Podcast Edition 015 - Show Notes

listen to ‘Edition 015 - A walk to Mam Tor, Andy Leader's Holmfirth Photography, Exmoor & Tom Heap on nettles’ on Audioboo

Edition 15 of the Walks Around Britain podcast features a walk to the top of Mam Tor with author Peter Naldrett, the inspiration behind the photography of Holmfirth based Andy Leader, what the least known National Park of Exmoor has to offer us walkers and "Costing The Earth"'s Tom Heap on the rise of nettles and brambles in our countryside.
Presented by Andrew White


Mam Tor walk

Author Peter Naldrett (left) takes us on a walk up The Shivering Mountain - Mam Tor in the Dark Park part of the Peak District.

Mam Tor is 517 metres - that's 1,696 feet - high hill near Castleton.  It's name means "mother hill", and it is thought that is because of the frequent landslips on its eastern face, which have resulted in a multitude of 'mini-hills' beneath it.

These landslips, which are caused by unstable lower layers of shale, also give the hill its alternative name of Shivering Mountain.

Find out more about Peter and his books at his website here.

Here's our video walk presented by Leah Hather to the summit of a rather snowy Mam Tor...

Made In Holmfirth

Andy Leader (right) was interviewed by Andrew whilst he was setting up his section of the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival's Photography Exhibition.
The exhibition, which is being held in the Workstation - next door to the Showroom Ciniema in Sheffield - is the largest in the Festivals' eight years and this year was helped by MyOutdoors, the online outdoor news and reviews magazine.

Andy told of his passion for the "sour" scenes of the Pennines around Holmfirth, Marsden and the Dark Peak.  Sour they may be, but Andy's photography draws out elements of the landscape previously unseen.

You can find out more about Andy's photography, and his Peaty Feet Walks, at his website Made In Holmfirth.


Exmoor

With the Walks Around Britain team's forthcoming visit to Exmoor, Andrew chatted to Rosi Davis of our hosts Exmoor House, and Rosi Davis told us of the walking delights on offer.


Exmoor House offers the homeliness of a bed and breakfast with the comfort of a small country hotel. The guest accommodation is in three twin/double bedrooms (can be either twins or doubles), a double bedroom and a family room.  All five rooms are en suite, either with bath or shower.  The house, in Exmoor's highest village, is full of character and has an unusual history - it was built in Edwardian times for a local tailor.

For more information about walks in the area of Exmoor House, visit their website here.

And we'll have the resulting video walk promoting the North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival here on the Show Notes as soon as it is made, along with photos too.



When Nettles Attack!

Tom Heap (right), from BBC Radio 4's Costing The Earth came on the podcast to talk about an edition of the series he presented which focused on the apparent increase of invasive species such as nettles and brambles in our countryside.

It seems that far from unsubstantiated anacdotal views, there is a great deal of evidence and research behind the rise of these countryside bullies of plants.

Tom explains the basic facts on our podcast, but for the complete picture listen to the full edition "When Nettles Attack" from Costing The Earth on the BBC Radio 4 website.


This edition commemorates the first birthday of the Walks Around Britain podcast.  Now on edition 15, if you've got any comments or suggestions about what we do - or what we could do - please leave a comment below.