Walking Post

Walking Post podcast 53: What is a travel coach?

Most people would know the definition of a life coach, but what is a travel coach? An ICF-accredited travel coach is someone who applies International Coaching Federation standards to help clients use travel for personal or professional growth, rather than just booking trips. In practice, they work with people to clarify goals, intentions, and desired outcomes before a journey, then use coaching skills like active listening, powerful questions, and accountability to shape the experience. The “travel” part means the coach may help clients think through why they want to travel, what they want to get from it, and how to match destinations or experiences to those aims. That could include self-discovery, healing, connection, career change, relocation, education, or general life direction. It is more about transformation through travel than itinerary planning. ICF-accreditation signals that the coach has trained under standards recognised by the ICF, a major coaching credentialing body. That gives the practice more structure and credibility, and it distinguishes it from ordinary travel consulting or travel agency work. Courtney Rosiak-Quinto, our guest this week, switched jobs in California to follow her dreams and become an accredited travel coach. To get in touch with the podcast with comments, guest ideas, or for advertising/sponsorship opportunities, email us at jim@walkingpost.com [jim@walkingpost.com]

Walking Post podcast 52: North South Way Peace Camino

Three guests and one story this week. We talk to Paul O'Neill, secretary of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland – Newry Portadown Branch; Jonny Keer, heritage officer, Moneypenny's Forge; and Shirley Hayes, service manager of REACT Armagh, about the new North South Way Peace Camino [https://www.nicf.org.uk/north-south-way-peace-camino/] that runs from Newry, in Northern Ireland, to Carlingford, in the Republic of Ireland. The North South Way Peace Camino is a community-led initiative designed to connect people, places and communities. It is a 40-mile route following the Newry Canal Towpath and the shoreline of Carlingford Lough. The initiative aims to create a shared space where people can walk, connect with nature, explore heritage and take part in activities that support wellbeing and community connection. The Peace Camino is intended to become a community corridor that supports group walks, creative programmes, heritage engagement and community programmes, while also creating opportunities for local businesses, social enterprises and community organisations. REACT CEO Shirley Hayes said the North South Way Peace Camino is a shared pathway for connection, wellbeing and opportunity, that invites people to walk together, strengthen communities and contribute to a peaceful future. The initiative is also being supported through partnership working, including collaboration with Ulster University’s International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE), which will contribute to research and learning on the role of walking, nature and connection in supporting wellbeing and post-conflict recovery. To get in touch with the podcast with comments, guest ideas, or for advertising/sponsorship opportunities, email us at jim@walkingpost.com [jim@walkingpost.com]

Walking Post podcast 51: Alaska

Expeditions Alaska [https://www.expeditionsalaska.com/] is a wilderness adventure guiding company based in Anchorage, Alaska. Our guest this week, owner and lead guide Carl Donohue, has been guiding in Alaska since 1998 and founded the company in 2002. Expeditions Alaska runs small-group backpacking, hiking, camping, packrafting, sea kayaking, and photography tours in Alaska’s national parks and wilderness areas, in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Katmai, Denali, Lake Clark National Parks, and other areas in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska with all relevant permits and certifications for each. The guides hold Wilderness First Responder certifications, swift water rescue and crevasse rescue training, ACA certifications in sea kayaking and packrafting instruction. To get in touch with the podcast with comments, guest ideas, or for advertising/sponsorship opportunities, email us at jim@walkingpost.com [jim@walkingpost.com]

Walking Post podcast 50: The Ice Age Trail

The Ice Age Trail is one of 11 National Scenic Trails in the US. It runs for roughly 1,200 miles across Wisconsin, following the terminal moraine left by the last Ice Age. It passes through 30 counties from Interstate State Park on the Minnesota border to Potawatomi State Park on the Door Peninsula. The trail is open year‑round and is designed primarily for hiking and backpacking, with some winter sections suitable for snowshoeing and cross‑country skiing. The trail exists through cooperation between the National Park Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, local governments, private landowners and the Ice Age Trail Alliance. Its yellow blazes and mix of forest, farmland, small towns and suburban edges make it accessible to both long‑distance hikers and local day‑walkers. The Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA) is the non‑profit organisation responsible for building, maintaining, protecting and promoting the trail. Founded in 1958, it operates through volunteer‑run chapters across the state, supported by a small professional staff. The Alliance works with state and federal partners to secure land, develop new trail segments and manage conservation areas along the route. Its mission is to create and protect a continuous, permanently conserved footpath that showcases Wisconsin’s glacial landscapes. Beyond trail construction, the Alliance provides guidebooks, maps, hiker resources and community programmes, and it coordinates thousands of volunteers who handle everything from corridor clearing to public outreach. It also plays a central role in the “thousand‑miler” culture — hikers who complete the entire route. Our guest this week is IATA’s Melissa Pierick. To get in touch with us with comments, guest ideas, or for advertising/sponsorship opportunities, email us at jim@walkingpost.com [jim@walkingpost.com]

Walking Post podcast 49: Tai Chi walking – hype or help?

This week, we’re looking at one of the latest online walking trends – Tai Chi walking. We find out what it is and whether or not it’s something worth pursuing. Our guest is Ashley Katzenback, a doctor of physical therapy and owner of Cape Concierge Physical Therapy, with offices in Sandwich and the Pinehills. Katzenback has more than 20 years of experience and is an expert in the musculoskeletal field. She is a certified myofascial trigger point therapist with extensive training in osteoporosis, chronic pain management, ergonomics and injury prevention. She is passionate about longevity and believes that through education we can empower communities to age well. To get in touch with the podcast with comments, guest ideas, or for advertising/sponsorship opportunities, email us at jim@walkingpost.com [jim@walkingpost.com]