Christmas is on the horizon, and this week Great Escapes heads to Cheltenham to meet the people who make the season feel magical.

In this special Christmas episode, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner explore Cheltenham at its most festive, from glowing Regency streets to countryside grottoes and backstage theatre bustle.

Just outside town at Cotswold Farm Park, Dan meets a real-life Santa Claus – and when we say real, we mean it. Their conversation dives deep into the details of the role: how elves operate, the rules of the job and the practicalities of delivering presents to the entire world in one night.

Meanwhile, Isy heads backstage at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre to meet the cast of this year’s pantomime, Robin Hood and his Merry Men. She discovers the graft behind the glitter, the stamina required to keep the energy up night after night, and why panto remains one of Christmas’s great shared traditions. There’s even time for her to attempt a musical number, with some very interesting percussion.

Later, Isy and Dan regroup on Cheltenham High Street over coffee and doughnuts, swapping stories and soaking up the town’s festive atmosphere. Along the way, they share listener Christmas travel tales – from a strange encounter with Santa in Aberdeen to a moment of unexpected kindness that turned a breakdown into a Christmas memory to treasure.

Warm, funny and reflective, this episode celebrates Christmas not just as a season, but as something people choose to believe in – whether on a farm, on a stage or on a quiet street lit with fairy lights.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

In this episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner travel across Devon and Cornwall to explore two iconic landmarks – one perched high above the moors, the other steeped in shadowy smuggler lore. From rose-pruning and brass-polishing at Castle Drogo to ghost stories and literary inspiration at Jamaica Inn, it’s a day of drama, history and proper hands-on adventure.

Isy starts at Castle Drogo, the last castle ever built in England – perched high above the Teign Gorge with epic views over Dartmoor. She joins the gardening team to prune roses ahead of winter, before taking on a surprisingly satisfying indoor job: polishing one of the 300 brass jelly moulds in the castle’s collection. It’s proper hands-on work with plenty of elbow grease – and a brilliant insight into the care and craft that keeps this extraordinary place alive.

Meanwhile, Dan heads out onto the windswept wilds of Bodmin Moor to visit the legendary Jamaica Inn. He hears spooky tales of ghostly goings-on, uncovers the real smuggling history behind the place, and learns how Daphne du Maurier discovered the inn while out riding – an encounter that sparked the idea for her novel Jamaica Inn. He even gets to see the very room where she wrote the book.

Together, their adventures reveal the twin spirit of the South West: dramatic landscapes, deep-rooted stories and places that stay with you long after you’ve gone. Whether you love ghost lore, grand architecture or a good moorland ramble, this is a journey into the heart of what makes Devon and Cornwall magical.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.

In this episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner head to Exmouth – a classic Devon seaside town bursting with charm, creativity and seriously good fish and chips.

Isy spends the day behind the counter at The Proper Fish & Chip Co., learning the ropes from Danny, a man with over 30 years’ experience in the art of perfect fish and chips. She takes her turn at the fryer, quickly discovering just how much skill goes into a truly great chippy. And the best part? She gets to taste her handiwork – and it might just be some of the best fish and chips she’s ever had.

Meanwhile, Dan heads to Arty Boat, a cosy creative café where visitors can grab a brew and paint their own wooden ornaments. What starts as a simple activity soon becomes an unexpectedly joyful escape, as he finds himself painting a wooden duck in the likeness of his comedy alter ego, Angelos Epithemiou. It’s creative, mindful, unpretentious fun, and a reminder of how good it feels to slow down and make something with your hands.

Together, these two stories reveal the real heart of Exmouth: a town where community spirit, seaside tradition and everyday creativity come together – and where even a portion of chips or a painted duck can turn into a great escape.

We’re pleased to be supported by Great Western Railway. Adventures start here.