The Outdoors Fix

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton.

In this episode, Liv Bolton goes for a wonderfully atmospheric, mist-soaked walk in Eryri [Snowdonia] with Max Swinhoe.

Max’s love for hiking runs deep. She’s completed the 2,200-mile long Appalachian Trail in the US, tackled multi-day routes across the UK, and she’s now a Mountain Leader as well as a Mountain Rescue volunteer.

But hiking has also been part of a much more personal journey for Max — one of self-acceptance and embracing her upper limb difference.

She’s now working to improve the representation of disability in the outdoors community, championing visibility, challenging assumptions, and showing just what’s possible.

We hope you enjoy the conversation — and a big thank you to Max!

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell.

If you enjoy this episode, it would fantastic if you could subscribe. And do tell your family and friends about it - thank you!

You can find photos of the guests on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix

The Outdoors Fix book is out now: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc

The post Max Swinhoe: Living – and hiking – with an upper limb difference appeared first on The Outdoors Fix.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton.

In this episode, Liv Bolton is in the beautiful Wythenshawe Park in Greater Manchester with someone who’s truly impacting lives through nature — Beth Craigen.

Beth is an Outdoors Youth Worker for the charity Nacro Greater Manchester Outdoor Learning, a qualified Lowland Leader, and a dedicated volunteer who seems to live and breathe the outdoors. The park is her classroom, her community hub, and the heart of so much of her work.

Her passion for nature has helped hundreds of young people discover confidence and connection outside, and she’s opening doors for women from diverse communities — breaking down barriers that often stand in the way of accessing green spaces.

A couple of weeks ago, Beth took Liv on an autumnal tour of the park’s 270 acres — from quiet woodlands to the vegetable patch— and she shared her journey into outdoor education.

They talked about everything from mountain biking and bushcraft to tree identification and the magic of helping others find their own love of the outdoors. They even bumped into one of her special colleagues!

We hope you enjoy the conversation — and a big thank you to Beth!

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell.

If you enjoy this episode, it would fantastic if you could subscribe. And do tell your family and friends about it - thank you!

You can find photos of the guests on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix

The Outdoors Fix book is out now: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc

The post Beth Craigen: The outdoors youth worker changing lives through nature appeared first on The Outdoors Fix.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton.

This episode takes Liv Bolton to the beautiful Howgill fells in Cumbria to walk with Angela White, better known as the Running Granny. Angela is a retired doctor and surgeon and now an ultra runner and personal trainer.

Over the past 15 years, she’s taken on some extraordinary challenges: 100-mile races, 24-hour mountain challenges, and even a Guinness World Record for running 875 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

And the remarkable thing? She only started running at the age of 53.

She’s now trying to spread the message about the importance of staying active throughout life so you can live healthier for longer.

Liv joined Angela for a rather steep hike (!) to hear her thoughts on healthy ageing, but also how the outdoors and her running challenges have helped her through some incredibly tough times.

We hope you enjoy the conversation — and a big thank you to Angela!

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell.

If you enjoy this episode, it would fantastic if you could subscribe. And do tell your family and friends about it - thank you!

You can find photos of the guests on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix

The Outdoors Fix book is out now: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc

The post ‘It’s never too late’: The Running Granny Angela White on ultra running & healthy ageing appeared first on The Outdoors Fix.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton.

This episode takes us to the beautiful Dove Stone Reservoir on the edge of Greater Manchester, where Liv Bolton walks with Emily Thornton and Lucy Hird — the duo known as Soft Girls Who Hike.

They’re the voices behind the viral #softhiking trend — a social media movement that’s reached millions and is redefining what it can mean to go for a walk in nature. Their message? Hiking doesn’t have to be intense or hardcore. You can take it slow, go at your own pace, and still reap all the benefits of being outdoors.

Emily and Lucy, who live in Manchester and the Peak District, credit their time hiking together with deepening their friendship, helping with grief, and sparking a vibrant online and real-life community through their group walks.

Liv joined them for a gentle hike to learn more about the women behind the movement — and why they believe soft hiking is appealing for so many right now.

We hope you enjoy the conversation — and a big thank you to Emily and Lucy!

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell.

If you enjoy this episode, it would fantastic if you could subscribe. And do tell your family and friends about it - thank you!

You can find photos of the guests on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix

The Outdoors Fix book is out now: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc

The post Soft Girls Who Hike: Meet Emily and Lucy, the women behind the #softhiking viral trend appeared first on The Outdoors Fix.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It’s hosted by Liv Bolton.

In this episode, Liv Bolton is off to Shropshire for a walk — and a bit of a splash — with Fran Pearson.

Fran is the founder of Kitsquad, a brilliant outdoors charity that’s already helped nearly 5,000 people experiencing poverty to get properly kitted out for adventures in nature.

Think waterproofs, sleeping bags, rucksacks, walking boots — all donated, and all making a world of difference.

Fran’s passion for the outdoors comes from a deeply personal place. And living in social housing and experiencing the realities of life on benefits, Fran knows just how expensive outdoor gear can be — and how that cost can be a major barrier to getting outside safely and confidently.

So, in 2020, she set up Kitsquad — turning generosity into access, and tackling gear poverty head-on.

Liv joined Fran for a walk near her home in Shropshire. It started off a little soggy— but they dried off inside the Kitsquad warehouse, surrounded by shelves of donated jackets, boots, sleeping bags, and stories.

Wanting to hear more about what inspired Fran to start the charity, Liv also asked why she’s so passionate about breaking down the cost barriers to the outdoors.

We hope you enjoy this episode and a big thank you to Fran and the volunteers of Kitsquad too!

Please be aware that there’s a discussion around a period of difficult mental health in it, so you can find more information and support on the Mind or Samaritans websites.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk

This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell.

If you enjoy this episode, it would fantastic if you could subscribe. And do tell your family and friends about it - thank you!

You can find photos of the guests on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix

The Outdoors Fix book is out now: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc

The post How Kitsquad’s Fran Pearson helped nearly 5,000 people in poverty to access outdoors gear appeared first on The Outdoors Fix.