When we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
Scotland’s Stone Skimming Championship: Every year a competition like no other takes place on the tiny Scottish island of Easdale: the Stone Skimming World Championship.
Limited to 350 participants and 1,000 spectators, this year the event sold out in just 29 minutes. Organized by locals there is a £10 entry fee to take part. Everyone gathers in an amphitheater-shaped flooded quarry to watch competitors sling their stones across the water. This might seem like just a bit of fun, but competitors train year-round to get ready for the event.
Odd Artic Military Projects Spawned by the Cold War: Today, the vast majority of Arctic research focuses on the effects of climate change. That was not always the case. During the Cold War, scientists and engineers saw it as a place to test out their most daring ideas.
They tested hovercrafts, got rid of nuclear waste, and even investigated creating subways under the ice to transport missiles. Paul Bierman looks into some of the wildest Arctic military projects.
the Pipistrel Velis Electro. Photo: Pipistrel
Are battery-powered planes the future?
The World’s First Battery-Powered Planes: In June 2020 the European Union Aviation Safety Agency signed off on a two-seat, battery-powered plane made in Slovenia. Four years later the Pipistrel Velis Electro is still the only certified fully electric plane.
Experts weigh in on whether electric planes are the future. In theory, they could cut carbon emissions, but the Velis Electro is only designed for flight training. It has enough power for a 50-minute flight. Could engineers scale this up to short or mid-haul passenger flights? Or is the battery-powered plane just a stepping stone to other technologies?
Rock Climbers Help Yosemite Peregrine Falcons: Climbers have helped bring Yosemite’s peregrine falcons back from the brink of extinction. In 2009, there were eight breeding pairs. Now there are 15. Authorities close popular climbing routes during the birds’ breeding season and climbers have helped rescue fallen eggs. Since the launch of the project, researchers have seen 51 new nests and 383 chicks.
Wild camping tents on Middle Staple Tor in Dartmoor National Park. Photo: Shutterstock
Dartmoor camping case goes to the Supreme Court
Rallies Planned As Courts Set to Rule On Dartmoor Camping: On Oct. 6, campaigners are planning a rally on Dartmoor. They are planning another rally in London on Oct. 8, to coincide with a Supreme Court hearing over access rights in Dartmoor National Park.
The park is privately owned and people have long assumed that camping was permitted under the Dartmoor Commons Act legislation. But hedge fund manager Alexander Darwall and his wife bought part of the park in 2013 and challenged the right to camp on their land in 2022. Courts ruled with the couple, stripping campers of their right to wild camp in Jan. 2023. This was then overturned six months later. Now the Darwalls have taken their case to the Supreme Court.
The Funniest Things Travellers Have Asked Their Guides: For many guides, their main job is making sure people have a good time. This often means overlooking nonsensical questions. Jen Murphy used to work as a snorkel assistant. Her favorite question (“has the sea been sprayed for sharks?”) inspired her to reach out to other guides and see what hilarious questions customers had asked them.
Les Calanques, France. Photo: Simon Carter
Beautiful climbs
Five of the World’s Most Beautiful Climbing Locations: Australian climber and photographer Simon Carter believes there is a rock out there for everyone to climb, regardless of their aim. He lists his five most beautiful climbing locations and why you should give them a try.
A Baja Road Trip, a Car Accident, and an Unexpected Friendship: Joey Sackett and his friend Copper were driving on Highway 1 in Baja. After being distracted by his phone, Copper overcorrected and they were suddenly flipping through the air in the van that was Sackett’s home. Amazingly they escaped with a few scratches.
Sitting on the side of the road, Armando appeared. He offered to tow the van to the junkyard for them. They piled into his truck, chatted with him and his family, and had a beer.
