Episode 4 Pembrokeshire: Coastal Lives

'The Pembrokeshire Coast Path.'

'For 186 miles, it winds its way through secret coves,

'past majestic beaches and over awe-inspiring cliffs.'

It regenerates our batteries

because you can get out of the rat race and just walk.

God's own country here. I'm very lucky.

Even in winter, when it's miserable, this still looks beautiful.

'Throughout the hot summer of 2013,

'we've followed the lives of the locals

'who live, work and play in this Welsh paradise.'

Oh, my God, that's amazing!

'This is their summer.'

These are now our babies. The children have left home.

'This is their story.'

'Coming up - a footprint sparks a ghost hunt at a coastal fort...'

That's the past speaking to us.

'..a fly-fishing legend gives up her trade secrets...'

I just cut the tail off a squirrel and dry them on the Rayburn.

'..and Fishguard gets a woolly face-lift.'

They'll go out and walk the dog and there'll be all this knitting.

'At the end of July, Treginnis Farm is baking under the hot summer sun.'

I've never known the grass so brown. It's like we're in the Sahara here.

Not that I'm complaining. The weather's fantastic.

'After months of planning,

'Kath James is still coordinating her daughter's dream wedding.'

SHE GASPS Oh, my God, I forgot. I'll put them upstairs.

'But with the big day tomorrow, time is running out.'

We didn't have a ring for Dan until yesterday,

so I had Les with the washing-up liquid getting his off,

Dan's got fat fingers, so has Les.

So I said to him "Get that ring off,

"get some washing liquid on it, Dan might need to borrow it."

But - came yesterday.

And I bought some nice figs and... I can't remember what they're called -

-syphilis...

-Physalis.

Oh, that's the one, yeah.

-Syphilis is a sexual disease.

-Oh, right, I don't want that!

You know what I mean! Little grapes!

'As Kath sorts her facts from her figs,

'the nerves are building for bride-to-be Nat.'

Last night, I was so nervous,

so it's really hit me now.

I'm trying to keep busy to not think about it until tomorrow.

The theme is places around Treginnis,

so we've got Porthclais, which is the local harbour,

the Bitches - the rocks

and the Lodge is the cottage just up the road

and everybody sitting on it used to live there.

And the rest are just field names then. We ran out of names!

The tent people said this is one of the nicest spots they've been.

But the weather's making it as well.

'At their home in Newport,

'Nica and David Pritchard are hoisting the flag before lunch.'

Oh, she makes a very good rabbit stew with dumplings.

Absolutely superb.

'They've been married for 51 years and love their country pursuits.'

We shoot, so we have pheasant and we have duck and we have fish.

And we talk about... What was the person who did The Good Life?

Oh, Felicity Kendal and what was the name of...

-Richard Briers.

-There you are.

We're old versions of them.

-Oh, he's died now.

-He has.

Hallelujah!

'When she's not shooting, cooking or fishing,

'Nica relaxes by tying her own flies.'

It is incredibly therapeutic

because you're sitting there, concentrating on something else

and you can forget your troubles.

I use anything - dead badgers on the road -

people think I'm mad as I get the scissors out and cut a bit of fur...

Or a squirrel's tail - I cut the tail off the squirrel

and dry them on the Rayburn.

Erm... And nothing's wasted, it's all used.

And it helps catch fish.

'Nica helps with a cancer support group called Casting for Recovery.'

Straighten your fingers and a bit goes out each time.

'Today she's teaching breast-cancer survivors Sarah and Rhian

'to fly-fish.'

When I went for my biopsy, the consultant said

"It's OK, when do you want it done - before Christmas or after?"

I said "I've got concerts coming up and I want to play the piano,

"so I'll have it done after."

And when I went back after Christmas,

it was cancer, so it was a bit of a shock to the system.

I was diagnosed in April last year -

having had the surgery, I ended up with a really tight shoulder

and this is brilliant exercise, as well as being a lot of fun.

If you've had a mastectomy or a lumpectomy on the right-hand side

or the glands are removed under your arms,

you're exercising the arm and the shoulder

and it saves going to physiotherapy class.

You can always wear a fishing cap, so if you lose your hair,

you know, you've got a cap on your head and you don't look odd.

They might think you're a man - that's why I always wear pearls!

'Nica has plans for her star pupil.'

I wish a bus would come along now.

'She is taking Rhian to the Welsh Women's fly-fishing trials

'to see if she can get on the team.'

There'll be so many people trialling

and if I don't catch a fish, look out.

I've got to fine-tune her now ready for a fortnight's time,

so we'll be doing some intensive talking.

That's not difficult, is it?

'But for today, the girls have to go home empty-handed.'

Oh, well. What are we going to eat tonight? That's the problem.

We'll have to stop and buy sausages!

'Dotted among the heavy industry of Milford Haven

'lie 14 coastal forts...

'..built in the 1800s

'to protect the natural harbour from the threat of invasion.'

'But one fort could be hiding a ghostly secret

'and a group of local paranormal enthusiasts are keen to investigate.'

We've had a report of some TA Army soldiers

who heard - and some of them might've seen -

a figure walk through one of the casements at one of the forts.

Brilliant.

'Andy Chandler runs his paranormal agency Pembrokeshire Beyond

'along with his mum Julie, wife Felicity and mate Martin.'

Sometimes you don't know what you're going to find -

you don't have to be crazy to be a ghost hunter, but it helps.

'The team are keen to investigate the reports of footsteps

'and a ghost sighting at Chapel Bay Fort near Angle,

'built in 1891 to protect the coast

'but today occupied by its owner George Geear.'

-Hi, George, is it?

-It is indeed. How do you do?

-Do come in.

-Thank you ever so much.

During WWII, it was a headquarters for local anti-aircraft command

and under your feet are tunnels where the ammunition was stored.

I originally found it in 1970 as a young student

down here on a field trip.

We live here now and spent 19 years with volunteers

trying to get it open to the public.

'Today the fort is as heavily armed as it ever was.'

-That's a big gun.

-That would take out a Tiger tank at a kilometre.

Madsen, RPK, RPD,

Bren, MG42...

'George has amassed a huge arsenal

'as part of his plan to open the fort as a museum.'

Projectiles there, going back over the last 300 years.

Don't panic, it's all been certified as free from explosives.

I'm not worried about ghosts, it's the safest place in Pembrokeshire.

That's a Ferret scout car.

-I've been shopping to Tesco's in it.

-How do you get all these things?

-Some people collect stamps...

-THEY ALL LAUGH

'The soldiers who guarded the fort may be long gone,...

'..but their ghostly presence could still be lurking.'

About seven or eight years ago,

we had some of the local yeomanry doing some voluntary work here

and they spent the night down here -

the boys down at that end and the girls at this end.

When they came for their breakfast,

one girl said that, in the middle of the night,

she heard somebody in studded boots walking through here.

Then it turned out that the male sergeant with them

had heard somebody walking through in studded boots.

The Army hasn't worn studded boots since certainly the early '70s.

But if you look here, in between the two casemates -

this is an 1891 construction -

you can actually see the outline

where a soldier with studded boots has walked through it.

That is an original military boot print.

'Andy and the ghost gang have the story -

'now it's time to get out their kit and start the hunt.'

This is where the report was made, along the casement corridor,

so we're going to focus here.

We've got a voice recorder to set up,

a camera just over here.

Across the doorway down here, we've got a beam.

If anything breaks that, it'll catch something to support the reports.

'For the past six months,

'artist Lizzie Stonhold has got the people of Fishguard on a mission.'

My aim is to get everybody in Fishguard and Goodwick knitting.

I'm struggling a bit!

'Roping them in to her Granny Graffiti art project.'

It's an urban way of covering objects -

a knitted cover is something kind of quite cosy.

'Lizzie has used her initiative and skills to unite the community

'and increase her own chances of getting a full-time job.'

I see it as an investment.

If I don't invest into my art and our future,

we'll never get anywhere.

'Hundreds of locals have picked up their needles.'

That's OK, that's fine.

'A mountain of wool has been knitted

'and Lizzie's hard-working team of volunteers

'have arduously sewn the pieces together.'

'Now the project is about to reach its climax.'

'As night falls over Fishguard,

'the town's woolly make-over begins.'

I like the idea of it all being a surprise.

They'll go out and walk the dog

and suddenly there'll be all this knitting.

-I think it needs something on top.

-It does. Crab?

'But Lizzie is concerned about more than getting the knitting up.'

'Will the volunteers' hard work remain untouched?'

Do you reckon they'll get nicked? If somebody destroyed it,

I'm going to be furious.

'As Lizzie and the team frantically sew by moonlight,

'back at Chapel Bay Fort, Andy's ghost hunt goes into full swing.'

I don't like the look of that at all.

You can go first and last, Martin.

There's nothing in there.

'Time to entice the spirits.'

If there's anybody there who can hear my voice,

make your presence known in any way that you can.

DULL THUD

-There's something moving down there.

-Is there?

Without a shadow of a doubt.

TAPPING You heard that, didn't you?

Come on, move closer.

Starting to feel quite uncomfy in here.

Interesting.

"You didn't want to come to us, so now we've come to you."

'The voice recorder is about to spring another surprise.'

-"Are you afraid?"

-"SHH!"

That's not us!

'The recorder has mysteriously stopped

'and an unexplained whisper has been captured before it cut out.'

Yes, it went "Shh!"

-"Are you afraid?"

-"SHH!"

I don't know why it's turned itself off. It's full battery,

it's...it's got no reason to turn off.

It's never happened before.

'It's now 3am.'

'And Chapel Bay Fort has stirred up some unexplained noises.'

I don't think we were going to get answers after one night.

We had footsteps, we had sounds,

so Chapel Bay could, I think, be a hotbed of paranormal activity.

I just think we need more time.

'But for now, the fort's soldier spirit remains a mystery.'

'A new day dawns and Fishguard wakes up

'to find their surroundings covered in Granny Graffiti.'

# What the world needs now

# Is love, sweet love

# It's the only thing that there's just too little of

# What the world needs now... #

'Lizzie and her team of volunteers have transformed the town.'

# No, not just for some

# But for everyone... #

I think it's marvellous. It's a fantastic idea.

Something I haven't seen before.

Definitely brightened up our day!

'The community has pulled together

'to cover over 160 objects in knitting

'and brighten up the surroundings.'

We need a bit of colour and a bit of stupidity

and people have enjoyed doing it, so that's brilliant.

I'm rushing home to get my camera!

The cannon condom beats them all.

It's so colourful and says so much about Fishguard and the community.

'1,000 balls of wool,

'600 local knitters and volunteers

'and nine months in the making.'

It's wonderful

and the amount of work that's gone into this is terrific

and they should be proud of what they've done.

We've got all of the names of the Pembrokeshire coast.

'Finally Lizzie and husband Joe can take a moment

'and reflect on what she's pulled off.'

Everybody's been so willing to get involved

and everything's been positive - the whole project was to boost my CV,

so the fact that I've been noticed

has opened up a new chapter. It's really exciting.

'Now Lizzie has to cross her fingers that her voluntary project

'converts to offers of paid work.'

'The day of the Welsh Womens' trials has arrived

'and the best female fly-fishers in the country

'have gathered at Llys Y Fran reservoir in Pembrokeshire.'

We're going for the big cup

and if we don't, we'll be happy with a lovely day's fishing - together.

'But with only a few places available on the team,

'the pressure is on Nica's prodigy Rhian.'

I didn't sleep a lot. I slept quite well until about four.

Once I'm on the boat, I'll be better.

'The girls have seven hours on the water

'to try and catch as many trout as they can.'

Ten inches for rainbows from the fork of the tail...

'And today Rhian is sharing a boat

'with seasoned Welsh international Audrey Williams.'

Thank you. Oh, he's got wet socks now.

'And Nica's husband David has stepped up to be their gilly,

'leading them to where they want to go on the reservoir.'

'Half an hour gone and Audrey hooks her first trout.'

Yay! First one in!

'20 minutes later and she bags her second.'

'As the hours tick by,

'the rest of the competitors are also reeling in the fish.'

Shall I stick to my flies? Do you think those should work?

'But Rhian is yet to have a bite and her patience is being tested.'

Grit and determination!

I think poor Rhian is struggling

and it's disheartening if you don't catch

and you don't relax.

She needs a double gin. That would make her unwind.

'After months of planning, the day has finally arrived

'for the wedding that Nat James has dreamt of since she was a child.'

That is amazing.

Oh, my God.

I love it.

I'm not going to want to cut it up!

'Just four hours until the ceremony and Kath is still planning,

'but she has one big problem on her mind.'

Les's speech. Erm...

He hasn't said what he's going to say,

what he's thinking about saying.

I've just been at a few occasions where... Oh, God!

Oh, dear me. Well, I've just been at a few occasions

where it hasn't gone to plan.

Erm, I haven't done it. Just going to be all up in the head

and I'm not nervous at all.

I feel nervous for him. I've got butterflies the size of eagles.

Kath's the one that'll be the problem.

Been a problem for 25 years.

Nothing else I can do

and if I've forgotten anything,

tough titty.

-I'm stressed now.

-No, you're not.

-Everyone was a nightmare to dress.

-Everything's done.

-Thanks to you.

-My legs are wet because I'm sweating.

-You're going to be fine.

Anybody got a glass of Champagne for this bride?

'Not Les - he has something else to attend to.'

I'm going to check on the goats. Baby goats are kidding today.

If you're on a dairy farm, we'd be milking and, you know...

I don't want to get white hair on me. Kath would go berserk.

Oh, yeah, she's starting now.

We'll nip into the church and we'll have a look at her, then.

But these have had kids before,

it's not their first time kidding, so I won't be worried about them.

To think, when we moved in all those years ago,

I can't believe one of my girls is now getting married.

Are you all right?

Oh, don't start!

I haven't done your eyeliner. If you're going to do it, do it now!

'As Kath struggles to keep it together,

'Les seizes the opportunity to create his speech

'in front of a captive audience.'

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming today,

I'd just like to thank everybody...

It's difficult talking to goats, you know?

'But the one thing Les does have planned

'is his surprise wedding disguise.'

Honey Monster hat. Going to wear it into the church.

Just for the fun.

BABY CRIES

The sun is scorchio!

All right, darling? And sit down nicely.

Ahh, the seats are boiling!

Argh!

-OK, we're in.

-Andrew, why did you do this?

-The seats are too hot.

-All right, sorry, Dad.

Now, this is going to fly, so we have to secure this.

Right? Just down there...

Just whack it... Give it here. I've got it. I've got it.

BELLS PEAL

'Just two miles away, the bells ring out at St David's Cathedral.'

-No, no.

-Only into the...

-No!

-Only into the door.

-Put that back! Put it back, now!

-I'm only going to walk in.

-Dad...

'Nat one, Honey Monster nil.'

'And they've made it to the ceremony on time.'

'Back at Llys Y Fran reservoir

'and time is nearly up at the Welsh Women's fly-fishing trials.'

'The luck is in for Audrey as she catches her fifth trout.'

Yes!

'But Rhian still doesn't have any.'

Ohh...

How long have I got to catch a fish?

-18...

-Oh, my gosh, only 18?

-Yeah.

-Never!

-SHE GASPS

'Her chances of getting into the team seem to be evaporating,

'but Rhian has to push on through the pain -

'an after-effect of the surgery she had for breast cancer.'

Oh, my back's aching

and my arm's starting to pack in.

There we are.

Just get on with it.

'It's the end of the competition

'and, after a gruelling day of continuous casting,

'Rhian has caught...nothing!'

Well, can you believe it?

What a load of rubbish.

Seven hours.

That's a joke, isn't it? Taking a bath bag and a net.

Urghh!

In first place, with nine fish, is Debbie Morgan.

THEY ALL CHEER

'As those who have made it into the team celebrate,

'Rhian has come in last place,

'but she's still smiling.'

So, better luck next time, I say.

BELLS PEAL

'Back at St David's Cathedral

'and Nat and Dan have tied the knot.'

I didn't cry. It's all over and done with.

In the bag! Fantastic.

Fantastic. I've never shook so much in my life, walking in,

and I can't wait to get these tights off.

'As they pose for photos,

'Les finally seizes his Honey Monster moment.'

Typical.

You...

This flipping hat. Right, let's go.

'No open-top car for the married couple though.'

Got bugs under my netting.

'The trusty tractor has been cleaned up for the occasion

'to take them to the farm for the marquee reception.'

'170 guests have arrived at Treginnis to celebrate in style.'

Ooh...

'But while everyone relaxes into the party mood,

'Kath is quaking in her high heels -

'Les still hasn't written his speech.'

No, I haven't done a speech.

-You haven't? Off the cuff?

-Yeah, I'll just do it off the cuff.

Might not be good, but...

First off on the speeches is the father of the bride.

Mr Les James!

THEY ALL CHEER

The last two months have been hell, honest to God.

After today, I'm back in charge.

Thank you, everybody, for coming,

it's been fabulous weather, fabulous day

and another big thanks is for Kath. She's done everything here.

-Really, really special.

-THEY CHEER

May I say how beautiful Nat looks.

Still got a big conk though.

She's a bit worried about the nose,

but we couldn't afford to have that done, so...

But the massive big thanks

is for her

to make me proud to walk down that cathedral today.

I nearly cried! OK?

Kath and I did it 26 years ago last September,

and she said, as a young child,

"Dad - cathedral, Treginnis Farm..."

and we've done it.

'Kath can breathe a sigh of relief.'

'Despite being unrehearsed, Les has held off the tears

'and done his daughter proud - even with the nose comment.'

# Yellow diamonds in the light

# And we're standing side-by-side... #

I was a bit worried this morning when there was no speech prepared,

but I've got to admit - you pulled it out of the bag!

It was a bit clean because there was a vicar on my right,

-so...

-Good job.

# Found love in a hopeless place... #

'After months of planning, Kath and Les have given their daughter

'the wedding of her dreams.'

If it wasn't for Mum, it wouldn't be anything like it has been

and I can't thank her enough. I'll owe her for the rest of my life.

# We could have had it all

# Rolling in the deep... #

I couldn't be happier. You plan something,

you have a picture in your mind - that's what I've had today.

So I couldn't be happier.

'As the holiday season ends and the tourists leave,

'life goes on for the locals.'

'Lizzie got a job interview and an offer of part-time work.'

'Rhian is still fishing and planning for next year's trials.'

'And Nat and Dan have settled into married life.'

'It's been a Pembrokeshire summer to remember.'