Juls Stodel -The Big Bothy Adventure & Finding History in the Landscape

Juls Stodel is a writer, long-distance hiker, TGO (The Great Outdoors) magazine columnist, and trustee of the Mountain Bothy Association. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Juls has a deep love of history, wild places, and slow adventure.

In this episode, Juls shares the story behind her ambitious Big Bothy Adventure – a journey to visit and spend a night in all 104 Mountain Bothy Association bothies across Scotland. Rather than racing from one destination to the next, Juls embraces a slower, more meaningful approach to adventure, giving herself permission to follow side quests, connect with people she meets along the way, and explore the rich human history woven into the landscape.

We also dive into her experience walking the Wales Coast Path during the storm-filled winter of 2021/22, navigating broken tents, loneliness, river crossings gone wrong, and the importance of asking for help when you need it. Juls speaks openly about working with a therapist while on trail, why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to wellbeing, and how walking has become an important part of her life despite growing up with dyspraxia and never considering herself sporty.

This conversation is full of stories about bothies, kindness, resilience, history, and the joy of exploring at your own pace. Juls also shares practical advice for anyone dreaming of their first adventure, reminding us that the biggest obstacle is often not the world around us, but doubting our own ability to cope when things don't go to plan.

If you've ever been curious about bothies, long-distance walking, or finding confidence through adventure, this episode is for you.

EXPLICIT: One F-bomb dropped! Listener discretion advised.

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Show notes

• Who is Juls
• Living in Edinburgh, Scotland
• Working as a columnist for the TGO Magazine (The Great Outdoors) 
• Going on a Big Bothy Adventure - visiting all 104 MBA Bothies and staying the night at each one
• Trustee of the Mountain Bothy Association 
• Not being a sporty kid and having dyspraxia (which affects your balance and co-ordination)
• Going on long walks and being introduced to the outdoors with her Dad
• Discovering bothy's in