Ray Mears' Northern Wilderness

★ 9.5 · 2009 · 60m · Documentary

Survival expert Ray Mears takes an epic adventure into Canada’s unforgiving yet stunning wilderness, covering over 1,000 miles

Episodes

▶1. The Forgotten Forest60m · Ray Mears goes on an epic adventure into Canada's unforgiving, yet stunning wilderness. His journey begins in the vast Boreal Forest at the heart of Canada. This is a place where knowledge and experience are still far more important than the equipment you carry, a place left alone for centuries before Europeans arrived. Ray explores the wonder of this special forest, learns about the people who called it home and unlocks the secrets of this forgotten world. This is a land where knowledge of bushcraft is not just desirable, it is essential.▶2. The Company that Built a Country60m · Ray Mears takes an epic adventure into Canada's unforgiving, yet stunning wilderness. As Ray makes his journey, across land and by canoe, he tells the story of one of the greatest companies the world has ever known, the British fur trade company that opened up Canada - the Hudson's Bay Company. Ray discovers how those early traders were pioneers who laid the foundations of modern Canada. He also demonstrates local crafts and bushcraft skills that bring the landscape to life.▶3. The Unknown Pioneer60m · For Ray Mears there is one British pioneer who stands above all others in the exploration of Canada. That man is Samuel Hearne. In learning to travel using First Nations skills, he set the template for successful travel into Canada's wilderness. Hearne's story is defined by hardship and adventure, an inspiring tale made more powerful by the journal he left as a legacy. In a celebration of one of Earth's last great wildernesses, Ray follows in the footsteps of his hero's epic journey of over 1,000 miles.▶4. In Arctic Footsteps60m · In this episode of the series, Ray follows in the footsteps of an unsung British hero who helped put modern Canada on the map. John Rae from Scotland was the first great Arctic explorer and came to be regarded as the foremost authority on First Nation methods of Arctic survival and travel. Ray Mears follows the story of how John Rae found the Northwest Passage - the Holy Grail of 19th-century exploration. Yet this man, who should have been a hero of his day, was vilified by the British establishment. Ray believes it's time to put the record straight.▶5. Koo Koo Sint - The Star Gazer60m · The survival expert profiles 19th-century cartographer David Thompson, who mapped nearly four million square miles of North America - a feat that took him across Canada from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and helped establish coast-to-coast trade within the country, as well as defining the borders that kept it independent from the US ▶6. Journey's End60m · The survival expert explores the landscape and traditions of the west coast of Canada, which was effectively cut off from the rest of the country until David Thompson found a route through the Rocky Mountains in the early 1800s. Ray discovers how this isolation gave rise to the development of the area's culture, and reveals the particular kinds of skills that locals developed to cope with the challenges presented by its terrain. Last in the series

More Like This

À nous 2 Canada

2019

No synopsis available.

More info →

Kanadas Nationalparks

2016

No synopsis available.

More info →

Hot Roads - The World's Most Dangerous Roads

2011

A risky expedition along thoroughfares that harbor mortal danger for those who use them or live on them. They run through deserts, ice, and snow, deep in the jungle, along water, and over mountains: the world's most dangerous roads, truly "hot roads." Many have died along these roads.

More info →

Extreme Bugs

2025 · ★ 7

Camouflage, deception and deadly precision: insects arrive with surprising survival strategies and thus take their place in the animal world. From bomb-igniting beetles, web-throwing spiders to tricky antlions – worldwide, the insect world has developed amazing abilities to protect itself from attackers and obtain food.

More info →

Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science

1997 · ★ 7.5

A compelling, innovative true crime series focused on the role of forensic science in solving some of the most perplexing crimes of our time. Looking at how examination of DNA, teeth, and insects, among other things, can be used to solve crimes.

More info →

Survival Squad

2023 · ★ 7.2

No synopsis available.

More info →

Hard North

2024 · ★ 8

A diverse group of young people embark on a challenging, four-season mission to build a life in the vast and unforgiving Canadian wilderness.

More info →

Africa's Wild Year

2021 · ★ 8

A four-part series set over a year in Africa and focuses on each season, revealing the different conditions they bring. Temperatures, rain, and light change every animal as they adapt to the new season.

More info →