In this episode I talk with Martyn Howe, author of Tales from the Big Trails. Martyn set out to walk every one of the UK’s national trails — a journey that took him from the wild coastlines of Pembrokeshire to the vast openness of the Pennine Way and the remoteness of the Southern Upland Way.

We talk about:

• The rhythm of trail life and why its simplicity is so powerful

• The moments of awe (and the soggy sandwiches) that come with long days on the path

• Homesickness, resilience, and what to do when you hit a low point

• The surprising role of stiff hips in causing blisters — and how Martyn fixed it

• How technology has changed the way we plan and record adventures

• The people, characters, and even a three-legged dog that brought joy along the way

• His upcoming book The Coast is Our Compass, about walking the English Coast Path

Martyn’s reflections on walking, writing, and the way landscape changes us are inspiring and thought-provoking — whether you’re planning your first trail or your fiftieth.

Links and resources

• Tales from the Big Trails by Martyn Howe

• Martyn’s digital maps: trailplanner.co.uk

• Follow Big Trail Adventures: bigtrailadventures.com