Harbour Lives

In this first episode, Ben meets the people who live and work in this stunning part of Dorset's Jurassic coastline.

In this episode, Ben drops in on the husband and wife team who run Poole's oldest fish wholesalers. Ben then travels to Tyneham, which was once a typical Dorset village until November 1943, when the 225 residents were evacuated at short notice to allow the area to be used for training before D-Day. Finally, Ben joins a wildlife count on the island of Brownsea.

Ben jumps aboard one of the most important boats in Poole Harbour - the dredger. Another local, Pete Miles, juggles a hectic lifestyle is now planning to open yet another restaurant. Another Dorset local facing a baptism of fire is steam train driver Billy Johnson. He takes charge of driving the Swanage Railway's premier dining train for the first time.

Ben meets expert forager John Wright, who takes him on a culinary seaside journey along the beautiful Ossmington Mills. He meets landscape artist Kathryn, who is putting on the biggest exhibition of her paintings. Will anyone turn up, and more importantly will she sell any? Ben gets an exclusive sneak preview of the RNLI's brand new lifeboat - the two-million-pound vessel named Shannon.

This episode sees Ben meet the county's oldest glider pilot, 84-year-old Bill Cook, who takes him up to 3,000 feet and shows him a spectacular view of the Jurassic coast. Back on the ground, Gary Smith and his metal detector are on the hunt for clues which may help him to uncover some of the long-forgotten roads that crossed the Dorset of yesteryear.

Ben is catching up with local fisherman and restaurateur Pete Miles, who takes him out on an early morning fishing trip to try and catch the first cuttlefish of the season. Back on dry land, the day's work is only half done as Pete teaches Ben how to prepare and cook the cuttlefish. On Chesil Beach, divers Graham and Richard recently discovered a pair of cannons from a mystery 17th century ship.

Professional gardeners Ness and David Maskell opted out of the rat race to become custodians of Poole Harbour's Green Island. Their aim is to restore this wilderness to its former glory while becoming self-sufficient themselves. Ness shows Ben how to forage for nettles to make nettle soup. Ben joins the UK Border Force to intercept a possible drug runner.

Ben meets 3 locals with very different careers. It is Rosie Maddock's 1st day on jetski patrol in Poole Harbour & she is on the lookout for craft that are exceeding the speed limit. Janine Pattison is a landscape gardener who works on millionaires row in Sandbanks. On Sandbanks beach, Ben meets 16-year-old Tom Wartnaby, who is practising for a 5-hour shore angling competition.