The desire to escape the daily grind and head off on holiday is something many people crave - but why do so many still make a beeline for the beach? Nick Crane and the rest of the Coast team embark on a quest to find out.

He begins by following a centuries-old tourist trail to Margate, revealing that the beach has a biological effect on people's stress levels.

Miranda Krestovnikoff experiences a camping safari on Shell Island in north Wales and Ruth Goodman finds out about an explosive episode of pre-war politics that put sleepy St Leonards on the front pages.