Original subtitles

(ethereal music)

(wind blowing)

(dramatic symphonic music)

(rousing music)

- Our journey begins at Blackpool,

one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts,

before heading north across Morecambe Bay,

with its fast-moving tides and dangerous sands.

From there it's inland,

to a rare 17th century topiary garden at Levens Hall,

which takes several gardeners months to cut each year.

Flying west up the coast,

we catch up with the Ravenglass and Eskdale Steam Railway.

We then head into the heart

of the Lake District National Park,

and Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England.

In the sight of Scafell Pike to the south,

is the remote Hardknott Fort,

built by the Romans nearly 2000 years ago.

Of the 19 main bodies of water in the Lake District,

Windermere is by far the largest,

and also the most popular for tourists.

Our journey ends at Grasmere, and Dove Cottage,

once home to the best-known poet in Britain,

William Wordsworth.

Our journey begins at probably

the most famous resort town in Britain, Blackpool.

(cheerful arcade hall music) (gulls calling)

It's hard to believe, looking at the town today,

that for centuries it was just a small hamlet on the coast.

But in the mid-19th century,

all this changed when the railway arrived,

and brought with it thousands upon thousands of families

from the industrial north of England,

who for the first time,

were able to take a day at the seaside.

By 1900,

Blackpool had become the country's favorite seaside resort.

And one of the reasons,

was the establishment of the town's Pleasure Beach.

In the early 1900s,

there were only a few roundabouts to thrill the public.

But gradually other rides were introduced on the site,

and today Blackpool Pleasure Beach,

is one of the most popular theme parks in the country.

In 1994, the steel hyper-coaster known as The Big One,

was opened,

and at the time was the tallest and fastest in the world.

Currently the ride holds the record,

as the tallest rollercoaster in Britain,

with a first drop of 62 meters.

It's the 10th rollercoaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach,

and plans are already underway,

for the next and even bigger one.

In 1894, the city's best-known structure was built.

Blackpool Tower.

It was based on the Eiffel Tower in Paris,

and built on top of the Tower Ballroom.

Lack of funds and maintenance during its first 30 years,

left the metal structure corroded,

and there were even plans at the time to demolish it.

Thankfully however, in the 1920's,

this iconic structure was rebuilt,

and painted the dark red we see today.

The top of the tower is currently known

as the Blackpool Tower Eye.

At a height of 115 meters,

it's the highest observation deck in northwest England.

Tower's color has changed only twice.

Silver, in 1977 for Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee,

and gold, for the Tower's Centenary in 1994.

To the north of Blackpool, (tranquil piano music)

is Morecambe Bay.

An estuary which forms the largest expanse

of intertidal mud flats and sand in the United Kingdom,

covering a total area of 310 square kilometers.

At high tide, it's a beautiful place,

but at low tide,

it's a very dangerous place indeed.

The bay is notorious for its quicksand

and fast moving tides.

And it's said by local people,

that the tide can come in as fast as a horse can run.

For centuries, people have lost their lives,

trying to cross these treacherous sands,

and have been sucked down to their deaths.

So dangerous are they,

that there is a Queen's Guide to the Sands,

a person appointed by the monarch,

whose role since the 16th century,

has been to escort people across the bay.

Today, crossing the estuary has become a popular

fundraising challenge for charity walkers,

with the royal guide often leading

groups of up to 500 people.

Experienced local cockle pickers,

are aware of the dangers,

and take care not to be caught out.

However,

in 2004,

over 20 unsupervised immigrant cockle pickers drowned,

after being cut off by the tides.

A few kilometers to the north of Morecambe Bay,

is Levens Hall.

The house we see today, (light classical music)

is built around the original medieval tower castle,

and dates from the late 16th century.

In 1688, the estate changed hands,

to pay for the owner's gambling debt.

It's said that Colonel James Grahme

acquired the property through a wager,

and the single turn of the ace of hearts.

However acquired,

he soon set about improving the house and lands.

He brought with him the Frenchman, Monsieur Beaumont,

one of the gardeners to King James II,

who had been responsible for part of

the garden at Hampton Court Palace.

The new garden for Levens Hall,

was laid out in the formal fashion of the day,

with clipped trees, paths and beds,

and remarkably, survives to this day,

which makes it a very rare example of its time.

It's also an expensive and time-consuming one to maintain.

The trees are clipped once a year,

and take months of hard work by highly-skilled gardeners.

This unique creation of Colonel Grahme

and Monsieur Beaumont is now preserved,

for the admiration and amazement of all,

who come to visit it 300 years after it was planted.

Flying west, we come to Cartmel Priory,

which has a history stretching back to the 12th century,

when a prior and 12 monks,

arrived to build the first monastery.

For 300 years, the community lived and prayed in peace,

and gradually rebuilt their church.

That is until King Henry VIII began the dissolution

of the monasteries in the middle of the 16th century.

But unlike many monasteries, (warming folk music)

which were destroyed,

Cartmel survived,

as the prior did not resist the crown,

and along with pressure from local people,

saved the priory from destruction,

and saw it become the local parish church.

Running alongside, is Cartmel Racecourse,

which has an official history stretching back to 1856.

This national hunt course is built on the Holker Estate,

where we are now headed.

In fact, this land once belonged to Cartmel Priory,

before its dissolution. (warming symphonic music)

In the 18th century,

the estate and house passed into the Cavendish family,

who in the 19th century,

largely rebuilt it in a Revival Jacobean style,

of the 17th century.

In 1871 a disastrous fire broke out,

and much of the house had to be rebuilt a second time.

The result is what we see today.

Being close to Morecambe Bay,

the climate provides a wonderful environment,

for Holker's lush gardens,

which were redesigned in the early 1900s,

and are an interesting mix of Italianate design,

with English tradition.

The deer park stretches to over 50 hectares,

all of which can be enjoyed by visitors,

in the summer months.

Back out in Morecambe Bay,

is Chapel Island,

where a small church was built in the 14th century.

This was because the island lies on the path

of the ancient estuary crossing,

and would have been a place of refuge,

for travelers caught out by the tide.

Today, only the ruins of a 19th century cottage remain.

Those wishing to visit Chapel Island,

should do so only at low tide,

and should certainly seek local advice.

Also in Morecambe Bay, (playful music)

is Piel Island and its castle.

In 1327, the abbot of Furness Abbey,

was granted permission by King Edward III,

to build a castle on the island.

At this time,

much of northern England was subjected to Scottish raids,

and the monks of Furness wished to establish

a place of safety,

and to protect cargo ships from raiders and pirates.

At the time of the dissolution,

Piel Castle became the property of Henry VIII,

who simply left it to fall into ruins.

The site is dominated by the massive keep,

which is enclosed by both an inner and outer bailey,

each bordered by a ditch and set with corner towers.

The stone used to construct the castle,

was taken from the beach,

although red sandstone was imported by the monks,

for architectural details.

Moving inland, and alongside Swinside Fell,

is Swinside Stone Circle. (foreboding music)

Constructed from local slate in the late-Neolithic period

of around 2000BC,

the ring has a diameter of about 27 meters,

and currently contains 55 stones,

although when originally constructed,

there would have probably been around 60.

Exactly why prehistoric Britons

originally constructed stone circles,

is a question that continues to elude archeologists.

Despite this, many suggestions have been put forward,

most of which argue that they were constructed for ritual,

or ceremonial reasons.

However, local folklore in medieval times,

claimed that at night the Devil would pull down

the stones of a church being built,

in the process, creating the stone circle.

The River Esk flows into the sea at Ravenglass,

which sits on the western edge

of the Lake District National Park.

And it's here that we find one of the oldest

and longest narrow-gauge railways in England.

The Ravenglass and Eskdale Steam Railway.

It opened in 1875, (light classical music)

to transport iron ore,

which was being mined 10 kilometers inland,

down to Ravenglass,

where it could be transferred onto the main line.

The railway was also opened to passenger traffic,

and this made it the first public narrow-gauge railway,

in England.

In 1953, the quarrying company decided to close it down.

In 1960, the railway was sold at auction,

to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society.

Slowly, the railway was brought back to life,

with old engines and rolling stock restored,

as well as two new steam engines.

The journey through spectacular scenery,

is now a major tourist attraction.

Ahead of us is Wastwater, (uplifting music)

one of the 19 major lakes,

in the Lake District National Park.

It's also the deepest in England, at 79 meters.

In 2017,

the entire park,

was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is described as a mountainous area,

whose valleys have been modeled by glaciers in the ice age,

and subsequently shaped by pastoral land use,

characterized by fields enclosed by stone walls.

The combined work of nature and human activity,

has produced a harmonious landscape in which

the mountains are mirrored in the lakes.

Overlooking the deepest lake in England,

is its highest mountain, Scafell Pike.

It can easily be asked why anyone would want

to endure the thigh-burning climb,

often in some of the country's worst weather,

just to get to the summit of Scafell Pike.

The answer is invariably,

"Because it's there."

However, this 978-meter high mountain,

is only modestly challenging for a well-prepared walker,

and is often described, especially in good weather,

as dramatic, breathtaking, beautiful,

and for some, romantic.

Romantic, because the view from the top has inspired poets,

such as Wordsworth and Coleridge,

and writers such as Alfred Wainwright,

whose guides to the Lakeland walks,

are as popular today as they were in 1955,

when they were first published.

Walking on Scafell Pike,

became popular in the 18th century,

long before proper maps were available,

and when walkers were guided up the mountain by locals,

who were keen to supplement their income.

Today, around 100,000 people make it to the top each year.

And on a clear day,

can look out and see Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Down below Scafell Pike,

on a rocky spur in a beautiful valley,

is a reminder of Britain's ancient past, 2000 years ago.

(rousing music)

This is Hardknott Fort.

Built by the Romans about 120AD,

along the route between today's Ambleside and Ravenglass.

The garrison was home to a detachment of 500 cavalry,

of the sixth Cohort of Dalmatians,

from the eastern Mediterranean,

who must have found this a fairly inhospitable place,

especially in winter.

The fort is square, with rounded corners,

and the outer wall has four gates

at the center of each side,

with lookout towers at each corner.

Within the walls,

are the remaining outlines of several buildings,

the garrison headquarters and the commander's villa.

In addition to these stone buildings,

timber structures would have housed barracks

for the soldiers.

The fort was finally abandoned in the 4th century,

as the Romans gradually withdrew from Britain.

The original Roman road from the fort,

would have gone over Hardknott Pass.

The present road, first laid out in the 1880s,

and one of the steepest in the country,

is often described as the most challenging in Britain.

It is a series of hairpin bends,

with limited visibility,

and is frequently closed in winter weather.

But the view from the top,

with stunning views over the national park,

makes the challenge worthwhile.

(tranquil symphonic music)

To the south, is Coniston Water.

The third largest lake in the national park.

It's eight kilometers long,

and only 800 meters wide.

Strangely there is only one named lake in the Lake District,

Bassenthwaite Lake.

All the others are called meres and waters,

such as Windermere,

Derwent Water,

Thirlmere,

and here, Coniston Water.

In the last century, this tranquil and beautiful place,

was the scene of Sir Malcolm Campbell's successful attempt,

to break the water speed record in 1939,

by reaching 228 kilometers per hour,

in his boat, Blue Bird K4.

In the late 1950s, his son, Donald Campbell,

broke the record four times,

raising it to 445 kilometers per hour,

in Blue Bird K7.

But in 1964, he attempted to retain it again,

here on Coniston Water,

when disaster struck. (somber music)

He lost control,

the boat somersaulted,

and he was killed.

It was only in 2001,

that the remains of Blue Bird were recovered,

along with Donald Campbell's body.

To the east of Coniston Water,

is the village of Near Sawrey,

and the home of one of the best-loved children's authors,

Beatrix Potter. (meandering piano music)

She bought this house and farm, Hill Top, in 1906,

as her getaway from London.

The local area gave her inspiration

for many of her famous characters,

such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck,

Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Jeremy Fisher.

She also illustrated her books,

with drawings that today are as popular as ever.

Beatrix Potter was also a very early supporter

of the National Trust,

whose early aims was the preservation of the Lake District,

and its way of life.

She helped buy land and farms,

to protect the countryside from further development.

Hill Top was left to the National Trust,

when she died in 1943.

And visitors today come to realize just how important

Beatrix Potter was in her generosity and determination,

to conserve the character of the Lake District,

for future generations to enjoy.

Such as here, on Windermere,

the largest lake in the national park.

(light piano music)

It's also the largest lake in the country.

And since the arrival of the railway in 1847,

it has been one of the most popular holiday destinations.

Today's visitors can cruise the lake,

in a boat that carried their Victorian counterparts,

the motor vessel, Tern.

It was built in 1891 as a steam-powered yacht,

and converted to diesel power in 1957.

In its time, it has carried around 12 million people.

Today's passengers can enjoy all the activities

of the 18-kilometer lake,

as well as the beautiful and dramatic landscape,

that has remained unchanged,

thanks to early conservationists,

who realized its importance.

During the late 19th century,

many rich industrialists built large holiday houses,

close to the lake.

Today, many have been turned into hotels.

But Blackwell, on the east side of Windermere,

has remained a single house.

It was designed in the Arts and Crafts style around 1890.

This style was an international movement

in decorative and fine arts,

which began in Britain,

and flourished in Europe and North America,

between about 1880 and 1920.

It stood for traditional craftsmanship, using simple forms,

and often used medieval, romantic,

or folk styles of design.

The house was built for an industrialist, Sir Edward Holt,

who was a successful brewing magnate.

Remarkably, the house and most of its original interiors,

have survived intact,

and so present visitors can experience a rare example,

of a complete Arts and Craft house,

in a glorious setting overlooking Windermere.

As we continue north up Windermere,

we come to Belle Isle,

the only inhabited island on the lake,

which has a history stretching back to a Roman governor,

who built a villa here nearly 2000 years ago.

In 1774, (tranquil symphonic music)

an unusual circular building of brick and stone,

with a classical portico of four columns,

was built as a family home.

It was based on the Pantheon from ancient Rome.

During the late 18th century,

the beauty of nature had started to become appreciated.

So instead of building a classical temple,

in his contrived landscape park,

the owner of Belle Isle decided to build one,

in this picturesque, natural setting,

and then live in it.

The house and island became a popular attraction

for tourists, painters and writers.

It also featured in guides to the area,

including Thomas West's "A Guide to the Lakes" of 1778,

which recommended particular viewing points, or stations,

for the best views from Belle Isle.

One each at the north and south ends of the island.

Today, the house is still a private home.

(relaxing symphonic music)

In 1810, the author of "A Guide to the Lakes", wrote,

"In preparing this manual,

"it was the author's principal wish,

"to furnish a guide or companion,

"for the minds of persons of taste and feeling,

"for landscape,

"who might be inclined to explore the district of the Lakes,

"with that degree of attention,

"to which its beauty may fairly lay claim."

The author was none other than William Wordsworth,

Britain's greatest and best-loved poet.

He lived here in Grasmere, at Dove Cottage.

He became known as one of the Lakeland poets,

not only because he lived in this area,

but also because its landscapes and people,

inspired his work.

He was a key figure in the romantic age,

in English literature.

Today a whole village has grown up

around Wordsworth's cottage.

Including a museum of his life and influence,

and an education center holding courses on his works.

Perhaps the most famous lyrical poem

in the English language, is "Daffodils".

It focuses on his response to the sheer beauty of nature,

and the joy it gave him.

His use of plain language,

makes the impact all the more powerful.

Here are the first and last verses, to end this program.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud,

"that floats on high o'er vales and hills,

"when all at once I saw a crowd,

"a host, of golden daffodils.

"Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

"fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

"For oft, when on my couch I lie,

"in vacant or in pensive mood,

"they flash upon that inward eye,

"which is the bliss of solitude.

"And then my heart with pleasure fills,

"and dances with the daffodils."

(dramatic orchestral music)

(ethereal music)