Susan Calman's Grand Day Out

The comedian heads to the south Cornish Coast in her campervan, Helen. Susan's adventure starts at the most southerly point of Britain on the Lizard peninsula, where she explores the coast by kayak to see the dramatic scenery up close.

The comedian takes her vintage camper van to the Wye Valley, which attracts tourists from far and wide for its ancient woodlands, quirky traditions and beauty spots galore. Susan starts on the River Wye itself and does it in style on the charming old boat Wye Pride. Waiting for her onboard is local legend Gerald, whose family have worked these waters since 1750. He has a few stories of times gone by to share with Susan, while a few more recent family snaps reveal just how important this spot is today. Susan also meets 22-time champion cheese roller Chris Anderson, who gives her a few top tips and shows her how it's done.

In this episode, Susan heads to the dramatic, yet charming coast of Northern Ireland. It's full of warm characters, ancient traditions and a truly striking landscape. When it comes to epic adventures, this certainly looks the part. The starting point of her trip is the gorgeous Glenariff — one of the nine Glens of Antrim, stretching over 270 square miles. Then it's a stop at the glamourous Glenarm Castle estate, which is home to one of Ireland's oldest walled gardens. Here, Susan is allowed a look around inside the historic castle before being treated to a ride in a vintage car. Susan takes a quick stop by the coast to hear about a local delicacy — dulse — before travelling to Portstewart, where she's treated to a traditional Irish dance recital from a group who like to add a modern twist. And, at Royal Portrush, keen golfer Susan is invited to play a hole on one of the most beautiful and challenging courses in the world. The Irish tradition of basket-making goes back centuries, and Susan is given a lesson by one of the few remaining weavers in the country. Then it's off to the oldest whiskey distillery in the world for a unique way to appreciate the spirit — sniffing not sipping. Moving on, Susan discovers a way to flex her artistic muscles with something known as ‘Drag and Draw'. Assembled artists try to capture a drag gueen on canvas, and Susan is thrilled to discover that modelling today is the one and only Blu Hydrangea, who recently won RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World. It's up to Susan to do justice to drag royalty. Finally, Susan makes her way along the coast to her final stop and her biggest challenge — the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Suspended across a 30-metre deep and 20-metre wide chasm, the bridge was first used by fishermen, but is now a top tourist spot. Keen to do one thing that scares her on each adventure, Susan sets out for a wobbly walk. It all makes for another of Susan's utterly unforgettable Grand Days Out.

Susan and her campervan Helen are hitting the road again, and this week, they're travelling around one of the most rural and stunning areas of England — the Shropshire Hills. Shropshire is a county without a single city and, as Susan learns, it seems to boast less about its charms than some of its more visited neighbours. But that just means there are more hidden gems for Susan to discover. At her first stop, Susan finds the stunning Ironbridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has an astonishing past as the location of the first iron bridge built anywhere in the world, and it's indicative of the county's claim to be the very birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Susan hears all about it, and then gets to see this unique spot from a different angle — sailing under the bridge in a coracle. Then, it's a stop at Blists Hill Victorian Town, which turns out to be a faithful re-creation of a typical east Shropshire coalfield town from around 1900. Enjoying getting into the spirit of the place, Susan visits the town's milliner to pick out just the right period hat. Then it's off to Ludlow, which the late poet laureate Sir John Betjeman called ‘probably the loveliest town in England'. And a little part of that loveliness is the care it gives to nature: this is the home of Pricklebums, a charity that takes care of sick and injured hedgehogs. Today, there are some recently rescued hoglets that need a health check and Susan is only too happy to help. At the British Ironwork Centre and Sculpture Park, Susan finds a group of enthusiasts who make wonderful artworks out of discarded metal. A gorilla made of 40,000 spoons is a sight to behold as also, it turns out, is Susan with a blowtorch. Then, Susan winds her way to the Cambrian Heritage Railways. Here, she's given the unique opportunity to actually drive a stream train solo. Susan enjoys every second, even when the warning alarm starts to go off. Susan gets involved in a thrilling escape from a Shrewsbury Prison, though she's only on the run from an authentic-looking escape room. And the great outdoors beckons one final time, as she finishes with a spot of wild swimming, meeting a couple of local enthusiasts along the way who help her brave what is charitably described as bracing water. It allows her to finish among the heights of the Shropshire Hills and reflect on how fortunate she has been to experience this particular one of her Grand Days Out.

The presenter and her campervan Helen are heading back to an old favourite - Yorkshire. However, Susan finds that the dales and moors contain a few spots she hasn't explored - and a few surprises that are a joy to discover. Oakworth Station is one such place - home to a still functioning steam railway, it's the train station where the 1970s classic The Railway Children was filmed.

The comedian explores the historic city of Oxford and the Chilterns, an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. She gets her bearings at one of the best preserved 17th-century windmills in the world at Brill, and from there, the scholarly streets of Oxford beckon. Susan has always loved a model village and discovers that the Chilterns has the oldest in the world, complete with working model railway.

The presenter heads to the lush county of Cumbria. Spanning the Lake District and North Pennines, this area looks like it is straight out of a storybook. Susan meets a storyteller laureate, before taking to the largest lake in England on the ideal boat for a Swallows and Amazons-style adventure.