A Life More Wild

Athena Mellor never dreamed of writing a guidebook, but the knowledge of a lifetime hiking, a passion handed down by her father and grandfather was just too extensive to stay in her head. Now a successful writer and YouTuber, she’s making sure her daughter will follow in the family footsteps.Join her on a walk through Langdale, as she talks about taking chances, making books and how important the right gear is, especially when you’re walking with kids.A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock. Our theme music is by Billie Marten. 

When she dropped out of the sky in front of Russian hunters in the Arctic, Sasha Dench wasn't quite sure how she'd be received. She was on a mission to understand and halt the decline in the numbers of the Bewick Swan by following their epic migration route from the Arctic to the UK on a paramotor.Join her on a walk from her favourite training field down through some woods to Fernworthy reservoir on a typically wet and wild Dartmoor day.

Julius Roberts was exhausted and overworked, as chefs often are. He couldn’t help but compare himself to the happy, healthy-looking farmers who delivered produce to the restaurant he was working in. So, he decided to become one of them. It was a huge leap of faith that encompassed a commitment to seasonal eating, nature-first farming and the emotional impact of knowing exactly where his food had come from. Keep track of Julius’ efforts to grow food, discover the recipes he loves and more, on his website.  Follow us on Instagram to see behind the scenes footage from the podcast and our great new places.A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock and our theme music is by Billie Marten. 

Emma Gannon had been writing books for ten years, almost solidly. She hosted podcasts, spoke at numerous events and maintained one of the most popular substacks on the internet. Having decided not to have children, she began to wonder how and when her life would significantly change. She decided to take a year for herself, to get a new perspective and refresh her ideas. We join her in Hackney Marshes, the place she now comes to when she needs a break in nature.Keep track of all Emma’s work on her website and follow us on Instagram to see behind the scenes footage from recordings and a few extra questions we asked each guest.A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock. Our theme music is by Billie Marten. 

Mikaela Loach remembers the moment her grandmother told her that their local beach had disappeared. Years later, she would place that emotional conversation in the context of the wider problem - rising seas caused by climate change, in turn caused by global capitalism - and decide to dedicate herself to the fight for climate justice. We join her in Stanmer Park, the site of a protest against the mining company Glencore, as well as an inspiring community project.Follow Mikaela on Instagram or buy her book, It’s not that Radical to hear more about her life and work, or find behind-the-scenes footage and great places to stay on our own feed.A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock. Our theme music is by Billie Marten. 

Lira Valencia grew up in Croydon, surrounded by the kind of urban sprawl that keeps the natural world at a distance. However, thanks mostly to the snails in her grandma’s garden, she developed a passion for nature and forged a path to a career in the overwhelmingly white world of conservation. We join her for a walk around Walthamstow wetlands, where she’s a ranger who helps preserve the habitat and encourage others to enjoy it.Follow Lira on Instagram to see what she spots outside as the seasons turn, or ourselves to see us working on the podcast and discovering great new places. A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock and recorded by Marnie Woodmeade. Our theme music is by Billie Marten.

Alastair Humphreys, an experienced adventurer, discusses the power of microadventures and finding adventure in local areas. He shares insights on exploring industrial estates, appreciating the beauty of everyday locations, and challenging preconceptions about adventure. The podcast emphasizes the joy of embracing wilderness in unexpected places and integrating small explorations into daily life.

It’s time to get outdoors again… In season 4 of ALMW you’ll walk with more fascinating people as they take you to some of their favourite spots and talk about their connection to nature.We'll be talking to adventurer Alastair Humphreys, activist Mikaela Loach, the lady known as The Human Swan, and many more.Episode one will be out on 6th June and we’ll be bringing you a calm stroll and a chat every couple of weeks for the rest of the year.

While we were working on series 4 of A Life More Wild, which launches in June, Joe Wilkinson and David Earl shamelessly name-dropped us on their podcast, Chatabix. We got in touch to see if they’d like to record at one of our spaces and they said they’d love to, so here they are (or at least one of them is) at Humble Bee, a giant beehive in Devon, chatting with owners Ron and Yvette.This episode is a little different from our normal format (there’s no way we could Joe Wilkinson to hike) but we’ll be out walking with some great guests soon.

Sarah Wilson is always on the move. Her work as an author, presenter and speaker takes her all over the world. In the course of her wandering, she’s learned a couple of things. How to ground yourself in a new place by hiking, how getting people to love something is how you get them to fight for it… and how long is too long to wear the same pair of shorts. We’d like to thank everyone who’s taken us walking over the past few months and we hope you’ve enjoyed the company of astrophysicists, wild swimmers, activists and more. We’ll be back next year, but in the meantime you can always revisit series 1 and 2, or follow us on instagram to see what we get up to at Canopy & Stars when we’re not wandering about outside. Thanks for listening and we’ll see you next year for series 4 of A Life More Wild.A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock. Our theme music is by Billie Marten.