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Mary-Ann Ochota

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RECENT POSTS

Upcoming live storytelling show at Butser Ancient Farm
April 1, 2023
Ambassador for the Ridgeway National Trail!
January 1, 2023
Archaeology – the human story
February 20, 2021
Spot me in Life of a Mountain: Helvellyn on BBC4
January 26, 2021

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'Down there'. The search for small orange boxes in

'Down there'. The search for small orange boxes in the middle of enormous hills with no paths and limited visibility. Although that said, when the mist lifted we got lost cos we stopped concentrating! #OMM #mountainstories #hiking #orienteering

Our fantasy @OMM mountain marathon....use a map fr

Our fantasy @OMM mountain marathon....use a map from a previous year and set yourself the challenge of trying to complete the course 🥴🤯😅
Lol, we made it to one control point, and that killed us 😅. More vids soon @omm

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) has ruled that the @thetimes was inaccurate and misleading in its reporting about #asylumseekers. The newspaper conflated asylum seeking and 'illegal migrants', thereby suggesting that seeking asylum was illegal. The Times said that I'd misunderstood what they meant because actually it was a transferred epithet (I don't even know what that is) and also that’s the term the government use to describe an irregular way of arriving (like in a small boat across the English Channel). BULLSHIT, I said. You're misleading the public and its fuelling hate and fear. And IPSO agreed that yes, it was a breach of press standards.
If you see stuff in the press that's hateful and wrong, report it.
We deserve better journalism

The backpacking tent review that @christownsendout

The backpacking tent review that @christownsendoutdoors doesn't do - how many teddies can you fit in the storage pockets? @nemoequipment Dragonfly 2P - LOADS 🙌👍🏽.

Ooooh, yeah.... lots to put on the visit list in h

Ooooh, yeah.... lots to put on the visit list in here! And don't forget winter is the best time for landscape spotting. All that lush greenery out of the way, the lumps and bumps reign zupreme!
@adamibbo 🙌🌿🌾🪨🛖🪵🏞
#landscapehistory #prehistory #countryside #archaeologylovers

Perfect spot for a picnic

Perfect spot for a picnic

On Sky News in the studio at 7.45! Talking through

On Sky News in the studio at 7.45! Talking through the papers. See you there!

Earlier this summer I went hiking and recording wi

Earlier this summer I went hiking and recording with @thebighoof for @bbcradio4 #opencountry - walking the St Columba's Way with a bunch of strangers and a team of horses. Not always riding, just travelling together. Listen now to the episode- 24mins of clip clopping and good chat.
With @louis.d.hall @idabridgeman_photography @venturetrust @running_on_joy and others...
Link in stories!

Writing comp closes on Monday. 250 words on walkin

Writing comp closes on Monday. 250 words on walking away / walking a way.
https://walklistencreate.org/competition/write-about-walking-a-way/
Link in stories
@nicolaawrites @andotheridiots and others?

"Instead of asking 'does outdoor education work?'

"Instead of asking 'does outdoor education work?' maybe we need to ask 'does education in the classroom work?'. We don't need..conforming and inflexible citizens, but *flexible* and *transforming* citizens, capable of doing something new in the world around us"
Such a fascinating YouTube lecture from Prof Chris Loynes @cumbriauni on the power and potential of outdoor education. Including the extraordinary power of...the PICNIC.
Search'brining outdoor education to all' on youtube or link in bio
#outdooreducation
#unschooling
#outdoorresidentials
#pedagogy

I'm on a poster 🤩

I'm on a poster 🤩

Excited to be back in #kingslynn @kingslynnfestiva

Excited to be back in #kingslynn @kingslynnfestival talking about the weird and wonderful archaeology of #SecretBritain for @rgs_ibg
In this, the wonderful St George's Guildhall. Built in 1410! Crikey. The walls are bending outwards, the roof is a bit wobbly and the vibes are 💯.
Talk starts 8pm tonight. A few tix left 👍🏽
@quartobooksuk @knight_ayton_management @greeneheaton
#geographymatters

For the past two days I've been travelling through

For the past two days I've been travelling through the Highlands of Scotland with @thebighoof as they raise money for @venturetrust and celebrate the absolute magic of journeying with horses and strangers. I'm making a @bbcradio4 documentary, out soon. In the meantime, if you can, please do consider helping them to their new goal of £6000

First aid kit and 'ouch pack' for Mountain hiking.

First aid kit and 'ouch pack' for Mountain hiking. 🏥💊
First aid kit in a labelled dry bag/thick ziplock at the bottom of my pack. Know it's there but hope not to need it. Label it so someone else can find it in your bag if they have to.
-dressings x 4
-bandages x2
- antiseptic wipes
- @ticktwister
- ibuprofen, paracetamol, aspirin
- scissors
- 2 x safety pins (mostly for splinters!)
- small roll micropore tape
- extra blister & plasters
- emergency bivvy bag (tiny, in case I need to go for help and have left my tent w the casualty)
- waterproof paper & pen
- high sugar snack

Ouch Pack (a tip I learned on a course w @katherinewills1489) - handy quick go-to stuff for headaches & blisters, niggle cuts. In a clear pouch, in top of pack. Means you deal w stuff early and prevent things getting worse. Particularly useful if you're leading a group (although don't give meds to other people unless you're permitted)👍🏼👍🏼🚶🏽‍♀️

What have I missed?

On a big mountain trip I might also take a trauma bandage (for big bleeds), lightweight splint & more meds, maybe codeine. A group shelter if we don't have tents.
Spare headtorch, suncream, spare warm clothes are in a different dry bag.

@teambmc @mtntraining @mountaineeringscotland

Is it just me who has an internalised fear of othe

Is it just me who has an internalised fear of other people judging how big your backpack is?! I try to strip down to basics but a) my clothes are large size b) I get thirsty so I carry more water than others and c) I haven't got the cash to spend on ultra light, ultra tiny kit. So my stove is a bit big, my sleeping bag a bit big, my tent relatively heavy. So here's me w 3 days backpacking kit plus recording gear and a laptop (!). Ugh. 22kg. Was going to bivvy to save weight & space but there's so much rain forecast I've swapped in a tent.
I should have done a flat lay and invited critique...maybe I'll do it when I get home?!
Joining the @thebighoof for a few days on St Columba's Way 🐎🚶🏽‍♀️💫 and turning it into an episode of Open Country for @bbcradio4
#backpacking #Scotland #radio4 #opencountry #travellingwithhorses

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Secret Britain: Unearthing Our Mysterious Past £20.00
Signed copy of Hidden Histories £19.99
Signed copy of Britain's Secret Treasures £20.00
BOOK BUNDLE: Secret Britain & Hidden Histories £37.00

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