Six Minutes Somewhere Else

I re-visited an old friend, a large 'spirit' horse carved out of the chalk downlands of southern England. It is unlike any other chalk figure ever created. It is beautifully animated, galloping free across the landscape. It is also ancient, dating from more than 2,500 years ago. If you are wondering ‘what is the white horse at Uffington’, 'what is the story behind the white horse’ or 'what does t...

The Vallée d’Ossau is full of summer radiance on the day I come to stay. I and several hundred other people and their huge motorhomes, for the famous Tour de France bicycle race is passing through the valley. After the mass of riders and their entourages whizz by and on, into the foothills of the Pyrenees, the valley returns to its natural, beautiful best. If you're keen to find out 'does the Tour...

The Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland make up one of the world’s most important seabird sanctuaries, with thousands of birds flocking here every spring to breed and to nurture their young. I visited in July when the airspace around the cliffs is as busy as it gets: kittiwakes, razorbills, fulmars, shags, terns and birds I had travelled a long way to see: puffins!! If you're wondering...

I am in one of my favourite parts of the world: the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. I’m in St Vincent and the Grenadines sharing my breakfast with my new friend, a very colourful Bananaquit bird. It’s one of the prettiest birds I have seen and I am delighted it has chosen me – well, chosen my plate of fruit. I may even postpone some snorkelling I had planned and hang out with the Bananaquit ins...

I am cruising through possibly the most amazing and iconic scenery in South East Asia – the famous karst islands in Phang Nga Bay between Krabi and Phuket. I was supposed to be on a car ferry further out to sea but instead took a small fishing boat which went much close to these amazing, must-see natural rock stacks. If you're asking 'what is Phang Nga Bay known for', 'is it worth going to Phang N...

I am sitting on the rim of the crater of an ancient volcano in Samoa in the South Pacific, with a sheer drop down to a secret, sunken rainforest below me. Big fruit bats are flapping overhead and it’s not hard to imagine they are small pterodactyls and that I have time-travelled back to the era of the dinosaurs. It's a beautiful scene as the tropical sun comes up and the air is full of birds. If y...

I am in the very English town of Stratford-Upon-Avon, globally famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It's also my home town and I try to visit each May to enjoy warm, sun-drenched evenings with friends. I like to walk through the town and down to the beautiful River Avon and watch the elegant swans gliding under the willow trees in the late sunlight. There are few places as quint...

I am at the very edge of the precipitous – and very loud – Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa. It is the world's largest sheet of falling water and known in the local language as Mosi oa Tunya , or the 'smoke that thunders'. So you might think it an odd location for a meditation session but there's method in my madness. If you want to know 'what is the best...

I am on a long Pacific Ocean beach in Costa Rica watching a truly monumental natural phenomenon. Hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley turtles are hauling themselves out of the waves under a bright moon and dragging their bodies up the beach to lay their precious eggs. This rarely seen biological phenomenon is known as an arribada and I am lucky enough to witness one. If you are wondering 'what is...

I am at Adventure Bay on Bruny Island, off Tasmania, watching a super-cute white wallaby feeding at the edge of a car park. This very rare animal is only found here, where they are protected. If you are asking yourself 'how rare are albino wallabies', 'where are the white wallabies in Tasmania', 'where can I see an albino wallaby' or 'what can you do in Adventure Bay, Tasmania', this podcast episo...

I am enjoying a perfect late spring evening in an English village. The sun is setting over the wheat fields, rabbits play in a meadow, the hedgerows are bursting with life and there are swifts and swallows on the wing. In the distance I can hear the mournful bleating of lambs and an owl begin to hoot in the woods. These are just some of the numerous natural wonders of an English village in May. If...

I am in one of my favourite green spaces in Asia: Singapore's magnificent Gardens By The Bay. There’s something wonderfully peaceful about being here and doing nothing but staring at nature. In Singapore, this is the best way to start the morning and give you the mental strength to tackle whatever the day may throw at you later. If you are keen to find out 'what is special about Gardens By The Bay...

Tasmania is a treasure trove of wildlife and wilderness. It is a place of ancient forests, wild coastlines and primeval landscapes, some of which have barely changed in millions of years. It is a place I visit as often as I can to immerse myself in nature and temporarily forget the fears and frictions of the world... and it never fails to calm me. If you are wondering 'what is so special about Tas...

I spent a week admiring 'my' iceberg in Grates Cove in Newfoundland. I watched it from dawn to dusk and sometimes even at night. It turned, rolled and drifted. It was hypnotic and very relaxing. If you are wondering 'what is the best time of year to see icebergs in Newfoundland', 'are there any icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland' or 'what to see on the Avalon peninsula' then this podcast episo...

I travelled to the Åland Islands to spend a day sunbathing and exploring the forest on my very own islet. This is the perfect place to slow down and enjoy nature. The islands are also somewhat quirky: they are technically autonomous and part of Finland yet most people speak Swedish, and they have a weird flag rule. If you are asking yourself 'where are the Åland Islands', 'are the Åland Islands be...

I found peace and calm in a natural oasis in the middle of Tokyo and it was totally unexpected. I went for a walk looking for a spot to sit on the waterfront of Tokyo Bay and watch the seabirds. Instead, I found the Hama-rikyu Gardens, which date back to the 1600s. The gardens are full of graceful cedars and include groves of plum and cherry trees, a bank of peonies and a wisteria trellis. There a...

I travelled to New Zealand’s South Island at Maori New Year to witness a dark-sky spectacle in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. These reserves are being established across the globe, which is good for astronomers but – more importantly – for animals and birds, as more and more human-created light is disrupting and threatening their migrations and survival. I learned about Maori...

I travelled to Costa Rica in Central America to climb a volcano called Arenal, which was an exhilarating experience. If you want to know 'is it worth going to Arenal volcano', 'what lives in the Costa Rica jungle' or 'how to see Costa Rica rainforest' this podcast might be able to help. WARNING : Arenal is currently not erupting but an eruption could happen at any time. Climbing live and even dorm...

I spent a blissful summer day on a beach on the Gower peninsula in South Wales. Gower was the first place in the UK to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and for good reason. It’s full of idyllic, sandy beaches such as Pobbles and its neighbour Three Cliffs. If you are wondering ‘is the Gower peninsula worth visiting’, ‘what are the hidden gems on Gower’, ‘where is Pobbles bay’ or...

I travelled to the haunting Skeleton Coast of Namibia in southwestern Africa to experience one of the world’s most remote places. This is a lonely land of sand, shipwrecks, skulking jackals and a very clever ‘fog beetle’. If you’re asking yourself ‘why do they call it Skeleton Coast’, ‘why are there so many shipwrecks on the Skeleton Coast’, or ‘is the Skeleton Coast worth visiting’, this podcast...

I travelled for several days to reach the remote Pacific island of Yap to meet the locals and learn the story behind their giant stone coins. This must be the most beautiful Pacific island I’ve ever seen. I felt like I had travelled back a hundred years or more to a simpler, slower time when nature dictated our pace. If you’re wondering ‘where is Yap island’, ‘what is Yap island famous for’, or ‘w...

I travelled to Upper Bavaria in southern Germany to climb the Kramerspitz mountain. I failed due to thick mist near the summit but was still rewarded with an incredible wildlife moment on the lower slopes. If you're wondering 'is it hard to hike the Kramerspitz', 'what are the most beautiful hiking trails in Germany', or 'what animals are in the Bavarian Alps', this podcast might shine a light for...

An afternoon of nature mindfulness among the wildlife of Australia's wonderful Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is very good for the soul. Photo © copyright Matthew Brace More information: https://www.tidbinbilla.act.gov.au/ Travel, nature, wellness. This is Six Minutes Somewhere Else. Contact me via LinkedIn . Don’t forget to like and follow/subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

I travelled to the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland on a cyclonic day to meet petrified trolls. After braving truly atrocious weather and perilous 'sneaker waves' on Djúpalónssandur beach I made it to Dritvík beach to see the ghostly stone trolls. Then, just for a few seconds, the weather cleared and I had a beatific nature experience. If you're wondering 'is it safe to swim at Djúpalónssandur bea...

I travelled to the southeastern corner of Oregon in the United States to visit the Alvord Desert. This dry, sunbaked salt pan is very different to the state's magnificent Pacific coast forests but it is equally as dramatic and far less visited. If you love deserts you'll love the Alvord. If you're wondering 'where is the Alvord Desert', 'how large is the Alvord Desert' or 'what is Eastern Oregon k...