About this season
From the sea lochs of Scotland to the Jurassic Coast of Dorset, seasoned train traveller Michael Portillo immerses himself in the magnificent scenery of the nation's coastal regions.
Episodes (20)
1. Douglas to Port Erin
Aired 22 May 2023 • 29 min
Michael Portillo begins another railway adventure across and beyond the United Kingdom.
2. Liverpool to Blackpool
Aired 23 May 2023 • 29 min
From the Isle of Man, Michael Portillo crosses the Irish Sea, bound for the mighty port of Liverpool and its historic waterfront.
3. Morecambe to Grange-over-Sands
Aired 24 May 2023 • 29 min
Michael Portillo continues his rail journey, learning to make potted shrimp at Morecambe Bay, helping clip the topiaries at Levens Hall and visiting Cartmel's 12th-century priory.
4. Ulverston to Ravenglass
Aired 25 May 2023 • 29 min
Michael Portillo is in Cumbria, enjoying one of the most spectacular coastal railway journeys in Britain. He takes to the lake in Ulverston and hikes up Black Combe.
5. St Bees to Maryport
Aired 26 May 2023 • 29 min
On the last leg of his railway journey around the north west coast of England, Michael meets a lifelong fan of Alfred Wainwright’s famous guidebooks.
6. Middlesbrough to Boulby
Aired 29 May 2023 • 29 min
Michael's journey propels him in search of the unknown universe in Boulby, North Yorkshire, as he joins the hunt for dark matter in the deepest mine in Britain.
7. Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay
Aired 30 May 2023 • 29 min
Michael Portillo travels from Whitby, where he explores the port’s shipbuilding and seafaring heritage, to Robin Hood's Bay, a former smuggling haven.
8. Scarborough to Bridlington
Aired 31 May 2023 • 29 min
Michael Portillo is in the seaside resort of Scarborough to explore one of the greatest royal fortresses in England.
9. Hornsea to Spurn Point
Aired 1 June 2023 • 29 min
Michael Portillo travels from the pretty seaside resort of Hornsea, famous for its distinctive pottery, to Spurn Point, where Michael learns about a life-saving 19th-century invention.
10. Grimsby to Humberston Fitties
Aired 2 June 2023 • 29 min
Michael Portillo has reached Lincolnshire, where his coastal railway journey from Middlesbrough ends. In Grimsby, he investigates an important new stage in the town’s history.
11. Ballarena to Giant's Causeway
Aired 5 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael Portillo is on Northern Ireland’s spectacular Causeway Coast to begin a railway journey that takes him along the north and east coasts of Ireland through the provinces of Ulster and Leinster.
12. Ballymena to Carrickfergus
Aired 6 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael Portillo is in the glens of Antrim, where Ireland’s folklore and magical myths flourish and he is transfixed by tales of fairies and legends of the sea.
13. Bangor to Belfast
Aired 7 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael Portillo is in Bangor, County Down, en route to the Northern Irish capital, Belfast.
14. Carlingford to Dublin
Aired 8 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael Portillo continues his railway journey along the Atlantic and Irish Sea coasts of Ireland, travelling from Newry into the Republic. He helps shake bags of oysters and visits an ancient cairn.
15. Dun Laoghaire to Rosslare
Aired 9 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael Portillo begins the final leg of his railway journey, beginning in the harbour town of Dun Laoghaire
16. Weymouth to Lulworth
Aired 12 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael is on a rail journey across the southern coast of England, beginning in Dorset. He takes to the water in Portland Harbour and hears the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
17. Kimmeridge to Brownsea Island
Aired 13 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael alights at Wareham to visit Dorset’s internationally renowned Jurassic Coast. He heads through Swanage, Poole and Sandbanks before ending his journey on Brownsea Island.
18. Southampton to Isle of Wight
Aired 14 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael heads from a bustling Southampton to the Isle of Wight, where he rides the island’s railway, made up of recycled London Underground trains.
19. Lee-on-the-Solent to Bosham
Aired 15 June 2023 • 28 min
Michael helps out at a coastguard training centre, visits the harbour master at the great maritime city of Portsmouth and learns about conservation projects in Chichester.
20. Fishbourne to Seaford
Aired 16 June 2023 • 28 min
The final leg of Michael's journey begins in Fishbourne, the location of one of the most significant Roman sites in Britain.