Chris’s Charity Canal Kayak Quest: Man to Monaco

Chris Allix decided to paddle his kayak from the Isle of Man to Monaco - the hard way: across country, along 2000 miles of inland waterways.



 

Chris Paddling the Waterways

A well Earned Break

Why?  To raise money for children’s charities, improve his health and because he just loves canoeing.

On the 28^th June he set off from the Isle of Man.  He crossed the Irish Sea, navigated the English waterways to Dover, traversed the English Channel (after a bit of hoo-ha), then made his way across France.  On reaching Monaco, he was met by Prince Albert, president of one of the charities Chris is supporting.

His navigation of England’s waterways network was carried out with the help of Bob-the-Backup using the trusty Collins Nicholson Waterways Map and Guides.

Bob-the-Backup



Navigating with Nicholsons



Read Jonathan Mosse’s story of his journey, in the January 2013 edition of Waterways World magazine.  For a detailed blow-by-blow account of his travails, see Chris’s website www.mantomonaco.com.

All photos by Jonathan Mosse, reproduced with thanks.

Collins Nicholson Waterways Guides and Maps

http://www.waterwaysworld.com/

www.mantomonaco.com

Vintage Maps collection at Surface View

Collins Bartholomew has provided the design company with an array of beautiful vintage maps, which can be customised into stunning bespoke interior prints.

Enchanting, nostalgic and full of age worn beauty, these vintage maps offer visions of a world long since disappeared, and were mostly chosen from rare manuscripts in the Collins Bartholomew Historic Map Archive.

See for yourself!  Go to Surface View's crisp website, select Vintage Maps Collection, then choose a map and see how it would look as a mural, blinds or print.

Surface View Vintage Maps Collection

Inspiration to Installation: Vintage Maps from Surface View

Putting Scotland on the Map: Bartholomew Exhibition at the National Library of Scotland

Putting Scotland on the Map: The World of John Bartholomew and Son.

The new winter exhibition at the National Library of Scotland (NLS).

Bartholomew Exhibition Advert

“John Bartholomew and Son was one of Scotland's most influential firms. This exhibition showcases material from the Bartholomew Archive Collection to explore how this Edinburgh-based company produced their world-renowned maps.

Visit this exhibition and follow the life of a map from the compilation of source material, to hand-made engraving tools, to the bustle of the printing room floor. Discover the upside down and back to front world of the copperplate engravers!

Told though oral history recordings, photographs, tools and some of the unique manuscript maps from the Bartholomew Archive, this is the fascinating story of a firm who really did help to put Scotland on the map.” (Text from NLS material)

7 December 2012 - 7 May 2013, free, at George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW.

NLS Putting Scotland on the map: The world of John Bartholomew & Son

Previous Collins Maps blog post Bartholomew Archive Exhibition at the NLS

NLS Bartholomew Archive Blog

NLS Bartholomew Archive Collection

Download NLS Discover Magazine Issue 22 featuring the Bartholomew Exhibition

Scotsman.com 4 Dec 12 article National Library to feature Bartholomew mapmaking
BBC News Scotland 6 Dec 12 In pictures: The Scots who mapped the world

Collins eBooks for Children: World Atlas, World Flags and The Solar System

Three Collins children's books are now available in electronic format.  World Atlas, World Flags and The Solar system are ideal first eBooks and iBooks for young readers.  They are clear and uncluttered, full of fascinating facts and packed with colourful illustrations.

World Flags for Children introduces national flags of familiar countries through colour, symbols and shapes. Simple vocabulary is used throughout and numeracy skills are gently introduced by identifying shapes and counting stars, stripes, symbols etc.

   Country flags

   Flag colours

   Flag symbols

Buy from iTunes

Buy from Amazon

World Atlas for Children is a great way to support children beginning to explore the world of maps. Children can use the atlas to identify continents, countries and faraway places. The simple mapping is a perfect introduction to the world of maps and a sound basis for a geographical vocabulary.

   The World

   Oceans, mountains, rivers and deserts

   World continents

   World countries

Buy from iTunes

Buy from Amazon

The Solar System for Children is a great introduction to the planets, asteroids and comets. Designed specifically for young readers to use with the help of adults, each spread contains stunning illustrations of the planets, and simple supporting facts introduce young children to the mysteries of outer space.

   The Solar System

   The inner and outer planets

   Earth’s moon

   The asteroid belt

Buy from iTunes

Buy from Amazon

All eBooks and iBooks have 36 pages, £0.99.
The iBooks can enable audio to read page text.

Putting Scotland on the Map: The World of John Bartholomew and Son

On the 7 December 2012, the National Library of Scotland (NLS) will open an exhibition of Bartholomew Archive material - Putting Scotland on the Map: The World of John Bartholomew and Son.  It will showcase the techniques and processes by which Bartholomew brought their maps to life. 

Further details coming soon ...

See latest NLS blog post by Karla Baker: Map compilation at Bartholomew

Bartholomew Archive Exhibition at the NLS

Memory of the World – Treasures of the World’s History

Collins and UNESCO are delighted to announce the publication of Memory of the World. This definitive book of documentary history unearths the most important treasures of our society and culture from 1700 BC to the present day, and represents the culmination of over two decades of work by UNESCO through the Memory of the World Programme.

Memory of the World contains some of the most valuable documents from around the world that are deemed to be of historical significance, such as the Diaries of Anne Frank and the Phoenician Alphabet, or cultural resonance, like the Brahms Collection and the 42-line Gutenberg Bible, with an aim to preserve them, as well as to increase their accessibility and the general awareness of them. The objects and documents included range from ancient maps, manuscripts and religious relics, to films, photographs and sound recordings, relating to some of the most important people and events in history.

This highly-illustrated book presents 245 fascinating items with photographs, in-depth accounts of their history, and details of their locations. There are also explanations about the measures UNESCO is taking to conserve and protect these important resources for present and future generations.

Pub date 25 Oct 2012

Price £20

Format 210x160

Paperback 608pp

ISBN 978-0-00-748279-5


By Melissa Klitzka

Collins Geo Wins Two SAGT Awards 2012

Collins Geo picked up a couple of awards at the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers (SAGT) annual conference on Saturday. Collins Student World Atlas and Collins World Watch were given Highly Commended awards in the Book Category.

      

    

Collins Geo stand at SAGT 12

SAGT is the professional body for Geography in Scottish schools. This year’s Annual Conference was held in Hutchesons’ Grammar School, Glasgow on 27th October. It is attended by Secondary School geography teachers from all over Scotland.

The conference titled Geography and Global Citizenship was an opportunity for teachers to participate in workshops and seminars, attend lectures by top quality keynote speakers and sample the latest resources available.

Collins World Watch: A Visual Guide to the current State of the World
Collins Student World Atlas

World Teachers' Day 2012 - Take a stand for teachers!

Collins World Watch Wins Award at the SAGT Conference 2010

The World at Your Feet Playground World Map

Fifteen huge 6m x 8m world maps have been painted onto school playgrounds across the north of Scotland this summer, despite it being the wettest on record.

The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) initiated The World at Your Feet playground map project.  Our own Collins Geo map data was used to produce the steel stencil templates for painting an outline map of the world.  The project’s aim is to provide an inspirational interactive teaching aid for a wide range of subjects, placing geography at the heart of the curriculum.




The Geographer Autumn 2012

 News on this project is in the latest Autumn 2012 edition of The Geographer, the newsletter of the RSGS, sent free to all members. See The Geographer Archive for PDF copies of older editions.

“You learnt new skills.”

“I liked discovering new places.”

“It was fun.”

 

The World at Your Feet! project at the RSGS

@RoyalScotGeoSoc on Twitter
Collins Maps Blog: The World at Your Feet Feb 2011
Collins Maps Blog: Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) Playground Map Project Nov 2009

Collins Geo 2012-13 Catalogue

Discover the World With Collins

The shiny new copy of the eye-catching Collins Geo 2012-13 Catalogue has just been released and is now available to download.



Collins Geo Catalogue 2012-13 front cover



See our current and forthcoming range of apps, maps, atlases, books, eBooks and resource packs.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Fragile Earth

Memory of the World

The World’s Heritage & Species on the Edge of Survival

World’s Ultimate Cycling Races & Mapping le Tour

World’s Ultimate Running Races & Extreme Survivors

Railway Publications

The Times Atlases

Collins World Atlases

International Maps & Country e-books

Educational Atlases for Ages 4–11

Educational Atlases for Ages 11+

Children’s Reference

British Maps & Atlases

European Maps & Atlases

London Maps & Atlases

Scottish Maps & Atlases

Irish Maps & Atlases

Ramblers Guides

Collins Nicholson Waterways Guides

Stocklist – Printed Publications

Stocklist – Digital Downloads



Collins Geo Catalogue 2012-13 back cover



Download the new Collins Geo Catalogue 2012-13 (PDF)

World Teachers' Day 2012 - Take a stand for teachers!

WTD 2012 poster

Today is World Teacher’s Day, held every year on the 5th of October since 1994. It was established by UNESCO to celebrate the value of the teaching profession worldwide. This year’s theme ‘Take a stand for teachers!’ aims to mobilise support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by them.

“Taking a stand for the teaching profession means providing adequate training, ongoing professional development, and protection for teachers’ rights” UNESCO.

Collins Geo has a number of education map products across a variety of formats, suitable for teaching students of all ages and abilities.  See some of the examples below:

World Watch

This brand new edition was just published a few days ago. Colourful, informative and fun to use, Collins World Watch will help you understand all the major issues from around the globe at a glance, without the need to read through long texts or analyzing statistics. Get to grips with geography through more than 100 easy-to-read visualizations of world issues.

 

World Watch Series

Includes World Health and Education: Resource Pack.

The five World Watch resource packs provide perfect support material for Collins World Watch student book. Each pack includes a free poster summarising visually the key topics covered in each pack.

World Watch Series

Primary Geography resources

Inspire your young geographers to learn about the world around them with Collins Primary Atlases!  Now also available as downloadable Promethean flipcharts. We also publish a range of resources to teach important mapping skills and our virtual geography packs engage learners with interactive activities.

Software, Atlases, Mapping Skills, World Watch, Teaching Resources, Topic Books

See Primary Geography resources on the Collins Education website

Secondary Geography resources

As well as a full range of school atlases, we also publish unit-specific A Level support materials for AQA Geography and Geography revision materials at GCSE and A Level. Have a look at our case study downloads from the Geographical Association for up-to-date Key Stage 3 Geography resources.  We also publish a whole range of student atlases and map resources to support secondary school geography.

Key Stage 3, GCSE, A Level, Atlases

See Secondary Geography resources on the Collins Education website

Collins Primary World Atlas World Flipchart Demo

Collins digital Flipcharts combine the best aspects of traditional teaching and e learning, with quizzes incorporated into the charts to encourage students to enjoy learning and allow teachers to assess progress.

See other Geo Flipchart demos on You Tube

UNESCO eAtlas of Teachers

UNESCO eAtlas of Teachers

New to the UNESCO eAtlas series, live today. The UNESCO eAtlas of Teachers lets you visualize the gaps in the supply and demand for teachers at national and global levels. Through maps, charts and ranking tables, you can explore the data to answer key questions such as: precisely how many new teachers are needed to respond to the rising demand for primary education? How do working conditions for teachers compare across countries and regions? And to what extent are women represented in the teaching workforce?

UNESCO World Teachers's Day website
Education International World Teacher's Day website
Collins Bartholomew INDiCATE

World's Ultimate Cycling Races – Wonderful World of Two Wheels

Compiled by Ellis Bacon, one of the sport’s premier journalists, with the foreword by world-renowned cycling commentator Phil Liggett. World’s Ultimate Cycling Races contains everything you need to know about all the best cycling events across the globe.  It has races on every variety of terrain – from cyclo-cross, mountain bike, long distance and night races, to pro one day, pro stage, road and track events – in over 50 countries. 




We all know about the gruelling weeks of the Tour de France, thanks to British champion Bradley Wiggins’ storming ride into Paris, but what about the many other exciting races and participation events across the world? Packed full of 300 of the greatest biking events, for competitors and spectators alike, this book is the essential guide to the exhilarating world of life on two wheels. 

World’s Ultimate Cycling Races contains facts and statistics for novice through to professional cyclists, and for spectators, who want to learn about the most brilliant races; as well as stunning photographs that illustrate the incredible – and sometimes treacherous – locations and scenery. A comprehensive history of each event is included, along with field size, entry standard, and terrain information, all arranged by the month the race takes place. Contributions from some of the world’s leading cyclists and journalists provide gripping accounts of what each race is really like, building a fascinating picture of the atmosphere surrounding each event. 

Join us on facebook for cycling discussions, images and competitions!

World's Ultimate Cycling Races: 300 of the greatest cycling events
ISBN: 978-0-00-748281-8
Size: 210x160
Published: 27 September 2012
Price: £20
Order from Amazon

Win a copy via The Tour of Britain website
See our Facebook page to get 40% off at Waterstones.com

Extreme Survivors 60 of the World’s Most Extreme Survival Stories

Extreme Survivors tells the illustrated story of some of the most daring escapes, famous shipwrecks, and ultimate survival stories. With a foreword by survival expert Bear Grylls, this book features astonishing stories of human endurance and endeavour.

Extreme Survivors is packed full of tales from all over the world, such as German soldier Cornelius Rost’s escape from a Siberian labour camp and subsequent three year trek to Iran, the infamous story of a rugby team’s plane crash in the Andes and admissions to canibalism, and Aron Ralston severing his own arm after being trapped in the rocks of Canyonlands National Park for several days.


The statistics, descriptions, archive photographs and illustrative maps give the reader a full understanding the fortitude and determination humans are capable of when it comes to survival.





Extreme Survivors: 60 of the World’s Most Extreme Survival Stories
ISBN: 978-0-00-748277-1
Size: 210x161 mm
Published: 27 Sep 2012
Price: £12.99
Order from Amazon

Collins World Watch: A Visual Guide to the current State of the World

This new edition, published 27th September, contains 16 brand new infographic spreads drawn from the authoritative statistics of the World Bank's World Development Indicators. A dynamic visual guide packed with fascinating facts about the world, including information on climate change, population growth, health and education, and natural resources.





Get to grips with geography through more than 100 easy-to-read visualizations of world issues, each presented using maps, tables, graphs, fact boxes and photographs that illustrate the stories behind the statistics and create an engaging dialogue. Compatible with the National Curriculum, Collins World Watch is perfect for students in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. 


Colourful, informative and fun to use, Collins World Watch will help you understand all the major issues from around the globe at a glance, without the need to read through long texts or analyse statistics.





Collins World Watch: A Visual Guide to the current State of the World
ISBN: 978-0-00-748822-3
Size: 246x189 mm
Published: 27 September 2012
Price: £12.99
Order from Amazon
Further details and ordering at Collins Education