Ramblings
I wasn’t going to write a blog about my recent appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Ramblings programme. I have done several Facebook posts to promote the show, as well as Instagram and LinkedIn (AKA Work Facebook). In my head I have Rambled on too much about Ramblings, and surely nobody wants to hear about it anymore. Then I thought to myself tonight, stop being such a silly git. It’s unlikely you’ll ever get an experience like that ever again, with 2 million listeners tuned in, listening to you being interviewed and subsequent positive feedback from everyone you know who has listened to it, so why not write it down on the blog and have a record of how it came about? So here it is, the final word on how I managed to get Clare Balding to Innerleithen to interview me, and what went down on the day…
Setting it up was pretty straightforward as it happens. My attention was caught by an email late last spring, looking for new subjects for Ramblings. For those unfamiliar with it, the show is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and features renowned broadcaster Clare Balding going for a walk with interesting people or person and chatting with them. It’s really as simple as that, but the format works brilliantly and leads to sometimes hilarious, often fascinating and always enjoyable radio. And it 100% suits radio, it wouldn’t work as well on telly, the audio led, meditative feel to the show is what makes it so popular (the show recently hit its 25th anniversary). I sent an email to the Producer last summer in which I suggested a walk in Innerleithen, bullishly proclaiming the show never comes to The Borders and I would be a great person to show them around. Anyway, the email was sent and I went about my business. It wasn’t until a few months later that I received a reply from Producer Karen Gregor who noted was interested in my story and proposed walk. Karen also confirmed that it was indeed decades since Ramblings had been to The Borders, thus getting my hopes up that it might be our turn. A date was agreed on for a phone call with Karen where we could talk further, and she could get a grasp of whether me and my walk were suitable for Ramblings. The phone call came, and Karen was brilliant. It certainly helped that her parents used to live in Broughton, Upper Tweeddale, giving us a wee connection. Karen was incredibly professional, open and fun - it was a great chat and I left feeling very positive but still not 100% sure if they would feature me. One thing that I found interesting from chatting to Karen was how low key the production is - like most people you hear BBC and expect it to be all singing and dancing but no, it literally is Karen, Clare, an interviewee, a walk and a microphone. I think that adds to the charm, and no doubt the longevity, though it does of course also help having a presenter with the profile of Clare Balding. I did ask Karen, sensitively, why a broadcaster of Clare’s standing, who leads coverage of some of the crown jewels of UK broadcasting (Wimbledon, Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sports Personality of The Year, Crufts for goodness sake!) still does this relatively low key Radio 4 show, wonderful though it is. The truth is she loves doing it and there was no doubt in my mind that was the case when we came to do the walk. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself - I received a confirmation email from Karen in November saying they were very keen to record this and the date would be late February to fit around Clare’s schedule. It was on!
My plan for the route had always been to visit Kirnie Law Reservoir. Not only is it a fine hike, and the right sort of length required for Ramblings, but it also tells several stories. You have the innovation and decline of the textile industry and given the route passes the famous Caberston trails you also cover the rise of the mountain bike scene, all in one neat loop from Innerleithen. I was a little concerned about the steepness of the climb, but Karen assured me that one or two steep bits were allowed so that was the route set!
The day itself came round and it was, unsurprisingly for February 2024, wet! It put me in a bit of a gloomy mood but I was heartened by Karen’s words that they just ‘go for it’, regardless of the weather. My mood was further lifted 30 minutes before meet up time by a call from Karen and Clare in the car - did I have a spare waterproof jacket for Clare. Finally, my years of hoarding goretex jackets had paid off. So, armed with an extra Berghaus, I headed off for the meeting point at Innerleithen Church. I popped in to say hello as the parent and babies group was on (shout out to Aileen, Lisa and Harriet!) and let them know that a BBC team was coming and might need the loo! They dutifully arrived, and did indeed use the loo - big thanks to Fraser, Pamela and all at Innerleithen Church of Scotland for allowing us to use the church and car park. By this time the weather had broken and we were able to start the recording with the sound of birds chirruping cheerfully in the churchyard. Clare’s uber professionalism was already apparent with her fully on top of her brief. I was mesmerised with how she started the broadcast by slowly walking around the churchyard, taking it all in then launching into the most wonderfully descriptive, one take opening you could imagine. When she threw to me I felt initially inadequate but such is her encouraging skill that I soon felt I was able to hold my own in conversation with her. A real lesson for me in the craft of broadcasting for radio.
Off we went, over Cuddy Bridge and up the steep hillside of Pirn Hill (or Windy Knowe). The conversation generally flowed very well, despite the steepness of the climb. After a while we switched the mic off and I was able to ask Clare a few questions of my own - well, why wouldn’t you!! We talked London 2012, Social Media, Frankel and lots more. This was a real treat and the best thing was it felt natural, such was the easy rapport with Clare and Karen.
Arriving at the reservoir itself it really did take them both by surprise. Anyone who has been to Kirnie Law will know it isn’t exactly what you expect when you are told you are going to a reservoir. I loved that this surprise comes across in the broadcast, exactly as I had hoped it would. It was a real pleasure to tell this fascinating story and we ended up spending quite a bit of time there, admiring the (often choice!) graffiti and the soundscape afforded by the crumbling concrete walls.
When it was time to move on from the reservoir, Clare’s attention was grabbed by the huge Inzo artwork, featuring what appears to be a duck billed platypus in the role of St. Ronan, Patron Saint of Innerleithen! He is engaged in conflict with a cartoonish representation of the De’il - a street art interpretation of the old myth of St. Ronan. I was able to explain the story, using this modern twist and I was delighted that this ‘made the cut’ for broadcast, as my passion for the legends of Innerleithen is well known, but is equally matched by the need I feel to have them interpreted for a wider audience. Not long after we started climbing toward the top of Kirnie Law the weather played a blinder by giving us a full arc of rainbow right across the hills behind us, truly a wow moment. Sadly, that doesn’t necessarily translate to radio but I was able to film it and get some images which you can enjoy below.
We were then treated to some really radio friendly weather with ice showers, howling wind and creaking trees as we swiftly made our way back into the spruce canopy. By the time we got to the top of Pirn Craig the sun was out! We wrapped up the recording here and I was once again struck by Clare’s professionalism of seamlessly recording links in one take, no stumbles or mumbles. What a professional. From there it was a steep descent and return to the car park. And that was my Ramblings recording experience. A day I will never forget, especially now as I have collected my thoughts on this blog for posterity!
I soon found out it would be broadcast approximately a month later and had the fun of telling people what I had been up to, as well as getting to see my name, and Innerleithen, in the Radio Times on the same page as The Archers and In Our Time (this is getting framed, I am not going to lie).
The broadcast itself went really well - I am indebted to the skill of Karen for editing it all together. I had no idea what would be presented on the day, so was a little apprehensive - I insisted on listening alone so I could prowl about while it was on! But in the end, I was really proud of how it came across - if I had a list of things I wanted to cover then all of them would have been ticked, and I was so happy to have showcased Innerleithen in an upbeat, fun light which was my goal from the very start.
I have received loads of positive comments since the broadcast, from old friends and new, right across the globe. Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to send a text or stop me in the street.
The beauty of Ramblings is the back catalogue is available on BBC Sounds seemingly indefinitely, so you can still listen to it even if you are reading this blog in years to come, and I am sure my kids will enjoy listening to it when they are older. Here is the link.
BBC Radio 4 - Ramblings, Creaking Trees and a Full Rainbow at Innerleithen
As ever all my blogs are free, however if you’ve enjoyed reading and fancy throwing a couple of pennies into the tip jar you can do so using the Ko-fi link below. Thanks, and happy ramblings.
