Why does Kinder Scout appeal to Matt Oliver when his usual subject of photography is woodlands? He says that although they are very different environments, they carry a similar sensation. Find out more by tuning in.

In this interview Matt tells us about how he got into photography, the challenges of capturing the Kinder Scout landscape, the companionship his dog Ralph brings to his life, and why he revisits the Kinder plateau. I asked him for a few tips on how to take good landscape photos too. Find out why Matt thinks you can show more by capturing less.

We recorded this interview below the rocky outcrop of Ringing Roger, sheltered as much as possible from the wind. Listen out for the curlew and grouse in the background.

Matt lives in Sheffield which gives him good access to the Peak District and combines his enjoyment for walking with his love of photography. He’s been a commercial photographer for over 28 years and whenever he can he visits the Derbyshire countryside to experience its beauty and finds it a great balance to his day to day work.

Matt has been runner up in the Professional Photographer magazine Portrait of the year awards, and received highly commended images in both the Pink Lady food photographer of the year and The Best Shots photographic awards. He has also had images commended and printed in the Landscape photographer of the Year awards books and shortlisted for Outdoor Photographer of the Year 2018 & 2019.

Links

Matt’s website: Derbyshire and Peak District landscape and woodland photography

‘Forgotten Souls’ book by Matt Oliver

Matt’s substack: Among Trees

Follow Matt on Instagram

Follow Matt on Bluesky

Matt’s commercial work: website

References

After the rains - Matt’s post about Kinder Scout

‘Forgotten Souls’ book by Matt Oliver

Recording date

This interview was recorded on Kinder Scout, 3rd May 2025.

Host & Production

By Sarah Lister, About The Adventure

Contact the host

You can email sarah@sarahventurer.com to send in your comments and suggestions.

Get involved with the conversation

Send in your own Kinder Scout stories on the Wild About Kinder website and contact the show host to send in...

“It’s really important that I get outside, out of the fluorescent lights, out of my uniform, and chase my own dreams and chase my own wants and desires outside of the career that I love so much.”

Sarah Barker says that she can’t fully explain what it is about Kinder Scout that she loves so much but she thinks it’s because it makes her feel a certain way. It feels safe one minute and threatening another and she likes the challenge of both those places.

In the first part of this interview you'll listen to Sarah talking about her first wildcamp on Kinder Scout and why she leaves the comfort of her family home to go out alone in nature to spend a night on a local hill or mountain. We recorded this part while hunkered down in the porch of her tent on Grindslow Knoll until we gave in to the howling wind and cold to the warmth of a log fire in my bungalow in Edale village.

In the second half of the interview, Sarah shares why she started her YouTube channel which beautifully documents her wildcamping trips, how she learned navigation skills and of course what makes her Wild About Kinder.

Sarah's biography

Sarah is a Midwife, she chose this career path because she has an innate passion and drive for nurturing people. Supporting families through vulnerable life events is at the core of who she is and she gains a great deal of satisfaction from caring for birthing people as they become families.

She lives with her Husband, teenage children and 4 dachshunds near the Peak District and has recently been working on renovating her forever home.

She has a YouTube channel with over 3000 subscribers and 74 videos published to date. She started filming her camping adventures in 2024 and now believes that her videos have become an important extension to her camps to keep them alive for longer. The unique connections that she has made with ‘the best friends she may never meet’ continues to bring her joy and is highly motivating for herself and for others who either wish to explore the outdoors themselves or do so already. This diary of memories will continue to build throughout her exploration of the Peak District predominantly and become a legacy to her family when she is no longer able to do it.

Links

Subscribe to Sarah’s YouTube channel: SoloSarahB

Follow Sarah on Instagram: solosarahbx

Written feature on Wild About Kinder website: "A Tidy Mind on Kinder Scout" - by Sarah Barker

References

Patrick Dickinson

Andrew Beavers

Mountain Walks Kinder Scout book - by Sarah Lister

Recording date

This interview was recorded on Grindslow Knoll and later at my home in Edale on 19th December 2024.

Host & Production

By Sarah Lister, About The Adventure

Contact the host

You can email sarah@sarahventurer.com to send in your comments and suggestions.

Get involved with the conversation

Send in your own Kinder Scout stories on the Wild About Kinder

Martin Porter says that the 1932 Mass Trespass of Kinder Scout is two stories that cross over. One is the story about how we regained access to the land, and the other one is the story of British communism. In this interview he sets the wider historical context, shares his interpretation of the event, and describes some of the people involved.

Later on in the episode Martin talks about his personal connection with Kinder Scout and the trespass, describes his favourite walk and finally adds the role of Edale in the Kinder trespass.

Martin lives in Glossop and is the grandson of Claude Porter who was part of the Kinder Trespass in 1932.

Martin has been an environmental activist for more than 20 years and helps to run the Manchester Greenpeace Group. He is also a qualified Social Worker and holds the role of Adult Care Convenor for Derbyshire UNISON. Between 1988 to 1991 he studied Physics with Astrophysics at the University of Leicester.

Links

Martin Porter on LinkedIn

Martin Porter on X

The Greenman blog by Martin

References

Manchester Greenpeace on Facebook

Derbyshire Unison

Further reading and information

Forbidden Kinder by Keith Warrender

Very scarce 1932 Kinder Trespass by Benny Rothman

Mass Trespass video by WellRedFilms featuring Martin Porter

The Communist PLOT That Changed The English Countryside - documentary by Stephen Reid

Recording date

This interview was recorded near Oller Brook in Edale on 17th October 2024.

Host & Production

By Sarah Lister, About The Adventure

Contact the host

You can email sarah@sarahventurer.com to send in your comments and suggestions.

Get involved with the conversation

Send in your own Kinder Scout stories on the Wild About Kinder website and contact the show host to send in your comments, questions and suggestions.

Share your favourite episodes by tagging @about.the.adventure on Instagram @ABTheAdventure on Twitter, and use the hashtag #WildAboutKinder. Thank you!