The Outdoors Station - Audio

Islomania is defined as a craze for, or a strong attraction to islands… and Paddy Dillon has the bug! Paddy is a prolific outdoor writer with over 30 books to his name. Here we find out just how many islands he has visited (and walked all over!), and what makes island visits so very special. You can get loads of great holiday ideas here!

Mark Richards’ transition from full-time farmer to full-time outdoor writer has been a gradual one. In 1973, with the direct encouragement of Alfred Wainwright, he wrote his first walking guide to the Cotswold Way. Since then he has indulged his pleasure in exploring rural Britain by creating a range of walking guides, including guides to the Peak District, Hadrian’s Wall and more recently the ambitious series of ‘Fellranger’ guides to the Lake District, supported by ‘Great Mountain Days in the Lake District’, a new guide to 50 days out in the high fells.

Photography and the outdoors could have been made for each other, yet we all sometimes find there is a disappointing miss-match between what we wanted to capture, and what we actually achieved! Jon Sparks has developed his youthful hobby into a professional career, and here he offers some valuable tips for outdoor enthusiasts, whatever their sport or destination.

Pembrokeshire contains Britain’s only coastal National Park, such is its beauty, with soaring rugged cliffs, tranquil inlets and broad sandy beaches. There is immense variety in both the scenery and natural life of the Pembrokeshire coast. Dennis and Jan Kelsall talk about their lifetime of exploration on foot, which can be equally satisfying for serious walkers and those more inclined to potter.

Welcome back to this weeks show, where we talk, tarps, tripods and fishing. This week we meet Jed Yarnold and discuss tarpoligy, Vic Soloman who tells us about the new Manfrotto carbon fiber tripods and Kevin Ashton about the practicalities of using a sea kayak as a fishing platform. Plus of course, our What's On Diary and the chance to win one of the remaining VIP 10 pairs of tickets we have to give away for The Outdoors Show.

We're back with the first in our series of weekly shows to let all lovers of the outdoors know what is going on around them. In this weeks show we chat to the editor of a new Ocean Paddler Magazine, PGL Holidays who are looking for new instructors and Kate Thomas regarding the forthcoming Outdoors Show. Plus of course, our What's On Diary and the chance to win one of 40 pairs of tickets we have to give away for The Outdoors Show.

Lord Smith of Finsbury is now well known as the President of the Ramblers’ Association, but in 1997 - as plain Chris Smith MP - he became Culture Secretary in Tony Blair’s incoming government. Working with colleagues he paved the way for the introduction of the Access legislation that is now well used by ramblers and hillwalkers throughout England and Wales. In this interview we talk to Lord Smith about the 100 year fight to introduce a right to roam, consider how these laws might be extended further and how we can best give young people better opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors.

Guidebooks can provide the reader with far more than just a route description. A good guide has essential background information for travel, accommodation, alternative routes, difficulty and above all, provides inspiration. Cicerone have been publishing guides for forty years, and the current team are as enthusiastic as ever as they describe what’s involved in making a great guidebook. Sponsored by Cicerone Press.

An Alpine walk from Lake Geneva to Nice, and the legendary GR20, reputedly Europe’s toughest trek. Paddy Dillon has walked both of these routes at least twice, and has written guidebooks to them both. Here he discusses both routes, and looks at how they can be combined to create a trek to excite you for the entire summer. Sponsored by Cicerone Press.

One of the keys to unlocking the hills and countryside is to have the ability to navigate confidently using a map and compass. Having this ability is a liberating experience, and we talk to navigation expert Pete Hawkins about what is involved in learning these skills. Sponsored by Cicerone Press.

Becky Alison talks us through a more gentle approach to her Gap Year travel. As someone more cautious about traveling so far from home, she chose to go through established companies and contacts, slowly building up her confidence before returning to Australia a second time and really going for it!

The West of Ireland is an attractive destination for sea kayakers, with its deeply indented coastline and challenging weather patterns. Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking has a passion for this area and talks to Simon Willis regarding his top three routes, around Skibbereen in West Cork.

We meet Basha O'Reilly once again and discuss the planning and preparation for her forthcoming 2008 trip, the world's first circumnavigation on horseback. Gear, safety, health, planning, fitness and good old fashioned luck, will all play a part.

In this show Simon Willis talks to well know sportsman Nigel Dennis turned Kayaker, and finds out when, where and what turned him onto this sport.

In this travel show we meet Beth who tells us of her 2006 Gap Year in Peru where she mixed it with traveling around neighboring countries for several months. Of course this included Machu Pichu, Lake Titicaca and a mountain bike ride down Death Road, sand boarding and the Nascar lines all formed part of this adventure!