More Outdoor Magazines: From Walking and Cycling to Global Adventure Publications
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes Last updated on 6th December 2024Along with featuring collections of walking and cycling magazines, here is a selection of those featuring a variety of other outdoor activities. That is a list includes running, skiing, canoeing and sailing, so it is a varied one. Some of these may not hold much attraction for me, but they do introduce me to new areas, while indoor cycle training sessions are being made to feel shorter. The word “adventure” turns up a lot and seems to be a heavily overused term these days. For me, it seems an unnecessary embellishment because I do not go outside for an adrenaline rush, quite the opposite in fact.
2015 was a turning point for me because I began exploring places beyond my more usual sway within Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man. So far, expanded horizons have taken me to Iceland, Switzerland, Austria, Norway and Spain while Sweden has been revisited. In fact, a Scandinavian project might be following the Scottish one that filled so much of the first decade of the century.
Thus, I have increased my tally of the countries where I have been, and there may be others. As unlikely as I think the possibilities, Canada and New Zealand also appeal to me, so who knows where I might end up going? For now, Wanderlust entertains me with its writing and accompanying photos. Since these are more general travel titles, it is good to have their outdoor enthusiast counterparts too, so here are a few.
The size of Alaska guarantees that outdoor adventures will feature in this title. That, in fact, is the main theme of the current issue at the time of writing. With the scale of the landscape, its latitude and the creatures that live there, this is one dramatic part of the world that I have yet to visit. Meanwhile, this title will give me a sense of what is to be found there and what might constitute a starting point for getting to know the place more while on an actual visit. After all, that would involve some hiking, so finding more accessible trails for a first encounter sounds sensible given how isolated some localities are.
It is the international opportunities that attract my interest here, but U.K. locations get featured too. For example, Blencathra got featured in a recent issue along with a Lake District cross-country cycling challenge. European destinations get an airing with the Alps, Crete, Cyprus and Turkey getting trip report articles. Looking further afield, Ontario in Canada and a visit to Central American volcanoes have earned a mention, though I cannot say that I am setting my sights on those just yet.
Creating a page devoted to cycling magazines is tricky on a website like this since so many have large sections devoted to clothing, equipment and fitness with very little emphasis on the area through which a cycle tour would take you. They often bundled together their route feature series, The Big Rides, into bookazines that took you away from the other concerns of road cyclists. The routes themselves were challenging with major hill climbing and descent involved, but it was good to see what is available around the world.
It is the pondering of Canadian hiking possibilities before a visit to British Columbia that caused me to come across this title, and it has been going for nearly as long as Britain’s The Great Outdoors. Even though it is more of a multi-activity title, the list of trails that it has included to mark its thirty-fifth birthday looks alluring even if their lengths often stagger me and any accompanying photos do the featured destinations no harm either.
Fall Line Skiing is a popular British magazine dedicated to skiing enthusiasts since 1991. Known for its engaging and irreverent writing style, it covers a wide range of topics including gear reviews, technique tips, destination guides, and community engagement. The magazine’s expert team provides in-depth coverage on the latest equipment, while offering advice from professional skiers to help readers strengthen their skills. Fall Line Skiing is recognized as one of the UK’s leading ski magazines due to its comprehensive content and high-quality visuals, appealing to both seasoned skiers and newcomers alike.
This is another Canadian outdoor magazine, albeit one with a more athletic focus. Still, it does feature hiking and backpacking alongside other pursuits like running, skiing, canoeing and more. Because various activities often take us into similar locations, it is worth seeing what they offer too.
InTheSnow is a free winter sports news magazine edited by renowned ski journalist Patrick Thorne, offering comprehensive content including news updates, gear reviews, resort guides, and family skiing tips to an online readership of approximately 18,000 per issue and over 100,000 skiers through its newsletters. With a strong focus on accessibility, InTheSnow caters to various audiences with informative yet approachable articles that feature both major developments in skiing and unique skiing experiences. The publication reaches an extensive readership through its free content and online presence.
This multi-activity offering is a stable-mate of Backpacker following a reverse takeover in 2020. There is some overlap between the two, of course, but other activities like climbing, mountain biking and trail running also seen inclusion, as well as gear reviews.
The title could apply to anywhere, but this is an Irish magazine that you find on the shelves of Eason’s and the strap line of “Ireland’s Adventure Magazine” should put you in no doubt of its origins. As you would expect, activities in Ireland feature heavily, but other destinations feature too. Still, it is interesting to see in-vogue concepts like wild camping, bush craft, trail running and wild camping enjoyed around a country that you rarely see featured elsewhere when such topics are discussed. It has been embraced as part of the branding for the Wild Atlantic Way and that does not neglect hiking, cycling or surfing either.
Snow Magazine is a publication catering to affluent ski enthusiasts with content on luxury travel, gear reviews, and lifestyle features including exclusive resorts and high-end accommodations. It inspires readers through engaging storytelling by experienced skiers and journalists, focusing on joy and experiences. Published seasonally for relevancy in the ski world.
In a previous stage of my life, many of the locations featured in this bimonthly magazine would not have drawn my attention. With my curiosity about possibilities beyond British and Irish shores having increased, any walking trips that are described could be enlightening, but other activities are included too with skiing coming to mind and that is not all. One of the issues places such as Kilimanjaro, Bolivia, Canada, Switzerland and New Zealand. Some of these may be a little too far away for me, but Switzerland felt the closest of the lot and may have sold that copy of the magazine to me. Others have followed it into my possession and a subscription even got taken out too.
