We’ll explore a different destination for each Book Club, and a lucky Silver Travel Book Club reader can win a free copy of that month’s book.
This month, the Silver Travel Book Club invites you on a gripping journey to the Arctic with Into the Ice by Mark Synnott. A renowned explorer and climber, Synnott takes readers on an extraordinary expedition through the Northwest Passage, one of the most challenging and remote sea routes in the world.
Blending modern-day adventure with historical mystery, this compelling travelogue follows Synnott and his crew as they navigate treacherous Arctic waters in a fiberglass-hulled boat, retracing the ill-fated 1845 expedition of Sir John Franklin. With unpredictable ice, brutal storms, and the weight of history pressing down, the voyage becomes a race against time to uncover new clues about what really happened to the crews of HMS Erebus and Terror.
More than just a tale of exploration, Into the Ice offers a fascinating look at the changing Arctic landscape and the people who call it home. Will this daring journey inspire your own travels? Or simply remind you of the unbreakable human spirit that drives us to explore?
If you’re feeling inspired to plan your own remarkable journey—big or small—our team is here to help. Get in touch on 0800 412 5678.
This title will be released on April 15, 2025, so there may be a short delay in receiving your prize.
How to win a copy of Into The Ice
Please note: this prize draw is now closed.
Exploration comes in many forms—by land, sea, or even through the pages of a book! Comment below to tell us: if you could retrace any famous explorer’s journey, whose path would you follow and why? Share your answer for a chance to win a copy of Into the Ice!
A winner will be chosen at random in early April 2025.
The competition closes on 31 March 2025.
Read more about all our Silver Travel Book Club reads.
68 Responses
The Blaenau Ffestiniog because it has a wonderful fusion of natural beauty and industrial history which is truly unique.
I’d go on Amelia Earhart’s adventures as it sounds interesting.
If I could retrace any famous explorer’s journey, I would follow the path of Ibn Battuta. He was a 14th-century Moroccan traveler who covered around 75,000 miles across Africa, the Middle East, India, Central Asia, and China—far more than Marco Polo.
His journey fascinates me because he didn’t just explore uncharted territories; he deeply engaged with the cultures, politics, and people of the places he visited. His detailed accounts in the Rihla provide a vivid picture of medieval life across multiple civilizations. Retracing his steps would be like time-traveling through some of the most significant historical regions, witnessing the legacy of ancient trade routes, Islamic scholarship, and diverse empires.
Phileas Fogg – I would love to go around the world in 80 days. Such wonderful sights to see.
I think the journey of Christopher Columbus sounds amazing.
Phileas Fogg – seeing the world in 80 days sounds great to me.
I would love to be in Neil Armstrongs position and step on the moon.
I think Christopher Columbus and his journey of discovery sounds like something I’d enjoy.
Columbus
Phileas fog would have loved to go round the world in 80 days
Magellan – because he was one of the best
Captain Matthew Flinders born and now buried (210 years after his death) in Donington, Lincolnshire my own county. I was brought up with tales of his exploration ‘Down Under’ he intrigues me and I would love to follow in his footsteps.
Ernest Shackleton would be amazing
Christopher Columbus would be interesting
Isabella Bird who travelled to so many places and became the first female Fellow at the Geographical Society in 1892. A wonderful achievement for a woman at that time.
Marco Polo would be interesting
Robert Falcon Scott. His ship is on show in Dundee and is fascinating
Christopher Columbus to see what america was like
Amudsen expedition to South Pole – always wanted to go to Antarctica one day
Amelia Earhart, her story is fascinating
Captain Cook, because I have always been amazed by his travels
Anywhere Tom Weir visited
I am not very adventurous so simply like to read about them especially fascinated by Scott.
Christopher Columbus to discover America.
Ernest Shackleton’s polar escape was so inspiring that I’d love to see just a part of it.
I’d like to follow in the footsteps of David Livingstone and see Victoria Falls.
I think Cook’s journey to Australia, why not be ambitious! Plus he is from my home town so I could literally do the ‘door to door.’
I would like to explore the rain forests of South America – not sure who found them first!
Not exactly an explorer, but reading Nicholas Crane’s book ‘Clear Waters Rising’ about his mountain walk across Europe – from Finisterre to Istanbul – made me extremely envious; envious that I’d never done anything so adventurous or exciting, and at my age never would: I have to content myself with re-reading the book every few years and immersing myself in his brilliant account of the places and people he encountered on his long journey.
Marco Polo, I would love to follow him.
I’d go to Kenya, following the adventures my father had on National Service
I would follow in the steps of Nathaniel Courthope to the East Indies where he traded in nutmegs, and stood up to the Dutch. I believe we have a family connection to his brother.
Captain Cook
All explorations are an adventure, having lived in Plymouth I would love to follow Sir Francis Drake’s expedition
Charles Darwin for sure
Marvo polo, just live his hourneys
I would love to follow Christopher Jones on the Mayflower
Francis Drake had the right idea
Any of the men who have been on the moon
I would follow in the footsteps of Alexander the great. He started in Greece and ended in India – I love Greece and have never traveled to India – what a journey.
Livingstone, always fancied discovering a lost tribe in africa
Francis Drake, what a life, what a ship.
I would like to replicate the journeys in Africa of those great Victorian explorers Burton and Speke.
I’d be tempted to follow Gertrude Bell’s footsteps through Egypt.
After spending many happy days in Whitby I would have liked to have joined Captain Cook on his voyage of discovery.
The southern hemisphere. The further south the better. I love the cold weather.
I’d like to be with Wallace in the Malaysian peninsula. The range of plants and animals must have been spectacular.
I am fascinated by Franklins attempts to find a route through the NWP. I was on an expedition
In 2014 and stuck in ice in the Canadian Artic, just as Franklin was locked in ice in 1845. We were lucky and rescued by a Canadian Ice Breaker.
2 weeks after our return home
when an expedition led by Parks Canada located the wreck of HMS Erebus, a short distance from where we were locked in ice.
I’ve always been fascinated by Shackleton’s adventures. I saw an exhibition in Liverpool years ago and the photographs were amazing. I think I’d be more the photographer than the adventurer but the photographer had to get into some scary positions to get the photos he did in those days. No drones then!
King Solomon’s mine trail along the Himalayas hunting for Treasure
Bruce Parry as tried so many different things with the tribes he stayed with and learnt so much about life!
I did G Expeditions trip “In the Footsteps of Shackleton ” to the Falklands , South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula in 2017. Very good trip I would recommend to everyone.
Charles Darwin, to discover the Galapagos islands and all their beauty and wildlife
Captain James Cook,after years at sea,to discover a beautiful group of Islands,that we know as Hawaii,must have been idyllic,think I would have called it a day,and retired into a life of bliss.
Love the idea of repeating Michael Palin’s adventures
I would like to follow in Gertrude Bell’s footsteps.
Reading a book on the spice trade in the early 17th century. Life was short and very brutish. However, the bravery of men setting off into the unknown in search of spice is inspiring. I would love to follow their route, but definitely not the way they travelled!
I’m a child of the 60’s so for me it has to be space exploration and the adventures of Neil Armstrong
Travelled the world.
I would like to go back in time to see the splendour of ancient Egypt and travel the length of the Nile
Sir Peter Scott to the South Pole ,his journey was hard from the day landed on the ice shelf ,and struggled and struggled to the South Pole ,and when he got to the pole ,someone had got there first .That must been so painfull ,with the ship Endurance gone below the ice .And he attempted to get back ,but both the Ice and the very low temperatures they eventually passed on .But scotts diaries were found and retrieved sone time later.Its a story alway facinate myself. So be a good read.
Phileas Fogg, around the world in 80 days, now that’s what I’d call a holiday!
Oh my There are so many but I’d like to go with Sir Walter Raleigh…he brought potatoes here and they are my favourite food. He loved Elizabeth 1 and I’d like to see if she was a man, or was bald as reported and just to travel roughly with no mod cons. Then I’d like to get back here
The John Muir Trail in Central California has jaw dropping views
Have you read the brilliant book ‘The Wilderness Journeys’ (five books in one) about his early life and later travels?
David Thomson – Grey Coats schooled youngster, sent to join the Hudson Bay company at a very young age, served under Samuel Hearn and went on to map much of modern Canada. In later life he used to strap on snowshoes to go to his neighbours for dinner, about 3 hours away (and back) . A true explorer.
Neil Armstrong being the first person to land on and explore the moon :0)
Nellie Bly, an American journalist who travelled around the world in 72 days in 1889 which was a pretty amazing feat back then.
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