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. Elise Downing on the Ridgeway: Britain's Oldest Road, in Three Days

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    Elise Downing on the Ridgeway: Britain's Oldest Road, in Three Days

    Elise Downing ran 87 miles of the Ridgeway in three days in 2020, between lockdowns, with her friend Sophie. Their two friends, Ange and Oscar, walked the same daily distances - the same format the four had tried on the West Highland Way two years earlier, when Ange and Oscar bailed after day two. We talk about why running suits the less-scenic sections, the feeling of walking an ancient road, a chance meeting on a footpath, finishing at an empty Avebury Stone Circle, and whether the running-and-walking format worked any better the second time round. About Elise Downing Elise is part of our team at Big Trail Adventures, where she runs our social media. She's also one of Britain's best-known long-distance runners. A few years before this trip she ran 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain on her own with her kit on her back. She's written about it in a book and a newsletter. What we talk about The Ridgeway as a "gateway" first trailWalking and running on Britain's oldest road29 and 33 mile days, and how miles reframe themselvesThe running-and-walking format, tried for the second timeThe day-two overtake and the frosty receptionThe empty Avebury Stone Circle at the endA chance meeting on the trailIf listening to this has got you thinking about your own adventure, head to bigtrailadventures.com.

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  2. Chris Townsend on the GR5: No Huts and No Plan

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    Chris Townsend on the GR5: No Huts and No Plan

    Show notes Chris Townsend walked the Alpine section of the GR5 in autumn, as the mountain huts and village shops were closing for the season. He took about a month, slept under a tarp, and bought the food for his first week at a supermarket in Geneva train station before he started. We talk about the rhythm of a month-long walk, finding water in unfamiliar mountains, the surprise of the southern forests, and the strange business of walking out of the mountains and onto the beach at Nice. There's also a story about singing Italian waiters in a near-empty hotel and a tangent into Death Valley, which last we checked is nowhere near the GR5. About Chris Townsend Chris is one of Britain's most experienced long-distance walkers. He's been writing about backpacking and the outdoors for decades, including books on his walks across the USA, Scandinavia and the UK, and regular work for outdoor magazines and his blog. What we cover The two halves of the GR5: high alps in the north, rocky forested mountains in the south1200 metres of ascent every day, and how to pace itSleeping under a tarp rather than a tentWater and food planning when the season has endedThe thunderstorm decision and the snow the next morningThe sweet chestnut forests of the southern halfThe Italian-run hotel and the casual shopkeeperWalking into Nice with a rucksack and hill clothesWhy a long walk feels different from a short oneLinks Chris's blog: https://www.christownsendoutdoors.comChris's books: https://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/p/publications.htmlIf listening to this has got you thinking about your own adventure, head to bigtrailadventures.com. Subscribe to Notes From Big Trails wherever you get your podcasts.

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  3. 31 Days on the Cape Wrath Trail

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    31 Days on the Cape Wrath Trail

    Most people tackle the Cape Wrath Trail as a challenge of endurance — covering big miles through some of the wildest terrain in the UK. Stephen Passmore took a different approach. In spring 2023, Stephen spent 31 days walking north from Fort William to Cape Wrath. Along the way he wild camped, stayed in bothies, carried painting supplies in his pack, and created a watercolour painting almost every day of the journey. In this episode we talk about: Walking the Cape Wrath Trail slowlyCarrying a heavy pack for 31 daysBothy life in the Scottish HighlandsRiver crossings and navigationFollowing spring north through ScotlandWhat changes when you stop rushing through landscapes Stephen also shares stories from Torridon, Sandwood Bay, Knoydart and some of the quieter moments that stayed with him long after the trail ended. Links Stephen PassmoreBook: Painting the Trail – Cape Wrathhttps://www.artpassmore.art/product/painting-the-trail-cape-wrath/3 Get out on your own adventure - find out more at bigtrailadventures.com.

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  4. Is The Dales Way Britain’s Best First Long-Distance Walk?

    ١ مايو

    Is The Dales Way Britain’s Best First Long-Distance Walk?

    The Dales Way is often recommended as one of the best first long-distance walks in the UK — but that doesn’t mean it’s without challenge. In this episode of Notes From Big Trails, Rob speaks with Jessica Mather, who completed the trail in four days last summer — covering roughly 20 miles a day while camping along the route. Starting in Ilkley and finishing in Bowness-on-Windermere, Jess shares what it’s actually like to move quickly across the trail — from the open landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales to the familiar feeling of walking back towards home in the Lake District. Along the way they talk about planning a multi-day trip, choosing campsites, dealing with swollen feet and finding unexpected moments of trail magic. They also talk about why multi-day walks feel so different to day hikes — and why confidence matters more than experience when you're starting out. In this episode What the Dales Way is and why it’s so accessibleWalking 80 miles in four daysCamping along the routeFollowing seven rivers through the Yorkshire DalesSwollen feet in the summer heatTrail magic honesty boxesThe people you meet on long-distance trailsWhy finishing can feel strangely overwhelmingAdvice for first-time multi-day walkers About the trailDales WayDistance: 80 miles / 129kmLocation: Yorkshire Dales and Lake District, EnglandTerrain: riverside trails, farmland paths, rolling hills and villagesDifficulty: moderateBest for: first-time multi-day walkers, experienced hikers wanting a shorter challenge, and anyone who likes pub stops with their adventure Get out on your own adventure - find out more at bigtrailadventures.com.

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  5. I Ran Around Britain With £1,000, a Tent... and the Kindness of Strangers

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    I Ran Around Britain With £1,000, a Tent... and the Kindness of Strangers

    Wayne Russell set out to run 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain with little more than a tent, £1,000, and a huge idea. What followed was ten months of sleeping in church porches, bus shelters, caves, strangers’ gardens and fire stations as he circled the entire British coastline. He began the run to raise money after losing his sister to a rare heart condition—but as he explains in this conversation, the journey became about far more than fundraising. We talk about: why he decided to do itshattering his ankle just before departurecrying in a cave in Cornwallthe strangers who helped him survivehow Britain’s fire services became his accidental support crewthe beauty of the Scottish Highlandswhy finishing felt strangely anticlimacticand why adventure is far more accessible than most people think This is a funny, moving and deeply honest conversation about grief, resilience, kindness and what happens when you decide to do something wildly ambitious before you feel fully ready. Get out on your own adventure - find out more at bigtrailadventures.com.

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  6. I Needed a Reason to Quit - So I Ate All My Chocolate

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    I Needed a Reason to Quit - So I Ate All My Chocolate

    Jess Day joins Notes From Big Trails to talk about walking the Te Araroa Trail — a 3,000km route stretching the full length of New Zealand. Walking solo over four and a half months, Jess shares what the experience actually felt like — from early nerves and self-doubt, through to trail family, unexpected kindness, and yes, the importance of chocolate. This isn’t just a story about distance. It’s about what happens to your mind when you’re out there for that long — and the small moments that end up meaning the most. In this episode, we cover: How Jess went from shorter UK trails to taking on Te AraroaThe reality of walking 3,000km soloThe mental challenge of long-distance hiking — including dealing with anxiety and PMDD on trailThe contrast between the North and South IslandsExtreme weather — from relentless sun to snow and freezing fogTrail family, shared hardship, and why people bond so quicklyTrail angels and the kindness of strangersWhy she ate all her chocolate — and why it was the right decisionWhat finishing actually feels like (and why it’s not what you expect)Why you don’t need to do something huge to have a meaningful adventure Enjoy! Follow Jess Jess shares more of her adventures, reflections, and journey into long-distance hiking here:Instagram: @shoes_full_of_feet_ Get out on your own adventure - find out more at bigtrailadventures.com.

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  7. The GR5 — Walking It With My Kids, Year After Year

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    The GR5 — Walking It With My Kids, Year After Year

    The GR5 is one of Europe’s great long-distance trails — stretching nearly 1,500 miles from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. In this episode of Notes From Big Trails, Rob speaks with Ryel Kestano about walking the trail not in one go — but in stages, over several years, with his children. Starting when they were still young, Ryel introduced his kids to long-distance walking through shorter trips before committing to the GR5 — returning each summer to pick up where they left off. So far, they’ve covered nearly 1,000 miles — crossing the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and into France — moving gradually from flat northern landscapes into more remote and mountainous terrain. Along the way, the experience has become about far more than the trail itself. There are moments of challenge — getting lost, injuries, long days on tired legs — but also moments of connection: quiet miles in conversation, shared meals, small rituals, and the satisfaction of reaching the end of each stage together. It’s also a story about parenting — about giving children something difficult to take on, and watching their confidence grow as they realise they can do more than they thought. And perhaps most of all, it’s about time — the rare chance to spend long, uninterrupted days together, away from the distractions of everyday life. In this episode What the GR5 is and how it spans EuropeWalking a long-distance trail in stages over multiple yearsIntroducing children to multi-day hikingThe rhythm of returning to a trail year after yearHow time on the trail changes family relationshipsWhy doing hard things early in life matters About the trail GR5 (Grande Randonnée 5) Distance: ~1,500 miles / 2,500 kmLocation: Netherlands to France (North Sea to Mediterranean)Terrain: flat lowlands, forests, farmland, mountains and alpine terrainDifficulty: highly variable — increases significantly towards the Alps The GR5 is one of Europe’s classic long-distance routes — offering huge variety, from quiet northern landscapes to some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the Alps. See more from Ryel and his family at https://www.youtube.com/@ryel-kestano. Find out more about solo adventures at bigtrailadventures.com.

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  8. The South Hams Way — A New Trail on the Devon Coast

    ٣ أبريل

    The South Hams Way — A New Trail on the Devon Coast

    The South Hams Way is a newly launched 100-mile circular trail through South Devon — linking the South West Coast Path, Dartmoor, and a network of towns and countryside routes across the region. In this short episode of Notes From Big Trails, Rob speaks with Claire, who lives right on the trail and has been walking it in sections — often returning to familiar places and seeing them in a new way. Because the route is divided into ten manageable sections, it works just as well for short local walks as it does for a longer multi-day trip. Along the way, Claire talks about the rhythm of picking up a trail again and again, the small discoveries you make even close to home, and how the same stretch of path can feel completely different depending on the weather, the season, or simply the time of day. There’s no single standout moment — and that’s kind of the point. This is a trail made up of many small moments: a quiet beach, a stretch of moorland, a change in the light, or just the simple act of getting outside for a few hours. It’s also a reminder that you don’t always need to travel far to find something that feels like an adventure. In this episode What the South Hams Way is and how the route is structuredWalking the trail in sections rather than all in one goDiscovering new places close to homeCoastal vs moorland sections — and personal favouritesPracticalities: terrain, navigation, and accommodationThe mental and physical benefits of simply getting outside About the trail South Hams Way Distance: ~100 miles / 160 kmLocation: South Devon, EnglandTerrain: coastal paths, moorland, countryside tracks and small townsDifficulty: moderate — some steep coastal sections, but manageable in stagesThe South Hams Way is a new addition to the UK’s long-distance trails — designed to be flexible, accessible, and easy to break into sections, making it ideal for both visitors and locals. Find out more about solo adventures at bigtrailadventures.com. Find out more about Claire and her Woman On A Mission coaching at https://womanonamissioncoaching.com or follow Claire at https://www.instagram.com/claire_womanonamission/.

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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.

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    Big Trail Adventures // Rob Savin
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    © Big Trail Adventures // Rob Savin
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    Notes from Big Trails

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