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As restrictions begin to ease around the world, Peter prepares to head out on his first post-lockdown trip: the Highlander Adventure
After 100 days in lockdown, I am itching to return to the trail. As someone who is most content outdoors, I have found the restrictions particularly claustrophobic, despite devising some rather creative ways to pass the time.
Two thru-hikers lied and broke the law this year to finish the Appalachian Trail. Should we dismiss it as a daring adventure or tackle what lies deeper?
The first thing to admit before I begin is that I’m a person who follows the rules. I never cheat at games or quizzes despite being stupidly competitive. I hate being late to meetings or gatherings and I’ve even been known to Google “how late to arrive at a dinner party” because I know it’s impolite to turn up on time (the consensus is 15 minutes).
From Canada’s wild backcountry to the jungles of Brunei, we share some fantastic hikes through the cleanest air in the world
A few months after we moved to the country, some friends from London came up to visit. Stepping from the car, one commented that ‘it feels like mountain air up here’. I laughed and said, ‘it’s not that cold.’ He shook his head and said, ‘I don’t mean the temperature. I mean the quality.’
Climbing the seven summits – the highest mountain on every continent – is an improbable dream of mine… but that’s the beauty of dreams
I have always loved trekking and climbing. I usually spend several weeks of any given year on the grades of the Scottish Highlands or Welsh Snowdonia or ideally further afield such as the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland or the K2 base camp trek in Pakistan.
With climbing and mountaineering on hold for the foreseeable future, we find an alternative way to scale the most coveted peaks on the planet
Continuing my search for inside-outdoor activities, I discovered a new way to simultaneously keep myself occupied and fit during these exceptional times: climbing the mountains of the world… using our staircase.
A list of 100 outdoor films to watch online for free from the archives of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, the world’s premier adventure film festival
We’re living through extraordinary times and, like most, we’re currently not hiking or travelling anywhere. As such, we’re on the hunt for as much inside-outdoor entertainment as we can find.
We share the most interesting facts about Aconcagua – from the world’s highest art gallery to mysterious mummified remains
I recently climbed Aconcagua in Argentina, the third step of my journey to climb the seven summits.
Cerro Aconcagua may not be one of the most beautiful mountains in the world and the ascent is certainly short on charm, but this enormous lump of Andean rock and ice is one of the most coveted mountains on the planet.
Our Q&A-style tips on how to climb Aconcagua, assembled from the many questions asked by our followers
I didn’t announce I was climbing Aconcagua on social media until the day I left for Argentina. It was part superstition (I didn’t want to jinx the climb), but more importantly, I knew that I was about to embark on the hardest and highest climb of my life.
Climbing Aconcagua was the culmination of a 10-year journey and the next step towards realising my ultimate dream: climbing the seven summits
At around 2pm local time on 19th January 2020, I stretched out my hand and tapped the top of the simple aluminium crucifix that marks the summit of Aconcagua at 6,961m (22,837ft).
Looking at the winter climbs taking place at the time in the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges of Asia, and given that our summit time corresponded to around 11pm in Nepal and Pakistan, it is safe to assume that for a few brief moments on that Sunday afternoon, I was the highest person stood on Earth.
From easy city walks to harder challenges in the great outdoors, we share 10 of Europe’s best hikes for first timers
When Peter headed to Argentina in January to climb Aconcagua (his third of the seven summits), a friend of mine asked why I wasn’t joining him.
Climbing mountains is his thing, I explained. I’m perfectly comfortable below 4,000m. She frowned and said, ‘I thought you’d want to go because you’re always out hiking.’
From remote deserts to polar escapes, these unknown treks will get you far off the beaten trail
I spent 10 years living in London, riding the crowded tube to work, fighting for space with those around me and standing in queues at bus stops, supermarkets, anywhere really – I am British after all.
Naturally, this inspired daydreams of escaping it all and running off to the wilderness with only my backpack, tent, camping stove and a handful of freeze-dried meals.
Everest vs K2 base camp – what’s the difference? We compare the two classic treks
Since the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953, followed by K2 in 1954, the Himalayas and its satellite ranges have become far more accessible to trekkers. The 4,000km crescent of mountains that stretches from Kyrgyzstan to Burma was once solely the domain of professional mountaineers.
We take a look at the best treks in Pakistan, from classic base camp journeys to snowy high pass odysseys
Having just returned from the K2 base camp trek in Pakistan with my interest in the Karakoram well and truly stoked, I thought I’d explore some additional hiking itineraries for my next trip to this beautiful country.
Our tips for trekking to K2 base camp, gathered from the many questions our readers sent in
Before, during and after my K2 base camp trek in Pakistan, Atlas & Boots received dozens of questions about the experience via email and social media. We’ve collated them below in a comprehensive Q&A which includes all our tips for trekking to K2 base camp.
The K2 base camp trek is a stunning journey to the foot of a legendary mountain in the Pakistani Karakoram
The K2 base camp trek through the mighty Karakoram mountains of Pakistan is one of the world’s finest high-altitude treks. Earlier this year an opportunity arose to join Lost Horizon Tours and Treks on a trek to K2 base camp combined with a crossing of the Gondogoro La Pass.
Our extensive K2 base camp gear list includes everything you’ll need for this epic trek to the second-highest mountain on Earth
Having just returned from my K2 base camp trek in Pakistan, I thought sharing my complete K2 base camp gear list as a point of reference for future trekkers would be helpful.
Our selection of the best things to do in Ilulissat will help you make the most of your time in this breathtaking part of the world
Ilulissat is the Greenland of glossy brochures. Smatterings of multi-coloured houses, iceberg-strewn waters, majestic sled dogs and gigantic glinting glaciers all contribute to the region’s raw photogenic appeal. It is quite simply one of the most spectacular environments on Earth.
Hiking around Ilulissat is the quickest and easiest way to get close to the immense icefjord that fringes the town
Ilulissat in Greenland is utterly unique in its location at the mouth of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ilulissat Icefjord. Nowhere else in the world is it possible to wake up at a hotel, eat breakfast and then stroll down to such a giant body of ice.
Our selection of the best things to do in Kangerlussuaq will help you make the most of your time in this remote corner of the world
At first glance, the lonely settlement of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland might not seem much more than a necessary stepping-stone for travellers en route to Ilulissat, Greenland’s most popular tourist destination.
Visiting the Greenland ice sheet and Russell Glacier offers an unparalleled opportunity to observe the country’s infamous interior
The understated and lonely settlement of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland feels like the edge of the world. Despite lying 50km north of the Arctic Circle, however, there is little evidence of the spectacular scenery that can only be found in the most extremes of the planet: the Polar Regions.
