Following our Line To Legend Special, our friends at Great Western Railway have released a new Trackanory series which brings myths and legends to life.

Sit down, relax and enjoy as kid's TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson reads The Giants of Avon Gorge, the story of how two brothers accidentally carve the spectacular Avon Gorge while competing for the heart of a giantess.

If you like it check out the other episodes in the Trackanory series: 
youtube.com/watch?v=-ZvQDicHbfo&t=11s
youtube.com/watch?v=m3F-rkDBIC8&t=115s

Or buy the book at: gwrsouvenirs.co.uk

Following our Line To Legend Special, our friends at Great Western Railway have released a new Trackanory series which brings myths and legends to life.
Sit down, relax and enjoy as kid's TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson reads&nbsp;The Giants of Avon Gorge, the story of how two brothers accidentally carve the spectacular Avon Gorge while competing for the heart of a giantess.
If you like it check out the other episodes in the Trackanory series:&nbsp; <a href="https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/ldwJC21XzHMnYziBijU5U3Fh?domain=youtube.com">youtube.com/watch?v=-ZvQDicHbfo&amp;t=11s</a> <a href="https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/Q25UC4Y2EfXLVKHVt7U4vJfP?domain=youtube.com">youtube.com/watch?v=m3F-rkDBIC8&amp;t=115s</a>
Or buy the book at:&nbsp;<a href="https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/5XbaC51MJHBqJLF8uNUkJVRa?domain=gwrsouvenirs.co.uk/">gwrsouvenirs.co.uk</a>

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.

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.

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 delving deep into caves.

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.

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&nbsp;Isy Suttie&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dan Skinner &ndash; two endlessly curious adventurers &ndash; as they explore towns and cities, meet unforgettable locals, sample regional delights and embrace activities from wild swimming to delving deep into caves.
It&rsquo;s part travelogue, part comedy and all discovery. Tune in for great stories, big laughs and unexpected detours.
We&rsquo;re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

BONUS EPISODE: Trackanory brings myths and legends to life

Some stories belong to the past. Others are tied to places, waiting to be discovered.

In this special episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner set off on a journey through myth, memory and the landscapes that have inspired some of Britain’s most enduring legends.

They begin with GWR’s The Line to Legend Land book, joined by mythologist Graham Loveluck-Edwards, exploring what myths really are, why they persist, and how they become woven into the places we travel through.

From there, they head to London Paddington station to see the striking new statues inspired by the book, and meet world-renowned author Michael Morpurgo, who reflects on the power of storytelling and why certain legends endure.

Then, it’s west to Cornwall on the Night Riviera Sleeper, in search of one of the most haunting tales of all – the Mermaid of Zennor.

Dan heads into the surf at St Ives to meet a real-life mermaid, donning a tail and taking a dip in the cold, choppy Cornish sea. Meanwhile, Isy meets local musician Will Keating, learning a traditional Cornish song and discovering how music helps carry stories through generations.

Our intrepid travellers round off the journey aboard the Pullman, where they even try their hand at cooking dinner at 125mph.

In this episode, Isy and Dan explore how stories shape the places we visit, and what happens when you go looking for them.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

Some stories belong to the past. Others are tied to places, waiting to be discovered.

In this special episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner set off on a journey through myth, memory and the landscapes that have inspired some of Britain’s most enduring legends.

They begin with GWR’s The Line to Legend Land book, joined by mythologist Graham Loveluck-Edwards, exploring what myths really are, why they persist, and how they become woven into the places we travel through.

From there, they head to London Paddington station to see the striking new statues inspired by the book, and meet world-renowned author Michael Morpurgo, who reflects on the power of storytelling and why certain legends endure.

Then, it’s west to Cornwall on the Night Riviera Sleeper, in search of one of the most haunting tales of all – the Mermaid of Zennor.

Dan heads into the surf at St Ives to meet a real-life mermaid, donning a tail and taking a dip in the cold, choppy Cornish sea. Meanwhile, Isy meets local musician Will Keating, learning a traditional Cornish song and discovering how music helps carry stories through generations.

Our intrepid travellers round off the journey aboard the Pullman, where they even try their hand at cooking dinner at 125mph.

In this episode, Isy and Dan explore how stories shape the places we visit, and what happens when you go looking for them.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

The Line to Legend Land Special

Christmas is on the horizon, and this week Great Escapes heads to Cheltenham to meet the people who make the season feel magical.

In this special Christmas episode, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner explore Cheltenham at its most festive, from glowing Regency streets to countryside grottoes and backstage theatre bustle.

Just outside town at Cotswold Farm Park, Dan meets a real-life Santa Claus – and when we say real, we mean it. Their conversation dives deep into the details of the role: how elves operate, the rules of the job and the practicalities of delivering presents to the entire world in one night.

Meanwhile, Isy heads backstage at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre to meet the cast of this year’s pantomime, Robin Hood and his Merry Men. She discovers the graft behind the glitter, the stamina required to keep the energy up night after night, and why panto remains one of Christmas’s great shared traditions. There’s even time for her to attempt a musical number, with some very interesting percussion.

Later, Isy and Dan regroup on Cheltenham High Street over coffee and doughnuts, swapping stories and soaking up the town’s festive atmosphere. Along the way, they share listener Christmas travel tales – from a strange encounter with Santa in Aberdeen to a moment of unexpected kindness that turned a breakdown into a Christmas memory to treasure.

Warm, funny and reflective, this episode celebrates Christmas not just as a season, but as something people choose to believe in – whether on a farm, on a stage or on a quiet street lit with fairy lights.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

Christmas is on the horizon, and this week Great Escapes heads to Cheltenham to meet the people who make the season feel magical.

In this special Christmas episode, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner explore Cheltenham at its most festive, from glowing Regency streets to countryside grottoes and backstage theatre bustle.

Just outside town at Cotswold Farm Park, Dan meets a real-life Santa Claus – and when we say real, we mean it. Their conversation dives deep into the details of the role: how elves operate, the rules of the job and the practicalities of delivering presents to the entire world in one night.

Meanwhile, Isy heads backstage at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre to meet the cast of this year’s pantomime, Robin Hood and his Merry Men. She discovers the graft behind the glitter, the stamina required to keep the energy up night after night, and why panto remains one of Christmas’s great shared traditions. There’s even time for her to attempt a musical number, with some very interesting percussion.

Later, Isy and Dan regroup on Cheltenham High Street over coffee and doughnuts, swapping stories and soaking up the town’s festive atmosphere. Along the way, they share listener Christmas travel tales – from a strange encounter with Santa in Aberdeen to a moment of unexpected kindness that turned a breakdown into a Christmas memory to treasure.

Warm, funny and reflective, this episode celebrates Christmas not just as a season, but as something people choose to believe in – whether on a farm, on a stage or on a quiet street lit with fairy lights.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

Christmas Special: Meeting Santa & Life in Panto

In this episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner travel across Devon and Cornwall to explore two iconic landmarks – one perched high above the moors, the other steeped in shadowy smuggler lore. From rose-pruning and brass-polishing at Castle Drogo to ghost stories and literary inspiration at Jamaica Inn, it’s a day of drama, history and proper hands-on adventure.

Isy starts at Castle Drogo, the last castle ever built in England – perched high above the Teign Gorge with epic views over Dartmoor. She joins the gardening team to prune roses ahead of winter, before taking on a surprisingly satisfying indoor job: polishing one of the 300 brass jelly moulds in the castle’s collection. It’s proper hands-on work with plenty of elbow grease – and a brilliant insight into the care and craft that keeps this extraordinary place alive.

Meanwhile, Dan heads out onto the windswept wilds of Bodmin Moor to visit the legendary Jamaica Inn. He hears spooky tales of ghostly goings-on, uncovers the real smuggling history behind the place, and learns how Daphne du Maurier discovered the inn while out riding – an encounter that sparked the idea for her novel Jamaica Inn. He even gets to see the very room where she wrote the book.

Together, their adventures reveal the twin spirit of the South West: dramatic landscapes, deep-rooted stories and places that stay with you long after you’ve gone. Whether you love ghost lore, grand architecture or a good moorland ramble, this is a journey into the heart of what makes Devon and Cornwall magical.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

In this episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner travel across Devon and Cornwall to explore two iconic landmarks – one perched high above the moors, the other steeped in shadowy smuggler lore. From rose-pruning and brass-polishing at Castle Drogo to ghost stories and literary inspiration at Jamaica Inn, it’s a day of drama, history and proper hands-on adventure.

Isy starts at Castle Drogo, the last castle ever built in England – perched high above the Teign Gorge with epic views over Dartmoor. She joins the gardening team to prune roses ahead of winter, before taking on a surprisingly satisfying indoor job: polishing one of the 300 brass jelly moulds in the castle’s collection. It’s proper hands-on work with plenty of elbow grease – and a brilliant insight into the care and craft that keeps this extraordinary place alive.

Meanwhile, Dan heads out onto the windswept wilds of Bodmin Moor to visit the legendary Jamaica Inn. He hears spooky tales of ghostly goings-on, uncovers the real smuggling history behind the place, and learns how Daphne du Maurier discovered the inn while out riding – an encounter that sparked the idea for her novel Jamaica Inn. He even gets to see the very room where she wrote the book.

Together, their adventures reveal the twin spirit of the South West: dramatic landscapes, deep-rooted stories and places that stay with you long after you’ve gone. Whether you love ghost lore, grand architecture or a good moorland ramble, this is a journey into the heart of what makes Devon and Cornwall magical.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

BONUS EPISODE: Trackanory brings myths and legends to life

Great Escapes with Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner

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Great Escapes with Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner

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