Episode 198 of The Adventure Podcast features hillwalker, mountain rescue volunteer, and author, Paul Besley. Paul has written several acclaimed guidebooks but his memoir, The Search: The Life of a Mountain Rescue Search Dog Team, chronicles his transformation from a Yorkshire steel town upbringing to training his Border Collie, Scout, as a search dog. In this episode, Paul tells Matt his life story, and recounts many amusing tales of his escapades in the hills. The story has a twist though, as Paul learned recently he’s terminally ill. The conversation ends with a message of hope - how many people get to pass from this world in a place of complete contentment?

Link to Paul's new book: https://bit.ly/3PoxsiG

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Episode 197 of The Adventure Podcast features Scottish climber, Dave Macleod. Dave is celebrated for being one of the finest climbing all rounders in the world, from trad and sport climbing to winter mountaineering. He’s best known for his bold and groundbreaking climbs, including Rhapsody at Dumbarton Rock, the first-ever E11 trad route. Dave isn’t just about physical feats, he’s also deeply interested in the mental side of climbing and loves sharing what he’s learned through his writing, films, and coaching. With his mix of humility, passion, and a knack for tackling the impossible, Dave is one of the leading experts when it comes to understanding how to climb at an elite level. Dave previously came on the podcast (episode 091), but Matt asked him back on after hearing about the release of his new book ‘Moving The Needle’ to give us some top level insights and to understand his own journey from very average, to one of the best climbers in the world.

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Episode 196 of The Adventure Podcast was recorded online with a live audience, and features Leo Houlding. Leo is, in the simplest of terms, a climber. But really there’s so much more to him than that. He’s a big wall specialist, an expedition specialist and an alpinist, and he’s led a multitude of world class climbing expeditions all over the world from Antarctica to Baffin Island and Greenland to Guyana. Matt and Leo have worked together on a few of those expeditions, and really it was Leo who gave Matt his first chance at getting up close and personal with far flung climbing expeditions. In this episode, they cover a pretty broad range of topics, from Leo’s backstory and life growing up in a leaky barn in Cumbria to travelling overseas, embarking on major expeditions and then surprising himself by settling down and becoming a dad. They go on to talk about one of his biggest missions yet, and it’s not what you'd expect...

This episode was our first ever live online show - thanks so much to everyone who tuned in! Keep an eye on our Instagram @theadventurepodcast or The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack for future live recordings and Q&A's.

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Episode 195 of The Adventure Podcast features stuntman, cave diver, ex soldier and parachutist, Andy Torbet. For reasons you’ll understand when you listen to this episode, if James Bond exists then he looks a lot like Andy Torbet. So much so, in fact, that Andy has quite literally doubled Daniel Craig and been a stuntman on a Bond film. In this episode, Andy talks to Matt about his life experiences, diving, why he assumes if he can't guarantee, and how he resets his 'appreciation button'. We get to meet the real Andy; an honest, funny, self-deprecating man who knows what he likes, knows who he is, and is unapologetic about living life on his own terms. With rip roaring stories, some deeper moments about fatherhood, and risk, this episode takes us on a journey into worlds most of us rarely, if ever, get a chance to see.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Episode 194 of The Adventure Podcast features exercise physiologist and endurance athlete, Dr Mark Hines. Mark is a senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Oxford Brookes University, with a background in ultra endurance racing of the gnarliest kind. If it’s long, cold, snowy and potentially deadly, then Mark has probably raced it. In this episode, Mark shares the story of how he got into endurance racing, starting from his childhood experiences of camping and cross country running, to eventually being inspired by a Ben Fogle documentary to compete in the Marathon des Sables. He discusses his academic journey in exercise physiology, emphasising how his own fitness journey and desire to understand the science behind it motivated his studies. This conversation then delves into the physical and mental challenges of endurance racing, with Mark providing detailed insights into his experiences, including the importance of proper preparation, problem-solving, and the emotional and mental impact of these extreme events.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Episode 193 of The Adventure Podcast features horse rider and adventurer, Jane Dotchin. Jane is an incredible woman. She has been embarking on a remarkable 600 mile horseback journey from her home in Northumberland to Inverness every year since 1972. Now in her eighties, Jane's annual trek, accompanied by her pony, Diamond, and her Jack Russell Terrier, Dinky, has become a testament to resilience, independence, and a style of living that feels lost in the modern world. Traveling with just the essentials, Jane covers up to twenty miles a day, forging connections with people along her route and adapting to the challenges of modern travel which have completely changed her journey over the years. We travelled up to meet Jane in her cabin home in Northumberland and filmed this episode live, sat in a wood store by the river. Hopefully you enjoy this episode with a lady who represents a way of living that we could all learn something from.

This episode is available in-vision on our substack channel, The Adventure Podcast+ ; www.theadventurepodcast.substack.com. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Dispatches are our shorter form episodes, usually around a single question, subject or story. In this episode, Matt asks Dr Niall McCann, a biologist, conservationist and explorer, to speak about his family history of exploration and adventures, and to speak to the idea of legacy.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Episode 192 of The Adventure Podcast features adventure filmmaker and photographer, Matthew Irving. Matthew has a background in wildland firefighting, having worked on engine crews, hotshot crews, and a helitack crew for around 8 years earlier in his career. In more recent years, Matthew has transitioned into adventure filmmaking, often working on expeditions and projects that mirror or overlap with host Matt's own work. This is quite an honest conversation, and they dive in head first with Matthew leading the conversation on their views of each other and how they feel about their careers. They also reflect on the importance of ethics, morals, and personal values in work, and grapple with balancing professional obligations against personal principles. Throughout, they discuss topics like family, the natural world, and the fleeting nature of legacy, emphasising the need to stay true to oneself and find happiness in the present.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Episode 191 of The Adventure Podcast was recorded live at Kendal Mountain Festival 2024 and features ultra-marathon runner and alpinist, Hillary Gerardi. Hillary recently broke the women's Mont Blanc fastest known time, setting a new record of seven hours, 25 minutes and 28 seconds. In the episode, Matt talks to Hillary about her skyrunning journey, what it took to break the FKT, and the importance of savouring that experience rather than immediately moving onto the next big thing. Hillary also discusses how to safely build individual pillars for alpinism and skyrunning before attempting to bridge the two. They talk about a lesser known project Hillary embarked on this year, imperfect activism, and how she approaches sustainable living as a competitive athlete. It's a broad-ranging, energetic, and inspiring conversation which will leave you wanting to dust off your running shoes and hit the hills.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Episode 190 of The Adventure Podcast features conservationist and National Geographic Explorer, Dr Steve Boyes. Steve is the driving force behind the Okavango Wilderness Project, working to protect Africa's wild rivers and wetlands. He’s spent years uncovering new species, exploring uncharted ecosystems, and partnering with local communities to keep these landscapes thriving. Steve is also a cancer survivor, a devoted dad, and a natural storyteller. In this episode, Steve gives an insight into his life as an explorer and his approach to conservation. He talks about uncovering new species and massive ecological systems, and how to work closely with local communities to drive real, lasting conservation. He opens up to Matt about how nature shaped him, and how surviving cancer changed his perspective. Through it all, Steve champions the idea of reconnecting with nature, using storytelling to make science matter, and staying hopeful about humanity’s ability to turn things around for the planet.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Photographer credit: Karabo Moilwa

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