Great British Adventures

Tom Bryan
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  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Hey I'm Tom! I'm a film-maker, adventurer and former BBC journalist. Join me in conversation with those who chose a life of adventure, those who don't take normal as normal and those with incredible stories to tell. If you think you know someone who has a Great British Adventure story to tell, please get in contact: https://linktr.ee/tombryanyeah

  1. 12/15/2025

    The Best of 2025!

    Here's the best of 2025 - thanks so much for tuning in! Charlie Wild (The Travel Project): Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4bUcPWa Apple: https://apple.co/3XXfXe2 Youtube: https://youtu.be/IAHqxY_vdNk Alex Staniforth - Caught in Everests Darkest Hour: Spotify: https://bit.ly/48UXJP0 Apple: https://apple.co/4seGLEr Youtube: https://youtu.be/Uat6ExQZ4gQ Sarah Ruggins - From Novice Cyclist to Record Breaker in 2 Years Spotify: https://bit.ly/3MD9MZV Apple: https://apple.co/49bbcUd Youtube: https://youtu.be/xitHPmorq6Y Charlie Bennett: A Tale of Coca-Cola Ponds: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4lwkiPB Apple: https://apple.co/3Rgqg9x Youtube: https://youtu.be/L2evrfYc3D0 Horatio Clare - The Real Story of the Small Boats Crossings: Spotify: https://bit.ly/4oVWeGi Apple: https://apple.co/4q9Tp5F Youtube: https://youtu.be/_TG7N3mm34g Jacquetta Megarry - A Second Life On Foot Spotify: https://bit.ly/3W0AtcB Apple: https://bit.ly/3W0AtcB Youtube: https://youtu.be/ByH4E6AomnM Deo Kato - From Cape Town To London: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4asQhuM Apple: https://apple.co/48D89nH Youtube: https://youtu.be/afhHa9yG_rU Tracey Bravo - The Donor Route Spotify: https://spoti.fi/43kr0Bz Apple: https://apple.co/43lir9J Youtube: https://youtu.be/Nr2dp_Ds1L8 Nick Bester - Cracking the Sub 2:20 Marathon Spotify: https://spoti.fi/430uUzt Apple: https://apple.co/4gQhNUK Youtube: https://youtu.be/ZKQAwV0Za4A Nick Butter - Mr. Possible: Spotify: https://bit.ly/4rUQdMQ Apple: https://apple.co/4iTV9NM Youtube: https://youtu.be/-PLhKZuK134 Rave On For The Avon Spotify: https://bit.ly/48Sr7W3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rave-on-for-the-avon-bristols-swimming-revolution/id1682803081?i=1000726865001 Youtube: https://youtu.be/jq1Cmkt2q6Q Great British Misadventures: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2NuDY8zQAj5haZVaoJnPPx?si=1f8795b5e0b14379 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cycling-the-coast-of-wales-garlic-ice-cream/id1682803081?i=1000733651056 Youtube: https://youtu.be/krhcwJaVEwE Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mailing list: ⁠https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page⁠ Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah⁠ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 04:19 Charlie Wild's UK seasonal highlights 14:29 Alex Staniforth - Caught in Everest's Darkest Hour 24:38 Sarah Ruggins - From Novice Cyclist to Record Breaker in 2 Years 33:19 Charlie Bennett: A Tale of Coca-Cola Ponds 41:38 Horatio Clare - The Real Story of the Small Boats Crossings 48:59 Jacquetta Megarry - A Second Life On Foot 54:22 Deo Kato - From Cape Town To London 01:02:58 Tracey Bravo - The Donor Route 01:14:18 Nick Bester - Cracking the Sub 2:20 Marathon 01:26:00 Nick Butter - Mr. Possible 01:36:16 Rave On For The Avon 01:44:00 Great British Misadventures

    1h 55m

  2. 11/10/2025

    Mr Possible: Nick Butter Ran the World - But the Real Journey’s Just Begun

    Nick Butter is a man who’s turned the word “impossible” into a to-do list. Once a finance professional chasing bonuses and deadlines, a chance meeting with a terminally ill runner made him completely reimagine his life. Within a few years, he’d left his job, sold his possessions, and embarked on one of the greatest endurance and logistically challenging feats ever attempted: running a marathon in every one of the world’s 196 countries. It took him two years, 450 flights, and over a million pounds to complete - but it also transformed how he saw the world and what matters most. Since that record-breaking run, Nick’s life hasn’t slowed down. He’s run the entire length of Italy, set a world record running 5,500 miles around the coast of the UK (averaging two marathons a day), recently appeared on the BBC’s Destination X, and launched Run Weekends - global running adventures where pace doesn’t matter, but connection and joy do. He also founded The 195 Foundation, a charity supporting causes in which give back to the places he’s visited. In this episode, we dive into what “home” feels like after years of life on the move, the lessons Nick learned from running a marathon in every country on Earth, and how he’s built a life centred on adventure, generosity, and human connection. We also talk about why he believes that a life well lived matters far more than a life well financed, and what his next big expedition might look like - and why, no matter what comes next, he’ll always be “Mr Possible.” Follow Nick: https://www.instagram.com/nickbutterrun/ Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mentioned in the Podcast: Loosing Eden, Lucy Jones: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305463/losing-eden-by-jones-lucy/9780141992617 Run Weekends: https://www.runweekends.com/ Factfulness, Hans Rosling: https://www.gapminder.org/factfulness-book/ Destination X: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0024pz8 Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer: https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/into-the-wild-book-jon-krakauer-9780330453677?sku=GOR001376384 Nick’s 196 Foundation: https://www.the196foundation.com/ Clockify: https://clockify.me/ Read Nick’s Books:Running the World: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/439803/running-the-world-by-butter-nick/9780552176484 Run Britain: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Run-Britain-Record-Breaking-Adventure-Coastline/dp/1787636410 Join the mailing list: https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah

    1h 49m

  3. 10/27/2025

    Cycling The Coast of Wales, Garlic Ice Cream and Lifesaving Lambs - Misadventures#4

    Benny P is back to co-host another episode of Misadventures. In this episode, Tom reflects on his ride around the coast of Wales - a three-week journey of endurance, reflection, and a new love for the sea he never knew he needed. Ben brings stories from Chamonix, convincing us all we need a slice of that alpine magic next summer. Along the way, we dive into Tom’s unlikely love affair with volunteering at Reading Festival (yes, that Reading Festival) and Ben’s debrief from the Berlin Marathon. Throw in some parkrun tourism, a pinch of the Isle of Wight, a dash of indie sleaze nostalgia, and a ridiculous story from the Great British Misadventures jar – and trust us, this one’s guaranteed to make you laugh. Follow Benny P: https://www.instagram.com/mr.bennypalmer/ Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mentioned in the podcast: The Garlic Farm: https://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/ Trailside Coffee: https://www.instagram.com/trailsidecoffee/ Become an Oxfam festival volunteer: https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk/ Amy Harris: https://www.instagram.com/amythepoetcelebrant/ Eden Project Reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJWU5iCiw0b/ Indie Sleaze Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p0lcqp00 Join the mailing list: https://substack.com/@tombryanyeah?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:28 Ed Sheeran Shopping? 06:18 Coming up 07:20 Amazing summer of sun 09:12 Wanderlust trail running in the alps 17:00 Marathon training block vs. having fun 21:47 Berlin Marathon 24:44 Know your fitness 31:01 Ben & Toms running adventure 32:23 Cycling the Isle of Wight 37:41 Love Trails Festival 39:17 Volunteering at Reading Festival 47:25 Amy Harris at Glastonbury 2027 48:45 Eden Project again 52:23 Insane world of parkrun tourism 56:23 Coffee Corner 01:05:47 Cycling the coast of Wales 01:28:59 Substack 01:30:01 Men's mental health 01:36:41 Indie Sleaze 01:40:26 Great British Misadventures

    1h 54m

  4. 10/13/2025

    A Second Life on Foot: Jacquetta Megarry and New Adventures After Midlife

    At the age of 50, while most people are thinking about slowing down, Jacquetta Megarry decided to speed up - on foot. A career in ICT was swapped for muddy boots and mountain paths after one frustrating but hugely adventurous hike along the West Highland Way sparked a bold idea: to create waterproof, lightweight, beautifully crafted guidebooks that could actually survive the Scottish weather. That spark became Rucksack Readers, now a 25-year success story with over 40 titles covering the UK’s best long-distance trails - and a few far-flung adventures from Kilimanjaro to Antarctica. In this episode, we about the joy of multi-day hiking, the art of turning passion into purpose, and the power of taking a giant leap midlife. Jacquetta shares the lessons she’s learned from a second career built on adventure, her advice for tackling altitude sickness, and we discuss how to make the most of every summer before it slips away. It’s a conversation not just about walking - but also about courage, creativity, and how to keep exploring, no matter your age. Find out more about Rucksack Readers here: https://www.rucsacs.com/ Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:22 London life vs. Rural Scotland Life 05:34 50th Birthday inspiration 07:19 Rucksack Readers 12:39 The adventures of a multi-day hike 16:39 Following your interests to make a career out of it 18:44 Managing altitude sickness 23:59 Creating a career around lifestyle 26:36 Taking a leap aged 50 30:03 Persistance and resilience within a creative pursuit 34:47 Setting manageable itineraries 38:58 Golden Eagle Encounter 41:02 Solo tours vs. company 45:06 Access rights 48:45 Age is just a number 50:46 Making time for these journeys 51:49 Bad weather 54:58 Different takes on adventure 58:35 Research vs. Curiosity 01:00:43 How preconceptions of places can be wrong 01:05:55 Tom's summer story 01:12:21 Midges in Scotland 01:16:11 Jacquetta's favourite trails 01:20:42 It's not always about the destination 01:23:58 Hunter gatherers 01:25:02 Technology on the trails 01:28:19 Making retirement a career

    1h 33m

  5. 09/29/2025

    The Real Story of Small Boat Crossings from Journalist & Broadcaster Horatio Clare

    Horatio Clare is one of Britain’s most captivating writers and broadcasters. From trekking across two continents following the migration of swallows, to voyaging on container ships, to writing about mental health and the natural world, his work is rooted in curiosity, humanity, and a deep urge to understand the world around us. In this episode, we dive into his brand new book We Came by Sea – a fearless exploration of migration across the English Channel and the stories of those who are helping in what Horatio hails as one of the great search and rescue operations of all time. Horatio talks about immersing himself in both sides of the debate, from spending time in right-wing pubs to listening on the ground in Dover. He shares what he witnessed first-hand at the frontline of Britain’s migration crisis, and why he believes current government policies are not just failing but wasting money. We also step behind the curtain of his writing life: how he shapes ideas, the craft of putting words to paper, and why writing remains for him both an art and an act of public service. For more information on Horatio and his books: https://horatioclarewriter.com/ Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mentioned in the Conversation: Horatio's BBC Radio 4 documentary 'Into The West': https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002h9np Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 02:47 The Welsh Coastline 09:17 What it means to be Welsh 12:10 British Journalism & their tactics 16:07 Horatio's interest in the Dover crossings 18:39 Pushbacks 21:08 Nigel Farage's vision 22:34 Dover's 'Boom-town' 24:47 Refugees not assylum seekers or migrants 27:35 Making refugee soldiers 29:05 The true cost of border enforcement 31:31 Other countries methods 33:38 Tom witnessing boat crossings 35:45 They believe Britain isn't racist 37:30 Volunteers looking after welfare 41:00 Comparisons between mental health system and asylum 43:01 What does it mean to be British? 47:41 Horatio's craft as a writer 51:34 Research in travel literature 55:49 Lessons from Anna Gavalda 58:32 Writing from a container ship

    1h 2m

  6. 09/15/2025

    Rave on for the Avon: Bristol’s Swimming Revolution - Charlotte Sawyer & Aggie Nyagari

    What happens when you mix sewage pollution in our rivers with the creative, rebellious soul of Bristolians? The answer is Rave On For The Avon - a documentary about Bristol’s wild swimming community and their complicated, joyous relationship with the very waters others treat as a dumping ground. In this episode I sit down filmmakers Charlotte Sawyer and Aggie Nyagari, to explore how their cameras captured one community’s joyful yet defiant battle to reclaim the River Avon. We dive deep into the questions of access, ecology, and the very human need to connect with water. Charlotte and Aggie reveal how the Avon swimmers turned playfulness into protest, from data collection to mermaid costumes - and why sewage, though shocking, is just 4% of the problem. Our conversation ranges from the poetic - attempts to give the river legal personhood - to the profoundly personal, including Meg’s extraordinary story of marrying the River Avon. We discuss how the film’s reception is already reshaping perceptions of rivers, and why falling in love with nature might be the most radical thing we can do in the face of environmental crisis. This is an episode about activism, creativity, and community - but above all, it’s about remembering that rivers are not just scenery. They are living, breathing systems that we depend on, and perhaps even kin. Find a screening of Rave on for The Avon here: https://www.eightysita.com/raveonfortheavondocumentary Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah

    1h 32m

  7. 06/16/2025

    From Novice Cyclist to Record Breaker in 2 Years - Sarah Ruggins

    In May 2025, Sarah Ruggins made history. She became the fastest person to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back, covering the 1,677-mile route in an astonishing 5 days, 11 hours, and 14 minutes. Sarah didn’t just smash the women’s record - she claimed the outright record. But what makes her achievement all the more extraordinary is everything she had to overcome to get there. Just over two years earlier, she had barely ridden a bike. Before that, she spent years recovering from a debilitating illness that stripped her of her physical strength and sense of identity. And yet, through grit, precision, and an unshakeable mindset, she transformed herself from a complete novice into one of the most elite endurance cyclists in the world. This episode is about more than athletic achievement, it’s a story of what happens when you set an audacious goal, back it with discipline, and believe that setbacks are just the start of something greater. Follow Sarah: https://www.instagram.com/sarah_ruggins/ Mentioned in the Podcast: The Bike Project: https://thebikeproject.co.uk/ Bikes for Refugees: https://www.bikesforrefugees.scot/ Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah

    1h 11m

  8. 04/28/2025

    Misadventures #3 - The Speed Project, Free UK Getaways and the Surprising Hollywood Follower...

    Tom and Benny P are back with more tales of triumph, chaos and the curious art of blagging a bargain. Fresh from The Speed Project, Benny P shares what it was like to run a non-stop relay from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and still somehow make a decent coffee at the end. Meanwhile, Tom’s been gallivanting around Northumberland and Cornwall without spending a single penny on accommodation - he spills the beans on how he did it, and the magic he found along the way. We also reveal the trick to getting into the Eden Project for free and there’s a surprise cameo from a very famous Hollywood Brit who dropped in on Tom’s socials. Plus, we draw from the Great British Misadventures pot and hear one of Tom’s funny and/or embarrassing stories from his own misadventures. Visit Ben's Trailside Coffee Van: https://www.instagram.com/trailsidecoffee/ Follow Ben: https://www.instagram.com/mr.bennypalmer/ Support the podcast: Get a whopping 65% off your first Gousto box at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=TOM42277653⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Trusted Housesitters: Get 25% off your membership: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF116724/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=refer-a-friend&utm_campaign=refer-a-friend Mentioned in the conversation: Jonty Brown: https://www.instagram.com/jontyruns/ The Travel Project Episode: https://spoti.fi/4bUcPWa Guy Richie's Fountain of Youth https://youtu.be/1gB9h0ELEf0?si=P1sbFq6xP2SQfbwu Origin Coffee: https://www.origincoffee.co.uk/ Knoops: https://knoops.com/uk Get in contact: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombryanyeah/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/greatbritishadventurespodcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@tombryanyeah CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:37 Coming up 04:38 Ben takes on The Speed Project 17:58 How to manage a 48 hour tempo 25:49 Jonty Brown's Solo Speed Project 30:59 Is holidaying in the UK actually expensive? 36:54 For the love of stone circles 39:48 Is the UK weather actually bad? 44:52 Tom's famous Hollywood follower 50:49 Tom's birthday in Northumberland 58:11 Charlie Bennett's episode 59:31 Cornish adventures 01:06:49 Fowey's famous authors 01:11:18 Getting into the Eden Project for free 01:18:55 Minions, Cheesewring and Wild Guides 01:25:14 Holidaying off season 01:31:34 Trusted Housesitters 01:33:12 Merlin Bird ID 01:36:14 Writing challenge update 01:42:38 Murder your darlings 01:45:31 Coffee Corner 01:49:54 Great British Misadventures

    2h 6m
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About

Hey I'm Tom! I'm a film-maker, adventurer and former BBC journalist. Join me in conversation with those who chose a life of adventure, those who don't take normal as normal and those with incredible stories to tell. If you think you know someone who has a Great British Adventure story to tell, please get in contact: https://linktr.ee/tombryanyeah

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Bryan
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Tom Bryan
  • Show Website
    Great British Adventures

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