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

WOMAN: 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.

MAN: 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.

Woo!

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.

MAN: 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.

Through 2,000 years of history, Cumbria has seen castles and fortresses rise and fall, from the Romans to the Roundheads, the turbulent past of Britain has played out on these battle-worn ramparts.

Standing defiantly on the fells of the Western Lake District, with commanding views over the Irish Sea, is a monumental survivor, Muncaster Castle.

It's the home of the Pennington family and has been since 1208.

Over here, we have my grandmother and my grandfather and so on.

It continues until we've got 14 or 15 generations back.

NARRATOR: 33-year-old Ewan grew up in this most grandiose of stately homes after his mother took over the management of the estate from her grandfather in the 1980s.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: I've been born and raised in Cumbria and this is home.

And it has what I think is understated in terms of how special it is.

Wonderful for us as children growing up here.

NARRATOR: As well as being an opulent family home, the castle is a top tourist attraction too.

HOST: Get ready to duck, far side.

Well done.

NARRATOR: After 40 years running the estate, Ewan's parents Iona and Peter, are passing on the day to day management of their castle and gardens to their son.

IONA FROST-PENNINGTON: It is an awful lot of responsibility, looking after it and owning it.

It's in charge.

I don't think we're in charge of it.

NARRATOR: Muncaster has always had to evolve to ensure the survival of its owners.

The first castle was built here in the lawless 13th century, when the infamous border reivers roamed these hills, raiding any home that wasn't fortified.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: Originally, the castle was very much built as a fortification and a defensive building.

These other parts have then been built on, as each generation has come in and wanted to put their own spin, add to it, and changing with the times.

NARRATOR: Maintaining this 800-year-old building comes at a cost.

Now, Ewan must come up with fresh ideas to keep visitors coming.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: It needs constant investment to make sure that we're able to keep this beautiful castle standing, and that it's preserved for future generations.

NARRATOR: In a bid to successfully follow in the footsteps of his forefathers, Ewan has a plan.

He wants to offer exclusive stays in the castle with a private fine dining experience as the centerpiece and access to rooms previously shut off to visitors.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: Growing up, I would never use these rooms.

So first 18 years of my life when I lived here, we would only ever use the grand dining room when it was Christmas time.

It's almost a crime that these rooms have been empty 99.9% of the time when they were designed to be having fantastic dinners, and that's what they should be used for.

NARRATOR: These rooms will soon be the setting for a fabulous feast, when a travel advisor and her family from America come to stay, commencing with a top chef serving up an extravagant five-course meal.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: Obviously adds to that, kind of, pressure element that all these guys were able to make the castle sustainable.

Can you do it?

NARRATOR: With guests traveling 4,500 miles to get here, Ewan will need to make sure it's a trip to remember.

[lively music] ♪ ♪ Between the rolling Cumbrian fells and the forbidding Pennine peaks of North Yorkshire lies the Eden Valley, a lush green vale of drystone walls and picture-perfect farms.

In the center of the valley is Ainstable, home to a family farm with a difference.

- Come on then.

- Come on.

Yay!

CRAIG KERR: [chuckle] BARBARA HETHERINGTON: They're coming.

They're here now.

CRAIG KERR: There they are.

They're coming now.

There you go, Tobes.

Well done.

NARRATOR: Barbara Hetherington and her family have been breeding award-winning alpacas for nearly 15 years.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: Currently, I have 220 alpacas.

Somehow we went from 6 to over 200 in 14 years.

NARRATOR: Barbara's a former nurse.

She fell in love with these South American herd animals, which are more at home in the Andes, after a holiday in Peru.

With 50 acres of rolling hills, the farm has been the perfect home for them since they arrived.

KID: What's this one called?

CRAIG KERR: The amaretto one, is it?

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: I'm very, very lucky.

Very lucky to be doing something in such a nice place, you know, in the Eden Valley with beautiful alpacas.

And there's never a day when you don't want to go to work.

It's got to be up there, hasn't it?

It's the best job in the world.

NARRATOR: Barbara has carved out a successful career breeding and showing these characterful animals and producing the finest alpaca fleece.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: I always feel quite proud when I walk in this room because these are just some of our sashes.

And we get these when you get a championship at a show.

It's telling me that my breeding ideas and my breeding goals are being achieved and recognized.

That's what it's about.

Ho, girl.

NARRATOR: With a colorful career behind her, Barbara is now ready to leave the sashes hanging on the wall and retire.

And preparing to take up the reins is son-in-law Craig Kerr.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: Yes, son-in-law and mother-in-law, typically, they don't get along, do they?

Wasn't the one necessarily I was thinking when he went that direction, but-- I've chosen Boy Rebel.

OK.

NARRATOR: Barbara has built up her pedigree herd by carefully pairing alpacas for breeding and she's trying to pass her matchmaking skills onto Craig.

CRAIG KERR: Come on then, you.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: Right.

Delphi think you've made the right decision anyway.

She's ready and waiting.

- She's ready.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: [chuckle] CRAIG KERR: Come on in.

Good lad.

Just move that down.

[ogling] BARBARA HETHERINGTON: Rebel's one of the best oglers on the farm.

We call that noise they make ogling.

And they have to make that noise in order for the female to ovulate.

NARRATOR: Alpacas mate for up to 20 minutes, but only time will tell if love was in the air.

Hopefully, with a little bit of luck, they've taken.

Yeah.

We'll know in a couple of weeks and see what happens.

NARRATOR: With an 11-month gestation period, it'll be a while before this herd starts to grow.

In the meantime, Craig has his own ideas on how to expand this business.

Moving forward, we're looking to bring public onto the farm just to share what we've, kind of, got in the Eden Valley.

So the idea is that we'll bring people onto the farm, have the alpaca experiences.

NARRATOR: In a few days, Craig will be taking a group of visitors on his first alpaca trek across the Eden Valley.

Down and down.

NARRATOR: Alpacas are known for their unpredictable nature.

What are you doing?

NARRATOR: Craig can only hope his herd keep in line.

That shouldn't have happened.

[chuckle] NARRATOR: Or he may be offering a refund to his first paying customers.

Later, preparations are underway as Ewan polishes up his best silverware.

I'm putting my neck on the line.

It looks more intimidating now that there's even more cutlery either side.

NARRATOR: And experts try to uncover Lake Windermere's sunken secrets.

The lake's really murky.

You just don't know what you're going to find.

NARRATOR: The breathtaking peaks of Cumbria have been sculpted out of volcanic rock over hundreds of millions of years.

Geological processes have created smooth, U-shaped valleys and steep ridges, England's highest mountain and deepest and longest lakes.

As well as a landscape of unmatched beauty, nature has also blessed Lakeland with a very acidic soil, allowing a wide range of fresh produce to thrive here.

The abundance of locally-produced ingredients is what makes this county really stand out from the culinary crowd.

In the town of Kendal, on the Southern edge of the Lake District, it's an early start for local lad Harry Jackson.

It's just great.

It's peaceful.

I mean, you can't really beat it for scenery, especially in the UK.

It's just a magical place.

NARRATOR: Harry runs the family business, Winter Tarn Dairy, which supplies locally-produced Cumbrian butter, to top class restaurants and eateries throughout the county.

HARRY JACKSON: Hi Tom.

You all right?

TOM: All right.

How are you doing?

Nice to see you again.

Here's delivery.

So what's it going into this week?

Goes on our scallop dish.

HARRY JACKSON: Oh, lovely.

I'll do like a scallop.

- Perfect.

Thank you.

NARRATOR: Back in Kendal, where the family business is based, butter making is a genuine cottage industry.

We've got Jeremy, my father, Tricia, my mother, and Rob as well.

Still completely family.

Makes some things slower, some things faster.

Harry does this twice as fast as me.

HARRY JACKSON: I get to see my parents every day.

And it's just great to all get to work together and work towards something.

NARRATOR: It's the company's other workforce that Harry reckons is their secret ingredient.

Cumbria's cows offer a daily delivery of creamy milk right on their doorstep.

We're blessed up in Cumbria to have some good dairy herds, good produce.

So why not?

NARRATOR: The family already produces over a thousand kilos of butter a week, but ambitious Harry has his eye on an even bigger prize.

A renowned Cumbrian baker, Aidan Monks, has requested a sample of a specialist type of butter to give his authentic French-style croissant that je ne sais quoi.

In making croissants, the type or the quality of the butter is very important for the lamination of the dough.

If it's too wet, it won't work.

NARRATOR: Eager to impress this potential new client, Harry has been working hard to perfect the recipe.

HARRY JACKSON: So what we're doing is we're pressing more water out to improve the fat content so it increases the flavor because the flavor's in the fat.

NARRATOR: It's not only the flavor but the unique texture of the new fattier butter that is essential in the process of croissant making.

This is the finished product.

now.

So there we've got a kilo of about 84% fat unsalted butter ready to produce into pastries.

NARRATOR: Tomorrow is an important day.

Harry's new butter is heading to Aidan's bakery to see if it passes the taste test.

If he wins Aidan's seal of approval, Harry could bag himself a big contract for 70 kilos a week.

Can Harry's butter rise to the challenge?

[soft music] At the heart of the Lake District is magnificent Windermere, England's largest lake, stretching across 11 glorious miles.

But beneath the lake's glistening surface lies sunken secrets, which could throw a new light on Windermere's little known claim to fame as the birthplace of the modern seaplane.

At the Hill of Oaks on the eastern shore of Windermere, local historian and pilot Ian Gee is on a mission.

IAN GEE: Very few people know about what was going on here.

It is really so very special.

Windermere was the hub for military and civil seaplanes.

NARRATOR: Ian wants to shine a spotlight on Waterbird, the first aircraft in UK history to make a successful flight from water.

It took off from Windermere on the 25th of November, 1911.

Waterbird comes into existence to prove that aeroplanes are able to fly from water.

So in terms of world aviation history, it is up there at the very beginning.

NARRATOR: Ian is the leader of the team that built and flew a replica of Waterbird.

He's now on the hunt for a lost barge, which he thinks was once used to transport Britain's first seaplane across the lake.

IAN GEE: We can see here what I assume is a Royal Naval Air Service officer sitting on the edge.

NARRATOR: He's turning back the clock to an all but forgotten era when future prime minister Winston Churchill personally promoted Windermere as a test bed for seaplanes.

He even overruled local critics, including children's author Beatrix Potter, who complained about the noise.

Ian believes he's on the verge of discovering the last missing relic of Churchill's pet project.

IAN GEE: I'm looking for the remains, the fittings, and to be able to confirm its identity.

NARRATOR: Churchill was the first lord of admiralty then, and was convinced seaplanes could give the Royal Navy the ability to see enemy ships over the horizon.

Right.

Cheers.

NARRATOR: Helping Ian in his quest is Rachel from a Cumbrian-based engineering company who specialize in sonar.

RACHEL READER: It's not often that you get invited to be part of things like this in your own community.

So the fact that we're able to bring our equipment down and hopefully be a part of that, yeah, it's really great.

NARRATOR: A wreck that Ian thinks is the Waterbird barge has been spotted by a diver.

Now all Rachel's team need to do is pinpoint its exact location so another dive team can go down and establish whether it's the same barge featured in Ian's newspaper article.

RACHEL READER: So today, we're going to be using a side scan sonar.

It's towed off the back of the boat and it will emit acoustic pulses one from this side, one from this side.

They're at about a 45-degree angle.

So as they travel down, they'll bounce from the seabed and reflect back up.

The lake's really murky.

You just don't know what you're going to find.

The things at the bottom of Lake Windermere could have been there for hundreds of years.

NARRATOR: And with 5 and 1/2 square miles of Windermere to scan, this might take some time.

IAN GEE: I do so hope we can find something in the debris field that's more than just mere bottles.

NARRATOR: Can Ian and the team find a lost relic of Edwardian Windermere?

[gentle music] ♪ ♪ To the West of Cumbria, where the mountains meet the sea, there's a wave of optimism in the air.

At Muncaster Castle, Ewan and his team are busy preparing for their first private dining experience.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: How is it going?

NARRATOR: An international travel advisor from America and her family will be staying in the castle.

The highlight of their visit will be an elaborate feast with the Pennington family.

It's a move that Ewan hopes will open up a new market for this Cumbrian landmark.

Well, what do you think?

Yeah, I think it's looking awesome.

I think it looks absolutely brilliant.

Even you're looking good, Murray.

Well, thank you very much.

Flattery will get you everywhere.

NARRATOR: Maintaining a piece of Cumbrian history is costly, but hosting guests could help fill the castle's coffers.

So today is the big day that we've been preparing for.

And a really big day for me personally because I'm putting my neck on the line.

NARRATOR: Today's guests are traveling 4,500 miles from Dallas, Texas, for this exclusive experience, and it could result in further bookings.

Mom Iona is on hand to make sure everything meets her satisfaction.

The expert is here.

IONA FROST-PENNINGTON: What have we got?

What are we having?

So for first course, we're having spiced loin of lamb.

Right.

HANNAH: Then we're having heritage tomato salad.

Right.

Then roast sirloin of beef, and then traditional sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

And then we are having tea and coffee.

IONA FROST-PENNINGTON: Call me albeit extremely picky, but that in theory should be like that.

HANNAH: OK.

- OK.

If you want it that way.

HANNAH: Is that how you want it?

That's how you should have it.

That's the-- Well, that's how we'll have it then.

OK.

And you should have those straight.

NARRATOR: This is the first time the Pennington family have opened up their home and shared the dining room with the paying public.

Hopefully, the lessons that we learn from this won't be painful lessons but will be ones that just allow us to continue improving and ultimately get more money to be able to protect the castle and the heritage, which is, as ever, always on the line.

I think we need our standards to be high this evening so it's good that we're raising the bar.

Every time you look, you spot something different, don't you?

IONA FROST-PENNINGTON: I think it looks grand.

HANNAH: It does.

It looks lovely.

Round about.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: It looks more intimidating now that there's even more cutlery either side.

MURRAY: [chuckle] NARRATOR: This event is Ewan's chance to shine and prove to his family that he's got what it takes to keep this castle going for another century.

Everybody has really pulled out the stops and done a lot of work to make this happen.

So really hoping everything goes well and we haven't missed anything.

Everyone feeling confident?

Good luck.

- Yes.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: See you on the other side.

- We can do this.

- Hope they're nice.

[laugh] EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: Oh, so smooth, Dad.

Smile.

IONA FROST-PENNINGTON: This is totally bizarre.

[chuckle] Don't you think it's a bit too weird?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, this is a bit weird.

NARRATOR: With the castle fit for a king, will tonight's guests be made to feel like royalty?

Later, it's kidding time at a family farm in Appleby.

CHRIS MCPHEE: There's a foot there, there's another foot there, and the nose is just there.

NARRATOR: And beneath Lake Windermere's sparkling surface history is revealed.

RACHEL READER: [gasp] There it is.

There.

That's it.

IAN GEE: Yes, you can see the skeleton of it.

NARRATOR: The varied landscape of Cumbria offers visitors some of Britain's most breathtaking scenery, from serene ribbons of water to jagged mountains.

On the rolling fells, the farming calendar ticks by season by season.

[pig grunts] Near Appleby in Westmorland, it's kidding time at Hattie McPhee's farm.

[goat bleats] It's one of the most picturesque places.

We are so lucky.

NARRATOR: Hattie and her husband Chris are custodians of this sprawling 230-acre farm.

It's a dream job for this pair, but it's 24/7 caring for nearly 700 animals.

And with kidding season in full swing, Hattie and Chris need to keep a close watch on their 35 pregnant goats.

HATTIE MCPHEE: New life is always wonderful on the farm.

It brings another layer of mentalness to the day-to-day farming routine.

So this one is really close to her due date.

She's had enough.

She's got a huge bag.

You've got your own birthing ball, haven't you, underneath there?

NARRATOR: Provided there are no complications, the goats can give birth on their own.

And Hattie will only play midwife if one of her mums is in trouble.

CHRIS MCPHEE: Trying to make herself comfortable, which I can imagine would be pretty hard.

I've never experienced childbirth, but I can't imagine it's fun.

Bless her.

[laugh] She needs some gas and air like Harriet had.

[laugh] It's hard to make the call, really, but I'm just watching now.

And she's pushing, but she's not really getting anywhere.

NARRATOR: With progress slow, Chris offers a helping hand-- Should just sit and keep pushing.

NARRATOR: To make sure both mom and kid are comfortable.

CHRIS MCPHEE: There's a foot there, there's another foot there, and the nose is just there.

So it's almost-- she's almost out.

[goat bleats] Come on.

So close.

NARRATOR: With one last big push and a little bit help from Chris-- CHRIS MCPHEE: There we go.

That's the head.

NARRATOR: There's new life on the farm.

CHRIS MCPHEE: Oh, it's special every time.

It's-- it's fantastic.

Strong kid that.

It's a boy.

[chuckle] [kid bleats] NARRATOR: With the farm's newest addition taking its first tiny steps into the world, it's a joyous moment for all.

I think farming is an awful lot of really hard jobs, sprinkled in with a few nice things and this is one of them.

Days like this are the best.

They are really special to us.

They are our lives, so they eat better than we do, I think.

We look after them better than we look after ourselves some days, I imagine.

NARRATOR: With the sound of bleating echoing around the barn in this small corner of Cumbria, the circle of life continues as the next generation starts its journey.

[light music] Out on the still waters of Lake Windermere, it's crunch time in the search for a lost barge, which local historian Ian Gee believes was once used to transport Waterbird, the UK's first successful seaplane.

IAN GEE: I don't have that tangible connection to the original history.

And this, for something that's been sitting there on the bottom of the lake for all these years and nobody knowing about it, if we could find something, that would be very, very special for me.

NARRATOR: Sonar expert Rachel and her team have stepped in to help pinpoint the exact location of the barge on the lake bed.

If they successfully locate it, divers will swim down tomorrow to survey this fascinating piece of history.

Something as big as a barge made out of wood, hopefully some metal or something like that, we'll definitely be able to get a good return from that.

NARRATOR: As they home in on the suspected location, it's a moment of truth for Ian.

We're just looking to see anything that is a bit of an anomaly.

There's some quite interesting shapes, but you can, sort of, accredit them to just being the normal things you'd likely see in a lake.

NARRATOR: Sound waves bouncing off the lake bed are beaming a picture up to the dive boat.

RACHEL READER: [gasp] There it is.

There.

That's it.

IAN GEE: Yes, you can see the skeleton of it.

RACHEL READER: And it's a really clear image.

Well, that would certainly stack up as being the right shape and dimension.

NARRATOR: The sonar has even highlighted metalwork on the barge that could help identify it.

IAN GEE: Well, I'm hoping it's metal and it's the mechanism.

NARRATOR: It looks like the Waterbird's long lost mothership has been found, but they can't be sure until tomorrow's dive.

We have latitude and longitude here at the bottom so we'll be able to give them-- IAN GEE: Oh, I see.

RACHEL READER: An exact location.

That's tremendous.

NARRATOR: Ian is one step closer to his dream of discovering a forgotten chapter in the extraordinary history of Windermere.

RACHEL READER: I think what Ian is doing is incredible.

It's just bringing awareness to the history of the area if everybody can see what was in the lake and what's there now and how that connects to their own history.

IAN GEE: Thank you again for today.

Really looking forward to next part of the jigsaw.

Thank you.

RACHEL READER: No problem.

NARRATOR: The sonar images have raised expectations, but will tomorrow's dive solve the mystery of the lost Waterbird barge once and for all?

[light music] When the rain-laden clouds of the Atlantic collide with the Lake District's rugged peaks, it creates the perfect moist and mild conditions for lush grass to grow, which in turn feeds some of the finest dairy herds in the country.

And in Kendal, local Cumbrian butter maker Harry Jackson has been turning their rich milk into creamy butter.

HARRY JACKSON: I've seen a massive uptake on people using local butter, butter from this country.

And it's great to see people looking at where the food's coming from and sourcing it more responsibly.

NARRATOR: Today is make or break for him.

He's on his way to an artisan bakery who are considering using his butter to make their award-winning croissant.

HARRY JACKSON: We've been putting a lot of dedication into these butter sheets, and we've got them to a point where we're more than happy with them.

So we're going to see what comes back with today.

NARRATOR: The man testing out Harry's butter is baking maestro Aidan Monks, who needs at least 70 kilos every week to make his delectable pastries.

Morning, Harry.

How are you, Aidan.

You all right?

How are you doing?

Cool.

- I'm good.

I've got some butter for you.

Excellent.

Thank you.

So we need it to maintain this very, very thin layer of butter through the croissant that gives you all those beautiful, flaky layers when you-- when you bake it and when you tear it apart.

It looks beautiful.

Really gorgeous color.

NARRATOR: First impressions are good.

AIDAN MONKS: You can flex this and you can see how it doesn't break.

Whereas, you couldn't do that with ordinary butter.

NARRATOR: It's a promising start for Harry.

AIDAN MONKS: We're using about 50% butter so a lot of butter.

What's really important is when we cut through this now, we should see lines of butter running through this.

If the butter has been too soft, then it will have, sort of, blurred it.

So we need to know that they've kept separate.

Then you can see here, you can see the layers of butter.

It's exactly what we want.

NARRATOR: The experimental croissants are rolled and then cut out, assembled, and prepped, ready for the oven.

That's a beautiful croissant.

NARRATOR: These pastries are one of his top sellers.

A thousand are oven baked every day so this new batch really needs to rise to the occasion.

[lids clatter, oven beeps] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ AIDAN MONKS: These are looking gorgeous, very artisan.

Very artisan.

Very artisan.

Fantastic.

It's created exactly what we want.

We've got all these-- see all these lovely crispy layers on the outside that we can see and this beautiful open texture inside?

The taste is gorgeous.

It's performed as a butter.

It's given us all the lamination we want, but a really lovely taste.

NARRATOR: The new croissants have puffed to perfection.

HARRY JACKSON: Thank you very much.

NARRATOR: Proving Harry's butter, made from the milk of cows grazed in lush Cumbrian pastureland, has got what it takes to make the most delicious French pastries.

AIDAN MONKS: I feel really lucky.

I can't believe that we're actually genuinely talking about changing over from a French croissant butter onto a locally-made, Kendal-made butter.

NARRATOR: Harry's butter is the creme de la creme.

AIDAN MONKS: Brilliant.

WOMAN: They look amazing.

HARRY JACKSON: The feedback from Aidan was fantastic.

I couldn't have asked for anything better from him.

To hear that our butter stands up with the French butter that is widely regarded as the top butter, it's just perfect to hear.

NARRATOR: Later, Alpaca farmer Craig leads the way for a walk on the wild side.

- You behave.

- [chuckle] You're cheeky.

You are.

NARRATOR: And a lavish banquet is served up at Muncaster Castle.

MURRAY: Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is now served.

Oh, my gosh, this is beautiful.

[soft music] NARRATOR: Cumbria's landscape is speckled with 16 vast lakes, tarns, and meres.

In the south of the county lies the largest of them all, Windermere.

On the eastern bank of the lake, waves gently lap against the shore that was once the site of the UK's first seaplane base.

It was from here that Waterbird took to the skies on its maiden flight in 1911.

It's an exciting day for local historian Ian.

Sonar Readings have revealed what the dive team believe is the wreck of the barge used to transport Waterbird across the lake.

It lies 30 feet beneath the surface.

IAN GEE: Hi, Duncan.

Good morning.

Thank you so much for coming out.

Daz, good to see you.

NARRATOR: Today, local divers, Duncan and Darren, will swim to a depth of 9 meters to find and film the barge and confirm it's the vessel with a distinctive winch in this Edwardian photograph.

DARREN: I love telling people about the history of the local area.

So to be actually involved with this and improve our knowledge of this and be part of it, yeah, fantastic.

What are you hoping we're going to find?

What I'm hoping you can do is to look to the barge to understand how intact it is.

DARREN: We don't know why it's gone down.

That is one of the questions we're going to try and answer today is why that barge is lying on the bottom of a lake.

Did it sink?

Was it put there on purpose?

[hiss, bubble] NARRATOR: As Darren and Duncan dive down, Ian can only watch and wait.

IAN GEE: I need to know if the equipment is there with it, whether it's just the wood lying there, or if there are any other objects they can find.

NARRATOR: It could be like finding a needle in a haystack.

The bed of England's largest lake is littered with more modern relics like sunglasses and lost golf clubs.

But in the murky depths, the outline of the barge looms into view.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [detector beeps] A detector confirms the presence of metal.

Could it be the winch?

All the signs are that the Waterbird's mothership is no longer lost.

That's fantastic how much is still there of it.

DUNCAN: And that was a big winch on the back, wasn't it?

Definitely, yeah.

DUNCAN: A manual winch, I think.

NARRATOR: The team have struck gold.

So how was it down there?

It's remarkably intact.

All the winch is still there.

It was quite amazing.

I was gobsmacked.

As you went out and got closer to it, you could see the sheer size of it coming up in front of you.

It's quite a big lump of-- of a barge.

It's as it sank a hundred years ago.

It's quite amazing for the first time to come across that really.

NARRATOR: Back on dry land, Ian gets to see the barge with his own eyes.

Right.

So I can see the the-- the decking.

DARREN: Some planks have fallen off.

IAN GEE: Yeah.

DUNCAN: The whole shape and structure of it's just still there.

It's-- it's quite amazing to get onto it.

NARRATOR: It looks like the mystery of the Waterbird barge has finally been solved.

We have learned a great deal from what was imagination before to now has become practical reality.

NARRATOR: Through the efforts of the whole team, a new chapter has been added to the story of England's largest lake.

DARREN: So it's something we need to remember and try and piece together and keep it for the next generation to understand and enjoy.

NARRATOR: Churchill succeeded in making Windermere a hotbed for aviation history.

[light music] ♪ ♪ To the northeast of the county lies the calm and tranquil Eden Valley.

With the River Eden flowing lazily through it, there's natural beauty in abundance here.

CRAIG KERR: Feel so lucky to live in the Eden Valley.

It's an unspoilt area close to the Lake District, and the lifestyle we've got from living here is just fantastic.

NARRATOR: Novice farmer Craig Kerr recently made the Cumbrian countryside his workplace.

Good girl.

NARRATOR: He's in the process of taking over the family alpaca farm from mother-in-law Barbara.

CRAIG KERR: She's a British Alpaca Society judge.

She's a successful breeder.

So yeah, probably-- probably as big boots to fill as I could get.

NARRATOR: Craig has plans of his own to take the farm in a new direction.

Today, he will be hosting his very first customers on an alpaca trek.

Come on.

NARRATOR: Known for their characterful nature, he's hoping his award-winning herd are on best behavior.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: Who's your best bet?

CRAIG KERR: Best bet is Hey-up.

Yeah, I think Hey-up's always been friendly.

CRAIG KERR: Yeah.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: You've just got to get him in the right frame of mind, I think.

I do.

I do, yeah.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: He can be stubborn mind.

CRAIG KERR: He can.

But Bish-Bosh, he was really good.

And I like Bish-Bosh because he just looks different.

NARRATOR: Craig has picked out his most well-behaved alpacas for today's trek, and is hoping they keep in line because he's going it alone.

I'm not doing the walking.

It's all yours.

[chuckle] And hopefully, you won't be giving any refunds.

No.

- [laugh] - Come on, boys.

Good boys.

Come on.

NARRATOR: Guests, Amy and Anne, have booked a 60-minute walk across the 50-acre farm.

So here's our alpacas.

You want to have a look at look in there.

Afternoon.

This is Craig.

CRAIG KERR: OK.

NARRATOR: Wasting no time, Craig quickly pairs them up.

Come on, boys.

Let's get out.

He likes that.

Whoa!

[laughter] NARRATOR: But the alpacas aren't playing ball.

Hey.

Hello, Mighty Mo.

Are you looking forward to your walk?

He's certainly one you would just walk to the back end of him and make sure he's all right.

Quite different from walking a dog.

NARRATOR: Not keen on following orders, these furry animals like to keep everyone on their toes.

Come on, Mighty Mo.

Whew!

That was-- No, no, no, no.

Come on then, you.

Whew!

We're just having a toilet stop.

There we are.

Oh, we're off now.

Come on then.

NARRATOR: With the pack now well acquainted-- You behave.

You want to eat my coat, don't you?

NARRATOR: Everyone falls into line.

BARBARA HETHERINGTON: You're back.

We are.

We're back.

ANNE: Yeah, it's been really good.

- Did they walk OK?

- Yeah, really good.

Good - Enjoyed it.

Oh!

- Ooh!

[laugh] Well, we're still-- we're still training.

Well, that went all right.

NARRATOR: Despite some unruly alpacas, Craig's first trekking experience has been a hit.

I think Craig's definitely got the enthusiasm, the experience.

And he's got ideas, hasn't he?

- Yeah, yeah.

I think yeah.

I think to take it forward.

Come on.

NARRATOR: With 60 alpacas set to give birth next year and the business branching out, Barbara can be assured the farm is in safe hands.

The future looks promising.

[light music] ♪ ♪ In the west of the county, it's the dawn of a new era at 800-year-old Muncaster Castle.

33-year-old Ewan and his team have rolled out the red carpet for a family from Dallas, Texas, arriving to experience a unique few days at Ewan's family home.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: We have my parents, so Peter and Iona Frost-Pennington.

Hello.

And Matthew, the castle dog.

IONA FROST-PENNINGTON: It's our red carpet really.

DONNA: [chuckle] Right on cue, coming to say hello to you all.

NARRATOR: Before the centerpiece of their stay takes place, a lavish dinner, there's just enough time to take in the beauty of this famous landmark.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: So come on in.

Wow!

This is beautiful.

NARRATOR: These guests are allowed into rooms usually closed to the public, and few stately home owners act as guides.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: And so this-- this is the library.

It has a lot of books.

DONNA: [laugh] EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: Over 6,000.

Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable.

This is beautiful.

NARRATOR: As general manager, Ewan has big plans for Muncaster and hopes this will go a long way in proving to his parents he's got what it takes to future proof this castle.

There's a book here and someone came to stay, a bit like yourselves.

And it was a friend of the family and they took out this book.

So this was written by the emperor Napoleon when he was in exile in St.

Helena.

And within the frontispiece, there's a bit stuck in, and we're pretty sure that is Napoleon's signature.

DONNA: Oh, my gosh.

Amazing.

I have never been in something so old in my life.

It's extraordinary and also beautifully well maintained.

In America, the oldest things that you can find are in New England and the 1600s.

And this beats it by 500 years.

NARRATOR: First reactions are good, but will the dining experience live up to expectations?

Wow.

NARRATOR: With everyone suited and booted, the grand dining hall awaits.

You're looking ready for dinner.

[laugh] EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: Very smart.

MURRAY: Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is now served.

Oh, my gosh, this is beautiful.

Spiced loin of Lakeland lamb.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: What better way to interact with the heritage and experience the heritage-- [gasp] Thank you, Ms.

Hannah.

Beautiful.

EWAN FROST-PENNINGTON: Than actually sitting in the dining room and getting a taste, excuse the pun, of what it was like to live in the castle.

So, yeah, this is spiced loin of lamb with burnt aubergine puree, grains, and cucumber mint yogurt dressing.

I can read.

DONNA: You read very well, Ewan.

[laugh] NARRATOR: The private chef has cooked up a fabulous feast using the finest Cumbrian produce in order to wow his guests.

You can see that it's alive right now.

And that for me is exciting.

DONNA: That is very good.

Wow!

I'd just like to take this opportunity to, well, thank you all for taking a big risk and coming here and Donna in particular.

It is not a risk and you know that.

GUEST: We haven't survived the night.

We haven't spent the night yet.

OK.

We'll let you know in the morning.

We have to count how many heads show for breakfast.

Well, yeah.

I mean, go to a hotel if you're looking for something normal.

NARRATOR: An evening of eating the finest food in the most opulent of settings has tickled everyone's taste buds.

The dining experience, although it was in a grand dining room and it was beautifully decorated, and we had a private chef that came in and actually catered to us, it still felt casual, not stuffy.

I'd like to propose a toast to a wonderful dinner.

And thank you very much for-- for joining us for this experience.

The ornaments of a house are the friends who frequent it.

NARRATOR: And it's left Ewan with an appetite for more.

This seems to have gone well.

But let's hope that there's some longevity in it not just for Muncaster, the estate, but the wider area, and putting us very much on the map as a destination that you want to come to from all over the world, which is known for its food, known for its heritage and known for its wonderful people.

They've got a lot to share with us.

They really do, the history, the fun.

They did a fantastic job.

Amazing.

NARRATOR: Next time.

Local potters get fired up trying to recreate a dish from a bygone era.

WOMAN: Oh, I quite like that.

MAN: It's all completely melted down, isn't it?

I think he's going to like that, though.

NARRATOR: An intrepid couple choose a precarious life on the ocean waves.

Hey, get in.

That's a nice lobster.

NARRATOR: And it's sink or swim as a top chef tries to master a new Cumbrian delicacy.

New dish on the menu.

OK.

We haven't tried and tested it so it's going to be quite tough for us.

[frenetic music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪