Content warning - this episode contains discussions around suicide and also his diagnosis which may be a spoiler if you haven't read his new book 'The Search'

This episode explores resilience in the face of a life-shortening illness, as well as mountain rescue teams, search dog companion and being a casualty on a mountain too.

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” ― Marcus Aurelius

Paul Besley is a writer, outdoor enthusiast, and former Mountain Rescue team member whose new book, The Search, is out now with Vertebrate Publishing. The book focusses on his training and work with his search dog Scout, but ultimately is about so much more.

Paul began exploring the British countryside as a schoolboy in the 1970s, developing a lifelong fascination with the interaction between humans and the land. His writing delves into how the physical environment shapes us and how we, in turn, respond. Through his books, including Day Walks in the South Pennines, 1001 Walking Tips, and his new book The Search, Paul has inspired countless people to embrace the simplicity and joy of walking—whether in national parks, the urban landscape, or the countryside right outside their door.

But Paul’s story is about far more than walking. Diagnosed with a lifelong condition, he has faced significant personal challenges with remarkable strength. He’s also seen firsthand the fragility of life through his work in Mountain Rescue, encountering tragedies, while finding resilience in himself and his team.

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You can find out more about Paul Besley and his work

Website: https://paulbesley.uk

Instagram: @paulbesleywrite and @tricolourscout

Twitter: @paulbesleywrite

Buy his Book: The Search

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If you'd like to support the work that goes into making this podcast and get a weekly newsletter plus loads more content including behind the scenes of the podcast, please consider subscribing to the Substack page - Find out more at https://jenscotney1.substack.com

Resilience Rising Podcast is hosted by Jen Scotney @jenscotney

Find us at:

Instagram: @resiliencerisingpodcast

Website: www.jenscotney.com

Twitter: @ResilienceRPod

Facebook: Resilience Rising Podcast

Email: theresiliencerisingpodcast@gmail.com

"Sitting on my kayak, I felt brave. When filled with fear on a daily basis, feeling brave can be alien."

I first came across Anna Britton when she was in the Guardian feature, A Moment That Changed Me, talking about kayaking and her PTSD. She wrote;

Sitting on my kayak, I felt brave. When filled with fear on a daily basis, feeling brave can be alien. It takes courage to work against our fears, but there is always a little voice inside my head telling me that it can’t really be counted as bravery if you are doing things that other people don’t even think twice about.’ But that solitary moment was different. I had done something that other people would find challenging or even scary. I had been objectively brave.

Anna Britton is the author of recently published Close to the Edge, the second in the crime series from her debut novel, Shot in the Dark, which was out in 2023. She is an experienced freelance editor, loves mentoring other writers and is host of the podcast ‘Rejected Writers Club’. She writes crime thrillers and is currently working on the third in the Martin and Stern series.

She also self publishes Romance Fiction under the name Annie Bennet - https://anniebennet.co.uk/

Anna lives on the Isle of Wight, where she enjoys rambling walks with her chronically clumsy labrador and exploring rivers in her kayak.

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You can find out more about Anna Britton

Website: https://annabritton.co.uk

Romance Fiction: https://anniebennet.co.uk

Instagram: @brittonbookgeek

Twitter: @BrittonBookGeek

Buy her Book: Close To The Edge

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If you'd like to support the work that goes into making this podcast and get a weekly newsletter plus loads more content including behind the scenes of the podcast, please consider subscribing to the Substack page - Find out more at https://jenscotney1.substack.com

Resilience Rising Podcast is hosted by Jen Scotney @jenscotney

Find us at:

Instagram: @resiliencerisingpodcast

Website: www.jenscotney.com

Twitter: @ResilienceRPod

Facebook: Resilience Rising Podcast

Email: theresiliencerisingpodcast@gmail.com

Wendy Pratt is a poet, creative non fiction author and editor living on the North Yorkshire coast.

In this episode we talk about navigating the loss of her daughter, infertility, the sense of not belonging, nature and her journey as a working class writer.

Her non fiction nature/landscape memoir The Ghost Lake, was long listed for the Nan Shepherd prize in 2021. The Ghost Lake is inspired by paleolake Flixton, an extinct lake in North Yorkshire.

In the book Wendy brings the reader on a pilgrimage around the ghost lake, to locations that have acted as journey markers in her own life. While traversing forests and fenland, she reflects on the process of finding belonging in nature as a woman who exists in a series of liminal spaces – as a working-class writer, an infertile woman in a fertile world and a bereaved mother in a society focused on children.

Link to purchase the Ghost Lake here: THE GHOST LAKE

Wendy is the author of six poetry collections including When I Think of My Body as a Horse. Her next collection, Blackbird Singing at Dusk will be published by Nine Arches Press in 2024.

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You can find out more about Wendy Pratt and her work

Website: https://wendyprattauthor.com

Instagram: @wendycat1978

Twitter: @wondykitten

Buy her Book: The Ghost Lake

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If you'd like to support the work that goes into making this podcast and get a weekly newsletter plus loads more content including behind the scenes of the podcast, please consider subscribing to the Substack page - Find out more at https://jenscotney1.substack.com

Resilience Rising Podcast is hosted by Jen Scotney @jenscotney

Find us at:

Instagram: @resiliencerisingpodcast

Website: www.jenscotney.com

Twitter: @ResilienceRPod

Facebook: Resilience Rising Podcast

Email: theresiliencerisingpodcast@gmail.com