Podcast Edition 017 - Show Notes

listen to ‘Edition 017 - The Ramblers' Kate Ashbrook, Dave Mycroft & Gareth Jones' Peak District and Chris Townsend on long-distance trails’ on Audioboo

Edition 17 of the Walks Around Britain podcast features Kate Ashbrook - the president of the Ramblers' on their latest campaign; Dave Mycroft and Gareth Jones talk about walks in the Peak District and Chris Townsend ventures further afield on his long-distance walks.

Presented by Andrew White - @AndrewRWhite


Kate Ashbrook and The Rambler's "Go All Out" campaign

The president of The Ramblers' Kate Ashbrook talks to Andrew at the launch in Edale of the groups' latest campaign "Go All Out" - which is designed to start a conversation about what walkers would from The Ramblers' - whether they are members or not.

For can find out more on The Ramblers website here.


Dave Mycroft and Gareth Jones on Peak District walks

Long time friends of Walks Around Britain, Dave Mycroft - the editor of My Outdoors - and Gareth Jones - serious hillwalker - join Andrew to talk about the Peak District.  Which are their favourite bits and where is their favourite walk?

Perhaps one of them will mention Coombs Dale - where the pair walked for a Walks Around Britain video walk with Andrew...

Chris Townsend on long-distance trails

Chris Townsend is possibly the world's most prolific long-distance walker and the author of some 19 books about the outdoors, and he joins Andrew from his home in the Cairngorms.  If you'd like more information about Chris' writing and future long-distance walks, visit his website and follow him on Twitter.


That's another podcast finished - we do hope you are enjoying them,  Remember you can also find them on iTunes, on AudioBoo, on our YouTube channel and on our website.

Please let us know what you think about our podcasts - what do you like, and what would you like to hear? Leave us a comment below, or send us a tweet.

Podcast Edition 016 - Show Notes

listen to ‘Edition 016 - MyOutdoors' editor Dave Mycroft, repairing paths in the Yorkshire Dales, an introduction to Troutbeck and Monty Halls recent adventures’ on Audioboo

Edition 16 of the Walks Around Britain podcast features an interview with the Managing Editor of MyOutdoors, Dave Mycroft; we look at what's involved in repairing the footpaths we walk on in the Yorkshire Dales; we discover Troutbeck in the Lake District and talk to broadcaster Monty Halls about his recent adventures ahead of his Keswick Mountain Festival appearance.


MyOutdoors

Dave Mycroft, Managing Editor of MyOutdoors in the
centre, with Gareth Jones (left) and Andrew White whilst on
the video walk through Coombs Dale.

Since launching in 2010, MyOutdoors has become a major force in the outdoors world in the UK.  For the serious outdoors enthusiast MyOutdoors delivers the most up to date News from around the UK's vibrant outdoors world combined with totally independent Reviews and a growing Knowledge Bank.

MyOutdoors Managing Editor Dave Mycroft has a long and distinguished history in the industry having worked with some of the biggest names in the business including previously being Routes Editor at OutdoorsMagic, Consultant for the British Army Everest West Ridge Expedition, Content Manager at Webtogs and GPS specialist for computer and handheld magazines.

Andrew White caught up with Dave to find out more about the site and to discuss the current outdoor world in the UK.

Repairing Flood Damage in the Yorkshire Dales

We don't tend to think about the paths we walk on unless there's a problem with them, so this insight to the repairing of footpaths in the Swaledale area of the Yorkshire Dales from Area Ranger Michael Biggs is most interesting.



Troutbeck - an undiscovered part of the Lake District

John Hobson (left) tells us about the beautiful village of Troutbeck in the Lake District.  It's a place with character and charm - and most importantly for us walkers - isn't too busy with tourists.

From John's lodges, there's an amazing amount of walking available and it's right from the front door too - you don't really need the car again.

To find out more visit Windermere Lodges.

Here's our video walk from one of John's lodges to the summit of Wansfell Pike...

Monty Halls


As one of the speakers at this years' Keswick Mountain Festival, we caught up with Monty Halls between dashing out to film another television series and darting out on the boat showing more people the exquisite South West coast!

Monty is already an established presenter, marine biologist, travel writer, public speaker and diver, but his latest venture is Great Escapes, which conducts courses and trips out of his shop in Dartmouth.

For more information about Monty, visit his website here and to book tickets to his talk at the Keswick Mountain Festival on the Saturday 18th May at 21.00, visit the Keswick Mountain Festival website.


That's another podcast finished - we do hope you are enjoying them,  Remember you can also find them on iTunes, on AudioBoo, on our YouTube channel and on our website.

Please let us know what you think about our podcasts - what do you like, and what would you like to hear? Leave us a comment below, or send us a voice message on our blog.

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.