Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

As winter turns to spring , toads, frogs and newts across Britain begin their annual journey, making their way back to the ponds where they breed.For many, that journey means crossing busy roads and not all of them make it to the other side.In this episode of Wild Tales, we spend the night with the Charlcombe Lane Toad Patrol, discovering the dedication and determination it takes to give these remarkable animals a fighting chance. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Production: Narrator: Rosie Holdsworth Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruck photo courtesy : Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group With thanks to Mike Collins, Sheila Gundry, Lance, Lucy and Angela from the Charlcombe Lane Toad Group Discover more: https://www.froglife.org/what-we-do/toads-on-roads/how-to-become-a-toad-patroller/

The Bewick’s or ‘Tundra’ swan has eluded ranger Ajay Tegala for years. It's hardly surprising: the swan’s epic migration is under pressure, and their numbers are dwindling. Can Ajay find them at their winter retreat of WWT Welney? Ajay speaks to fellow swan lover, artist and zoologist Dafila Scott and site manager Lizzie Bruce to aid his search for these hardworking swans. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Production: Host and Co-producer: Ajay TegalaProducer: Marnie WoodmeadeSound Designer: Jesus GomezMusic: Swan Song by Charlotte Eve With thanks to: Dafila Scott, Lizzie Bruce and the staff and volunteers at WWT Welney Discover more: Visit WWT Welney: https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney Visit Wicken Fen: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cambridgeshire/wicken-fen-national-nature-reserve Learn more about wetland swans: https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/wetland-wildlife/meet-the-family/swans-found-in-uk-wetlands

This week we’re sharing another of our podcasts we think you’ll enjoy. Nature Fix takes you on adventures with people whose lives have been shaped by the outdoors. In this episode, wrap up warm and turn your eyes to the skies for a stargazing tour from the middle of Manchester. Nature Fix Host Claire Hickinbotham joins astronomer and adventure enthusiast Nazanin Jahanshahi, to discover how there’s lots to see in the night sky wherever you live. On this awe-inspiring city celestial voyage, you'll be wowed by a rare planetary parade, learn how to start navigating the stars, and hear top tips for hunting the northern lights. Production Producer: Michelle DouglassSound Designer: Nikki RuckContributor: Nazanin Jahanshahi Get your Nature FixFollow Nature Fix on your favourite podcast app: https://podfollow.com/nature-fix Discover the best National Trust spots for stargazing: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/outdoor-activities/top-spots-for-stargazing Learn about night sky locations and activities: https://gostargazing.co.uk/

Orford Ness is well practiced at keeping secrets; in the 1940s it was classified military research, but now it is a brand new colony of grey seals. Countryside Manager Matt Wilson guides us around the bomb craters to try and find the newest and blubbery-est residences. We find out how they came to be on this moon-like beach and how they’re faring on this remote site. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/Production: Producer: Marnie WoodmeadeHosts: Rosie Holdsworth Sound Designer: Jesus GomezWith thanks to: Matt Wilson and the staff at Orford Ness Image © National Trust Images/Rob ColemanDiscover more: Visit Orford Ness, looked after by the National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/orford-ness-national-nature-reserveFind out more about the seals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6ti7BaNKpU&t=523s

Pine martens were once common in Britain but now, they're one of our rarest carnivores. These slinky, tree-dwelling predators had virtually disappeared in England and Wales by the turn of the 20th Century. But pine martens are making a comeback.We follow Ranger Dan Iceton at Wallington estate in Northumberland, as he tries to encourage pine martens to make these woodlands their forever home.And we discover conservation success in other parts of Britain where the animals have returned.Follow the story and secret lives of the mysterious mammal making a comeback in our forests.[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Production: Producer: Michelle DouglassHosts: Rosie Holdsworth and Dan IcetonSound Editor: Jesus GomezWith thanks to: Dr Stephanie Johnstone and Vincent Wildlife Trust Image © Caroline Legg Discover more: Visit Wallington, looked after by the National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/wallington Find out more about pine martens with Vincent Wildlife Trust: https://www.vwt.org.uk/species/pine-marten-2 Read about Martens on the Move: https://pinemartens.uk/ Report your sighting and help citizen science: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a8c5d8e084dc4ecb9b92c57c42769d1f

The Farne Islands in the North Sea, off the coast of Northumberland, have a very special species of seabird during the summer that fiercely protects its young with its dive-bombing technique. However, it’s the Arctic Terns’ ability to fly thousands of miles during their migration from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle that really sets them apart. Join Rosie and Rangers Dan Iceton and Tom Hendry on Inner Farne as they spend time with the Arctic Terns and experience their dive-bombing tactics first-hand. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production: Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth and Dan Iceton Producer: Katy Kelly Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez Contributor: Tom Hendry Discover More: Find out more about The Farne Islands: Our work at Farne Islands | Northumberland | National Trust Follow us @wildtales Instagram account If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]

Just outside Belfast, lie the Mourne Mountains - a land of granite peaks and wide skies, but also a place of witches, fawns and lions. Protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a UNESCO Global Geopark, this remarkable landscape is also a doorway to imagination. Join National Trust ranger Kate Martin as she journeys from the streets of Belfast to the Mourne Mountains, exploring the places that shaped C.S. Lewis’s childhood and inspired his creation of Narnia. Discover how city, story and landscape came together to form one of the most beloved worlds in children’s literature. (AD) Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/_Smzdtsh_tMProduction Presenter: Kate Martin Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Contributors: Dr Sarah Waters, Director of the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center Lolly Spence, Blue Badge Tourist Guide and historian James Fisher, Lead Ranger NI Castle Ward Actor: Ethan Hughes courtesy of Prime Theatre Thank you to The CS Lewis Company Ltd for permissions to use quotes from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis © copyright CS Lewis Pte Ltd 1950, in this episode. Discover More If you’d like to know more about visiting The Mournes, please visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/the-mournes You can listen to more of Kate’s Northern Ireland adventures here: Northern Ireland Adventure | Beyond the Bridge - Wild Tales | Nature Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Northern Ireland Adventure | Sea Safari at Rathlin Island - Wild Tales | Nature Podcast | Podcast on Spotify If you'd like to book a tour with Lolly Spence you can here: www.hiddenulstertours.com If you’d like to read Dr Sarah Waters’ work on C.S. Lewis, you can do so here: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9681-3361 And you can learn more about the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center here: https://www.sterling.edu/academics/cs-lewis-center If you’d like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

The rock faces of Cwm Idwal are cold, dark and uninhabitable; unless what you love is to dangle off the frozen cliffs. Ice climbing takes you into a winter playground, but as the climate crisis thins the ice, how can climbers and conservationists work together to save one of the UK’s rarest flowers? Join ecologist and botanist Barbara Jones and ice climber Tom Carrick to scale one of Wales' most dramatic mountains and discover how the precious Lili'r Wyddfa (Snowdon Lily) can survive in this isolated location. For the Welsh transcript of this episode please click here Or copy this link: https://audioboom.com/posts/8820822-dringwyr-eryri-stori-am-ia-a-blodau/transcript [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Production Presenter: Rosie Holdsworth Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Contributors Barbara Jones Tom Carrick Image credit: ©National Trust Images/John Millar Discover more If you want to visit Cwm Idwal you can find out more at the National Trusts website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/carneddau-and-glyderau/cwm-idwal-walk To see the temperature sensors, you can find them at the BMC website https://www.thebmc.co.uk/en/cwm-idwal-welsh-winter-monitoring-system-live-and-upgraded You can also find the white guide and more winter mountaineering information here: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/en/mountaineering-resources For more on arctic alpines, here are some resources: Plants on the Edge: Arctic Alpines in Wales / Ar y dibyn: Planhigion Arctig Alpaidd yng Ngymru https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/mountain_plants_in_the_uk__undervalued_and_under_threat-13605Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

As the festive season unfolds, one familiar face keeps appearing – the little robin. But behind its cheerful presence, is there more to this charming bird’s story? National Trust ranger Rosie Holdsworth chats to garden wildlife specialist Sean McMenemy about the remarkable life of robins, revealing their fascinating year-round behaviour and why this beloved bird deserves to be celebrated all year long. (AD) Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Presenter: Rosie Holdsworth Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Contributor: Sean McMenemy Discover more You can read Sean’s garden wildlife blog here: Sean McMenemy Wildlife Blog Follow us on our @wildtalesnt Instagram account If you’d like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

How can a golf course become a place for nature and people to thrive? Ajay Tegala visits Sandilands in Lincolnshire over its first year as the once manicured lawns transform into a wetland habitat. But with one of the driest springs on record, can Sandilands go from one birdie to another? Will there be enough water for wading birds return? [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Presenter: Ajay Tegala Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Sound designer: Jesus Gomez Contributors Carl Hawke Kirsty James Dave Miller Special Credit: A big thanks to Jannis Bonner, composer student at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, for their collaboration to this episode with the track "Breath of the Canopy". Eurasian booming bittern sfx: Author: Niels Krable Link: https://xeno-canto.org/100296 Discover more If you want to visit Sandilands or keep up to date with their progress you can find them here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/sandilands Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account Image credit: ©National Trust Images/Rob Coleman If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

What happened to the animals who served in the First World War? Uncover the extraordinary story of Warrior the war horse who survived the Western Front. General Jack Seely's horse, Warrior, was anything but ordinary. He carried his master through some of World War One's most brutal battles, including the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele. Despite more than eight million horses, donkeys and mules losing their lives during the war, Warrior somehow survived. Join General Jack Seely's grandson and broadcaster, Brough Scott and historian, James Grasby, to retrace Warrior's incredible journey. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Host : James Grasby Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruck Contributors Brough Scott Discover more To visit Mottistone Mottistone To find out more about Warrior Warrior The War Horse If you would like to follow in the footsteps of warrior check out the Warrior Trail Follow us @wildtales Instagram account If you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]

Is your cat the devil in disguise? Probably not, although they may act like it sometimes! But once upon a time, they would have been accused of luring you into witchcraft. In Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries witch hunting became an obsession and supposed ‘witches’ were put on trial, and some were even sentenced to death.Being an animal lover was considered a sure sign that someone was practicing witchcraft. Friendliness towards cats, rabbits or dogs could lead to accusations of witchcraft, as these animals, known as familiars, were suspected of working for the devil.One of those accused of witchcraft and seen with familiars was Elizabeth Clarke, a poor, disabled woman from Essex.Join Rosie and historian Dr Romany Reagan as they uncover Elizabeth’s story and the strange tale of the witches’ familiars.[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Production: Host: Rosie HoldsworthProducers: Rosie Toy and Katy KellySound Editor: Jesus Gomez Contributor: Dr Romany ReaganDiscover More: Find out more about witchcraft:https://essexwitchmuseum.co.ukUncover folklore, legends, myths and lost histories from the British Isles with Dr Romany Reagan:https://blackthornandstone.comWatch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcastsIf you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]

A new series of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is here. Awooo! Follow the adventures of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, a crew of colourful creatures who use their skills to solve curious cases. Beaver’s a super engineer. Sleepy Bat’s skill is sonar. Wildcat’s a proud predator. Deer’s strong and speedy. Fox has a nose for trouble. Shy Mole’s an expert digger, and Dragonfly’s always buzzing. In Series Two, 12-year old Roxy has finally become a real Wildlifer and can talk to animals. But she's got a lot to learn to be a top Ranger like her hero Rae. Luckily the Wildlifers are back on the trail solving puzzles, where they find old friends and new ones too like inventor Luca. Join the crew on new adventures in destinations from under the sea to beautiful forests, from cruising the canal to exploring the city after dark. And meet a host of weird and wonderful characters along the way. Perfect for 5-8 year olds.Grown ups, follow Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers kids' podcast by finding the show on your favourite podcast app including Apple, Spotify and Yoto. Or follow this link: podfollow.com/national-trust-kids-podcastRanger Rae and the Wildlifers is a podcast from the National Trust, Europe's Biggest Conservation Charity, produced by Fun Kids.

Taiwan is known for its technology — from the chips that power our phones to the satellites orbiting above us, but just beyond the city of Hsinchu, there’s a small forest that tells a different story. Trust in Nature Foundation Taiwan is Taiwan’s first environmental charitable trust — a place where protected wildlife and local communities are working side by side to protect some of the island’s natural habitats. In this episode presented by Rosie Holdsworth, producer Jesse Edbrooke visits the people caring for this forest, meet the protected animals that live there, and explore how conservation can thrive and inspire in one of the most high-tech regions on Earth.[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/Nature Valley Environmental Trust Taiwan - https://teia.tw/natural-valley-enTrust in Nature Founation - https://tnf.org.tw/en International National Trust Organisation - https://www.into.orgJhih Han Lyu was a participant in the INTO Incubator programme in 2024, which supports emerging heritage leaders across the globe.Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcastsProduction:Hosts: Rosie Holdsworth Producer: Jesse EdbrookeSound Editor: Jesus GomezContributors: Jhih Han Lyu, Wing Lo, Translation: Joshua EdbrookeDiscover More:Includes music from Wing Lo’s Aha Moment - https://music.apple.com/gb/album/%E8%AB%8B%E8%AA%AA%E5%AE%A2%E8%AA%9E/1826949430?i=1826949431Follow us @wildtales Instagram accountIf you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]

Warning: This episode contains the unusual mating habits of spiders. Autumn is the time for spiders, and the colder months mean our eight-legged friends are searching for something vital: sex. Join arachnologist Anna Maka and author and broadcaster Lucy Cooke to uncover the fascinating and freaky sex lives of spiders and what it teaches us about evolution itself. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Presenter: Rosie Holdsworth Producer and sound designer: Marnie Woodmeade Contributors:Lucy Cooke Anna Maka Discover more You can find Lucy’s book Bitch: On the female of the species here. You can find out more about Anna’s work with rare diamond back spiders here. Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

Join producer and barge dweller Marnie as she leaves London’s canals behind to explore the Wey Navigations. Along the way, she meets the people who care for it, discovers its wildlife, and finds out why this waterway matters so much to so many.[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Presenter: Marnie Woodmeade Producer and sound designer: Nikki Ruck Contributors Derek Croucher Emily Curtis Emma Goodwin Stephen Perdita Discover more Explore the Wey Navigations by electric boat from Dapdune Wharf River Wey Navigations boat trips Wey River Festival takes place on Saturday 27th September 25 at Dapdune Wharf. Expect food and craft stalls, live music, children’s activities, and a colourful illuminated pageant. River Festival Learn more about nature prescriptions and the mental health benefits of connecting with the natural world. Dose of Nature Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]

On 20th July 1969 the world watched as humans first set foot on the Moon. More than half a century on, the view of Earth from space has given rise to a profound idea: the Overview Effect — the shift in perspective that astronauts experience when they see our planet from orbit. From 250 miles above, the Earth appears as a fragile, glowing sphere suspended in the darkness of space. Borders vanish, noise falls silent, and what remains is a single, shared home.But what happens when astronauts return to Earth and can never see the world in quite the same way again?Join Ranger Ajay Tegala as he explores the Overview Effect with artist Luke Jerram and astronaut Tim Peake, and discover how this cosmic perspective might change the way we care for the places closest to us.[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ Production:Host: Ajay TegalaProducer: Jesse EdbrookeSound Editor: Jesus GomezContributors: Luke Jerram, Tim PeakeDiscover More:Find out more about Luke Jerram’s artwork: https://www.lukejerram.comDiscover Tim Peake’s story: https://www.esa.int/peakePicture:Gaia at Inside Out Dorset, 2021. Photo (c) Roy RileySpecial credit: A big thanks to Jonathan Goldsmith, composer student at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, for their collaboration to this episode with the track "Flying Nymphaea". Follow us @wildtalesnt on InstagramIf you’d like to get in touch with feedback or a story idea you can contact us at [email protected]