Great Coastal Railway Journeys
(2022)Streaming Episode Guide
Series 3
Wells-next-the-Sea to the Wash
Episode 20 - 5-03-2024
Michael Portillo’s rail exploration of the eastern reaches of England is drawing to a close at the Wash. He travels on the smallest public railway in the world and visits the magnificent Holkham Hall.
Haven't Seen
West Runton to Burnham Market
Episode 19 - 5-02-2024
Michael examines a replica of the smallest bone in the oldest and largest mammoth ever found in Britain, before sampling Sheringham's local crab and enjoying the North Norfolk Railway heritage line.
Haven't Seen
Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth
Episode 18 - 5-01-2024
Michael Portillo’s East Anglian coastal railway journey takes him to the treacherous waters off the Norfolk coast, which have sunk many ships and cost many lives.
Haven't Seen
Woodbridge to Southwold
Episode 17 - 4-30-2024
Michael Portillo reaches the Deben estuary on his coastal railway journey around eastern England. At Woodbridge, he is plunged in at the deep end on a rafting challenge with the sea scouts.
Haven't Seen
Canvey Island to Wrabness
Episode 16 - 4-29-2024
Michael Portillo embarks on a new railway journey around the coast of the east of England. He begins in the Thames estuary, travelling across tidal mud flats and salt marsh to end up in Wrabness.
Haven't Seen
Faversham to Chatham
Episode 15 - 4-26-2024
Michael's adventure nears its end on the north Kent coast. In Faversham, he gets out onto the water in the last sailing barge to work on the Thames.
Haven't Seen
Birchington-on-Sea to Whitstable
Episode 14 - 4-25-2024
Michael Portillo’s railway exploration of the Channel coastline and Thames estuary via Calais has reached the Isle of Thanet. Flat and temperate, it’s excellent terrain for growing.
Haven't Seen
Dover to Margate
Episode 13 - 4-24-2024
Michael Portillo’s railway adventure along the north and south coasts of the English Channel resumes in Dover, where he recalls the biggest evacuation in military history.
Haven't Seen
Folkestone to Le Touquet
Episode 12 - 4-23-2024
Michael Portillo travels through the longest undersea tunnel in the world on the Eurotunnel shuttle rail service from Folkestone to Calais.
Haven't Seen
Eastbourne to Rye
Episode 11 - 4-22-2024
Michael Portillo sets off on a new railway adventure to explore the twin shores of the English Channel and the estuaries of the Thames and Medway.
Haven't Seen
Conwy to Colwyn Bay
Episode 10 - 4-19-2024
Michael Portillo takes the train to the medieval walled town of Conwy on the last leg of his exploration of the shores of north Wales.
Haven't Seen
The Isle of Anglesey
Episode 9 - 4-18-2024
Michael is on the Isle of Anglesey, where the briny waters of the Menai Strait are being used to create a Welsh gastronomic delight.
Haven't Seen
Porthmadog to Anglesey
Episode 8 - 4-17-2024
Michael Portillo steams through the glorious scenery of the Snowdonia National Park on one of Britain’s greatest heritage lines, the Welsh Highland Railway.
Haven't Seen
Harlech to Abedaron
Episode 7 - 4-16-2024
Michael Portillo continues his railway journey in north Wales, tracking the coastline north from Harlech to skirt the Llyn Peninsula.
Haven't Seen
Cardigan Bay to Abergynolwyn
Episode 6 - 4-15-2024
Michael Portillo embarks on a railway journey around the western coast of Wales. He begins on the Victorian Cliff Railway at Aberystwyth, finishing the first leg in Tywyn.
Haven't Seen
Isles of Scilly
Episode 5 - 4-12-2024
Michael Portillo nears the end of his railway adventure tracking the rugged coast of south west England. He finishes in the westernmost reaches of England, in the Scillonian archipelago.
Haven't Seen
St Mawes to Porthcurno
Episode 4 - 4-11-2024
Michael reaches the pretty Cornish fishing village of St Mawes, today an exclusive holiday destination for connoisseurs of yachts, fine food and luxury hotels.
Haven't Seen
Tintagel to St Austell
Episode 3 - 4-10-2024
Michael leaves Devon for Cornwall and the rugged Atlantic coast of its northern shore, where the ruins of Tintagel Castle emerge from the mist and spray of the sea.
Haven't Seen
Exeter to Plymouth
Episode 2 - 4-09-2024
Michael Portillo reaches Devon’s county town, Exeter, dominated since the Middle Ages by its magnificent gothic cathedral. He joins stonemasons charged with conserving its intricate Beer stonework.
Haven't Seen
Axminster to Budleigh Salterton
Episode 1 - 4-08-2024
Michael Portillo embarks on another journey exploring the shores of Britain, travelling from the Jurassic Coast to the rugged tip of the Lizard Peninsula and beyond to the spectacular Isles of Scilly.
Haven't Seen
Season 2
Fishbourne to Seaford
Episode 20 - 6-16-2023
The final leg of Michael's journey begins in Fishbourne, the location of one of the most significant Roman sites in Britain.
Haven't Seen
Lee-on-the-Solent to Bosham
Episode 19 - 6-15-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Southampton to Isle of Wight
Episode 18 - 6-14-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Kimmeridge to Brownsea Island
Episode 17 - 6-13-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Weymouth to Lulworth
Episode 16 - 6-12-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Dun Laoghaire to Rosslare
Episode 15 - 6-09-2023
Michael Portillo begins the final leg of his railway journey, beginning in the harbour town of Dun Laoghaire
Haven't Seen
Carlingford to Dublin
Episode 14 - 6-08-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Bangor to Belfast
Episode 13 - 6-07-2023
Michael Portillo is in Bangor, County Down, en route to the Northern Irish capital, Belfast.
Haven't Seen
Ballymena to Carrickfergus
Episode 12 - 6-06-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Ballarena to Giant's Causeway
Episode 11 - 6-05-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Grimsby to Humberston Fitties
Episode 10 - 6-02-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Hornsea to Spurn Point
Episode 9 - 6-01-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Scarborough to Bridlington
Episode 8 - 5-31-2023
Michael Portillo is in the seaside resort of Scarborough to explore one of the greatest royal fortresses in England.
Haven't Seen
Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay
Episode 7 - 5-30-2023
Michael Portillo travels from Whitby, where he explores the port’s shipbuilding and seafaring heritage, to Robin Hood's Bay, a former smuggling haven.
Haven't Seen
Middlesbrough to Boulby
Episode 6 - 5-29-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
St Bees to Maryport
Episode 5 - 5-26-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Ulverston to Ravenglass
Episode 4 - 5-25-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Morecambe to Grange-over-Sands
Episode 3 - 5-24-2023
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.
Haven't Seen
Liverpool to Blackpool
Episode 2 - 5-23-2023
From the Isle of Man, Michael Portillo crosses the Irish Sea, bound for the mighty port of Liverpool and its historic waterfront.
Haven't Seen
Douglas to Port Erin
Episode 1 - 5-22-2023
Michael Portillo begins another railway adventure across and beyond the United Kingdom.
Haven't Seen
Season 1
Milford Haven to Fishguard
Episode 25 - 2-25-2022
Michael Portillo reaches the most westerly station in Wales, Milford Haven, the biggest energy port in the United Kingdom. He then heads north, visiting Britain's smallest city and its cathedral.
Haven't Seen
Carmarthen to Pembroke
Episode 24 - 2-24-2022
Michael Portillo travels the breathtaking rural coastline of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, visiting a bee garden with a quarter of a million honeybees and Pembroke's magnificent Norman castle.
7.2/10Haven't Seen
Port Talbot to Pembrey Burry Port
Episode 23 - 2-23-2022
Michael Portillo’s rail adventure along the south coast of Wales reaches the town of Port Talbot, known across the world for its steel production.
7.2/10Haven't Seen
Barry Island to Pyle
Episode 22 - 2-22-2022
Michael Portillo continues his south Wales coastal railway journey in Barry Island, where he investigates the busy docks. He then heads to the Jurassic shoreline and the seaside resort of Porthcawl.
6.8/10Haven't Seen
Avonmouth to Six Bells
Episode 21 - 2-21-2022
Michael Portillo begins a new railway journey along the south coast of Wales. He visits a largely intact Roman amphitheatre and learns about the regeneration efforts in the mining town of Six Bells.
7.2/10Haven't Seen
Mallaig to Isle of Lewis and Harris
Episode 20 - 2-18-2022
Michael follows in the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie as he travels over the sea to Skye, an island renowned for its wildlife, and then on to Lewis and Harris, home to the famous Harris Tweed.
7/10Haven't Seen
Fort William to Glenfinnan
Episode 19 - 2-17-2022
Michael heads aboard the Jacobite Express to cross the awe-inspiring Glenfinnan Viaduct, before visiting the immense Grampian Mountains and learning about the notorious Massacre of Glencoe.
7.3/10Haven't Seen
Oban to Staffa
Episode 18 - 2-16-2022
From the fishing port of Oban, Michael heads out to the Hebrides. He helps to harvest seaweed, visits the cradle of Christianity in Scotland, and sees a cave that inspired Felix Mendelssohn's music.
7.3/10Haven't Seen
Helensburgh to Connel
Episode 17 - 2-15-2022
From the 250-year-old 'new town' of Helensburgh on the north bank of the Clyde, Michael Portillo takes his favourite West Highland Line across to the waters of Loch Etive.
6.8/10Haven't Seen
Fairlie to Port Glasgow
Episode 16 - 2-14-2022
Michael Portillo explores the magnificent western coast of Scotland by rail and ferry, starting at the Hunterston B nuclear power plant and finishing along the deep waters of the Clyde.
7.3/10Haven't Seen
Farne Islands to Berwick-upon-Tweed
Episode 15 - 2-11-2022
Michael’s journey along the coast of Northumberland continues towards the Farne Islands, takes in the holy island of Lindisfarne, and finishes in England’s northernmost town, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
7/10Haven't Seen
Alnmouth to Bamburgh
Episode 14 - 2-10-2022
Michael travels from Alnmouth to Bamburgh Castle, an icon of Northumberland. Along the way, he takes to the waves in a traditional skiff and discover a fascinating map which charts shipwrecks.
7/10Haven't Seen
Morpeth to Amble
Episode 13 - 2-09-2022
Michael finds a historic collection of Northumbrian bagpipes in Morpeth, before heading up the East Coast Main Line to the fishing port of Amble.
6.7/10Haven't Seen
Newcastle to Lynemouth
Episode 12 - 2-08-2022
Michael heads north from Newcastle to the former mining town of Lynemouth. Along the way, he visits a work of landform art made from the spoil of a coal mine and learns sea shanties in Blyth.
7/10Haven't Seen
Tynemouth to Bardon Mill
Episode 11 - 2-07-2022
Michael starts a new railway journey in Newcastle, heading north to Berwick-upon-Tweed. His route takes in the River Tyne, Hadrian’s Wall, a former mining village and the fishing port of Amble.
6.7/10Haven't Seen
Thurso to Orkney
Episode 10 - 2-04-2022
Michael crosses over to the Orkney Islands, visiting the former naval base at Scapa Flow and learning about the islands' extensive Norwegian connections.
7.5/10Haven't Seen
Lairg to Caithness
Episode 9 - 2-03-2022
Michael Portillo's coastal railway journey takes him past lochs and castles on the Far North Line to Britain’s northernmost railway station at Thurso.
7.4/10Haven't Seen
Invergordon to Tain
Episode 8 - 2-02-2022
Michael Portillo’s Scottish coastal railway journey reaches Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth, the third great inlet on the northeast coast of the Highlands.
7.2/10Haven't Seen
Cullen to Cawdor
Episode 7 - 2-01-2022
The stunning scenery of Scotland’s east coast continues to delight Michael Portillo as he travels by train around the Moray Firth.
7.1/10Haven't Seen
Inverness to the Cairngorms
Episode 6 - 1-31-2022
Michael arrives bright and early in Inverness, from which he heads out on a scenic adventure to the Orkney archipelago and explores the battlefield at Culloden, overlooking the Moray Firth.
7.3/10Haven't Seen
Forvie to Peterhead
Episode 5 - 1-28-2022
29m
Michael Portillo’s Scottish railway journey reaches Aberdeen, from which he heads to the wild and beautiful Forvie National Nature Reserve and Scotland's most easterly town, Peterhead.
7.1/10Haven't Seen
St Andrews to Stonehaven
Episode 4 - 1-27-2022
29m
Michael Portillo visits St Andrews, home to Scotland’s oldest university, in eastern Fife, before heading to the vibrant city of Dundee and the harbour town of Stonehaven.
7.1/10Haven't Seen
Stirling to East Neuk
Episode 3 - 1-26-2022
29m
Michael Portillo travels from the medieval city of Stirling through Perth, the historic crowning place of Scottish monarchs, and into Kirkcaldy, where he revisits some fond family memories.
7.3/10Haven't Seen
Leith to Culross
Episode 2 - 1-25-2022
29m
Michael Portillo continues his journey at the iconic Forth Bridge, before heading to tour the Royal Yacht Britannia and encountering a pair of vast steel sculptures.
7.5/10Haven't Seen
Dunbar to Edinburgh
Episode 1 - 1-24-2022
29m
Michael Portillo begins a series of coastal railway journeys around the British Isles, starting in Siccar Point, the site of an extraordinary 18th-century discovery, and finishing at Holyrood House.
8.1/10Haven't Seen
Top 5 Highest Rated Episodes 8.1/10 7.5/10 7.5/10 7.4/10 7.3/10
Dunbar to Edinburgh
Episode 1 - 1-24-2022
29m
Michael Portillo begins a series of coastal railway journeys around the British Isles, starting in Siccar Point, the site of an extraordinary 18th-century discovery, and finishing at Holyrood House.
8.1/10Haven't Seen
Leith to Culross
Episode 2 - 1-25-2022
29m
Michael Portillo continues his journey at the iconic Forth Bridge, before heading to tour the Royal Yacht Britannia and encountering a pair of vast steel sculptures.
7.5/10Haven't Seen
Thurso to Orkney
Episode 10 - 2-04-2022
Michael crosses over to the Orkney Islands, visiting the former naval base at Scapa Flow and learning about the islands' extensive Norwegian connections.
7.5/10Haven't Seen
Lairg to Caithness
Episode 9 - 2-03-2022
Michael Portillo's coastal railway journey takes him past lochs and castles on the Far North Line to Britain’s northernmost railway station at Thurso.
7.4/10Haven't Seen
Stirling to East Neuk
Episode 3 - 1-26-2022
29m
Michael Portillo travels from the medieval city of Stirling through Perth, the historic crowning place of Scottish monarchs, and into Kirkcaldy, where he revisits some fond family memories.
7.3/10Haven't Seen
