stevelyon

I am not a big fan of the travel show (BBC TV Programme) as they usually present the obscure "Knitting scarves in Outer Mongolia" "Left handed ping pong in Hungary" (not real by the way - just to illustrate what I mean); but, the latest episode is both quite emotionally affecting and a nice depiction of what the UK can offer from the seat of a train. I haven't done a lot of the rail journeys shown in the programme apart from the Settle to Carlisle section and adore the trip down from Bristol to Plymouth. I would also recommend Lancaster to Carnforth (the Cafe at Carnforth station is still as it appears in the film: Brief Encounter) and you can pair it up with a wonderful walk from there back to Lancaster on the canal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...-show-24052024

MmePerdu

Sounds good but, when I attempted to watch with the link you provided, got this at the top: “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.”

Any thoughts on other possibilities?

janisj

Thanks - will see if I can find the show elsewhere. Unfortunately I don't think BBC Player is available to us in NA.

I've done the trip to Carnforth and my ex did Settle to Carlisle at least a couple of times when I was doing other things. There are a lot of scenic train routes in the UK.

hetismij2

Since we get BBC1 and 2 I had a look for it but couldn't find it. Looked at BBC Benelux, which includes BBCFirst. Also not.
Seems to be on BBC News channel only which we don't get, and is on in the mornings, local time, when I wouldn't have the TV on anyway. Maybe it is a North American channel?
Shame, it does sound interesting. I bet they didn't get stuck in some random spot for hours, or face a bus replacement service though.

AnselmAdorne

That was the first thought that came to my mind, too, hetismij.

We rode Carlisle to Settle and return last year. It is indeed gorgeous, so much so that walking in the Yorkshire Dales is now high on our hiking list.

crellston

That programme and a huge number of other programmes is only available on the BBC streaming service iPlayer which is only available in the UK to TV license payers. It is possible to (illegally ) view from abroad using a VPN set to the UK.

stevelyon

I didn't appreciate that you could not see it without a license. Still it may encourage comments on UK scenic rail journeys. Michael Portillo also has TV programmes on UK train journeys, although he isn't my favourite TV personality, I don't know how accessible these are outside of the UK. We do a lot of train journeys to places where we can walk back via the canal. Rail journeys allow us to sample the beer at some of the many attractive canal-side pubs along the route, without risking our driving license.

hetismij2

I thought that the Beeb now allowed the US and Australia to view iPlayer with a subscription, but maybe not.
I would happily pay for it, if only to get access to BBC4 again. We pay to watch BBC but don't qualify for iPlayer.

As long as they don't decide to restrict Sounds as well. What would I do without a good belly laugh now and then at I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue?

Stevelyon do you also take advantage of the two pound bus fares? They are a real bargain for those without a bus pass.
We are British pensioners but bus passes are only for residents, which is fair enough. I wish they had something similar here.

crellston

You could be right about the subscription, I shall ask our daughter in law who is a producer for the BBC in Sydney.

“Sorry I haven’t a clue” - Love that programme! I never thought anyone could replace Humphrey Littleton but Jack Dee is the perfect choice - hilarious!