Woodland Walks - The Woodland Trust Podcast

Join us for an episode of virtual time travel to visit Hatfield Forest, Essex and explore over 2,000 years of rich history. As we journey through this outdoor museum, we chat to Tom Reed, a Woodland Trust ancient tree expert, and Ian Pease, a National Trust ranger, who explain why the wildlife and cultural value of these trees makes them irreplaceable. Discover why ancient trees are so important,...

Much as I love a woodland walk, my tree identification skills leave a lot to be desired, so I travelled to Londonthorpe Wood, Grantham for a lesson from the experts. We join tree ID guru Sally to learn how to recognise common trees from their leaves, catkins, bark and berries. From apple and ash to hawthorn and hazel, she also tells us more about the trees' value for wildlife. I learned so much du...

Charity Wakefield's passion for the natural world shone through when we caught up at her local green space. I met the actor, environmentalist and Woodland Trust ambassador at Peckham Rye Park to talk about trees, wildlife and acting. Charity explains how nature has made her happy since the tree-climbing, den-building days of her childhood. She is concerned that people have lost their connection wi...

Langley Vale Wood is a really special place. Created as part of the Trust's First World War Centenary Woods project, it's a natural living legacy for the fallen that symbolises peace and hope. Memorials offer space to remember in an evocative and moving tribute. As well as these important reflections on the past, the site has a bright future. Previously an arable farm that became non-viable, natur...

Join us at Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood, Leics to discover a thriving 10-year-old wood, chat royal trees and celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. We meet with site manager David Logan to explore the site's connections with the royal family, its special art features and some of the wildlife, sights and sounds you might encounter on a visit.  Don't forget to rate us and subscribe! Learn more abou...

Lying next to the River Avon just inside the Cotswolds, Avoncliff Wood is no ordinary wood. The site hosts one of the biggest trials in the UK to find biodegradable alternatives to plastic tree guards. As if that wasn't enough, it's also a living laboratory, revealing how ash dieback will really affect nature. Site manager Joe gives us a special behind the scenes tour to learn more. We also meet v...

On a delightful spring morning at Marden Park, just inside the M25 in East Surrey, we enjoy a walk with expert site manager Nick. He fills us in on how nature and people are benefiting from this special place and explains some of the challenges here too, including dealing with the effects of ash dieback and climate change. Wildlife is thriving here thanks to the mix of woodland both young and old,...

We join Elaine Paige, award winning actress, singer, producer and radio presenter, as she plants trees at London's Hainault Forest. Known as the First Lady of Musical Theatre with roles in Evita , Cats and many more, Elaine chats with us about nature, the theatre and her hopes for the future. She gives us insight into her years on stage, from the origins of her love of music to her rise to stardom...

Close to London, this urban oasis has a long and important history. It has provided wood to fire the capital's bread ovens and venison for the king's table, and is where the British conservation movement began. We join the Trust's Jonathan Jukes and George Lewis for a tour of this special place, a remnant of the Forest of Essex once protected by the crown. Among stately hornbeams and oaks, you can...

How do trees communicate? Which species' bark was used as a kind of antiseptic chewing gum in the Stone Age? These and other fascinating facts and stories came up during my chat with author, environmentalist and Trust ambassador, Jon Drori CBE. Jon's love of nature grew from childhood visits to Kew Gardens and parents who encouraged him to view nature scientifically and also for its beauty. Both p...

Mya-Rose Craig is extraordinary. Known to many as Birdgirl, she travelled far and wide on a quest to see half the world's bird species before her 18th birthday. She's also an environmentalist, diversity activist, writer, speaker and broadcaster - and has an honorary doctorate in science from the University of Bristol. As well as her birding achievements, we chat about her passion for nature and en...

We begin our second series by celebrating the benefits and beauty of urban trees with journalist and presenter Adrian Chiles. In a West London park, he describes how nature gives him relief from the overstimulation of the capital, both in green city spaces and the countryside. We chat too about Adrian's career, and reminisce a little about our good times working together at the BBC in the nineties...

Author and illustrator of How to Train Your Dragon and The Wizards of Once , Cressida Cowell is also the current Waterstones Children's Laureate. As we get lost in London's Kensington Gardens, she tells us of her passion for trees and nature, reminisces about the wild childhood trips that inspire her stories and praises the power of hope and imagination. She also shares the E.B. White quote she li...

Our guest for this episode, Alastair Campbell, has long recognised the positive impact of the natural world on his mind, body and spirit. While walking on London's Hampstead Heath, the communicator, writer and strategist opens up about his mental health struggles and how green space helps get him through. It's a tough listen at times, but an important topic that many will relate to.   Hear all abo...

The idea of glimpsing lions and tigers while walking among trees in the local park may sound fantastical - but that's exactly what lucky Paddy O'Connell does every day. For this episode, the TV and radio presenter takes us along on this exclusive experience, accompanied by Bob the dog. Paddy enjoys a regular dose of nature thanks to nearby Regent's Park. Home to London Zoo and 'the most special so...

Do you know the difference between a rainforest and a normal forest? Or which moth looks like a fragment of 1970s carpet? Find out in our latest episode as we call on more staff from around the Trust to share their fascinating stories and favourite woods. We chat to Laura Shewring, Colin Riley, Paul Mosley and volunteer David Mason about Wales' rainforests and a special ancient wood in Lancashire....

We meet Clare Nasir, the face of Channel 5 weather and a best-selling author. She shares her views on climate change, weather and being wild about the countryside. She also treats us to a tour of Lindow Common near her home in Cheshire. It's a special place for Clare. Featuring woods, heathland, peatland and a lake, she admires the small differences in nature every day - something many of us have...

With lockdown upon us once more, we've chatted to more famous faces - and voices - to help bring you a taste of the great outdoors. In this episode, we meet Kathy Clugston: newsreader, continuity announcer and host of Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time. She takes us on a foggy winter walk through Belfast's Ormeau Park, where meandering paths lead through hundreds of trees. Having visited for 50 ye...

Amidst new lockdowns around the UK, we've taken an alternative approach to the latest podcast. Co-hosted by regular guest Ruth Hyde (and puppy Coco), we chat to staff from the Trust to find out more about their fascinating roles and some of their woodland experiences. Meet Natalie Buttriss, Jane Craven, Justin Milward and Joe Middleton to hear about wacky games in the Forest of Dean, how to develo...

Join Adam and TV historian Dan Snow in the New Forest, one of Dan's favourite woods and a wonderful place for history. But while history is a huge part of his life, it's not his only passion. He's also a self-confessed tree hugger. His love for the New Forest is clear on our walk. While growing up in London, his family regularly visited the area and he now lives nearby, describing it as a special...

The Northern Forest is an ambitious and exciting plan to plant 50 million trees across the North of England. It will transform life for people and wildlife. During a walk around Smithills near Bolton, City of Trees' Jess Thompson and Gemma Wren of the National Trust tell us all about it. As we explore the amazing landscape, they explain how they're involved, what the project means for the North  a...

In another special lockdown episode, Clive Anderson gives us an audio tour of his North London garden. President of the Woodland Trust since 2004, Clive is an award-winning broadcaster and comedy writer and currently hosts Radio 4's  Loose Ends . We gain insight into his passion for nature as he describes the trees from around the world at home in his garden, and the wildlife species that like to...

With normal podcast recording hampered by lockdown, we visit the trees of Hampstead Heath with Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With a Pearl Earring and other bestsellers. In this episode, Tracy describes how trees bring her comfort, considers how lockdown has changed our attitudes to nature, introduces us to two trees that are special to her and even climbs up into an old oak to show us a differen...

Lockdown has hampered our usual woodland walks, so instead we're chatting to some well-known personalities about the natural world - their favourite places, memories, hopes for the future and more. First up is journalist and presenter, Steph McGovern, who talks to us about the Avenue of Trees that brought her clarity and solace as a youngster, how attitudes to nature have changed during lockdown,...

Join Adam Shaw at one of Mead's tree planting days to find out how young people are leading the transformation of 400 acres of ex coalmining land by planting 250,000 trees. Learn more about the Woodland Trust at  woodlandtrust.org.uk