Beneath the Forest of Dean lies history, colour and creativity – from centuries-old mines to a home filled with art and light.
In this episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner head deep into the Forest of Dean – a landscape of legends, light and remarkable contrasts.
Dan ventures underground at Clearwell Caves, swapping daylight for headtorches and hard hats to experience the life of the freeminers who once worked beneath the forest floor. With Jonathan Wright as his guide – whose family has worked these seams for centuries – he learns it’s more than a trade; it’s a calling handed down through generations.
Meanwhile, Isy finds herself in a very different world – the vibrant home and studio of ceramic artist Mary Rose Young. Surrounded by rainbow-coloured teapots, chandeliers and wall-to-wall creativity, she discovers how art, colour and a little eccentricity can brighten even the darkest day.
Together, their adventures reveal two sides of the same forest – one grounded in grit and history, the other bursting with imagination and light. Proof that the Forest of Dean isn’t just a place to visit, but a place that stays with you.
We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.
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Wild Swims & Gentle Giants: Adventures in Pembrokeshire
In this episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner head to Pembrokeshire – a place of wild seas, big skies and quietly brilliant people.
Dan takes the plunge with Sian Richardson, founder of the Bluetits Chill Swimmers, for a bracing dip in the Irish Sea. What starts as a mad idea soon turns blissful – proof that a communal winter swim can clear the mind, lift the spirits and make you forget everything (apart from the cold).
Meanwhile, Isy finds warmth of a different kind at Folly Farm, meeting the keepers who care for lions, rhinos and Wales’s only giraffes. She feeds some of these gentle giants, learns about their personalities and discovers why conservation and compassion are at the heart of this much-loved family attraction.
We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.
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Frights and Fizz: A Very Halloween Lock-In
Join Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner as they roam the weird and wonderful corners of the UK, meeting the characters, unearthing the oddities and celebrating the glorious quirks that make every place special.
In each episode, they go their separate ways, try something new and reunite at the end to compare notes. Great Escapes is about more than just travel – it’s about saying yes to the unexpected, discovering what makes a place tick and finding adventure (and laughter) in the most unlikely corners.
In this Halloween special, Isy starts her day behind bars at Britain’s most haunted prison – a place that once held the Kray twins, a few accused witches and, somehow, Paddington Bear. As the lights flicker and the temperature drops, she hears tales of the inmates who never quite checked out.
Meanwhile, Dan takes on a different kind of spirit at the Showerings Cider Mill – birthplace of Babycham, the fizzy 1960s drink that made post-war Britain sparkle. He meets the family keeping the legend alive.
And all this in Shepton Mallet – where ghosts linger and the past just keeps on fizzing.
We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.
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Great Escapes with Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner
Great Escapes is the podcast that sets off in search of fascinating stories, delicious food, and the quirkiest customs the UK has to offer.
Join Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner – two intrepid (and not always willing) travellers – as they explore towns and cities, meet unforgettable characters, try regional delicacies, and get roped into activities no one properly agreed to. Camping under the stars? Wild swimming? Cornish wrestling? One of them’s keen. The other’s calling their agent.
It’s part travelogue, part comedy, and 100% fuelled by snacks, bickering, and unexpected detours.
Great Escapes – the only podcast where “trying new things” comes with a disclaimer.
We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.
About Great Escapes with Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner
Great Escapes is the podcast that sets off in search of fascinating stories, delicious food, and the quirkiest destinations the UK has to offer.
Join Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner – two endlessly curious adventurers – as they explore towns and cities, meet unforgettable locals, sample regional delights and embrace activities from wild swimming to Cornish wrestling.
It’s part travelogue, part comedy and all discovery. Tune in for great stories, big laughs and unexpected detours.
We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.
UK