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20 most stunning big wall climbs from around the world | Atlas & Boots
It was five years ago that I first came across a big wall climber. A tiny speck on the side of a gigantic granite wall, the climber was bivvying in Yosemite National Park, the Holy Land of big wall climbing. I couldn't comprehend how someone could sleep tacked onto the side of a wall, suspended thousands of feet above the ground, sometimes in treacherously windy conditions. I was reminded of this special breed of people by the recent film Meru which follows three world-class climbers on their efforts to scale the mountain's imposing Shark's Fin. The high-altitude and Alpine climbing on display is impressive of course but it's the big wall climbing on the near-featureless Shark's Fin that is really mind blowing. The post 20 most stunning big wall climbs from around the world appeared fir...
Does using trekking poles really help? | Atlas & Boots
On a recent trek through the Fann Mountains of Tajikistan, one of our group completed the nine-day foot journey without poles. At some point during the trek, every one of us asked him why he didn't have them (I'm sure he grew tired of fielding the question) and took turns to espouse the myriad benefits of their use. The post Does using trekking poles really help? appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Trekking the Fann Mountains of Tajikistan: all you need to know
The smallest of the Central Asian republics, landlocked, misshapen and squished and squeezed by its neighbours, Tajikistan has somehow remained largely undiscovered by tourists even though it was at the centre of the Silk Road for much of its past. The post Trekking the Fann Mountains of Tajikistan: all you need to know appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
The travel that changed me: Annie Worsley | Atlas & Boots
Annie Worsley traded a life in academia for that of a crofter. Here, she tells us about her new life, the art of slow walking and the travel that changed her It’s fair to say that Annie Worsley has not followed a conventional career path. She began life as a physical geographer focusing on the relationships between people, The post The travel that changed me: Annie Worsley appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Countries that eat the most meat – ranked
The countries that eat the most meat are causing the most damage to the planet. It’s time to take responsibility and change the habits of a lifetime. There is very little to debate on the subject anymore. Simply put, the world must reduce the amount of meat it eats. In 2011, the world population reached seven billion and it's now around 7.7 billion. That figure is expected to reach 10 billion around 2050. As the global population continues to skyrocket, the planet simply cannot sustain its current levels of meat production. The use of land for growing food and forestry accounts for about a quarter of all global greenhouse gas emissions. That's roughly the same as from electricity and heating, and substantially more than from all the trains, planes and automobiles on the planet. The post Co...
Trekking the Highlander Lake District in England | Atlas & Boots
The Lake District is home to England's most dramatic landscape. In a country known more for its tame countryside and sedate farmland, Cumbria's exhilarating terrain of craggy peaks, deep gorges and immense lakes reveals a refreshingly wilder side of the nation. As such, nowhere else was ever really in the running to host the inaugural Highlander UK trek, one of the latest additions to the Highlander Adventure collection. The post Trekking the Highlander Lake District in England appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Ranked: safest countries in the world 2023
Iceland is once again the safest country in the world followed by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Austria. However, the world is a less peaceful place as the average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated for the ninth year in a row, with 84 countries recording an improvement and 79 a decline, according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI). The post Ranked: safest countries in the world 2023 appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Everest base camp trek tips: 28 things to know before you go
Our tips for trekking to Everest base camp, generated from the many questions our readers sent in. Before, during and since my Everest base camp trek in Nepal, we’ve received dozens of questions about the experience via email and social media. We’ve collated them all below in a detailed Q&A to create the following tips for trekking to Everest base camp. The post Everest base camp trek tips: 28 things to know before you go appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Star Wars film locations: how to find the Force in Tunisia
With over 1,000km of golden sandy beaches, non-stop sunshine and the glittering Mediterranean Sea, tourists have flocked to Tunisia for decades. Beyond the beach resorts, there are superbly preserved Roman ruins, ancient towns with bustling medinas and dusty courtyards and of course, the abandoned film sets and settings of four of the six iconic Star Wars movies. The post Star Wars film locations: how to find the Force in Tunisia appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Ella Rock: how to hike it yourself (unguided) | Atlas & Boots
A guide to hiking Ella Rock by yourself, including detailed directions, a downloadable route map, a video and a list of essential tips Ella in Sri Lanka is beautiful, they said. ‘The closest thing to an English country village’ and the perfect place to slow down, we’d read. The post Ella Rock: how to hike it yourself (unguided) appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
7 best things to do in Bergen, Norway | Atlas & Boots
Seven fjords, seven hills and an old-world fishing wharf help make Bergen in Norway the perfect destination for a weekend getaway. We take a look at the best things to do in Bergen. The city may be one of the rainiest in Europe but it is also a vibrant cultural center with superb access to the western fjords. Bergen is an excellent blend of nature, culture and exciting city living and – despite the damp – we loved it. We visited Bergen for a long weekend city break, here’s what we suggest. The post 7 best things to do in Bergen, Norway appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
The oldest cities in the world | Atlas & Boots
There's a certain aesthetic attached to the oldest cities in the world: bustling souks beneath a bright blue sky, flowing garments made of whispery white cotton, stone masonry painted yellow by the sun. In reality, however, the oldest cities in the world have faced deep unrest to get to where they are today. Tragically, some are still uninhabitable. The Syrian town of Aleppo, for example, is likely the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world but rages with civil war today. Damascus too is categorically off limits. The post The oldest cities in the world appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
