Folk on Foot

Delve into the history of madness as we walk with the “broken folk” duo Lunatraktors in the 200 acre grounds of the Bethlem Royal Hospital in South London. Clair le Couteur and Carli Jefferson are fascinated by the story of the hospital which was founded in the 13th century by monks - and nicknamed “Bedlam”. They perform songs inspired by the place including a mash up of “Tom O’Bedlam” with “Mad Maudlin” and “Through Moorfields”. They also don their “hazard bear” costumes for s spot of improvised overtone singing.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Lunatraktors at https://www.lunatraktors.space/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Boden is Matthew’s guest on this month’s Official Folk Albums Chart Show, bringing an exclusive performance of one of the Parlour Ballads from his new album. There’s also music from Talisk, Mairearad Green and Rachel Newton, Henry Parker and David Ian Roberts, The Shovel Dance Collective, The Rheingans Sisters, Naima Bock and Nina Nesbitt.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Subscribe to the Folk Forecast to explore all the gigs and album news we ran through in the show: https://thefolkforecast.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy this classic episode from August 2020The award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist Chris Wood has lived in Kent all his life. “If you keep moving around, how much can you trust your judgement?” he asks. “If you stop where you are, the world does eventually come to you.” Since the Brexit referendum and election of 2019, Chris has been in challenging mood. On this walk with his dog Dancer and Matthew Bannister, Chris performs his song “Take Back Control” and contrasts the commuters on the London-bound platform at 6 every morning with what he calls “the slope-shouldered, whey-faced broken people” in Faversham’s greasy spoons and declining market place. “This is my muse,” he tells us. “This darkness and this hypocrisy and these contradictions – I thrive on it”.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Chris at chriswoodmusic.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For four hundred years, Stourbridge in the West Midlands was at the heart of Britain’s glass making industry. The local landscape was dotted with distinctive brick built cones, or chimneys, where the glass was made. The local singer and songwriter Dan Whitehouse made an album called “Voices From The Cones” based on recordings of the memories of glass workers. In this extraordinary episode he takes us to a former glass works - now a college teaching craft skills to neurodivergent students - and sings the songs inspired by this fascinating industry. And Matthew gets to try his hand at glass blowing!---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Dan at https://www.dan-whitehouse.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The cellist, singer and environmental campaigner Sarah Smout takes us for a beautiful summer walk along the River Wharfe in North Yorkshire. Along the way she explains how her love of the natural world inspires her music and stops to play, sing and read one of her poems. Then we head up to Fleet Moss where a five-year-long project has been restoring the badly damaged peat bog - which is vital for carbon capture. Jenny Sharman of the Yorkshire Peat Partnership joins us to tell the fascinating story behind the work - then Sarah sings the song inspired by it.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Sarah at https://www.sarahsmoutmusic.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Anglo-Irish band Ranagri take us for a walk on the farm that gave them their name. The family of guitarist and singer Dónal Rogers have worked this land in County Carlow since the 1600s. His Mum, Lena, still lives there and tells stories of growing up in the three room thatched farm house she shared with her mother and ten siblings. There was no electricity or running water and all cooking was on the open fire. Horses were used to pull the plough. Then Ranagri play the music inspired by her memories.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Ranagri at https://ranagri.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a beautiful day in May the novelist, nature writer and podcaster Melissa Harrison and the composer and multi instrumentalist Laura Cannell take us for a walk in the glorious Suffolk countryside. Laura plays a recorder duet with a nightingale, Melissa reads from her acclaimed novel “All Among The Barley” - appropriately enough in a field of ripening barley - and we hunt for barn owl pellets “like dark Kinder Eggs” as Melissa has it. Then Laura takes out her fiddle and - using her distinctive “overbowing” technique - plays music inspired by ancient traditions and a deep sense of place.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Melissa at https://melissaharrison.co.uk/ and Laura at https://lauracannell.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frankie Archer brings traditional folk tunes rushing into the 21st Century. The singer, fiddle player and electronics wizard made an acclaimed appearance on Later With Jools Holland, who described her music as “astonishing”. In this episode, Frankie takes Matthew for a walk in Consett and the surrounding countryside, pausing to set up her loop pedals and perform in the lee of an abandoned crucible, the engine shed of the world’s oldest railway and in front of a spectacular view across the fields to the Newcastle skyline.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Frankie at https://frankiearchermusic.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our wettest episode ever features the wonderful duo Megson (Stu and Debs Hanna) walking, talking and playing along the River Tees between Stockton and Middlesborough. This is where Stu and Debs grew up, began making music and fell in love. Their powerful songs tell vivid stories about the industrial heritage of the area through the eyes of the people who live there. With instruments wrapped in bin bags and recording gear hidden under producer Natalie’s all-encompassing poncho, we head for the Tees Barrage - pausing under bridges and even on a bandstand for Stu and Debs to perform. Then Stu tells Matthew that if he claps his hands, a seal will arrive. He does - and, amazingly, up it pops!---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Megson at https://www.megsonmusic.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates is joined by the squeezebox maestro John Spiers for a walk along the mighty River Thames in Oxfordshire. Between a song or two from the lace making industry, and a gorgeous “Lament To The Moon” Jackie talks about her passion for folk song and her recent training as a music therapist which took her into a hospice to help those nearing the end of their lives capture memories in song. She also recalls her folk-style wedding while John muses on the best way to make dandelion wine. It’s a fascinating walk with two of England’s finest folk musicians.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Jackie at https://www.jackieoates.co.uk/ and John at https://johnspiers.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A chance to hear one of our favourite podcasts: The Outdoors Fix, presented by hiker and journalist Liv Bolton and featuring an interview with Matthew Bannister. Liv’s aim is to inspire you to get outside and make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. An idea which – as you know – we’re very much in favour of.Normally the Outdoors Fix is recorded – well – outdoors. But that wasn’t possible during the Covid lockdowns. So, when Matthew was a guest in 2020, he connected with Liv online. If you’ve ever wondered what inspired Matthew to start Folk on Foot or what it feels like to record some of the most spectacular episodes, here’s your chance to find out.The Outdoors Fix is available wherever you get your podcasts. They’re on Instagram @‌theoutdoorsfix with loads of lovely videos and photos of their adventures in the great outdoors. Or you can find them at theoutdoorsfix.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trans pipe and fiddle player Malin Lewis grew up on a magical island off the West coast of Scotland. There were no roads or cars and their family were the only permanent residents. Home schooled till the age of seven, Malin had an idyllic childhood roaming the forests, building dens and splashing in the shallows on the white sand beaches. In this episode this rising star of the Scottish folk scene - with a hotly anticipated debut album about to be released - makes an emotional return to the island to play on the shore and stage a homecoming concert in the abandoned village hall.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Malin at https://hudsonrecords.co.uk/artist/malin-lewis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Boyd and John Wood were the producer and sound engineer behind some of the greatest folk rock albums of the 1960s and 70s. They worked with Pink Floyd on their first single Arnold Layne, with Fairport Convention on Unhalfbricking and Liege and Lief and with Nick Drake on Five Leaves Left, Bryter Later and Pink Moon. John produced John Martyn’s Bless The Weather and Solid Air while Joe worked with the Incredible String Band. In this conversation with Matthew Bannister on stage at the Indoor Festival of Folk, they tell the extraordinary stories behind the creation of these classic albums.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come with us to the glorious Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland to meet the band TRÚ. Taking their name from a mythological trio of poet-musicians from ancient Ulster, Zach Trouton, Dónal Kearney and Michael Mormecha combine Irish nationalist, Ulster-Scots and British-Ukrainian heritages, crossing boundaries which have often divided Northern Irish communities in the past. In this beautiful episode they are united in creating sweet close harmonies as they sing traditional songs against the backdrop of some of the UK’s most spectacular countryside.---We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about TRÚ at http://www.tru-music.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The beloved baggy cloth cat Bagpuss is fifty years old in 2024. We celebrate his birthday by visiting Sandra Kerr at her home in the Northumberland village of Warkworth. Sandra co-wrote and arranged the music for the series and provided some of the voices. In her cosy music room she shows us her Bagpuss souvenirs, reflects on the show’s enduring appeal and sings one of the songs. Then, on a walk along the River Coquet, Sandra looks back to the folk revival of the 1960s, recalling working as a nanny for Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in exchange for music lessons. Finally, she’s joined by her daughter Nancy Kerr to play traditional Northumbrian dance tunes. A warm, fascinating and entertaining meeting with one of the enduring stars of the folk world.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Sandra at https://www.sandrakerr.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year’s seasonal episode takes us to the village of Mallwyd in mid Wales to join the ancient tradition of the plygain carols. On a dark, cold night, local people gather in the warm and welcoming St Tydecho’s Church to sing Welsh language carols which have been handed down through successive generations of their families. They’re joined by Gwilym Bowen Rhys who unearthed his carol in a second hand book shop and by Owen Shiers (Cynefin) whose singing group travels around several plygain services at this time of year. Asked why she joins in, one singer exclaims: “I just feel part of the ages!”---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Gwilym at https://www.gwilymbowenrhys.com and Owen at https://cynefinmusic.wales Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come to “The Edge of the Land” with the wonderful singer, songwriter and guitarist Katie Spencer. She was born and brought up in East Yorkshire. In this episode she takes us to one of her favourite places: Spurn Point, a narrow spit of land that stretches three miles out into the sea. As we head for the lighthouse at the end, she sings some of her gorgeous songs on the beach and talks about her musical inspiration, but will we be cut off by the tide?---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Katie at https://www.katiespencer.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Wilks is singlehandedly bringing folk music to a wider audience, through his excellent TradFolk website and Old Songs Podcast and of course by singing and playing the music itself. In this episode, he takes us for a walk around the stomping grounds of his youth in the centre of Birmingham, sharing his fascinating insights into the history of music making in the city and performing songs on the very spot where they were originally collected. Oh, and then there’s the sausage roll incident in Greggs!---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Jon at https://jonwilks.online/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Scottish Burmese sound artist Fiona Soe Paing discovered that one of her ancestors was a traditional singer, she resolved to make a contemporary electronic album reflecting the music and folk tales of her home county of Aberdeenshire.On this walk up Bennachie and then along the coast, she sings some of the songs on the very spot where they were inspired, including John Hosie’s Well (said to have sprung from the ground where his tears fell when he returned from a long imprisonment to find his lover was married to another) and the rock where Maggie Machlin is said to have died from exposure after being ostracised for falling pregnant out of wedlock.Then it’s off to the fishing village of Pennan, for an atmospheric performance of The Fisher’s Lullaby on the beach and a 40th anniversary screening of the classic film Local Hero in the village hall.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a member and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Fiona at https://www.fionasoepaing.co.uk/Walk with Fiona's album via the Echoes app: https://explore.echoes.xyz/collections/sov0xzgBQYdoAfFr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On August 4th 2023, Folk on Foot host Matthew Bannister set off on his biggest walk yet. Over two weeks, he covered 186 miles from Wickham Festival in Hampshire to Folk East in Suffolk, raising thousands of pounds for the charity Help Musicians. Every evening he was met (in a pub, of course), by some of the folk world’s finest musicians. This bonus episode treats you to the musical highlights that spurred Matthew on his way. You will hear:Day 1: Rosie Hodgson and Rowan Piggott of The Wilderness Yet: “The Bee Boy Song”Day 2: Steve Knightley, Johnnie Kalsi and Eliza Marshall: “Dakota” (by Kelly Jones)Day 3: Eliza Marshall: “The Rhythms of Migration”; Jon Wilks: “Greek Street”Day 4: Martin Simpson: “Skydancers”Day 5: Janice Burns and Jon Doran: “As I Roved Out”Day 6: Kirsty Merryn: “The Larks They Sang Melodious (Pleasant and Delightful)”Day 8 (breakfast!): Honey and the Bear with Toby Shaer: “Around the World”Day 8 (evening): Megson: “And Finally”Day 9: Sid Goldsmith and Danny Pedler of Tarren: “Sunk”Day 10: Bird in the Belly: “Neighbours and Sisters”Day 11: Katie Spencer:”The Edge of the Land”Day 12: Knight and Spiers: “Halsway Schottische”Day 13: Bella Hardy: ”Rhapsody on the Peak of Derbyshire”Day 14: The Young Uns: “Three Dads Walking” and “John Ball”---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot--- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 4th August 2023, Folk on Foot host Matthew Bannister set off on his biggest walk yet: from Wickham Festival in Hampshire to Folk East in Suffolk. Over two weeks, he covered 186 miles, took 465,137 steps and raised thousands of pounds for the charity Help Musicians. Each evening, he was joined in the pub by some of the folk world’s finest musicians, who sang and played to revive his flagging spirits. This episode tells the inside story of the walk, using Matthew’s private audio diaries and highlights of the glorious music that carried him on his way.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot--- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is our highest ever episode. We climbed to the top of Yorkshire’s tallest peak - Whernside - with the singer/songwriter Johnny Campbell and the fiddle player Mikey Kenney to help Johnny record a track for his forthcoming album “True North”. He’s recording each track at the summit of one of the highest peaks in the North of England. Along the way we discuss his passion for Northern folk music, his love of walking and his determination to campaign for a Right to Roam. It’s a big climb - but the view from the top is spectacular!---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Johnny at https://johnnycampbell.co.uk/ and Mikey at https://mikeykenney.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angeline Morrison’s “The Sorrow Songs - Folk Songs of Black British Experience” was one of the most significant albums of recent times. On this walk near her home in North Cornwall, Angeline talks about her deep love for traditional music and her determination to chronicle in song the experiences of black Britons through history. By the grave of the master and slave who are buried together she sings “Slave No More” and on the beach where she first composed it, she performs “Unknown African Boy, (died 1830)”. There’s also time for a beautiful song in the Cornish language and her unaccompanied version of “Bushes and Briars”.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Angeline at https://www.angelinemorrisonmusic.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Fife based singer/songwriter James Yorkston and the Cardigans lead singer Nina Persson teamed up with the Swedish Second Hand Orchestra to make the gorgeous album “The Great White Sea Eagle”. On this atmospheric walk through Tentsmuir Forest on the Scottish coast just north of St Andrews, James explains why he comes to the forest to find calm and space. Nina recalls her hectic time as a pop star in the 1990s and they share insights into their inspiration and creative process. Then their voices blend beautifully as they sing under the shade of the trees.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about James and Nina at https://www.jamesyorkston.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katherine Priddy grew up in the village of Alvechurch in the West Midlands, writing songs as a teenager which eventually ended up on her beautiful debut album “The Eternal Rocks Beneath”.  On a walk in the nearby countryside, she sings two of them before we move on to Tanworth in Arden where Nick Drake is buried. Katherine is part of a stellar line up of artists who’ve been invited to re-interpret Nick’s songs for a new album. By his grave she sings his compositions “They’re Leaving Me Behind” and “Cello Song”. It’s an emotional tribute from one young artist to another.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Katherine at https://www.katherinepriddy.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do rivers play such a vital role in our lives, culture and folklore? In this glorious episode, the nature writer Amy-Jane Beer, author of “The Flow”, joins the Welsh singer and songwriter Owen Shiers (also known as Cynefin) on a walk up the beautiful River Clettwr in Ceredigion. There are songs and stories aplenty and even a game of Pooh sticks.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...Become a patron and get great rewards: patreon.com/folkonfootOr just buy us a coffee: ko-fi.com/folkonfootSign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Cynefin at https://cynefinmusic.wales/Get hold of Amy's book at https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781472977397?gC=5a105e8b Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freedom To Roam is a music and multi-media project dreamed up by the flautist Eliza Marshall as a response to many of the pressing issues facing us right now. On this walk climbing the glorious Malvern Hills she is joined by Catrin Finch (harp), Andrew Morgan (percussion) Donal Rogers (piano, guitar and more) and Jackie Shave (violin) to share the exquisite music they’ve created to tell a story of migration, liberation and care for our planet.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Freedom to Roam at https://www.freedomtoroam.earth/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The snow it is lying on Bewcastle FellAnd the wind strips the skin from my face.The bare bones of a tree give some shelter to meBut still it’s a draughty old place.”Come to “the least populated area of the least populated county in England” and take shelter from the elements in the warm welcome of Stones Barn where Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span and her daughter Rose-Ellen Kemp are hosting one of their acclaimed singing weekends. Guest tutor Martin Carthy reveals how he discovered the joys of traditional singing when he was just seventeen years old – and Maddy and Rose-Ellen take us to Bewcastle Church to see the 6th Century cross commemorating St Cuthbert and sing in its glorious acoustic.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Stones Barn at https://stonesbarn.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A festive episode featuring the Wexford Carols sung by the beautiful voice of Caitriona O’Leary. The carols came out of the persecution of Catholics in Wexford in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and were written by Bishop Luke Waddinge and Father William Devereux. Caitriona takes Matthew Bannister to the Franciscan church where Bishop Waddinge is buried and to St Aidan’s Cathedral in Enniscorthy where the area’s most famous carol was collected. We also meet the retired fisherman Dixie Devereux whose father sang the carols every Christmas for 62 years – and who is now passing on the tradition to his own son. A fascinating story with gorgeous music creating an atmospheric, seasonal experience.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about The Wexford Carols at https://thewexfordcarols.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come for a wild, wet and windy walk on the beach at Aberdaron on the Llyn peninsula in Wales with the singer and songwriter Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Then join us in the local church where  Gwilym demonstrates his musical versatility, accompanying himself on the guitar, fiddle, harmonica and organ and throwing in a whistling solo for good measure. He sings a song about a local shipwreck and shows us the grave of the victims in the churchyard. We learn about local history, Welsh language and culture and Gwilym’s own inspiration in another fascinating episode.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Gwilym at https://www.gwilymbowenrhys.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the multi-award-winning Folk on Foot all about? The Telegraph calls it “a restorative breathing space in sound”.  In this sampler, host Matthew Bannister shares beautiful extracts from episodes featuring Karine Polwart on Fala Moor, Eliza Carthy and family at Robin Hood’s Bay, Jenny Sturgeon in Shetland, Richard Thompson in Muswell Hill, Duncan Chisholm at Sandwood Bay, The Unthanks on the Northumberland Coast, Robert Macfarlane and Johnny Flynn at Wandlebury, Peggy Seeger in Iffley and The Young’uns in Hartlepool. Dip your toe in the water here before diving into all our glorious episodes. ---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a hot August day, scores of walkers in weird, wacky and wonderful costumes inspired by old English traditions, accompanied by morris dancers and musicians, set off to stage a peaceful and joyful mass trespass.  Led by Herne the Hunter (Book of Trespass author Nick Hayes) and singer Sam Lee, they targeted the Englefield Estate near Reading, thousands of acres owned by Lord Benyon, the government minister for rural affairs. In this episode, we hear them dance into the estate, explain why they demand the right to roam and share their ceremony celebrating nature under the shade of a mighty oak.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Nick Hayes and the Right to Roam movement at righttoroam.org.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singer Maddy Prior and violinist Peter Knight were at the heart of the success of folk rock pioneers Steeleye Span. In this candid interview with Matthew Bannister on stage at the Indoor Festival of Folk at Cecil Sharp House, they recall the heady days of rock n roll excess during the 1970s and movingly describe the role of music in their lives. Peter reveals he once appeared on Top of the Pops dressed as a Womble and Maddy describes the gig where they dropped thousands of pound notes onto the heads of the audience. The band is famous for having countless different line ups and they speak about the rows that often led to one or more members departing.  A fascinating conversation with two legendary names of the folk world.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Maddy Prior at https://stonesbarn.co.uk/Find out more about Peter Knight at https://www.peterknight.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The singer, songwriter and academic Fay Hield invites us to a Soundpost Singing Weekend in the village of Dungworth on the outskirts of Sheffield. Guests include Sean Cooney of the Young’uns and Rowan Rheingans who wrote special songs for the event. But mostly we walk in the surrounding countryside with Fay and her dog, hearing her sing, learning about her life in music and debating the big issues like “what is folk music?” and “why does it matter?”---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Fay Hield at https://www.fayhield.com/Find out more about Soundpost at https://www.soundpost.org.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us on a walk around the unassuming village of Pathhead, Midlothian, just south of Edinburgh, which is home to a whole galaxy of Scottish musicians.We start with singer songwriter Karine Polwart, who takes us to meet pianist Dave Milligan and his partner the harpist Corrina Hewat. Then it’s round the corner to see singer and multi-instrumentalist Inge Thomson, her partner Martin Green (of Lau) and their son Ewen, who plays mandolin. They hand us on to bass player Tom Lyne who also creates music using the sounds of the natural world. After a walk with Tom (spotting three mad March hares along the way) we go to his home to meet his wife, the jazz singer Sophie Bancroft. A knock on the door heralds the arrival of fiddle player Amy Geddes who invites us all back to her place for a feast. Joined in Amy’s sitting room by drummer Tom Bancroft and fiddle player Jenny Gardner, the assembled group pay an emotional musical tribute to local pipe maker Nigel Richard who died last year.You will hear beautiful performances, meet some extraordinary talents and gain an insight into the true meaning of community spirit when you listen to our longest episode yet.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot. You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“My city, my people, my heart” – Jamie Webster loves his home city of Liverpool – and Liverpool loves Jamie Webster. The young singer and songwriter started out performing chants for fans of Liverpool FC, which led to a gig in front of 60,000 at the Champions League Final and a meeting with manager Jurgen Klopp. Now his songs of working-class life have made Jamie a local hero with two hit albums under his belt.In this episode he takes us to a community centre called “the Florrie” where he volunteers. In the centre’s food bank, he expresses his anger that so many people in a wealthy country like the UK can’t afford to feed themselves. Then it’s off to the Beatles statue, the Liver Building and the Cavern Club where Jamie has just joined the illustrious list of performers with their names written on bricks outside.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Jamie Webster at https://www.jamiewebstermusic.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raynor Winn’s best-selling book “The Salt Path” tells how she and her husband Moth became homeless just as he was diagnosed with a terminal neuro-degenerative disease. Despite this, they set off to walk the 630 challenging miles of the South West Coast Path. The redemptive story of their dogged determination, loving relationship and close connection with the natural world made the book a best seller.Now Raynor has teamed up with Peter Knight’s brilliant Gigspanner Big Band to create a new show which combines traditional music from the South West Coast with words about the area. In this atmospheric episode, host Matthew Bannister goes to rehearsals in a village hall near Exmouth, and then walks the Coast Path with Raynor.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Follow Raynor Winn at https://twitter.com/raynor_winnFind out more about the Gigspanner Big Band at https://www.gigspanner.com/gigspanner-big-band Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grace Petrie sometimes introduces herself on stage as “a socialist, feminist, lesbian protest singer”. Her acutely observed songs range from political and passionate to personal and profound.  She’s also been known to turn her hand to comedy. In this walk through her home city of Leicester she tells Matthew Bannister about her childhood and musical journey, reflects on what it means always to be on “The Losing Side” in politics and reveals the poignant story behind a visit to IKEA.---Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot.You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot---Find out more about Grace at https://gracepetrie.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The drummer Johnny Kalsi (The Dhol Foundation, Transglobal Underground, Afro Celt Sound System, Imagined Village) takes us for a walk round Southall - an area of West London known as “Little India”. We visit a Sikh temple, marvel at the sumptuous fabrics and glittering jewellery in the bridal shops on the High Street and drop in to his favourite restaurant for “food like you’ve never tasted before”. But above all we head to two music shops where Johnny gives a bravura demonstration of how to play his beloved dhol drums. ---Access exclusive films of Johnny along our walk, along with over 150 performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back on the glorious Shetland Isles for this episode and who better to show us around than the renowned local fiddle player Maurice Henderson (of Fiddlers Bid) and his friend the luthier and guitarist from Fair Isle Ewen Thomson? After Ewen demonstrates how to make a great violin, they take us to the beach where they tell folk tales, play traditional dance tunes and introduce us to the sea birds.---Access exclusive films of Maurice and Ewan performing along our walk, along with over 150 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a very special show streamed live from Cecil Sharp House. The show looks back at the highlights of 2021, the very first full year of The Official Folk Albums Chart.Hosted by Matthew Bannister with guest co-host Kitty Macfarlane, the show features live performances and interviews with artists that have featured in the chart over the past year including Spiers and Boden, Katherine Priddy, Gwenifer Raymond, Spell Songs and The Longest Johns.---Access over 150 performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“He said you could pluck songs out of the air - pluck them out of the air - and sing them bonny”. The great Northumbrian pipe player Kathryn Tickell describes the River Rede near her home as the backdrop and soundscape to her life. On its bank, she is joined by her Dad Mike to perform music, songs and stories inspired by the beautiful county where he brought her up and introduced her to the folk tradition.---Access exclusive films of Kathryn performing by the river, along with over 150 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The acclaimed singer and songwriter Declan O’Rourke takes us for a scenic walk near his home in the beautiful fishing village of Kinvara on the west coast of Ireland, singing songs inspired by the area as he goes.  Declan’s grandfather, an artist, was born and brought up in Kinvara. On our walk, Declan reflects on his first performance at an open mic night in Dublin where he suffered “an instant addiction” to singing live, on his fascination with the Great Irish Famine of the 1840s and 50s and on the exhibition of his grandfather’s paintings he staged in the village.---Access exclusive films of Declan performing along our walk, along with over 150 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the shadow of the disused ironstone kilns of the Rosedale Valley in North Yorkshire, Ciderhouse Rebellion - fiddle player Adam Summerhayes and accordionist Murray Grainger - conjure up a soundscape of rare beauty - improvised on the spot. Then they add evocative poetry from Adam’s daughter Jessie to create,  in words and music, a picture of the harshness of Victorian industry in the midst of the beauty of nature.---Access exclusive films of Ciderhouse Rebellion performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Bronze Age site on Dartmoor, six musical instruments, a feather, harmonica-enhanced beatboxing, a stone that is said to increase fertility, a fast flowing river, a baby and a caring grandmother - all ingredients of a wonderful walk with the award-winning duo Edgelarks (Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin).---Access exclusive films of Edgelarks performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivia Chaney wrote many of the songs for her critically acclaimed second solo album whilst living alone without electricity or mains water at her family’s remote and crumbling farmhouse on Hawnby Moor in North Yorkshire. On a hot summer’s day, she takes Matthew Bannister back across the Moor, singing and playing along the way, circled by curlews and lapwings, to share the atmospheric isolation that brought her inspiration.---Access exclusive films of Olivia performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Question: What do you get when you go walking with the nature writer Robert Macfarlane and the actor and musician Johnny Flynn on a scorching hot summer's day in Wandlebury?Answer: A Neolithic track, an Iron Age fort, a Roman road, a holm oak, cow pats, a mighty avenue of sun-dappled beech, a buzzard, a grasshopper orchestra, a dragonfly, the stories of a mysterious white horse and a dread augury and countless busy, buzzing bees. Oh, and no fewer than six extraordinary songs performed along the way.---Access exclusive films of Robert and Johnny performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The singer, songwriter and artist Jenny Sturgeon has made her home on Shetland, a group of wild and wonderful islands in the North Atlantic. Her latest album “The Living Mountain” was inspired by the classic book about the Cairngorms by Nan Shepherd. On our atmospheric walk, with seabirds calling and waves crashing, Jenny reflects on finding inspiration for her music in nature as she performs songs from “The Living Mountain” and a new composition written in lockdown.---Access exclusive films of Jenny performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The wonderful English fiddle player Sam Sweeney has been a key member of Bellowhead, Leveret, Eliza Carthy’s Wayward Band and many other collaborations. He’s also made two acclaimed solo albums. He takes us up to the top of Swift’s Hill, where he plays the tune of the same name.  Along the way he tells stories of his hero Dave Swarbrick, his unfinished First World War violin and learning to play the bagpipes in six weeks.---Access six exclusive films of Sam performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A finger style guitarist with a uniquely impassioned vocal style, Jim Ghedi was born and brought up in the Crookes area of Sheffield. He takes Matthew Bannister to his Nan and Grandad’s terraced house where he heard a lot of Irish music as a child. Jim rejected folk music at first, but found his way back to it as a teenager. Now he’s steeped in the tradition, citing the guitar playing of Bert Jansch and the singing of Norma Waterson as influences. At a beautiful vantage point at the top of one of Sheffield’s seven hills, we are joined by his friends dbh (on fiddle) and Neil Heppleston (on double bass).---Access four exclusive films of Jim performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The singer, fiddle, guitar and ukulele player Germa Adan was born in Haiti, grew up in Florida and now lives in the UK. She says the RSPB reserve in the Sandwell Valley has been her place of calm during the lockdowns – where she goes to contemplate and recharge. Germa is a rising star on the folk scene with a beguiling and original style.---Access five exclusive films of Germa performing along our walk, along with over 100 other performances from dozens of artists, by signing up to Folk On Foot On Film: https://www.folkonfoot.com/watch We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The multi talented musician, producer and lover of the natural world Cosmo Sheldrake takes Matthew Bannister for a walk in the wood near his home in Hampshire. As well as creating electronic music from the song of endangered bird species and the sounds of deep sea creatures, he demonstrates his skill as a beat boxer, Mongolian overtone chanter and bones player; climbs halfway up a tree to sing in the wonderful acoustic of a clearing and covers a Tom Waits song. ---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 amazing folk acts each performing an original love song for the Folk on Foot Festival of LOVE on Valentine’s Day 2021, featuring Heidi Talbot: Easter Snow; Seth Lakeman: The White Hare; Lady Nade: Sweet Honey Bee; Kris Drever: When We Roll In The Morning; O’Hooley and Tidow: Blanket; Chris Wood: The Sweetness Game; Nancy Kerr and James Fagan: Seven Notes; Bella Hardy: Redemption; Sam Lee: Sweet Girl Macree; Rachel Newton: An Hour With Thee (words: Sir Walter Scott); Eliza CarthyNight Swimming; Beth Porter and the Bookshop Band: The 5th Knight and the Moon Princess; Gwilym Bowen Rhys: Clychau ‘r gog; Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver: Ruler of the Rest; Martin Simpson: An Englishman Abroad; Seckou Keita: Kana-sila; Peggy Seeger: Autumn Wedding; Kitty Macfarlane: Avona; The Breath: For You; Steve Knightley: You’re Mine; Karine Polwart: The Light On The Shore; Jon Boden: Honeysuckle Halo---The Folk on Foot podcast relies entirely on contributions from its listeners to keep going, so why not become a patron – make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards? More details here: www.patreon.com/folkonfoot. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: @folkonfoot Sign up for our newsletter at: www.folkonfoot.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 amazing folk acts each performing a traditional love song for the Folk on Foot Festival of LOVE on Valentine’s Day 2021, featuring Nancy Kerr and James Fagan: The Streams of Lovely Nancy: Heidi Talbot: The Blackest Crow; Seth Lakeman: Portrait of My Wife; Lady Nade: Good Looking/Hank Williams; Kris Drever: Westlin’ Winds; O’Hooley and Tidow: Lullabies for Flynn; Chris Wood: A Cornish Young Man; Bella Hardy: Low Down In The Broom; Sam Lee: Blanafanen;  Rachel Newton: For Love; Eliza Carthy: Bottle; Beth Porter and the Bookshop Band: Tuesday Morning; Gwilym Bowen Rhys: Gwen Iliw’r lili; Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver: Rolling In The Dew plus tunes; Martin Simpson: Donal Og; Kerry Andrew: Pleasant and Delightful / The Loyal Lover; Seckou Keita: Toubaka;Peggy Seeger: Wedding  Dress Song; Kitty Macfarlane: The Snow It Melts The Soonest; The Breath: Brid Bhan; Steve Knightley: Courting is A Pleasure (arr Nic Jones); Karine Polwart: Ae Fond Kiss (Burns); Jon Boden: Live Not Where I Love---The Folk on Foot podcast relies entirely on contributions from its listeners to keep going, so why not become a patron – make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards? More details here: www.patreon.com/folkonfoot. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: @folkonfoot Sign up for our newsletter at: www.folkonfoot.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 amazing folk acts each performing a cover version of a love song for the Folk on Foot Festival of LOVE on Valentine’s Day 2021, featuring Heidi Talbot: I Love You/Tom Waits and Allelujah/First of a Million Kisses/Fairground Attraction;  Seth Lakeman: Beeswing/Richard Thompson; Lady Nade: I Remember Everything/John Prine; Kris Drever: Michelle/The Beatles;  O’Hooley and Tidow: Teardrop/Massive Attack; Chris Wood: I Second That Emotion/Smokey Robinson;  Bella Hardy: And I Love You So/Don Maclean; Sam Lee: Dream A Little Dream of Me/Mamas and Papas; Rachel Newton: I Will/The Beatles; Eliza Carthy: Colorblind/Irving Berlin; Beth Porter and the Bookshop Band: Under the Boardwalk/The Drifters; Gwilym Bowen Rhys: Pueblito Viejo/Jose Alejandro Morales; Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver: The Look of Love/Bacharach and David; Martin Simpson: Buckets of Rain/Bob Dylan; Kerry Andrew/You Are Wolf: Tender/Blur; Seckou Keita: No Woman No Cry/Bob Marley; Peggy Seeger: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face/Ewan MacColl; Kitty Macfarlane: Song To The Siren/Tim Buckley and Larry Beckett; The Breath: Lay Lady Lay/Bob Dylan; Steve Knightley: Romeo and Juliet/Dire Straits; Karine Polwart: Carey/Joni Mitchell; Jon Boden: I Want To Dance With Somebody/Whitney Houston; Nancy Kerr and James Fagan: You’ve Got A Friend/Carole King---The Folk on Foot podcast relies entirely on contributions from its listeners to keep going, so why not become a patron – make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards? More details here: www.patreon.com/folkonfoot. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: @folkonfoot Sign up for our newsletter at: www.folkonfoot.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come with us to the back garden of a house in the Peak District village of Grindleford. There, in a magical atmospheric workshop with fiddles, banjos and drying gourds hanging from the ceiling, we find the Rheingans Sisters and their Dad Helmut, who makes all their instruments. Rowan and Anna Rheingans grew up surrounded by music – and are now one of the most innovative and talented duos on the folk scene. In this episode they tell us about their creative childhood, describe how they have been influenced by French and Scandinavian music and explain their love of dancing all night.---We rely entirely on support from our listeners to make Folk on Foot. So please consider becoming a patron. You’ll make a small monthly contribution and get great rewards. Find out more at www.patreon.com/folkonfoot.Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.comFollow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson takes Matthew Bannister for a walk around the areas of London where he grew up, began playing the guitar, formed Fairport Convention (inventing English folk rock)  and joined the vibrant music scene of the 1960s.  On the steps of his old school in Highgate Richard sings  “Man With Money” by the Everly Brothers. In Highgate Woods he sings his classic lament for lost love and the travelling life: “Beeswing” as well as a new song written during lockdown:  “If I Could Live My Life Again”. Outside the house called “Fairport” that gave the band its name, Richard gives us an emotional version of “Meet On The Ledge”. Then it’s on to Wardour Street in Soho, site of the famous Marquee Club,  for “Walking The Long Miles Home”. Finally we are in the Lamb and Flag pub in Covent Garden where Richard describes an encounter with a drunken Irish tenor that inspired his song “Josef Locke”. Along the way Richard reflects on song writing technique, remembers playing with Jimi Hendrix and tells how his Mum and Dad never really understood his success as a musician.---To hear about future episodes of Folk on Foot, sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.com  or follow @folkonfoot on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. We rely entirely on listeners’ contributions to keep going, so please consider becoming a patron, making a small monthly contribution in return for great rewards: www.patreon.com/folkonfoot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A selection of unique performances recorded on location for Folk on Foot by Frank Turner, Kitty Macfarlane, Chris Wood, Johnny Flynn, Ninebarrow and O’Hooley and Tidow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow have an uncanny ability to move you to tears one moment then have you roaring with laughter the next. In summer 2020 they were planning to capitalise on the new found fame caused by having their song “Gentleman Jack” as the theme tune of the hit BBC TV drama based on the life of Anne Lister. But the lockdown put paid to all the touring they’d planned.  So they stayed at home in the beautiful Colne Valley, taking full advantage of the opportunity to enjoy watching their one year old son Flynn grow and learn. On our walk along the canal  (with Flynn in the sling) they share the lullabies they use to soothe him to sleep. They also sing “Colne Valley Hearts” which celebrates the many characters they’ve met in the area and “The Hum” which responds to the noise of a local factory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The multi award winning Dorset duo Ninebarrow take Matthew Bannister for a walk in the glorious countryside of the Isle of Purbeck. Their exquisite harmonies ring out across the Bronze Age burial mounds at Nine Barrow Down (which gave the band its name) as they savour the spectacular view of Poole Harbour, Swanage and the Isle of Wight. They end up in St James’s Church in the village of Kingston where Jon and Jay sing “Row On” in the wonderful acoustic of this special building. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first post lockdown episode, actor and musician Johnny Flynn takes Matthew Bannister for a walk on the Hackney Marshes, a huge expanse of public land which has no fewer than 88 football pitches alongside a nature reserve which has grown up in disused gravel pits. As well as singing his distinctive, haunting songs, Johnny relates his near miss with a bear on the Camino to Santiago, reflects on discovering the music of Bob Dylan as a teenager and talks about his friendship with the nature writer Robert Macfarlane. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another extraordinary Bank Holiday Monday virtual Festival from Folk on Foot, this time re-uniting musicians who couldn’t play together during the lockdown. The Breath; Eliza Carthy and David Delarre; Johnny Flynn and his band; Julie Fowlis, Éamon Doorley and Duncan Chisholm; Karine Polwart, Steven Polwart and Inge Thomson; Kris Drever, John McCusker and Phil Cunningham; Lady Nade, Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow; Nancy Kerr, Martin Simpson and Andy Cutting; Peggy Seeger, Neill and Calum MacColl; Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl; Sam Lee and his band; Show of Hands and Spiers and Boden. We have hand-picked the glorious highlights from seven hours of beautiful music for you to enjoy.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist Chris Wood has lived in Kent all his life. “If you keep moving around, how much can you trust your judgement?” he asks. “If you stop where you are, the world does eventually come to you.” Since the Brexit referendum and election of 2019, Chris has been in challenging mood.  On this walk with his dog Dancer and Matthew Bannister, Chris performs his song “Take Back Control” and contrasts the commuters on the London-bound platform at 6 every morning with what he calls “the slope-shouldered, whey-faced broken people” in Faversham’s greasy spoons and declining market place. “This is my muse,” he tells us. “This darkness and this hypocrisy and these contradictions – I thrive on it”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kitty Macfarlane is known for her pure voice, poetic song writing and passion for the natural world. On this unexpectedly sunny January walk, she and Matthew Bannister climb the historic Burrow Mump Hill. Here she sings a song inspired by the view, “Man Friendship”.   As they walk along the nearby river, Kitty stops to sing her song about migration: “Glass Eel”. Then it’s off to her favourite bird sanctuary where they observe many different species and she sings her song about witnessing a murmuration of starlings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank Turner is a man of contrasts: the old Etonian who became a punk; the heavy metal fan who became a folk-influenced singer songwriter. On this walk through his old haunts on the Holloway Road in North London he reveals the inspiration for his change in musical direction, calling in at the venue Nambucca where ""the scales fell from my eyes"" and he discovered the power of ""three chords and the truth". In the empty venue he plays the songs he wrote about the creative scene there, before heading down the road to The Garage, where his passion for punk was ignited. Along the way he reflects on the history of the area, his sofa-surfing experiences, his tattoos and his relationship with his mother.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A delicious taster of some of the amazing new episodes coming your way in season 5 of Folk on Foot. Recorded before the lockdown, we’ve been walking with Kitty Macfarlane on the Somerset Levels, Chris Wood in Faversham and Frank Turner on the Holloway Road in North London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring “Queen of Waters” by Nancy Kerr, “Scapa Flow 1919” by Kris Drever, “Sleeping Beauty” by Bella Hardy, “I’m a Woman on Wheels” by Peggy Seeger, “The Token” by Rachel Newton, “Walking Through Ithonside” by John Jones and the Reluctant Ramblers and The Melrose Quartet singing “Bright New Year”.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday 25th May – Spring Bank Holiday in the UK – we staged the Folk on Foot Front Room Festival 2 with an astonishing line up of artists. The show lasted for eight hours – but we have distilled it down to two hours of highlights, featuring: Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman, Chris Wood, Duncan Chisholm, Eliza Carthy, Frank Turner and Jess Guise, Gwilym Bowen Rhys, John Smith, Johnny Flynn, Kate Rusby and Damien O’Kane, Kathryn Tickell, Kitty Macfarlane, O’Hooley and Tidow, Richard Thompson and Zara Phillips, Rioghnach Connolly and Ellis Davies – all playing from their front rooms (and gardens). Plus the online premiere of a behind the scenes film of the Unthanks on their recent “unaccompanied” tour. It was a remarkable and emotional day which raised loads of money for musicians who can’t work during the lockdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jarlath Henderson has been described as the “Jimi Hendrix of the uilleann pipes”.  He is also a fine singer and accomplished player of the whistle. At the age of 17 he became the youngest ever winner of the Radio 2 Young Folk award. He comes from Northern Ireland but has now made his home in Scotland where he combines his musical career with working as a doctor in emergency medicine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Su-a Lee is a classically trained cellist who loves breaking down musical barriers. With the group Mr McFall’s Chamber she’s played contemporary classical music in night clubs and she regularly collaborates with Scotland’s leading folk players.  She is also a keen walker and bagger of Munros. Sitting on a rock by the river at Sligachan, she tells Matthew Bannister the poignant story of climbing Ben Nevis with her cello on her back to pay musical tribute to her late husband shortly after he died. Then she unveils her secret weapon... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Edinburgh-born harpist, fiddle player and singer Rachel Newton sings in both English and Gaelic and is a member of The Shee, The Furrow Collective and the Lost Words Spell Songs. We walked with her on the Isle of Skye in November 2019 where she was taking part in the wonderful Festival of Small Halls, in which top Scottish musicians come together to tour the community halls of the island. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Easter Bank Holiday Monday, April 13th 2020, we organised the Folk on Foot Front Room Festival - seven and a half hours of wonderful folk music from 15 top artists playing in their front rooms, linked by Matthew Bannister from his. Bella Hardy, Beth Porter and the Bookshop Band, Jon Boden, Julie Fowlis and Éamon Doorley, Karine Polwart, Kerry Andrew/You are Wolf, Kris Drever, Lisa Knapp, Martin Simpson, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Peggy Seeger, Rachel Newton, Sam Lee, Seth Lakeman and Steve Knightley all played sets of around 30 minutes. The festival raised £110,000 for musicians unable to work during the coronavirus lockdown. Here are some of the highlights of an amazing day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The singer, songwriter and fiddle player Bella Hardy takes Matthew for a rain-sodden walk through the majestic countryside of the Edale Valley in the Peak District where she was brought up and has now returned to live. Undaunted by the weather, they go to the Penny Pot café, the 1811 Methodist Chapel where Bella teaches a singing group and on to her mother’s cottage where they stop for very welcome tea, biscuits and songs, including a local Castleton carol and Bella’s own compositions “Sleeping Beauty” and “Tequila Moon”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a life on the road, folk legend Peggy Seeger has settled in the village of Iffley on the outskirts of Oxford.  In this episode she talks poignantly about her mother, a talented composer who died when she was fifty-three and Peggy was just eighteen.  Peggy recites a poem called “My Mother is Younger Than Me”.  She sings old union songs, including “The Miner’s Prayer”, recalls her time on the Greenham Common protests, shows us a piece of the wire fence she keeps on her mantelpiece and sings a song called “A Woman on Wheels” which is about a protester in a  wheelchair who she saw using bolt cutters to breach that fence. Come with us on a walk through Peggy Seeger’s life in an unforgettable episode of Folk on Foot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guitarist, singer and songwriter Kris Drever was born and brought up on Orkney, the archipelago off the Northern coast of Scotland which is steeped in history. The walk starts in the main town of Kirkwall with its huge sandstone cathedral commemorating St Magnus who came to an untimely end. In the graveyard Kris sings “Winter Moon”. Then they head off to the shores of the great natural harbour at Scapa Flow where Kris performs his powerful song about the scuttling of the entire German navy there in 1919. They end up at the chapel created in a nissen hut by Italian prisoners during the Second World War – a poignant setting for Kris’s song “Ghosts”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In search of the festive spirit of Christmas – and bearing gifts -  we travel to the Peak District and Sheffield to hear the area’s unique local carols. Along the way we collect music from Jon Boden, Bella Hardy, The Melrose Quartet and the singers of the villages of Dungworth and Hathersage. We hear how the traditional carols written and sung by working people were thrown out of the church – and had to find a new home in the village pubs. Put on your Santa hat, reindeer antlers or Christmas jumper, get yourself a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie and join us.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode has by far the largest cast of walkers we’ve ever assembled – and the most musicians.  The lead singer of Oysterband John Jones started walking from gig to gig and singing on the way long before our podcast was invented. He’s done it all over the country and he’s usually accompanied by a bunch of fans who call themselves the Reluctant Ramblers. On a scorching hot summer’s day, we join them for a walk over Old Winchester Hill, along part of the South Downs Way and the Meon Valley to the Wickham Festival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For twelve years, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nancy Kerr lived on a narrow boat, travelling the length and breadth of England’s inland waterways. As she walks on the towpath with Matthew Bannister, she tells how the experience inspired many of her songs – and performs two of them: “Queen of Waters” and “Tiller Song”. Nancy explains that folk music was part of her upbringing, with her mother Sandra Kerr a well-known performer and her father a Northumbrian pipe player. Did she ever fall in to the canal? “Yes, about once a month!”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring: Nancy Kerr along the Kennet and Avon Canal, John Jones and the Reluctant Ramblers walking to the Wickham Festival, Kris Drever on Orkney, Peggy Seeger in Iffley and Bella Hardy in Edale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring: “Never Any Good” by Martin Simpson;  “Charm On, Goldfinch” by Beth Porter; “Union Miner” by The Unthanks; “Salty and Sweet” by John Smith; “Lavender Song” by Lisa Knapp;  “A Precious Place” by Duncan Chisholm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martin Simpson performs some of the songs from his new album “Rooted” and talks to Matthew Bannister on the Big Barn stage at the BBC Countryfile Live event in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sandwood Bay, at the far North Western tip of Scotland near Cape Wrath, is one of the most beautiful beaches in the UK. This wild, isolated place inspired the Scottish fiddle player and composer Duncan Chisholm’s album “Sandwood”.  He takes Matthew on the four-mile walk from the nearest road to experience the stark beauty of white sand, ancient rocks and rolling waves, telling stories of storms, hauntings and the remains of a Viking longship hidden under the beach. Then it’s out with the fiddle to hear some of the music inspired by Sandwood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The singer and fiddle player Lisa Knapp takes Matthew to the south London borough of Tooting where she was born and brought up. She performs songs with links to the area and tells how she stumbled across the Tooting Tragedy – a story of neglect and ill treatment at a local children’s home in Victorian times that led to hundreds of deaths and caused an outcry led by Charles Dickens. Lisa uncovered a haunting ballad about the story and sings it in the graveyard where many of the children are buried. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Smith is known for his delicate and intricate guitar work, honey-and-gravel voice and songs of lost love. He was born in Essex, but brought up in the seaside town of Brixham in Devon. Struck down by illness as a child, he took up the guitar and practiced obsessively in his attic bedroom overlooking the sea. In this episode, he takes Matthew to the harbour wall to sing “Salty and Sweet” and up onto the cliffs where he found peace and solitude as a teenager to sing his own compositions “Save My Life” and “Hummingbird” and the traditional Somerset song “Hares on the Mountain”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every winter, Rachael and Becky Unthank and their extended families invite their fans to join them for singing weekends in their native Northumberland. Some fifty people stay together at a bunkhouse where pianist/producer Adrian McNally does the cooking, and Rachel and Becky lead singing workshops. The weekend includes a session in the atmospheric local pub, where Matthew joins the group for a singalong. Then Rachel takes him for a walk on her favourite beach at Low Newton By The Sea, where she sings “The Flower of Northumberland” and “Here’s The Tender Coming”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regularly voted one of the world’s greatest guitarists, Martin Simpson has been nominated for an astonishing 23 Radio 2 Folk Awards – and won artist of the year twice. He was brought up in the North Lincolnshire steel town of Scunthorpe and takes Matthew on an emotional journey back to his childhood home, explaining how he hid from his formidable mother in the apple tree in the garden, went on imaginary expeditions through a pile of maps he found under a work bench in the garage and was introduced to the natural world on rambles through the local woods with his father. He sings his heartfelt tribute to his Dad, “Never Any Good” as well as “Toy Soldiers” and “Creeping Jane”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The beautiful Lost Words book by artist Jackie Morris and writer Robert Macfarlane has become a cultural phenomenon, raising awareness of the importance of nature words in our lives. It has also spawned the Spell Songs project featuring some of our top folk artists. In this special edition of Folk on Foot, Matthew walks with Jackie and the singer, cellist and ukulele player Beth Porter (The Bookshop Band) on the hill near Jackie’s cottage in Wales. Beth sings and plays as Jackie creates an otter painting in her studio. We also hear music from Julie Fowlis and Kerry Andrew/You Are Wolf. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A tantalising taste of all six beautiful episodes of Season 3, featuring The Lost Words Spell Songs: Jackie Morris and Beth Porter in Pembrokeshire; Martin Simpson in Scunthorpe; The Unthanks on the Northumberland Coast; John Smith in Brixham; Lisa Knapp in Tooting and Duncan Chisholm at Sandwood Bay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring: “Kitty Jay” by Seth Lakeman;  “As Sylvie Was Walking” from Kerry Andrew/You Are Wolf; :”Dancing In The Factory” by Jon Boden; “All The Things” by Stick In The Wheel; “First And Last” by Fisherman’s Friends; “Biodh an Deach Sea’n Laimh Mo Ruin (The Drink Would Be In My Love’s Hand)” by Julie Fowlis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis takes Matthew Bannister for a snowy walk on the dramatic shores of Loch Ness near her home in the Scottish Highlands. Accompanied by her husband Eamon Doorley, we hear Julie’s beautiful clear voice singing a song linked to the area and a love song that brought the couple together for the first time.  As they head to the spectacular Foyers Falls, Julie explains that understanding the Gaelic language is the best way to form a true connection with the landscape.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stick in the Wheel’s music has been described as “precision folk with anger, lust and blood.” The band’s founders Nicola Kearey and Ian Carter take Matthew Bannister for a walk through their East London stomping grounds, starting in a Victorian weaver’s house in Spitalfields, taking in Walthamstow Market and ending up in Epping Forest where they’re joined by fiddle player Ellie Wilson. Along the way they sing songs that reflect the chequered history of the East End of London.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Cleave and Billy Hawkins of Fisherman’s Friends take Matthew Bannister for a walk around their beautiful home village of Port Isaac in Cornwall, telling tales and singing songs inspired by the seafaring history of the area. They invite us to fall in love with “The Maid of Madeira”, marvel at two ‘doubloons’ picked up in the harbour by Jon’s Uncle Andy, pay tribute to the fallen Cornish lads of the First World War in “First and Last” and shed a tear with “The Last Widow”, as she bemoans a tragedy that struck the Port Quin herring fleet.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kerry Andrew has been described by Robert Macfarlane as “a writer and musician of frankly alarming talent”. She is a composer, novelist and vocalist who performs alt folk under the name You Are Wolf. In this episode she takes Matthew for a walk from her flat in South London, through surprisingly green parkland, to the historic Brockwell Lido where she persuades him to take a dip. Along the way she demonstrates her multi layered vocal technique and sings songs from her albums “Hawk to the Hunting Gone” and “Keld”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seth Lakeman is the Mercury Music Prize nominated singer, fiddle player and guitarist who will forever be associated with Dartmoor. He grew up in the village of Buckland Monachorum with his two brothers Sean and Sam who are also key players on the folk scene. In this episode Seth takes Matthew to the village church to re-create his 2004 recording ""Cape Clear"", to the local school to sing “An Educated Man” and to the hills above the Burrator Reservoir where he performs “Kitty Jay”, “The White Hare” and “The Courier”. Along the way he reflects on sibling rivalry, the myths and legends of Dartmoor and his experiences of touring the world with the former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former Bellowhead lead singer takes Matthew on a walk near his home on the outskirts of Sheffield. This landscape inspired his 2009 album “Songs from the Floodplain”, which creates a vision of a post apocalyptic future when industrial architecture is decaying and people are returning to a more rural way of life. As they walk down the valley, Jon sings “Going Down to the Wasteland”; by a whirlpool in the River Loxley, he performs ""April Queen." Next we visit a disused brick factory - where empty kilns and rusting girders are being overwhelmed by trees and weeds - the perfect setting for “Dancing In The Factory”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A first chance to hear some extracts from Season 2 of Folk on Foot. This time we'll be walking with: Jon Boden in the Loxley Valley; Seth Lakeman on Dartmoor; Kerry Andrew at the Brockwell Lido; Fisherman’s Friends in Port Isaac; Stick in the Wheel on the road to Epping Forest; Julie Fowlis on the shores of Loch Ness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring: Eliza Carthy and Family: “Some Old Salty”;  Steve Knightley: “The Dive”;  Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman: “The Leaving Song”;  The Young’uns: “The Hartlepool Pedlar”; Sam Lee: “The Birds in the Spring”; Karine Polwart: “The Lark In The Clear Air”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The multi award winning singer Cara Dillon and her husband and musical collaborator Sam Lakeman take Matthew on a walk through the countryside around the Northern Irish town of Dungiven where she was born and brought up. Standing on an iron bridge over the River Roe, Cara sings “The Winding River Roe” with the water rippling by in the background. Then they climb the local mountain known as “The Hill of Thieves” which is also the inspiration for one of Cara’s songs. As the rain begins to fall, they take refuge in a local sibin where Cara and Sam perform “The Leaving Song” about the living wakes held by families before their children emigrated to the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Knightley of Show of Hands has been described as “a gravel voiced spokesman for the rural poor”. Many of the songs he writes are inspired by the working people he meets in and around his home town of Topsham in Devon. Steve takes Matthew on a walk from Exmouth - scene of some of his earliest gigs as a teenage musician - along the Exe trail to Topsham. In Exmouth docks Steve performs “The Dive” which tells the true story of a father and son diving drama, as the real life son of the story looks on. On a farm near Topsham Steve sings “Country Life” his angry anthem about the destruction of the countryside by second home owners and agri-barons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eliza Carthy inherited her love of English music from her famous folk singing parents, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson. Norma recently suffered a serious illness and Eliza moved back to the family home in the North Yorkshire fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay to look after her. Eliza takes Matthew on a walk along the cliffs near her home, reflecting on her family heritage and then on to the farm where the whole extended family used to live when she was a child. Martin, Norma and Eliza’s aunt Ann and cousin Marry gather at the kitchen table for a rousing and emotional sing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mercury music prize nominee Sam Lee is a folk singer, a countryman and an impresario. In this episode of Folk on Foot he invites Matthew to join him in a Sussex wood in the middle of the night as he leads a group of people on a silent walk to hear him sing with a nightingale. The next day Sam and Matthew retrace their steps in daylight, reflecting on the power of this mystical experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Karine Polwart’s solo theatre piece “Wind Resistance” and album “A Pocket of Wind Resistance” were inspired by Fala Moor near her home in Midlothian just south of Edinburgh. She takes Matthew for a walk across the Moor which is a haven for wildlife. As she sings you can hear skylarks and curlews flying around her. Karine tells stories of the people who lived near the moor and the monastic hospital which stood nearby where pioneering herbal treatments were invented. And she reflects on her own life journey from social worker dealing with survivors of domestic violence to award winning folk singer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Young’uns are three award winning troubadours from Teeside. Sean Cooney, David Eagle and Michael Hughes take Matthew Bannister on a walk round the historic headland of Hartlepool where Sean used to live in a shed in his parents’ back garden. Along the way they tell stories and sing songs inspired by the location, visiting the medieval Sandwell Gate, St Hilda’s Church and the Heugh Battery, site of the only First World War battle to take place on British soil. They end up in the Pot House pub, where the Young’uns used to run a folk club, singing Cooney’s original composition “The Hartlepool Pedlar”. There may also be time for a pint. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A taster of what is coming up in our first season of Folk on Foot. You'll hear extracts from Karine Polwart on Fala Moor, the Young'uns in Hartlepool and Steve Knightley on the Exe Trail. More details at folkonfoot.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.