Finding the right base for a Queenstown ski holiday can make all the difference. You have to work out whether you want to walk around town after skiing or hibernate and recharge tired legs with no regard to going out at night …If you’re lucky your accommodation might come with a view that totally reminds […]

It’s free and so good for you!

In this extract from The Gap Years, Tom French returns to Ecuador, a country he first discovered through mountaineering in his youth. Now in his 60s and several years into a personal journey of rediscovering adventure, he joins climbing partner Mark Pattison for an ascent of Cotopaxi, Ecuador’s iconic 19,300-foot volcano. What begins as a relaxed acclimatisation trip quickly becomes a race against deteriorating weather and time. From torrential storms and flooded mountain roads to a freezing ascent through the darkness, French captures both the exhilaration and suffering of high-altitude climbing, culminating in a spectacular sunrise summit and a hard-earned lesson in the meaning of Type 2 fun.

Here’s Why That Matters

Backyard ultra world-record holder Phil Gore is taking on 168 laps in 168 hours in WA, with 1,127km and seven sleepless days ahead.