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What does it feel like to immersive in the landscape, to meet strangers with no barriers, to carry your home on your back and sleep under the stars? In this recap episode, adventurer and Desert Island Survival founder Tom Williams joins us to explore the raw intimacy of travel, from bike packing the Spanish coastlines to makeshift raft rides down the River Severn.

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Tom’s passion isn’t just for castaway survival—though that’s his day job—it’s for microadventures that anyone can begin. He shares his love for wild kayaking trips, inflatable river journeys, and a recent first-time bike tour across Spain. These aren’t just travel stories. They’re invitations to reconnect with our senses, our surroundings, and the strangers we meet along the way.

And when it comes to giving back, Tom offers a deeply considered pay-it-forward:
GiveDirectly (givedirectly.org), a nonprofit that sends money directly to people living in extreme poverty. No middlemen. No assumptions. Just trust in the agency of those who need it most. In Tom’s words: “They don’t lack motivation. They lack money.”

You don’t need to start with a grand escape. Begin with a weekend. Inflate a kayak. Ride your bike somewhere unknown. Share a meal with strangers. The more personal and low-to-the-ground the adventure, the more it opens you up. And as Tom puts it, “You smell the rosemary, you feel the landscape, and you can eat so much.”

Resources & Guest Links:

• Tom Williams:
  • Instagram: @tomwilliamsalone
  • Website: desertislandsurvival.com
• Referenced Charity:
  • GiveDirectly: givedirectly.org
    • Learn more about the charity model: Doing Good Better by William MacAskill
• Adventure Mentions:
  • Bike tour from Bilbao to Valencia
  • Kayak microadventures in Chile
  • Severn Estuary float trip (inspired by Alastair Humphreys’ microadventure)

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What if adventure wasn’t something distant or dramatic—but something you could claim this Saturday? David Haze, known as The Nomadic Paddler, believes that adventure isn’t about the epic—it’s about the everyday. In this episode, he reminds us that you don’t need to cross oceans to find purpose. You just need to get out the door.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

David’s own journey—from incarceration to becoming a world-record-holding paddleboarder—is steeped in transformation. But he’s quick to bring that idea down to earth. “Even a 5K walk can be an adventure,” he says. It’s about stepping out of your comfort zone and into something that reminds you you’re alive. Adventure, for David, is a way of living—not a destination.

His pay-it-forward is deeply personal. David is an ambassador for Dorset Mind, a mental health charity doing essential work in the community—particularly with men, who still face barriers in opening up. David speaks openly about his own mental health journey and how getting outdoors has been key to his recovery. This isn’t just about raising funds. It’s about raising awareness, starting conversations, and creating space for healing.

Stop waiting. That weekend you're vaguely thinking about? Make it this one. Reach out to a friend. Make a plan. Walk, paddle, cycle—whatever nudges you out of autopilot. Adventure doesn’t need to be big to be meaningful. As David puts it, “Through adventure, we live.”

Resources & Guest Links:

• David Haze (The Nomadic Paddler):
  • Website: nomadicpaddler.co.uk
  • Instagram: @NomadicPaddler
  • YouTube: Nomadic Paddler
  • LinkedIn: David Haze
• Dorset Mind: dorsetmind.uk
  • Learn more: About Dorset Mind
  • David’s Fundraising & Events: Check his social platforms for updates on his Dorset coast paddle challenge

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What does it mean to truly explore—not just terrain, but trust, time, and human connection? In this episode, legendary explorer and storyteller Benedict Allen joins us to reflect on a life shaped not by conquest, but by curiosity and community.

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Benedict doesn’t chase adventure for its own sake. He’s driven by a deeper impulse: to learn from others. From the remote communities of Papua New Guinea to the symbolic weight of the rhino in Namibia, Benedict’s stories remind us that exploration is most meaningful when it’s rooted in relationships. He speaks candidly about the people who saved his life, the places he hopes to return to, and the pressing need to honour both time and the natural world.

His pay-it-forward is twofold:

• Environmental Justice Foundation – advocating for communities who live closely with nature but suffer disproportionately from environmental degradation.
• Save the Rhino Trust – conserving one of Earth’s most iconic species and the habitats they anchor.

Benedict’s call to adventure is deceptively simple: blank out a weekend in your diary. Make it sacred. Tell others about it. Then do something—anything—that takes you outdoors and into a sense of aliveness. It might be the highest hill near home, a search for a bird you've never seen, or just a quiet walk. What matters is that you go, because that time won't come around again.

As Benedict says, “Time just goes by.” Adventure isn’t a grand expedition—it’s a decision. And the best way to keep the flame lit is to act now.

Resources & Guest Links:

• Benedict Allen Website: benedictallen.com
• Instagram: @benedictallenexplorer
• Twitter: @benedictallen
• Books by Benedict Allen: Available via his website

Referenced Charities:

• Environmental Justice Foundation: ejfoundation.org
• Save the Rhino Trust Namibia: savetherhinotrust.org

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In this conversation, we journey with Alice Morrison—broadcaster, adventurer, and storyteller—as she reflects on what it means to begin, to belong, and to believe in something greater than yourself.

LISTEN TO THE GULL EPISODE HERE

Alice's pay-it-forward takes us to Uganda, where her heart remains deeply rooted. Through the charity S.A.L.V.E. International, she supports street children—some as young as six—helping them escape lives of addiction, exploitation, and survival. For £30 a month, a child is not just educated but given a future. As Alice shares, this isn’t charity at a distance—she’s met the boy she helped through school. He’s now a mechanic. He’s got a chance. And in Alice’s eyes, that’s what matters: that help actually reaches the hands it was meant for.

Her call to adventure is equally grounded and urgent: stop waiting. Whatever’s been quietly calling you—Snowdon, a parkrun, a solo cycle—say yes to it now. Not when you’re thinner, fitter, or richer. Now. “You are good enough to do it now,” she says, with the kind of conviction that comes from having done exactly that, again and again. And she's right. Most of us already know what our next step is. We just need to take it.

Along the way, Alice teases her upcoming BBC series Arabian Adventures: Secrets of the Nabateans, airing this June. Expect camels, ancient secrets, and Alice’s trademark honesty.

Links & Mentions:

• S.A.L.V.E. International: sidcn.org/post/s-a-l-v-e-international
• Alice Morrison: alicemorrison.co.uk
• Instagram/X: @AliceOutThere1
• BBC Series: Arabian Adventures: Secrets of the Nabateans (June 2025)

Whether you’re staring down your first wild mile or dreaming of dunes in the Middle East, this one’s a call to act—not later, but now.

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In this recap episode, we meet Mark Agnew—Arctic rower, endurance adventurer, and advocate for mental health through nature. Mark takes us behind the oars of his record-breaking journey through the Northwest Passage, sharing what brought him there, what nearly broke him, and what continues to carry him forward.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

As we reach the close of our conversation, Mark offers a powerful pay-it-forward: the Wilderness Foundation UK. It's a charity that creates structured, thoughtful access to the outdoors for people who’ve never had the chance—often with life-changing impact. Mark’s own recovery from deep personal struggle was shaped by nature, and this foundation echoes that belief: that green spaces can bring us back to ourselves.

Then comes the call to adventure—and it's a beautifully down-to-earth one. Whether it's the Pentlands, the Peak District, or the North Downs, Mark urges us to just begin. No perfect gear. No epic itinerary. Just go. A short walk. A few hours. A moment to reconnect. Because adventure doesn’t start with a summit—it starts with a step.

We also talk gear myths, London escapes, and the quiet resilience of starting small. And Mark leaves us with a teaser for his upcoming book There Will Be Headwinds—a blend of polar grit and inner reckoning, due out June 2025.

Links & Mentions:

• Wilderness Foundation UK: wildernessfoundation.org.uk
• Mark’s website: adventureagnew.com
• Instagram & Twitter: @adventureagnew
• Book: There Will Be Headwinds (Icon Books, June 2025)

Whether you're planning an Arctic expedition or a Sunday walk in your local hills, this one’s a reminder that the wild—near or far—has room for us all.

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In this gentle close to our episode, I sit down with Valerie Gagné, better known as The Running Panda, to reflect on what it means to find adventure close to home and give back to the communities that shape us.

LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE HERE

For Valerie, the pay-it-forward moment is clear: Impossible2Possible. It’s an organisation that helped open her eyes to what she was capable of and one she continues to champion. Through youth expeditions and immersive classroom connections, it sparks curiosity and courage far beyond the trails. Not everyone needs to go on an expedition, she says. But everyone can be inspired.

Her call to adventure? It doesn’t require a passport or a faraway summit. Just step outside. The local trail. The hill you pass each day. A new path through your own backyard. These are the places, she reminds us, where confidence is built and joy is found. Not just once, but again and again, in the rhythm of weekends and moments made.

From micro-missions to bigger dreams like her own journey along the eye of Quebec, Valerie’s message is clear: you don’t need to go far to go deep.

Connect with Valerie Gagné:

Instagram - Running Panda

• Follow her and Panda (the dog, not the metaphor) as they explore, inspire, and remind us all to keep moving.

Call to Adventure: Take a backyard adventure. One trail, one day, one small plan. Let it be enough. And then do it again next weekend.

Final Thought: Adventure isn’t a destination. It’s a practice. And sometimes, the most important journey is the one that begins just beyond your doorstep.

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In this vivid close to our conversation, explorer and wilderness guide Anders Anderson shares a heartfelt call to adventure – one that goes beyond thrill-seeking and into the soul of the rainforest.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Anders urges listeners to travel with intention: to seek out the deep, breathing jungles of the world – from South America to West Africa to Indonesia – and meet the people who live there. Not through staged tours or quick snapshots, but by immersing oneself in the land, in its rhythms, and in the wisdom of its guardians. “Pull the plug,” he says. Step away from the noise. And in doing so, discover not only nature but your place within it.

He offers a pay-it-forward initiative rooted in presence: support indigenous communities by showing up, by learning, and by carrying their stories outward. It’s a form of solidarity that goes hand in hand with wild travel.

We also get a glimpse into Anders’ next expeditions – untrodden paths in the Pakaraima Mountains, the Acaraí Range, and the enigmatic New River Triangle. These aren’t just geographic journeys; they’re quests for lost petroglyphs, ancient stories, and the raw, unfiltered pulse of Earth’s last wild places.

Connect with Anders Anderson & Wild Tales:

• Instagram, YouTube, TikTok: Search "The Wild Tales Guyana"
• TripAdvisor: Read first-hand accounts from past expeditioners
• Newsletter: Sign up for updates on upcoming survival courses and once-in-a-lifetime adventures into South America’s remotest corners

Call to Adventure: Visit a tropical rainforest. Not just as a traveler, but as a listener and a witness. Go beyond the guidebooks. Find the communities. Hear their stories. Support their stewardship of the living wild.

Final Thought: As Anders says, if you go with an open heart, the rainforest will change the way you see nature – forever.

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In this RECAP EPISODE, I sit down with former Royal Marine and adventurer Mitch Hutchcraft before he completed what's been dubbed the "world's longest triathlon." Over 240 days, Mitch swam the English Channel, cycled nearly 12,000 km across 19 countries, ran 900 km to Kathmandu, and trekked 365 km to Everest Base Camp before summiting Mount Everest.

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

But beyond the physical feats, Mitch's journey—Project Limitless—was about challenging perceptions of adventure and making a tangible impact. He undertook this expedition to raise funds for SAVSIM, a charity supporting veterans' mental health and wildlife conservation.

In our conversation, Mitch shares his Call to Adventure: encouraging listeners to find challenges that push them slightly out of their comfort zones. Whether it's wild camping in a nearby national park or taking a cold plunge in a local lake, adventure is a state of mind.

For his Pay It Forward, Mitch emphasizes the importance of aligning with causes close to one's heart. He advocates for dedicating time and resources to organizations that resonate personally, highlighting the profound impact of collective effort.

📍 Topics Covered:

• The conception and execution of Project Limitless
• Redefining adventure as a personal and accessible pursuit
• The intersection of physical challenges and mental health
• The mission and work of SAVSIM
• Encouraging community involvement and support for meaningful causes

🎒 Follow Mitch Hutchcraft:
Instagram: @_mitchhutch
Project Limitless: 12,000 km to Everest

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