Five of the best beginner ski tours in Chamonix

Planning an adventure? Remember to pack BMC Travel Insurance. We’ve got your back: from bouldering in France to trekking in India, sport climbing in Kalymnos to new routes in the Himalaya. Here are five reasons why BMC Travel Insurance is built for the mountains.

Want to know everything you need to know about how to climb the Breithorn - one of the classic "4,000ers". Mountain Guide Andy Perkins offers his insider tips.

Now is the prime time to plan your winter adventures. To help you explore the British mountains over winter, we have chosen six stunning winter ridges to guarantee a grand day out.

Here are five of the best places to go for a weekend of nerve-testing scrambling.

Get the inside knowledge: IFMGA Mountain Guide Caroline George offers some beta on route-finding, gear, and tackling the cruxes of Chamonix's classic AD alpine route, Cosmiques Arete.

Get your hands and feet on rocky slopes and snow, taluses and airy gendarme-studded ridges. Why not challenge yourself to reach the summit, or traverse one of our top 10 alpine peaks this summer?

The Matterhorn is surely the world’s most iconic peak. Its commanding, isolated position at the head of the valley is unique in the Alps and its claim to being one of the world’s most beautiful mountains is justified. Mountain Guide Tim Blakemore offers his top tips on reaching its summit successfully.

We asked five experienced climbers for their top pick of Europe's alpine routes to get you inspired...

How to choose an ice axe for your next winter adventure

Everything you need to know about the various types of rope for climbing and mountaineering can be found in our handy, free guide.

In this guide, we share tips to help you navigate your way back to safety in the event of a whiteout.

Have you ticked this list? Five British IFMGA mountain guides pick their absolute favourite long rock routes in the Italian Dolomites, the Aravis range close to Chamonix, and from the ‘Grats’ near Andermatt to the Monts Rouges du Triolet; there’s something for everyone to go at from 5c to 7a. If in any doubt of your skills and experience, you know the score: hire a guide.

Test your knowledge and see if you can name these 10 famous British female mountaineers and climbers, from pantaloon-clad pioneers of the alps, to contemporary crushers.

What does it take to become a mountain guide? Newly qualified IFMGA British Mountain Guide Tania Noakes gives us an exclusive inside look at the advice she'd have given her younger self to do it sooner.

This route of great tradition and history has foiled many a keen adventurer, so what does it take to unlock the aura of mystery surrounding Tower Ridge? Fortunately we have film maker and mountaineer Steve Ashworth on hand to explain it all for us.

When should you use crampons? Our guide explains the 'when', 'where' and 'how' of deploying your spiky winter gear.

Here are a few of the most gruelling, exhausting, rewarding and brilliant challenge walks Britain has to offer.

What's the best 4,000m peak in the Alps for beginners? We asked five British Mountain Guides who are based in the Alps this question - Tim Blakemore, Jon Bracey, Matt Helliker, Andy Perkins and Tania Noakes. All of them picked a peak in Switzerland - testament to the concentration of excellent peaks of that altitude there.

Heading to the Alps this summer? Six Chamonix mountain guides explain their favourite routes, all packed with high adventure but with moderate technical difficulty.

Here are some facts, figures and background information on the world's highest mountain.

A range of Chamonix's expert skiers offer their top tips to improve your off-piste: pro skier Ross Hewitt, Avalanche Academy Director and Mountain Guide Stuart McDonald, and off-piste skiing instructors Alison Culshaw and Dee O'Neill.

Thought sport climbing was all about tiny holds on short routes? Think again. Here we've got five top European venues to recommend you:

Get the inside knowledge: Chamonix-based Mountain Guides Will Sim and Stuart MacDonald offer the wealth of their experience for those thinking of ticking the highest point in Western Europe.

Are you brave enough for our top five hardest black ski runs in Europe? Ski on - if you dare.

Here's what not to do when you first visit Chamonix:

What 30 things should you swot up on before dropping in? Steep skiers including Chamonix residents Ross Hewitt, Tom Grant and Dee O'Neill, plus their Scotland-based cousins Pete Mackenzie, Blair Aitken and Hamish Frost, offer their top tips.

Forget cramponning down a death defying ridge before leaping over gaping crevasses – the Vallee Blanche is not what you might imagine. That said, it’s no pushover either; Charlie Boscoe uncovers the myths.

Here are Steve's McClure's top 8 crags for kids:

Forget ghost stories and horror movies - a simple walk in the story-stuffed British wilds is the best way to get your skin crawling.

Do you carry a first aid kit in the mountains? We take a look at the essentials for any mountaineering first aid kit and how to use them.

Mountains have always meant more to humanity than just lumps of rock. We take a look at five summits with mysterious, magical or mythological significance.

No other mountain in the Alps elicits emotions like the Eiger. Foreboding and dominant above the Alpine village of Grindelwald, it has been the inspiration for Hollywood films, books and countless mountaineers. IFMGA Mountain Guide Tim Blakemore explains how to climb the Eiger.

Here's how to climb Gran Paradiso - the highest independent peak in Italy (the Matterhorn shares its borders with Switzerland). It offers outstanding views across the Alps from its summit and is graded F+ and 4,061m high.

Planning a winter sport-climbing escape? Leave the crowds and polish behind with these five best-kept mid-grade Spanish sport secrets. Dos cervezas por favor.

Live near London and want to climb outside? Unusual, specific skills are required to access, protect and enjoy the capital's nearest real rock climbing areas. The sandstone outcrops on the borders of Kent and East Sussex are softer than virtually any other climbable rock. Here are the top five skills you need to get started.

If you’re looking for an unforgettable, high altitude trekking holiday this year we’ve got some great ideas for you here in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and India from climbing mountaineering expedition operator Jagged Globe. 

Here are our top picks for Deep Water Soloing locations in Europe.

A bit of Scottish winter climbing history, plus a range of classic routes from Grade II to V, complete with big stunning photos and brief descriptions. You're welcome.

Where are you currently getting your mountain inspiration from? Are the walls in your house lined with photos and paintings of stunning peaks? Your social media feeds endlessly presenting you with trails and skylines to add to the list of high places to explore? We're here to add to that by giving you five more films to keep your inspiration levels up. Enjoy the watch.

Grab a brew, get comfy and enjoy our top five trad climbing films from the BMC TV channel to inspire your next tradventure...

Are the Alps falling down? IFMGA Mountain Guide Andy Perkins has a stark warning about the impact of climate change on the Alps: “I don’t have children but if I did I wouldn’t persuade them to be mountain guides. I’d be saying ‘Get your yacht sailing ticket...'" Katy Dartford interviews Andy to find out more.

Dreaming of summit glory? You're in luck: there are still many unclimbed mountains out there. All that stands between you and a victorious summit pose is some research...

Find out everything you need to know about making the leap from walking to scrambling, learn the essential skills and check out our top five UK scrambles.

Helicopter rescues in Nepal’s Himalayas are saving lives, but a surge in evacuations has led to insurance fraud, increased premiums, and ethical concerns. As Ed Douglas reports, this new rescue industry may impact your next trekking adventure.

Leo Houlding marked his 40th birthday by introducing the next generation of his family to the kind of adventures that he has become renowned for. The Houlding family spent four days climbing Piz Badile, with his children becoming two of the youngest climbers to stand on the summit.

Sarah Stirling tracks down mountaineer Paul Ramsden to find out his opinions on his latest award-winning route, sponsored climbers and the media spotlight.