Aspatria to Carlisle

Michael Portillo’s railway journey through Cumbria and Dumfriesshire takes him to the rolling countryside around Aspatria to meet a couple who swapped their old life for organic dairy farming. Embracing regenerative principles, they’ve traded quantity for quality - alongside their beloved cow named Taylor Swift. At a hi-tech creamery, Michael discovers how their sustainable milk becomes cheddar cheese for supermarkets nationwide.

Arriving at the historic railway hub of Carlisle, Michael discovers a vast Roman structure. His journey ends in the imposing borderlands fortress of Carlisle Castle, where intriguing 15th-century graffiti offers a glimpse into the minds of medieval soldiers.