Nick Crane visits Cornwall for an artistic exploration of Britain's coast, and Mark Horton reveals the story of the explorer who established Australia.
The team discover untold tales of explorers around our shores, and far beyond, including a stop-off down under in Australia.
In Cornwall, Nick Crane uncovers the most astonishing artistic exploration of Britain's coast. 200 years ago a young artist, William Daniell, embarked on a ten-year journey around the edge of Britain to produce hundreds of colour illustrations in the age before photography. But who was the forgotten companion who travelled with him, and what made these two artist explorers mysteriously go their separate ways?
Nick takes to the sea in an authentic replica of Britain's oldest known boat. How will this paddle-powered design from the Bronze Age perform today? Nick also tells the tale of the first sailor to circumnavigate Britain some 2,400 years ago, the fabled explorer dubbed 'Pytheas the Greek', who first mapped our isles.
Mark Horton reveals the story of explorer and adventurer Lachlan Macquarie. Born on a tiny Scottish Isle two centuries ago, he went on to establish the country he named Australia. Scotsman Major general Lachlan Macquarie is virtually unknown in Britain, but he is a hero down under, heralded as the 'Father of Australia'. How did Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth manage to defy the British establishment to lay the foundations both for present-day Sydney and the new nation of Australia, using convict labour and radical social reforms?
Tessa Dunlop investigates the hidden history of the Pilgrim Fathers. Why did the Pilgrims flee Britain to live in Holland for ten years before their eventual voyage to found modern America? Tessa discovers how these English explorers for religious freedom created the archetypal American celebration of Thanksgiving from a tradition they learnt in the Netherlands.
Andy Torbet teams up with modern-day scientific explorers trying to crack an age-old puzzle - how can you count the number of fish in the sea? Andy joins an underwater mission that has been underway in Scottish waters for over half a century.
We also follow the struggles of modern-day explorers competing in a race to row around the British Isles. Will any of the teams in their tiny rowing boats complete the arduous 2,000-mile route in unforgiving seas? Can they match up to the heroic feats of the explorers who were our ancestors?
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Clips
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A tradition of exploration
Duration: 03:16
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The Pilgrim Fathers in exile
Duration: 01:49
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In search of fish
Duration: 02:56
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The roots of Lachlan Macquarie
Duration: 02:27
Music Played
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Brandon Flowers
Only The Young
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The Cinematic Orchestra
To Build A Home
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Nicholas Crane |
Presenter | Mark Horton |
Presenter | Tessa Dunlop |
Presenter | Andy Torbet |
Executive Producer | William Lyons |
Series Producer | Jessica Colman |
Series Editor | Steve Evanson |
Broadcasts
- Tue 29 Jul 2014 19:00
- Wed 3 Sep 2014 09:00
- Sat 17 Jan 2015 16:30
- Wed 6 Jan 2016 16:00麻豆社 Two Scotland
- Wed 6 Jan 2016 16:15麻豆社 Two except Scotland
- Tue 12 Sep 2017 00:30麻豆社 Two Wales
- Mon 2 Oct 2017 01:45麻豆社 Two Wales
- Tue 7 Nov 2017 13:00麻豆社 Two except Scotland
- Tue 9 Jan 2018 13:00麻豆社 Two Wales
- Fri 23 Feb 2018 00:30麻豆社 Two Wales
- Fri 1 Mar 2019 00:30麻豆社 Two Wales & Wales HD only
- Wed 5 Jun 2019 23:30麻豆社 Two Wales HD & Wales only
- Tue 17 Nov 2020 00:15麻豆社 Two Wales HD & Wales only
- Fri 14 Jan 2022 16:00麻豆社 Two except Scotland
- Sun 11 Sep 2022 09:00麻豆社 Two except Scotland
Meet the Coast team
Presented by a team of experts, between them they can investigate almost anything!
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