When the surf is flat but the sun is still shining, us Welsh outdoor fanatics get out our bikes and hit the road, or the mountains – depending on how energetic we’re feeling! Wales is a cyclist’s dream and offers world class routes for all levels of riders, both on and off road. From hidden forest dirt jumps to challenging hill climbs with breathtaking scenery, Wales literally has it all.

Adventurers in western France and northern Spain naturally look to the Pyrenees for a multitude of summer and winter explorations. Given that I would be in north-eastern Spain in mid-March, … Read more

This weekend I was lucky enough to attend the 2012 Isaac Ludwig Top Yough Race. The event is based on a class 4 section of the Yough river in Maryland. I had only paddled that section twice before so I wasn’t expecting to get a good time, but I was looking forward to getting out on the water with a big group of local paddlers. Needless to say it didn’t disappoint.

In tracing this theme, automotive-manufacturer Subaru rolled out their ‘Work Play Love’ Tour during the past two months. The company visited some of the US’s most desirable places to work, setting up stalls and games at 50 companies across the country. Subaru and active lifestyle partners such as KEEN, Icebreaker, Yakima, Prana, Trek, Outdoor Research and Osprey made more than 50 fresh air therapy stops with their fleet of 2012 Imprezas, unloading their outdoor games, DIY trail mix station, product demonstrations and giveaways.

Being based in Vancouver for the season has forced me to spend copious days on the mountain, usually up at Whistler which serves as the local playground for this adventure … Read more

The Talus Ridge is Columbia’s attempt to fill the gap between lightweight trail running shoes and the heavier, more sturdy walking boot. Capable of perfoming across a range of disciplines and weathers the shoe has been referred to by its manufacturers as the ‘opitamy of trail multi sport’, an apt description for any outdoors shoe.

Next month Ines Papert and Arc’teryx will be touring the UK to present the Harbin Roadshow, starting at Kendal Mountain Festival on 17th November. The show consists of a photo exhibition … Read more

At a an altitude of 1,344m, Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. Located in the Grampian Mountains in the west of Scotland, it represents one of the many highlights of Scottish highland hiking. Being within two hours of Glasgow, and less than three hours from Edinburgh, it is also a very accessible peak which could even be summited as a day trip from one of Scotland’s cosmopolitan cities.

The British National MTB Cross Country Series kicked off on Sunday at the standard season opening course – Sherwood Pines in the East Midlands. The flat course consisted of large chunks of tight singletrack interspersesed with short fire road sections. A different course to that used in previous years seemed to divide opinions amongst riders. With no big features along the course, there is little to get stuck into or to get too excited about. Whatever you say about the lack of gradient and the tame technical features, it’s a difficult course to ride fast and it promotes very tight racing.

I was really keen to test out Gore’s new Active Shell fabric, so when Gore offered the chance to test out one of their jackets, it proved the perfect opportunity. Having caught a rumour from a riding buddy that Gore where going to release a new super breathable, fully waterproof material I knew that it would be ideal for damp UK winter conditions. The new three-layer laminate has an inner layer, which offers excellent comfort next to skin.

The weather was less then promising on the first day, with clouds taking over most of the sky. Nonetheless, I was eager to experience life on this little Caribbean island where the motto “go slow” reigns supreme. The recipe seemed to be large doses of Reggae, enough Belikan beer, and zero expectations that anything would happen time. As they said, just take a “chill pill”.

Sheffield Adventure Film Festival 2012

This review concerns Chariot ‘child transportation system’ trailers and as I’ve now owned all three models in their ‘Sport’ range (in ascending order of expense!) over the space of six years I’m not going to limit myself to one model – this entire range is worth a mention. Chariot (part of the Thule group) design and assemble all their products in Calgary, Canada and make extensive use of recycled materials in their products. They also have a sister brand of cheaper children’s trailers entirely made in the Far-East called Croozer. Chariot runs two ranges of trailers: the first is the ‘Touring’ range designed with an emphasis upon urban cycling, the second is the ‘Sport’ range designed for flexibility so you don’t have to buy many different carriers for separate outdoor sports.

Situated between Grabouw and Stellenbosch in the Hottentots Holland mountains, the source of the Palmiet-river marks the starting point of a gem of a valley. The naturally-formed waterslides down waterfalls fall into amazing rock pools, leaving jumps ranging between 3 and 20 metres to help you release your adrenaline-valve in this beautiful canyon. You’ll be busy for anything between 5 and 8 hours, depending on the “escape-route” you choose to take out of Suicide Gorge. There is no variation of trails here, and once in, it’s rather difficult to get out.

Earlier this month, an unusual event took place in the Koh-e-Baba Mountain Range in the central Bamiyan Province of Afghanistan. For just the second time, the Afghan Ski Challenge (ASC) found its form, … Read more

Set in the high Pyrenean mountains of South West France, the Grand Raid des Pyrénées is one of the most beautiful trail runs in Europe. Since 2008, the event has … Read more

Llangennith is a mecca for watersports enthusiasts who flock to the beach throughout the year. Although this surf spot could be spoilt by the sheer numbers of surfers it attracts, the huge size of the beach means that you can still get an awesome session in even when the water is packed. Llangennith is the most consistent break on the Gower Peninsula and offers something for surfers of all levels. Llangennith gets big in the winter, and I mean BIG. It’s known for its long and difficult paddle out and even when the conditions are crystal clean, it still takes some serious physical fitness to get out back. For those that do, though, the reward is great. Long rides all the way to the beach on powerful lefts and rights, Llangennith is one of the best surf spots in the UK.

I was recently introduced to one of the most dangerous / awesome snow sports around.  The notion of skiing down a mountain with a parachute on is nothing new.  James … Read more

Every year while racing the Sea Otter Classic bike race at Laguna Seca Speedway in Monterey, California, I spend time between races happily perusing the numerous vendor booths.  As one … Read more

In the eyes of a number of adventure’s premium goggle brands, bigger is always better. To them, wider lenses, fatter frames and substantial straps are more than just effective branding. This season, Dragon Alliance have reassessed this paradigm, releasing in their APX goggle and a new perspective that has reigned supreme across the northern hemisphere since December.