Action Packed Travel
165 episodes - English - Latest episode: 26 days ago -Welcome to Action Packed Travel! Our podcast features amazing travel stories...without having to go anywhere. The episodes are interviews with people who've been inspired by their adventures. They're also full of information and useful links, all of which you can find on our Show Notes. Our podcast can be used for future travel ideas and plans for the days when we can explore the world again! About us: we're Felice & Peter Hardy and we’ve spent half a lifetime travelling to just about every corner of the world, making a living as travel writers out of what we like doing best – and that’s skiing, biking, hiking, eating, exploring, city breaks, seaside…and a whole lot more. We've had lots of favourable reviews, such as: "What an interesting and diverse world you are opening up for us in a nicely laid back way. Very informative and some are also wonderful archive material."
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Episodes
The Secret Resort of Le Grand-Bornand
March 24, 2024 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16.3 MBLe Grand-Bornand is not a name like Morzine or Chamonix that trips easily off the tongue when we mention skiing, but it's typically and traditionally French.
North American Dream in the French Alps
February 06, 2024 22:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBIt's the twentieth anniversary of Arc 1950. The resort began as the idea of Canadian resort developer, Intrawest, creator of Mont-Tremblant in Quebec and manager of some 20 other resorts in North America – from Whistler to Mammoth. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Wild Travels In Africa and Asia
January 02, 2024 15:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MBThis week we're talking to someone who specialises in creating holidays that are entirely different – taking you to places you probably thought were out of bounds to all tourists.
From Fjord to Snowfield
December 02, 2023 17:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBWe caught up with Rory Dixon who organises skiing-touring trips off a boat in Norway and Greenland, life-changing adventures to distant corners of the world. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Jess the Horse Nomad
November 27, 2023 10:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBJess Isbrecht is a digital nomad who travels full time with her horses. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The World's Most Travelled Man
November 05, 2023 20:00 - 31 minutes - 21.9 MBHarry Mitsidis has travelled to every country in the world, at least twice. He's the founder of a website called NomadMania. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Walking to the South Pole
October 27, 2023 08:00 - 23 minutes - 15.9 MBTo discover a little of what former Royal Marine, Sam Cox, will experience living alone at -30°C, podcaster Peter Hardy spends time in an industrial freezer. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
An American in Paris
September 28, 2023 16:00 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBNo, not the 1951 movie starring Gene Kelly and Lesley Caron... Jay Swanson moved from the USA and now lives in Paris where he calls himself: 'a YouTuber, writer, and puppy wrangler.' He publishes a guide to the city called Paris in my Pocket. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The Van Life Revisited
September 09, 2023 18:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBWe're on the road exploring a thriving sector of the travel industry that continues to explode in popularity across Europe. Music © Barney and Izzi Hardy
Wild Skiing in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan
August 27, 2023 13:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBUntamed Borders sets out to satisfy the hunger of that rare breed of traveller who's already been to the far corners of the earth, got the T-shirt but still wants more. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Chefs, Cars and Skiing
August 15, 2023 15:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBThis week, we're talking to travel guru, Amin Momen, whose London-based company Momentum Ski organises bespoke holidays. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Extreme Travel Dreams
July 17, 2023 15:00 - 31 minutes - 21.6 MBTurn your wildest travel dreams into reality, with superyacht voyages to the end of the earth, intrepid journeys to deserts, jungles, polar regions and the oceans. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The Tennis Champion Who Escaped the Nazis
July 01, 2023 21:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBWe're in Vienna for an unusual episode of Action Packed Travel – unusual because our principal guest is Felice herself. She's just published a book about her grandparents' dramatic escape from Vienna to London on the eve of World War II. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Cycling From Antarctic To Arctic
June 21, 2023 18:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBChris and his girlfriend Phoebe are in the saddle, for what you might describe by any standards as a rather long bike ride. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Thermae Bath Spa – A Fusion Of Old And New
May 28, 2023 15:00 - 21 minutes - 14.8 MBWith the sunny weather outside, we felt it was time to republish this episode about Bath Thermae Spa. Bath in the southwest of England is famous for its Roman baths. In its Regency heyday, the supposedly curative waters attracted the cream of British society…and of course, Jane Austen. 2,000 years later, the waters were re-harnessed in the magnificent thermal spa located just a soap bath's throw away from the original. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Travels With The Hungry Cyclist
May 19, 2023 17:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBTom Kevill-Davies has managed to carve a highly successful career for himself out of his twin passions, cycling and eating. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The Future Of European Skiing
May 09, 2023 12:00 - 26 minutes - 18.3 MBOnly a handful of ski resorts in the Alps will in future offer reliable snow cover throughout the season. These include Val d'Isere, Tignes and Val Thorens in France, Cervinia in Italy, and Zermatt in Switzerland – not forgetting the Austrian glaciers.
The Ultimate Ski Chalets
April 24, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBGlobally, there's just a handful of specialist operators who look after their guests on this giddy level. London-based Consensio is the leader of the pack.
Music On A Train
April 12, 2023 09:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBCheryl B Engelhardt is a singer-songwriter who composed and recorded her album, Passenger, on a train journey from New York City to Los Angeles. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Sea and Ski With Melody Sky
April 03, 2023 17:00 - 26 minutes - 18.5 MBAction woman extraordinary – mountain and ocean photographer, skier and freediver, Melody lives her life on the edge. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Cervinia – On The Italian Side Of The Matterhorn
March 13, 2023 21:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBIt was three years ago that we launched our podcast and today we're in a village that dates back to 1930. It is now evolving into what should become one of the most important future destinations for skiers in the whole of Europe. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Short Break at Longueville Manor
February 20, 2023 18:00 - 20 minutes - 13.8 MBThe island of Jersey's top five-star hotel is a very special place indeed. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Jersey's Occupation in the Second World War
February 08, 2023 20:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MBWe went on a lightning tour of some of the crumbling coastal defences linked by a network of underground passages and even an underground German hospital. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Morzine: A Bird's Eye View
January 30, 2023 22:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBA vast ski area, environmentally-friendly chalets, and birds of prey are just a few of the attractions of Morzine. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
There's a Lot More to Cheltenham than Racing
January 20, 2023 19:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBWith its glorious terraced houses, tree-lined promenades and grand public buildings, Cheltenham in Gloucestershire is said to be the most complete Regency town in Britain. Of course, it's best known these days for horse racing. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The Secret Gardens Of Somerset Revisited
January 13, 2023 20:00 - 26 minutes - 18.4 MBWe first visited in summer and are now looking forward to better weather to come when we can explore the gardens of The Newt once again – all 17 acres of them. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The Man Who Skis Faster than a F1 Car
December 23, 2022 21:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBJacob Perkins' idea of fun is to travel down a mountainside in a straight line, reaching impossible speeds of up to 150mph without any form of motor. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The Man Who Skis Faster Than A F1 Car
December 23, 2022 21:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBJacob Perkins' idea of fun is to travel down a mountainside in a straight line, reaching impossible speeds of up to 150mph without any form of motor.
Secrets Of The Royal Family
December 05, 2022 09:00 - 33 minutes - 23.2 MBFor the past 40 years, Richard Kay has been the expert on the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and has travelled the world to report on the comings and goings of the Royal Family. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Lacock, In Photography and On Film
November 17, 2022 16:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MBThe village of Lacock was once a quaint medieval community with cobbled streets, cottages and coaching inns set around a tumbling stream. It all looks rather familiar because we've seen it in the cinema, movie theatre and TV screens – scenes from Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey and Harry Potter were all shot in Lacock. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
More Brown Bears in The Pyrenees
November 06, 2022 17:00 - 28 minutes - 19.7 MBHigh in the central Pyrenees, a one-hour drive from Toulouse Airport, we're in search of big and beautiful brown bears. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Adventure Sailing For Beginners
October 29, 2022 15:00 - 32 minutes - 22.7 MBExplore a world of polar bears and icebergs, or cross the Atlantic to forgotten corners of the Caribbean. You need the right spirit, but absolutely no previous seafaring experience is necessary.
Is the Saalbach Ski Area the Best in Austria?
October 10, 2022 17:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBCows that milk themselves, oysters up a mountain, and a sommelier who plays Mozart to his wines...find out more when we take an intimate look at one of Austria's largest, most diverse and exciting ski areas. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Winging it in the Mountains
September 26, 2022 18:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBWe loved last year's episode featuring Geraldine Fasnacht so much that we've decided to air it again. Geraldine’s idea of a little light, adrenaline-fuelled recreation is to climb one of Europe's highest peaks and then dive off it in a wing suit at speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Winging it in the Mountains
September 26, 2022 18:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBWe loved last year's episode featuring Geraldine Fasnacht so much that we've decided to air it again. Geraldine’s idea of a little light, adrenaline-fuelled recreation is to climb one of Europe's highest peaks and then dive off it in a wing suit at speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Glamping in Somerset
September 16, 2022 17:00 - 20 minutes - 14.1 MBThe future of Marston Park is at risk due to planning permission controversy. Listen here to see if you'd like to support it.
The Great Adventures of John Blashford Snell
September 09, 2022 15:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MBLegendary explorer, John Blashford-Snell is never happier than when he finds himself astride an elephant in India or paddling a dugout canoe in the South American rainforest, or shooting rapids in the crocodile-infested waters of the Nile. Music @ Barney and Izzi Hardy
Verbier in Summer – for Hiking, Golf and Mountain Biking
August 31, 2022 15:00 - 24 minutes - 17.2 MBMost people don't truly appreciate the glory of the Alps that's revealed when the snow melts, the cows leave their winter quarters and chew the cud in meadows and high pastures sprinkled with flowers. They also fight each other! Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Racing Powerboats
August 14, 2022 15:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBAnother watery sport for this hot weather is powerboat racing, which is said to be the fastest growing marine motor sport. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Where To Go Open Water Swimming
August 10, 2022 12:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBHere in the UK with its current heatwave, our thoughts turn to water. What bliss it would be to go swimming in crystal clear waters – all you really need is a pair of Speedos, goggles, a hat and the ability to swim a few kilometres in the warm waters of the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. Music @ Barney and Izzi Hardy
More Secrets Of The New Forest
August 04, 2022 09:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBIn Hampshire and Dorset in the south of England, we explored the country's most visited national park. It's a wild and beautiful place where the locals, ponies, cattle and even pigs roam free under obscure common laws that date back to feudal times. We met up with Anthony Climpson, boss of the tourist enterprise, Go New Forest. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Blenheim Palace Revisited
July 28, 2022 13:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBLast year we visited Blenheim Palace and were struck by its splendour. It is set in thousands of acres of rolling parkland outside the village of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. It's bigger than Buckingham Palace, but it's also privately owned by the family that built it over 300 years ago. It's been the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough since 1704 and was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
The Dreaming Spires Of Oxford
July 16, 2022 13:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBWhen you visit, you need to be prepared for pelotons of bicycles, mostly not of the sporty type that you see in the Tour de France, but the ancient sit-up- and-beg variety with a basket for books on the front, and in the saddle an undergraduate in a hurry, or a don in a flowing black cloak. You'll meet them – and hopefully miss them – around every corner. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Everything You Want To Know About The Roman City Of Bath
July 08, 2022 18:00 - 31 minutes - 22 MBWhat did Jane Austen and the Roman emperor, Claudius, have in common? The answer is: a love of bathwater. Here's a repeat of one of our popular episodes. Music: ©Barney & Izzi Hardy
A Complete Guide to Stonehenge
July 02, 2022 09:00 - 31 minutes - 21.6 MBWe revisit one of our popular episodes, which is all about the world's number one neolithic site. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
What Lies Beneath Frome
June 25, 2022 15:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MBHave you ever thought about what lies beneath your feet, under the pavement, under the road? This week, we're going underground to explore a network of mysterious tunnels hidden beneath the ancient Somerset town of Frome. It is 20 minutes south of Bath, and it has a long history dating back to Anglo Saxon times. Music: © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Travels With A Cello
June 10, 2022 14:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBContemporary classical cellist, Eva Boecker, is one of 19 soloists from 9 countries who plays with Ensemble Modern. Every year the group performs about 100 concerts in Europe and worldwide.
Bletchley Park: A Well-Kept Secret
May 29, 2022 16:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MBThis week we're at Bletchley Park, the country mansion 35 minutes by train northwest of London, where Alan Turing and his team of cryptanalysts cracked the complicated codes of the German Enigma machine. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Oxford's Iconic Randolph Hotel
May 18, 2022 19:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBInspector Morse is the most famous TV show that was filmed in Oxford, and Colin Dexter, who used to sit in the hotel's Morse Bar penning his latest novel, would often write the Randolph into his stories. Freddie Mercury did a concert here, Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde and J.R.R. Tolkien visited. Music © Barney & Izzi Hardy
Living The Van Life
April 30, 2022 13:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBThis week, we're on the road exploring the one sector of the travel industry that has absolutely thrived throughout the pandemic and now continues to explode in popularity across Europe. Music © Barney and Izzi Hardy