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An epic stretch of Scottish coastline is the first stop for Michael Portillo as he begins a series of coastal railway journeys around the British Isles.

Siccar Point, close to Dunbar on the Firth of Forth, was the site of an extraordinary 18th-century discovery and is today a place of pilgrimage for earth scientists from across the world. Michael finds out how James Hutton’s Unconformity upended biblical teaching about the age of the earth.

From North Berwick, Michael takes a boat a mile out into the Firth to visit one of the wildlife wonders of the world, a volcanic island known as Bass Rock. Long since abandoned by humans, it is now a breeding ground for 150,000 northern gannets. Standing with his seabird centre guide and with the white-and-yellow birds nesting and courting only feet away, Michael has to pinch himself to believe the scene.

Next stop is the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Arriving at Britain’s second largest station, Waverley, Michael walks out into the Old Town with its castle and palace linked by the Royal Mile. He climbs to the city’s highest point, Arthur’s Seat, for a paleontologist’s story of settlement in the region from 7,000 years ago. Neither she nor Michael will forget the name of her favourite fossil, which is tattooed on her fingers.

At Holyrood House, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland, Michael visits the scene of a grisly 16th-century murder, which was the stuff of myth in his childhood. Mary Queen of Scots’ secretary, David Rizzio, was murdered by her husband and fellow lords in front of Mary in her private apartments. The palace building, its location and the historical events that took place within its walls help Michael to understand how royal power continues to be asserted in Scotland.