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Highlander Adventure: my first post-lockdown trip
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. I haven’t spent 100 days in a single place since 2015 when Kia and I were sequestered for several months in a tiny French village with nothing more than a bakery and a corner shop nearby and no means of transport other than our bicycles. That, however, that was under very different circumstances. We had just returned from a year-long trip around the world and we needed to hunker down and focus on work. Also, we weren’t under lockdown. We...
White privilege in the outdoors: the AT hikers who broke the law
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). Maybe this compulsion comes from some innate sense of properness but, more likely, it’s a trait inherited from my immigrant parents. They arrived in the UK in the 1960s, a time of heightened racial tension. During my childhood, I came to notice a change in my father whenever he interacted ...
10 hikes through the cleanest air in the world
From Canada’s wild backcountry to the jungles of Brunei, we take a look at some fantastic hikes through the cleanest air in the world The view wasn’t so bad. Sure, it was over the communal bin area but there was a roof so you didn’t really notice it. We had to put up some net curtains because precisely six flats and nine balconies had a direct view into our flat but that was okay – privacy was always hard to come by in London. Even the noise wasn’t really a problem. Being on the road wasn’t always quiet. It was the air. Heavy pollution, barely noticeable before we left London, left my skin shockingly grimey at the end of the day. My every-other-morning run by the River Lea would wind through a host of unnatural smells and the city’s cars were always numerous as ever. Statis...
12 best hikes in the Peak District National Park
The best hikes in the Peak District National Park showcase some of England’s finest and most accessible hillwalking countryside When we made our move to the country, we very nearly ended up in the Peak District. It was a toss-up between there and the Yorkshire Dales, but in the end, the pull of the Dales was just a touch too strong. The Peak District, however, came a very close second. Wedged between the northern cities of Manchester and Sheffield, the Peak District National Park may well be England’s most accessible wilderness. Britain’s first national park is an idyllic landscape with a vast range of natural beauty. The occasionally bleak but eternally beautiful Pennine countryside boasts dramatic waterfalls, deep dales, rocky crags, quaint market towns and cosy villages seemingly untouc...
Greatest climbing quotes ever uttered
From climbing legends to authors with a penchant for snowy summits, we take a look at the greatest climbing quotes ever uttered Whether it’s the eight-thousanders of the Himalayas, the big wall climbs of California or the more modest highlands of Scotland, mountains have inspired men and women to put pen to paper and wax lyrical for centuries past. And who can blame them? Montane landscapes are home to some of the wildest, most breathtaking scenery on the planet. Mountains are where the legends of yore lived and died in search of glory. Who better to cite in our list of greatest climbing quotes ever uttered? The iconic Matterhorn The greatest climbing quotes ever uttered “There are two kinds of climbers, those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all ...
Lessons learnt from 100 days in lockdown
As we approach a full 100 days in lockdown, we reflect on the things we’ve learnt while largely stuck at home I was so blasé. Ten days before lockdown, I casually said on a podcast that I was still riding the tube, still seeing friends, still keeping calm and carrying on as is the British Way (from 22m here). Little did I know, the entire country would shut down a mere week and a half later. Peter and I cut short our stay in London and drove back up to Richmond where we’ve stayed for the last 100 days – something of a record for two people who make their living from travel. The initial novelty of an empty calendar wore off quickly and as we approach a full 100 days in lockdown, we look forward to a return to normality – or some incarnation of it. Aside from the obvious importan...
12 best hikes in Northumberland National Park
The best hikes in Northumberland National Park reveal an underappreciated but utterly delightful expanse of English countryside Amid the ancient rolling hills between the Scottish border and England’s industrial northeast, you will find Northumberland National Park. England’s most northerly national park is also the least visited in Britain and the least populated in England and Wales with just over 2,000 residents. Covering an area of 1,049km2, this rugged, isolated landscape is best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall that slices across England’s countryside from coast to coast. But there is more to Northumberland than ancient milecastles and crumbling forts. This timeless landscape is home to the rolling Cheviot Hills straddling the Anglo-Scottish border; the UK’s...
What is the greenest country in the world?
The greenest country in the world is Denmark according to the latest data analysis from the 2020 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) The Environmental Performance Index evaluates and ranks 180 countries on 32 performance indicators across 11 categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality. The aim is to gauge, at a national scale, how close countries are to meeting the environmental policy goals outlined in the United Nations 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. Now in its 22nd year, the EPI report has become the world’s premier framework for global environmental policy analysis. The report is compiled every two years using the following categories to create an EPI score out of 100 for every nation. Climate Change Air Qualit...
13 stunning natural phenomena
From the famous northern lights to the lesser known sea of stars, we share elusive natural phenomena from across the globe As Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken made history this week as the first astronauts to launch to orbit on a private spaceship, the world took pause to watch. Given the turmoil of our times, one observer quipped, ‘Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today. Good choice.’ The off-the-cuff comment was amusing, but also surprisingly poignant for it reminded us of the damage being wreaked by humans – not only on each other but the planet itself. Seeing the curvature of the Earth reminded us of the extraordinary natural phenomena that exist right here at home. Below, we share the best of them. 1. Aurora Borealis The Aurora Borealis, more commonly known as the northern...
12 best hikes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
The best hikes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park criss-cross one of England’s finest beauty spots In the 18 months since our move to the market town of Richmond in North Yorkshire, we’ve spent much of our free time exploring the national park that sits on our doorstep. Whether discovering the best views or climbing the highest mountains, we’ve fallen utterly in love with the landscape of the Dales. Covering 2,179km2 of countryside, the Yorkshire Dales National Park is home to one of England’s quintessential outdoor landscapes. The park’s glacial valleys are defined by a unique terrain of high heather moorland, rolling hills and dramatic waterfalls, intersected with miles of dry stone walls and delightful villages. With miles of well-established trails, the Dales are best ...
10 things park rangers wish you knew
From grizzly bears to bugbears, five park rangers share the vagaries of their unique job There’s no doubt that nature is flourishing under lockdown. There are heartening stories of the Himalayas emerging from Indian smog, moles in the UK being seen above ground and deer wandering the streets of Japan. Sadly, these phenomena will likely end not too long after lockdown, as humans return to business as usual. In an effort to remind readers – and ourselves – to re-engage with nature as responsibly as possible when we’re allowed to return, we asked five park rangers to share some things they wish we knew. The rangers are based in the US (and remain unnamed for the sake of discretion), but nearly all their points are applicable worldwide. We hate it when you disrespect the park...
International borders: 10 remarkable frontiers
From mountains to libraries, we take a look at some of the most extraordinary international borders to be found across the globe Over the last few years, we’ve seen an impressive collection of new websites, blogs and social media accounts dedicated to ‘travel porn’. They’re filled with big, sweeping images of fairytale lands and precarious precipices. Sometimes, like this incredible piece on architectural density in Hong Kong, they’ll depict urban decay or stifling poverty – always gilded by the photographer’s lens. At Atlas & Boots, we always wanted to strike the right balance between travel porn and more in-depth content; the type that provided some previously unknown knowledge or insight. We’re using the current downtime to update some old content and came across this post about unu...
