The UK's most popular outdoor travel blog
From the heights of Everest to a humble library, we share the most extraordinary international borders from across the globe
My name is unremarkable, most people would agree. It’s so common that if you Googled ‘Peter Watson’, you would find the intellectual historian, the author and the arts benefactor – all different men – ahead of me. There’s also a producer, a chemist and a podcaster among others.
In 2024, Singapore tops the list of the world’s most powerful passports. We take a look at the other winners, losers and non-movers
I was feeling cocky as I queued up for my Chinese visa. I had checked and rechecked the requirements and had all my documents to hand: my passport, a photocopy of my passport, a spare photo just in case, the form that had taken me an hour to fill in online, my flight details, and my tour and hotel confirmation. I had also signed and dated the form – in both places – unlike all the (clearly inferior!) applicants in front of me.
From lush megadiversity to the unexpected entry at number 10, we review the countries that can save Earth’s most-threatened species
As a child, I lived with cockroaches in my family home. Our entire street had an infestation and it was months before the council got rid of them. I have seven siblings and not all of us fit on the sofa, so some of us would watch TV from the floor and I remember things scuttling by right next to my hand, making me leap up and scream. Sometimes, one would scurry across my pillow right before bedtime. This, quite understandably, gave me a mortal fear of bugs.
The most dangerous countries in the world to visit in 2024 have been updated in the latest Travel Risk Map
The most dangerous countries to visit in 2024 are Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen according to the latest Travel Risk Map, an interactive tool produced by security specialists at International SOS.
The safest countries in the world have been updated for summer 2024. Read our insights from the study and browse the rankings below
Iceland is the safest country in the world followed by Ireland, Austria, New Zealand and Singapore.
However, the world is not as safe as a year ago as the average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated for the 12th time in 16 years. Ninety-seven countries recorded a decline in peacefulness while 65 registered an improvement according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI).
Finland is the happiest country in the world for the seventh consecutive year. We take a look at the latest World Happiness Report
Happiness is a nebulous thing; hard to grasp and harder to hold onto. Scientists, economists and philosophers have defined it through the ages as a combination of different things, among them health, wealth, companionship and security.
African nations continue to dominate the ranking of the poorest countries in the world based on the latest data from the World Bank
We all have preconceptions about places. Take Ethiopia, for example. As children of the eighties, Kia and I were only too aware of the struggles Ethiopia has faced historically: political unrest, civil war and, of course, famine.
It was easy then to imagine a vast desolate dust bowl ahead of our visit in 2017.
The poles of inaccessibility are arguably the true last frontiers for explorers. But what and where are they?
I’ve long been fascinated with the most remote places on Earth and the epic journeys of discovery to reach them. I’ve spent countless long mornings in bed leafing through giant reference books on the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration and even longer afternoons poring over immense maps detailing epic quests across untamed oceans.
From stewing lava lakes to fatal eruptions, we chart the most active volcanoes in the world
Nature has many fearsome wonders – earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis – but none so fearsome as the most active volcanoes in the world. These hellish peaks feature in tales of ardour and heroism, loom over humble settlements and whisper threats of violence and destruction. Though potentially lethal, they hold a magnetic beauty that thrillseekers find irresistible.
From megadiverse flora and fauna to the closest country to space, these are the most interesting facts about Ecuador
Despite its relatively small size compared with local giants Brazil and Argentina, Ecuador is home to an astounding array of wonders, including picturesque colonial towns, the Amazon rainforest, the spectacular peaks of the Andes and the fragile but alluring Galápagos Islands.
Read our tips on visiting Pamukkale in Turkey, including what to wear, what to pack and what not to miss
Pamukkale, though Turkey’s most popular attraction by numbers, is barely known outside its country borders. It’s the iconic architecture of Istanbul and the cave dwellings of Cappadocia that steal the spotlight, but Pamukkale with its cascading travertine terraces deserves attention as well.
Can’t decide between the Arctic or Antarctic for your polar adventure? Our guide will help you choose between 66° north or south
The North and South Poles were only “conquered” in relatively recent history. The South Pole was first attained in 1911 by the Norwegian Roald Amundsen after his epic race with the ill-fated Robert Falcon Scott.
From ancient Greece to Silicon Valley, we look at the maps that changed our worldview
There are few things that evoke the romanticism of adventure quite like a map – especially old maps. Full of exotic names (Persia, Abyssinia, Rhodesia!) and olde worlde lettering, they are reminiscent of a time when men and women sacrificed their lives for adventure and exploration.
There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me
As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills still leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like.
Our expedition to the great white continent inspired a host of questions, most commonly: is Antarctica worth it? We share our answers below
The cynic, it is said, knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. It doesn’t make you a cynic, however, to question the value of a trip to Antarctica given the hefty price tag. Ranging from seven to twenty thousand dollars per person, it’s a once in a lifetime expense, so it’s perfectly natural to ask: is Antarctica worth it?
From eastern Greenland to northern Alaska, we explore some of the most remote places on Earth
Whether it’s astronomical distances, inhospitable climates or extreme terrains that define these remote and hostile lands, there’s one thing they all have in common: they are on my bucket list. That and the fact that people live there.
International Dark Sky Reserves are protected areas that offer exceptionally starry nights. We review the 16 places that hold this hallowed status
They sound like something out of Star Trek, these ‘Dark Sky Reserves’ – like they may have been conjured one evening in a lively LA writers room. Unlike the ‘Delta Quadrant’ or ‘Delphic Expanse’, however, International Dark Sky Reserves actually exist.
We explore the most common map projections of the world, how they work and which one is the best
Kia is usually described as the geek in our relationship. She’s the one with a computer science degree, she’s the one with the editor’s eye and she’s the Star Trek fan who describes herself as Seven of Nine… which is cool apparently? A friend of hers recently described her as “the one who puts the apostrophe in rock ‘n’ roll”.
From the grand mosques of Muscat to the glorious mountains of Al-Hajar, Oman is a beguiling alternative to Dubai
In Oman, you will hear much about the country being second best at something. It has the second biggest carpet in the world, your guide might tell you – a hand-loomed beauty in Muscat’s Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, usurped only by its peer in Abu Dhabi.
Canyoning in La Fortuna with its waterfall rappels and cavernous ‘falls’ proved to be Costa Rica’s biggest thrill of all
Beneath the hulking slopes of Arenal Volcano in northwestern Costa Rica is the small town of La Fortuna. With a wealth of natural attractions nearby including lush rainforest, extensive hiking trails, myriad hot springs and two gargantuan volcanoes (Cerro Chato is also within easy reach), it’s not the town itself that draws visitors to this green district of Costa Rica.
