From farmers and fishermen to artisans and adventurers, the fourth series of the programme introduces a whole spectrum of residents who have one thing in common – they believe their corner of the country is the best place on earth.
Set to air this evening (Monday June 21), Episode One features head gardener at the Lost Gardens of Heligan Alisdair Moore, and Brixham skipper Tristan Northway, who not only live-streams his latest catch via Facebook to his customers, but also acts as a quayside fishmonger – filleting the fish for his queuing clientele as they wait!
Heading inland, Devon wildlife ranger Jake Chant has some wild beavers under his care.
He’s part of the first legally sanctioned reintroduction of an extinct native mammal to England on the River Otter.
And in Cornwall, engineer Sam Henwood has a huge historic renovation on his hands – he needs to get a replica of iconic steam locomotive The Puffing Devil back up to full steam.
The Puffing Devil was built by Cornish inventor Richard Trevithick back in 1801 and is considered to be the world’s first ever steam-powered passenger vehicle.
Out of action for a couple of years, it’s now Sam’s job to restore the replica so that she’s ready to hit the road once again.
Further episodes of Devon & Cornwall will include sailing couple Terry and Brenda Cole on the River Fowey, wheelwright Greg Rowland and his team tackling the restoration of a Victorian-era Velocipede bicycle, and father and son sculptors Gary and Thomas Thrussell.
Their metal and stainless steel artwork is the centrepiece of the world’s largest labyrinth on the shores of Colliford Lake, where the Kerdroya project is using reclaimed stone to bring back the skill of Cornish hedging to a new generation.