Today, down jackets built for K2 are worn on the school run and premium waterproofs pop up in pubs. In their photo book, Max Leonard and Henry Iddon track down hard-as-nails but unheralded mountaineers and the fabric innovators who put them safely – and sometimes even stylishly – on summits to ask how we got here

Moments enjoyed, lessons learned, handy advice, weird stuff that happened: welcome to the little bits and pieces that don’t make big stories, but do make all the difference.

Free-range history

Peak problem? Trail trouble? Ask Juls...

Alicante is famous for its beaches; less so for its hiking. But in the Sierra de la Serrella, a short hop from the city, Isis Taylor discovers a network of trails that combine natural beauty with an insight into ancient cultures

Brian Morton