Summit to Talk About

Damon found himself without a job, going through a difficult relationship break up and homeless all in a short space of time. He had hit rock bottom and could see no way out. He had to re-frame his thinking and get out of the dark place he's found himself in. 

When you're living out of your car and showering at the gym there's only one thing for it - make it a car camping adventure! That's what Damon did and spent his free time hiking and clearing his head until he managed to get back on track. 

Damon has a very positive outlook on life and the everyday struggles we all face. Listen out for some of his great motivational advice as he shares his story.

In this episode Damon refers to the following books - 

• First Rate Madness - Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness by Nassir Ghaemi 
• 7 Habits of High Effective People by Stephen Covey
• The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

You can follow Damon in Instagram - @damon.a.cole

If you would like to support the podcast, please follow the link where you can choose from 3 supporters tiers and get your hands on cool Summit to Talk About stickers, badges or 'Summit Else' stickers and bonus content as well as access to the supporters only Facebook group. Every penny from supporters goes towards producing the podcast and enables me to continue to bring great content.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community and all my social media links HERE

Summit to Talk About is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your hiking adventures with thousands of trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO! Click HERE

Click HERE for all Summit to Talk About pages and the HERE for the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review and share the podcast with your friends and family. If you have Summit to Talk About or know someone who does and would be a great guest, please get in touch - [email protected] 

Matt Le Voi moved to Cumbria and set up his business Lakeland Mountain Guides, guiding people in the mountains to help them get outdoors. His passion for helping others didn't stop there and he also became a personal training, focusing on mountain fitness!

Matt's own fitness has been stretched, especially this year having set himself some tough challenges in the great outdoors. Challenges of endurance and mental strength. Listen as Matt tells me what he's been up to and why.

If you're thinking of getting into hiking  but you're worried about your own fitness or abilities, Matt can help - listen out for this top tips to kick starting your own mountain fitness!

If you would like to support the podcast, please follow the link where you can choose from 3 supporters tiers and get your hands on cool Summit to Talk About stickers, badges or 'Summit Else' stickers and bonus content as well as access to the supporters only Facebook group. Every penny from supporters goes towards producing the podcast and enables me to continue to bring great content.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community and all my social media links HERE

Summit to Talk About is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your hiking adventures with thousands of trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO! Click HERE

Click HERE for all Summit to Talk About pages and the HERE for the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review and share the podcast with your friends and family. If you have Summit to Talk About or know someone who does and would be a great guest, please get in touch [email protected] 

If you're thinking of getting out on your first wild camp or even if you've been wild camping for a while, you've probably asked these questions!

I am joined again by Dan Jones from @wildcamping.lifeuk with his expansive knowledge of wild camping and we tackle some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to wild camping.

• It's my first time. Where should I go wild camping?
• Is wild camping illegal?
• What is the best tent for £100?
• What is the best budget winter sleep setup?
• What food can I eat on a wild camp?
• What type of stove should I use?
• How do I go to the toilet?

Let's dive in together and unravel those niggling questions so you can get out and enjoy a wild camping adventure!

If you would like to support the podcast, please follow the link where you can choose from 3 supporters tiers and get your hands on cool Summit to Talk About stickers, badges or 'Summit Else' stickers and bonus content as well as access to the supporters only Facebook group. Every penny from supporters goes towards producing the podcast and enables me to continue to bring great content.

This week Ben Tench (@bentench_7780 on instagram) became a supporter. In October, Ben is taking on 7 marathons in 7 days but they're no ordinary marathons - he'll be carrying an 80lb bergen whilst sumitting Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon, Cadair Idris, The Yorkshire 3 peaks, Pen y Fan and the Shropshire hills all for injured veterans and their families through a few different charities. If you can spare some money for this great cause please CLICK HERE to support Ben on this epic challenge!

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community and all my social media links HERE

Summit to Talk About is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with over 12000 trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO! Click HERE

Click HERE for all Summit to Talk About pages and the HERE for the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review and share the podcast with your friends and family. If you have Summit to Talk About or know someone who does and would be a great guest, please get in touch [email protected] 

Alex grew up in Cumbria. He left school and moved to Birmingham to attend university before moving to London to become a teacher. In the metropolis of the capital, he fell in love with the outdoors and began to wonder of far away adventurous places and soon found himself frequenting the Alps! This had planted a seed for Alex and he returned on many occasions to be amongst the alpine landscapes.

Alex joined the London Mountaineering club and is now the newly appointed president. We chat about the club and the sort of things you can expect from being a member. Alex is now a writer after leaving teaching behind and specialises in the outdoors. He has also recently become a father and we chat about this and the impact it has (or doesn't have) on getting out on adventures.

If you would like to support the podcast, please follow the link where you can choose from 3 supporters tiers and get your hands on cool Summit to Talk About stickers, badges or 'Summit Else' stickers and bonus content as well as access to the supporters only Facebook group. Every penny from supporters goes towards producing the podcast and enables me to continue to bring great content.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community and all my social media links HERE

Summit to Talk About is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with over 12000 trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO! Get on it now as they're currently running their Autumn sale and you could save up to 20%!!! Click HERE

Click HERE for all Summit to Talk About pages and the HERE for the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review and share the podcast with your friends and family. If you have Summit to Talk About or know someone who does and would be a great guest, please get in touch [email protected] 

In 1979 Chris Priest and Duncan Say were just youngsters with an ambitious idea to hike the Pennine Way. A practice hike over two days soon made them realise this wasn't a walk in the park and shouldn't be attempted with their 40lb packs! They had made all the necessary plans including coloring in their printed out maps and they set off through the peat bogs on their 268 mile adventure.

Fast forward to 2019, forty years later. Still good friends and hiking buddies, Chris hatched a plan to do it all again. Although reluctant, Duncan is a loyal friend and the Pennine Way was once more. They spent 16 days reliving their youth and making new memories along the way. Memories they have recorded in their book 'Forty years Sixteen days'.

We chat about the PW and all that has changed over the years including the terrain, the paths and their own perceptions.

You can order your very own copy of 'Forty years Sixteen days' HERE

If you would like to support the podcast, please follow the link where you can join the Facebook community and 'Buy me a coffee' - a small donation goes a long way to help with the overheads of running the podcast.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community and all my social media links!

Summit to Talk About is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with over 12000 trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO!

Click HERE for all Summit to Talk About pages and the HERE for the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review :) 

Louisa has a great energy about her and that kind of trait will serve her well when she becomes a Mountain Leader. Louisa reevaluated her life in the city and relocated to Cumbria to be where she felt at her best, near the mountains and lakes of The Lake District. This has enabled her to live a more outdoorsy lifestyle and pursue her goal of becoming a Mountain Leader. Living in Cumbria has also got her baking!

In this episode we chat about the ML training, getting lost and the importance of good navigation skills, running the West Highland Way and how descending a mountain on your bum is quicker and easier but not the done thing!

You can check out Louisa on instagram @louisa.rodriguez and book your tickets to 'Poetry by the water' at https://vereybooks.co.uk/whats-on/

If you would like to support the podcast, please follow the link at the bottom where you can join the Facebook community and 'Buy me a coffee' - a small donation goes a long way to help with the overheads of running the podcast.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community and all my social media links!

Summit to Talk About is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with over 12000 trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO!

Click HERE for all STTA pages and the HERE for the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review :) 

Series 3 of Summit to Talk About kicks off with Alex Brown, lover of the outdoors in all its forms and the chairman of the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) in the Midlands.

We chat about hiking, wild camping, Mountain Leader Training, the important work of the BMC and some of the benefits of being a member and everything in-between.

If you would like to support the podcast, please follow the link at the bottom where you can join the Facebook community and 'Buy me a coffee' - a small donation goes a long way to help with the overheads of running the podcast.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community including 'Walk for Your Wellbeing' group walk and YouTube pages below.

Summit to Talk About is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with thousands of trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO and use the code 'STTA' at checkout.

Click HERE for all STTA pages and the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review :) 

Laura enjoyed running and synchronised swimming. But when she started a family, getting 'that' buzz became difficult. Like many of us, she adapted her lifestyle in order to continue getting outside and to involve all the family. During lockdown, we were all restricted to local walks and this sparked the birth of The Hiking Household and Tikes Hikes - a walking group for parents and their children in Cumbria. Since then, it has grown into a fantastic online resource for family friendly walks in the Lake District.

We chat about how having little ones at home doesn't mean you can't get out to enjoy our great outdoors and Laura shares some great ideas for getting the kids outside and ways to make it fun for them.

Check out The Hiking Household website HERE
And follow them on instagram - @thehikinghousehold

If you would link to support the podcast, please follow the link at the bottom where you can join the Facebook community and 'Buy me a coffee' - a small donation goes a long way to help with the overheads of running the podcast.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community including 'Walk for Your Wellbeing' group walk and YouTube pages below.

Series 2 is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with thousands of trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO and use the code 'STTA' at checkout.

Click HERE for all STTA pages and the Hiiker app.

Remember to leave 5 STAR review :) 

Russ was a banker who read books about adventurers, adventurers who inspired him to want his very own epic adventure, not something that had been done many times, but something new and something he was good at.... sleeping!

Russ aka @amountainbivvi set out to camp on each of the 214 Wainwright's fells in the Lake District over the course of a year, enduring all that mother nature could throw at him through all 4 seasons and finishing with a world record - the most people camping out in a bivvy in one night!

Russ documented his connections with each of the mountains in his book 'Fell Asleep' which is available on Amazon now by clicking here.

Follow Russ on instagram - @amountainbivvy and checkout his other pages here.

If you would link to support the podcast, please follow the link at the bottom where you can join the Facebook community and 'Buy me a coffee' - a small donation goes a long way to help with the overheads of running the podcast.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community including 'Walk for Your Wellbeing' group walk pages below.

Series 2 is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with thousands of trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker PRO and use code 'STTA' at checkout.

Click here for all STTA pages and Hiiker app.

Abbie is the founder of 'Spend more time in the wild', a growing organisation  and community inspiring and empowering people to get outside for the benefit of physical and mental wellbeing.

At the age of 13, Abbie began making films about our natural world and the devastating destruction to the environment through the production of palm oil. This led to Abbie speaking to MEP's in the European Parliament about the importance of ingredient labels on products.

Since then, Abbie has set up a production company - Song Thrush Productions and has made many films which have gained international recognition.

With her passion for the outdoors, Abbie is a keen long distance hiker and lover of the mountains. We chat about how it all began, Abbie's own battle with mental ill health, the many adventures she's had including the 2021 project 'Abbie bikes Britain' seeing Abbie cycle the length of Britain whilst visiting every national park on route to hike to its highest point. 

Abbie has an extensive CV of adventure and you can read more by visiting her website where you'll find links to the YouTube channel, podcast and Patreon community - www.spendmoretimeinthewild.co.uk

If you would link to support the podcast, please follow the link at the bottom where you can join the Facebook community and 'Buy me a coffee' - a small donation goes a long way to help with the overheads of running the podcast.

You can also follow the podcast and associated pages such as the Summit to Talk About community including 'Walk for Your Wellbeing' group walk pages below.

Series 2 is brought to you in association with Hiiker. Hiiker is the best app for planning your long distance hiking adventures with thousands of trails mapped out and packed with information for your hike. The app is free to download! To unlock all of the extra cool features, treat yourself to Hiiker pro and use code 'STTA' at checkout.

Click here for all STTA pages and Hiiker - https://linktr.ee/stta_podcast