8 Great Podcasts to Listen to While Walking
Lancashire Dialect Writers Memorial cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Gerald England - geograph.org.uk/p/5343041 – cropped from original
View from the lakeside path, Hollingworth Lake cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Humphrey Bolton - geograph.org.uk/p/5238746 – cropped from original
31/01/2020
Podcasts are in! And it seems they’re not going anywhere, so now is the perfect time to get stuck in if you haven’t already. As of December 2019, there were over 30 million podcast episodes. That’s 30,000,000 episodes all ready and waiting to be downloaded to our phones and listened to! While there is obviously a lot out there, the best thing about the whole podcast setup is that we can tune our libraries to nicely suit our personalities and interests.
A podcast is a great companion on a walk. You can get lost in a good story, chuckle away to some good comedy and find yourself through guided meditative practice too. It can be difficult to wade through the sheer amount of podcasts out there, so we’re going to pick some of the best series centred around popular interests.
A Music Podcast
Tiny Desk Concerts – Audio
NPR (National Public Radio) Music makes it easy to discover new music with episodes of beautiful, heartfelt live performances recorded in NPR’s Washington D.C. office. This is a great podcast to tune into if you love live music and enjoy songs when they are stripped down to just what makes them beautiful.
A Chatty Podcast
David Tennant Does a Podcast With…
Doctor Who– we mean, David Tennant hosts a fantastic podcast where he has conversations with some of the biggest names in entertainment. Listeners are able to feel as though we’re in the room, find out some interesting secrets and chuckle along to ourselves while listening to their interesting conversations. Expect to walk along with Catherine Tate, James Corden, Tina Fey and more!
A Mindful Podcast
Untangle
Untangle is a weekly podcast that covers everything from self-compassion to meditation. It is a great accompaniment on a walk through nature or a busy street! More and more of us are looking for ways to feel more content, patient or less stressed– and this podcast is a brilliant place to start. The Untangle podcasts feature experts and everyday people. They are also relatively short and easy to digest, ranging from 20-50 minutes in length… perfect for a mindful walk to the shops or a quiet walk back from dropping the kids off at school.
A Work Podcast
In Good Company
There are a lot of good business and work podcasts out there, but In Good Company stands out for its relaxed, informative and accessible approach. It’s a podcast created for working women that’s full of advice and practical ideas on a range of topics. Whether you’re young and new to the workplace, or a seasoned veteran in the office, you have 25 episodes of interviews, conversations and tips to explore!
A Crime Podcast
Casefile True Crime
For those of us who are dangerously curious, brave and interested in true crime, look no further than Casefile. Listeners will find episode after episode of true crime stories from all over the world and throughout history. Casefile is a great partner on long walks for people who quite enjoy things that go bump in the night! This podcast generally sticks with the facts for each case, making it a perfect listen for those of us who fancy ourselves to be a bit of a detective. Many episodes feature cases that are unsolved… so, go on, get your hat on.
Sunlight on gravestones in Southern Cemetery cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Bill Boaden - geograph.org.uk/p/4520234 – cropped from original
A Funny Podcast
The Worst Writer in the World
This podcast will appeal to creatives and funny folk alike! English teacher Rufus and (ex-wannabe writer) Howard host a comedy storytelling podcast in which Rufus tries to read stories that Howard wrote as a kid. Spoiler alert. They’re not very good. This podcast is a great accompaniment on a walk if you don’t mind laughing out loud by yourself in the street.
A Spin-off Podcast
No Such Thing as a Fish
No Such Thing as a Fish is a weekly podcast presented by the brilliant minds behind quiz show QI. They discuss their favourite new fact of the week and listeners can expect to learn some interesting stuff. A different presenter brings something in each episode and the “QI Elves” discuss the information surrounding it. It’s a great podcast for those of us who love a good pub quiz or sharing random facts!
A Food Podcast
The Splendid Table
Those of us thinking up recipes or dreaming about dinner on our walks home from work or to the supermarket should download an episode of The Splendid Table. Food writer Francis Lam takes us on a delicious journey that explores different foods, cultures and feelings! Tune in every week to learn about food and to add some delicious ideas to your belt, too.
So, what’s your flavour? Maybe try them all out! Many of us will feel some podcasts are better for certain walks. Try true crime podcast Casefile on a long walk so you can really get into it. Or listen to Untangle on a shorter walk back from work to destress and wind down. Find some of your own favourites too! Like we said, there’s 30,000,000 of them…