After Bryn Heveldt became frustrated with bouncing between multiple browser tabs for maps and weather information when planning an outdoor mission, the freelance web developer decided to use his career to his advantage to create Mapit.nz.

The map combines open-source LINZ map data with weather data from Open-Meteo to provide the foundation of the site. “The weather API is specific to the exact geolocation. It’s surprisingly accurate and detailed,” Heveldt said. Other features include a meal planning tab, a place to store notes and equipment lists.

After creating Mapit, initially for himself and friends, Heveldt made it public. Logging in isn’t necessary; rather, the browser stores information for the user. Heveldt uses Mapit to plan his tramps and keep a reference of possible future mission ideas. 

“It’s also a great way to quickly assess the best place to go if the weather forecast isn’t great. Just switch between missions to get a weather overview.”

His favourite feature is the satellite magnifying glass. “It allows you to assess the terrain or find a clearing for camping without turning on entire layers and losing your place on the topo map,” he said. Read more from Wilderness.

The easy Nordic habits that could make your winter more active 

Scandinavians do not necessarily love dark mornings, icy footpaths or endless layers. But they do structure winter differently, building habits around light, movement, connection and comfort rather than waiting for spring to feel better. And one of these habits is getting outdoors.

That may offer useful lessons for New Zealand, where winter is generally milder but can still affect mood, energy and routine.

Research from the University of Essex on ‘green exercise’ found even short periods of time spent outside were associated with improvements in mood and self-esteem, with some of the strongest changes occurring early in the activity.

This aligns neatly with the Norwegian concept of ‘friluftsliv’, loosely translated as open-air living or outdoor life, which has since become widely associated with Nordic outdoor culture more broadly.

For New Zealand households, the lesson may simply be consistency. A 20-minute walk before dinner, a playground stop after school or a coffee in the garden can make winter feel less enclosed. Read more from Stuff.

The North Face opens second Christchurch store

Outdoorwear retailer The North Face has opened its second store in Christchurch, eight years after entering the city.

Located at the corner of High and Hereford Streets in the city centre, the store is part of the brand’s “continued commitment” to outdoor exploration across the South Island. Inside, it features an expanded product range compared to the original Christchurch store.

“Our Christchurch store has been an important part of The North Face journey in New Zealand for almost a decade,” said Paul Karis, GM of The North Face ANZ.

“With some of the country’s best climbing, hiking and trail running right on its doorstep, Christchurch is a natural home for the brand.” Read more from Inside Retail.

Taranaki Maunga summit ranks among toughest days hikes in world

The Taranaki Maunga summit route has been ranked the world’s eighth hardest bucket-list hike in a new international study comparing more than 130 famous walking tracks.

The hikes selected were considered “amateur-level” and do not require specialist training or equipment. To rank the hikes, Pure Gym built a difficulty index analysing each route against nine metrics: distance, elevation gain, maximum altitude, gradient, the presence of scrambling, average annual temperature, average wind speed, average humidity and average monthly precipitation.

Each metric was weighted equally and combined into a single total score out of 100, allowing us to compare a sea-level coastal walk in the Lake District against a 6,000-metre summit in Ladakh on a level playing field.

The result is a clearer picture of why some hikes feel disproportionately hard, and which hikes are genuinely accessible to inexperienced hikers, even when the postcard view is world-class. See the full list.

Feral cat sighted near albatross nest on the Otago Peninsula 

The cat spotted on RoyalCam, a 24-hour live stream of an albatross nest in Pukekura/Taiaroa Head, is most likely a feral cat according to Biodiversity, Heritage and Visitors principle ranger Jim Watts.

Thirteen cats have been trapped at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head since the start of the year. “At this time of year, the toroa chicks are all above 6.5kg and the risk is low for these birds,” he said.

“However, there are many other native species, including tarāpunga/red billed gull, tītī, kororā/blue penguin, matapo/Otago Shag and native skinks, that call Pukekura home which are at a greater risk to cat predation.”

Cats, stoats, ferrets and rats were being targeted in an extensive predator trapping network on the nature reserve and neighbouring land. “It is possible this cat has recently moved into the area, or it is possible that it is trap shy and is not interacting with the traps in place,” Watts said. Read more from RNZ.