The UK's most popular outdoor travel blog
From creepy peaks to death and depression, we venture into eerie real-life places with horror movie names
Picture this: you’re driving along a sun-scorched plain in the Australian Outback. You’re thirsty, sweaty, irritable and in desperate need of a wash. As you and your friend quibble about whether you should have stopped at that tiny shack of a motel 30 kilometres ago, you spot a sign up ahead. According to the map, you’re hours away from the next stop. Might this be a reprieve?
From newly added holidays to the culling of a historic date, we share the days in 2026 when US national parks are free
If you look up the top 10 most followed accounts on Instagram, it probably wouldn’t surprise you that eight of them are American (the other two being Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi). After all, America has been at the forefront of popular culture for as long as most of us can remember.
The most beautiful mountains in the world have captivated climbers for centuries. Here, we examine their lethal appeal
“You are not in the mountains. The mountains are in you,” said John Muir, the renowned naturalist, author and environmental philosopher.
If our resident seven-summit hopeful is anything to go by, Muir makes a valid point. Those who spend time in the mountains seem to be driven by a deeper force.
When daredevil adventurers meet a tragic demise, should we mourn the way they died or celebrate the way they lived?
In May 2024, I heard news that two hypothermic, frostbitten climbers were stranded near the summit of Denali, North America’s highest mountain. I scanned the reports for detail, but rangers would not release further information other than to say that the climbers were not from the United States.
In America, national parks are more than scenic − they’re sacred. But they were created at a cost to Native Americans
Abraham Lincoln has an almost saintly place in US history: the ‘Great Emancipator’ whose leadership during the Civil War preserved the Union and abolished slavery.
Often overlooked among his achievements is legislation he signed in 1864, during the thick of the war, but only marginally related to the conflict. The Yosemite Valley Grant Act preserved the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove in California as a park “held for public use, resort, and recreation … for all time.”
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.
We rank Bill Bryson’s best books to help new readers discover America’s funniest travel writer
There’s a part in Notes from a Small Island where Bill Bryson describes a painful train journey to Milton Keynes in the UK. He is sat facing a woman and her 10-year-old son, who keeps picking his nose, kicking Bryson’s shins and staring at him with his “piggy eyes”.
From dust storm to drought, we share the climate photographs that could not be ignored
There are certain photographs that have changed the course of history. Usually, they are political: Tank Man in Tiananmen Square, Iraqi soldier on the Highway of Death, Napalm Girl in Vietnam. These photos are chilling but powerful.
From Alaska to Florida and further beyond, we share the US national parks you can visit for free
Some countries are better than others when it comes to access to the outdoors. Iceland, New Zealand and Finland have some of the cleanest air in the world while Chile, Norway and Nepal offer excellent hiking. Britain, meanwhile, is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
We take a look at the US national parks that require a reservation in 2025 along with when and how to secure your visit
Yellowstone National Park is a slice of quintessential America. A place where wild animals – bison, bears, elk and wolves – roam among wilder beauty and where hot springs and geysers evoke a primeval era. In some ways, Yellowstone is a slice of lost America; a stark contrast to the skyscrapers and spaghetti junctions that populate US cities.
We profile some usual suspects plus one or two surprises in the top 12 most visited countries in the world
Have you dreamed of a romantic kiss atop the Eiffel Tower? Perhaps you’ve thrown a wish into the Trevi Fountain or stopped and stared at the Sistine Chapel. If so, you’re certainly not alone.
We take a look at the latest controversy surrounding Denali’s name and why it has inspired so much debate over the years
The high point of my year was (literally) my summit of Denali, the highest peak in North America. It was my fourth mountain of the seven summits – arguably my fifth if you count Kosciuszko – leaving me Vinson in Antarctica and Everest in Asia. I said at the time that whether or not I climb any more of the seven is almost irrelevant. I will always have Denali, my ‘tall one’.
We share our top 10 posts of the year, from the chilly peak of Denali to the frantic streets of the famed Pink City
This year, we celebrated 10 years of Atlas & Boots. When we first started the blog in 2014, it was mainly a way to stay employable so that when we returned to London after our big trip, it wouldn’t be impossible to find new jobs.
From kayaking alongside colossal glaciers to a bizarre Cold War-era town, these are the best day trips from Anchorage
The word ‘epic’ does not do Alaska justice. The state is home to North America’s largest mammals, national parks the size of countries and glaciers bigger than some US states. It is the least densely populated state in the US and is home to 17 of North America’s highest mountains, 100 volcanoes, 3,000 rivers and over three million lakes.
From dubious first ascents to tense clashes at high altitudes, we explore 13 dramatic climbing controversies – some resolved and others less so
There was a time when climbing controversies were sportingly confined to the slopes. The petty trivialities, the robust exchanges and the heated clashes were just part of the cut and thrust of the mountaineering world.
From a faked summit photo to an ascent in less than half a day, these are the most interesting facts about Denali
I was planning and preparing for my climb of Denali for over 18 months. Between training sessions, I spent hours poring over maps of the route and reading reports on previous expeditions, all in an attempt to absorb as much information about the mountain as I could.
Our Q&A-style tips on how to climb Denali, gathered from the many questions asked by our readers and followers
Whenever I get back from a big climb, I invariably receive an array of questions about the expedition via email and social media. As usual, I’ve collated them all below in a detailed Q&A that includes all my tips on how to climb Denali. If I’ve missed anything, please do get in touch.
My complete Denali gear list includes everything you’ll need to summit the highest mountain in North America
Denali in Alaska, USA, stands at a lofty 6,190m (20,310ft), making it North America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits (the seven peaks that make up the highest point on every continent).
I recently returned from climbing Denali with American Alpine Institute (AAI). Any good guiding company will issue you a detailed kit list, but I always like to see exactly what others have used. As such, I thought it would be helpful to share my complete Denali gear list for future climbers to reference.
My sleeping system for Denali worked a treat and ensured I always enjoyed a good night’s sleep on North America’s highest peak
The coldest I have ever been in my life was while climbing Denali – hardly surprising considering it’s one of the coldest and windiest places in the USA. During the expedition, there were several times when I felt the cold intensely, so much so that I even suffered some mild frostbite on my fingers after we were delayed on the fixed ropes for several hours. That said, I was never cold when safely cocooned in my sleeping bag.
Although it was the natural next step in my bid for the seven summits, climbing Denali proved to be an altogether different beast
At around 6.30pm local time on Tuesday 28 May 2024, six grown men stood on the summit of Denali, the highest peak in North America, crying their eyes out. Among us was a triathlon athlete, a veteran of the Marathon des Sables and an Everest summiteer returning to Denali for his second attempt. One of our group, a Californian who regularly climbed in the Sierras, was on his knees sobbing over his ice axe. I tried to record a video message for Instagram but couldn’t speak through my tears of relief.
