Into the Woods with Holly Worton

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Christine Reed. I recently read her fantastic book, Alone in Wonderland, about her experience on the Wonderland Trail in Washington State, USA. It’s a fantastic blend of a travel journal and personal memoir, including reflections on her life experiences. I highly recommend it! In this episode, we talk about lessons learned from hiking multiple trails. We discuss how trails can help us to figure things out, and how to get started on your own solo...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, J. F. Penn. Joanna is a friend of mine, and I’ve been listening to her fantastic podcast for over a decade now, The Creative Penn. Like me, Jo is a fan of solo walking, and she’s recently written a book on pilgrimage. While I’ve done various long-distance trails in England, I’ve never done a pilgrimage. The Camino de Santiago has been on my list of things to do since 1996 when I first read Paulo Coelho’s book about it, so it’s definitely something...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! I've been thinking lately about how certain adventures have tested my “limits.” I say that in quotes because I'm talking about perceived limitations: things we think we aren't capable of doing, when in reality it's possible. Listen To This Episode What You'll Learn Things I Discussed Walking the Downs Link PSYCH-K® Related Episodes 493 Holly Worton – The Benefits of Armchair Adventures490 Holly Worton – How Bad Do You Want It? Finding...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Gwendolyn Zywicke. I recently read her fantastic book, Ultrarunning Mysticism: Mind, Body, Spirit and the Sacredness of Overcoming Suffering. This book put words to an experience that I had had many times but couldn’t describe. It’s also not just for ultrarunning. If you do any type of endurance sport, such as cycling, walking, or hiking, you may have experienced this yourself. About Gwen Zywicke Gwen is a senior instructor of communication...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! Inspired by an entire week of armchair adventures over the holiday season, I've decided to share my experience with you and remind you of the importance (and pleasure!) of armchair adventures. We don't always need to be on the go—we can balance activity and rest by getting inspired through armchair adventures. In this episode, I talk about the benefits of armchair adventures, and how you can enjoy your own guilt-free adventures from the comfort of...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Lauri McKean. I often get asked by women how to overcome fears of solo adventures. That’s why I talk about it so much on this podcast and on my blog. Lauri has a great story of how she overcame her fear of solo backpacking and camping, and how facing that fear has had a positive effect on other areas of her life. I hope you find it inspiring! About Lauri Lauri is a lover of the natural world who has a fondness for hiking, backpacking,...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Helen Lear-Grant. Helen has traveled to many of the remote places I want to visit in Scotland, like the Inner and Outer Hebrides. I’ve had other friends visit there over the years for outdoor adventures, and it’s been on my list ever since. In this episode, we talk about adventures in the Hebrides, and also Helen’s adventures as a disability travel blogger. We explore how her adventures have changed her life, and what she’s achieved with her...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! This week's episode is late because I've been ill for a couple of weeks, lost my voice, and had to cancel two interviews. My voice is still a bit off, but at least I'm no longer croaking like a whispering frog. In this episode, I reflect on my experience working toward my black belt in kickboxing. I discuss what it took to pass the grading, and what I learned from the experience. I also reflect on how it's affected my outdoor adventures, and how...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Doug Noll. Doug was born with multiple disabilities: he had both audio and visual disabilities as well as two club feet. After struggling with sports in school, he turned to Scouts and the outdoors and started to thrive. Doug is a whitewater guide, Level III PSIA ski instructor, sailor, and fly fisher. He has also been a rock climber, mountaineer, competitive swimmer, and Class IV kayaker. His various outdoor adventures have taught him discipline,...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! Fear is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. A few weeks ago, on episode 483 with Erica Terblanche, we briefly discussed the importance of choosing things you're terrified of. That concept stuck in my mind. I know I'm always talking about the importance of stepping outside of our comfort zone, and that's because I've been doing that a lot lately, especially in the last six months. Listen To This Episode What You'll...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Ethan Gallogly. I originally discovered him on PodcastGuests.com which, incidentally, is a great place to find guests for a podcast – or to pitch yourself to be featured on other shows. A few months ago, I read his fantastic novel, The Trail, which I really enjoyed. Ethan is super knowledgeable about the John Muir Trail, and it shows in both his book and his conversations about the trail. He’s hiked the trail twice, and he shares his tips in this...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! This week, I'm talking about how outdoor adventures teach you what you can accomplish when you increase your tolerance for discomfort. This is a conversation that's come up with a couple of different people recently, and I wanted to share it here. I would never have been able to run 100km if I hadn't gotten through many uncomfortable runs. I would never have completed the Coast to Coast – or any of my trails – if I hadn't pushed beyond discomfort....

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Marie-Pier Tremblay. We were recently introduced by Allison Boyle from episode 475. Just three years ago, Marie overcame doubt and fear to hike one of my dream trails: the Pacific Crest Trail. In this episode, we talk about what Marie learned on the trail, and how she overcame fears to make it happen. We also discuss how you can overcome fears and blocks that might be holding you back from attempting to achieve your dreams. About Marie-Pier...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! This week, I discuss the pagan new year or cycle and why this is such a great time to evaluate your year of adventures and plan the upcoming year. As you may know, I'm a big planner. In my experience, if I don't get clear on my vision of what I want to experience in the coming weeks and months, time can pass by and I don't do anything meaningful. Listen To This Episode What You'll Learn Things I Discussed Samhain/Samhuinn Related...

I’m excited to introduce this week’s guest, Erica Terblanche. Erica was recently introduced to me by Eric Deeter, who was a guest on this show, on episode 368. You’ll hear us saying “Thanks Eric!” in this episode, and that’s who we’re talking about. In this episode, we talk about how nature helps us to unlock our highest potential. We also discuss the cost of being disconnected from nature—mentally, physically, and emotionally. About Erica Terblanche Erica is a life and well-being...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! Today I'll be talking about something that I've been reflecting on a lot lately. I talk a lot about personal growth and mindset – and it's true these two things are a big part of my life. I'm always looking at how I can learn and grow. The thing is, there's always room for more growth – but do you want it? Do you really need it? A few months ago, I talked about balancing growth with integration, and I do think that's important. But even more...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Corinne Kowal. I first discovered Corinne on Instagram, where I saw that she was planning to hike the Cape Wrath Trail, which has been on my bucket list for a couple of years now. I avidly followed her preparations for the trip, and couldn’t wait to hear more once she returned. The Cape Wrath Trail is often considered to be one of Britain’s most challenging trails, mostly due to its remoteness and rough terrain. I find it appealing because I love...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! This episode is a great companion to episode 377, where I talked about How to Prioritize Your Hobbies and Adventures. In that episode, I discussed the practical side of prioritizing your hobbies and adventures. I also covered how to determine how much free time you have to devote to your hobbies, how to design your ideal week and see how your hobbies fit in, how to get clear on why your hobbies are so important to you, and how to see if your mindset...

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Jay Worthy. He’s got a great concept called 28 Summers that I look forward to sharing with you. About Jay Worthy Jay Worthy is the host of the 28 Summers podcast and co-host of the Man Alive podcast (launching Summer 2022). Jay got his start in life as an instructor teaching members to use gym equipment for free, so he could get a free membership for himself – two decades later he was the first non-US CEO of the $1 billion company that made...

I'm back again, with another solo episode! Last week, I was interviewing Erica Terblanche for episode 483 and we talked a bit about the importance of showing up. It was just a quick mention, and I made note of it because I knew I wanted to dive deeper into the topic on a solo episode. In fact, I made several notes of concepts that I wanted to explore on upcoming solo episodes. “Showing up” is something I've been reflecting on lately as I prepare for my black belt grading in December...