The Ramblers Podcast

By The Ramblers - Nigel & IainSociety & Culture Science History Places & Travel Nature

The Ramblers Podcast episodes

November 02Garston Wood: Flint Blades, Tithe Maps and a Hidden Earthwork (W23)
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A soggy morning in RSPB Garston Wood, the ancient woodland on the Dorset–Wiltshire border near Sixpenny Handley. We find worked flint blades underfoot, Iain explains what old tithe maps can tell us, and we stumble on a huge bank and ditch hidden in Mistleberry Wood. Along the way: the great pheasant debate, why mowing is the biggest threat to great bustards, the best gate we've ever met, Nigel's Highway Code reminder for country lanes, and your letters from Mike, Roland and Duncan. Then it's back to HQ for coffee and our verdict.
This Saturday, 7 November: Royal British Legion coffee morning at Damerham Village Hall, raising money for the Legion's County Welfare Fund in Hampshire. Pop in if you're local. You can join the Legion online at britishlegion.org.uk.
In this episode
The debate over how many pheasants are released each year
Great bustards, drones and why farmers grow lucerne
Listener mail from Mike, Roland and Duncan
Nigel's Highway Code reminder: on a single-track hill, uphill traffic has priority
RSPB Garston Wood: rides, hazel coppice, dormice and woodland management
Tithe maps, ancient woodland and flint blades
From broadleaf to conifer plantation, and why
An earthwork hidden in Mistleberry Wood
Back at HQ: our verdict on W23
Chapters
00:00 Hats, and welcome to The Ramblers
01:10 A wet start, and birds on the drive in
01:58 The great pheasant debate
04:02 Great bustards, drones and lucerne
07:14 Listener mail: Mike from Dinton
09:16 Fan mail from Roland and Duncan
10:50 Nigel's Highway Code reminder: who gives way on a hill
12:58 Arriving at RSPB Garston Wood
15:30 Into the woodland rides
16:44 What tithe maps tell us
20:55 What makes a wood "ancient"
22:12 Flint blades underfoot
24:14 The gate within a gate
25:01 An idea for the podcast
26:33 Bluebells, hazel coppice and woodland management
29:14 Charities and the Royal British Legion
31:32 From broadleaf to conifer plantation
33:33 Timber for warships and trenches
35:41 Getting people out into the countryside
37:12 A red kite, and into Mistleberry Wood
38:21 A bank and ditch hidden in the trees
41:51 Back at HQ: coffee and our verdict on W23
Walk the route yourself
Shire Rack and Garston Wood (W23): 3.1 miles (5 km), about 1.5 hours, moderate, starting from the RSPB Garston Wood car park. We walked it clockwise; the official route goes anticlockwise.
Route map: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/explore/shire-rack-and-garston-wood-w23
RSPB Garston Wood: https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/garston-wood
After every walk: coffee and pie at our HQ, Chettle Village Store: https://www.chettlevillagestore.co.uk/
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
46 min
October 12Ludwell & the Coombes: A Neo-Norman Church and Hidden Valleys (W31, Pt 2)
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Part two of our walk around Ludwell and the Coombes, just east of Shaftesbury. Iain digs into the church on the route and the rare Victorian taste for Norman-style architecture, we follow the hidden valleys of the Coombes past thatched cottages and kissing gates, squelch through some very wet paths, and find out what happens when a footpath sign ends up in the verge. Missed part one? Start with Episode 19.
In this episode
The church on the route, and why “neo-Norman” is so unusual
The Coombes: the almost hidden valleys at the heart of walk W31
Wildlife, plants and natural run-off along the way
Signage and access problems on the footpaths
Our verdict on the walk, plus a correction from part one
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to the Ludwell walk and landscape overview
02:00
Exploring the landscape and local features
04:56
Discussion of the church architecture and history
15:58
Wildlife, plants, and natural features of the area
24:58
Walking through Ludwell and local landmarks
33:59
Historical stories and local anecdotes
40:10
Reflections on the walk and landscape appreciation
43:05
Closing thoughts and next steps in exploration
Walk the route yourself
Ludwell & the Coombes (W31): 3.6 miles, about 2 hours, moderate, starting from the New Remembrance Hall, Ludwell.
Route map: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/explore/ludwell/
After every walk: coffee and pie at our HQ, Chettle Village Store: https://www.chettlevillagestore.co.uk/
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
45 min
September 12Ludwell & the Coombes: Floods, Footpaths and Village History (W31, Pt 1)
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Part one of our walk around Ludwell and the Coombes, just east of Shaftesbury. There's surprisingly little written about Ludwell, so we set out to find its story on foot: the village's history and its recent flooding, invasive plants, butterflies and wildlife along the way, and the conservation work going on around it. Part two picks up right where we leave off in Episode 20.
In this episode
Ludwell's history, and why so little has been written about it
Invasive species and local flora
Butterflies and other wildlife on the route
Local conservation projects and wildlife surveys
Weather, climate and what they mean for this landscape
Walk the route yourself
Ludwell & the Coombes (W31): 3.6 miles, about 2 hours, moderate, starting from the New Remembrance Hall, Ludwell.
Route map: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/explore/ludwell/
After every walk: coffee and pie at our HQ, Chettle Village Store: https://www.chettlevillagestore.co.uk/
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
41 min
August 04How Your Pet's Flea Treatment Reaches the River: Lindsey Death, Wessex Rivers Trust
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Did you know the flea treatment on your dog can end up in your local river? Lindsey Death from Wessex Rivers Trust joins us to talk about the chalk streams of Cranborne Chase, why they matter globally, and the surprisingly small changes at home that make a real difference to river health.
In this episode
Growing up by rivers, and how Lindsey found her way to Wessex Rivers Trust
What makes chalk streams so special, and the wildlife that depends on them
Droughts, floods and managing water in a changing climate
Household chemicals, pet flea treatments and how they reach our rivers
How to tell if a river is healthy, and monitoring kits you can use yourself
Saving water, cutting plastic and what consumer choices can change
How to get involved with Wessex Rivers Trust
Links
Wessex Rivers Trust: https://www.wessexrt.org.uk/
Wessex Rivers Trust on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wessexrt/
Wessex Rivers Trust on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wessexriverstrust/
River Friendly Living on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverfriendlyliving/
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
51 min
April 25Bringing Back the Great Bustard: Drones, Nests and Salisbury Plain, with Siobhan Lewis
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The great bustard vanished from Britain nearly two centuries ago, and now it's back on Salisbury Plain. Siobhan Lewis joins Nigel to talk about the project bringing back one of the world's heaviest flying birds, and how drones are helping to find and protect their nests.
In this episode
How the Great Bustard reintroduction project works, and how it's going
Using drones and technology to monitor wildlife
Finding nests, and what happens once one is found
Genetics, breeding and why nest sites matter
Working with farmers and the MOD on Salisbury Plain
How volunteers and the public can get involved
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Conservation and Community Engagement
01:50 The Role of Technology in Wildlife Monitoring
03:30 Personal Journey into Conservation
07:13 Understanding the Great Bustard Project
09:30 Challenges in Conservation Efforts
11:10 Progress and Future Goals for the Great Bustard
14:34 The Importance of Nesting Sites
17:50 Drone Technology and Its Impact
20:30 The Fascination with Great Bustards
23:14 Genetics and Reintroduction of Bustards
25:29 Female Nesting Behavior and Site Selection
27:15 Post-Nest Discovery Procedures
29:38 Collaboration with Farmers and the MOD
31:18 The Role of Volunteers in Conservation
35:24 The Emotional Connection to Wildlife
35:48 Encouraging Public Involvement in Conservation
37:31 Future Aspirations for the Bustard Project
38:35 Technological Advancements in Conservation
40:18 How to Get Involved in Conservation

Links
Great Bustard Group: https://greatbustard.org/
Great Bustard Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greatbustardgroup
Cotswold Wildlife Park: https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
47 min
February 23Forging the Landscape: Blacksmith Ian Thackray
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From hand tools to TV appearances, blacksmith Ian Thackray talks about a craft that has shaped the countryside for centuries. We hear how he got into blacksmithing, how the local landscape feeds into his work, and whether there's still a future for the forge in a technology-driven world.
In this episode
How Ian found his way into blacksmithing
The tools and techniques of the craft, old and new
How the Cranborne Chase landscape influences his work
Collaborative and community projects
Ian's TV appearances, and teaching through experience days
The future of blacksmithing
Links
Village Smith: https://www.villagesmith.co.uk/
Ian on screen: The Great British Dig (Channel 4), Dailymotion, YouTube
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
1 hr 2 min
January 22Burcombe and the Punch Bowl: The Actual Walk, Weather and All (W1)
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Back in Episode 14 we planned this walk from the map. This time we actually do it, weather and all. We head out from Burcombe through the chalk downland of the Nadder Valley and up to the Punch Bowl, spotting wildlife, reading the geology and history in the landscape, and putting our navigation apps to the test. Plus, your emails and feedback.
In this episode
How the real walk compared with our virtual one
Dealing with the weather, and preparing for a winter walk
Navigation apps and tech on the trail
Wildlife, flora and fauna along the route
Geology, history and the climb to the Punch Bowl
Listener emails and feedback
Walk the route yourself
Burcombe and the Punch Bowl (W1): 3.4 miles (5.4 km), about 2 hours, easy, starting from Burcombe Lane, Burcombe.
Route map: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/explore/burcombe-and-the-punch-bowl/
After every walk: coffee and pie at our HQ, Chettle Village Store: https://www.chettlevillagestore.co.uk/
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
59 min
December 10, 2025Burcombe and the Punch Bowl: Planning the Walk From the Map (W1)
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Before we actually walked it, we planned route W1 from the map: talking through what Burcombe and the Punch Bowl should be like, the history and wildlife we expect to find, and what to pack for a winter walk. It's the armchair version — Episode 15 is where we actually go and do it, weather and all.
In this episode
Planning route W1 from the map, before setting foot on it
What we know about the history and landscape of the area
Wildlife and conservation in the Nadder Valley
Listener messages and a look ahead to Season Two
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and setting the scene
02:34 Exploring Cranborne Chase National Landscape
05:07 Planning the walk and listener engagement
08:00 Points of interest in Burcombe village
10:26 Historical significance of the area
13:07 Wildlife and conservation efforts
15:47 Future plans and listener interaction
18:25 Wrap-up and reflections
21:06 Looking ahead to Season Two
Walk the route yourself
Burcombe and the Punch Bowl (W1): 3.4 miles (5.4 km), about 2 hours, easy, starting from Burcombe Lane, Burcombe.
Route map: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/explore/burcombe-and-the-punch-bowl/
We actually walked it in Episode 15.
After every walk: coffee and pie at our HQ, Chettle Village Store: https://www.chettlevillagestore.co.uk/
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
29 min
November 05, 2025Martin Green: The Dorset Cursus, Burial Mounds and Aerial Archaeology (Pt 4)
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The final part of our conversation with archaeologist Martin Green. We dig into the Dorset Cursus — one of Britain's great prehistoric monuments — what it was built for, and the burial practices and mounds that surround it. Martin talks us through how aerial photography first revealed these buried features, and why documenting finds properly matters as much as digging them up. Missed the rest of the conversation? Start with Episode 10.
In this episode
The Dorset Cursus: what it is and how it was built
Burial mounds and the cultural practices behind them
Aerial photography and uncovering hidden archaeology
The Iron Age settlement and training digs on site
Why documentation matters as much as discovery
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Cranborne Chase National Landscape
00:56 Exploring the Dorset Cursus
05:13 The significance of the Cursus and its construction
09:36 Cultural and social aspects of the Cursus
12:15 Aerial photography and archaeological discoveries
16:08 Investigating burial practices and mounds
21:07 The Iron Age settlement and training digs
29:33 The importance of documentation in archaeology
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
38 min
October 12, 2025Martin Green: Fir Tree Field, the Mesolithic and Bronze Age Rituals (Pt 3)
Send us Fan Mail
Part three of our conversation with archaeologist Martin Green, this time on his own farm. We walk Fir Tree Field and talk through what's been found there — evidence stretching back to the Mesolithic, Bronze Age ritual sites, and the wildlife that now shares the ground with thousands of years of history. Missed the rest? Start with Episode 10.
In this episode
Fir Tree Field and its archaeological significance
The wildlife that inhabits the area today
Discovering evidence from the Mesolithic period
The Bronze Age and its ritual practices
How archaeology and ecology sit side by side here
Future excavations and community engagement
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Cranborne Chase National Landscape
00:56 Exploring Fir Tree Field and its wildlife
05:24 The archaeological significance of Fir Tree Field
10:49 Discovering the Mesolithic period
16:10 The Bronze Age and its rituals
21:43 The relationship between archaeology and ecology
26:49 Future excavations and community engagement
Cranborne Chase National Landscape: https://cranbornechase.org.uk/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ramblerspodcast/
The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership, supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund – thank you to lottery players for making this possible.
Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Cranborne Chase is a ‘protected landscape’, legally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Unless a different track is credited above, all music is an original composition by Nigel Timms.
Artwork for Podcast
created by Claire Atkinson
43 min

About The Ramblers Podcast

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A podcast exploring assorted topics, including interviews and walks across the Cranborne Chase National Landscape catchment area. Our goal is to create a platform that educates, inspires all.

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About The Ramblers Podcast