull of Kintyre. 

Image: Chris Shervey

A cycle through history

If you fancy exploring a bit of England’s rich heritage then there is no better place to start than the historic Shropshire Castles Cycleway.

This route offers you the chance to experience South Shropshire’s historic castles and the beautiful countryside surrounding them, much of which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Visit the historic towns of Shrewsbury, Bishop’s Castle, Craven Arms and Ludlow, which are renowned for traditional shops, lively street markets, art and craft galleries and storybook castles. 

Image: Matt Taylor

City centre dash

If you want a short city centre dash that takes you away from the hustle and bustle then the Tamsin Trail in London is the route for you.  

This ride takes you on a loop around the beautiful Richmond Park. Here you can lose yourself in the ornamental woodland garden, go deer-spotting and find the perfect spot for a picnic.  King Henry's Mound is the highest point within the park and has a telescope where you can see all the way to St Paul's Cathedral. 

Martyn Brunt is the National Cycle Network Development Manager at Sustrans and he loves nothing more than hopping on his bike on a Sunday, followed by tea and cake. 

Slow adventure photography competition winner

When Cécile Eschenauer decided to explore Iceland during her sabbatical, she chose to do so by bus rather than hiring a car, taking time to explore the Westfjords via the slow road.

Photo: Cécile Eschenauer

Thank you to everyone who entered our #ErnestObscura photography competition. Our first theme was slow adventure and we enjoyed receiving shots of readers exploring the world on foot, local transport and by boat. 

A few words from our winner, Cécile. "A friend and I went to Iceland two years ago, as part of a sabbatical from work. We decided not to rent a car but to travel by bus. This meant we only covered a limited area of the country, but we got to spend multiple days in each place rather than being on the road rushing to see as much as we could. That’s why we ended up spending five days in Ísafjörður, a town in the Westfjords, surely one of the world's most beautiful regions. It was during one of these slow adventures that we took this photo.

I love travelling slowly because it’s only by taking your time that you get to properly see, smell, hear and discover an area."

Cécile is a Belgian girl living in and loving Bristol since 2007. She blogs as MissPomPomPom.

Photo: Harrison & Fyfe

Cécile wins one of these gorgeous 100% lambswool scarf from Harrison & Fyfe. Sign up to our newsletter for updates on our next photo competition theme.