The Outdoors Station - Audio

This is part 1 of a 2 part interview with Aleks Kashefi, who has just finished his 6000km run from the north of Europe to the South as one continuous adventure. There’s plenty to hear in these extended interviews as it was a self supported venture with the aim to run between 35 and 50 km a day. But he did start in the Autumn heading into Winter so Mother Nature might change things. Oh and he was also running in sandals!

Stormin' Norman is the affectionate nick name of the guy behind Stormin Stove Systems. Originally in construction, his interest now is shared equally between lightweight long distance hiking and manufacturing the very popular and extremely good value for money, range of alcohol stoves and two tier cone windshield system. Check this out for a bit of background and try one yourself.

An epic moment has passed for us as we have now reached over 9 Million downloads. More details in the podcast. This is the third and final part of the series recorded at the Adventure Travel Show and we spend our time with Kev Reynolds discussing 3 recent book projects in more detail. Kev describes himself as the man with the world's best job, earning a modest crust by writing and lecturing about some of the most scenically spectacular places on earth; spending many weeks each year with camera, notebook and tape recorder wandering among mountains straight out of dreams.

Part 2 of the 3 part series form The Adventure Travel Show in Olympia January 2017, once again gives me opportunity to chat with people and groups I feel will be of interest to our audience. There’s a big wide world out there and you don’t always have to have deep pocket to see it. In fact many would agree the least you have, the more you’ll experience. Plus our January winner is announced.

This is the first set of interviews recorded at the Adventure Travel Show at Olympia in January and features content for those who like to travel simply. Caminoways explain the numerous pilgrim routes they support dotted around Europe, Homecamper have opened up rural France to the self powered traveler to camp at private French homes and Phoebe Smith explains the joys of wild camping and sleeping in a bothy. A great all round outdoor podcast so enjoy :)

This Podcast is one from the archives which I thought people might enjoy if they are considering undertaking a challenge this year. In 2008 Shirley Worral undertook the GR20 and recorded an two interviews about her experience the following year. In this Podcast I’ve edited both original Podcasts together to create and much longer one which tells the whole story and Shirley is very eloquent in her thoughts and experience. As it was 2009 when it was recorded, all information provided in the Podcast will need updating and there is certainly now much more information available on-line than when Shirley undertook the trip. Much more detail and all links can be found on the website.

Tread Lite Gear is a UK cottage manufacturing brand name which most people who are interested in the lightweight outdoor scene, may have increasingly become aware of in recent years. The man behind the idea, the business and more importantly, the sewing machine is Paul Stokes. In the podcast you’ll hear how he took the brave step to teach himself the dark skills of the sewing machine and step away from his white collar career as a surveyor to design, create and sew lots of very cool items, using very cool fabrics for very cool people in the outdoors world. This interview will take you through his journey and what it takes to become one of the very few cottage manufacturers in the UK, who like any small business has to struggle against the tides of exchange rates, flaky suppliers, import duties and all the administration activities which actually keep any entrepreneur away from doing their chosen work in the first place.

Tom Way is a professional award winning fine art wildlife photographer based in the UK. He has been awarded in various competitions with his most recent success being awarded in the European Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2016 competition with his image ‘Beauty, Power, Majesty’. It is hard to believe that he only picked up a camera in earnest less than 6 years ago. Up until then he had never associated it with wildlife or somehow creating images that would sell and eventually give him a living.

This is part two of my conversation with Alex Roddie as we explore his writing and backpacking interests more. In this episode we touch on walking in the Alps, his conscious decision to carry lighter loads to travel easier and some of his equipment choices and why. We also discuss how he takes his night time images which have appeared in recent publications. It is an honest chat about how his writing has evolved, his approach to photography and building these skills. His evolution from mountaineer to a backpacker in a few short years!

Alex Roddie may be a name you are familiar with if you are an avid reader of TGO or Trail magazine. In the last few years his articles have started to appear in many places and prove to be an enjoyable and easy read, describing the familiar and not so familiar places in a romantic and honest style. His writing history is an interesting one, initially starting with well researched but historic fictional mountain adventure stories with characters so strong we are sure we know them! It is an honest chat about how his writing has evolved, his approach to photography and building these skills and how he has slowly transformed from a mountaineer to a backpacker in a few short years!

It is my pleasure to introduce you to two story based outdoor and travel podcasts produced in the UK, which use added audio editing and sound features to bring interesting and inspiring stories of travel to immersion yourself into this holiday season. Delve in, fill up your player and sit back with your sherry tipple and escape from all the madness!

This is the second part of my interview with Chris where we get to hear more about his camp routines which keep him busy, what it feels like to walk across a desert, his thoughts on remote safety, a close encounter of the Bear kind and gear review. This is a proper back to basics trip in many ways, where he was off the established paths and in exceedingly remote places. We also discuss how easy it is to plan, research and undertake a 450 mile walk in the US, when tucked away in a small house in the middle of remote Scotland.

Chris Townsend is one of the best known and probably best loved and most respected, long distance hikers who has experienced not only ‘the trail’ all over the world, but also the development of associated equipment of the last 30 years. This podcast is mainly based around his most recent 32 day 450 mile walk from Yosemite Valley to Death Valley in September and October 2016. It is a very interesting observation in the diverse terrain and experience of the high sierras compared with the vast great heat and flat landscape of the death valley desert.

This is part two of a two part release. At the beginning of 2016 Laura Bingham set off from the Pacific coast in South America to cycle some 7000km across to the Atlantic without spending a penny. In part one we heard about the trip in general and her reasons for tackling it. In part two we get into the nitty gritty, the emotions and the practicalities of dealing with a potentially serious accident in a very remote location. Of course we also talk a bit about gear and more importantly would she ever do it again?

This is part one of a two part release. At the beginning of 2016 Laura Bingham set off from the Pacific coast in South America to cycle some 7000km across to the Atlantic, which in itself is a major challenge. However she chose to make it even harder for herself by not spending a single cent on route, relying totally on the generosity and natural goodness of mankind to see her along the way. It was all in aid of a charity Operation South America which homes, helps and educates young girls to give them a brighter future than life has handed them.