Send us Fan Mail

About This Episode

What happens when a lady who has spent 30 years caring for others finally turns that same care towards herself? That's the thread running through this deeply honest, beautifully rich conversation with Lara Roocroft, counsellor, trainee psychosynthesis psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and gong bath facilitator.

Walking the serene paths along High Dam Tarn in the Furness Fells, Lara and Sukanya explore the journey from survival mode to self-knowledge, the difference between fitting in and truly belonging, and why most of us, in therapy, in marriage, in life, seek help far too late. Lara also unpacks psychosynthesis (the psychology of hope), the power of self-compassion, epigenetics, sub-personalities, and the profound healing available when we are truly witnessed by another person.

Raw, warm, and highly relatable.

In This Episode

•        Growing up in Brazil to arriving in England at 32 with two young sons

•        What psychosynthesis is, and why it's called the psychology of hope

•        The connection between our inner dialogue and our physical and emotional health

•        Sub-personalities, the inner child, and self-compassion as a practice

•        Why community and belonging are biological necessities, not luxuries

•        Gong baths, chair yoga, and the healing power of being witnessed

•        Epigenetics, and why your DNA doesn't have the final word

 About the Walk – High Dam Tarn, Finsthwaite, Cumbria

High Dam Tarn is a tranquil reservoir-turned-nature-reserve tucked into the Furness Fells above the village of Finsthwaite, near Newby Bridge. The circular route winds through broadleaf woodland and up onto open moorland, with the tarn shimmering at its heart. On a clear day, you can see across the valley. In summer, you can swim. Lara calls it one of the first walks she discovered when she moved to the area three years ago, accessible, welcoming, and quietly extraordinary. 

 About Lara Roocroft

Lara Roocroft has over 30 years’ experience in healthcare, formerly as a nurse, now a counsellor, trainee psychosynthesis psychotherapist, a qualified yoga teacher of 10 years, and a gong bath facilitator. Originally from Brazil, she has lived in the UK for over 18 years and is now based in Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. She works with private clients from her consultancy room in Ulverston and offers yoga and gong bath sessions to elderly residents in local care homes.

About Sukany4 - The Podcast:

Sukany4 - The Podcast is a walking and talking podcast hosted by Sukanya, exploring business, wellness, creativity, and authentic living through conversations recorded while walking in the stunning landscapes of the Lake District and Cumbria. Each episode combines meaningful dialogue with the meditative rhythm of walking, creating a unique listening experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and connect.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon: https://www.youtube.com/@bandcalledPersimmon

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

What does it mean to truly take the first step? In this episode, we head out onto the hills above Ambleside bwith Ursula Brendling — fitness instructor, personal trainer, climate literacy trainer, and someone who has been moving through the world with extraordinary purpose for three decades.

 Ursula opens up about Long COVID and losing her energy and identity. About swimming across Windermere at sunrise and making a promise that changed everything. About pulling a car up Kirkstone Pass with 30 women, getting people with MS and stroke back on their feet, and why doing things for others gives her more satisfaction than any personal challenge ever could.

 We also get into mindset, social media, the comparison trap, and why finding what you love, and doing it for yourself, is the only real fitness plan that works.

 This is a conversation that will move you. In every sense.

 Walking Route

📍Kirkstone Pass

Starting Point: The post office in Ambleside

Route Highlights:  That 11 min bench(!), the tricep dip/push ups bench, the deceptively steep hill and the waterfall, leading you nicely to Force Café.

About Ursula

Ursula Brendling is a fitness instructor, personal trainer, teacher trainer and carbon literacy trainer based in the Lake District. Born in Nottingham, she has lived in the Virgin Islands, toured Australia, and spent time at Kakadu National Park before settling in Cumbria 25 years ago, where she and her then-husband ran the UK's biggest YHA hostel.

With 30 years of teaching experience, Ursula specialises in inclusive fitness, working with clients managing MS, stroke, and Parkinson's. She also organises charity car pulls up Kirkstone Pass for St Mary's Hospice, and works as a freelance trainer for Future Proof Cumbria, delivering carbon literacy workshops to communities, businesses, and young people across the county.

 Google 'Ursula Brendling' and you'll find exactly one person. That's Ursula.

About Sukany4 - The Podcast:

Sukany4 - The Podcast is a walking and talking podcast hosted by Sukanya, exploring business, wellness, creativity, and authentic living through conversations recorded while walking in the stunning landscapes of the Lake District and Cumbria. Each episode combines meaningful dialogue with the meditative rhythm of walking, creating a unique listening experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and connect.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon: https://www.youtube.com/@bandcalledPersimmon

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Sometimes the universe speaks to us through the smallest messengers. For Judith Cook, that messenger was a snowdrop.

In this profoundly moving episode, recorded at the beautiful Hammond's Pond, Judith shares her journey from believing she had no right to exist to discovering her life's purpose in the most unexpected way. This is a masterclass in finding hope when everything feels hopeless.

You'll hear about:

• The moment the that pushed Judith toward a life-changing encounter with snowdrops
• How kindness became her medicine and her mission
• Why she then went onto sing in dementia care homes, bringing light to others' darkness
• Her book "The Gift of Human Kindness" and the philosophy born from her darkest days
• An impromptu, spine-tingling performance of "Climb Every Mountain" that captures her entire journey

Warning: This episode contains frank discussion of mental health struggles and suicidal ideation, but it's told with such grace and hope that it becomes a beacon for anyone struggling. Keep tissues handy, it's possible you'll need them.

Walking Route

📍 Hammond's Pond, Carlisle, Cumbria, England

Starting Point: Any of the entrances to the park will work

Route Highlights:  Hidden local gem. Along the route around the park you will find friendly ducks, peaceful waters, gentle walking paths.

About Judith

Judith Cook is the "Lass from Lancashire" who transformed her health journey into a mission of kindness.

A former Bluecoat entertainer who sang across the UK, she helps others with their mental health by spreading kindness, and lives by the philosophy she discovered in her darkest days: no one should be left alone to cope.

Author of "The Gift of Human Kindness," Judith believes in climbing every mountain and never giving up on your dreams.

About Sukany4 - The Podcast:

Sukany4 - The Podcast is a walking and talking podcast hosted by Sukanya, exploring business, wellness, creativity, and authentic living through conversations recorded while walking in the stunning landscapes of the Lake District and Cumbria. Each episode combines meaningful dialogue with the meditative rhythm of walking, creating a unique listening experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and connect.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon: https://www.youtube.com/@bandcalledPersimmon

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description

What if the answer to your busy, anxious mind isn't another productivity hack or meditation app, but simply... quiet?

In this episode, I'm walking the enchanting trails of Little Langdale in the Lake District with Lauren, an ultra-runner who's discovered something most of us have forgotten: the profound healing power of noticing small things in nature.

You might expect someone who completes ultramarathons to talk about pushing harder, going further, achieving more. Instead, Lauren shares why getting genuinely excited about finding wood sorrel on her walk to work has been more transformative than any summit she's conquered.

We dive deep into:

• Why silence and quiet surroundings create space for less busy, anxious thinking
• The simple practice of "noticing more" that frees you from being locked in your own narrative
• Candid chats about phone boundaries, dopamine hits, and bedroom rules that actually work
• Lauren's incredible Frog Graham Round Challenge achievement making her the current Women's record holder! And the old beliefs about identity and self-worth that surfaced during it
• How she learned that her value as a human isn't tied to her performance as an athlete
• Why you absolutely don't need to go on "crazy long walks" to feel the mental health benefits of nature
• Practical strategies for being more present outdoors instead of trapped in anxious thought loops

Walking Route

📍 Little Langdale, Lake District, Cumbria, England

Starting Point: Near Slater's Bridge (also known as Slater Bridge), Little Langdale

Route Highlights: This walk takes you through one of the Lake District's most picturesque valleys, known for its narrow country lanes, and stunning fell views. W

About Lauren

Lauren is an ultra-athlete, specialises in coaching and guiding (Walk, Run, Swim), and is passionate advocate for the mental health benefits of spending time in nature. Based in Little Langdale in the heart of the Lake District for the past three years, she's found healing and perspective in the quiet spaces between the fells.

Lauren brings a unique lens to her outdoor pursuits, one that values the small details (like finding wood sorrel or spotting fungi on stone walls) as much as the big achievements. This scientific background informs her deep respect for the Lake District's ecosystems and her awareness of biosecurity issues affecting the region's waters.

Athletic Achievements: Lauren is the CURRENT WOMEN’S RECORD HOLDER the Frog Graham Round, completed in 2025!

About Sukany4 - The Podcast:

Sukany4 - The Podcast is a walking and talking podcast hosted by Sukanya, exploring business, wellness, creativity, and authentic living through conversations recorded while walking in the stunning landscapes of the Lake District and Cumbria. Each episode combines meaningful dialogue with the meditative rhythm of walking, creating a unique listening experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and connect.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon: https://www.youtube.com/@bandcalledPersimmon

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Episode description

This episode is sponsored by Queen Accountancy. Supporting business owners to make confident, informed decisions with their numbers. Head over to my website for the link: https://www.sukany4.com/s3e9-mel-walmesley-on-walking-intuition-food-and-family/

In this episode of Sukany4 – The Podcast, Sukanya walks and talks with Mel Walmsley, founder of Lakes Sandwiches and Brandreth Foods.

Set against the expansive views of Scout Scar above Kendal, this conversation explores what it takes to build a values led business over the long term. Mel shares the story of starting a business from her parents’ bungalow kitchen, growing through recessions and COVID, and learning when to push forward and when to pause.

This is nourishing conversation about food as care, navigating through uncertainty, and trusting your instincts. 

Walking route

📍 Scout Scar, Kendal, Cumbria

Scout Scar is a gentle yet expansive limestone escarpment overlooking Kendal and the Lyth Valley. It is a well worn, accessible walk with wide open, stunning views.

For Mel, this route is a deep personal meaning. It is a walk she has known since childhood, shared with her grandparents and parents, and now enjoyed with her own family. The perfect choice for our walk and talk. 

About Mel

Mel Walmsley is Kendal born and bred and the founder of Lakes Sandwiches, a Lake District based producer of premium sandwiches and Food2Go products made with locally sourced ingredients.

She is also co founder of Brandreth Foods, a sister business offering homemade style frozen meals designed to nourish, comfort and support wellbeing. Inspired by personal experience, Brandreth Foods focuses on food as care, connection and dignity.

With over seventeen years in business, Mel’s journey spans steady growth, diversification, industry recognition and leading through personal and economic challenges. 

About Sukany4 - The Podcast:

Sukany4 is a walking and talking podcast hosted by Sukanya, exploring business, wellness, creativity, and authentic living through conversations recorded while walking in the stunning landscapes of the Lake District and Cumbria. Each episode combines meaningful dialogue with the meditative rhythm of walking, creating a unique listening experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and connect.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon.

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description

What's the difference between material success and true happiness? And what happens when you realize you're put on earth to do more than just earn money?

In this episode of Sukany4 - The Podcast, host Sukanya walks around the stunning Tarn Hows in the Lake District with Amal Loring (formerly Debbie)—counselor, spiritual coach, business coach, and psychic medium.

Amal's journey is extraordinary: she was the second most successful salesperson in the world for a major IT company in the 1990s, first in the UK. But when someone offered her a gold Rolex watch with loose diamonds to seal a deal, she said no. That moment of integrity changed everything.

Walking Route Information:

Location: Tarn Hows, Lake District National Park, Cumbria Distance: Circular route, approximately 2.5km Difficulty: Easy - wide, accessible paths suitable for wheelchairs and buggies Features: Stunning views, accessible National Trust site, benches throughout Parking: National Trust car park (free with membership) Significance: A place Amal would visualise during challenging times in 50-degree UAE heat

About Amal Loring:

Amal Loring is a counsellor, spiritual coach, business coach, and psychic medium based in the Lake District. After a successful corporate career as one of the world's top IT salespeople, she retrained in NLP, hypnosis, and timeline therapy, establishing her practice in the UAE in 1999.

She lived in the United Arab Emirates for over two decades, working with clients from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. After returning to the UK in 2021, she now helps people find happiness through counselling, build successful businesses through coaching, and connect with loved ones in spirit through mediumship.

Her approach is direct, no-nonsense, and deeply practical, focused on helping people live in the present rather than dwelling in past regrets or future anxieties.

About Sukany4 - The Podcast:

Sukany4 is a walking and talking podcast hosted by Sukanya, exploring business, wellness, creativity, and authentic living through conversations recorded while walking in the stunning landscapes of the Lake District and Cumbria. Each episode combines meaningful dialogue with the meditative rhythm of walking, creating a unique listening experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and connect.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon.

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description 

Join us for a transformative walk through Cogra Moss with Rowan Carr, founder and creator of Black Body Heart Mind. We explore somatic anti-racism, the difference between releasing and transforming trauma, and building embodied resilience through classical tantric yoga practices. Recorded while walking in the stunning Lake District, this conversation covers racial justice, meditation, and the power of discipline in healing.

Walk Location: Cogra Moss, Cumbria, Lake District Distance: Approximately 3km circular walk 

About Rowan Carr:

Rowan Carr is founder and creator of Black Body Heart Mind, a somatic anti-racism practice based in Cumbria, a yoga practitioner and meditation teacher. He holds a degree in Interdisciplinary African Studies and a master's degree in Race and Ethnic Studies (both with distinction).

After a decade of frontline racial justice work in Birmingham, Rowan moved to the Lake District in 2013, where he deepened his meditation practice and studied classical tantric yoga, Kemetic (Egyptian) yoga, and somatic healing. He served two terms on Joseph Rowntree's Racial Justice Committee and has worked with young people, taught at Bournville College, and developed comprehensive courses in meditation and spiritual development.

Rowan designs transformative courses that give participants the tools to practice independently, teaching them to fish, rather than feeding them.

What Makes This Episode Special:

This episode includes a real-time example of the exact harm we were discussing. Halfway through our walk, a white man approached us and immediately asked where we're "really from," despite us both saying we lived locally. The timing was almost divine intervention, perfectly illustrating why Rowan's work is so necessary.

You'll also hear Rowan's singing bowl meditation, recorded live at Cogra Moss, a beautiful invitation to pause and come into your body.

About Sukany4 - The Podcast:

Sukany4 is a walking and talking podcast hosted by Sukanya, exploring business, wellness, creativity, and authentic living through conversations recorded while walking in the stunning landscapes of the Lake District and Cumbria. Each episode combines meaningful dialogue with the meditative rhythm of walking, creating a unique listening experience that invites you to slow down, reflect, and connect.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon.

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Join me for a stunning walk around Wet Sleddale Reservoir with Alison Marsden, Alexander Technique teacher, reflexologist, food coach, and author of The Jigsaw Method. Alison introduced me to this breath-taking walk, and along the way, she shares her remarkable journey from chronic back pain and lifelong digestive issues to helping others move with ease and reconnect with their body's wisdom. 

We explore the "boiled frog syndrome" of unconscious tension, why dietary confusion keeps us from trusting ourselves, and what Alison learned as a National Park Ranger that applies perfectly to life. Plus, we encounter an impressively large dragonfly, get slightly lost (proving that "those who've never got lost have never been anywhere"), and yes, there's a horsefly attack. 

This episode  of Sukany4 - The Podcast, the walking talking podcast, is for anyone struggling with chronic pain, digestive issues, or simply wanting to move through life with more awareness and less strain. 

 About Alison Marsden 

Alison is an Alexander Technique teacher (trained with the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique in Kendal, Cumbria), reflexologist, yoga teacher, and food coach. With nearly 40 years of practice, she helps people regain the joy of movement without painkillers or surgery. She's also a former National Park Ranger, and the author of "The Jigsaw Method: Building Balance into Your Diet with the Power of the Moon." 

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon.

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Walking and Talking: Discover One of the Best Podcasts for Walking

This episode takes you on a peaceful wander through Kirkby Lonsdale with Michelle Nurdin, founder of Travel by Michelle. It is ideal if you enjoy a walking the dog podcast, a walk in talk podcast or simply want the best podcast to listen to while walking. Michelle shares how she stepped away from a demanding corporate sales career and returned to her first love, travel, building a thriving concierge style consultancy grounded in care, expertise and genuine connection.

From Corporate Pressure to Travel Expertise
After years in high intensity roles, Michelle chose a new direction and returned to the travel world. She now supports clients from the very first conversation to the moment they return home, covering bookings, insurance, car parking, excursions and long term relationships. Her story offers lessons that belong in any great business podcast and shows how traditional services can thrive even in an online world.

Business Built on Community Strength
Kirkby Lonsdale is at the heart of this community podcast episode. Michelle’s business has grown through meaningful local backing, from supportive groups to a town filled with independent shops. When a major fire struck in December 2024, the community rallied immediately with fundraising, coordinated recovery and the Build Back Kirkby Lonsdale project. It is a powerful example of community building in action and a reminder of how businesses and local people lift one another.

Solo Travel and Finding a Niche
Michelle has created a clear niche supporting solo travellers, many of whom face barriers such as higher hotel costs or uncertainty about travelling alone. She works with operators who welcome single travellers, hosts events to help people find travel companions and runs the Lonsdale Cruise Club tailored for solo explorers. It is a brilliant insight for listeners who enjoy business management podcasts and want to understand how niche services grow.

Our Walk Around Kirkby Lonsdale
This episode follows an easy two mile route beginning at St Mary’s Church and taking in Ruskin’s View, the Radical Steps, the River Lune, Devil’s Bridge and the market square. If you are searching for the best podcasts for walks, the best walking podcasts or the best podcasts for walking UK, this gentle journey is perfect company.

Balancing Business with Real Life
Michelle reflects on moving to Kirkby Lonsdale and embracing a calmer pace. She talks honestly about work and life balance, time saving habits and the importance of working smarter when self employed. These insights sit comfortably among the best business podcasts UK listeners enjoy for practical and grounded advice.

The Travel Industry Today
The conversation also explores how the travel industry has shifted. From cancellations to sudden restrictions, recent years have shown why travel consultants are in demand again. Michelle explains how she supports clients through disruptions, manages insurance questions and helps with fast changing itineraries. She also touches on trends including cruising, travel to China, solo exploration and meaningful experiences.

Join Us on the Path
If you want one of the best podcasts to walk to, blending landscape, business insight and real community stories, lace up and enjoy this walk through beautiful Kirkby Lonsdale with Michelle.

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon.

Links:

Check out www.sukany4,.com to find out more about the walks, talks and music.

Links:

For more on this chat and to c

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Join us for a beautiful autumn walk along the Cumbria Way from Caldbeck village through Parsons Woods with Sam Massey, co-founder of Woman Up UK and youth worker with over 20 years of transformative experience across Cumbria. What started as leaving school at 15 has led to a career creating inclusive spaces where young people can have the conversations they desperately need, even when schools are too afraid to tackle them.

In this episode, Sam shares her unconventional journey from school struggles to Virgin Atlantic flight attendant to discovering her calling in youth and community work. She opens up about the mentor who changed everything by sitting on a street with someone at rock bottom, sharing chips and unconditional support. We explore why youth workers occupy this unique non-authoritative space in young people's lives, how period workshops open doors to conversations about shame and power, and why Sam believes "you can't hate up close."

Sam also discusses her current work supporting families seeking asylum in isolated rural communities, tackling far-right rhetoric creeping into schools, and launching girls-only (and non-binary inclusive) youth groups across Carlisle through Woman Up UK.

Recorded on a day that started rainy but turned beautiful, you'll hear us navigating muddy riverside paths, nearly dropping phones, and maybe, just maybe, me slipping once or twice!

Perfect for:

• Teachers, youth workers, and anyone working with young people
• Parents navigating difficult conversations with their children
• Anyone interested in social justice and community development
• People who've ever felt like the education system failed them
• Those wanting to understand how to create truly inclusive spaces

Walk Location: Caldbeck to Parsons Woods, Cumbria Way, Cumbria

About the Music:

S3 Music partner is A Band Called Persimmon.

Links:

For more on this chat and to connect, visit: www.sukany4.com

How to Support the Podcast:

💜 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

⭐ Leave a review - it helps others find these conversations 

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it 

 🔔 Turn on notifications for new episode alerts

Support the show

...Keep exploring with Sukany4.Podcast!