The Outdoors Station - Audio

One form of traveling we haven't covered so far on The Outdoor Station is horseback. Mainly because we assumed that very few, if any, people still travel this way. However, how wrong we were! We are fortunate to meet a member of The Long Riders Guild. Lightweight horse riders out to see the world, and boy do they travel some miles!

This time we are off to the South Pacific to 'castaway island' for a marine project, where in 2004 Fergus Brown spend his time on a Gap Year project, before heading to Australia and New Zealand to see what it had to offer.

Brian Wilson is author of two of the most addictive and enjoyable Sea Kayaking books, Blazing Paddles and Dancing With Waves, which came as a result of his trip around the coast of Scotland and Ireland a few years back. Here he chats with Simon Willis from Sea Kayak Routes and tells the story of his paddling, his writing and his next book.

Merry Christmas everyone! Andy Howell joins me for the Christmas show where we have a yomp across the hills, sample some real ale, and chat about 2007 and where we might be heading off to for 2008. Rose and Kate also join us and we all sit around a roaring fire in an award winning pub. What a life!

After leaving 6th form in 2004, Naomi Cartwright spend her Gap Year project at a school for disabled children in Cambodia. Afterwards she saw more of the country before heading into Thailand and down to Australia trying to make her money last as long as possible. Full of useful tips and ideas for anyone wanting to do a similar route.

After 10 months, 4000 mountain miles, of which 450 were snowshoeing miles Judy Armstrong is pack from her epic Via Alpina trip. Traveling with just a 5kg pack she tells of her experiences and shares her love for that part of the world.

This week we chat with the on-line enthusiasts who are keeping a log of their activities and share their passion for their hobby for us all to enjoy. We catch with Judy Armstrong on her return from her 4000 mile Via Alpina trip and meet some popular outdoor bloggers to find out why they do, what they do! Plus of course we announce the competition winner for the Lightwave rucksack and launch another exciting prize!

Andy Howell joins Colin Ibbotson for a lightweight tarp weekend in Snowdonia during late summer 07. They share the Welsh weather, simple shelters, some local sustenance and interesting conversations all about long distance lightweight hiking.

Where to start looking for information regarding your gap year or sabbatical is getting harder as there's so much choice. We interview the 'google' search engine for service providers, and meet the Gap Year company described as the Rolls-Royce of the industry. But don't forget travel safety and awareness with the team who advised Ewan Mcgregor and Charlie Boorman. Plus, keep taking the tablets guys! Its more important that you might think!!

In this show we review interesting gear released this year with Chris Townsend, and Andy Howell has a rummage through his bookshelf for some of the more exciting books to keep you company during the darker days. Plus we of course announce the winners to last week competition and give you the chance to win a Lightwave rucksack before Christmas!

Jane Smith a primary school ITC supply teacher, who tells us about her experience of stepping out of the box, and her work and travelling experiences in very rural Gambia. This came about via a simple local connection in the UK and this relationship has continued, into this third year.

Into December we go with another Podzine where we meet Max Graves from Vango who takes us through some exciting new products for 2008 and we meet up again with Lillian Sullivan from Ardblair, to discuss underwear! Plus of course a bit of a chit chat, a small diary section and this weeks competition to win the new National Trails book by Paddy Dillon.

Once again we look at the exciting world of travel and explore how you could travel, learn and earn all at the same time! Commercial China is rapidly expanding, is it right for you? Looking for your first job in a difficult UK market, why? What about taking a leap of faith into the unknown and learning to fly? Ideas, ideas, ideas ......

A new series of podcasts within The Outdoors Station which specifically looks at all aspects of overseas travel for gappers, sabbaticals or just extended trips. In this first show we look at the simplest and most important aspect of all, your health! We meet Practice Nurse Sue Taylor, and touch on basic hygiene, injections and avoiding simple accidents which can bring any trip to a sudden end.

Food glorious food with Expedition Foods and what exciting new designs have we got to look forward to from AKU for 2008? Plus of course trade gossip, how to understand women on the hills and a new competition to win an Inov-8 goodie bag!