Marmalade, gurning and pig slaver? Sounds about right for another installment of Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out, as the comedian and presenter sets her sights, and her vintage campervan Helen, on the scenic Lake District in Northern England. This week’s episode, set to air on Channel 5 on Friday, November 22, 2024, is a travelogue that manages to be both gently informative and delightfully absurd.
Calman’s journey begins, as many grand days out should, with a trip on a 160-year-old steam yacht across Coniston Water. Of course, this isn’t just a pleasure cruise; Calman gets a hands-on lesson in the mechanics of the vessel. Anyone who’s followed Calman’s previous travels knows she’s not one for passive sightseeing. There will be engagement with the local people, and activities, the kind you are unlikely to experience anywhere else.
The episode makes an early detour into the world of citrus preserves, with a visit to the World Marmalade Awards at Dalemain House. Calman, it turns out, has a rather keen sense of smell, a skill put to good use amidst the pots and jars of history. Apparently, they have historic recipes so she gets stuck in and creates one. She then trades the sweet for the strange, heading to Egremont’s Crab Fair to witness the World Gurning Championship. If you’re unfamiliar with gurning, picture the most extreme facial contortions possible—it’s an acquired taste, to say the least. There is an awful lot of grimacing! Calman, ever the game participant, takes it all in and chats with the dedicated gurners who twist and pull at their faces to win the coveted title. The Lake District is full of surprises, it seems.
From gurning, the episode veers into the equally peculiar art of puppeteering at a small village theatre in Unthank, followed by a slightly more conventional exploration of Lowther Castle’s ruins. There’s also detour to meet some Tamworth Pigs. The episode ends on a high note, with Calman trying her hand at fell running with local enthusiasts in Keswick, topped off, as if any further evidence of British eccentricity was required, with a scenic picnic.
The real charm of Calman’s travelogues lies in her easygoing demeanor and her willingness to dive headfirst into whatever peculiar activity comes her way. She’s not just a tourist; she’s an enthusiastic participant, and her genuine curiosity is infectious.
The latest episode of Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out airs on Channel 5 on Friday, November 22, 2024, at 8 PM.
