The Outdoors Fix podcast is all about inspiring you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life! In this episode, live from The Big Retreat Festival, I speak to Cath Pendleton. Cath works full-time in an office in Wales and is a single mum to two daughters. But she’s also swum an ice mile in Antarctica, won Bronze for Team GB in the World Ice Swimming Championships in Russia and completed a swim across the English Channel. Cath’s inspired countless women to get outside and have an adventure, including TV presenter Louise Minchin, whom she persuaded to go free diving under the ice in Finland! Also known as ‘the Merthyr Mermaid’ (referencing Merthyr Tydfil where she lived), Cath certainly knows about juggling real life to make time for outdoors adventures, and she had so many insights to share when I spoke to her at The Big Retreat Festival in Pembrokeshire. Don’t miss Cath’s tips for getting started with ice swimming at the end of the episode, as well as a minute of the sounds of nature for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. Cath’s episode of The Outdoors Fix is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. It’s also embedded below. I hope you enjoy it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Cath Pendleton on Instagram @swimcathswim - The Big Retreat Festival is @thebigretreatfestival You can find photos from our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc The audio from the festival was produced by Pete Crouch from Liquid Studios: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petecrouch/

At the age of 60, Siobhan Daniels decided to sell her flat and most of her belongings, buy a motorhome and explore all around the UK. Five years later, she’s fulfilled so many of her dreams, including spending months adventuring around Orkney and the Outer Hebrides, watching beautiful sunsets in the wilderness and writing a book about her journey. Siobhan, who calls herself a ‘pro-age campaigner’, is determined to encourage older women to dismiss age as a barrier to adventure, and to go out and have the time of their lives. I had a fantastic time chatting to Siobhan in front of an audience at The Big Retreat Festival in Pembrokeshire. It was a conversation that will stay with me and inspire me for years to come. I hope you enjoy it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Siobhan on Instagram @shuvonshuvoff - The Big Retreat Festival is @thebigretreatfestival You can find photos from our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Elise Wortley is an adventurer who follows in the footsteps of intrepid female explorers of the past. Her fascination with these women has taken her on expeditions all over the world for her Woman with Altitude Project, from the Himalayas dressed in a yak coat and wooden backpack; to Iran trekking with a mule in a 1930s Burberry mac; and to the Scottish Highlands, wearing a 1940s cotton skirt and hobnail boots. More recently, Elise took part in Channel 4’s survival series, Alone, where she managed to survive for weeks on her own in the Canadian wilderness. Elise took me for a walk in Battersea Park in London and we recorded her episode of The Outdoors Fix podcast there. I wanted to find out what was behind all of Elise’s adventures, how she balances it with her full-time PR job, and what it took to survive for weeks in the Canadian wilderness. Elise shares her bushcraft and survival tips at the end of the episode, so make sure you don’t miss her advice. There’s also a minute of the sounds of nature for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. Elise’s episode of The Outdoors Fix is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. It’s also embedded below. I hope you enjoy it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Elise on Instagram @woman_with_altitude You can find photos and videos from our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell are offering listeners of The Outdoors Fix a 20% discount at Merrell.co.uk (One product per person until 31 Dec 2023) Just use the code OUTDOORS20.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Carla Khouri is a qualified mountain leader who’s also the course director for Black Girls Hike, a Duke of Edinburgh assessor, paddlesports leader and Merrell Hiking Club organiser. But she lives in London and she used to be a science teacher! Carla is also one of only two black female mountain leaders in the UK and she’s on course with her training to be the only black female winter mountain leader. Carla took me to a beautiful park just minutes from her home in London, and we recorded the episode sitting on the grass within sight of a herd of fallow deer. Someone who’s unafraid of following her heart, Carla’s story left me feeling inspired about having courage to follow your dreams at any age, and the impact of contributing to the outdoors community. Carla shares her tips for lesser-known spots to explore around the UK at the end of the episode, as well as how to start out and secure work if you’re interested in becoming a mountain leader, so make sure you don’t miss her advice. There’s also a minute of the sounds of nature for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. Carla’s episode of The Outdoors Fix is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. It’s also embedded below. I hope you enjoy it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Carla on Instagram @carlarunsonplants You can find photos and videos from our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell are offering listeners of The Outdoors Fix a 20% discount at Merrell.co.uk (One product per person until 31 Dec 2023) Just use the code OUTDOORS20.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Emma Holland is a qualified mountain leader who runs her own mountain leader business, Emma Holland Mountain Training. You’ll often find her in the Peak District leading groups on hikes, teaching navigation or wild camping in the hills. Through her walks and courses, she’s trying to give people the confidence to safely plan their own outdoors adventures. Having worked for Nottingham City Council since she was 18, it wasn’t until her 40s that Emma took the big leap to shift the direction of her career and life towards the outdoors. Her story proves that it’s never too late to pursue your passion. Emma took me for a stunning hike on the eastern edge of the Peak District for this episode and we recorded it sat on the grass in the shade of some birch trees. It was a fascinating conversation about turning the outdoors into a career and how it can positively influence the path of your life. Emma shares her tips for becoming a mountain leader and where to go walking in the Peak District at the end of the episode, so make sure you don’t miss her advice. There’s also a minute of the sounds of nature for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. I hope you enjoy the episode and please feel free to rate and review it, or tell your friends about it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Emma on Instagram @emmahollandmt You can find photos of our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available to pre-order: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell are offering listeners of The Outdoors Fix a 20% off discount on their shoes at Merrell.co.uk So just use the code FIX20 which is valid on all full price items on their website.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Debbie Croydon found a deep love of swimming in open water later in life and she’s working hard to encourage women, particularly from Black and Asian communities, to give it a go too. Debbie’s a swimming teacher, an open water coach and triathlon coach - she’s also the co-founder of the community swimming group, Soul Swimmers. Set up in 2020, the group aims to encourage more women from diverse backgrounds to take up swimming, particularly outdoors in open water. Debbie’s based in London and she’s also a triathlete who has competed for Team GB in the World Championships for triathlon in her age category of 60-64! Debbie and I met back in the summer and chatted by the shores of the West Reservoir in London, an open water swimming reservoir. I wanted to find out how Debbie found her love of open water swimming, what sparked the idea to set up Soul Swimmers, and why she’s determined to see more women from diverse backgrounds enjoying a dip outdoors. Debbie shares her tips for open water swimming at the end of the episode, so make sure you don’t miss her advice. There’s also a minute of the sounds of nature at the end for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. I hope you enjoy the episode and please feel free to rate and review it, or tell your friends about it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Debbie on Instagram @debcroydon and Soul Swimmers @soulswimmers.uk You can find photos of our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available to pre-order: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell are offering listeners of The Outdoors Fix a 20% off discount on their shoes at Merrell.co.uk So just use the code FIX20 which is valid on all full price items on their website.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Are you looking to join an adventure community or thinking about setting one up? For this episode, I went for a walk with Kate Capelli, the founder of Adventuress in the Wild. It’s an adventure community for women based in London and the South East that’s massively grown since Kate set it up a couple of years ago. The group offers everything from weekly walks around London and bouldering through to hikes in Surrey and the Chilterns, and wild weekends in Snowdonia, the Peak District and South Downs. There are trips abroad in the works too. With so many events on offer, Kate, who is now a qualified lowland walk leader and hiking guide, has created a big buzz around the community and she’s opening up adventure to hundreds of women. As someone who defines herself as queer, she emphasises that the group is open to all women, particularly those in the LGBTQIA+ community & women of colour.  Kate and I met back in the summer and chatted in Ashridge Estate in the Chilterns, only about 10 minutes from where I grew up! I wanted to find out what sparked the idea to set up her adventure community, how Kate runs it and how it’s profoundly changing her life. Kate shares her tips for getting outdoors more and great places to explore in London at the end of the episode, so make sure you don’t miss her advice. There’s also a minute of the sounds of nature at the end for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. I hope you enjoy the episode and please feel free to rate and review it, or tell your friends about it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Kate on Instagram @kateshikes and @adventuressinthewild You can find photos of our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available to pre-order: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell are offering listeners of The Outdoors Fix a 20% off discount on their shoes at Merrell.co.uk So just use the code FIX20 which is valid on all full price items on their website.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Have you ever wanted to take on an outdoors challenge or tick off an outdoors goal but you’ve never got round to it or you’ve doubted yourself? My guest in this episode, Chris Gaskin, is someone who might give you the confidence to go for it. Chris is a Special Forces veteran and endurance athlete from Yorkshire who set the record in 2021 for the fastest solo and unsupported continuous round of the Wainwrights in the Lake District. He managed to climb all the 214 Wainwright fells and walk in between them in just 11 days, 10 hours and 58 minutes. The fastest known time for the 325-mile feat during which he also carried all his own food and equipment. Chris tackled the endurance challenge to raise money for the military community and charity Walking with the Wounded. I loved chatting to Chris about his challenge when we went for a walk together on the Pennine Way in the Peak District. But what I found equally fascinating was the mental resilience approach he uses to get through difficult moments in life and big physical challenges. A mnemonic called MINDSET. It’s something that I found incredibly useful and inspirational to hear about and I think you might too. You may not be focused on setting a Wainwright record like Chris, but his techniques might just help you with whatever outdoors challenge or goals you’d like to pursue. So listen to the episode to find out what MINDSET stands for and how Chris used it to help him complete his Wainwright record-setting round. Don’t forget to listen out for Chris’ endurance challenge tips at the end of the episode as well as the minute of sounds of nature to bring a bit of escapism into your busy day. I hope you enjoy the episode and please feel free to rate and review it, or tell your friends about it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Chris on Instagram @mr.g.runningfree You can find photos of our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available to pre-order: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell are offering listeners of The Outdoors Fix a 20% off discount on their shoes at Merrell.co.uk So just use the code FIX20 which is valid on all full price items on their website.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Are you desperate to go on more outdoors adventures but feel like you never have enough time? Vicky Balfour’s story might just be the spark of inspiration you’re looking for! Vicky lives in Kent and is an avid mountain biker, bike mechanic, writer, special needs parent and founder of Vicky Bikes, her business offering bike mechanic and cycling sessions. Her mission is “to enable people of all ages and backgrounds to find pockets of adventure within the boundaries of everyday life.” Listen to the episode to find out her tips for adding more adventure into your weekly routine. You’ll also hear why she moved from city PR to mountain biking and setting up her own biking business, as well as how nature and being outdoors helped her through a very difficult couple of decades in her life. Vicky took me mountain biking in the Kent countryside for this episode and we recorded it in the middle of a wood! It turned out to be one of the most powerful and extraordinary stories I’ve ever heard during my years recording The Outdoors Fix. She shared her tips for mountain biking routes and getting outdoors at the end of the episode, so make sure you don’t miss her advice. There’s also a minute of the sounds of nature at the end for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. I hope you enjoy the episode and please feel free to rate and review it, or tell your friends about it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Vicky on Instagram @vickybikes You can find photos of our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available to pre-order: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell are offering listeners of The Outdoors Fix a 20% off discount on their shoes at Merrell.co.uk So just use the code FIX20 which is valid on all full price items on their website.

Ever thought about changing your career and becoming a gardener? Sharnee Gardner’s story might just give you the inspiration you need! Originally from Australia, Sharnee moved to the UK aged 16 after being scouted to be a model. She’s appeared in Vogue and countless other fashion magazines, and done catwalks and fashion weeks all over the world. But in the last 18 months, she’s completely transformed her life to become a professional gardener! I met up with Sharnee in the summer in Painshill Park in Surrey - where she was a gardener at the time. I was so intrigued by her story and wanted to find out what drove her to push her modelling career to the side to focus on the outdoors and nature, and how she made the jump to gardening. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Outdoors Fix and don’t forget to listen out for Sharnee’s fantastic tips and advice for those interested in a gardening or conservation career, or just how we can bring a bit more nature into our lives! Also don’t miss the sounds of nature at the end of this podcast episode for a short, calming escape from your busy day. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends. Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Sharnee on Instagram @sharneegardner The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Kumbi Kariwo first came across rock climbing as a child in Zimbabwe. It’s a sport that has been important to her throughout a large part of her life, particularly after she moved to the UK aged 18. But little did she know just how vital it would become during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kumbi is a nurse and rock climbing became her much-needed escape from the huge stresses of working on the front line of the NHS. Having seen how much rock climbing has given to her, Kumbi is also keen to encourage other people into the sport and to make it more inclusive. I met up with Kumbi for a lovely walk in Charlecote Park, a National Trust house and deer park in Warwickshire, not far from where she lives. I wanted to find out from her why she loves rock climbing so much, why she’s trying to get so many other people into it and why the outdoors and rock climbing helped her while being a nurse in the Covid-19 pandemic. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Outdoors Fix and don’t forget to listen out for Kumbi’s tips and advice for those interested in rock climbing or making the outdoors a bigger part of your life! Also don’t miss the sounds of the sea at the end of this podcast episode for a short, calming escape from your busy day. Liv x * You’ll find Kumbi on Instagram @here_climbs_krumbles The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Have you ever dreamt about creating an outdoorsy life and career, but you didn’t know how you could make it happen? Helen Iles’ story might give you some food for thought! Helen lives in Dolgellau in southern Snowdonia and she is a mountain rescue volunteer for South Snowdonia Search and Rescue, a part-time teacher, landscape photographer and mountain leader. Over the years, she’s managed to create a portfolio life and career that enables her to spend a lot of her time in the beautiful mountains that surround her home town. I travelled to Snowdonia for a walk with Helen and she took me to a beautiful lake in a very quiet part of the National Park. It was a gloriously sunny, hot day and we recorded the episode sat on the shores of Llyn Cynwch. I wanted to find out from Helen how she’d managed to create this life for herself, what the reality is like as well as what mountain rescue volunteering and landscape photography involves. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Outdoors Fix and don’t forget to listen out for Helen’s tips and advice for those interested in becoming a mountain rescue volunteer or landscape photographer. Also don’t miss the birdsong at the end of this podcast episode for a short, calming escape from your busy day. Liv x * If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! * You’ll find Helen on Instagram @heleniles The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

David Haze’s story is one of the most extraordinary that I have ever come across on this podcast. He’s a nine-time world record breaking paddleboarder and ocean activist. But five years ago, he was in prison for burglary and handling stolen goods. In the years since his release, he’s grabbed his second chance at life and undertaken some extraordinary paddleboarding adventures, breaking records in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Iceland. Just last month, he paddleboarded across the English Channel in tandem with his adventure partner Joe Cartwright, something that he’d already broken the record for solo. David’s also made a name for himself in zero-carbon, environmentally-friendly adventures, and he was recognised for this in 2023 when he was named Ocean Activist of the Year by the campaigning charity Surfers Against Sewage. I spoke to David at the Big Retreat festival in Pembrokeshire in front of a live audience and I heard more about why he feels paddleboarding has helped his rehabilitation after prison, how he got into the sport, and why he’s passionate about encouraging others to have more adventure in their lives. Don’t miss David’s tips for getting started with paddleboarding and how we can have more environmentally friendly outdoors adventures at the end of the episode, as well as a minute of the sounds of nature from one of my morning walks for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. David’s episode of The Outdoors Fix is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. It’s also embedded below. I hope you enjoy it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find David Haze on Instagram @nomadicpaddler The Big Retreat Festival is @thebigretreatfestival You can find photos and videos from our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc Audio from The Big Retreat Festival produced by Pete Crouch at Liquid Studios: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petecrouch/

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. My guest in this episode is mountain leader, hiker and trail runner Jack Williams. Jack’s outdoors life has had many different chapters. In his twenties, Jack was gripped by pursuing expeditions all around the world, including to the Himalayas and the Sahara Desert. He worked in hospitality and retail in between trips to finance them. But a few years ago, he found out he had testicular cancer. Going through that experience led to changes in his relationship with the outdoors and adventure goals. He’s now a qualified mountain leader, leading groups and courses in Snowdonia and he’s also focused on family, creating outdoor adventures with his two young sons. In the summer, I met up for a beautiful walk with Jack in Llangollen in North Wales, where he now lives. I was keen to hear all about his outdoors story but particularly how getting outside helped him cope with his illness as well as how he’s now shaping an adventurous life for his family in the UK. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Outdoors Fix and don’t forget to listen out for Jack’s tips and advice for those interested in becoming a mountain leader or making the outdoors a bigger part of your life! Also don’t miss the birdsong at the end of this podcast episode for a short, calming escape from your busy day. Liv x If you’re affected by any of the issues in this episode, there are links to help and support on The Outdoors Fix website. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends. * You’ll find Jack on Instagram @jackwilliams.adventurer The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Elise Downing was in her early twenties and sitting miserably in an office when she decided to do something more than a little out of the norm. She looked at a map of Great Britain and wondered if anyone had ever run around the coast. As you do. A search online suggested not many had. A big running adventure like that would be a good reason to quit her job, she thought. Scoot to 2016 and Elise became the first woman and youngest person to run around the coast of Britain. A distance of 5,000 miles (!). She’s now written a book, Coasting, about that epic adventure. I met Elise for a walk in Leigh Woods near Bristol on a warm but blustery day in August. I wanted to find out what it really takes to get to the start line of a huge challenge like hers, how her body coped covering up to 40 miles a day, and what life has been like since she stopped running around the coast. Post-adventure life is a part of the story that we don’t often hear about. Elise is keen to share the message that anyone can go on a big adventure, you just have to be the one who actually does it. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Outdoors Fix and don’t forget to listen out for Elise’s tips and advice for those interested in trail running or making the outdoors a bigger part of your life! Also don’t miss the birdsong at the end of this podcast episode for a short, calming escape from your busy day. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends. Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Elise on Instagram @elisecdowning The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Has the outdoors helped you during a difficult time in your life? My guest in this episode is Frankie Butler. Frankie used to be an England hockey player, but in 2019 she suffered a devastating injury during a match. It left her unable to walk and needing to use a wheelchair. In this episode, Frankie speaks incredibly powerfully about how the outdoors helped her in her darkest times as she came to terms with the changes in her life. She’s taken up trail wheeling all over the UK (think trail running but in a wheelchair) and she recently completed a half marathon! Frankie’s new mission is to inspire other wheelchair users to get outside and explore nature. She also wants the outdoors community to help make the British countryside more accessible. Frankie Butler’s story truly sums up the power of the outdoors - a place that can give hope and joy even amid the most difficult of circumstances. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Outdoors Fix and don’t forget to listen out for Frankie’s tips and advice for those interested in trail wheeling, or just how we can bring a bit more nature into our lives! Also don’t miss the birdsong at the end of this podcast episode for a short, calming escape from your busy day. This episode does contain some difficult topics, so if you’re affected by any of the issues in there, there are links to help and support on The Outdoors Fix website. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends. Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Frankie on Instagram @_frankie_butler The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

Has the outdoors ever helped your mental health? Wondered why? Listen on to find out! My guest in this episode is Dr Lucy Loveday. Lucy is a GP and medical educationalist, fell runner and wild swimmer who lives on Dartmoor. Her life is focused on the benefits of nature for mental wellbeing. And through her work as a doctor, she’s developed evidence-based Wellbeing Toolkits and a green prescription to show how nature can help mental health. She’s also the founder of Movement and the Mind - a conference exploring the connection between mind, body and planet. The outdoors has played a pivotal role throughout Lucy and her family’s life, most importantly because of her father’s struggles with severe depression. She’s determined to spread the message about why if you get moving outdoors in nature, the benefits to your mental wellbeing can be profound. I hope you enjoy the podcast and don’t forget to listen out for Lucy’s wonderful tips and advice for bringing nature and the outdoors into your life, as well as the special sounds of nature at the end of this podcast episode. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Lucy on Instagram @drlucyloveday The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

What big outdoors adventure would you want to do if you really put your mind to it? For my guest Preet Chandi, her dream involves Antarctica. Preet is an officer and physiotherapist in the British Army. She’s also a Nordic skier and endurance runner and she is preparing for the biggest trip of her life in November - a solo expedition to the South Pole. She’ll be on skis, pulling her kit on a sled for over 6 weeks and travelling 700miles on her own. While her training for the Antarctica mission recently has included pulling tyres around London parks, it has also taken her to Norway, Iceland and Greenland. But Preet is not a professional adventurer - she had little expedition experience until a couple of years ago and she fits her adventures around her job in the Army. She’s determined to inspire people to push their boundaries, particularly women from diverse backgrounds, by showing how the outdoors can help achieve big dreams. I hope you enjoy the podcast episode. Listen out for Preet’s outdoors tips and the relaxing minute of sounds from nature at the end of the podcast. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Preet on Instagram @polarpreet The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

What do you do when your sporting career, which has been your life since you were nine years old, comes to an end? For my guest Jamie Neill, the answer was to put on a pair of hiking boots. Jamie was a professional badminton player travelling the world and playing for Scotland in the World Championships. But when his playing career had to stop, he swapped the indoor courts for the outdoors and he hasn’t looked back. He’s now summited over 200 Munros, climbing 40 of them in just one week; hiked the West Highland Way and summited the three highest peaks in North Africa. He also joined a walking group which led to him meeting his partner Nikki and starting a family. Getting outside has truly helped Jamie’s mental and physical transition from a sport that so dominated his life. Jamie and I met 18 months ago on a group walk on Blencathra in the Lake District. He started telling me about his story then, and I’ve wanted to get him on the podcast ever since! I hope you enjoy the podcast episode. Listen out for Jamie’s outdoors tips and the relaxing minute of sounds from nature at the end of the podcast. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Jamie on Instagram @jamieneillscotland and @i_am_healthandfitness The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix was supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. Merrell is launching a year-long campaign called #StepFurther to encourage people from all walks of life to get outdoors on a micro-adventure to experience the benefits for both their physical and mental health.

For those of you who have ever dreamt about moving your job and home to the countryside, this one’s for you! My guest in this episode is Laura Doling. She’s a postwoman in the Lake District, as well as a hiker, paddle boarder and wild swimmer. Laura used to live in a town in Essex, work in healthcare and she says she spent many of her weekends getting dressed up and going out. But after a camping trip in the Lake District in May 2018, she made the huge decision of moving her life and job to the countryside. Plans like these can often take years to pull off, but extraordinarily Laura managed to do it all within 2 months and by July 2018 she was working and living there! I met Laura at her new home near the village of Wennington in Lancashire, 20 miles from the Lake District, where she is converting an old barn with her partner Chris. They are hoping to turn it into their own smallholding and complete their countryside dream. I wanted to find out more about why Laura wanted to move from Essex to the Lake District, how she made it happen when moves like these can seem incredibly daunting, her outdoorsy life, and what it’s like doing the postal round in the Langdale Valley! I hope you enjoy the podcast episode. Listen out for Laura’s outdoors tips and the relaxing minute of sounds from nature at the end of the podcast. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Laura on Instagram @lauralakespostie The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

My guest in this episode is Oge Ejizu - a hiker and the London regional leader for Black Girls Hike, a walking group for black women. Growing up in London, hiking wasn’t something that Oge’s family was interested in and as she puts it, she didn’t see anyone like her in the outdoors, so she assumed it wasn’t for her. But a few years ago, a friend persuaded her to start going on walks together and then took her to Dartmoor. She became hooked on hiking. Oge’s now often found exploring London’s lesser known green spaces and championing the city as a place where you can still enjoy nature, as well as encouraging other black women to join her hikes and diversify the outdoors. I met up with Oge near her home in Enfield in north London and we went on a 9 mile walk together to Epping Forest - a beautiful ancient woodland on the edge of the city. I live in London too, so this was a lovely local route that I’m definitely going to do again! I wanted to find out more about Oge’s outdoors life, how she fits hiking around work as a project manager, how she got involved in Black Girls Hike and why she’s thinks the outdoors has had such a powerful impact on her life. I hope you enjoy the podcast episode. Listen out for Oge’s outdoors tips and the relaxing minute of sounds from nature at the end of the podcast. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Oge on Instagram @ogsworld The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

I’m absolutely thrilled that my guest in this episode is James Rebanks. He’s a shepherd, farmer and writer and the author of the bestselling book The Shepherd’s Life and new book English Pastoral. James’ farm is in the Matterdale Valley near Ullswater in the Lake District and his family has farmed in that stunning area for 600 years He owns a large flock of Herdwick sheep, some belted Galloway cows, pigs and chickens. In his new book English Pastoral, James passionately calls for farming to become more sustainable and nature-friendly. He speaks about how in the past 50 years, technology and fertilisers used on farms have had a hugely detrimental effect on nature and wildlife. So he’s been changing the way he manages his land, by planting more hedgerows and trees in his fields, abandoning fertilisers, building ponds, allowing the river to flood some of his farmland and focusing on the health of his soil. His efforts are paying off and he’s seeing a wonderful return of wildlife to his farm, including more otters, fish, herons, wetland birds, insects and wildflowers. While the outdoors has been a pretty constant feature in his life, James is now making nature and wildlife a bigger part of it. I spent a morning with James exploring his beautiful farm and seeing the changes he’s implementing - we then recorded the episode in an old sheep barn! I wanted to find out more about James’ outdoors life, the realities of being a farmer and shepherd, and why he thinks it’s so important to have nature thriving alongside farming. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find James on Twitter and Instagram @herdyshepherd1 The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

My guest in this episode is Tolga Aktas. His story is one for those of you who are thinking of changing your career to be outdoors and in nature more. Tolga is a conservation biologist, writer and photographer who has just finished his degree in Animal Biology. His studies and love of animals and nature have taken him to Africa, Borneo and all over the UK, doing field work and volunteering on conservation projects. But his current life is a complete transformation from what it was a few years ago. Tolga grew up in south London and admits that he got involved with gang culture and left school with poor grades He then trained to be an electrical engineer and spent years working in a 9-5 job in London. I travelled to Highnam Woods, near where Tolga’s now living in Gloucestershire, to find out how he completely changed his life and career. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Tolga on Instagram @tolga_aktas1 The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

Having had a very outdoorsy upbringing in Carmarthenshire in South Wales, Carys Rees decided that she wanted to give something back to the outdoors community. She’s certainly doing that - by being a volunteer for the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team, an ambassador for The Ramblers, and encouraging others to explore South Wales through her hiking-route website, This Girl Walks. It’s a busy life for someone who lives in a city, Cardiff, and who works in London for part of the week. I spoke to Carys at the Big Retreat festival in Pembrokeshire in front of a live audience and I heard more about what the outdoors means to her, how she fits it into her life, and why she’s so keen to spread awareness of the joy of hiking and nature. Don’t miss Carys’ tips for volunteering in the outdoors and places to hike in South Wales at the end of the episode, as well as a minute of the sounds of nature from my recent holiday to Scotland for a little bit of escapism in your busy day. Carys’ episode of The Outdoors Fix is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. It’s also embedded below. I hope you enjoy it! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You’ll find Carys Rees on Instagram @this.girlwalks. The Big Retreat Festival is @thebigretreatfestival You can find photos and videos from our recording on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc Audio recorded at the festival recorded by Pete Crouch from Liquid Studios.

My guest in this episode is Debbie North. She’s an extraordinary woman who has overcome so many challenges to pursue her outdoors life. A passionate hill walker when she was younger, Debbie was diagnosed with spinal degeneration a few years ago, meaning that she is now in a wheelchair. But losing her mobility didn’t stop her determination to be able to explore the outdoors. She just found a motorised wheelchair that can take her over hills and up mountains! I travelled to Nateby in Cumbria to meet Debbie and we went for a walk in the hills near her farm house. I wanted to hear about the journey to her current outdoors life, her 190 mile coast-to-coast adventure in her wheelchair, and how she thinks the countryside can become more accessible. Debbie’s is a story of extraordinary resilience and determination - and the power of the outdoors. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Debbie on Instagram @accesstheoutdoorguide The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

Imagine getting to take teenagers hiking, canoeing and winter climbing for your full-time job. My guest in this podcast episode is Rehna Yaseen - she’s an outdoors instructor and youth and community worker who spends many of her days giving city-based teenagers fantastic outdoors adventures that they wouldn’t normally get to experience. Rehna lives in Greater Manchester but her outdoors role in based in the Peak District. I travelled to the Hollowford Centre in Castleton in the Peak District to meet Rehna and we also took a hike up Mam Tor together. Having only gone on her first hike aged 16, I wanted to find out how Rehna came to be an outdoors instructor and youth worker, what it’s really like to lead teenagers on adventures in the outdoors and why she thinks it’s important that women like her are visible in the outdoors community. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Rehna on Instagram @outdoors_with_rehna The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

If you’ve ever wanted to go and live in the Lake District, this episode might be just the motivation you need! My guest is Gilly McArthur and she’s a wild swimmer, rock climber, illustrator and organiser of outdoors events, who lives in Kendal in the Lake District. An ambassador for the outdoors community Wonderful Wild Women, Gilly also runs the Women’s Trad Festival for people interested in rock climbing. And for the past couple of years, Gilly has gone wild swimming every day in January to raise money for the mental health charity Mind. She’s even swum in lakes covered by ice! It’s all a long way away from her previous life working in corporate business in New York. I wanted to ask Gilly about how she navigated her way to an outdoors life and career, why she loves ice swimming so much and how the outdoors has helped her during two unbelievably difficult moments in her life. If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Gilly on Instagram @gillymcarthur The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

What if you could combine your passions into your dream outdoors job? My guest in this episode, BBC radio presenter Matthew Bannister, has done just that. Late on in his broadcasting career, Matthew has managed to merge his love for walking, the outdoors and folk music into his work. The result is his podcast, Folk on Foot. Matthew has been on walks all over the UK for the podcast, from Sandwood Bay in northwestern Scotland to Port Isaac in Cornwall and he’s had some spine-tingling encounters with wildlife during some of his recordings. Why did Matthew want to move his work outdoors? How did he did it? And why has walking been so important to him throughout difficult periods of his life? I hope you enjoy this episode and Matthew’s story. Listen out for his tips for getting outdoors more at the end of the podcast, as well as the relaxing minute of sounds from nature, recorded by some of you, the listeners! If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Folk on Foot on Instagram @folkonfoot and at www.folkonfoot.com The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

My guest in this episode is Frit Sarita Tam - she’s an adventure filmmaker and photographer, rock climber, hiker, paddle boarder and more. Frit’s introduction to the outdoors was by no means gentle - a 50km, 16 hour charity hike on the South Downs Way with no previous hiking experience. But it sparked a fascination with spending time outside and since then, she’s consciously taken baby-steps (as she calls them) towards a more outdoorsy career and life. Those small moves forward have led her to taking up micro adventures after work, new outdoor hobbies, filming a documentary about a paddle boarding record and working for the Bear Grylls Survival Academy. Frit is a British Chinese lesbian and she’s also passionate about trying to help other people in marginalised groups feel that the outdoors is for them too. I hope you enjoy this episode and Frit’s story. Listen out for her tips for an outdoorsy life and don’t forget that at the end of the podcast there's the relaxing minute of sounds from nature, recorded by some of you! If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Frit on Instagram @fritstartingat30 The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

What if you could go camping all over the UK for a year and write books off the back of your outdoors adventures? Jen Benson is my guest in this episode and she and her husband Sim are outdoor adventure guidebook authors, travel writers and long-distance runners. Their books include Wild Running, The Adventurer’s Guide to Britain, Short Runs in Beautiful Places and Amazing Family Adventures. They have two children and outside of this coronavirus period, they travel to places like the Cairngorms, the Lake District and the Isles of Scilly to research running and walking routes for their books. Jen and Sim have worked tirelessly to create this outdoors lifestyle for their family and they’ve had to make a lot of big decisions to get there. One of these was deciding to live in a tent and go camping for a year! I’d planned to meet up with Jen and go for a walk together, but because of coronavirus we chatted from our homes instead. I wanted to find out why Jen and her husband decided to pursue a more outdoors lifestyle, how they got into adventure guidebook writing and how it all works around family life. I hope you enjoy the podcast and Jen’s story. Listen out for her tips for getting into outdoor adventure writing and don’t forget that at the end of the episode, there are some sounds of nature, all recorded by you, the listeners! If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Jen and Sim Benson on Instagram @jenandsim and for more information about their work and books, head to their website, Adventure Places. The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

Fancy switching up your life, moving to the countryside and becoming a ranger, like Ben Dolphin? Ben is a countryside ranger in Scotland, an outdoors writer and blogger and he’s just finished his three year term as President of Ramblers Scotland. He used to work for a bank but a few years ago he got chatting to a fellow walker on the top of a hill and that chance meeting changed the course of his life. Ben lives in the Lomond Hills in Fife in Scotland - I had planned to meet him for a walk there, but coronavirus put an end to that. So we chatted to each other over Skype instead. I wanted to find out how and why Ben moved from a corporate career to becoming a countryside ranger and what the job involves. I also wanted to hear what he learnt from hiking all over Scotland over three years with 54 Ramblers Scotland walking groups. I hope you enjoy the podcast and Ben’s story. Listen out for his tips about becoming a ranger at the end of the podcast, as well as the relaxing minute of sounds from nature recorded by some of you! If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * You’ll find Ben on Twitter @CountrysideBen. You can find his blog and YouTube videos at www.benvironment.org.uk The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

Sophie Pavelle is a zoologist, science communicator, environmental advocate and the Youth Ambassador for the Wildlife Trusts. She’s incredibly passionate about the wildlife we have in the UK and through her work she tries to encourage others to appreciate it and therefore want to protect it. How did she get here? It involved a 300 mile hike around the coast of Cornwall for her masters degree! Sophie and I went for a walk before the lockdown on Woodbury Common in Devon, also known as the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths. You’ll hear the crunch of the pebblebed paths we walked along at the beginning of the episode. I wanted to ask Sophie how she got involved in her outdoors career, why she thinks getting people outside is more important than ever, and her tips for spotting and identifying the creatures around you! I hope you enjoy the podcast and Sophie’s story. Listen out for her tips at the end of the podcast, as well as the relaxing minute of sounds from nature recorded by you, the listeners! You’ll find Sophie on Instagram @sophiepavs The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

Would you like to walk 950 miles across the UK and write about your hiking adventures? Today’s guest has done exactly that. She’s also turned hiking and adventure blogging into her career! It’s Becky Angell, also known as Becky The Traveller! A few years ago, Becky was made redundant from her job in banking. Seeing it as an opportunity, she decided to try and completely change her life and make the outdoors her job. In non-coronavirus times, she’s usually found on hikes and wild camps around the UK, writing up the best walks and adventures for her popular website. Becky also completed a huge hiking challenge in 2019 – walking 950 miles across the UK for charity. We went for a walk in the Peak District (before the coronavirus lockdown) and recorded the podcast on a hill overlooking Mam Tor. I wanted to ask Becky about her huge hike, how she made the transition to a more outdoorsy career and life and what impact it’s had on her lifestyle. She also reveals how crucial the outdoors has been to her mental health over the years. I hope you enjoy the podcast and Becky’s story. Listen out for her tips at the end of the podcast, as well as the relaxing minute of sounds from nature, recorded by some of you, the listeners! * You’ll find Becky on Instagram @beckythetraveller Her website is Becky The Traveller The Outdoors Fix is on Instagram and Facebook @theoutdoorsfix * If would be fantastic if you could rate, review and subscribe to the podcast – it really helps other people discover it – and please feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! Thanks! Liv x * If you have been affected by any of the issues in the podcast episode, there is more information and support in the links below: Mind – the mental health charity NHS – mental health * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk It is proudly supported by Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports – stores nationwide and online offering everything you need to equip you for the best outdoors experience.

In her late forties, Jo Moseley found herself crying in the biscuit aisle at Tesco. She was caring for her parents who were both going through cancer treatment and she was a working mum looking after her two sons. Jo says she was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. After a friend persuaded her to take up exercise, Jo started spending more time in the outdoors. Over a few years, those activities have helped transform her life. Jo took on a big adventure and paddleboarded 162 miles along canals from Liverpool to Goole in the summer of 2019 – all while on her annual leave from work! She’s become a passionate advocate of adventures in midlife and encouraging others to find joy and achieve their goals whatever their age! How did she turn her life around and why does she think it’s so important to keep adventuring as you get older? You’ll find Jo on Instagram at @healthyhappy50 . The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. Hello! I’m currently in the middle of producing a new series of The Outdoors Fix podcast. So in the meantime, I’ve got a special episode for you that I think you’ll enjoy! Some of you will remember an episode I recorded with Matthew Bannister back in 2020 - he’s the founder of the multi-award winning Folk on Foot podcast where he goes walking with leading folk musicians in beautiful spots that have inspired their music. I really loved chatting with Matthew and hearing all about how and why he started Folk on Foot, and I’ve devoured each episode over the years. It’s an absolutely stunning podcast, and complete escapism, even if you’re like me and don’t know a huge amount about folk music. So I’m thrilled that he’s let me share with you one of my favourite episodes of Folk on Foot which I think you’ll love. It’s Matthew’s walk and conversation with the author Raynor Winn, who’s bestselling book, The Salt Path, tells the story of her journey along the 630-mile South West Coast Path with her husband Moth, after they’d become homeless and he’d been diagnosed with a terminal neurodegenerative disease. Raynor has also been collaborating with the Gigspanner Big Band to create a show which marries her words about the South West and traditional music from the area. The Outdoors Fix has always been about sharing conversations and inspiration so we can all fit more of the outdoors into our lives - so I hope you enjoy Matthew’s wonderful chat and walk with Raynor and you take away something from it too. There are dozens of other episodes of Folk on Foot available, recorded all over the country, from Shetland to Port Isaac, and with musicians like Eliza Carthy, Johnny Flynn and Karine Polwart. One of my favourite episodes is with Sam Lee where he sings among nightingales in Sussex - I’d definitely recommend listening to that one. Just search for Folk on Foot wherever you get your podcasts, or find them @folkonfoot on social media. If you’d like to listen to my conversation with Matthew on The Outdoors Fix, where he tells me all about his outdoors life and why he set up Folk on Foot, it’s the episode from July 2020. And stay tuned for a brand new series of The Outdoors Fix podcast in the next few weeks! Until then, enjoy your adventures outside - we all know it’s the best place there is. Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You can find photos and videos from the recordings on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc Folk on Foot team: Host: Matthew Bannister Producer: Natalie Steed Digital marketing manager: Owen Ralph

Kenny Block can often be found in the Lake District hiking to get to dramatic view points and capture the stunning scenery with his camera or drone. He has a full-time job as a railway signaller in Cumbria but in his spare time he’s also a landscape photographer. Kenny hasn’t alway been outdoorsy - and for a large portion of his teenage years and twenties he says he was caught up with drugs. Why does he credit hiking in the outdoors with helping him quit that lifestyle? And what photography tips does he have for capturing landscapes? You’ll find Kenny on Instagram at @kenny.d.block . The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Emily Scott feels her happiest in the mountains. So over the last few years she’s made big changes to her life to enjoy them nearly everyday. Emily used to be a full-time chartered accountant in London but she’s now a ski instructor in the winter and in the past few summers she’s worked for travel companies hosting treks in the Alps. In between these seasons she takes on extraordinary endurance adventures and in 2018 she climbed all 282 Munros in Scotland in under 4 months. She’s transformed her life in the past few years - and I wanted to hear how she did it, what it’s like working in the outdoors industry, how she manages to take on these big physical adventures, as well as the pluses and minuses of her change in lifestyle. You’ll find Emily on Instagram at @adventure_scottie. She’s also part of @thebritishadventurecollective . The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Alex Staniforth is an adventurer, author of two books and speaker who talks so well about how the outdoors has helped him throughout his life. Alex has been on some serious adventures since he was a teenager, including making two attempts at Everest. Sadly both trips to Everest ended in tragedy. In 2017, Alex completed his challenge Climb The UK, where he journeyed to the highest point of all 100 UK counties. How has the outdoors shaped his life and adventures? * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Vici Fairhurst is a hiker who lives in Manchester and works with 16-19 year olds in care. She discovered a love of hiking in a rather daunting and unusual way. Last year Vici’s colleague set her a huge challenge: to get 30 teens in care and staff, with little or no hiking experience, to the top of Snowdon. That trip sparked an ‘addiction to hiking’, as she puts it, and it’s had a huge impact on her life. Vici is also a member of the Black Girls Hike walking group based in the Greater Manchester area. I hope you enjoy the podcast - don’t forget to listen out for Vici’s fantastic tips for getting outdoors more, as well as the peaceful sounds of nature at the end of the podcast! And if you want to be an absolute star, please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast - feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Josh Day has recently come back to the UK after an epic outdoors adventure. He cycled 26,000km all the way from the UK to Beijing in China! Travelling through 28 countries, the route took him two years to complete. Josh used to work in London as a data scientist but a few years ago he decided he needed a change of direction. He certainly got that! Along his journey, Josh cycled in temperatures as high as 42C and as low as -27C. He also learnt Russian! I went to Somerset to see Josh for the podcast. He kindly got back on his bike for me and we cycled to a reservoir to record it. I wanted to hear more about his extraordinary journey, why he feels most comfortable outdoors and how the adventure has impacted his life now! You’ll find Josh Day on Instagram @cyclingfordays I hope you enjoy the podcast - and don’t forget to listen out for the tips from Josh about how to plan a big outdoors adventure as well as the sounds of nature at the end of the podcast - I absolutely love this week’s sound. Please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast if you like listening - and feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Iona Rendall, also known as @iona.adventuring on Instagram, is a nurse who lives in Edinburgh. In 2018, she set up a walking group on Facebook and it's already grown to over 2,000 members! I wanted to find out why Iona began hiking and started her walking group, how its impacted her life and why she thinks she’s been able to motivate so many others to get outdoors! I hope you enjoy the podcast! Head to @theoutdoorsfix on Instagram or www.theoutdoorsfix.com to see photos of Iona and her adventures. Please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast if you like listening - and feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Suzanna Cruickshank is an open water and wild swimming guide in the Lake District. Suzanna hasn’t always lived in the Lake District or been a wild swimmer - but she’s now managed to turn it into her career. I went to visit Suzanna in the Lake District and we had a lovely swim in Crummock Water - you can hear a bit of our dip right at the beginning of the episode and towards the end. She also has lots of tips in the podcast for those who want to try wild swimming as well as some important safety advice. I hope you enjoy the podcast! Head to @theoutdoorsfix on Instagram to see photos of Suzanna and our wild swim. Please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast if you like listening - and feel free to spread the word to your family and friends! * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

My guest today is Stuart Watts - he and three friends hold the world record for the fastest rowing crossing of the Atlantic! Along with George Biggar, Dicky Taylor and Peter Robinson, Stuart rowed for almost a month from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, finishing in January 2018. And they raised a HUGE amount for charity - I’ll reveal the figure later on in the podcast! Stuart had never really rowed before agreeing to the challenge but he believes that if you put your mind to something, you CAN achieve it. He has some pretty terrifying stories from the row and answers lots of burning questions: How big were the waves? What wildlife did he come across? What did they eat? How did they know where they were going? How hard was it? Stuart also has lots of tips for anyone contemplating a big physical challenge in the outdoors. * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Having a young family certainly hasn’t stopped Stacey and Keith Wilcox exploring and having big adventures in the outdoors. They now take their sons hiking, canoeing and wild camping all around Scotland and have also just come back from an epic 8 week adventure in New Zealand as part of their shared parental leave! How do they manage to have such an adventurous family life (often on little sleep) and what advice they have for other families keen to get outdoors more? * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Jess Mather, known as @jessicamather91 on Instagram, is a physical and well being coach in a psychiatric hospital but she spends nearly every spare moment outside of work in the outdoors. She’s a hiker and trail runner, has bagged over one hundred Wainwrights in the Lake District, and has summited several high altitude mountains around the world, including Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (5,895m) and Stok Kangri in the Indian Himalayas (6,153m). In the podcast, Jess takes us through stories from her adventures, and gives tips for others who would like to get outdoors more or do high altitude treks. She also speaks about a devastating event that has shaped her relationship with the outdoors.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton. *10 February 2024 marks 5 years since the first episode of The Outdoors Fix podcast!* To celebrate this milestone, I’ve got a NEW PODCAST EPISODE for you of some of my favourite moments from The Outdoors Fix recordings over the years! I’ve loved speaking to every single one of my guests, but the moments I’ve picked are some of the snippets that have had the biggest impact on me and helped me to make the outdoors a bigger part of MY life. So if you’d like to listen, head to your podcast platform and I hope you enjoy the episode! I’d also love to hear what your favourite episode has been and why. I remember 10 February 2019 very clearly - it was a grey, drizzly day. I shared my first episode and then went on a long walk on the Capital Ring in London with friends to distract and shake off the nerves. It had taken me weeks to make fitting it around my job, I’d freaked out several times over the recording equipment, and I didn’t know whether anyone other than my family would listen to it… But ever since my 10-week Te Araroa hike in New Zealand after burning out, and how much better the outdoors made me feel, I’d wanted to learn from the people who knew more about it than me, and share their knowledge. I hoped that perhaps the podcast could help us motivate and equip EACH OTHER to get outside and experience nature’s power more often. Via 50+ conversations and episodes recorded all over the British countryside (favourite location so far was hiding from the rain in a sheep barn…), I’ve learnt so much about the outdoors, and I hope you might have taken away something too. But most of all, I think what I’ve found most valuable from these past 5 years was discovering something incredibly simple - that even just 10 minutes in nature can make things feel better. It’s a tool that I wished I’d known about much, much earlier. I’ve also learnt that the people who love the outdoors are some of the kindest, most generous and inspirational people I’ve met. So thank you for all the support for The Outdoors Fix podcast since 2019 and to all my wonderful guests. What a ride it’s been! Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk You can find photos and videos from the recordings on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is now available: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc

Today’s guest is Zahrah Mahmood, known as @the_hillwalking_hijabi on Instagram. Zahrah is a hiker who lives in Glasgow. She only got into hiking three years ago when a friend took her out for a walk to reduce the stress of her chartered accountant exams. Since then, the outdoors has transformed her previously city-orientated life. She now spends dozens of weekends in the hills, highlands and on the Munros of Scotland and counts down the hours for her next adventure. Zahrah is hugely motivated in encouraging other Muslim women to get into the outdoors and experience the physical and mental benefits that she’s felt from it. She says that she noticed early on in her hiking life “how few people like her” were in the hills having adventures and she wants to change this. Through her social media Zahrah puts particular emphasis on showing how accessible hiking can be, offering advice for beginners and answering any questions for those intrigued but perhaps too unsure to start. She hopes that by showing that a hijab-wearing woman can have adventures outdoors, more women will follow in her footsteps, and the hiking community will become more representative. I went to visit Zahrah at her home in Glasgow to hear more about how hiking has changed her life and how it’s inspiring her to get others outdoors too. I hope you enjoy the podcast! You can see photos of Zahrah and her adventures on theoutdoorsfix.com or on Instagram, @theoutdoorsfix * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk on Instagram.

Three years ago Harrison Ward lived in York, was 22 stone and drank around 20 pints a day. He admits that he was deeply depressed, lived a sedentary lifestyle and his drinking was having a huge impact on his life. Harrison now lives in the Lake District, is passionate about hiking, fell running and wild-camping, he’s sober and has created a buzz around his cooking while in the outdoors. Steak with a roasted pepper salad, or pancakes, maple syrup and berries, they’re just some of the dishes that he makes while out camping in the fells. He’s such an interesting guy and the journey to his current life has been extraordinary. I went up to the Lake District to hear how he’s turned his life around and why the outdoors has been so important in his transformation. If you're interested in hiking, wild camping, cooking, hearing about great Lake District routes, this episode is for you! * Note: There is more information and support about depression and alcohol addiction on the Mind and NHS websites. * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Adventure photographer Jessie Leong captures people in the outdoors, whether hiking in Switzerland, winter climbing in Snowdonia or at outdoors festivals. She’s also now a Get Outside champion for Ordnance Survey and encourages more people to have fun in nature. When she discovered a passion for rock climbing and hiking, Jessie realised that she could combine those activities with her career! I went to see Jessie at her house on the edge of the Peak District to find out how she transitioned her career from studio/corporate photography to adventure photography. She also had some great tips on how to use your camera when on a cliff face, what equipment you need and how to get the perfect adventure shot. * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

Clare Dyson has been fanatical about horses since she was a child. Pony-trekking around the whole of the Lake District was an adventure that Clare had dreamed about for a long time. In May 2018, having worked relentlessly to get the time off from her job working with the Lake District National Park in community engagement, she made the trip a reality. Clare trekked and wild camped for a month with fell pony Pansy and dog Finn. They started in Staveley-in-Cartmel and took a clockwise direction around the Lake District. In this podcast episode, Clare speaks movingly about what the trip meant to her, and how being outdoors has been a huge help with her mental health. She articulates so well the importance of the outdoors that many of us feel. Clare also has lots of advice for those who want to make a dream adventure happen - a hint - one tip involves drawing! * The Outdoors Fix is a podcast hosted and produced by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk