NARRATOR: Cumbria, from rocky peaks still guarded by Hadrian's Wall, to the wild coast, once conquered by Viking invaders.

I love it, and I always will.

This is our office.

NARRATOR: An untamed paradise that is a haven for wildlife and home to some of the hardiest farmers in Britain.

Life doesn't get much better than this.

A nice place to live and work and a lovely place to be.

NARRATOR: Boasting England's biggest lakes and highest mountains-- I just fell in love with it.

wahoo!

NARRATOR: A landscape carved by glaciers 20,000 years ago.

I think God created the universe, and then He decided to do a masterpiece.

NARRATOR: The Georgians made it their playground, and their traditions live on.

I've never seen anything like it.

I just couldn't leave.

NARRATOR: The slopes of extinct volcanoes plunge down to crystal-clear lakes that inspired poets like Wordsworth.

In this magnificent landscape, you can still wander lonely as a cloud or take the scenic route.

I've traveled all over the world, but you've got to pinch yourself.

You couldn't wish for anywhere nicer to live.

NARRATOR: These lakes hold centuries of secrets-- The things at the bottom of Lake Windermere could have been there for hundreds of years.

NARRATOR: --bottling magic for future generations.

All these guys were able to make the castle sustainable.

Don't really want to be the one that fails in that mission.

NARRATOR: Welcome to Cumbria, Lakes and Coast.

[bright music] Summer is working her magic across the Cumbrian landscape.

Tranquil lakes shimmer under the warm sun, and verdant hillsides are bathed in a golden glow.

Along the coastline, dramatic fells descend to Cumbria's southern shoreline, where they meet the 120 miles of Morecambe Bay.

It's fed by four major rivers and is a place of powerful currents and abundant wildlife.

The Cumbrian village of Flookburgh, just inland from the northern edge of the bay, is home to Michael Wilson.

Yes, we're going.

Come on.

Off we go.

Good girl.

NARRATOR: His family have worked on this bay for five generations.

MICHAEL WILSON: Do you want this one, Molly?

NARRATOR: Michael's expert knowledge has earned him an unusual second job by royal appointment.

I'm just checking the tractor over, ready for this day's work.

NARRATOR: It's Michael's responsibility to ensure the safety of all those enjoying the beauty of the bay.

MICHAEL WILSON: We take about 10,000 people across the bay a year.

It's just about the privilege of the job and the thrill it gives to people to see the bay from a different aspect.

NARRATOR: Michael's unique job as King's Guide to Morecambe Bay is a prestigious role with a long history.

There's been a King's Guide or Queen's Guide to the sands since 1548.

There's been 26 guides since Henry VIII, so I'm the 26th guide.

NARRATOR: By introducing this role, his majesty opened up the sands as a trade route, allowing safe passage through dangerous quicksands and treacherous tides between North Lancashire and Cumbria.

475 years later, the guide is still just as important, protecting visitors from the ever present dangers of this perilous bay.

The job suits Michael to a T and comes with the use of a farmhouse, plus a salary that's stuck in the 16th century.

They were traditionally paid 15 pounds a year, but it went up when I got the job to 20 pounds.

I'll invest it and become a millionaire, buy scratch cards.

That's it.

Good girl.

On you get.

Good girl.

NARRATOR: Today, Michael is preparing for one of his most challenging guides to date.

A group of 30 horses and riders will be taking to the sands tomorrow, many for the first time, for a five-mile gallop across a stretch of the bay that's only safe with Michael's guidance.

[truck engine running] We're just looking to make sure it's hard and safe for the horses to come tomorrow, which we know it is here now, so we're going to mark it so they can come here.

NARRATOR: The bay's notorious quicksands and its tides, which come from both directions and travel up to 10 miles per hour, can't be underestimated.

MICHAEL WILSON: Very dangerous out here with lots of disasters over the years from people with horses and carriages getting stuck in the bay and fatalities, but even the modern day incidents where there was the Chinese cocklers passed away sadly, about 20 years ago.

These laurel bushes, what we use, guides would traditionally take them out, cut them down, and mark a route, a safe route across the bay.

NARRATOR: These bushes will survive a high tide and are the same trees used since the 1500s.

MICHAEL WILSON: So put one of these in.

[lighthearted music] ♪ ♪ Just with all-- when we come over that hill over there, they'll know where to come to.

NARRATOR: The sand is something to be wary of.

But for Michael, it's also a place of wonder.

MICHAEL WILSON: It's a great privilege.

I mean, who else can work in an office like this?

NARRATOR: Everything is set for tomorrow's gallop on the bay, but Michael knows he must keep a tight rein on his first-timers.

[exciting music] MICHAEL WILSON: Well, you're dealing with animals, and animals in big open spaces can do unpredictable things, can't they?

A sleepless night tonight.

[laughs] [light music] NARRATOR: Away from the dramatic coastline, the lush green countryside gives route to an abundance of rich local produce.

No wonder Cumbria's chefs have more Michelin stars than any other region outside London.

But in the lakeside town of Windermere, a couple of culinary newcomers are spicing up the local food business.

Yeah, give me one of these baby carrots.

NARRATOR: Jeffrey and Charlie Schooler started their Jamaican street food stall five years ago, making use of the finest and freshest Cumbrian ingredients.

Got stuck there because this place was amazing.

I arrive on the lake and the walks and the hills, and, you know, I've never seen anything like it.

How beautiful it was, I just couldn't leave.

NARRATOR: Chef Jeffrey first came to the Lake District aged 23 on a placement from his college in Jamaica.

But it was more than just the foodie scene that captured his heart.

I went out one night with some of my friends, and we were in the club.

And, uh, this boy walked in and walked himself straight across the dance floor.

And I turned to my friend and I said, "Oh, see that boy.

I'm going to marry that boy one day."

NARRATOR: Local Cumbrian lass Charlie's wish eventually came true.

Together for over 20 years, their Jamaican street food van proudly celebrates the couple's contrasting Jamaican and Cumbrian roots.

And today, they've come to Keswick Market in search of ingredients for a brand new hybrid dish.

Ooh, ginger.

- Would ginger be nice in it?

- Yeah.

Yeah?

Ginger, coconut-- OK, sure.

NARRATOR: The couple are devising a new dish to showcase at one of Cumbria's biggest events, the Westmorland Show, which takes place in just four days' time.

It's a platform for the best produce Cumbria has to offer, such as the famous Cumberland sausage.

Jeffrey and Charlie will need all their culinary skills to compete with some of the region's top producers.

Oh.

Oh, it smells (SING-SONGY) like sunshine.

NARRATOR: The surrounding volcanic rock creates a strongly acidic soil, which allows a wide range of fruit and veg to thrive in this region.

I think we're going to go for some spring onions.

How many bunches of spring onions do you need?

Just one will be OK.

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: Yeah?

NARRATOR: The fusion dish reflects their two backgrounds and is a vegetable-based Cumbrian roots curry.

JEFFREY SCHOOLER: We're going to be using a lot of root veg in it.

And it just seems like a very souly word to use within it, you know, right?

NARRATOR: Yeah, soul food.

It's going to be soul food.

[lighthearted music] ♪ ♪ Maybe three of the sweet potatoes.

We'll add these to that as well.

Thank you.

Market is the best.

It is the best.

NARRATOR: With Jeffrey's Jamaican recipe and a bagful of beautiful local veg, they have all they need for a deliciously spicy curry.

My head is buzzing now.

I just want to get in the kitchen and get everything prepped and ready.

Ready, yeah.

Start cooking.

I can taste everything now guys.

NARRATOR: Jeffrey may have his ginger, sweet potatoes and turnip at the ready, but will his new vegetarian recipe pack enough punch to pull in the famously meat-loving punters at the show?

I am hoping it's going to be the perfect blend of Cumbria and the Caribbean.

[bright music] NARRATOR: Later, trail hounds take the lead in an exhilarating fell race.

I think she knows where she's going.

She's in front, but I, um, I don't think it'll last.

[laughs] NARRATOR: And the restoration of a classic boat is left hanging by a thread.

If this doesn't fit today, this is going to set us back weeks.

NARRATOR: The dramatic landscape of Cumbria provides an adrenaline-fueled playground for visiting thrill seekers, from mountaineering on its highest peaks to water sports on its lakes.

Deep in the heart of the county lies the stunningly beautiful Buttermere, one of Cumbria's smallest and most tranquil lakes.

But today, the sound of an unusual, centuries-old field sport is about to break the serene silence.

Yeah, they're a bit overexcited, aren't they?

Just out for a walk before-- before racing, and just stretch them out, warm their muscles up a little bit.

NARRATOR: Dog lover Sarah Harper is an avid follower of the competitive sport of hound trailing.

It's a family tradition that goes back three generations.

SARAH HARPER: It's something that I was kind of lucky enough to be born into, really.

I couldn't imagine life without them.

NARRATOR: Hound trailing first became an organized sport in the 18th century.

It's thought it originated when local farmers challenged each other to prove who had the fastest dog.

SARAH HARPER: When they're trailing, got to be really focused on their job.

NARRATOR: Today, Sarah is excited to be exploring a new course.

Three-year-old Rosie has been entered for a rugged five-mile race, which cuts across the steep valleys surrounding beautiful Buttermere.

Vikings and their hunting dogs settled in this valley in the 9th century.

And some say the lake is named after a Norse chieftain.

In any case, Rosie is continuing a tradition which may date back a thousand years.

So it'll be interesting to see how Rosie handles it.

Um, just going to, yeah, fingers crossed she can get onto the clean and running with them on the fell, and then hopefully, she'll drop down all right.

Um, and it's a nice, long, clean finish for her, which she does like.

NARRATOR: Before the race begins, trailers use rags doused in paraffin and aniseed to lay the trail for the hounds to follow.

With the race set and a quick pep talk from Sarah-- [dogs howling] --they're off.

[dogs barking] SARAH HARPER: She's gone out like a bat out of hell.

I think she knows where she's going.

She's in front, but I, um, I don't think it'll last.

[laughs] NARRATOR: The 19 hounds sprint through the dramatic moorland fields and fells.

[water splashing] [lighthearted music] ♪ ♪ SARAH HARPER: Where are we now?

We have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11-- 12th.

It's going OK so far.

Fingers crossed we'll keep it up.

NARRATOR: Lakelands' trail hounds have been bred over centuries for speed, stamina, and agility.

They run down treacherous tracks, often overgrown with bracken.

Just think it, you know, they're pretty amazing in what they do, really, taking on all sorts of terrain, jumping walls, crossing becks, streams, that kind of thing, and just purely love watching them race.

She had a really good start.

She had a few yards, dropped back to about fifth or sixth and then dropped back again.

[hounds barking] Thankfully, Rosie's kept high, her and a few others.

So she's back in front now.

Her and four others close behind.

Just hope she keeps it up.

NARRATOR: On the home straight, Rosie makes one last push to the finish line.

SARAH HARPER: Home, Rosie!

Here, Rosie!

Here, Rosie!

Hey Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie!

Hey Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie.

Good girl.

Good girl!

Hey, Tom.

Right, Tom.

SARAH HARPER: You're a soggy doggy.

NARRATOR: It's a photo finish.

So they're checking the camera.

I think she was maybe sixth, but I'm not sure.

NARRATOR: When the results come in, Rosie places eighth.

In an experienced field, it's a great result.

Really chuffed because it's against dogs that have run this venue, and they ran it a couple of weeks ago as well, so really happy with that, yeah.

NARRATOR: Win or lose, this competitive pack of canine Cumbrians will be continuing a local time-old tradition for many more years.

[water splashing, dogs barking] [light music] NARRATOR: Away from the abundant natural beauty of the Lake District National Park, Cumbria has a sprawling 116-mile coastline and a colorful maritime past.

The Georgian streets of Whitehaven on the west coast are a legacy of the days when 400 tall ships would be tied up at its quays.

Its wealth made it the target of a foreign invasion of Britain, when American revolutionary Admiral John Paul Jones landed here in 1778 looking for plunder.

These days, the cargo ships are gone, and it's a marina for modern leisure craft.

But one couple are doing their level best to keep its traditions, heritage, and skills alive.

WOMAN: Round here, you'll see some of the projects that we're currently working on, um, from small repairs and restorations, um, to the bigger projects.

NARRATOR: After long careers in the Navy and the maritime industry, husband and wife Mark and Julie Bestford started their own business in 2012, restoring and repairing classic older boats and yachts.

So far, Whitehaven has proved to be the perfect fit for the couple.

Being up in the Lake District and Whitehaven, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

MARK BESTFORD: I think what we love about Cumbria is the people are very friendly, very supportive.

The landscape and the surroundings, and for us, the coastal areas, would be hard to find to match around the UK.

NARRATOR: The new business is situated in a prominent position, on a dockside that has witnessed four centuries of history.

Once, sugar from the Caribbean and tobacco from America were landed here, while local coal was shipped to Ireland.

Determined to preserve maritime history, Mark and Julie's approach to boat building is to keep it as traditional as possible.

So we might use modern materials but traditional techniques and, um, and carrying that on and bringing Whitehaven, maybe not back to the size and shape it was, but certainly bringing back boat building, boat launching, and the interest of the local people as well.

NARRATOR: Owners travel hundreds of miles to bring their precious vessels for repair, like their latest project, a classic Swedish yacht.

JULIE BESTFORD: She's a Vindo 50.

She's 34.9 foot long, and, um, she came to us in a very poor state.

She has literally been stripped right the way back, starting from the bottom, working all the way to the top.

NARRATOR: When she arrived here, the yacht's sleek hull was battered and her wooden deck faded and scratched.

There's very little that actually hasn't been replaced or been reused to try and keep her authenticity as a classic-looking boat.

NARRATOR: The hull may have been rebuilt, but the boat is still without a working engine.

And with the vessel due to be returned to its owner in just four weeks, the pressure is on to see if this yacht can tick over again.

Marine engineer Gary is lending a hand.

JULIE BESTFORD: If this doesn't fit today or there are major alignment problems, this is going to set us back weeks, several weeks?

GARY LEWIS: Right.

NARRATOR: Because we're looking at remeasuring, aren't we?

If that were the case.

GARY LEWIS: Yes.

The moment of truth.

JULIE BESTFORD: Yes.

NARRATOR: The new engine needs to be carefully winched down onto its bearers.

JULIE BESTFORD: OK, it's coming down over the thread.

Yep, that's gone on.

GARY LEWIS: Front one's on as well now.

[sighs deeply] Ah, that's brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant.

Oh, what a relief.

Today is a good day.

GARY LEWIS: It is a good day.

Yeah.

NARRATOR: But the real test will come when the boat takes to the water.

It's a lot of work, no getting away from that.

Yeah, we'll get-- NARRATOR: Can Mark and Julie pull off this maritime mission and get the boat back on the water again?

[bright music] From Buttermere to Windermere, Cumbria's breathtaking beauty provides a feast for all the senses.

In their home kitchen, street food entrepreneurs Jeffrey and wife Charlie are masterminding a new dish combining chef Jeffrey's Jamaican culinary talents with fresh Cumbrian vegetables.

In just four days, they'll be testing out their new veggie curry recipe at one of the county's premier events, the Westmorland Show.

I'm really nervous.

I'm buzzing for it, really.

[laughing] Going to the Westmorland Show is such a big opportunity.

We can't miss it out.

No, we can't.

It's got to be good, for sure.

NARRATOR: By fine tuning their Cumbrian roots curry and packing it with local veg, they're hoping to bowl over the crowds.

I would say the quality of the produce in Cumbria, it's more-- way better than a lot of places.

The soil here produce a lot of good stuff.

I will do the swede.

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: I'm really still not sure about the swede.

It's a bit hard, but if you have the right knife and technique, that should be OK.

NARRATOR: But curry wouldn't be curry without a spicy kick.

You know, a lot of people are scared of Scotch Bonnet, but you don't need to be.

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: No.

JEFFREY SCHOOLER: They are the best chili.

Yeah, because they're really flavorsome, aren't they, rather than-- They're not just going to burn your head off.

Ooh, that's really nice.

- Can you taste the ginger?

- I can.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

It's really, really nice!

NARRATOR: It may be a winner with the couple, but in a region that famously named the Cumberland sausage after its birthplace, will Jeffrey's all-vegetable curry cut the mustard with carnivorous Cumbrians?

Here we go.

Yummy!

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: Looks great.

It needs to be really, really good for them to go ahead and try that, so-- - Yeah.

Yeah, there's a little bit of pressure on that.

We need it to be worthwhile.

It needs to be good, for sure.

NARRATOR: To taste test the recipe, they've invited best friends, fellow chef Dex and wife Sonia, over to act as guinea pigs.

- Hmm, the smell.

- Can't wait to dig in.

JEFFREY SCHOOLER: Enjoy.

Nice.

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: It's really nice.

DEX: Mm.

SONIA: It's delicious.

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: It is nice.

- It's so lovely.

- Oh, it's so rich, innit?

JEFFREY SCHOOLER: Yeah.

- Yeah.

DEX: Bring it all together, yeah.

Wow!

No way veg can taste so good.

SONIA: Mm.

DEX: Wow.

Tell me what you think about the meal.

DEX: You know what-- Like, honestly.

I'm going to be honest, yeah?

That was absolutely delicious.

So do you think this is good to go for Westmoreland Show as it is, then?

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

I hope Cumbria have enough vegetables.

[laughter] Because you're going to need it, yeah.

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: Yeah.

NARRATOR: The show will offer the ideal opportunity to expand their customer base.

But will the couple's gamble on a new veggie dish tingle the taste buds of the locals?

[bright music] Later, it's all hands on deck preparing for one of Europe's biggest lantern festivals.

So there is a bit of a reputation to hopefully maintain, which is also a bit scary.

NARRATOR: And the King's Guide leads the way for a risky gallop on the sands.

Come on!

Come on!

Gather up.

NARRATOR: Away from the country life, along Cumbria's southern coast, lies an impressive natural wonder.

When the tide turns in Morecambe bay each day, a seven-mile plain of intertidal sand and mud flats is revealed, the largest of its kind in the UK.

The resulting landscape of channels, quicksands, and tidal races is simply unique and stretches all the way to the north Lancashire coast.

And one man knows it better than anyone else.

MICHAEL WILSON: This is Charlie.

Charlie's very good, and he was the last guide's horse.

NARRATOR: Michael's special position as King's Guide means he provides safe passage across these unpredictable sands, which were once a busy byway for traders.

MICHAEL WILSON: Horses were obviously used from the part of Lancaster to carry goods across the sands.

And it took them an extra three days to go around by land.

But they found that they were getting mugged up in the hills up there, so they decided that they were taking risks and going across the sands with the horses and carts.

It's well-documented that they were getting into trouble and drowning themselves and having mishaps.

So Henry VIII appointed the guides, and that's what I am, one of them.

NARRATOR: Today, Michael faces one of his most challenging guides to date, a group of 30 frisky horses and their excited riders.

It's not something that you can get to do every day, you know, ride your horse across the sand.

Um, you know, it's sort of every child's dream, I think, is to be able to gallop down the sand into the water.

NARRATOR: This route is only open to them because of Michael.

Without him, this patch of unspoilt beauty would be too dangerous to cross safely because of the risk of quicksand and an ever changing tide.

He lives and breathes the sand, you know.

So it's not-- you wouldn't be in a safer hands than Michael, you know.

And it's just not worth the risk going without him.

NARRATOR: With all eyes on Michael, it's essential everything goes smoothly.

Animals can be very unpredictable.

Some of them have never obviously been out on the bay before.

They've never been in water before.

So you never know quite how they're going to react.

ORGANIZER: You cannot overtake the guide at any time.

Michael will inform you when it's safe to gallop and when not to.

NARRATOR: After a safety briefing, it's time to-- Come on!

Come on!

Gather up, we're ready to go.

NARRATOR: --have some fun.

[tractor engine roars] [light music] [horses galloping] ♪ ♪ MICHAEL WILSON: If you want to go around in a circle, Sarah.

SARAH: OK.

Go out in a circle.

Out in a circle, round in to the top of the water and down the water, if they want to.

NARRATOR: The group have a tight window to do a loop of the bay before the risk of being caught by the incoming tide becomes too great.

We're out in the middle of the bay.

They've got to some water to play in.

The horses are having a play.

They're going to have a canter around now and then come running down the water, so-- so, yeah, we'll say everything's going well.

NARRATOR: Michael's familiarity with the bay means the dangerous sands are turned into a safe but thrilling playground for horse and rider alike.

[water splashing] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This is all what the organization's all about.

We eventually got them all out here.

They've had a run up and down into some water.

Yeah, everything's going well.

[exciting music] ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: After an exhilarating ride out, it's time to return to the safety of dry land.

Oh, it was very good.

I couldn't ask for anything better.

Everyone's back, everyone's had a good time, yeah.

A great event and a great time had by all.

It's such a tradition.

It should be kept alive.

It should be kept alive.

The bay is open to everyone to enjoy.

NARRATOR: By continuing the ancient role of the King's Guide, Michael will ensure that the public enjoy the glorious expanse of Morecambe sands safely and for many more years to come.

I'm going to go home, put everything to bed and have a nice bath and a rest.

[bright music] NARRATOR: Further up the coast, the incoming tide from the glistening waters of the Irish Sea punctuates life in Whitehaven.

Ever since the quay was first built in 1634, generations here have earned a living from the sea.

And today, boat-building husband and wife team Mark and Julie are waiting for high water with bated breath.

Coupling's all done up, ready to test the engine.

So fingers crossed, everything should be watertight.

NARRATOR: In the quayside shed, Mark and Julie are on a mission to bring boat building back to the area.

It's a privilege to be working in the trade, in the footsteps of traditional boat builders who built craft on the banks of this harbor.

NARRATOR: This classic 50-year-old Swedish yacht is one of the most ambitious restoration projects Mark and Julie have tackled.

She's almost ready to be handed back to her owner.

But first, she needs to be hoisted back into the water to see whether she floats or floods.

So we won't know until she hits that water as to whether everything is OK.

So it is-- it's an exciting day, but it's also tense and nerve-wracking.

NARRATOR: This is a huge milestone.

It's the first time the yacht's seen the light of day in over a year, and a lot has changed since it first arrived.

Quite emotional.

It hits home how much work's been done by everybody.

She looks absolutely gorgeous.

[chuckles] She looks beautiful.

NARRATOR: The new look yacht is gingerly lowered 10 meters down to sea level.

But is she watertight?

Everything OK, Gary?

GARY LEWIS: We have a couple of small leaks.

What?

Bit of a leak.

So Mark's just going down to give Gary some support.

How's it looking?

GARY LEWIS: Pretty good.

MARK BESTFORD: It's been out of the water for 18 months, got all new fittings, so yeah, we expect a few drips.

NARRATOR: It's nothing a spanner and a bit of sealant can't fix.

[exciting music] After 14 long months, all that's left to do is a quick polish and a clean.

Everybody's worked so hard to get her where she is today.

So without the whole team here at Whitehaven, we probably wouldn't be sitting here now.

I will be sad to see her go, but also, I'm proud of what we have achieved, and we've been able to give her, the yacht, another lease of life.

NARRATOR: It's been a mammoth effort, but Mark and Julie have really gone overboard lovingly restoring this stylish yacht.

The teak wood interior has been renovated, and the dilapidated decking has been replaced.

She looks stunning.

Yeah.

She does.

Yeah.

JUST BESTFORD: She's all-- she is beautiful.

She will turn many eyes.

NARRATOR: With the yacht safely trussed up and lifted onto its trailer, it's another boat ready to be delivered back to its owner.

JULIE BESTFORD: She's on.

She's there.

She's ready to go and make her journey.

Yep.

NARRATOR: And it's another step forward for Whitehaven.

JULIE BESTFORD: The boat building history of Whitehaven, it's fabulous.

And the fact that we're bringing boats now to Whitehaven boat yard that have a history of their own, so that's what makes it so special.

NARRATOR: With another yacht returned to the sea, Mark and Julie will continue to follow in the wake of the shipbuilders, seafarers and merchants, who put Whitehaven on the nautical map back in the heyday of sail.

[bright music] NARRATOR: Cumbria's social calendar is packed with exciting and colorful festivals, drawing in thousands to vibrant celebrations of community and the human spirit.

Ulverston, on the southern coast, is no different.

The picturesque market town is bursting with life, which was a big draw for church pastor Mervyn Bedford when he relocated here six years ago.

I was born in Devon and moved to Cumbria in 2017.

I moved up with my wife and three teenage daughters, and it was a huge move for us.

I have to say, we really love Cumbria.

Cumbria is a beautiful place.

The mountains, the lakes are stunning, but also the community in Ulverston is so friendly and vibrant.

NARRATOR: Ulverston's most celebrated social event is its spectacular lantern festival, and it's Mervyn's personal highlight.

First staged 40 years ago, it's one of the biggest of its kind in Europe.

The lantern parade is a huge event in Ulverston.

Thousands and thousands of people turn out.

The streets are packed, chock-a-block of people.

NARRATOR: For the fifth year running, Mervyn has brought his local church group together again and will be leading them to construct what they hope will be a show-stopping lantern.

With this year's festival just two days away, it's all hands on deck to create a masterpiece.

This year feels a bit pressurized, because last year, we did make a Titanic that went down really, really well.

So there is a bit of a reputation to hopefully maintain, which is also a bit scary.

NARRATOR: With time running out before parade day-- Here is our grasshopper!

NARRATOR: The team jump into action.

Wow.

MERVYN BEDFORD: Thank you so much for coming, and tonight, our mission is to paper it.

[crowd whooping] NARRATOR: PVA glue is mixed with green food coloring and pasted onto layers of tissue paper.

MAN: That's it.

Nice and steady.

WOMAN: There we go.

[lighthearted music] ♪ ♪ Freddie, just stick that.

Here, what about right on his face?

Yeah.

MERVYN BEDFORD: That would be good.

Stick it there, and I'll tuck it in there, and that'll hold it.

FREDDIE: Yay!

MERVYN BEDFORD: Brilliant.

Good work.

FREDDIE: You need to connect.

NARRATOR: The six-meter long frame of the grasshopper has been constructed out of canes, which will now be covered over with layer upon layer of paper and glue.

Just trying to get rid of few of the bigger wrinkles.

NARRATOR: The festival has been bringing locals together since the '80s in an attempt to illuminate the streets as the dark nights draw in.

MAN 1: It's really nice to see the whole community come out.

It's a whole town event, and, yeah, it's just beautiful to see.

The legs will get a big reaction, I think.

MERVYN BEDFORD: Hopefully, I think we're going to make it.

It's a bit touch and go.

It's getting quite close to the wire now, a couple of days to go.

But I think we're nearly there.

MAN 2: Well, I think that'll do for this evening.

MERVYN BEDFORD: Yeah, I think we're there for tonight.

NARRATOR: But will their finished piece be good enough to light up Ulverston's lantern festival and better last year's design?

Later, Jeffrey and Charlie cook up a feast.

This is the perfect blend of Cumbria-Jamaican stylee.

Love it.

NARRATOR: And Mervyn and Co's giant grasshopper leaps into action.

Only about two more miles of this.

[laughs] NARRATOR: From across the region, crowds are descending on the village of Crooklands for the much-anticipated annual Westmorland Show.

Over two days, around 40,000 eager festival goers come to watch field sports-- [applause] --and to sample the very best food that Cumbria has to offer.

JEFFREY SCHOOLER: Sun's shining, which we did ask for, so they delivered.

It's my turn now.

[laughs] NARRATOR: It's a huge opportunity for Jeffrey and Charlie to promote their Jamaican street food business and test out a brand new dish, their Cumbrian root curry.

This is a perfect blend of Cumbria-Jamaican stylee.

Love it.

CHARLIE SCHOOLER: Today is super important to us as a business.

Having a brand new dish is-- you know, it's pulling at those nerves for me, and I just hope everyone really likes it.

NARRATOR: The biggest challenge today is to see if Cumbrian carnivores can be persuaded to take a gamble on something veggie.

I'm hoping even the people that come just for our jerk chicken every single time will give it a try.

[playful music] Two chicken, Damien!

NARRATOR: The chicken is selling well, but so far, there are few takers for the veggie curry.

Got about 50, 60 portion here.

Hopefully, we will sell all of that.

NARRATOR: The new dish's tantalizing smell starts to work its magic.

MAN 1: I'm kind of speechless by how good it is.

[laughs] The Cumbrian roots curry.

WOMAN 1: That'll be mine.

- That's lovely.

- Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Enjoy!

It's great to see that Cumbrian cuisine's been mixed with something a bit more-- something less usual for this area.

There you go, my love.

Is that what you wanted, like that?

Yeah.

Just by themselves?

Do you want any jerk gravy?

[lighthearted music] ♪ ♪ MAN 2: I don't think it needs meat to be delicious.

Like, it's just got everything.

I don't think it really needs it.

It's just perfect the way it is, really.

NARRATOR: With all portions nearly sold out, the couple's veggie gamble has paid off handsomely.

Definitely a good day, yeah.

Definitely a good day with this curry.

I think I'll be keeping it on the menu.

[bright music] - Yeah?

- That was good, innit?

Yeah.

[laughs] NARRATOR: Today has been a triumph, proving Jeffrey's Jamaican cooking style fused with Cumbria's freshest produce is a sure recipe for success.

It's gone down really, really well.

It worked out.

So it does work out.

A bit like you and me.

Yeah, it's a bit, yeah.

Works.

Mix and match, but there's something there.

[laughs] Match made in heaven.

[laughing] [bright music] NARRATOR: The Westmorland Show is just one of many events that feature in Cumbria's social calendar.

Colorful festivals bring together communities across the region.

In the market town of Ulverston, the streets are abuzz with excitement because today is the town's spectacular annual lantern festival.

Shall we put this next leg on?

MAN: Yep.

- OK.

Leg, on everyone.

NARRATOR: Church pastor Mervyn has successfully spearheaded the construction of a gigantic grasshopper, with a group of willing volunteers just in time for the parade.

Is that right, everybody?

WOMAN 1: Down a bit.

Down a bit?

That looks good.

And it's kind of looking up towards the right, isn't it?

Yeah, like it's thinking.

NARRATOR: Team Grasshopper are hoping their six-legged lantern will match last year's entry and stand out amongst the thousand other designs.

MERVYN BEDFORD: It was great fun last year, going through with the Titanic that split in the middle and hearing the crowds kind of cheer as it went by.

But that's put a bit of pressure on us to hopefully deliver something else.

The second knee joint.

Poked a hole through it.

MERVYN BEDFORD: That nice and loose still?

Yep.

Good to go.

NARRATOR: They're off.

But getting this impressive-looking insect to walk the walk could take some coordination.

[man shouting instructions] MERVYN BEDFORD: You walk on three steps, one, two, three, and we jump.

Jump!

WOMAN 2: We leap it on three?

- One, two, three-- MAN: I don't think that's not going to work, is it?

MERVYN BEDFORD: Two, three, jump.

That's it.

MAN: Yeah, you just got to do that for the next three hours.

MERVYN BEDFORD: Two, three, jump!

Yeah.

[lively music] NARRATOR: The excitement builds as 8,000 visitors lined the streets.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's go!

We're off.

Here we go.

NARRATOR: What started out as a parade with just 100 people 40 years ago now attracts huge crowds coming together in a celebration of community spirit.

Yes, it's good fun.

Only about two more miles of this.

[laughs] NARRATOR: As darkness falls, the parade builds into something truly magical.

Morale is high.

We're keeping everybody happy, and we're all absolutely loving it.

Being behind the drums, seeing all the people smiling, really good.

I'm having to go up as well, to get over the crowd, I think.

Oh, up we go.

Whoa!

NARRATOR: The grasshopper lantern is a smash hit.

I'm delighted with how well the grasshopper has performed.

I think we've delivered a pretty good show for the people as we went by.

It was lovely just to hear the laughter, the smiles, and the appreciation.

Just been lovely for the community to come together and to enjoy making this.

Yeah, I'm on a real high, and it'll take a couple of days, I think, for the adrenaline to come out of my system.

[laughs] NARRATOR: The lanterns have lit up the streets of Ulverston, bringing people together from far and wide.

It's been a breathtakingly beautiful celebration of Cumbria at its very best.

[fireworks exploding] [crowd shouting] Next time, a local craftsman is tasked with restoring a jewel in Cumbria's crown.

We are against the clock, and the deadline is get this done before the weather turns.

MAN: Come on.

NARRATOR: It's all hands on deck at a family farm in Appleby.

WOMAN: They love milking time, and if we're late, they tell you off.

They stood at the gates.

They're blaring to be milked.

NARRATOR: And it's the biggest day of the year at the oldest topiary garden in the world.

To give this the right clip, I need to get to within millimeter accuracy of last year's old cuts.

The whole garden has to be just right, just perfect.

[lighthearted music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪