The Plodcast

Join Maria Fernandez-Garcia as she walks the riverbank and woodlands of Conham River Park on the edge of Bristol in search of autumn edibles. From ruby rosehips and hawthorn berries to lush lichens and nettle seeds, Maria discusses the many medicinal plants that can be gathered in autumn and used to make herbal medicine. Expect seasonal jams, root-based coffees, and hot, healing teas. Find out more about Maria’s work as a herbalist at Healing Weeds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We escape back to summer in this podcast to explore a forgotten peninsula near the town of Caernarvon in North Wales. Enjoy beachcombing, plus a ramble over salt marshes and wildflower-filled sand dunes accompanied by curlews, oystercatchers and other seabirds. Pure wildlife delights! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Horrible Histories, Ghosts and Detectorists star Simon Farnaby talks to Maria Hodson about his new book for children – where a Dark Age wizard turns up in the 2st-century countryside. Funny and thoughtful, Simon reveals his own rural childhood and his hopes for a wilder childhood for his own family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Storyteller Martin Maudsley takes a walk along Blood Lane and other ancient Dorset tracks telling tales old and new that celebrate the countryside and its people. Prepare to be thrilled and chilled as Martin explores the twilight world of spirits, strange events and weird wildlife. Find out more at https://martinmaudsley.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Black Mountains are the northern, often overlooked corner of Brecon Beacons National Park in south-east Wales – a land of seldom visited peaks and hidden valleys full of tales. Editor Fergus Collins meets Black Mountains resident and rural commentator Rob Yorke to discuss wildlife, farming, hunting and rewilding over breakfast on the Gaer, an ancient hillfort. Find out more robyorke.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nature writer Helen Macdonald is best known for her critically acclaimed book: H is for Hawk. While this award-winning tome focuses on Helen's efforts to train a goshawk, it struck a chord with many in the way it deals with family, belonging and grief – as well as the beautifully drawn explorations and adventures in the British countryside. Helen has a new book out, Vesper Flights, and she talks about both works and her love of the natural world with Maria Hodson with readings by Hannah Tribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mya-Rose Craig – aka Birdgirl – is rapidly become one of Britain's leading environmental campaigners and an eloquent and persuasive voice for nature and for young people. Having just finished school, she talks about her hopes for our wildlife while taking Countryfile Magazine's Annabel Ross on a birdwatching tour of her home in the Chew Valley in North Somerset. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to episode 1 of season 7 of the BBC Countryfile Magazine plodcast – and meet the honey buzzards in a secret forest in South Wales. Honey buzzards are scarce summer migrants to the UK – a bird of prey that feeds mainly on wasps. Here Fergus Collins joins an expedition led by ornithologist Steve Roberts to locate a honey buzzard nest and ring the chicks in order to monitor their progress as they attempt to colonise the region. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From honey buzzards to Dark Age wizards and Napoleonic battles to the incredible Birdgirl, Season 7 of the Plodcast begins this autumn with 12 brand new adventures into the countryside for encounters with wildlife, chats with farmers, naturalists, campaigners and writers plus tranquil wanders into beautiful landscapes. Escape into the green outdoors wherever you are with the Plodcast. The new season begins on 29 September 2020 and runs for 12 episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final episode of series 6, we return to spring on the beautiful River Usk to celebrate the marvellous common toad – our cleverest amphibian. Follow Fergus Collins as he explores pools along the River Usk in the Brecon Beacons to meet hundreds of these warty wanderers as they gather to spawn. Plus, we explore some of the literary associations of the toad – from Shakespeare to Orwell. Find more about Britain's amphibians at the Countryfile Magazine website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wade up the Candover Brook in Hampshire in the company of insect expert George McGavin and Zam Baring of the Wessex River Trust. Meet the hidden life of this beautiful waterway from mayflies and leeches to damselflies and bullheads. It's a truly delightful and entertaining adventure in one of Britain's most precious wild habitats. Annabel Ross is your host. Find out more about the Wessex Rivers Trust Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Enjoy a summer morning on the island of Seil in the company of poet Kenneth Steven and a chorus of oystercatchers. Kenneth reveals the wild history of his home and reads three beautiful poems amid the enchanting atmosphere of the island. You can find out more about Kenneth and his poetry here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lucy Jones is the author of Losing Eden, a book the exploring the science behind why we need nature in our lives – and what happens to us when we lose contact with the wild universe. Listen on for some fascinating insight into what the green outdoors can do for us - and hear Lucy's own journey from addiction and depression with the help of the natural world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Enter the strange world of the nightjar in a dusk adventure on a secret Welsh hillside. Fergus Collins meets ornithologist Steve Roberts and listens to the strange song and stranger stories of this bizarre nocturnal bird. Steve rings the nestlings and tracks the species' progress in Wales. With thanks also to Hannah Tribe for giving voice to various readings throughout. You can find out more about nightjars at the BBC Countryfile Magazine website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Medieval historian Dr Emma Wells reveals the secrets and mysteries hidden in our rural chapels and churchyards. She talks about their importance in the history of the countryside, the power of sanctuary and what to look for on your next visit. For more on rural churches, visit the Countryfile website special section on great churches to visit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We join storyteller Martin Maudsley in the ancient lanes of Dorset tracing in the footsteps and the hideout of The Rogue Male – the title character of the renowned 1930s spy thriller written by Geoffrey Household. So follow Martin as he wanders into these strange and enticing holloways, delves into local folklore and reveals some the literary magic woven into our landscapes. Plus along the way, Martin tells some of his own fabulous little tales. More on Martin's storytelling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we head to Dartmoor to wander through landscapes where local farmers have worked tirelessly to bring wildlife back to their fields and hills. Listen on for cuckoos, encounters with rare butterflies and some truly uplifting conversation with Tim Martin of Farm Wilder. A former producer at the BBC’s natural history unit, Tim set up Farm Wilder to help farmers work more sustainably with the land and, as you’ll hear, his work is really paying off. Our own Annabel Ross met him for a walk in the dramatic Devon wilds. For more information, visit Farm Wilder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Enjoy a peaceful retreat to the gentle island of Seil in the Inner Hebrides in the genial company of Scottish poet Kenneth Steven. Hear Kenneth's reflections on writing, life in lockdown and some of the wild encounters he has every day with wild geese and marsh harriers. Plus, listen on for one of his own award-winning poems. For more about Kenneth, visit https://kennethsteven.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Take a May-time wander with editor Fergus Collins to a distant unexplored woodland – meet the local rabbit populations along the way, listen to a chorus of linnets and listen to the fabulous exotic melody of the wood warbler deep among the oaks. A sublime, gentle adventure in the countryside. For more days out and articles on British wildlife, head to the BBC Countryfile Magazine website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join TV naturalist Dr George McGavin as he explore the incredible life along a hedgerow near his home in Berkshire. Known for his regular slots on the One Show and many other BBC nature programmes, George is fascinated by insects and shares his discoveries – and some brilliant stories – with our own Annabel Ross in this delightful spring adventure. Find out more about hedgerow wildlife at our website countryfile.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin Parr heads to a secret common and woodland in Dorset to at the crack of dawn to hear Britain's most famous songster – the increasingly scarce nightingale. Listen on for a memorable and stunningly beautiful audio experience. Plus, we hear from one of the 20th century's greatest nature writers and poets, Edward Thomas, on the power of the nightingale's song. For more on nightingales and other British songbirds, visit our website countryfile.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do red squirrels make little boats to sail on? Nature writers of the 19th century thought so. In this episode, writer Caroline Greene explores some of the ideas and beliefs early nature writers had regarding our wildlife. Reading from a variety of amusing and bizarre sources, Caroline reveals the curious thinking of early observers of the natural world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once a heavily polluted river, running though heavily industrialised landscapes, the River Tame is being restored from its source on the Pennine moors along its entire length in the Greater Manchester area and is now one of the best trout rivers in Britain. Follow angler and writer Andrew Griffiths as travels along the river meeting heroes from Moors for the Future, the Mersey Rivers Trust and the Wild Trout Trust for an incredibly heartening story of a river's resurrection. And for more on river walks, wildlife of our waterways and great conservation projects, visit countryfile.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explore a forgotten forest on the edge of Bristol in the company of herbalist Maria Fernandez Garcia. Learn about the exciting flavours and healing powers of common plants such as dandelion and nettle and discover how to turn wayside weeds into useful cures. Find out more at Healing Weeds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Enjoy the wild magic of a spring morning walk deep into ancient bluebell woods with cuckoos, redstarts, pied flycatchers and wood warblers. Plus a supporting cast of spring lambs and many other species. Beautiful and unmissable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet acclaimed author, naturalist and broadcaster Tim Dee. At this time of year, the heart of springtime in Britain, Tim would normally be exploring his favourite oakwoods on Exmoor and the astonishing birdlife to be found there but, due to the COVID-19 lockdown, he is having to experience autumn in the southern hemisphere instead. Here he relives some of his memories by reading a rather magical chapter of his new book, Greenery: Journeys in Springtime. Listen on for a profoundly beautiful escape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We head to Dorset this episode with nature writer and angler Kevin Parr to hear a magnificent dawn chorus in his village, tucked away in the hills. Kevin then takes us on his favourite local walk onto a local hill to hear find singing skylarks and stunning views of the Jurassic Coast. Listen out for the surprise finish when Kevin discovers fantastic beasts in his very own garden… It's a perfect escape into the countryside when you can't get there yourself. And don't forget to visit our website for all your countryside needs Image from Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Climb a hill into the heart of the Brecon Beacons to encounter sparrowhawks, treecreepers and tangled oak woods full of mystery. Join Fergus Collins for a restorative blast of fresh air, nature and beautiful landscapes as spring bursts into life. Recorded on 30 March, 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Settle down for a beautiful reading from The Amateur Poacher by Richard Jefferies and go back in time to the Wiltshire downs of the late 19th century. Follow the life of an almost forgotten countryside character, the moucher, a gentle who rogue roams the byways of the countryside finding a living and communing with nature. A total delight. Discover more about Richard Jefferies at https://richardjefferies.org/ And for more about the countryside wherever you are visit Countyfile.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about The Community Farm at Chew Magna near Bristol and how it works to create a sustainable, nature friendly farming business that makes money and provides opportunities for work and training for a wide variety of local people. Margaret Bartlett visited to hear the inspiring story. For more information, visit The Community Farm Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen to delightful birdsong at the spring equinox. Fergus Collins wanders along a winding stream through a woodland in his homeland of Monmouthshire picking litter and identifying a variety of birds by their song. A lovely listen if you are currently unable to leave home and explore the countryside. For more information on how to bring the countryside to your home and garden, visit our website countryfile.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded before the current lockdowns due to Coronavirus, this podcast allows you to take a wild wander across the heathland of Chobham Common in Surrey to hear the fabulous song of the woodlark in all its glory. Welcome in the first songs of spring in the last in the current season of the Countryfile Magazine podcast. We will be back soon to bring a bit of countryside joy to everyone who needs it. Please share Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Otters are elusive, elegant fish hunters but are becoming more common across the UK. But in Shetland, they are seen commonly all round the coast so naturalist James Fair headed to otter central to watch otters with expert John Campbell. And what John doesn't know about otters you could write on the back of a bullhead. Listen on for otter wonders… And if you'd like to find out more about Shetland and its wildlife, please visit our website Otter image from Getty Images. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join a fascinating discussion with Corinne Pluchino of the Campaign for National Parks looking at how our most famous protected areas are faring and what needs to be done to ensure wild habitats and human inhabitants are provided for in the future. Will the Government follow the recommendations of the Glover Report? Plus, we answer whether the Norfolk question: are the Broads a national park or not? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discover the 6th-century saint Melangell who defied a Welsh prince and created a sanctuary for people and wildlife in stunning Cwm Pennant on the edge of Snowdonia. Julie Brominicks takes a pilgrimage across the hills to find the hidden valley – where she meets with the Guardian of the Shrine the Reverend Christine Browne. Julie also encounters a modern threat to the tranquility of this sacred place that parallels the ancient story of Melangell. Image of the Church of Melangell from Getty Images. For more on the Shrine of Melangell, visit here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An utterly delightful adventure with truffle hunter Tom Lywood and his dog Tobacco as they track down truffles in a woodland in south-west England. Learn about the ancient art of hunting these rare and much-prized treasures and why they are so special. And be envious of host Annabel Ross as she gets to taste one of nature's greatest treasures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After last episode's adventure finding the official source of the River Thames near Cirencester, the team head north deeper into the Cotswolds in search of the beginnings of the River Churn, which some people believe is the true source of England's greatest river. But there's a further surprise in store. Listen on to find out how they got on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The River Thames is Britain's most famous river but how many people have actually journeyed to its source? Fergus Collins braves floods and marshes to head upstream into the Cotswolds and track down the very beginnings of what Churchill described as the "golden thread running through our history". But what if the official spring at Thameshead isn't the true source? Listen on to hear a journey of watery discovery. Thank you to Jack Bateman and Hannah Tribe for helping create and produce this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shetland is becoming increasingly well known for its killer whale population – learn more about them as travel writer James Fair heads to Shetland mainland to talk to Hugh Harrop of Shetland Wildlife They also chat about the realities of life in winter so far north and other wildlife treasures of these magical isles. We are also pleased to announce that the BBC Countryfile Magazine podcast has been shortlisted for a Publisher Podcast Awards 2020. Image from Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer, broadcaster and farmer Jonathan Dimbleby discusses his grand vision for the countryside, his love of horses and hunting and his life on TV and radio, while walking with our own Annabel Ross in the south Devon countryside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim Dixon collects and sells classic books on fly fishing from his bookshop in the Peak District town of Bakewell. Angler Andrew Griffiths meets with Jim to discuss the greatest book of fishing and natural history ever written – The Compleat Angler by Isaak Walton. Join them for a delightful chat about fly fishing, natural history and the British countryside Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet Annette Woolcock who promotes the eating of game through the organisation Taste of Game. Listen on for a fascinating discussion of the merits of eating wild meat PLUS the pros and cons of shooting in the modern British countryside. You can vote in the Eat Game Awards mentioned in the podcast until 29 February. Editor Fergus Collins hosts this podcast in the wonderful setting of the National Trust's Stourhead Estate in Wiltshire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Escape the stress of daily life for a taste of fresh air and unusual wildlife with a wild winter walk along the clifftops of Glamorgan. Join Fergus Collins in a walk from Dunraven Bay to Monknash on a glorious Friday in early winter to encounter coughs, kestrels, gulls and the heartening song of the sea. For more information on the countryside and BBC Countryfile Magazine, visit countryfile.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen out for the start of season 4 on 7 January 2020. Here's a quick taste of what to expect… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us for a gentle chat with the team at BBC Countryfile Magazine discussing the best wild experiences of 2019, what we would change about the countryside if we could and what makes the perfect Christmas present for lovers of the green outdoors. We'll be back with Season 4 of the podcast on 7 January 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen to the song of the River Usk in autumn as you follow editor Fergus Collins on a gentle ramble through a recently flooded landscape to find wildfowl, waders and other creature. Plus, discover a blood-soaked story of treachery hidden in a peaceful riverside earthwork. This is the last of the series in season 4. We'll be returning with more podcasts in January 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explore the wonderful Lost Gardens of Heligan with its finder and restorer Tim Smit (who also established the Eden Project). Prepare yourself for some entertaining surprises as Tim discovers some of the more unusual produce of the magical vegetable garden. Tim is talking to Annabel Ross. You can find out more about the Lost Gardens by visiting the website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Naturalist James Fair heads to the island of Mousa to experience an eerie and wonderful wildlife encounter: life inside a colony of storm petrels . These sparrow-sized seabirds nest among the stones of an Iron Age fortress and await the return of their mate each evening after a day's fishing. James also speaks to local boatman and wildlife expert Rodney Smith of the Mousa Boat https://www.mousa.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Take a wander through the autumn glades of the RSPB's Nagshead Nature Reserve in the company of Sarah Orme from In the Moment magazine to talk about mindfulness and how nature can provide us with the head space to cope with the stresses of modern life. However, there is an unexpected wildlife encounter to get the heart racing! In the Moment produce a brilliant podcast themselves talking to people from all walks of life about finding calmness and improving mental health. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Take an autumnal ramble with Simon Pickering, naturalist and ecological advisor to the green energy company Ecotricity. As we wander through restored wildflower meadows, Simon describes how wind, solar and aerobic digestion can supply all of Britain's energy needs in the future. For more about the British countryside, great walks and the latest rural news visit our action-packed website countryfile.com Cover photo by Alex Tyler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices