The Outdoors Station - Audio

We finally make it to the Dalwhinnie Inn for a warm welcome, great food and excellent beer. After the girls enjoy all the wicked pleasures that only a piping hot shower can bring, I interview Calum Dobie the owner, and ask him about running a business in this area and how the Inn is moving away from the established Coach Party market to cater more for the outdoors person. Andy takes a rest to get over his flu. However the wild attractions of Aviemore temp Shirley and Colin who, full steam ahead, make a bee line for a plateful of Fish and Chips closely followed by eyeful of gear in the kit shops.

All of a sudden the sky clears on day five and after a cold night, we all enjoy a good days walking, fantastic views and in some cases sunburn! Such are the diverse expectations of walking in Scotland. We walk for a day with Dave Albon to Dalwhinnie and discuss the new Paramo jacket which appears to be coming the perfect Challenge outer layer this year. Shirley has a moment of madness but enjoys the day all the same. However Andy appears to have picked up a flu bug, so he and Kate camp early to rest and enjoy the solitude and wildlife.

Days three and four are mixed together in this podcast, as the damp weather works its way into our spirits and limits what we have to talk about! Thus we continue on in various stages of enthusiasm and between us do more road walking that we would like. However day four looms and the weather starts to pick up with some excitement, as Beth has a potentially nasty accident and I have my walking poles knocked out of my hands by a passing campervan when walking along the road verge. So we were glad to get back into the wilds on the WHW track and head for Kinlochleven. Shirley crosses Loch Ness and meets up with Andy and Kate at the luxury of Cannock Campsite. Interviews with Stuart Wright, Steve Hall, Liam Day and Phil Turner.

While those softies Andy and Shirley and Co spend a nice warm dry night at Gerry's Hostel, Rose, Beth and I enjoy natures torrent from the sky at Barcaldine. So we continue north rather than east to bypass the sodden forestry work, before we can finally head inland. Shirley gets very excited about crossing the swollen river on a twin wire bridge with Caburn before climbing to do her first Munro bashing of the trip. Andy, Kate and Doug however take the more conservative route. At the end of the day all of us finally collapse exhausted at our first wild camp of the trip. Interviews with Caburn Chamberlin and Doug Cockburn.

The 30th Anniversary 200 mile walk of the Rab TGO Challenge started in May 2009 in slightly soggy conditions. However spirits were high and all those arriving at their various starting points were raring to go. In this first episode Shirley, Andy and I talk to several people about their preparations and what draws them back time and time again. We also meet first timers from overseas and hear what they expect to experience in this very unique adventure. Plus we record our individual diaries as each day unfolds. Interviews include Nigel Ellis, Lynn Paquette, Peter Molenaar, Doug Cockburn, Laura Liddell, Colin Ibbotson and Shawn Grund.

In April 2009 John Cromarty set off from Lands End for John O'Groats over a high level route, using typical lightweight gear and knowledge. Here I chat to him about his trip, his gear and more importantly the reaction of many traditionalist walkers to what he was doing and if he was, in their eyes 'safe'. We also talk tarps, wood burners and Inov8s. Hopefully inspiration for you to try a Long Distance Path in this UK this year.

Once again Andy and I get out to the Destinations and Focus 09 Show to look for somewhere a bit different and of interest for our listeners. So this podcast includes information on Vietnam, returning to live the Hippy Lifestyle in a big huge orange truck and taking a long months holiday which includes volunteering your skills for a week somewhere on route. Plus a bit of gear chat about the new Sigma fixed lens landscape camera. Enjoy!

Back from the TGO Challenge and feeling all chilled out after a BBQ here's a quick podcast to keep you going this sunny June day. I meet the man who sells £50K Airstream caravans, the lady from Fuji who talks pixels and the owner of the Dalwhinnie Inn, who tells us about the changes to this venue and how the outdoor scene is changing in that area.

Some very diverse content this time for you. Interviews about Mongolia and Malaysia as exciting low cost destinations and also with the editor of Photography Monthly magazine regarding turning your hobby into an income in these troubled times. Plus links to a series of other outdoor podcasts which will add to your aural pleasure. I also look at the current state of our TGOC plans, which are somewhat late! Hope you enjoy it!

A rich and varied podcast for you this time, as I catch up with the Ramblers Association to hear how there's a new influx of members in these credit crunched times, Andy continues his love affair with everything French by finding out how inexpensive it is to travel on the canals of mainland Europe, plus I discover how, if you can't get to the Desert, you can bring the Desert home to you with Harem Nights! Recorded at the Caravan Show and the Destination Show at the NEC early 2009.

Shirley Worrall continues her interview in this the second part of her GR20 review podcast. Her trip was undertaken during the Summer of 2008, and she tells of great weather, fabulous views and a warm welcoming invitation from local fellow hikers.

Shirley Worrall has undertaken many long distance walks around the UK and the Pyrenees in recent years. In this initial podcast she discusses all the practical aspects involved in planning the trip in the summer of 2008, and describes how a trip like this unfolds.

In this show we hear about some of the affordable traveling options within the Czech Republic once you actually leave Prague, find out why Andy is so concerned about size, and slow down camping to a paddle with the Canoe Camping Club. Enjoy!

With one eye on the financial situation and the other on wanting to have a break away from all this depression, we look to the Isle of Wight and Brittany for cheap break suggestions. Once we are there of course, we can mix in the hobby of photography, so award winning landscape photographer Steve Walton, gives us some tips.

Last year we supported the Aquagear Water filter as being a brilliant new product of benefit to all outdoors users. The same filter has now been put inside The Travel Tap and we catch up with designer and importer Giles Butler for the full details. Jane Smith has just returned from the Gambia and the filter proved to be worth it's weight in gold!