Everyone seems to have their own podcast. I’ve even got a podcast for other writers. I’ve found myself enjoying the format more and more during the daily dog walk with Scout.

Finding the time for listening to a good podcast is as rare as hen’s teeth in ordinary circumstances. I’ve tried listening whilst I work, but found that it was just too distracting; if the podcast was engaging I would stop to listen, or be so engrossed in my work that I’d miss something and have to go through the rigmarole of rewinding to listen to parts of it again. Walking is different and I’ve really enjoyed taking the time to explore new voices and new topics, which, like everything, is all grist to a writer’s mill.

I know there is a joke that everyone has a podcast, and every topic has a hundred podcasts devoted to it, but I’ve found there’s an awful lot of truth in that. In fact, the choice out there is intimidating – there is simply so much that it can be hard to know where to start.

A particular favourite is the Adam Buxton podcast – Adam came to fame as a comedy performer in the mid-90s, but he’s had a podcast for the last few years. He is a real pleasure to listen to chiefly due to his easy style and superb roster of guests. Sometimes the subjects can simply be an hour of two people messing about and being daft, but on other occasions, the subject matter is intelligent and considered, and interesting topics are introduced that then demand more exploration. It reminds me of that old aphorism about the British weather – “if you don’t like the weather, just wait” – if a guest just doesn’t work for you, then there’s a fairly good chance that the next one will do.

I’ve found new podcasts about American Football, about literature, about film, and about peculiar or strange events that have happened around the world. For instance, the Jon Ronson podcast, “The Butterfly Effect” was a tremendous listen, illustrating how one action had a traceable impact on all manner of other areas, in ways that no-one could’ve predicted.

I’ve got more than I could ever possibly listen to. With that said, I’d love to hear what you have found lately and would recommend.