Freezing in the name of beauty

Mat Smith dons breathing mask, mittens, shorts and clogs to brave freezing his body in temperatures of -120°C. Slovakia's extreme cryotherapy craze proves men and spas can mix.

Are you fit to ski?

If you're heading for the hills this winter and don't want to spoil your holiday with a pointless injury, it pays to get in shape about now, says Lawrence Booth.

Rock chicks

It sounds like something out of a James Bond movie, but shimmying up a frozen waterfall is just one of many adventure activities offered by new women-only climbing company Mountaingirl.

It’s hot to be cold

Cold spells can boost your immunity and help muscle pain and depression. But is plunging into an ice bath or a freezing chamber going too far? A sceptical Ellie Levenson examines the evidence.

Should Everest be closed?

Tourism is turning the world's highest peak into its biggest rubbish dump, claim conservationists, who are pressing for controls on climbing. But will this cost sherpas their livelihood? Dan McDougall in Kathmandu reports on the campaign.

Destination: danger zone

How many of us think of the health risks when booking holidays in far-off places? Olivia Gordon offers a guide to what to avoid where.

Magic cycle

It took millions of years for Nature to design the perfect adventure playground in Utah.