Home: there's no place like it. For Robson Green, that's the North-East of England. The 58-year-old was born in Hexham, Northumberland, where he now lives in an old ferryman’s cottage on the banks of the River Tyne. And it’s one of his greatest pleasures to showcase the area so dear to his heart. He does it beautifully in BBC2’s new travel show, Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes.
The 15-part series is just what the doctor ordered – a real tonic for winter blues. For starters, it features stunning scenery from North Yorkshire through Teesside, Durham and Newcastle to the Scottish borders. It also highlights how escaping the daily grind to spend time in nature improves our mental health. With Robson’s infectious enthusiasm, it’s hard to envisage a better tour guide.
“Northumberland’s the only place I can imagine calling home,” says the actor, famous for TV dramas such as Soldier, Soldier, Wire in the Blood and Granchester. “The Northumbrian outdoors is something to behold. It brings me
a real sense of wellbeing, comfort, and peace. And it was a joy seeing an area through the eyes of friends, family and famous faces.”
As well as his brother David, uncle Matheson and partner Zoila, Robson’s joined by Hairy Bikers’ Si King, Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies, former Emmerdale favourite Charlie Hardwick and more. His travels begin with a trip to his favourite place in the world – the Northumbrian coast – where he goes e-biking, glamping and paddleboarding with a footballing hero, Newcastle United legend Les Ferdinand.
It’s a destination with strong family ties. As a child, Robson’s parents often took him and his siblings to the fishing village of Seahouses and to Bamburgh Castle. It’s a spot where he always feels free. It held similar appeal for his miner father. Having spent his life underground, the late Robson Snr loved to strip to his red trunks and plunge into the freezing North Sea.
“Dad and men like him were brilliant swimmers,” says Robson, who calls the episode a love letter to his dad. “I'm sure it had something to do with working in an industry not designed for human beings, coming up to the surface, and this release. Dad would just keep swimming. He had this extraordinary engine. That’s how they dealt with their mental health.
“I love swimming in the sea,” he enthuses. “It’s cold, man. You start to turn blue. But I'm sure you know the health benefits of cold water swimming – the science is there for all to see. In one episode, we swim in a stunning place called Sugar Sands Beach. When you come out the water, you go into a sauna in this yurt to warm up.”
Visiting Helmsley in North Yorkshire with England Euro 22 hero Jill Scott, Robson’s reminded how good gardening is for the soul. He loves cooking and grows his own veg such as leeks, kale and corn. “That’s something my father did,” he says. “He was always talking about nurturing life.”
In Durham, he and Grantchester co-star Tom Brittney camp, learn survival skills and take high tea on a steam train at Tanfield Railway. “Tom just said: ‘I’ve needed this. This has made me feel great.’” says Robson. “They all said: ‘I needed this…’ and talked about the importance of getting away from the overload. They didn't look at their phones the whole time. It was a refresh and recharge for everybody.”
The great outdoors was also Robson’s saviour. After work pressures spiralled, he took refuge in drink and drugs and says he was in a very dark place while in the full glare of the celebrity spotlight. The father-of-one sought professional help, with his therapist suggesting making time for that childhood love: fishing. “My Uncle Matheson introduced me to fishing and the outdoors as a kid,” he says. “I told the therapist about him, and about my dad swimming in the sea, and he said: ‘Get back to that.’ It set me on the road to mental recovery.
“Immersing myself in nature is an important thing in my life,” he says. “When you're near water and your phone’s away, your heart rate slows. You start to look and see and feel. What I get from fishing, from walking, from cold water swimming, is a sense of wellbeing. I can do it on my own, but it’s great when you share that experience. So many people pay lots of money for drugs and stuff to get that feeling, but it’s there and it’s free.”
Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes airs weekdays on BBC2 at 6.30pm