Notes from Big Trails

Overnight at the Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon

The overnight camp at the Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon must be one of the best places in the world.  The shared stories from the day bring everyone together in a way that you don’t really experience in other areas of your life - getting lost in the cloud, the various degrees of ankle pain from contouring around hills and doing battle with tussocks, the happy realisation that there’s life beyond footpaths.  It all adds up to the joy of spending time outside. We talk about: * The best food to eat between Saunders days * The difference that route choice can make on the hill * The joy found in partners on the trail * How the Saunders has become a family tradition that spans entire generations and ages. * Love and loss and how people find connection on the hills. Follow & Support If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice. Get out on your own adventure - find out more at bigtrailadventures.com [http://bigtrailadventures.com].

380km Across the Swiss Alps

What happens when a race stops feeling like competition and starts feeling like exploration? In this episode, Rob talks to trail runner and author Scott Williams about taking on the Swiss Peaks 360 — a multi-day ultra across the Swiss Alps involving huge climbs, sleep deprivation, technical mountain terrain and six days on the move. But this conversation goes well beyond racing. Scott shares why he keeps returning to difficult places, the surprising role of kindness and support, what happens when normal life falls away for a few days, and why adventure doesn’t need to be extreme to change us. We talk about: * What the Swiss Peaks 360 actually involves * Why Scott attempted it twice * The extraordinary mountain landscapes that stayed with him * Racing without rushing * The people who carried him through difficult moments * Unexpected challenges on the route (including one memorable bog) * The “day five effect” and how time outdoors changes perception * Bringing lessons from the trail back into everyday life * Why you don’t need a 380km race to experience adventure Scott is also the author of Swimming Through Rocks [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Swimming-Through-Rocks-finished-toughest/dp/B0FJ84YGVM]. Follow & Support If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice. Get out on your own adventure - find out more at bigtrailadventures.com [http://bigtrailadventures.com].

How to Walk The Pembrokeshire Coast Path in 7 Days

This week’s guest is Rick Clark. Rick joins me to talk about walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path — a week-long journey covering around 186 miles of coastline from Amroth to St Dogmaels. Walking south to north, Rick covered big days carrying a full pack and wild camped for much of the route, balancing the practical challenges of water, recovery and finding camp spots with the simplicity that long-distance walking brings. We talk about: • Why the Pembrokeshire Coast Path feels different to other long-distance trails • Walking 25–30 mile days with a loaded pack • Sharing the opening days of the journey with his son • Companionable silence and conversations that only seem to happen on trails • First experiences of wild camping and learning systems as you go • Finding places you would otherwise never stop in • Water, feet and the surprisingly important role of foot cream • How fitness doesn’t automatically translate into long-distance walking • Wildlife, sunsets and sleeping beside the sea • Why the end of a trail isn’t always the best part Trail fact file: The trail The Pembrokeshire Coast Path Distance Around 186 miles / 300km Start / Finish Amroth → St Dogmaels (or reverse) How long does it take? Many walkers take around 10–15 days. Rick completed it in 7. Terrain Coastal trail with frequent climbs and descents, grassy cliff paths, beaches, occasional road sections and excellent waymarking. Wild camping Not officially permitted in most places — always check current guidance and follow leave-no-trace principles. Enjoyed the episode? Follow Notes From Big Trails and leave a review — it really helps other listeners find the show. Find more at bigtrailadventures.com [bigtrailadventures.com].

The Alpamayo Circuit and the Most Beautiful Mountain in the World

In this episode, Rob speaks with Bodil Oudshoorn and Ross Brannigan about their seven-day journey on Peru’s Alpamayo Circuit in the Cordillera Blanca. Carrying around 16kg each — including a full week of food — they crossed multiple high passes above 4,500 metres, wild camped throughout the route and spent days without seeing another hiker. The conversation explores the realities of trekking at altitude, the logistics of self-supported travel, the impact of isolation, and the moments that stay with you long after the trip ends. Along the way they talk about: * Seeing Alpamayo emerge through cloud for the first time * Why the first three days nearly ended the trip * Sleeping above 4,000 metres * Meeting Quechua farming communities in the mountains * Condors, hummingbirds and collapsing glaciers * Carrying seven days of food through the Andes * What adventure teaches you about resilience and partnership Route Facts * Route: Alpamayo Circuit, Peru * Region: Cordillera Blanca, Andes * Distance: Approx. 120km * Duration: 7 days * Highest passes: Over 4,500 metres * Style: Self-supported wild camping * Resupply points: None * Direction walked: Anti-clockwise Follow & Support If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice. Get out on your own adventure - find out more at bigtrailadventures.com [http://bigtrailadventures.com].

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 trail * Walking and running on Britain's oldest road * 29 and 33 mile days, and how miles reframe themselves * The running-and-walking format, tried for the second time * The day-two overtake and the frosty reception * The empty Avebury Stone Circle at the end * A chance meeting on the trail If listening to this has got you thinking about your own adventure, head to bigtrailadventures.com [https://bigtrailadventures.com].