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]

In 2018 a team of intrepid explorers came in to the possession of a treasure map - one which would see them venture half way around the world to the Australian island of Tasmania. Those explorers were a team of garden experts from across the UK and Ireland who were now on a historic mission to save and catalogue plants for the benefit of people and the planet. Following in the footsteps of the historic plant hunters, find out what was in store for the team of modern-day collectors and how natural history has helped to shape gardens around the world. ProductionHost: Rosie HoldsworthProducer: Jack GloverSound Design: Jesus Gomez ContributorsCharlie Bancroft and team BIBETCaroline IkinImages courtesy and with thanks from the Royal Botanic Gardens of Tasmania. All Rights Reserved.Discover MoreExplore a garden lovers home at Nymans in West Sussex where some of the collected species are now flourishing https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/nymans Read Charlie’s report here: https://merlin-trust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/718-Charlie-Bancroft-compressed.pdf Find out more about historic plant hunters from our friends at Kew Gardens https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/adventure-and-discovery-around-the-world-with-plant-hunters BIBET Botantic Gardens Republic of Ireland https://www.botanicgardens.ie/kilmacurragh/ Northern Ireland https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/mount-stewart Wales https://botanicgarden.wales/Tasmania https://gardens.tas.gov.au/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 10th August 1925 the Farne Islands came into the care of the National Trust. A hundred years on and this wildlife haven off the coast of Northumberland is home to a breeding colony of 23 different species of seabirds. But perhaps its most colourful characters, in looks as well as behaviour, are the 15,000 pairs of puffins that return to the Farne Islands to breed in the spring and summer months each year. Join Rosie and Rangers Dan Iceton and Tom Hendry on a unique quest to uncover the secret lives of the Farne Islands' feisty puffin population. [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: 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:https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/farne-islands/our-work-on-the-farne-islands 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]

The UK’s largest bird of prey is making a comeback. It’s now possible to spot white-tailed eagles, or sea eagles, as they’re also known, in many parts of the country thanks to an ongoing re-introduction programme. Join Ranger Rosie Holdsworth as she sets out with Forestry England’s Steve Egerton-Read, a pair of binoculars, and a lot of hope, as they try and spot them on the Isle of Wight. [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: Claire Hickinbotham Sound: Nikki Ruck and Jesus Gomez Contributor Steve Egerton-Read, Forestry England. Forestry England are working with the Roy Dennis Foundation to bring the White-tailed eagle back to the English Landscape. If you’d like to read more about some of the points raised in this episode, have a look at this. White-tailed Eagle Project - Frequently Asked Questions - Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation Visit Rosie visited Bembridge and Culver Downs | Isle of Wight | National Trust and Newtown National Nature Reserve | IOW | National Trust If you fancy visiting, why not have a look at Isle of Wight Holidays | Places to stay | National TrustAnd why not check out Wild Tales on Instagram Wild Tales | Nature Podcast (@wildtalesnt) • Instagram photos and videos

Every summer, swifts return to our skies, screaming overhead in joyful, acrobatic flight. But behind their spectacular aerial displays lies a stark reality: these much-loved birds are in serious decline. Join ranger Rosie Holdsworth in Sheffield as she meets two swift lovers doing everything they can to keep them flying high. [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 ProductionPresenter: Rosie HoldsworthProducer and sound designer: Nikki RuckContributors Flora JeferzadeChet CuñagoDiscover moreFind out more about swift conservation at Sheffield Swift Network Find out about swift bricks and boxes at Action for Swifts Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram accountIf 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]

Bioluminescent tides are often described as the northern lights of the ocean. Marine biologist, Dr Yasmin Meeda, has only witnessed this natural phenomenon once. She says seeing bioluminescence is one of the most magical things she’s ever experienced. Yaz takes us into the strange world of bioluminescent life to meet the species whose bodies light up from the inside, due to a chemical reaction. From bioluminescent tides caused by microscopic dinoflagellates to angler fish and glow worms, uncover nature's light displays in the dark. [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 Holdsworth Producer: Michelle Douglass Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez Special thanks to Dr Yasmin Meeda @marinebiologywithyaz for exploring the weird world of bioluminescence with Wild Tales. Follow Yaz @marinebiologywithyaz on instagram Image (c) Kezan24 | iStockDiscover more: Find out about the UK Glow Worm Survey and look for organised walks: https://glowworms.org.uk/ Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a wild tale you’re like to hear, you can contact us at [email protected]

How did two beetles cause a gay panic? There's much more to a cockchafer or ‘maybug’ than meets the eye. Join ecologist, Connor Butler, to find out more about what these charismatic creatures can teach us about science, humanity and the fluidity of the natural world. Discover more: You can find out more about Connor’s work and the queer ecology walks here: https://www.connorbutler.co.uk/ To visit Osterley Park and House and gardens, or to find out more about its spectacular grounds, find out more here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/london/osterley-park-and-house Further reading: This is a HUGE topic of which we’ve only scratched the surface. As part of our research and if you wanted to dig a little deeper, we read: Of Maybugs and Men: A History and Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality by Pieter R. Adriaens and Andreas De Block and Biological Exuberance by Bruce Baghemil Special thanks to Laine Kaplan-Levenson from A Field Guide to Gay Animals for taking the time to speak with us while we developed the episode. [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 Holdsworth Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected to our wild world, you can contact us at [email protected]

Wild Talk: In this bonus episode Ajay chats with wildlife legend Chris Packham about their shared love of birds. After 3 weeks of filming Springwatch at the Longshaw Estate, Ajay wants to hear more about the stunning cast of characters on this year's show. In particular, the black and white birds that choose to spend their summer here: the migrant pied flycatchers. Ajay meets Chris for a walk on the Springwatch set where they share their passion for birds, birding and what we must do to help wildlife. Production: Host: Ajay Tegala Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Special thanks to Chris Packham for recording with us and the Springwatch TV team for being so welcoming! Discover more: Find out more about Chris Packham’s work and what’s coming up: https://www.chrispackham.co.uk/ Learn more about pied flycatchers from the British Trust for Ornithology website: https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/pied-flycatcher Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a wild tale you’re like to hear, you can contact us at [email protected]

There’s not a lot better than getting out in nature and it’s something Linda Stuart realised 40 years ago. She visits Packwood House and Garden almost daily to get a nature fix, and credits it with getting her through some really challenging times. Join Linda as she shares her story with Heather Birkett. [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: Heather Birkett Producer: Claire Hickinbotham Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Contributors With thanks to Linda for sharing her story And to Robyn Booth for being so open about her mental health And to Liz Ware, Founder of Silent Space. Discover More Walking in nature for wellbeing | National Trust Silent Space | Peaceful time in green places GROW: Fill your world with plants by Robyn Booth – Collins

It’s the 1980s and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has burst onto the scene, scoring millions of young fans. Half-human, half-turtle fighters Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo originated as comic book characters before spawning phenomenally popular films and cartoons. But “turtlemania” also inadvertently sparked a pet craze that ultimately led to an invasive species problem. Red-eared terrapins were a particularly popular pet. But many people didn’t realise they would grow from a matchbox-sized hatchling to a dinner-plate sized adult that lives for more than 40 years. As a result a significant number of freshwater turtles were illegally released in the late 80 and 90s. Rosie joins Turtle Tally UK’s Suzie Simpson to uncover the wild origin story of how invasive freshwater turtles became a familiar sight in our waterways. [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 Holdsworth Producer: Michelle Douglass Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez Contributor: Suzie Simpson, Turtle Tally UK Image: (c) Suzie Simpson / Turtle Tally UKDiscover More: Head to Turtle Tally UK citizen science project to discover more about freshwater turtles in the UK and submit your sightings https://www.turtletally.co.uk/ Find out about the National Trust’s work protecting our waterways and how you can help https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/nature-climate/climate-change-sustainability/protecting-coasts-and-rivers The National Trust cares for places so people and nature can thrive. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference. Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever. You can donate to us at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/donate Follow Wild Tales nature podcast on your favourite podcast app or Youtube @nationaltrustcharity. And join us on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea you’d love to hear, contact us at [email protected]

On September 27th 2023, the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland was felled overnight in an act of vandalism, triggering a far-reaching wave of shock and sorrow. Join Heather Birkett, as she goes behind the scenes to explore the enduring impact of this beloved landmark, the aftermath of its loss, and the community’s efforts to preserve its memory. This episode has been updated from an previous release; National Trust Podcast - Sycamore Gap |One Year on[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/ProductionHost: Heather BirkettProducer: Nikki Ruck, Katy Kelly, Pippa Tilbury-Harris Sound Design: Nikki Ruck Discover more To find out the latest information surrounding The Sycamore Gap Tree including The Trees of Hope campaign www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sycamore-gap Find out what’s on in Northumberland Park and The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centrehttps://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on/ Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected to our wild world, you can contact us at [email protected]

When Ajay Tegala discovers that chaffinches, a small songbird, have a different accent every 30 miles, he’s intrigued. However, under threat from disease these birds are dying out in urban areas, and their unique urban songs may be lost for ever. But all is not lost. There's a way to find out how this disease is spreading...by recording their song. Follow Ajay and ecologist and UKYouth4Nature advocate Şeniz Mustafa as they search for this disappearing birdsong. To send Joe a chaffinch recording: Identify a chaffinch. You can use apps like Merlin to help you make sure it’s the right bird. Point your phone at the chaffinch. Be safe and don’t do anything you wouldn’t normally do! Record for anywhere up to 5 minutes. Send to [email protected] Your recording will be added to the database! [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: Hosts: Ajay Tegala and Rosie Holdsworth Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Assistant Producer: Katy KellySound Designer: Jesus Gomez Contributors: Şeniz Mustafa Joe Cooper Ian Johnson Discover more: Find out more about chaffinches and the British Trust for Ornithology here: https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/chaffinch

It’s the mid-1800s and pteridomania – or fern frenzy – is the new big craze. Across the UK, plant enthusiasts are heading into the countryside to pick all the prized specimens they can find. And fern fans far and wide are avidly creating collections and displays of the leafy green plants to show off. Uncover the truth about this Victorian phenomenon and how it influenced our love of house plants. But who were the pteridomaniacs? What did ferns secretly symbolise about young women and sex? And how can we learn from the conservation consequences of the craze? Join Presenter and Ranger Rosie Holdsworth and Curator Clara Woolford to unfurl the curious story of Victorian fern fever. [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/ Discover more: Visit Cragside in Northumberland for a taste of fern fever. See the fernery, rockery and glass houses designed by Lady Armstrong in the 1800s, now cared for by the National Trust. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside Production: Host: Rosie Holdsworth Producer: Michelle Douglass Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez Follow Wild Tales nature podcast on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea you’d love to hear, contact us at [email protected]

Beneath the waves of West Wales lies a complicated network of relationships that determines not only who’s belly rolling who, but which calf survives. Join Katrin Lohrengel and her team at Sea Watch to search for one of the ocean's most loved and misunderstood creatures: bottlenose dolphins. For the Welsh transcript of this episode please click here.[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: Host: Rosie Holdsworth Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Discover more: Find out more about the dolphins in Cardigan Bay: www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/ Did you know , you can see dolphins from the shore at Cardigan Bay? Explore the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’s coastal walks: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/strumble-head-to-cardigan Special thanks to Katrin Lohrengel for extra fact checking work and the whole team at Sea Watch. Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected to our wild world, you can contact us at [email protected]

Join Ranger Rosie Holdsworth to uncover the mystery of the leaping shark. On a boat off Cornwall, wildlife guide Jenny spots a huge animal she’s never seen before jumping out of the water. But what exactly has she witnessed? Across the world in Florida, shark-obsessed Dr Molly Kressler sets off on a mission to discover more about what is beneath the calm of the surface. More than that, she wants everyone else to be able to get to know and love creatures of the deep too. [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: Host: Rosie Holdsworth Producer: Marnie Woodmeade Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez Additional research: Funbi Bakare Discover more: Find out more about thresher sharks at sharkstrust.org.uk. If you want to be kept up to date with Molly’s research, you can find her on X, Instagram or TikTok at @marinemollyk. For incredible views of the Cornish coast, why not visit Trevose Head? Jutting out into the Atlantic, you can see for miles. Shark sightings not guaranteed (but possible!) Special thanks to Dr Molly Kressler and Jenny from Padstow Sea Life Safaris. Follow Wild Tales on your favourite podcast app or on Instagram @wildtalesnt. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea, you can contact us at [email protected]

Seagulls have a bad reputation. But is it deserved? Join Ranger Rosie Holdsworth to meet the gulls in Poole Harbour known for their chip-stealing behaviour. Are these birds feathered thugs or smart survivors? We’ll discover the myths and surprising truths about one of Britain’s most controversial birds. From their behaviours to their vital role in coastal ecosystems, uncover just what makes these ‘Gangster Gulls’ tick. Plus, we take part in a citizen science survey that helps track how these much-maligned seabirds are surviving in a changing world. [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/ ProductionPresenter: Rosie HoldsworthProducer and sound designer: Nikki RuckContributors Mya Bambrick Dr Viola Ross-Smith Paul Morton Emma Caulfield KatySophie Discover moreFind out more about bird conservation in Poole harbourBirds of Poole Harbour Take part in citizen science survey in your area BTO – British Trust for Ornithology Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story idea, you can contact us at [email protected]

Imagine being a fly on the wall throughout history.Historians Helen Antrobus and James Grasby take you inside the stories of the people, places and moments that made us. Experience the Great Stink of London. Make an entrance onto the Georgian dating scene. Find out if you'd survive a medieval battle. And unlock the secrets of Britain’s space race. Our past is all around us. Be transported behind the scenes at landmarks from castles to dance halls and WWII bunkers to workhouses. You’ll meet people from all walks of life whose fascinating stories help us make sense of who we are now.Lean in for a tale from time: introducing Back When, a new history podcast from the National Trust, launching 2 April. Follow Back When on your favourite podcast app and never miss an episode: podfollow.com/back-when

Wild Tales is launching 26 March. Immerse yourself in intriguing stories from our weird, wonderful and utterly wild world. Experience nature in a whole new way, from untangling the strange world of spider sex and digging up the greatest fossil finds, to meeting mysterious ocean giants and finding out why there’s no such thing as a seagull.Join nature experts Rosie Holdsworth, Ajay Tegala and Heather Birkett on adventures around the UK’s diverse habitats and uncover fascinating tales that connect us with wildlife. New Wild Tales will be released twice a month. Follow us on your favourite podcast app to keep up with every episode.www.instagram.com/wildtalesnt

Journey to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and Mottisfont garden in Hampshire, to discover a story of heritage and horticulture through two of the world’s most prestigious rose collections. We meet Princess Esther Selassie Antohin, founder of Heritage Watch Ethiopia, to explore the Tsegereda Rose Garden Project, an initiative that restores a link to Ethiopia’s imperial legacy and also tackles climate conservation challenges. The International National Trusts Organisation (INTO) has twinned the Tsegereda rose garden with one of the most important rose gardens in the world, the National Trust’s Mottisfont. Uncover surprising connections between Ethiopia and the UK – from Emperor Haile Selassie’s wartime exile in Bath, to Sylvia Pankhurst, an English activist who championed Ethiopia’s independence. Follow the fight to keep this heritage alive through extraordinary roses. Discover a story of gardens that have transcended borders to become symbols of heritage, resilience, and international collaboration.[Ad] Open the door to more with a National Trust membership. As well as free entry and parking at over 500 places we care for, you’ll receive: • Access to our online Members’ Area, full of exclusive member-only content, • A yearly handbook packed with visit inspiration, • And our award-winning member magazine 3 times a year. Now also available digitally.Become a National Trust member: nationaltrust.org.uk/become-a-member.For a taste of the digital magazine, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/historic-recipes, or if you're a member and you'd like to switch, look for My Account on the website. ProductionProducer and host: Jesse Edbrooke Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Discover moreWe protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference. Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever. You can donate to us at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/donate Read more about International National Trust Organisation Twinning (INTO) project www.into.org/withstanding-change-twinning/ Visit Heritage Watch Ethiopia website www.hwethiopia.org Find out more about Mottisfont’s Rose Garden, Hampshire, England www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/hampshire/mottisfont/the-rose-garden-at-mottisfontIf 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]

One of the simple pleasures in life is getting outdoors for a walk, taking in the world around you with some fresh air and then nipping into a cosy pub for a well earned treat. Claire Hickinbotham takes you on some of our favourite walks from our book ‘100 Great Pub Walks’ and finds out why caring for our planet, is necessary for the good of the humble pint. From floodplains to fens, from peatlands to pubs, discover the work that goes on to look after our planet.Click here to read these episode notes in Welsh [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by Starling Bank. Peatlands are essential for people and the planet in lots of incredible ways - they act like natural sponges, storing more carbon than all of the world’s rainforests put together. And they’re a habitat for a whole host of wildlife. And they act as flood defences in the face of climate change. Starling Bank have been funding the National Trust’s work towards saving our peatlands since 2023, supporting projects that’ll restore and protect over 400 hectares of the UK’s precious peatland – that’s 372 football pitches. Find out more about Starling and the National Trust’s conservation work: https://www.starlingbank.com/about/partnerships/starling-and-the-national-trust/ ProductionHost: Claire HickinbothamProducer: Jack Glover HigginsSound editor: Jesus Gomez Discover more 2025 marks our 130th birthday. In each chapter of our history, we've adapted to the needs of the day. Now, it’s time for a vision that takes us into the future. Our new strategy sets out our aims and ambitions for the next decade and beyond. Find out how we are restoring nature, ending unequal access to nature and taking action here.https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/our-strategy Learn about our peatland habitats and the work we’re doing to protect them here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/nature-climate/climate-change-sustainability/preserving-our-peatland Pick up a copy of 100 Great Pub Walks by visiting https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-100-great-pub-walks.html or by popping into your local bookshop. For more on wetlands, including Peat bogs, floodplains and fens, check out our friends at the Wetland Wildlife Trust https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/wetlands Find out how the climate is affecting the taste and cost of our beer. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67078674 Find your local People, Planet, Pint here; https://small99.co.uk/people-planet-pint-meetup/ Follow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. 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]

From March 2025 the National Trust Podcast will look a little different, so that we can bring you more stories in nature, history and adventure. We're splitting the National Trust Podcast into two dedicated shows for nature and history lovers. Stay with the National Trust Podcast for our nature podcast Wild Tales. You'll be immersed in intriguing stories from our incredible natural world.Love history? Look out for our brand new podcast Back When. Step inside the stories of the people, places and moments that made us.Remember to follow both Wild Tales and Back When on your favourite podcast app, to be the first to hear new episodes as they arrive. We'd love to know what you think. Please get in touch with your feedback, questions and ideas for stories by emailing [email protected]

Just beneath our feet lies a hidden world of centuries-old curiosities and undiscovered treasures. But laying your hands on these forgotten items and figuring out exactly what they are requires some special underfloor sleuthing, to sort the rubbish from the rarities.An archaeological adventure awaits in the story of the Dust Detectives, as the team uncover early medieval music and learn about the lives of ordinary people who played an important but unwritten part of Oxburgh Hall's history.[Ad] Open the door to more with a National Trust membership. As well as free entry and parking at over 500 places we care for, you’ll receive:• Access to our online Members’ Area, full of exclusive member-only content,• A yearly handbook packed with visit inspiration,• And our award-winning member magazine 3 times a year. Now also available digitally.Become a National Trust member:nationaltrust.org.uk/become-a-member.For a taste of the digital magazine, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/historic-recipes, or if you're a member and you'd like to switch, look for My Account on the website.ProductionHost: James GrasbyProducer: Jack Glover HigginsSound editor: Jesus GomezDiscover moreThank you to Anna Forrest, Matthew Champion, and Dr David Skinner DPhil (Oxon) for contributions to this episode.Among the music featured is a performance of early Tudor Choral song by Dr Skinner’s Choir ‘Alamire’.For more episodes and information please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/podcasts To find out about Oxburgh Hall please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburgh-hallFollow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. 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]

Experience life on Blakeney Point in Norfolk as it transforms throughout the year, in this classic episode. From the mass arrival of seal pups in winter to the noisy feathered-frenzy of summer, discover how a remote stretch of shingle coastline is home to some of the UK's most unique marine wildlife.[Ad] Open the door to more with a National Trust membership. As well as free entry and parking at over 500 places we care for, you’ll receive:• Access to our online Members’ Area, full of exclusive member-only content,• A yearly handbook packed with visit inspiration,• And our award-winning member magazine 3 times a year. Now also available digitally.Become a National Trust member: nationaltrust.org.uk/become-a-member.For a taste of the digital magazine, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/historic-recipes, or if you're a member and you'd like to switch, look for My Account on the website.ProductionHost and Producer: Michelle DouglassSound editor: Jesus GomezDiscover morePlease follow our seal-spotting guidancenationaltrust.org.uk/discover/nature/wildlife/seal-spotting-guidance Find out more about visiting Blakeney National Nature Reservenationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/blakeney-national-nature-reserve Read about the Sea Mammal Research Unit’s workwww.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk Follow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. 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]

In 1848 an image of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children decorating an evergreen caused a sensation, and sparked a Christmas tree trend in Britain. Many people began to bring trees into their homes and decorate them with homemade ornaments, sweet treats and naked candles tied with ribbons. The Victorians can be credited with inventing our modern Christmas. In this episode, Clara Woolford, Curator at Cragside in Northumberland, takes us to the mid 1800s to discover how the “Cult of Christmas” and the centrepiece, the Christmas Tree, entered into millions of homes. Discover more See the UK's tallest living Christmas tree, a 42m giant redwood at Cragside, Northumberland: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/christmas-at-cragside Read about the history of the Christmas tree: www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/history/queen-victoria-christmas-tree [Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trustProduction:Host and producer: Michelle Douglass Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez

Heritage sites like the medieval palace Bayt Al Razzaz in Egypt and the picturesque Blickling estate in the UK, are under threat from climate change. What connects these vastly different places? And what can the guardians of these historic treasures learn from each other as they battle extreme weather, social upheaval and other challenges?Discover the global fight to protect our heritage.You can watch a video of this podcast on National Trust Youtube: https://ntpodcasts.org/Video[Ad] Open the door to more with a National Trust membership. As well as free entry and parking at over 500 places we care for, you’ll receive: • Access to our online Members’ Area, full of exclusive member-only content, • A yearly handbook packed with visit inspiration, • And our award-winning member magazine 3 times a year. Now also available digitally.Become a National Trust member: nationaltrust.org.uk/become-a-member.For a taste of the digital magazine, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/historic-recipes, or if you're a member and you'd like to switch, look for My Account on the website. ProductionHost: James Grasby and Jesse EdbrookeProducers: Jesse EdbrookeSound Design: Jesus GomezFurther InformationINTO - The International National Trusts Organisationhttps://www.into.org/Withstanding Climate Changehttps://www.into.org/withstanding-change-project/Blickling and Bayt Al Razzaz in partnershiphttps://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/blickling-estate/blickling-estate-twins-with-bayt-al-razzaz-in-cairoIf 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 a wheelchair user, Melissa rarely has the opportunity of spending time on the beach with the rest of her family; and an activity for them all in the water together was unimaginable. But an ‘adaptive surfing for families’ session in South Shields in the North East, changed everything. You can watch a video of this podcast on National Trust Youtube: https://ntpodcasts.org/Video[Ad] Open the door to more with a National Trust membership. As well as free entry and parking at over 500 places we care for, you’ll receive: • Access to our online Members’ Area, full of exclusive member-only content, • A yearly handbook packed with visit inspiration, • And our award-winning member magazine 3 times a year. Now also available digitally.Become a National Trust member: nationaltrust.org.uk/become-a-member. For a taste of the digital magazine, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/historic-recipes, or if you're a member and you'd like to switch, look for My Account on the website.Production:Host: Claire Hickinbotham Producer: Katy Kelly Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Discover More:Find out more about South Shields Surf:southshieldsurf.co.ukLearn about Team England Para:Adaptive/Para - Surfing EnglandIf 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]

Sir Isaac Newton is best known for coming up with the theory of gravity while relaxing in his orchard, thanks to an apple that fell beside him one afternoon – helping him to unravel one of the universe's great mysteries. But that story is only a small part of the tale... Heather Birkett delves into one of the greatest minds of all time. Discover how a friendship with astronomer Edmund Halley helped to bring Isaac's ideas to the world and beyond. [Ad from our sponsor]This episode is supported by Blue Diamond Garden Centres. Fill your space with beauty and heritage with a collection of bulbs, seeds and plants, curated by Blue Diamond Garden Centres working with National Trust gardeners. A minimum of 10% of the retail selling price will be given to support the National Trust’s conservation work and ambitions to plant and establish 20 million trees by 2030.https://www.bluediamond.gg/national-trustProductionHost: Heather BirkettProducers: Jack Glover and Michelle DouglassSound Design: Jesus GomezDiscover moreThis episode continues the story from a previous release 'Pips in Space | Featuring Tim Peake'. You could listen to that episode and hear more about the Newton Trees: https://bit.ly/NTPod81Find out more about Woolsthorpe Manorwww.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/woolsthorpe-manorRead a biography about Sir Issac Newtonwww.newtonproject.ox.ac.uk/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 18th March AD 978 at Corfe Castle in Dorset, a 16-year-old boy was brutally stabbed in the back and died shortly after. That boy was the teenage king, Edward the Martyr. But who was the murderer, or murderers? Join James Grasby and author Anna Groves on this Halloween historical Whodunnit, as they try and figure out who committed the regicide, with the help of some other worldly encounters.[Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts Production Hosts : James Grasby and Anna Groves Producers : Pippa Tilbury-Harris and Nikki Ruck Sound Design: Jesus Gomez Actor voices :Caitlin Packer, Ethan Hughes, Louise Bray, Mark Powell courtesy of Prime Theatre Discover More If you’d like to read more about the ghosts of the National Trust, you can purchase Anna Groves’ book, ‘Britain’s Ghosts’ here: https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-britain-s-ghosts.html To find out more about Corfe Castle including details for visiting, please click here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/corfe-castle 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 the adventures of Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers, the new kids' podcast from the National Trust.Introducing the Wildlifers, a crew of colourful creatures who use their special skills to help where there's trouble in nature. 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. Ranger Rae’s the leader and can understand animals. And 12-year-old Apprentice Roxy dreams of becoming a real Ranger and being able to talk to wildlife too.From catching an escaped pet rat on a remote island, to solving the mystery of a giant bat in a cave, or tracking a thief through city streets, the gang are put to the test in their quests to help the natural world.Uncover stories of adventure and discovery with friends in the wild world.Perfect for 5-8 year olds.Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers is a podcast from the National Trust, produced by Fun Kids Radio. Artwork (c) Becka Moor.Follow and listen to Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers via mobile on your favourite podcast app:podfollow.com/national-trust-kids-podcast Head to the National Trust Kids' Podcast website: nationaltrust.org.uk/kids-podcast

Historian David Olusoga tells the story of the children born to white British mothers and black American servicemen during the Second World War, dubbed Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ in the African American press at the time. Carol and Ann, now in their 80s, revisit their childhood home, Holnicote House in Somerset. During the 1940s, the building was used for the care of around 30 children of black GIs, from birth to the age of five. Carol and Ann were among some 2000 children born in wartime Britain to black GI fathers and white British mothers. Under many pressures including social prejudice and US legislation banning interracial marriage, around half of these children were placed into care. David also meets experts Prof Lucy Bland and Dr Chamion Caballero, to reveal this little-known history of the Second World War, and how modern DNA testing is helping families search for lost relatives 80 years later. You can watch a video of this podcast on National Trust YouTube: ntpodcasts.org/NTP143Video Production Host: David Olusoga Producer: Michelle Douglass Sound editor: Jesus Gomez Consultants: Lucy Bland, Professor of Social and Cultural History at Anglia Ruskin University, and Dr Chamion Caballero, Director and Co-Founder of The Mixed MuseumDiscover more Find out more about Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ and hear oral histories, including more from Ann: https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/brown-babies/ Explore the experiences of WWII black GIs in the UK: https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/brown-babies/black-gis-in-britain/ Read Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ by Professor Lucy Bland: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britains-%60Brown-Babies-Stories-Children/dp/1526133261 Discover the Holnicote Estate’s diverse countryside, wildlife and walkways, looked after by the National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/countryside-woodland/explore-holnicote-estate Visit the Holnicote House hotel website: https://www.hfholidays.co.uk/country-houses/locations/selworthy-exmoor 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 if you could follow in the footsteps of your ancestors and reveal the hidden tales behind some of the UK’s fascinating historical locations? Introducing Step into the Past, a podcast from our sponsors at Findmypast. In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and her guest Sandy travel to the not-so-stately home of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire to discover Sandy’s family’s longstanding connection to the estate and its early Baptist congregation. Calke Abbey has undergone many transformations in its long history, moving from religious priory to sprawling stately home, and forming the core of the community in all its guises for hundreds of years. Sandy discovers that her family were skilled workers and faithful retainers, who honed their crafts over generations and were rewarded for their expertise and dedication by their wealthy patrons. Over 200 years, members of the family were embedded in the fabric of this community, enjoying the employment opportunities and patronage offered by Calke Abbey. Sandy also learns of their non-conformist beliefs, at a time when Baptism was on the rise among skilled working classes, and how this threatened the established order. Find out more about Findmypast's family history services at: www.findmypast.co.ukListen to more episodes and follow the series by searching for Step into the Past on your favourite podcast app. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/step-into-the-past/id1704345551https://open.spotify.com/show/4MJIpfXsZ6xwDyJvvX95sV Discover more about the series on the Findmypast website: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/page/podcast