Stanfords Travel Podcast

For 250,000 years humans have been firmly rooted to the Earth, but what if you want to get off? Leading space broadcaster Dallas Campbell uses his own vast experience to offer some advice that will help you leave planet earth. Ad Astra: An Illustrated Guide to Leaving the Planet by Dallas Campbell

Back for the 2nd time at the 2018 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival, Presenter and author Julia Bradbury talks to Julia Wheeler about how important access to the great outdoors is to life, whether you are a keen hill walker or a Sunday stroller, however fit or unfit, with equal opportunities for all.

Kicking off day three of the Stanfords Travel Writers Festival, Leon McCarron talks to Paul Blezard about his latest book The Land Beyond. There are many reasons why it might seem unwise to walk, mostly alone, through the Middle East. That, in part, is exactly why Leon McCarron did it. McCarron followed a series of … Continue reading Leon McCarron: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

The British Isles are an archipelago made up of two large islands and 6,289 smaller ones. In his book Islanders, Patrick Barkham explored some of the most beautiful landscapes in the British Isles. Meeting all kinds of islanders, he discovered what it is like to live on a small island, and what it means to be … Continue reading Patrick Barkham: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

Drawing on her vast wealth of survival experiences around the world Megan Hine talks to Julia Wheeler at the Stanfords Travel Writers Festival about her book Mind of a Survivor. Mind of a Survivor by Megan Hine

Tim Moore tackled the 9,000km route of the old Iron Curtain on a tiny-wheeled, two-geared East German shopping bike. Talking to Paul Blezard, Moore reflects on the curdling of the Communist dream, and the memories of a Cold War generation reared on the fear of apocalypse – at a time of ratcheting East-West tension. After … Continue reading Tim Moore: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

As more and more people choose to venture far and wide on their own, our panel of experts, Hilary Bradt, Lloyd Figgins and Phoebe Smith talk to Julia Wheeler about how this is in fact a more advantageous way to travel. They also look at the logistical details of how you can stay safe and … Continue reading Travelling Solo: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

The editors of the award winning The Sunday Times Travel Magazine talk to Hilary Bradt about their favourite destinations including some well-known and others under-the-radar. They also share some of their secrets for how to do those places cheaper, quieter and smarter than the average holiday-maker. Featuring Katie Bowman (Features Editor), Liz Edwards (Associate Editor) and … Continue reading 20...

In February 2016, motorcycle adventurer Charley Boorman suffered a major road traffic accident in Portugal. Having spent the better part of his life on some form of motorbike, his world came crashing down and it was unclear if he would ever walk properly again, let alone ride a motorbike. Here, Charley talks to Paul Belzard … Continue reading Charley Boorman: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent talks to Julia Wheeler about her latest book Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains. A mountainous state clinging to the far north-eastern corner of India, Arunachal Pradesh is one of the world’s least explored places. Travelling some 2,000 miles, Antonia encounters shamans, lamas, hunters, opium farmers, fantastic tribal festivals and little-known stories from the … Continue read...

Mark Beaumont talks to Tobias Mews about his most incredible endurance test to date. On the 18th September 2017 Mark circumnavigating the globe in 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes, travelling 18 032 miles through 16 countries and breaking 2 official Guinness World Records. No stranger to epic cycle rides, he has written books … Continue reading Mark Beaumont: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

Presenter and author Julia Bradbury talks to Julia Wheeler about her life, work, writing and walking. Julia tells us how important access to the great outdoors is, whether you are a keen hill walker or a Sunday stroller, however fit or unfit, with equal opportunities for all. She talks about her latest ITV programme Britain’s Best … Continue reading Julia Bradbury: Stanfords Travel Writers Festiva...

Ash Dykes and Tobias Mews tick off the 2018 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival by talking to Paul Blezard about their epic adventures and give practical guidance and expert tips on how to make and complete your own adventure. Whether it’s discovering a new place and a new way to get there; or reaching your nearest summit … Continue reading Ash Dykes and Tobias Mews: Stanfords Travel Writers Festiva...

Do we really understand the northern lights? Speaking about her new book and describing Arctic journeys culminating in a spectacular solar eclipse, Melanie Windridge brings together space, place and science in style. With Julia Wheeler.  

Geographer, broadcaster, explorer and writer Nicholas Crane will explore the natural and human history that has shaped our landscape from the Ice Age to the present day in this illustrated talk which celebrates the wonderful diversity of our countryside and cities. FYI, the website Nicholas mentions in this podcast is here.

If your travel motivation is to discover new flavours, this culinary panel will take your tastebuds on an adventure. Caroline Eden & Eleanor Ford (Samarkand), John Wright, author of the River Cottage Foraging Guides (A Natural History of the Hedgerow) and Elisabeth Luard (Squirrel Pie And Other Stories) discuss how exploring different countries’ food can … Continue reading Culinary Adventures // S...

TV presenter and author Simon Reeve talks to Julia Wheeler and shares tales from more than 110 countries he has travelled to making programmes for the BBC, including his new series on Turkey, due to air this spring.

What is the origin of the ISIS flag? Why are so many African flags red, yellow and green? Sunday Times bestselling author Tim Marshall will be here to discuss his latest book, revealing the histories, the power and the politics of the symbols that unite us – and divide us: flags.

Paul Blezard talks to the award-winning comedian and broadcaster Jon Holmes as he shares a personal journey of how he went from being an unwanted baby in the Midlands to a wanted man in the state of Texas, and everything else that happened along the way.

Award-winning travel writer John Gimlette turns his keen, ever-curious eye on the island nation of Sri Lanka, as explored in his latest book, Elephant Complex. Join him for this engaging and witty talk as he reveals a country struggling to free itself from trauma, and to embody an identity to match its vitality, its power … Continue reading John Gimlette, Travels in Sri Lanka // Stanfords Travel W...

Join holiday bargain-hunter Andrew Fraser, travel safety guru Lloyd Figgins and Author and Wanderlust Magazine Editor Phoebe Smith as they talk to Julia Wheeler about how to fly further for less, and how to stay safe as you explore the world.    

TV presenter and author Simon Reeve talks to Julia Wheeler and shares tales from more than 110 countries he has travelled to making programmes for the BBC, including his new series on Turkey, due to air this spring.

John Simpson is the BBC’s World Affairs Editor, and has twice been the Royal Television Society’s Journalist of the Year. He has also won three BAFTAs, including the Richard Dimbleby Award in 1991 and the News and Current Affairs award in 2000 for his coverage of the Kosovo conflict. Join him as he discusses his … Continue reading John Simpson, in conversation // Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

Join Huw Lewis-Jones as he delves into the journals and sketchbooks of some of the world’s most remarkable travellers, naturalists, oceanographers, astronauts, archaeologists, mountaineers and explorers from the 16th century to the present day, among them Captain Scott, Edmund Hillary, Jan Morris, Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin. He also tells us a few things … Continue reading Hew Lewis-...

Join inspirational British adventurer Sarah Outen as she shares the incredible story of her 25,000 mile journey around the planet by bicycle, canoe and kayak – from her latest book Dare to Do, a tale of true courage and determination to continue on against all odds.