CalMac podcast tops the charts

A new podcast series from CalMac that takes listeners on a voyage around Scotland’s storied islands, has achieved chart topping success across several platforms, sailing in at number seven in the UK Apple Podcast Charts in the Places & Travel category.

This success puts ‘Scottish Island Adventures’ amongst some of the most trusted names in travel and destination storytelling, including Simon Calder’s ‘Independent Travel Podcast’ and ‘Ramblings’, from BBC Radio 4.

The podcast, which launched last month, transports listeners to Scotland’s west coast in a series of ten episodes, each focussing on a different island.

‘Scottish Island Adventures’, hosted by the ‘Hebridean Baker’, Coinneach MacLeod, is also making waves with audiences across the globe. In the US, stories of Scotland’s island life have inspired audiences to find out more about this beautiful part of the world, entering the US Apple Podcast Charts at number 76 above Disney’s ‘Capture the Magic’ podcast, which has over 1 million downloads. The podcast is inspiring travellers too, with half of respondents of a Spotify poll booking a trip to the Scottish isles with CalMac having tuned in.

Throughout the series, Coinneach, is joined by various guests as he uncovers ‘Scotland in miniature’ on the Isle of Arran, visits Islay and Jura to learn about the islands’ world-famous distilleries, and witnesses Skye’s incredible natural attractions.  

One episode also hears Coinneach discussing his native Isle of Lewis with guest Cathy Macdonald, Gaelic radio and television presenter whose voice will be familiar to CalMac’s passengers as the reader of safety messages aboard the company’s fleet of ferries. The duo highlights the fascinating museums and stunning beaches that make Lewis so special, while additional episodes introduce Coinneach to people and stories from further far-flung Hebridean isles.  

Robbie Drummond, Chief Executive of CalMac, said: “Each of the 22 islands we serve has its own identity, character and history, and we’re very pleased to see so many tuning in to hear about and be inspired by them through our ‘Scottish Island Adventures’ podcast.

While CalMac provides crucial services connecting islander communities with the mainland, we hope that this podcast will also help connect listeners with the heart and soul of the islands we serve. ‘Scottish Island Adventures’ highlights the innovative businesses, striking scenery, close-knit communities and individual islanders that make this region so unique.”  
 
The series has been produced by audio production company The Big Light Network, whose mission is to connect an international community of listeners with Scottish history and culture. BBC Scotland presenter and co-founder of The Big Light Network, Janice Forsyth, also joins Coinneach as a guest to discuss the beauty of the Isle of Bute. 
 
‘Scottish Island Adventures’ is available in full on all major podcast platforms.