Open Country

Night under the Stars


Listen Later

For young carers, it can be difficult to find time to get away from home and enjoy the great outdoors. In this programme Helen Mark meets a group of 12-13 year-olds who all have caring responsibilities for a family member at home, but who are spending a night camping out on Dartmoor. She joins them as they pitch their tents, do some river-dipping, and help with feeding farm livestock. As dusk falls, they set off on a night-time walk across the moor - battling their way through gorse bushes in the dark, to reach a rocky outcrop where they lie on their backs to gaze in silence at the stars.

Helen talks to some of the young carers about their experiences, and hears from the charity which organised the trip and the ranger from Dartmoor National Park who guides the young people through the activities. They tell her why it's important to offer opportunities like this and explain how much difference a taste of the outdoors can make to the life of a young carer. For some of them, this is their first experience of spending a night in a tent.

Producer: Emma Campbell

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Open CountryBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

83 ratings


More shows like Open Country

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,732 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,051 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,519 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,788 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,823 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,074 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,962 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,046 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

496 Listeners

Saturday Live by BBC Radio 4

Saturday Live

37 Listeners

Farming Today by BBC Radio 4

Farming Today

65 Listeners

Gardeners' Question Time by BBC Radio 4

Gardeners' Question Time

282 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

268 Listeners

Scotland Outdoors by BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland Outdoors

255 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

162 Listeners

The Plodcast by Our Media

The Plodcast

109 Listeners

Gardening with the RHS by Royal Horticultural Society

Gardening with the RHS

271 Listeners

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast by National Trust

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

102 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II

4,169 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,218 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

761 Listeners

As the Season Turns by Ffern

As the Season Turns

243 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

66 Listeners

A Life More Wild by Canopy & Stars

A Life More Wild

24 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

526 Listeners