Coastal Devon & Cornwall with Michael Portillo

His journey begins in North Devon under the shadow of England's highest sea cliff, the 1,000ft-tall Great Hangman, and finishes up on the stunning three-mile golden sands of Woolacombe. Along the way, Michael is joined by Raynor Winn, whose bestselling book The Salt Path is based on her experiences of walking the South West Coast Path with her terminally-ill husband, Moth. She tells of how it changed their lives, and offers tips and advice for Michael's journey ahead, and how he should prepare for the challenges, both physical and emotional.

The presenter explores the rugged North Cornish coast, beginning in Widemouth Bay, a gigantic stretch of coastline with ancient links to the Celtic nations of Wales and Brittany. Battling a storm blowing in from the Atlantic, Michael heads south and takes shelter in a magical and ancient woodland, before spending the night at the vicarage where novelist Thomas Hardy stayed in 1870, and penned a poem named after a local landmark, Beeny Cliff.

Michael follows the western shore of Cornwall’s biggest natural harbour, Mount’s Bay.