The Freeminer and The Pottery Queen cover art

The Freeminer and The Pottery Queen

The Freeminer and The Pottery Queen

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

In this episode of Great Escapes, Isy Suttie and Dan Skinner head deep into the Forest of Dean – a landscape of legends, light and remarkable contrasts.

Dan ventures underground at Clearwell Caves, swapping daylight for headtorches and hard hats to experience the life of the freeminers who once worked beneath the forest floor. With Jonathan Wright as his guide – whose family has worked these seams for centuries – he learns it’s more than a trade; it’s a calling handed down through generations.

Meanwhile, Isy finds herself in a very different world – the vibrant home and studio of ceramic artist Mary Rose Young. Surrounded by rainbow-coloured teapots, chandeliers and wall-to-wall creativity, she discovers how art, colour and a little eccentricity can brighten even the darkest day.

Together, their adventures reveal two sides of the same forest – one grounded in grit and history, the other bursting with imagination and light. Proof that the Forest of Dean isn’t just a place to visit, but a place that stays with you.

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

No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.