1
00:00:11,300 --> 00:00:13,380
I'm Bear Grylls.
Wow!

2
00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,460
I'm gonna show you what it takes
to get out alive

3
00:00:16,020 --> 00:00:17,360
from some of the most dangerous
places on earth.

4
00:00:17,420 --> 00:00:19,020
Whoo!

5
00:00:20,260 --> 00:00:22,300
I've got to make it
through a week of challenges

6
00:00:22,340 --> 00:00:25,040
in the sort of places
you wouldn't last a day

7
00:00:25,100 --> 00:00:26,480
without the right survival skills.

8
00:00:28,420 --> 00:00:30,040
Whoa!

9
00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:33,360
Now I'm on the Russian frontier,

10
00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:36,380
high in the mountains of Georgia,
eastern Europe.

11
00:00:37,140 --> 00:00:38,220
OK, let's go.

12
00:00:39,060 --> 00:00:41,420
This is a small country
but with big terrain.

13
00:00:41,460 --> 00:00:43,340
I'm halfway across.

14
00:00:45,460 --> 00:00:49,020
To survive here, I'm going to
have to think like a scavenger.

15
00:00:49,060 --> 00:00:51,260
(GAGS AND COUGHS)
That actually makes me gag, that.

16
00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,000
Eke out what I can find
wherever I can find it.

17
00:00:56,140 --> 00:00:58,400
This is a part-developed
chick foetus.

18
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,140
I'll be pitting my wits
against nature...

19
00:01:04,060 --> 00:01:06,060
We're doing this.
We're so close now.

20
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,420
..to show you how to survive some of
the toughest terrain on earth.

21
00:01:24,100 --> 00:01:28,200
Heading for the frontier border
between Russia and Georgia

22
00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,040
and it's a hell of a volatile part
of the world.

23
00:01:31,100 --> 00:01:34,040
But it's just dominated
by these huge mountains.

24
00:01:34,260 --> 00:01:37,380
It was only yesterday
there was a fatal avalanche here.

25
00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,440
You take on Georgia
at your own peril.

26
00:01:43,060 --> 00:01:46,200
The Greater Caucasus Range stretches
almost 1,000 miles

27
00:01:46,260 --> 00:01:48,220
from the Black to the Caspian Sea.

28
00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,420
600 miles of this mountain range
is in Georgia.

29
00:01:52,420 --> 00:01:56,180
It's been 20 years since it broke
away from the former Soviet Union

30
00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,200
but tensions between
the two countries remain high.

31
00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,020
The pilot's pretty nervous to land
because of the snow conditions

32
00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,040
so he's gonna get me as far as
he can and then it's down to me.

33
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,200
The high mountains in spring
can be lethal.

34
00:02:11,260 --> 00:02:13,240
As the pack melts
and then refreezes,

35
00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:17,100
the constant change makes the threat
of avalanche a real danger.

36
00:02:18,140 --> 00:02:19,400
Bear, 10 seconds.

37
00:02:20,180 --> 00:02:21,400
OK, time to go.

38
00:02:23,220 --> 00:02:25,480
The pilot can't hover
over the LZ for long.

39
00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,300
The plan is for me to exit the
back of the heli on a snowmobile.

40
00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,180
It's risky, but I can use it
to get me over the mountain quickly

41
00:02:33,300 --> 00:02:34,400
before the weather turns.

42
00:02:41,260 --> 00:02:43,240
It's down to split-second timing.

43
00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:45,380
I'm depending on the pilot's skills.

44
00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,240
We're just above the snow. Go!

45
00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:54,320
Good to go.

46
00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,440
The heli has dropped me
close to the summit.

47
00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,340
I need to get over the ridge
and into the valleys beyond.

48
00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,240
If a snowstorm catches you out here,
you're in big trouble.

49
00:03:06,420 --> 00:03:08,400
We need to get
into the mountains now.

50
00:03:09,100 --> 00:03:11,120
There's a lot of cloud cover
coming in.

51
00:03:14,140 --> 00:03:17,280
In these conditions, I'm having to
push the snowmobile to its limits,

52
00:03:17,460 --> 00:03:19,260
but it's keeping me ahead
of the weather.

53
00:03:27,180 --> 00:03:28,460
I've almost made it to the ridge,

54
00:03:29,020 --> 00:03:31,140
but up here the snow is much deeper

55
00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,020
and the snowmobile is sinking
under its own weight.

56
00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,440
(REVS MOTOR)

57
00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,320
It's wedged right down
in the deep snow, that.

58
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:51,360
(GRUNTS)

59
00:03:52,060 --> 00:03:54,240
The thing is all the snow
at the moment is just like porridge.

60
00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:59,360
Yeah, I'm not gonna shift this.

61
00:04:03,020 --> 00:04:04,200
It's onto foot from here.

62
00:04:04,460 --> 00:04:05,300
OK.

63
00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,140
It's three degrees below freezing
up here

64
00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,140
and it's only gonna get colder
as the clouds move in.

65
00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,000
If you can get to the high ground,

66
00:04:13,060 --> 00:04:15,440
you can look for a route down
into the valleys beyond.

67
00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:17,460
I'll try and reach
that col up there.

68
00:04:18,460 --> 00:04:20,200
OK, steep miracle.

69
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:36,420
Look, see the sun?

70
00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,080
It's like a halo effect around it

71
00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,260
and that's formed
by the stratus clouds.

72
00:04:43,260 --> 00:04:46,000
Stratus is often a sign
of changing conditions

73
00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,440
and an oncoming bad weather front.

74
00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,460
And look, sure enough,
if you look down

75
00:04:51,180 --> 00:04:53,460
you see the build-up
of all that cumulus cloud.

76
00:04:54,020 --> 00:04:55,120
That's the bad stuff.

77
00:04:55,260 --> 00:04:59,020
But often the time lag
between the stratus and the cumulus

78
00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,220
can be as little
as four hours, you know?

79
00:05:02,020 --> 00:05:05,120
I know this range runs
from east to west.

80
00:05:05,460 --> 00:05:09,020
But where I wanna head, south-west,
down, out of the mountains

81
00:05:09,260 --> 00:05:10,260
towards the Black Sea.

82
00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,400
It's gonna be
the best chance of finding people.

83
00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:15,440
So we wanna get moving. Come on.

84
00:05:34,460 --> 00:05:36,460
OK, we're down that bit.

85
00:05:37,020 --> 00:05:40,140
But, look, actually, down here
you see all of this avalanche debris

86
00:05:40,340 --> 00:05:42,280
where an avalanche
has come down here,

87
00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,060
so it's a bad place to hang around.

88
00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:45,040
Get moving.

89
00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:51,400
The weather
has finally caught up with me.

90
00:05:52,020 --> 00:05:55,400
The cloud cover has blotted out the
horizon and it's a total white-out.

91
00:05:58,140 --> 00:06:01,240
It's very hard to gauge
your direction, you know?

92
00:06:01,420 --> 00:06:05,000
Can't tell whether
that's mountain ahead or cloud.

93
00:06:05,220 --> 00:06:08,040
That's the danger of being caught
in the mountains in a white-out,

94
00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,460
just losing all sense
of your bearings.

95
00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,320
And I heard of one soldier skiing
up in the Arctic

96
00:06:13,380 --> 00:06:15,060
and he actually thought
he was stationary,

97
00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,160
he wasn't aware
he was actually moving forward,

98
00:06:17,220 --> 00:06:19,300
and he dropped straight off
the edge of a cornice.

99
00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,220
Survived it, but he was lucky.

100
00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:25,020
But that's how disorienting
it can be in a white-out.

101
00:06:32,220 --> 00:06:33,480
Just be really careful here.

102
00:06:36,220 --> 00:06:41,100
'Cause I can't actually see...
see what this goes over.

103
00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,120
In the mountains, you want to err
on the side of cautiousness.

104
00:06:45,180 --> 00:06:49,000
What we can do is just make
a snow bollard here, a big shape.

105
00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,300
You want to keep a nice semi-circle
like that, about a foot deep.

106
00:06:54,300 --> 00:06:59,200
I'm gonna put my rope into this
as a belay

107
00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:01,080
so I can then rappel off.

108
00:07:03,300 --> 00:07:07,080
In soft snow, your bollard needs
to be at least 10 feet across.

109
00:07:07,420 --> 00:07:09,340
But it will hold
many times your weight.

110
00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:13,180
They're incredibly strong and have
been used by the military for years.

111
00:07:14,340 --> 00:07:15,420
OK. Here we go.

112
00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,140
I need to kick in steps
into this slope...

113
00:07:21,140 --> 00:07:24,260
..and use the friction of the rope
as I descend.

114
00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:32,120
OK. Get down the last bit
of this without any rope.

115
00:07:35,300 --> 00:07:37,260
You know what?
It's quite precarious, this bit.

116
00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,440
Good, positive steps.

117
00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,120
Control your own descent.

118
00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,020
Don't let the mountain
control it for you.

119
00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:46,420
Never rush in the mountains.

120
00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,240
It doesn't get you down any quicker,
at least not in a good way.

121
00:07:50,300 --> 00:07:52,300
OK, then across to under here.

122
00:07:55,300 --> 00:07:57,280
OK, this is good. Come down to me.

123
00:07:57,340 --> 00:08:01,120
A rocky outcrop like this
is like an island of safety.

124
00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:05,260
You can use it to catch your breath
and assess your situation.

125
00:08:05,460 --> 00:08:07,240
OK. Come on, reach, reach.

126
00:08:07,300 --> 00:08:09,120
OK, yeah, let's go. Let's go.

127
00:08:11,180 --> 00:08:13,120
OK, let's just take
a quick two minutes here.

128
00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,140
You know, one of the big dangers,
actually, of high altitude

129
00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,340
is just getting really dehydrated.

130
00:08:23,060 --> 00:08:24,440
You burn up so much fluids here.

131
00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,180
You're breathing hard,
you're working hard,

132
00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,160
you've got to keep drinking.

133
00:08:29,340 --> 00:08:32,100
It's always tempting
just to eat snow

134
00:08:32,140 --> 00:08:34,260
but, actually, that can give you
blisters in your mouth.

135
00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,120
It's just gonna lower
your core temperature.

136
00:08:36,180 --> 00:08:39,120
You're better off
trying to melt some snow.

137
00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:49,180
What I can use for fire is just a
bit of this hemp natural-fibre rope.

138
00:08:51,260 --> 00:08:53,120
And what they do
when they make this stuff,

139
00:08:53,180 --> 00:08:55,220
the actually impregnate it
with kerosene -

140
00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,320
it keeps all the bugs away
from biting through it.

141
00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:00,340
So it should take a spark.

142
00:09:03,220 --> 00:09:04,300
Here we go.

143
00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:06,300
Got to be a little bit careful

144
00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,380
melting snow
directly into a metal cup.

145
00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,360
What will happen, it'll tend to just
burn the bottom of the cup

146
00:09:11,420 --> 00:09:15,300
and not actually melt the actual
snow - create a little gap.

147
00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,020
So it's good idea to put
a little drop of water in there

148
00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,400
and that will just help
getting the snow started.

149
00:09:22,220 --> 00:09:25,440
You might not feel it, but your body
is getting dehydrated

150
00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,100
just as you would
in hot and humid conditions.

151
00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,140
Any fluids you can get into
your body is a good thing.

152
00:09:32,460 --> 00:09:34,240
There you go, this is melted now.

153
00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,300
Actually, it's surprising
how little water you get

154
00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,120
from the whole mug full of snow.

155
00:09:39,260 --> 00:09:41,420
The reason is snow's got
so much air around it.

156
00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,200
That's why it's a good insulator.

157
00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,080
Bad thing to melt if you wanna get
a lot of water,

158
00:09:46,140 --> 00:09:47,320
but this is better than nothing.

159
00:09:47,380 --> 00:09:49,000
It's just another
example of how hard

160
00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,260
it is to survive
in the mountains

161
00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,280
if you don't have
a lot of kit with you.

162
00:09:52,340 --> 00:09:54,180
You've just got to keep
being resourceful

163
00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,360
and thinking of a way
to be able to keep hydrated.

164
00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:01,420
Well, that's nice.

165
00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,140
Finding water up
here is a challenge.

166
00:10:06,340 --> 00:10:08,120
Finding food, even harder.

167
00:10:09,220 --> 00:10:13,120
But as you descend, your chances of
finding both improve dramatically.

168
00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,000
That actually makes
me gag, that. Oy!

169
00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:28,140
I'm near the Russian border

170
00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,420
in the Caucasus Mountains
of northern Georgia.

171
00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,240
I'm on the search
for food and shelter,

172
00:10:34,340 --> 00:10:37,040
and that means
getting onto the lower slopes.

173
00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:42,420
This is the snow line.

174
00:10:43,420 --> 00:10:46,260
It's the first time
I've got solid ground under me.

175
00:10:47,380 --> 00:10:48,460
And that's a good sign.

176
00:10:49,180 --> 00:10:51,020
It means we're coming
out of the mountains.

177
00:10:52,020 --> 00:10:55,060
The snow line is the point above
which snow and ice cover the ground

178
00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:56,240
throughout the year.

179
00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,080
Get below that and your chances
of scavenging food and resources

180
00:11:00,140 --> 00:11:02,080
increases massively.

181
00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,040
And, actually, a lot of all of this
is birch.

182
00:11:09,220 --> 00:11:12,080
You alright?
Almost lost you then.

183
00:11:12,140 --> 00:11:14,360
They're often the first trees
you come across

184
00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:16,260
when you come out of the mountains.

185
00:11:17,020 --> 00:11:18,980
And there are all of these
little shavings

186
00:11:19,260 --> 00:11:21,040
you can just pull off in your hand.

187
00:11:21,220 --> 00:11:24,320
It's this stuff that really takes
a spark easily.

188
00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,080
Birch bark is packed
with flammable oils.

189
00:11:28,140 --> 00:11:30,160
Pocket this stuff
whenever you see it.

190
00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:35,000
When coming off the high mountains,
these are good friends to find.

191
00:11:37,980 --> 00:11:39,220
Right.

192
00:11:44,220 --> 00:11:46,000
I'm below the tree line now.

193
00:11:46,060 --> 00:11:48,320
But ahead, the whole mountainside
has fallen away.

194
00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:52,420
What will happen,
you get avalanche moving through,

195
00:11:53,140 --> 00:11:55,180
it just takes the edge
of all of the earth away.

196
00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,200
If you get caught in that,
it's just gonna run away with you.

197
00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,260
I wanna try and just get down here.
Quite sharp, actually.

198
00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:03,400
OK.

199
00:12:08,140 --> 00:12:10,040
Quite nice and soft, this mud.

200
00:12:10,100 --> 00:12:12,220
Get my heels well dug into this.

201
00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,400
Please don't let me bring down
a load of...a load of rocks.

202
00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,180
Really, I'm better off
trying to zigzag across.

203
00:12:22,460 --> 00:12:24,300
If I don't get caught
in the path of it.

204
00:12:29,340 --> 00:12:31,300
Well, that's the technique anyway.

205
00:12:32,300 --> 00:12:36,040
The thing is if you start it going
and you can't control it...

206
00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,040
..all the techniques in the world
is no good.

207
00:12:39,100 --> 00:12:40,340
It's then down to instinct.

208
00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,300
If in doubt,
get down on your backside.

209
00:12:50,140 --> 00:12:51,200
OK.

210
00:12:55,140 --> 00:12:56,360
OK, down.

211
00:12:56,420 --> 00:12:58,160
Muddy but down.

212
00:12:59,420 --> 00:13:02,300
Nature is always gonna throw
obstacles in your path.

213
00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,460
How you get through them
is down to you.

214
00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:07,460
But remember, you don't win prizes
for style.

215
00:13:08,020 --> 00:13:10,440
Nice and steady here.
Stay in tight to the face.

216
00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:17,440
There you go.
Look, there's the river.

217
00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:19,420
Down in the valley.

218
00:13:20,060 --> 00:13:22,080
And that's where we want to get to,
down there.

219
00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:25,380
This is looking pretty sheer
down this bit.

220
00:13:26,980 --> 00:13:31,460
But I reckon we'll use the rope
and get down to that ledge halfway.

221
00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:35,320
This cliff is too high
for my rope to reach all the way

222
00:13:35,380 --> 00:13:38,160
but I can use a climbing technique
called multi-rappelling.

223
00:13:38,220 --> 00:13:40,260
I need to make sure
my rope is retrievable

224
00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,040
and that I've got good anchor points
on the way down.

225
00:13:43,300 --> 00:13:46,140
Really, I wanna thread this up high.

226
00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,420
It's gonna just make it easier
to retrieve.

227
00:13:48,980 --> 00:13:52,300
Gonna be a direct line of sight
to it rather than going over a lip.

228
00:13:54,340 --> 00:13:56,080
The Caucasus Mountains were formed

229
00:13:56,140 --> 00:13:59,260
when the Arabian and European
tectonic plates collided

230
00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,000
millions of years ago.

231
00:14:01,060 --> 00:14:02,380
Nice and steady, Bear.

232
00:14:04,060 --> 00:14:06,360
The region is subjected
to powerful earthquakes

233
00:14:06,420 --> 00:14:09,360
and this means the rock faces
can be highly unstable.

234
00:14:09,420 --> 00:14:11,160
Whoa. Drop.

235
00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:18,040
The whole mountain literally
just crumbling apart.

236
00:14:20,300 --> 00:14:21,320
There's a bird's nest.

237
00:14:21,460 --> 00:14:23,140
There's an egg in it as well.

238
00:14:24,100 --> 00:14:27,280
If you wanna survive out here,
you must think like a scavenger

239
00:14:27,340 --> 00:14:30,160
and never pass up
any potential food source.

240
00:14:31,460 --> 00:14:34,220
Man... Just smell.

241
00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:35,980
That egg is rotten.

242
00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:37,440
That's a vulture egg.

243
00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:44,180
This is just truly putrid.

244
00:14:44,220 --> 00:14:46,100
Have a look at the colour
inside here.

245
00:14:47,260 --> 00:14:50,200
In fact there's not a bird in here.
Suspicious.

246
00:14:50,380 --> 00:14:53,200
Vultures, you know, they wouldn't
leave their eggs like that.

247
00:14:53,380 --> 00:14:55,240
If they had,
this is gonna be sitting around.

248
00:14:55,300 --> 00:14:56,320
That's why it's rotten.

249
00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:59,220
Normally, any bird egg is edible

250
00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:01,460
unless it stinks like that.

251
00:15:02,460 --> 00:15:04,280
(COUGHS)

252
00:15:04,340 --> 00:15:06,200
That actually makes me gag, that.

253
00:15:08,140 --> 00:15:10,040
And I don't often say that.

254
00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,000
Got to get back in.

255
00:15:13,060 --> 00:15:14,260
It was worth a try.

256
00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,460
You just never know
when you might get lucky.

257
00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:19,380
Let's re-thread it one more time

258
00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,220
and then that's gonna take me
to the bottom.

259
00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,440
OK. Pull this other one through.

260
00:15:37,260 --> 00:15:39,340
At least we're down
to the valley floor.

261
00:15:43,340 --> 00:15:46,300
Surviving in the wild
is all about never giving up.

262
00:15:47,020 --> 00:15:48,140
OK, let's go.

263
00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,120
And resourcefulness and courage
are crucial

264
00:15:51,220 --> 00:15:53,000
if you want to make it out alive.

265
00:16:05,020 --> 00:16:07,360
I'm in Georgia,
heading into dense forest,

266
00:16:07,420 --> 00:16:09,100
home to wolves, bears

267
00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:10,340
and some of the toughest terrain

268
00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,240
this former Soviet Union republic
has to offer.

269
00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,180
I'm now firmly in
the wooded belt here.

270
00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,260
But, yeah, look at these mountains,
they are still huge.

271
00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,320
Thing is, you know,
I look at this sort of place

272
00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,180
and what I see is just life.

273
00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,240
You know, this is where the animals
are gonna be,

274
00:16:28,300 --> 00:16:29,440
you got water,

275
00:16:30,100 --> 00:16:32,160
you got protection amongst the trees
from the weather.

276
00:16:32,220 --> 00:16:34,400
I look at it and I know
that I can survive here.

277
00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,060
This is a rich hunting ground.

278
00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:38,300
Good news for me,

279
00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,260
but bad news is that
I'm not the only predator here.

280
00:16:42,100 --> 00:16:43,040
Look...

281
00:16:44,060 --> 00:16:46,060
..it's definitely carnivore poo,
this.

282
00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,240
And there's only two carnivores
in this forest

283
00:16:49,300 --> 00:16:51,000
and that's bear and wolves.

284
00:16:51,060 --> 00:16:52,260
This is definitely not bear -

285
00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,260
look, you can see the tapered ends
to this.

286
00:16:55,260 --> 00:16:57,360
You can actually see
what he's been feeding off.

287
00:16:57,420 --> 00:17:00,000
All of the hair. Probably sheep.

288
00:17:00,060 --> 00:17:01,320
Maybe goat hair.

289
00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,340
You know what it tells me, there's
definitely wolves in this area.

290
00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,340
They're gonna be smarter than I am.

291
00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:12,360
You know, they're gonna be watching
me long before I'm gonna spot them.

292
00:17:13,220 --> 00:17:14,340
OK, let's keep going.

293
00:17:17,100 --> 00:17:20,400
Even though we're in the woods now,
the terrain hasn't got any easier.

294
00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,380
These forests are defined
by endless deep gorges

295
00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:26,040
with treacherous
steep-sided valleys.

296
00:17:26,260 --> 00:17:28,120
It's getting much steeper here.

297
00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,120
On top of that,
the forest is cut in half

298
00:17:31,180 --> 00:17:34,080
by a fast snow-melt river
in full torrent.

299
00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:36,340
If you wanna maintain your bearing,

300
00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,380
that's a river
you've got to get across.

301
00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:41,420
Take your time on this.

302
00:17:42,420 --> 00:17:47,160
Make sure you're certain of each
hold and footing before you move.

303
00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,200
We follow this branch down, OK?

304
00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:01,220
A lot of water
pounding over that waterfall.

305
00:18:02,020 --> 00:18:04,100
Pretty sheer drop-off there
is a problem.

306
00:18:05,100 --> 00:18:08,080
And also, it's just slick rock
going down to that.

307
00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,080
I don't wanna end up
in that white water.

308
00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:12,420
It's also gonna be freezing cold.

309
00:18:12,980 --> 00:18:15,140
I need to find another way
to try and get across here.

310
00:18:15,980 --> 00:18:18,220
Only last year,
an experienced climber

311
00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,140
was crossing a fast mountain river
like this in Georgia.

312
00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:22,380
He lost his footing

313
00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,300
and the power of the water
pinned him down against a rock.

314
00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:27,040
He didn't make it.

315
00:18:27,100 --> 00:18:28,280
These rivers look crossable,

316
00:18:28,340 --> 00:18:32,140
but they pack a punch and
you've always got to respect them.

317
00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,160
Something hanging over there.

318
00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:41,100
Get over here!

319
00:18:42,340 --> 00:18:46,060
When you're in the wild, you get
used to seeing only natural forms,

320
00:18:46,120 --> 00:18:49,140
so any man-made object
will stand out like a sore thumb.

321
00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:55,380
Pretty old...old-looking
pulley system and a bucket.

322
00:18:56,060 --> 00:18:58,200
You know, mountain people often used
this sort of thing

323
00:18:58,260 --> 00:19:00,100
to ferry supplies across.

324
00:19:01,100 --> 00:19:02,980
Actually, these
wires are quite good.

325
00:19:03,340 --> 00:19:05,080
In quite good nick.

326
00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:09,080
Should be able to make
some sort of zip wire across here.

327
00:19:10,340 --> 00:19:13,120
This old cable pulley
has quite a lot of give in it,

328
00:19:13,180 --> 00:19:16,980
which means that it sags,
but I can use that to my advantage.

329
00:19:18,340 --> 00:19:19,440
Get rid of that.

330
00:19:21,020 --> 00:19:22,960
A sag should arrest my slide.

331
00:19:23,020 --> 00:19:25,320
What I don't know
is how far I'll get.

332
00:19:25,380 --> 00:19:27,960
And actually, you know,
with a bit of rope like this,

333
00:19:28,020 --> 00:19:31,120
you can improvise a harness
very easily

334
00:19:31,180 --> 00:19:33,060
and just do a triple bowline in it

335
00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:37,160
and that'll act as two leg loops
and a chest loop.

336
00:19:37,220 --> 00:19:40,360
A bowline harness like this
is often used by mountain rescue

337
00:19:40,420 --> 00:19:42,380
'cause it's fast and simple to make.

338
00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:43,960
Made a loop,

339
00:19:44,180 --> 00:19:45,360
the rabbit comes out of the hole -

340
00:19:45,420 --> 00:19:47,200
that's how I always remember it -

341
00:19:47,260 --> 00:19:48,280
around the tree

342
00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,140
and then back down the hole.

343
00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,420
Then you can literally
just step into that.

344
00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:58,060
This bit comes over your top.

345
00:19:59,380 --> 00:20:02,440
And then for this bit,
we just thread that through.

346
00:20:03,260 --> 00:20:04,100
OK.

347
00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:05,980
The rest of this

348
00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:09,100
just bunch up
and put it in the rucksack.

349
00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,040
The last thing you want to be doing
in this sort of terrain

350
00:20:12,100 --> 00:20:13,400
is cutting up your rope too much.

351
00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:17,240
Only cut it in a last resort,
when you've got no other choice.

352
00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,220
This is gonna give
me a foot stirrup.

353
00:20:23,060 --> 00:20:24,300
And then we're good to go.

354
00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:29,140
OK, let's go.

355
00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:38,360
The free ride is over.

356
00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,120
There's too much slack in the line

357
00:20:40,180 --> 00:20:42,320
and I'm fighting now
against my own body weight.

358
00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:44,360
Well, I'm halfway across.

359
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,300
The thing is
I'm not as far as I'd hoped.

360
00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:53,120
Gonna have to haul myself
along this wire, the last bit.

361
00:21:13,180 --> 00:21:15,420
OK. Made it across.

362
00:21:17,060 --> 00:21:18,060
Just.

363
00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,040
These hills,
they're just relentless.

364
00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:27,400
With the river negotiated,

365
00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:29,420
what I need to do now is make camp.

366
00:21:29,980 --> 00:21:33,160
But I just know that I won't be
the only one in the forest tonight.

367
00:21:33,220 --> 00:21:36,140
(HOWLS)

368
00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,160
(HOWLING)

369
00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,020
You can hear that?

370
00:22:00,100 --> 00:22:01,020
I'm going head to head

371
00:22:01,060 --> 00:22:04,020
with everything the Georgian
wilderness could throw at me.

372
00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:08,040
This is just truly putrid.

373
00:22:08,100 --> 00:22:10,280
I'm making my way
through dense woodland,

374
00:22:10,980 --> 00:22:13,280
looking for a safe place
to make a shelter for the night.

375
00:22:14,140 --> 00:22:16,360
But finding level ground
in this mountainous forest

376
00:22:16,420 --> 00:22:18,220
is easier said than done.

377
00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,060
There's a bit of a ledge up here.
Look.

378
00:22:25,100 --> 00:22:26,320
Actually, do you know what,

379
00:22:26,380 --> 00:22:28,180
this wouldn't be a good place
to camp.

380
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:29,220
Look.

381
00:22:29,980 --> 00:22:31,260
Huge dead tree.

382
00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:35,280
Powerful wind in the night and that
goes, you're not gonna see daylight.

383
00:22:35,940 --> 00:22:38,080
And because it's a beech tree,
they don't give you any warning.

384
00:22:38,140 --> 00:22:40,020
You don't get that...
(IMITATES TREE CRACKING)

385
00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,300
They've got very short grains,
so when they drop it's just...

386
00:22:42,420 --> 00:22:43,260
Boom.

387
00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:46,100
We need to keep heading higher,
find somewhere else.

388
00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,060
Look, there's another hollow bit
up here.

389
00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,420
That's probably where a whole tree's
been just uprooted.

390
00:22:59,220 --> 00:23:01,220
Now, you actually wouldn't want
to shelter in this bit.

391
00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,320
It's gonna be
a bit of a water catchment area.

392
00:23:03,380 --> 00:23:06,080
But up on this
bit, it's quite level.

393
00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:08,960
It's about the only bit
of level ground around here.

394
00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:12,160
Also, there ain't nothing
above me either.

395
00:23:12,220 --> 00:23:15,020
OK. Base camp.

396
00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:16,320
Let's get building.

397
00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:22,100
First, you need to build
the main frame of the shelter.

398
00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:23,340
And for that, you'll need

399
00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,420
the strongest, straightest branches
you can find.

400
00:23:26,980 --> 00:23:28,280
Then using that
for forks and crooks,

401
00:23:28,340 --> 00:23:31,120
arrange them to form
a basic tent shape.

402
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:35,380
OK, and against that
you can lay loads of these.

403
00:23:36,380 --> 00:23:39,240
You then need to build a latticework
of smaller lengths,

404
00:23:39,300 --> 00:23:41,360
gradually adding smaller
and smaller branches.

405
00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,020
You can just pile on
this thinner stuff.

406
00:23:46,340 --> 00:23:49,020
That is kind of almost ready
for the leaves, really.

407
00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,140
You wanna just gather
big bundles of these.

408
00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:53,360
Start at the base.

409
00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:56,040
Just begin to build it up.

410
00:23:59,060 --> 00:24:02,200
I really want it to be
about a foot...

411
00:24:02,980 --> 00:24:04,160
..maybe two-foot thick.

412
00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:08,140
That's gonna keep the rain off
and help insulate me as well.

413
00:24:15,060 --> 00:24:16,420
I need to make a fire for tonight

414
00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:19,280
and there's no shortage
of dead wood in this forest.

415
00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,960
Get some of this birch bark out

416
00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,360
and then just really rough it up.

417
00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:27,420
And then it will take the spark.

418
00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:30,380
The great thing about birch bark

419
00:24:30,940 --> 00:24:33,200
is that it'll light
even when it's damp

420
00:24:33,260 --> 00:24:35,260
and that's all the oils inside it.

421
00:24:37,220 --> 00:24:40,260
Build up a big bird's nest
with all this kindling

422
00:24:41,060 --> 00:24:43,060
and it'll dry out as well.

423
00:24:45,020 --> 00:24:48,960
It's always worth nurturing
your fire when it's little...

424
00:24:50,180 --> 00:24:52,360
..and it'll look after you
when it gets big.

425
00:24:54,420 --> 00:24:57,120
My fire will keep me warm and safe.

426
00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,420
Whenever you're camping out,
you're gonna be vulnerable.

427
00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,380
The thing is I know there are wolves
and bears in this area.

428
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,220
There's a lot of mythology
around wolves

429
00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,160
and packs of wolves
attacking humans.

430
00:25:13,360 --> 00:25:15,080
But the reality is

431
00:25:15,140 --> 00:25:18,240
if you see a wolf in the wild,
you're incredibly lucky.

432
00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,980
But, you know, I'm not gonna take
any chances tonight.

433
00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:24,240
I'm gonna make a
really simple torch,

434
00:25:24,300 --> 00:25:27,200
so if I do hear anything
or anything comes near this camp,

435
00:25:27,260 --> 00:25:29,420
I've got a weapon which is fire

436
00:25:30,180 --> 00:25:33,160
and that is always gonna deter
predators.

437
00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:37,980
Just get a branch like this.

438
00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:40,940
And into these gaps,

439
00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:45,300
I'm just gonna push
a lot of these birch bark shavings.

440
00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:50,240
But I'm not gonna light this
unless I really need to.

441
00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:53,420
At least with this,

442
00:25:53,980 --> 00:25:56,360
I know I can instantly have
a flaming torch in my hand.

443
00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:05,200
Just heard a noise out there.

444
00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,080
Do you know what, I'm not gonna take
any chance with this.

445
00:26:10,140 --> 00:26:12,060
I'm just gonna get
this torch flaming.

446
00:26:15,220 --> 00:26:18,040
(DISTANT HOWL)

447
00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:20,120
There you go. You hear that?

448
00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,400
(HOWLING CONTINUES)

449
00:26:27,260 --> 00:26:29,960
I was once shown by a woodsman

450
00:26:30,020 --> 00:26:34,100
how to howl
to get a response from wolves.

451
00:26:35,980 --> 00:26:38,080
You know, if I can at least hear
a response...

452
00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,000
..then at least I know
what I'm dealing with.

453
00:26:45,940 --> 00:26:48,280
(HOWLS)

454
00:26:57,060 --> 00:27:00,980
(HOWLS)

455
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,960
(HOWLS)

456
00:27:15,020 --> 00:27:16,940
- (DISTANT HOWL)
- Can you hear that?

457
00:27:19,180 --> 00:27:23,080
That...that sounds
a very long way away, though.

458
00:27:26,120 --> 00:27:28,220
(HOWL)

459
00:27:28,420 --> 00:27:29,960
There you go, hear that?

460
00:27:35,020 --> 00:27:36,200
Gonna try and get some sleep.

461
00:27:36,260 --> 00:27:38,300
Try and slow the heart rate
back down again.

462
00:27:43,180 --> 00:27:45,060
The morning light
signals the end to

463
00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,000
what has been a
long, restless night.

464
00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,220
The shelter worked well. That fire.

465
00:27:54,940 --> 00:27:58,380
To be honest, though, the weak link
last night was in my mind.

466
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:00,340
You know, I really found it hard

467
00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,040
just to get back to sleep
after hearing those noises.

468
00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,260
The fire gave me
a sense of security.

469
00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:08,960
And I've spotted
something that means

470
00:28:09,020 --> 00:28:11,200
I can start another one
at a moment's notice...

471
00:28:11,260 --> 00:28:13,000
Tinder fungus!

472
00:28:17,060 --> 00:28:19,140
Now, there's this soft, spongy bit
in the middle.

473
00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:22,220
What's great about this
is put a spark to it,

474
00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:24,980
it will burn as an ember
and it will keep burning,

475
00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:28,420
so it means you can travel
and always have fire near at hand.

476
00:28:29,220 --> 00:28:32,400
The last thing I'm gonna do
before breaking camp

477
00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,260
is just use
a bit of this tinder fungus.

478
00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:36,360
And all I need is that...

479
00:28:38,220 --> 00:28:40,300
..and then just put
a bit of fire to it.

480
00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:45,080
That will then stay lit
for absolutely ages.

481
00:28:45,140 --> 00:28:46,320
And when primitive man discovered

482
00:28:46,380 --> 00:28:48,320
that they could
effectively store fire

483
00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:51,320
by taking an ember
in this tinder fungus,

484
00:28:51,380 --> 00:28:54,980
it completely changed
the way that they hunted

485
00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:59,200
because it meant they could now
travel further afield to hunt

486
00:28:59,260 --> 00:29:01,040
safe in the knowledge
that they could

487
00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:02,380
always have fire
when they needed it.

488
00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,100
And that's just gonna slowly
smoulder away.

489
00:29:08,260 --> 00:29:12,280
All I need do is wrap it loosely
in some moss

490
00:29:12,340 --> 00:29:14,120
and then I can travel with that.

491
00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:15,380
OK.

492
00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:18,980
Let's get on the move.

493
00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:24,220
With a portable fire
stored safely in my pack,

494
00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:25,960
I can be on my way.

495
00:29:26,020 --> 00:29:28,140
But you won't get far
on an empty stomach.

496
00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,120
If you're gonna survive here,

497
00:29:30,180 --> 00:29:33,040
your number one priority now
is to find food.

498
00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:37,020
Oh, hang on. That's
a part-developed chick foetus.

499
00:29:50,340 --> 00:29:54,040
I've made it through the mountain
forest of Georgia, eastern Europe.

500
00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,940
But from here, your best chance
of finding rescue

501
00:29:57,020 --> 00:29:58,980
is to head for the Black Sea coast.

502
00:30:00,060 --> 00:30:03,960
The steep uplands have given way
to flatter, marshier ground.

503
00:30:04,340 --> 00:30:06,080
It's boggy as hell.

504
00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,020
The wetlands have
a greater diversity

505
00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:10,000
of plant life and
places to shelter.

506
00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,240
You should always be on the lookout
for anything you can use.

507
00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:16,940
All of this is honeysuckle.

508
00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,400
The leaves just thrive off
this wet, boggy area.

509
00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:22,360
But this makes, also, good tinder.

510
00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:26,080
And, you know, even in a place
as wet as this,

511
00:30:26,140 --> 00:30:27,400
if you know what you're looking for

512
00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,060
you can find things
that'll help you.

513
00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:38,400
Pheasant.

514
00:30:40,020 --> 00:30:41,960
There's no way I'm gonna catch him.

515
00:30:42,980 --> 00:30:44,980
Pheasants are ground-dwelling birds.

516
00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:46,220
It's nesting season

517
00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,380
and this thick vegetation
is a perfect place to look.

518
00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:53,960
Look, here's a nest.

519
00:30:54,020 --> 00:30:55,240
And some eggs as well.

520
00:30:55,380 --> 00:30:56,980
You can tell they're pheasant eggs -

521
00:30:57,140 --> 00:30:59,140
they're small, kind of greenish.

522
00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:03,020
But, you know,
that's gonna be good to eat.

523
00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,360
You know, I still got that
tinder fungus ember in my pack.

524
00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:08,060
I'm quite tempted actually
just to boil these up.

525
00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,020
It'll be nicer than raw.

526
00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:11,320
I love a boiled egg.

527
00:31:11,380 --> 00:31:13,180
Need to find a bit of high ground.

528
00:31:17,100 --> 00:31:19,020
Well, it's not exactly
Mount Everest.

529
00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:20,260
It's a little bit higher ground.

530
00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,320
At least it's out of that water.

531
00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:24,360
OK.

532
00:31:25,060 --> 00:31:26,960
And this tinder fungus is still...

533
00:31:29,220 --> 00:31:30,080
..burning.

534
00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,920
Just every hour or so, I've taken
it out, given it a little blow.

535
00:31:33,060 --> 00:31:36,080
Put that in the middle
of all of this honeysuckle...

536
00:31:37,220 --> 00:31:39,040
..and hopefully this will go.

537
00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,280
God, they say there's no smoke
without fire.

538
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:53,320
(SPUTTERS)

539
00:31:53,380 --> 00:31:55,120
It's not always true.

540
00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:58,340
There we go.

541
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,220
Let's fill this up with some water.

542
00:32:01,340 --> 00:32:03,400
You wouldn't drink water this dirty,

543
00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:05,380
but it's fine
for boiling the eggs in.

544
00:32:05,940 --> 00:32:10,340
OK, I'm a 3.5-minute man
when it comes to boiled eggs.

545
00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:16,100
This is gonna be just way nicer than
having raw eggs.

546
00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:19,280
Oh, hang on.

547
00:32:20,380 --> 00:32:22,180
Oh, no. Look.

548
00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:25,260
That's a part-developed
chick foetus.

549
00:32:26,340 --> 00:32:30,240
Oh, it wasn't quite the nice
boiled egg I was hoping for.

550
00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,120
But, you know, in the Philippines
this sort of thing's a delicacy.

551
00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:38,260
If you haven't eaten for days,
you can't afford to be squeamish.

552
00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:40,160
Protein keeps you alive.

553
00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:42,400
Oh, that was a leg.

554
00:32:44,020 --> 00:32:47,400
But...scavengers can't be choosers.

555
00:32:52,140 --> 00:32:56,340
At least there's a few minutes just
to stop, warm up, get some energy...

556
00:32:58,160 --> 00:32:59,400
..then we're back on our way.

557
00:33:02,260 --> 00:33:05,960
To reach the coast, you must leave
this rich ecosystem behind

558
00:33:06,020 --> 00:33:08,020
and head out deeper
into the marshes.

559
00:33:09,180 --> 00:33:11,180
The mountains seem a long way away.

560
00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:16,200
Alluvial plains like this
are made over thousands of years

561
00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:20,220
as minerals and sediments
are swept down by highland rivers

562
00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:24,000
and become trapped in
these vast open plains at the coast.

563
00:33:26,060 --> 00:33:28,360
Way boggier and wetter now.

564
00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:32,000
The water is getting deeper

565
00:33:32,060 --> 00:33:34,300
and walking in these reeds
is now almost impossible.

566
00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:39,980
(SPLASH!)
(GRUNTS)

567
00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:41,140
Ahh.

568
00:33:42,140 --> 00:33:44,340
Getting beyond funny,
these holes now.

569
00:33:46,340 --> 00:33:49,040
Oh, hang on, I lost my boot.

570
00:33:54,940 --> 00:33:56,260
OK, hang on. I need my boot.

571
00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:58,240
We're not going anywhere
without that.

572
00:34:08,060 --> 00:34:09,300
Got it.

573
00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:12,960
That's why - the lace broke.

574
00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:19,320
Progress through this swamp
has slowed to a snail's pace.

575
00:34:19,380 --> 00:34:23,140
It might be a haven for frogs,
but if I'm honest, they can keep it.

576
00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:25,300
(SPUTTERS)

577
00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:28,920
Hang on,
this is crazy, crazy, crazy.

578
00:34:28,980 --> 00:34:30,240
The river's just here.

579
00:34:30,300 --> 00:34:32,280
It's just there is no bank to it.

580
00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:39,060
Though what there is a lot of
are these reeds.

581
00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:44,180
Let's just see if they're...

582
00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,240
Look, these ones aren't hollow.
You can't blow through these.

583
00:34:51,980 --> 00:34:54,960
These are little compartments
that are air tight

584
00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,380
and that means these reeds
are gonna be really buoyant.

585
00:34:58,180 --> 00:35:00,300
I'm just wondering whether
it might be actually more efficient

586
00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:04,400
to try and build a raft
out of loads and loads of these...

587
00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:07,040
..and try and float down the river.

588
00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,140
To be honest, anything's got to be
better than this.

589
00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,280
OK. Come on, let's commit to this.
Let's gather a load of reeds.

590
00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:17,040
(GRUNTS)

591
00:35:17,980 --> 00:35:22,000
Reeds flourish in freshwater marshes
like this all around the world.

592
00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:24,160
For years, they've been used
to make boats,

593
00:35:24,220 --> 00:35:27,240
some capable of travelling
huge distances across oceans.

594
00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:33,060
You know, civilisations
have used reeds like this

595
00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:35,100
for literally thousands of years.

596
00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:38,380
OK, what I wanna do is split them,
turn it around...

597
00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:41,320
..and look what you end up with.

598
00:35:42,060 --> 00:35:44,340
The thin, tapered end here.

599
00:35:45,380 --> 00:35:48,280
It's fatter in the middle
where the reeds are thickest.

600
00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:52,280
And then it tapers off here as well.

601
00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:55,180
You know, and like everything
in survival,

602
00:35:55,240 --> 00:35:58,060
if you can use natural forms
of things,

603
00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:00,120
it's gonna help you so much.

604
00:36:03,300 --> 00:36:05,360
A short section of my rope
cut into strips

605
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:07,920
will hold the raft together nicely.

606
00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:15,040
Then what you've got
is this basic shape like this.

607
00:36:15,340 --> 00:36:19,120
I reckon two...two or three of these

608
00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,280
is gonna give me easily enough
stability and buoyancy

609
00:36:22,340 --> 00:36:24,140
to float me down this river.

610
00:36:25,140 --> 00:36:28,140
Reed rafts are incredibly durable
and practical.

611
00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,240
And once you know how,
you can build one in an hour or so.

612
00:36:32,180 --> 00:36:35,960
One, two. Then we just finish off
this third one.

613
00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:42,020
I'm just trying to accentuate
this taper at the end.

614
00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:45,380
Pull it up and this is gonna be
the bow.

615
00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:50,280
Pull those together.

616
00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:55,020
And then we'll bind them up here.

617
00:37:02,100 --> 00:37:03,400
This is gonna work great.

618
00:37:05,140 --> 00:37:07,000
All I need now is a paddle.

619
00:37:07,300 --> 00:37:08,260
You see, look.

620
00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:10,100
We're gonna use this.

621
00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,200
OK, we're set to go. Come on.

622
00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:20,080
It's incredibly heavy
but I'm confident it won't sink.

623
00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:36,240
OK.

624
00:37:37,020 --> 00:37:38,180
We're floating.

625
00:37:38,380 --> 00:37:39,980
We're on our way.

626
00:37:40,940 --> 00:37:43,100
Shows how buoyant these reeds are.

627
00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:48,100
It's actually quite deep,
this water.

628
00:37:49,940 --> 00:37:52,240
Tell you what,
it's a hell of a lot easier

629
00:37:52,300 --> 00:37:55,220
than doing battle
with all of those reeds.

630
00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,280
OK. We're on our way.

631
00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,140
The water channels should lead
straight to the coast,

632
00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:05,140
but getting a 500-pound raft
into open water

633
00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:06,380
is gonna be quite a challenge.

634
00:38:08,060 --> 00:38:11,000
Come on, we can do this.
We're so close now.

635
00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:25,980
I'm in the middle
of a vast wetland swamp

636
00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:28,960
near the Black Sea coast of Georgia,
eastern Europe.

637
00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,360
A canoe made of reeds allows you
to navigate

638
00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:33,320
these otherwise impenetrable swamps.

639
00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:38,000
But as the land rises near the
coast, passage becomes much tougher.

640
00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:42,360
(GRUNTS)

641
00:38:43,060 --> 00:38:45,940
I think it's over here.
The sea's just over that sandbar.

642
00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:47,320
Just go and have a look. Come on.

643
00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:53,360
Look, tankers out there.

644
00:38:54,380 --> 00:38:56,300
Need to get their attention.

645
00:38:56,980 --> 00:38:58,960
See what we find at the beach.
Come on.

646
00:39:00,260 --> 00:39:02,120
The beach is full of debris.

647
00:39:02,180 --> 00:39:04,980
But one man's trash
is another man's treasure.

648
00:39:06,060 --> 00:39:07,380
You could build a signal fire,

649
00:39:07,940 --> 00:39:11,320
but those tankers are far out and
your fire could easily be missed.

650
00:39:13,180 --> 00:39:16,160
The Black Sea is one of the busiest
shipping lanes in the world.

651
00:39:16,220 --> 00:39:19,100
And where there's tankers,
you'll often find a port.

652
00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:20,920
If you can get out there,

653
00:39:20,980 --> 00:39:23,900
your chances of rescue
improve dramatically.

654
00:39:24,060 --> 00:39:27,320
We need to use something
to haul this raft over.

655
00:39:28,020 --> 00:39:31,120
Probably make a three-in-one hoist
with this. Come on.

656
00:39:32,940 --> 00:39:35,380
The water-logged raft
is far too heavy for me to carry.

657
00:39:35,940 --> 00:39:39,280
But by building a hoist, I should
be able to drag it across the beach.

658
00:39:39,340 --> 00:39:41,200
All I need is a good anchor point.

659
00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:47,020
What I can do is just fill
my rucksack full of sand

660
00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:48,340
and then bury it,

661
00:39:48,900 --> 00:39:52,080
and that will be my dead weight
that I can haul against.

662
00:39:54,900 --> 00:39:56,160
Just pull off a length of rope.

663
00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:02,240
Two bits of plastic, like, hosing,
just from the trash on the beach.

664
00:40:02,380 --> 00:40:06,200
Fit those together
and that will act like a roller.

665
00:40:07,220 --> 00:40:08,960
Now, look, two of those.

666
00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:11,900
Run a rope around that

667
00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:14,180
and that's gonna help
just reduce friction.

668
00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:21,060
OK.

669
00:40:24,940 --> 00:40:29,320
That's a strong point
and this runs up to the dead anchor.

670
00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,140
Each time you loop the rope, the
load you have to pull is reduced.

671
00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:36,080
It's called mechanical advantage.

672
00:40:37,180 --> 00:40:39,120
And then you just thread it
through this roller

673
00:40:39,340 --> 00:40:41,360
and that will almost give me
the pulling power

674
00:40:42,100 --> 00:40:45,020
of three men instead of just me.

675
00:40:46,020 --> 00:40:48,220
OK, come on, then. We can do this.

676
00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:53,240
Come on, we can do this.

677
00:40:53,300 --> 00:40:55,180
We're so close now.

678
00:41:01,300 --> 00:41:03,300
(GRUNTS)

679
00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:05,140
Come on, we can do this.

680
00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:06,380
(GRUNTS) OK.

681
00:41:06,940 --> 00:41:09,240
It's at the limit and
we're gonna need to set this again.

682
00:41:09,300 --> 00:41:11,340
Another 10, 15 yards that way.

683
00:41:11,980 --> 00:41:13,360
Just do it in little stages.

684
00:41:13,900 --> 00:41:16,180
Heavy objects can be moved
in this way.

685
00:41:16,240 --> 00:41:18,100
A three-in-one haul line like this

686
00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:20,920
has been deployed
in countless rescue situations.

687
00:41:21,380 --> 00:41:23,140
A couple of years ago, a hiker fell

688
00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:26,280
into a 75-foot ravine
with no other access.

689
00:41:26,340 --> 00:41:28,960
Rescuers lowered
an emergency stretcher

690
00:41:29,020 --> 00:41:31,300
and were able to safely haul him out
using this system.

691
00:41:32,180 --> 00:41:35,140
The speed with which they were able
to get him out and into hospital

692
00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:36,940
saved his life.

693
00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:43,380
OK, we've reached the sea.

694
00:41:43,940 --> 00:41:46,160
Now it's just a question
of trying to get out there.

695
00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:57,320
The ship I spotted earlier
has moved on now.

696
00:41:57,380 --> 00:41:59,100
But if you hug the
coastline, you may

697
00:41:59,140 --> 00:42:01,180
come across more
signs of shipping.

698
00:42:03,120 --> 00:42:07,160
A kayak is one of those things
you just wanna find your rhythm,

699
00:42:07,900 --> 00:42:09,140
get in the zone...

700
00:42:10,140 --> 00:42:14,160
..and then you can keep going,
and the time passes quickly then.

701
00:42:18,380 --> 00:42:22,920
We used to do so much of this sort
of canoeing in the military.

702
00:42:23,180 --> 00:42:25,160
You know,
just long-distance paddling.

703
00:42:26,380 --> 00:42:30,320
To be honest I can't forget
just how hard work it is.

704
00:42:33,060 --> 00:42:34,360
It's just a grind.

705
00:42:47,240 --> 00:42:49,220
Getting a little bit choppy here.

706
00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:55,020
It's actually surprisingly stable,
this canoe.

707
00:43:02,220 --> 00:43:04,100
That's a port over there.

708
00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,000
We're only about
a mile away as well.

709
00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:11,020
If I can reach there,
then it's job done.

710
00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:17,340
This tiny country

711
00:43:17,900 --> 00:43:19,120
punches way
above its weight.

712
00:43:19,180 --> 00:43:21,160
It's a formidable
landscape

713
00:43:21,220 --> 00:43:22,980
and should not be
underestimated.

714
00:43:23,220 --> 00:43:24,900
And one thing's for sure,

715
00:43:24,960 --> 00:43:26,160
I won't be able to look

716
00:43:26,220 --> 00:43:28,160
at a boiled egg for quite a while,

717
00:43:28,220 --> 00:43:29,160
but, finally,

718
00:43:29,220 --> 00:43:31,100
I can head home to my family,

719
00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:33,080
and that's a welcome thought.

720
00:43:36,300 --> 00:43:37,320
Made it.

721
00:43:38,020 --> 00:43:39,940
To share my favourite moments from the show,