How to prevent blisters when hiking lead image

How to prevent and treat blisters when hiking

Don’t let a pesky injury ruin your time in the outdoors. Our guide on how to prevent blisters will keep you on your feet

Whether you’re an experienced trekker or a newcomer to the trails, you will invariably suffer from one of the most common hiking injuries. To help you minimise the risk, we’ve put together a simple guide on how to prevent and treat blisters when hiking.

how to use a compass and map feat img

How to use a compass and map: a simple guide

This guide on how to use a compass and map should be enough to get you started and give you the confidence to use the skills for yourself in the hills

As a schoolboy, I was lucky to learn how to use a compass and map. I then spent the best part of two decades putting these basic skills to use throughout the British countryside, without ever really having them tested.

a close up of a down sleeping bag on a camping mat

How to choose a sleeping bag: a buying guide

Our comprehensive guide on how to choose a sleeping bag will ensure a cosy night’s sleep whatever the temperature

Whether you’re a weekend warrior making a dash for the hills or preparing for a multi-day trek through the Himalayas, choosing the right sleeping bag can make or break a camping trip.

Peter on Denali in a down jacket and climbing ropes

How to choose a down jacket

A beginner’s guide on how to choose a down jacket that will keep you warm and toasty in the great outdoors

A high-quality down jacket is no longer the preserve of the outdoorsy. Politicians, pop stars and even princesses have been pictured in a ‘puffa’. Of course, a down jacket truly comes into its own when used and tested in the great outdoors. 

layering system lead

The layering system: how to layer clothing for the outdoors

Now that spring is finally on the horizon, we’ve updated our guide to the layering system and how best to adapt your clothing to suit any outdoor condition

Springtime is almost upon us and with it come the capricious weather conditions that define the season. Mark Twain once said, “In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.”

guide to hiking the Highlander Velebit

Highlander Velebit gear list: what’s in my pack

Our Highlander Velebit gear list includes everything you’ll need for five days of hiking across Croatia’s highest mountain range

I recently completed the Highlander Velebit, a 104km 5-day trek across the Northern Velebit and Paklenica national parks in Croatia. The Velebit is one of Highlander Adventure’s collection of organised treks and therefore requires a slightly different mix of gear than what I’d pack for an independent trek.

A close up of water droplets on a red Gore-tex waterproof jacket

How to choose a waterproof jacket: a buying guide

Our detailed guide on how to choose a waterproof jacket will help you find the gear that best suits your needs

A waterproof jacket is an essential piece of outdoor kit and should be in everyone’s backpack whether you’re hiking, climbing or cycling. 

Knowing how to choose a waterproof jacket, however, can feel a bit like alchemy. With so many different fabrics, constructions and features used in outdoor clothing, selecting the right jacket has become a real test.

Photo backup how to keep your memories safe lead

Photo backup: how to keep your memories safe

After learning the hard way, we share our tried and tested photo backup systems to help you keep your photographs safe

It was in the Cotopaxi region of Ecuador that we met Michael, a fellow backpacker who had spent the previous weeks on a surfing trip of a lifetime. Earlier in the day, Michael’s GoPro had dislodged from its extender during a jump into a waterfall and sunk to the depths below.

another montage of eight sailing books

Best sailing books: 25 tales inspired by the sea

A list of the best sailing books including memoirs, novels and biographies, constituting the most fascinating nautical tales ever penned

After recently compiling a list of the best sailing movies we’ve seen, I was prompted into some related reading. Fresh from a delivery of sailing bestsellers (and less-sellers), I’ve put together a list of the best sailing books.

A backpack with a sleeping mat

How to choose a backpack: a beginner’s guide

Our beginner’s guide on how to choose a backpack will help you make the best choice for your backpacking needs, ensuring comfort and reliability

Whether you’re on a day hike through gently rolling hills or an extended expedition crossing an ice shelf, knowing how to choose a backpack most suited to your trip will make it infinitely more enjoyable. 

There are myriad options available and it can be a confusing affair, but getting it right will ensure comfort and reliability day after day.

Elbrus in Russia

Elbrus kit list: all you need to climb Europe’s highest peak

Our comprehensive Elbrus kit list includes everything you’ll need to conquer Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe.

Mount Elbrus in Russia, at 5,642m (18,510ft), is Europe’s highest mountain and a member of the seven summits, the highest point on every continent. Having just returned from climbing Mount Elbrus with specialists 7 Summits Club, I thought it would be useful to share my entire Elbrus kit list as a point of reference for future climbers.

a couple using a sailing app on a device while sailing

Useful sailing apps to try – as recommended by sailors

A list of useful sailing apps used by professional sailors to navigate their way across the seas

During my recent tall ship sailing adventure, I picked the skipper’s brains about the essential sailing apps he uses for navigation, ship tracking, weather and tides.

Stefan, the owner and skipper of the Lady of Avenel, stands at the helm with his tablet mounted nearby. “Is this the future of sailing?” I asked him. “Never mind the future of sailing, this is the here and the now,” he responded wryly.

outdoor snob lead 2021

Are you an outdoors snob?

With complex hierarchies, obscure heroes and indecipherable lingo, the outdoors community is more daunting than it should be

Many years ago, before the prospect of camping became a real and constant threat in my life, I was a city girl through and through. I had never slept beneath the stars, never bathed in a lake and never answered nature’s call in, er, nature.

best-books-about-myanmar-burma

15 best books about Myanmar

We wrap up our series on this extraordinary country by browsing through the best books about Myanmar and the insights offered within their pages

Before I visit a country, I like to read a book or two about the destination to get a sense of the place and culture. For Myanmar, it had to be George Orwell’s Burmese Days, a dark and fascinating insight into British colonial Burma and the disgust Orwell felt towards the system he was a part of. 

Best outdoor magazines

Best outdoor magazines: 10 mags for between adventures

Outdoor magazines are a well-deserved indulgence for those who love hiking, camping, climbing, wildlife and the great outdoors. We list our favourite below

One thing I dearly miss from my less-nomadic life is magazines. In the age of internet clickbait, printed publications still have an allure that a computer or smartphone screen just can’t replicate. Whether through fascinating features on the latest first ascent, a thru-hiker’s account of a long-distance hiking trail or stunning photography from the world’s protected lands, outdoor magazines have always piqued my imagination.

best books about sri lanka-lead

15 best books about Sri Lanka

We wrap up our series on the tiny tropical island by perusing the best books about Sri Lanka and the insights offered within their pages

Before I visit a country I like to read a book or two about the destination to get a sense of the place and culture. For Sri Lanka, I chose Roma Tearne’s Brixton Beach. Tearne, a Sri Lankan born novelist living in Britain, provided the perfect introduction to our trip.

books about hiking montage of covers 1

Books about hiking: 25 wonderful trail tales

We take a look at some of the best books about hiking, from thrilling adventure stories to technical trail guides and everything in between

We’ve used Amazon and Goodreads’ bestsellers lists along with some personal favourites to put together a list of what we believe to be some great books about hiking.

Safari-photography-tips-featimg

Safari photography tips: how to shoot wildlife (with a camera)

Our safari photography tips gleaned from a decade of photographing wildlife

Having spent a considerable amount of our travels in jeeps on game drives, I’ve managed to photograph some beautiful and rare wildlife over the years. Along the way, I’ve picked up some indispensable safari photography tips be it through trial and error, talking to expert rangers, or just comparing photos with other enthusiasts. 

Here are some essential safari photography tips to help you get the most out of your wildlife experience.

The Northern Lights seen over Norway

How to photograph the northern lights

We enlist some expert advice on how to photograph the northern lights

I’d been hankering after an updated Nikon ever since ruining mine in the Maldives a few years ago. Stuck with a clunky second-hand Canon, I often found myself fiddling with settings instead of getting the shot I was aiming for.