One Wild Life Podcast with Abbie Barnes

Mark Charlie Valentine is deeply passionate about promoting the many benefits towards improved physical health & mental well-being through spending time outdoors and this theme can be seen running through all avenues of his work. He is a Winter & International Mountain Leader, Climbing Coach & Rock Climbing Instructor, and is the director of and an instructor at Your Mountain Adventure. But Mark has not always worked in the hills and mountains. After dealing with a horrific incident whilst working as a bouncer in Leeds, Mark discovered first hand the power of time spent outside in nature as he sought to find ways that empowered him through his diagnosis of PTSD. The award-winning film The White Fox follows Mark's journey from doors to hills, and he is now also presenting The White Fox Talking podcast. In todays episode I chat with Mark about all things outdoors and mental health. Please note that in this episode we do discuss various mental health conditions including PTSD and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. White Fox Talking Website & Podcast [https://www.whitefoxtalking.com] White Fox film [https://filmuphigh.com/the-white-fox-charlie-leeds/] Your Mountain Adventure [https://www.yourmountainadventure.com]

Now for many of us when we head into the hills for a wee hike we might pack a few bars, a banana that will inevitably get squashed, and maybe even indulge in a soggy sandwich or two. But for Harrison Ward, time outside means both gym and kitchen, as he carries beautiful ingredients with him on his adventures to create delicious, restaurant style meals on minimal camping equipment. Now known as Fell Foodie, Harrison has gained a reputation as an outdoor cook, hiker and mental health speaker, and he regularly talks about his personal battle with mental illness, sharing how in 2016 he harnessed the power of nature in all its wonderful forms in order to get sober and turn his life around. His journey is inspirational and today I take a deep dive with Harrison to talk about all things fell and food. Follow Harrison on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/fellfoodie/] Check out Harrisons Website [https://www.fellfoodie.co.uk] Harrison on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/fellfoodie]

Exmoor is a place like no other. As one of the UK’s 15 National Parks it boasts a myriad of habitats from rugged heather moorlands, home to wild deer and semi-feral ponies, to the most extensive broadleaved coastal woods in Britain, and the highest sea cliffs and most remote coastline in England. The park is full of historical buildings, bubbling brooks and fascinating combes and valleys, and is an International Dark Sky Reserve. Exmoor sees around 2 million visitors pass through its borders each year, and as such a team is needed to ensure these beautiful spaces are protected. Someone who knows all about enabling the public to give back and get engaged is Charlotte Wray, a ranger within Exmoor National Park. In this episode I talk with Charlotte and find out more about her role and what it takes to keep Britains wild spaces flourishing for all to enjoy. Exmoor National Park Website [http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk] National Parks UK Website [https://www.nationalparks.uk] Main Woofing Website [https://wwoof.org.uk/en/] iNaturalist Website [https://www.inaturalist.org]

Adventure means different things to different people. An adventure for some could mean going for a dip in an icy tarn or riding a mountain bike down a gnarly home run; for others it could be climbing a mountain for the first time or facing a long-term fear of some sort. For explorer and expedition leader Chaz Powell, adventure has become a way of life that has seen him walk the length of some of Africa's wildest rivers and create a way of life that embraces nature and sustainable living. Along the way Chaz has sought to highlight the devastating realities of wildlife crime and conservation issues across the globe. For his work Chaz was awarded with the honorary title of `Explorer of the Year” by the Scientific Exploration Society in 2021, and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. In this episode I chat to Chaz about his explorations and missions to create positive change. The Wildest Journey Website [https://www.thewildestjourney.com/chazpowell] Chaz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thewildestjourney/] Chaz on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheWildestJourney/]

Bex Band is the founder and director of Love Her Wild, a registered non-profit Female Adventure Company, established in 2017. It has since grown into the largest of its kind in the UK with over 25,000 members. Through Love Her Wild Bex aims to make adventure more accessible to women, and has raised more than £10k for charity, removed over 10,000 pieces of plastic pollution from waterways, and set up 8 mentoring partnerships. BEX IS A PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURER TOO, BOASTING AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF PREVIOUS EXPLORATIONS, AND SHE IS CURRENTLY IN THE THROES OF ORGANISING THE WOMEN’S END2END RELAY, A WORLD-FIRST HIKING RELAY COVERING THE LENGTH OF THE UK. Alongside this and everything else, she has recently published a new book Three Stripes South, following her 1000km journey along the length of the Israel National Trail in 2016. When she’s not running the Love Her Wild community, Bex is a mum to her daughter Rivi, and a passionate advocate for environmental conservation. Follow Bex on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bex_band/] Bex Band Main Website [https://www.theordinaryadventurer.com] Love Her Wild Main Website [https://www.loveherwild.com] Love Her Wild Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/LoveherwildUK/] Buy Your Copy Of Three Strips South [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Stripes-South-thru-hike-adventure/dp/1784778389/ref=sr_1_1?crid=164PKH79YVZIH&keywords=three+stripes+south&qid=1646842494&sprefix=three+str%2Caps%2C844&sr=8-1]