Discovering Britain

In the picturesque harbor town of St Ives in Cornwall, Maureen and Larry learn about its past as a major fishing port and its present as an art-lovers hub. Journalist Michael Buerk explores the rich history of chalk carvings in Wiltshire, while Emilia Fox reveals her passion for Dorset’s butterflies, and Benedict Cumberbatch campaigns to save Soho’s unique character.

While Maureen and Larry hug oak trees and meet ponies in the ancient New Forest, Michael follows the trail of a forgotten hero of Britain’s natural history in Hampshire. Comedian Arthur Smith climbs aboard a 1920s locomotive at the Gloucester-Warwickshire railway, and soul singer Mica Paris indulges her passion for fashion in Georgian Bath.

Dover offers rich military history to Maureen and Larry, while actress Janet Ellis goes behind the scenes at Greenham Common, the controversial airbase that sparked years-long protests for storing nuclear weapons. Former Doctor Who star Peter Davison shares his passion for the River Thames and the iconic view from Richmond Hill.

Heading north to the majestic Glamis Castle in Scotland, Maureen discovers the secrets behind the Queen Mother's private apartments as Larry joins the annual Highland Games. Bill Paterson returns to his childhood home in Glasgow to champion the city's industrial legacy and boards the Waverley, the last seagoing steam paddler in the world.

At Scone Palace, Maureen and Larry meet the custodians of the Stone of Scone, upon which centuries of Scottish kings were crowned. While Maureen enjoys a fly-fishing adventure on the banks of the River Tay, Larry explores the magnificent walled gardens, and Michael fulfills a boyhood dream of riding the footplate of a heritage steam train in the Severn Valley.

Amid the rolling hills of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley-the inspiration for Tolkien’s Middle-earth-Larry discovers the secrets of drystone walling and sees how the meadows are under threat. In Northcote Manor’s walled kitchen garden, Maureen learns about heritage vegetables and Lancashire hotpot. In Yorkshire, actor Don Warrington shares his passion for 18th-century art and design at Harewood House.