Notes from Big Trails

Big Trail Adventures // Rob Savin
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Notes from Big Trails: Stories from Big Trail Adventures is a podcast about finding joy out on the trail. In each episode, we share stories from the people walking, running, and adventuring on the world's best long-distance trails. Sometimes it’s reflective, sometimes it’s funny — always grounded in the real highs and lows of life on the move.

  1. What’s Not to Like? Rethinking the Pennine Way

    2 DAYS AGO

    What’s Not to Like? Rethinking the Pennine Way

    In this episode of Notes from Big Trails, Rob speaks to Jon Barton, founder of Vertebrate Publishing, about walking — and running — the Pennine Way. They explore why the Pennine Way divides opinion, what the early sections across Kinder and Bleaklow are really like, and why places such as High Cup Nick, Upper Teesdale, Cross Fell and the Cheviots leave such a strong impression. Jon reflects on: Growing up visiting Swaledale and Upper TeesdaleHow childhood landscapes shaped his wanderlustExperiencing the Pennine Way through the Spine eventsThe reality of “boggy” sections and bleak reputationsWildlife encounters — curlews, golden plover, roe deerLimestone country around MalhamThe strange surreal feeling of walking through busy places after days on the moorWhy motivation matters more than raw fitness They also discuss practical considerations — kit familiarity, pacing, and whether the Pennine Way should be your first long-distance trail.

    25 min
  2. Walking the Edge of England

    6 FEB

    Walking the Edge of England

    Martyn Howe talks to us about how he walked the coast of England - following what has become the King Charles III England Coast Path. Martyn shares: How the walk began with a single acorn waymarker in CromerWhat it’s like to stitch together a coastal path that was still being completedUnexpectedly wild places like The Wash, where land and sea seem to dissolveIndustrial coastlines in the North East — and the surprising signs of recovery thereMemorable encounters with birdlife, including kestrels, peregrines, and wintering geeseWhy public art along the coast — from Time and Tide bells to community projects — became central to the journeyThe idea of an “experience map” rather than a route map, and how that changes how you plan and walkHow carrying less — physically and mentally — altered his relationship with long-distance walkingWhether walking can still act as a form of protest or environmental witnessThe kinds of conversations that only seem to happen when two people are walking side by side We also talk about Martyn’s book The Coast is Our Compass, and how writing became a way of processing the journey — not just recording where he went, but what it meant. Links: The Coast is Our Compass Experience Map More trail Inspiration at Big Trail Adventures

    38 min
  3. Exploring the Peak District by Its Summits with Anna Paxton

    30 JAN

    Exploring the Peak District by Its Summits with Anna Paxton

    In this episode of Notes from Big Trails, Rob is joined by Peak District local and author Anna Paxton for a walk-and-talk on the Eastern Moors. Anna’s book, Peak Bagging Peak District, brings together 121 of the region’s most rewarding hills — including the Ethels — into 32 carefully designed routes for walkers, fastpackers, and trail runners. Rather than treating summits as boxes to tick, the book focuses on routes that feel satisfying in their own right: journeys with variety, character, good access, and (where possible) a pub or café at the end. What people miss when they only visit Peak District classicsWho Ethel Haythornthwaite was — and why the Ethels matterDesigning routes that work on the ground, not just on the mapWalking, running, slowing down — and choosing the right pace for the dayQuiet encounters, wildlife, and seasonal changeWhy familiarity can be just as adventurous as novelty Get Peak Bagging Peak District at Vertebrate Publishing. Find inspiration for your next adventure at Big Trail Adventures.

    19 min
  4. Running Across the Canary Islands: Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera

    23 JAN

    Running Across the Canary Islands: Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera

    Janie Oates joins Notes from Big Trails to talk about a self-designed running adventure across the Canary Islands. Starting with a race trip to Gran Canaria, Janie and three friends came up with the idea of running across multiple islands — Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera — using ferries to link them together. Over the course of a week, they crossed volcanic landscapes, climbed ridgelines above the clouds, stayed in unmanned mountain refuges, and carried everything they needed between towns. In this episode, we talk about: Designing your own route rather than following a known trail Running across three islands in one week — and what that really involved The contrast between Tenerife’s heat and tourism, La Palma’s high ridges, and La Gomera’s cloud forests Managing water, food and pack weight in hot, exposed terrain Fell running skills and long days of climbing and descent Why La Palma left such a lasting impression Travelling and running as a group of women — and the reactions they met along the way This is a conversation about curiosity, contrast, and the quiet satisfaction of linking places together under your own power. Enjoy!

    37 min
  5. The Alta Via 1: Does this trail deserve its popularity?

    16 JAN

    The Alta Via 1: Does this trail deserve its popularity?

    Stephen and Richard Ross from Big Trail Adventures walked the Alta Via 1 in mid-September, one of Europe’s most celebrated high routes across the Dolomites. In this episode, we cover: What the Alta Via 1 actually is — and why it’s known as a “high route” How hard it really is, day to day Planning late versus booking far in advance What it’s like staying in Italian mountain refuges (food, showers, dorms, sleep) How busy the trail felt — and when it suddenly didn’t Carrying light: why 5kg made the experience better Managing long, hot days with big climbs Swimming in lakes and rivers to reset mid-route Who you meet on the trail — from first-timers to seasoned alpinists How the Alta Via compares to more familiar Alpine routes Whether this trip changed how they think about future European trails This is an honest conversation about walking in the Dolomites — what surprised them, what worked, and what they’d do differently next time.

    26 min
  6. Snow, Huts and 30km Days: A Solo Run Across the Alps and Dolomites

    2 JAN

    Snow, Huts and 30km Days: A Solo Run Across the Alps and Dolomites

    Hannah Campbell set out to run a long section of the Munich-to-Venice trail — known as Der Traumpfad, or The Dreamway — travelling solo from the Bavarian Alps, through Austria, and into the Italian Dolomites. Over 15 days, Hannah covered around 450km, averaging roughly 30km per day, staying almost exclusively in mountain huts and carrying everything she needed in a 20-litre pack. What she expected to be a late-summer journey turned into something very different, with early snow, freezing temperatures, and days spent navigating deep alpine conditions. In this episode, we talk about: * Why Hannah chose the Munich-to-Dolomites route* What the first few kilometres felt like — and how quickly conditions changed* How the landscape, culture and hut life shifted as she moved east* Life in mountain huts: shared meals, late arrivals* Dealing with snow and weather delays* Carrying minimal kit — and the one non-outdoor item she wouldn’t be without* Being told repeatedly that what she was doing was “irresponsible” — and trusting her own judgement* The strange sensory overload of finishing the run and stepping straight into Venice* Why this journey mattered to her personally, without defining her by it This is a grounded, thoughtful conversation about long solo journeys — not as endurance spectacles, but as lived experiences shaped by weather, people, rhythm and perspective.

    39 min
  7. Running the Pennine Way in Winter: Mel Sykes on the Spine Race

    26/12/2025

    Running the Pennine Way in Winter: Mel Sykes on the Spine Race

    In this episode of Notes from Big Trails, Rob speaks with Mel Sykes about completing the winter Spine Race — a 268-mile, non-stop race along the Pennine Way in January. Mel talks about: What makes the winter Spine fundamentally different from long summer ultras Moving for days in darkness and learning to manage sleep deprivation Hallucinations, emotional swings, and the strange logic of extreme fatigue The Pennine Way as a place — hostile, boring, beautiful, and absorbing Small acts of kindness that land differently when you’re exhausted Why reaching Hadrian’s Wall and Cross Fell mattered so much The reality of finishing: relief, exhaustion, and delayed pride What events like this teach you — and what they’re often misunderstood to be about This is a conversation about endurance, attention, and keeping going. Read more about Mel's Spine Race here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gz2e12387o https://www.baldhiker.com/the-spine-race-adventures/ Plan your own recce with Big Trail Adventures.

    30 min
  8. Inside the Bothies of the West Highland Way

    19/12/2025

    Inside the Bothies of the West Highland Way

    In this episode we talk to Richard Newsome — Mountain Bothies Association volunteer, responsible for Rohoish Bothy and involved in wider MBA work across the West Highland Way. What we cover: Why bothies create such a strong emotional pull for walkers What actually happens on a maintenance visit The strangest things Richard has found behind a bothy door Vandalism, rubbish, winter conditions — and why none of it has put him off Memorable nights: Burns Night in a bothy and strangers who become friends The story of how the West Highland Way led Richard to move to Scotland and meet his wife The one thing every first-time bothy visitor should know Mentioned: Rowchoish Bothy Strathcailleach (Cape Wrath) Greg’s Hut (Cross Fell, Pennine Way) Mountain Bothies Association (MBA)

    22 min
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About

Notes from Big Trails: Stories from Big Trail Adventures is a podcast about finding joy out on the trail. In each episode, we share stories from the people walking, running, and adventuring on the world's best long-distance trails. Sometimes it’s reflective, sometimes it’s funny — always grounded in the real highs and lows of life on the move.

Information

  • Creator
    Big Trail Adventures // Rob Savin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Big Trail Adventures // Rob Savin
  • Show Website
    Notes from Big Trails

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