Tophole!

In October 1925, a new school story arrived in bookshops: The School at the Chalet, by Elinor M Brent-Dyer. 100 years and 58 books later, here we are still talking about what she had created. Wendy and Hayley join in the conversation - as do several listeners, who shared what the Chalet School means to them.Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/10/07/s3e2-shall-we-make-the-uniform-more-artistic/You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New school year, new series - and we're starting with a cracker. Stand by for an explosive - and surprisingly musical - episode!The usual provisos apply with respect to pronunciation, spoilers and bonkersness. In particular, I use a very English pronunciation of the name 'Thekla' all through this episode - sorry not sorry. Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/09/23/s3e1-marie-loses-her-temper/I've created a Spotify playlist of (almost all) the music referenced in the book - it's called Exploits of the Chalet Girls. There are a couple of tunes missing and you'll need to go to YouTube for Ivor Novello's A Page's Road Song.There's still time to send us your thoughts on why the Chalet School is important to you - you can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at Topholepodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a Wendy week - woo! - and we're having a discussion about aunties at the Chalet School. Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/s2e23-aunties/This is the last episode of season 2 - we'll be back towards the end of September. In the meantime, please do get in touch to let us know what the Chalet School means to you. You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com. If you're happy for your voice to be included in our 100 Years of the Chalet School celebration episode in the autumn, please send a voice note.Have a lovely summer! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the summer term, which means reviewing a summer term book, and it can only be The School at the Chalet in this, its centenary year. 'Dreary' and 'drivel', or a modern classic? Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/s2e22-if-only-i-knew-what-to-do-with-you-girls/You can find Tophole on Facebook or contact us at topholepodcast@gmail.com. Please do contact us, because I'd like to make a special episode next term about what the Chalet School means to modern readers (that's you!). If you're happy to have your voice included in the podcast, please send a voicenote, but written words are fine. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kit and I went on holiday to the Austrian Tirol in May 2025. I didn't manage an audio diary, but here's my account - with a Chalet School slant on everything we saw, of course!If you listen to the very end, you'll hear the full recording I made from our hotel balcony: the church bells of Zell am Ziller again, and then some birdsong, and then the railway crossing bell, and eventually a train. Transcript and also photos at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/06/24/s2e21-a-holiday-in-the-austrian-tirol/You can find Tophole on Facebook, or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hayley's back! And this time we're talking about travelling within the UK to the Chalet School in Armishire and South Wales.Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/06/10/s2e20-the-school-run-2/You can find Tophole on Facebook, or you can email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special guest Hayley joins me on this episode, as we discuss the trains the Chalet girls took to get to and from school on the continent.Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/06/10/s2e19-the-school-run-1/You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A non-Chalet EBD book this week, although it includes a Chalet character (not that you'd recognise her) and reference to a Swiss sanatorium.Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/05/13/s2e18-high-heels-and-a-hand-grenade/You can contact Tophole via Facebook or at topholepodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wendy and I discuss some of the top bonkers moments and situations in the Chalet School Series. There are plenty to choose from, so if your particular favourite isn't here, please do get in touch. You can find Tophole on Facebook, or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/04/29/s2e17-bonkers/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in wartime Armishire for a review of Lavender Laughs at the Chalet School. Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/04/15/s2e16-i-need-nine-frocks/You can contact Tophole via Facebook or at topholepodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.