Finding Freedom in the Desert

In this episode, Daniel speaks to Bee Leask, an inspirational person whose enthusiasm for exploring the Scottish landscapes is infectious. Bee was born on Shetland and from an early age lived a life outdoors. Today, she’s getting close to climbing all the 282 Scottish Munros, often running them, as well as any other activity you can manage outdoors from winter mountaineering to cycling.  They talk about her favourite Scottish adventures, how what she takes on the mountains has changed over the years, and inspiring other people to get outdoors. Bee is a passionate advocate for adventure and Scotland.  Find her on Instagram at @bumblebambi. Looking for more Scottish inspiration? Hear from fellow Scot, trail runner Ross Branigan who shares his love for running these inspiring landscapes. You can also get inspired for your own hiking adventures with these recommended UK hikes from #TeamMontane, including a couple based north of the border!

In this episode Daniel speaks to Ed Salisbury, Will Tucker and Jon Moy, three freeskiers and mountaineers, who have embarked on a remarkable journey to become the first people to climb and ski the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents: Kilimanjaro in Africa, Denali in Alaska, Antarctica to Indonesia, and finishing on a winter expedition on Everest. But as the trio began their adventure, the true toll of climate change became apparent and it dawned on them that they could be the last people to ski the fragile glaciers on these mountains – one of them is due to disappear next year. The focus of the project changed. In this episode, they talk about the power of realisation, how it changed how they live and the real, tangible differences that anyone can make to help. It’s a story of adventure, of realisation and ultimately of hope. You can find them @thelastrideproject on Instagram and see some frankly astonishing footage at thelastrideproject.com. 

In this episode, we speak to Ross Brannigan, a Scottish-born writer and environmentalist who has a passion for mountains, especially running up them quickly. In May, he published his first book, Running Adventures Scotland.  We spoke about his career in the outdoors, the dangers of becoming too obsessed with running and some of the best trail running routes in Scotland and the Lake District (where he is now based). Not only that but alongside his passion for running, Ross is also a keen fastpacker and cyclist - having just recently bikepacked in the Outer Hebrides and been involved in the Transcontinental Race. He’s a lovely guy with loads of interesting adventure stories, that we’re sure will inspire you whether you’re a runner, or not. 

In this episode of the Further. Faster. Podcast we chat to Jordan Wylie. This is Jordan's second appearance. Last time we spoke to Jordan, it was the height of lockdown and he'd just abandoned a paddle boarding challenge around Great Britain after making it halfway.  You may also recognize him as one of the hunters on the TV show "Hunted." In the background he's also building a school in Dijouti, running very cold marathons and campaigning on mental health issues - in particular social media addiction and abuse. So as we look ahead to World Mental Health Day on October 10th, we spoke to him about his own journey, how we can help our children, and how we can help ourselves. It's an essential, yet as always with Jordan, entertaining episode. 

The Montane Dragon's Back Race is the world's toughest mountain race - an event that pushes ultra runners to their absolute limits as they traverse north to south across Wales's rugged peaks.One runner who knows the race better than most is Helene  Whitaker- the winner of the inaugural race way back in 1992,  alongside her racing partner Martin Stone.  After a lengthy hiatus (discover more about the race's history in this dedicated story behind) Helene joined the start line once again, when the race finally returned 20 years later.  She went on to finish first woman and 4th overall.  We catch up with this legendary dragon slayer to find what first inspired her to take on the Dragon's Back Race, her love of fell running, and the enduring lure of this gruelling multi-stage route. Like what you hear? Don't miss your chance to hear from fellow dragon slayer and #TeamMontane runner Simon Roberts, who share's his top tips to slay the dragon. 

Welcome to an extra special podcast episode recorded live at the epic Montane Lakeland 50 & 100, one of the UK’s premier ultras. Based in the Lake District National Park, racers take part in either a 50-mile route, or qualify to take on a lengthier 100-mile route, navigating some of the region’s lesser known peaks. Both routes are an incredible feat of physical and mental endurance and attract hundreds of racers each year to take on the now notorious challenge. Amongst them are countless inspiring tales, from people running for an extraordinary cause, to those returning to brave the route once again. Our podcast hosts Graham Oakes and Charlie Bryant chat to a just a few of them, including members of #TeamMontane who took part and the mastermind behind the race himself, Marc Laithwaite.So sit back, grab a cuppa and prepare to absorb the incredible atmosphere of this unique ultra event in the Lake District. Who knows, maybe you’ll be eager to join the ballot for the 2023 event by the time it’s finished? For those still eager for more Lakeland action, don’t miss our official event debrief, as well as the story behind the event which provides insight into the origins of the Lakeland 50 & 100.

In this week’s episode, we chat to Montane athlete Rebecca "Becks" Ferry from Tiblisi, Georgia. Rebecca is one of those people who seizes opportunities and in doing so she has accomplished some amazing things. She has recently climbed six 8000m peaks, including K2, making her the first British woman to successfully reach the summit. On top of her climbing exploits, she has raced ultra-distances in Menorca, Arizona and the Himalayas. This September she’ll also be tackling the Montane Dragon’s Back, one of the toughest mountain races in the world. Plus, Becks is about to qualify as a helicopter pilot. As always, thanks for listening and we'd love it if you could leave a review/rating wherever you get your podcasts.

In this weeks episode, host Daniel Neilson, chats with adventurer Alice Morrison. Alice is one of those people who you would say ‘lives life’, describing herself as Indiana Jones for girls - crossing Jordan, running the Marathon de Sables, and cycling 8,000 miles from Cairo to Cape Town in the Tour D'Afrique. She has also written four books and made a BBC2 series about her adventures. We speak to Alice from her home in Morocco, where she describes the story of her latest book 'Walking With Nomads', giving up the corporate world for a life of adventure, and a glimpse at the alarming sex life of camels. Her latest book, Walking With Nomads, is out now. You can find more details at alicemorrison.co.uk. As always, thanks for listening and we'd love it if you could leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. 

In this episode, host Daniel Neilson speaks to ultra-athlete, Ed Harris. Ed is one of those people who like to run ludicrous distances, pretty quickly. Ahead of the Montane Summer Spine, the fair-weather version of the 268-mile endurance race from Edale in the Peak District to the Scottish Borders. For those unfamiliar, this is regarded as one of the toughest races on earth - you can learn more about it in this official story behind it. Although Ed won't be on the line on June 18th, he previously competed in the inaugural Summer edition in 2021, finishing 4th place by running a total of 94 hours and 33 minutes.  Daniel and Ed discuss how to keep going when things seem very far away, how his training has shifted to focus on his wellbeing, and why the scenery of the Spine race is one of the biggest motivations. 

In this episode, host Daniel Neilson speaks with Emily Law and Ben Roberts who are both climbers, and instruct on the Mountains in Wales. The trajectory of climbing skills isn’t always straightforward. In fact, there’s one big elephant in the room, one which Emily confronts head-on in her short film Free to Fall. Falling is a real fear at most levels of climbing, and one we all need to address, whether you're just starting out or hitting the lofty grades that Ben Roberts is tackling at the moment. Emily discusses how she overcame these fears, the methods she used to combat that, and how these skills can be used in other parts of everyday life.