Devon plays a starring role in a major new celebrity TV travel series which airs this week.
Susan Calman is back again on Channel 5 with a new series of her popular travel show Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out, and for the first episode she is exploring Devon.
Inspired by her childhood family holidays, Susan is firing up her vintage campervan - named in honour of one of her heroines, Helen Mirren - and she’s hitting the road for a brand-new series. She’s out to discover as much of the joy and beauty of Britain as she can cram in, on a fun-filled wander around these shores. Just as Helen greets every new hill with a judder, both are welcomed wherever they go
The first in the new series of Susan Calman’s Grand Days Out finds her in Devon, exploring the English Riviera. Susan will discover intriguing places and inspiring sights on her 85-mile sun-drenched adventure exploring shimmering seas, pristine beaches, and pretty harbours.
She discovers the stunning Babbacombe Cliff Railway that’s been running since 1926 to traverse would-be tourists down the steep incline to the stunning beach below. It’s not without some trepidation that Susan steps into her carriage- but the scenic reward is soon clear for her to see.
Along the coast lies Torquay with its long reputation for gentility and elegance. Susan wants to find out why, and meets a local who tells her all about promenading and the secrets of a once indispensable fashion accessory – the parasol! Armed with all the right moves, Susan tries out promenading for herself along Princess Pier, with a surprising outcome!
Susan can’t resist a detour - and doesn’t want to pass this close to the famed Dartmoor without seeing it for herself. She’s heading for the spectacular Hound Tor- where she is invited to try a unique pastime that combines treasure hunting with hillwalking.
Letterboxing was devised on Dartmoor in the mid-19th century as a way for walkers to leave messages for each other and it’s since developed into an extremely popular local past time. Putting her faith in local Letterboxing lover Pat, and equipped with clues and a compass, Susan braves venomous snakes and doggedly follows the directions to make her first find.
Returning to the riviera, the sea is beckoning - and Susan joins a scallop-diving expedition. Here, she not only gets hold of a tasty local delicacy, but gets closer than she’s ever been to some other riviera visitors - a pod of dolphins. She finds the whole area is an inspiration - and lives out her very own “Orient Express” fantasy on the magnificent Dartmouth Steam Railway near where the great author Agatha Christie herself used to live.
With the sun shining, it’s no surprise that everyone seems to be drawn to the water so she heads seaward again - this time to the Royal Dart Yacht Club. Here, she is invited to join “Ladies Afloat” – a group set up over 20 years ago to encourage more women to sail.
But she is not there just to admire the view - today is a race day and Susan has been enlisted to help and is given the honour of starting the race with a honk of the horn! Now she must concentrate and make sure the honk is not too long, or too short…it’s more complicated than she might have thought.
Susan ends up at one of South Devon’s prettiest towns – Salcombe. The beautiful harbour and charming streets have made this friendly place a tourist magnet, but Susan’s destination is minutes away down the stunning Kingsbridge Estuary.
There’s no jetty at the spectacular South Sands beach so they use a Sea Tractor for the last leg of the journey. Said to be only one of two such vehicles in the entire country. Susan is invited to have a turn driving it. She’s not certain it’s the best idea with a crowded beach - but nonetheless, she manages to manoeuvre it in a straight line. Though, when it comes to the parking, she’ll leave that up to the expert!
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Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out exploring the English Riviera is on Channel 5 on Friday, February 4 at 8pm.
Susan got to see the best of Devon from land and sea. (Image: IWC Media)
