The Man, The Book and The Mountains

The Man, The Book and The Mountains

From Wild Tales | Nature Podcast by National Trust

January 7, 2026 · 19 min

About this episode

Kate Martin explores the Mourne Mountains and their influence on C.S. Lewis's childhood and the creation of Narnia.

Just outside Belfast, lie the Mourne Mountains - a land of granite peaks and wide skies, but also a place of witches, fawns and lions. Protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a UNESCO Global Geopark, this remarkable landscape is also a doorway to imagination. Join National Trust ranger Kate Martin as she journeys from the streets of Belfast to the Mourne Mountains, exploring the places that shaped C.S. Lewis’s childhood and inspired his creation of Narnia. Discover how city, story and landscape came together to form one of the most beloved worlds in children’s literature. (AD) Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/_Smzdtsh_tM Production Presenter: Kate Martin Producer: Pippa Tilbury-Harris Sound Designer…

People in this episode

Host: Kate Martin

Guests: Dr Sarah Waters, Lolly Spence, James Fisher

Topics covered

  • C.S. Lewis
  • Mourne Mountains
  • children's literature
  • nature
  • imagination

Keywords

  • C.S. Lewis
  • Mourne Mountains
  • Belfast
  • Narnia
  • children's literature
  • nature
  • imagination

Sponsors

Cotswold Outdoor

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Trust, C.S. Lewis Company Ltd

Places: Belfast, Mourne Mountains, Narnia, Castle Ward

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