Painter John Constable (1776-1837) is today one of the most celebrated painters of the English countryside. But in his lifetime his efforts to capture the true essence of nature and rural life were often rejected by his peers. What made him so special and why is he so revered now?Now, on the 250th anniversary of Constable's birth, Plodcast host Fergus Collin ... Show More
Apr 24
Sound Escape 270. Be entranced by a sensational dawn chorus from Dorset
A cool dawn, dew-dampened and soft air. In these folds of West Dorset, it will be another hour before the sun reaches above the sharp-edged ridge in the south east, but below, where the blackthorn blossom is almost spent, the birds are in full voice.The familiar voices, blackbird ... Show More
18m 30s
Apr 17
Sound Escape 269. Climb up among the skylarks and the meadow pipits
A track winds up onto a bleak hill top – or it looks from afar. As you get closer, you realise the land is rich in bilberries, heather and small, stunted hawthorns. Soon you are in the skylark zone – with meadow pipits singing their hearts out alongside their more famous avian co ... Show More
10m 32s
Aug 2015
Summer Reading 2015: Books to Blow Your Mind
<p>It's a summer tradition, so once more the hosts of Stuff to Blow Your Mind share their fiction and nonfiction reading recommendations with listeners. That means science, science fiction, horror and more -- all with a distinct STBYM flavor.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad- ... Show More
1h 8m
Feb 2024
Lost in the Forest: Two Weeks Off-Trail
In Hawaii, a yoga instructor pays a visit to her local forest reserve. Amanda Eller intends to take a short hike in nature to blow off some steam. It becomes a mind-bending, multi-day journey, as she stumbles off the path and into the trees. Penned in by the dense foliage, with t ... Show More
47m 40s