0:00:18 > 0:00:21'Today, I'm on a journey across the Peak District -
0:00:21 > 0:00:24'a journey which will take me up rock faces...'
0:00:24 > 0:00:28- You've definitely got the ropes, haven't you?- Definitely got you!
0:00:30 > 0:00:32'..On horseback...'
0:00:36 > 0:00:39'And swooping over this beautiful upland.'
0:00:39 > 0:00:41That's so cool!
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I start at the Heights Of Abraham,
0:00:49 > 0:00:53travel through the villages of Cromford, Tissington and Milldale,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55then take on a notorious climb at The Roaches.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59I'll end up by taking that jump off the mountainside,
0:00:59 > 0:01:00at Shining Tor.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Along the way, we'll bring you the very best of the BBC's
0:01:04 > 0:01:07rural programmes from this part of the country.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Welcome to Country Tracks.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19The Peak District National Park was established in 1951,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21becoming Britain's first national park.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24It's an incredibly beautiful area,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26attracting tourists from across the world.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29But that's not the only industry here. Manufacturing, farming
0:01:29 > 0:01:33and quarrying all help to keep the local economy alive.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39At 1,000 feet above sea level, towering above Matlock Bath,
0:01:39 > 0:01:43the Heights Of Abraham offer spectacular views across the Peak District.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Two caves here are features of the heights -
0:01:46 > 0:01:48part natural and part lead mines.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51One's thought to be the oldest mine in the Peak District,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53once worked by the Romans.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56It contains several large chambers, a spring,
0:01:56 > 0:01:58and even some 16th-century graffiti.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02The Heights is one of the most popular tourist destinations
0:02:02 > 0:02:05in Derbyshire, and I'm here to meet the owner, Andrew Pugh.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11Andrew, how are you? Good to see you. What a fantastic view from up here.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13- Indeed, yes.- What's the castle that I can see?
0:02:13 > 0:02:16That's Riber Castle, built by John Smedley.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21He was one of the tycoons of the day - he introduced the hydros to Matlock
0:02:21 > 0:02:26Wow. So there's a huge sort of rich heritage in this whole area.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28When did you actually put in this cable car?
0:02:28 > 0:02:31This cable car will be 25 years old this year.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34And how many people have you had on your cable car since it opened?
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Ooh, I'm guessing, but must be 10 million.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39- Really, that many?- Yes.- Right.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42The Heights Of Abraham itself is probably the oldest tourist
0:02:42 > 0:02:44attraction in Derbyshire,
0:02:44 > 0:02:50opened in 1780, but of course, traditionally, people walked up the Heights.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52They came up to discover the dramatic views,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and also to take conducted tours of the caves.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00So tourism's always been pretty important in this area of the Peak District as a whole,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03but going back, there was obviously lots of other important industries -
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- textile manufacturing, farming...? - Well, yes, of course -
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Arkwright, in fact, built the first mill. And so the industrial revolution
0:03:10 > 0:03:12started here, on the Derwent.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17And how long have tourists been coming to this area? When was the tourist industry born.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20The tourist industry grew up because lead mining,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22which was the main source of the economy,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25that fell into decline, the lead was exhausted.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28And in late 1600s,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30people discovered the baths.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33And then the whole movement
0:03:33 > 0:03:36grew up of coming to take the waters of Matlock Bath.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40The guidebooks of the day referred to the quality who came to take the waters.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42That was because, of course -
0:03:42 > 0:03:46the wars in Europe - people couldn't take the grand tours.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50And Matlock Bath itself developed as a tourist resort,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53then of course it moved on,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55the wars ended, people went to Europe,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57and then we had to discover mass tourism.
0:03:57 > 0:03:591847, the railway arrived,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and everybody came from the industrial towns.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- Therefore, tourism was reborn here. - Reborn, and it's gone on ever since.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Was there a rivalry between the different tourist attractions, then and now?
0:04:11 > 0:04:17Oh, yes. Umm...in the 1800s, the Heights was battling with High Tor -
0:04:17 > 0:04:21you see on the other side of the valley, that was a tourist attraction.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Every little nook and cranny was opened as a cavern,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26but it was the Heights who had the major caves,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and of course the Heights is the sole survivor of that era.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32And how important is tourism to this area today?
0:04:32 > 0:04:3525,000 people work in tourism throughout the county -
0:04:35 > 0:04:36it's very important.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40And this part of the world is also pretty rich in tradition
0:04:40 > 0:04:43and heritage - there's all sorts of things, aren't there?
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Oh, many things go on in the different villages throughout,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49and in Matlock Bath here in particular, we have, for instance,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51crazy things like on Boxing Day,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53every year we have the raft race down the valley,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57and then in October every year, we have the illuminations
0:04:57 > 0:05:00where individual floats are developed
0:05:00 > 0:05:02very secretly - there are a dozen of them,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06and people make them secretly in their garages,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and they come out and they compete to be the best float of the illumination season.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I imagine it goes without saying that the people of Derbyshire,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18of the Peak District, are incredibly proud of their environment and traditions?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Absolutely. And I think we've been fortunate that...
0:05:21 > 0:05:24the landscape which we all inherited, we care for.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30It really is spectacular views from here,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33but slightly closer to the ground, Adam Henson came here
0:05:33 > 0:05:38several years ago, when he entered Michaela into a hen race, in Bonsall.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42The small villages of this part of Derbyshire have always been quiet,
0:05:42 > 0:05:46out-of-the-way places. It's what gives them their charm.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50In days gone by, the villagers - they had to make their own entertainment.
0:05:50 > 0:05:51CLUCKING
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Behind these walls, a local tradition grew...
0:05:55 > 0:05:58..And what once used to happen between friends and neighbours
0:05:58 > 0:06:00has now gone public.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Forget the gee-gees - this is how they get their kicks round here.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11Hen racing!
0:06:11 > 0:06:14When I was a boy, I'd heard that hen racing went on.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18I always thought we'd make it public,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21we did it in the back garden, then I found out that farmers were doing it
0:06:21 > 0:06:23and people round here were doing it,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26and then 10 years ago we thought we would do it.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30I built the track, I've got helpers, really good supporters,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34we have common sense rules which are to do with making sure there's no
0:06:34 > 0:06:36cruelty whatsoever. No dogs in the car park,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39any hens which start hen-pecking are removed straight away -
0:06:39 > 0:06:42little things like that - no cockerels.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46- Do they take it quite seriously then? - Yeah, the people that breed hens,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49really enthusiastic - they want to not only continue these breeds,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52but make sure they can try and win this race.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55To end up with the fastest chicken in the world!
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Rick has been training hens for years.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01He really enthuses about coming and trying to win the event.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04It's my favourite afternoon of the whole year - Christmas included.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09In '98, we actually came with a chicken, Vindaloo, which won the championship -
0:07:09 > 0:07:12the first time the trophy actually went outside Bonsall.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17We've got Sam, who's a really keen chicken breeder. Has a wonderful spot up on the hill.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21This is my hen, and I think it's going to be my best in the race.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23How many chickens have you got?
0:07:23 > 0:07:25I've got 34 but I'm entering three.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28I've been training twice a day for the last 2 months,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31but I've been training once a week for the last year.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Then we've got Jane, who has come from Nottingham,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36she's a relative newcomer.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39I've been to two events before, but I've never had my own chicken.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I have actually just rented the chicken for the day,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46so...although I'd like to say that I've trained it, I haven't.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- And what's her name?- Rent-a-chick!
0:07:48 > 0:07:51'Well, I've picked my winner.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55'Back on the farm, we've been in some serious training.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56MUSIC: "Rocky Theme"
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Getting a bit way laid by things, not thinking about things properly.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09You seem to be thinking about your stomach all the time.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10I don't want a kiss now.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Well, these are my two hens, named after Countryfile presenters -
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Charlotte and Michaela. Pretty good hens, I've been doing some work
0:08:33 > 0:08:35with them at home. Have you got any tips?
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Well, they're excellent hens. Provided you've been feeding them
0:08:39 > 0:08:41at a distance of 35 feet at 2 o'clock every day,
0:08:41 > 0:08:46to a certain food - tomato or corn - to a sound as well,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48chances are you will win the race.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Time will tell, as the whole village turns out to watch
0:08:51 > 0:08:54the World Hen Racing Championships.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Races are won in heats, and open to all comers.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02'They're on the starting blocks...
0:09:02 > 0:09:04'off they go!
0:09:04 > 0:09:06'Some made a good start.'
0:09:06 > 0:09:08CHEERING
0:09:08 > 0:09:11'This one's found something nice to eat.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14'Ooh! There goes one. She's making a run for the line.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16'Oh dear, this one's very confused.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23'Oh, yes - these ones don't really know what's going on at all!
0:09:23 > 0:09:24'Wrong way!
0:09:27 > 0:09:28'The final sprint!'
0:09:28 > 0:09:31CHEERING
0:09:31 > 0:09:32'This is Michaela's heat.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35'I've recruited some help to get her started.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38'She gets away well.'
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Come on! She's in the lead.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42'Looking good!
0:09:42 > 0:09:43SHOUTING
0:09:46 > 0:09:48'But suddenly, it's all changed.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51'She's gone backwards, and oh, no...'
0:09:51 > 0:09:54My chicken nearly started fighting.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Michaela's always a bit feisty.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58'We're back in front now.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00'But no, we've been overtaken.'
0:10:02 > 0:10:03CHEERING
0:10:08 > 0:10:12We were pipped at the post - congratulations!
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Well, it's all down to Charlotte now.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21There's little Lottie - she's going to be a winner!
0:10:24 > 0:10:26'Oh, dear! Bit of a late start!
0:10:26 > 0:10:29'I'm sure you can hear the corn.' Oh, you lazy chicken!
0:10:29 > 0:10:32'Here she comes, she's making a race for it!
0:10:32 > 0:10:35'Come on, Charlotte - she's on the left there - there she goes!
0:10:35 > 0:10:37'Running for the corn shaking! Go on!
0:10:37 > 0:10:40'Go on, Charlotte! Come on, come on!
0:10:40 > 0:10:43'She's got to get both feet over that line.
0:10:45 > 0:10:46'Come on, chicken!
0:10:49 > 0:10:51'You know you can do it. Come on.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'Just one more foot!'
0:10:57 > 0:10:59YES!
0:10:59 > 0:11:02She went over the line! Over the line! Yes!
0:11:04 > 0:11:07What a great girl. A winner!
0:11:07 > 0:11:09We're in the final now.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Oh, bless her.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17'The final line up. Can the Countryfile chicken do it again?
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'We're on the left this time.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21'Not a very good start.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24'Oh dear. I think she's going the wrong way.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28'Look at that chicken go! Come on, Charlotte - where are you?'
0:11:29 > 0:11:31CHEERING
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Oh, she's going the wrong way!
0:11:34 > 0:11:37'What happened there, Charlotte? You let me down.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39'My helpers are very disappointed.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42'Back to the chicken coop for you.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:45Well done. Thanks a lot.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Congratulations - you did pretty well!
0:11:50 > 0:11:54We had a second and third in the final, and a great afternoon.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Which is what it's about! Are you converted to hen racing?
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Well, maybe. We got in the final, so... you know,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02my hopes were high, but we failed, I'm afraid.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05But a bit more training, and we might come back next year
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- with better hens.- You took it seriously, didn't you?
0:12:08 > 0:12:11The chicken was very fast when I tried to catch it at the end,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13but it didn't do too well in the race.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17It actually ran backwards and tried to get out from the netting.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20But I hadn't trained it, so what do you expect?
0:12:20 > 0:12:22- It was a bit nervous.- Are you coming back next year?- I am.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25'And, as the village winds down,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28'how did our local lad Sam get on?'
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I didn't do very well myself, but this is my cousin, and she won.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- So...- With one of your chickens? - Yeah.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36Oh, that was generous of you, giving her that one!
0:12:36 > 0:12:39If I'd have known I wouldn't have given it her!
0:12:39 > 0:12:41'So the trophy stays in the family.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44'And in Bonsall, which will keep the locals happy.'
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Leaving the Heights of Abraham, I'm cycling south, to Cromford.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Now, the Peak District has produced more than its fair share
0:13:01 > 0:13:04of famous residents. Dame Ellen MacArthur, Vivienne Westwood,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08but perhaps its most famous son is the poet and novelist,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10DH Lawrence.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Many of Lawrence's works were inspired by and set to the backdrop
0:13:21 > 0:13:22of this stunning landscape.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27I'm meeting the director of the DH Lawrence research centre,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Dr Sean Matthews, to find out more.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32So, where are we now, then?
0:13:32 > 0:13:34We're at Mountain Cottage,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37which is in Middleton by Wirksworth in Derbyshire,
0:13:37 > 0:13:38just inside the Peaks.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42This is where DH Lawrence came to live between April of 1918
0:13:42 > 0:13:44and April of 1919.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45So what brought him here in 1918?
0:13:45 > 0:13:49An odd combination of factors. He had been living in Cornwall,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52he'd been very excited about living in Cornwall with his German wife.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56But he was kicked out of Cornwall by the police, who decided he was
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- probably a German spy.- This is just after the war?- During the war -
0:14:00 > 0:14:03during late 1917 and early 1918.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07So he was really in a difficult position and his book The Rainbow
0:14:07 > 0:14:11had been banned - it had been burnt in front of the Old Bailey,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14so having been at a moment where he thought he was going to be a successful writer -
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Sons And Lovers was enormously successful,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20his collections of short stories had sold very well -
0:14:20 > 0:14:23suddenly he had no income, his books were banned,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27he was a controversial figure and he really didn't know what to do.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Fortunately, his sister, Ada, who lives just up the road in Ripley,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35was able to find him this cottage at £65 for the year's rent,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37and you have to think at that time,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41A), that isn't so much money, but also, this was a very remote,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45very cold, very small - it was a much smaller cottage in those days -
0:14:45 > 0:14:48place to be living. So he came here, really, to work out
0:14:48 > 0:14:50what he was going to do.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53So is it almost like he's imprisoned in this house?
0:14:53 > 0:14:56It is. He comes here and he's very, very reserved,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59and very anxious about coming back home to Derbyshire,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02it's where he grew up, he grew up in Eastwood, just up the road,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05but his relation to Eastwood and his family was difficult.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Once he'd written Sons And Lovers he became famous,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12but many people in Eastwood were upset - the representation of his parents and family,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14people that they knew, were unfair.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Do you think it's for you? Do you think I'd stop one minute for you?
0:15:17 > 0:15:19- Go!- My word! And leave those children with you?
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Ah! Go, go on!
0:15:22 > 0:15:24I should be only too glad.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27I should laugh, laugh, my lord, if I could get away from you.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31His old girlfriend, of course, was Miriam in Sons And Lovers,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34and was very oddly represented and there was a lot of resentment
0:15:34 > 0:15:38about the way Lawrence had talked about people he knew and places he knew.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42DH Lawrence is now firmly part of Derbyshire's history
0:15:42 > 0:15:47and people are very proud of him being a former resident here.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51So his life almost went full circle. He went from being ostracised and pilloried for his work
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- to being celebrated here. - That's very true.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Now in Eastwood, which is his birthplace, there's a wonderful birthplace museum,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00which I warmly recommend that you visit.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Also, there's a mining heritage museum that shares this...
0:16:04 > 0:16:09Because Lawrence, of course, writes very well about that mining community at that historical moment.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14So, yes, having been pilloried as the author of the dirty books, now, in Eastwood,
0:16:14 > 0:16:20there's a recognition that he's a very important representative of the town.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22People, I think,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26do recognise that, commercially, he brings people to Eastwood.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30He puts Eastwood and Broxtowe on the map. There's acknowledgement of that across the region.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Continuing my journey, I'm now heading
0:16:41 > 0:16:45to the beautiful village of Tissington.
0:16:55 > 0:16:56This is Tissington well.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00It's served travellers for centuries here,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and it's something the local people love to celebrate,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06as John Craven found out back in 1999.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Tissington is one of the loveliest villages in Derbyshire.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14It's got a population of about 150. And they've just been celebrating,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18in a very colourful way, Tissington's most unusual feature.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20They've got no less than six wells -
0:17:20 > 0:17:24this is just one of them - which for centuries have provided
0:17:24 > 0:17:28the people here with safe water. And even though there's now a mains supply,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32every year, on Ascension Day, the villagers continue the old tradition
0:17:32 > 0:17:34of giving thanks for their wells
0:17:34 > 0:17:37by transforming them, like this.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47The wells of Tissington have always kept flowing,
0:17:47 > 0:17:53even in times of great drought, and stayed pure when there were epidemics of waterborne diseases,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57so the tradition started of paying tribute to the wells,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59first with simple garlands of flowers.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02In Victorian times, the custom became much grander,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05using wooden boards coated with clay
0:18:05 > 0:18:09into which flower petals were pressed to create tableaus.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11And that's what continues today.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Designs are drawn on wallpaper - they're different every year -
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- and the outline is transferred by pricking into the clay. - You've got the legs to do.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24That's it. It's coming up.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Rhubarb seeds are a popular choice for backgrounds.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Every inch of the boards are covered in natural materials,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34with seasonal flowers like bluebells and wild hyacinths
0:18:34 > 0:18:38being joined by things such as parsley and coffee beans.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41It's a job for all generations as the six different teams -
0:18:41 > 0:18:44one for each well - create their displays,
0:18:44 > 0:18:48all of them, by tradition, based on familiar Bible stories.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Though it all needs skill and delicacy,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54The well-dressers are working to a deadline.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57We've got to get it all finished by 4 o'clock this afternoon.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59The end result makes it worthwhile.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02People come back year after year to work in the same teams,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06people like Helen and her mother, Ann.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08It's a real challenge, this is,
0:19:08 > 0:19:12to make the picture come to life, cos we're working flat,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14and it's not until the board's reared up
0:19:14 > 0:19:17that you really get the depth of the thing.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21How do you create that mosaic effect on the faces?
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Oh, we've used...
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- Would you like to say, Helen? - We've used a different colour of coffee beans.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29You can see the paler ones go across a cheekbone
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and the darker ones are further away and in the shadow,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36just like on the rope here. We've used spruce tips.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38I've made it go in a pattern across,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41to make it look as though the fabric drapes across.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45The colour of the sky is sensational. How do you achieve that?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Thanks. I pick up all the different petals,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51arrange them into colours and try to make it look as though it's sweeping across a sky,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- to make it look like clouds. - What flowers are they?
0:19:54 > 0:19:58These are all pansies. Lots of pansies,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00so nobody's got any pansies around here!
0:20:00 > 0:20:02- THEY LAUGH - We've raided all the gardens.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05There's an awful effort in all of this, isn't there,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- and it only lasts for a few days? - It does. It's sad, really.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12But it gives a lot of pleasure to people when they see them
0:20:12 > 0:20:14in the village, at the wells,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18and it's our way of thanksgiving for the abundance of water here.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23The magnificent Jacobean mansion Tissington Hall dominates the village
0:20:23 > 0:20:26which for centuries has been owned by the Fitzherbert family.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31It's always been the estate workers and their families who have decorated the wells,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- but times change and some traditions wane.- I'm not worried at all
0:20:34 > 0:20:36about the future of well-dresses.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40I think it's strong... It's going very strong here
0:20:40 > 0:20:44and the families that are here are committed to it for the future.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48I can see this festival going on for many generations.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52The latest generation has its own well to dress,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55though this particular tradition started less than 20 years ago.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- Not me. The other one.- Yeah, the little one. He's got that.
0:20:59 > 0:21:0211-year-old Janine Bradley is this year's designer.
0:21:06 > 0:21:07Why did you choose Adam and Eve?
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Cos Adam and Eve hasn't really been done on the well before
0:21:11 > 0:21:13and because Adam and Eve
0:21:13 > 0:21:16was the beginning of the world and it's coming up to the year 2000.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20Many Derbyshire wells get decorated every year
0:21:20 > 0:21:22and the idea is now spreading abroad,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26but it's thought that the ones in Tissington were the very first.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Before dusk on the eve of Ascension Day,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31the boards are moved from the sheds where they've been decorated.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34After all the delicate artistry,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37it's time for a bit of manhandling.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Do you think it should go to the left a bit?
0:22:03 > 0:22:06I think it's probably about there now. Yeah.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09- It's ready for hammering.- Yes.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13This is the first time that you've seen it vertical. What do you reckon?
0:22:13 > 0:22:15I'm pleased with that.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- Yeah, it's come to life now.- Lovely.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- I just hope everybody else likes it. - THEY LAUGH
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Janine, what do you reckon now you see it standing up straight,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27your work of art?
0:22:27 > 0:22:30It's very different when it's standing up than it is lying down...
0:22:30 > 0:22:32in the shed where we did it.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34- Are you pleased with it, though? - Yes.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Tell me, Adam and Eve, who are they modelled on?
0:22:38 > 0:22:40No-one, really.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- Are you sure?- Yes.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51BELL RINGS Well, now it's Tissington's big day
0:22:51 > 0:22:54and suddenly the tiny village is filled with people,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56all here to admire the well-dressings.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59The final touches were put to them only hours ago,
0:22:59 > 0:23:02and now the highlight of the day is a church procession
0:23:02 > 0:23:06to each of the wells, to bless them and give thanks for their water.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15Give your blessing to this well.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19THEY SING A HYMN
0:23:23 > 0:23:26When the petals have wilted in a couple of days' time,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30and an estimated 50,000 people have seen the displays,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33the boards will come down and the people of Tissington
0:23:33 > 0:23:35will start planning for next year.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00For the next stage of my journey,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03I've hit the trail in the most invigorating of ways.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07This really is a beautiful way
0:24:07 > 0:24:11of exploring the Peak District National Park.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15There are more than 3,500 public rights of way
0:24:15 > 0:24:17crisscrossing the park.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20This is Bounce. A beautiful horse.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24But more than 40 years ago, it wasn't horses like Bounce
0:24:24 > 0:24:27that were using these paths, but trains.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Good girl.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35The old Buxton to Ashbourne line, which opened in 1899
0:24:35 > 0:24:38carried milk from the herds at Tissington and Hartington,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41as well as limestone from local quarries.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43When the line closed in 1967,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45it was decided to turn the disused railway
0:24:45 > 0:24:48into a track for recreational purposes.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52It reopened in 1971 as the Tissington Trail,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55designed for walkers, cyclists and of course, horses.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00Just a few miles down this trail is the town of Ashbourne.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03It's a pretty wonderful way of getting there, on Bounce, here.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06But Ashbourne itself is home to a sport
0:25:06 > 0:25:09far less relaxing than horse-riding.
0:25:09 > 0:25:16Michaela Strachan visited in 2000 and believe me, it's messy!
0:25:29 > 0:25:33The shops are boarded up, the streets are deserted.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35You may think this town has been the victim
0:25:35 > 0:25:37of a night of rioting and violence.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41But you'd be wrong - that doesn't happen till later!
0:25:41 > 0:25:43SHOUTING
0:25:43 > 0:25:47This is Ashbourne in Derbyshire, home to Shrovetide Football,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50where they tell me the push and shove is all good-natured...
0:25:50 > 0:25:52SHOUTING
0:25:52 > 0:25:56..And they play the funniest funny old game of them all.
0:25:56 > 0:26:02Nestled on the edge of the Peak District, Ashbourne is usually a calm, rural market town.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05But it's a town that prides itself on keeping tradition alive.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10Shrovetide Football is played on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday every year.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14There are two teams of unspecified numbers of people,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16sometimes up to 500 a side.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18The Up'ards born north of the River Henmore
0:26:18 > 0:26:22and the Down'ards born on the south. The goals are three miles apart.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26The tradition gives Ashbourne an amazing feeling of history and community.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30But for an outsider, it can be pretty baffling.
0:26:30 > 0:26:31Most of the crowd are on the pitch,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35half the crowd are actually playing and they don't think it's all over
0:26:35 > 0:26:37because it's just about to begin!
0:26:44 > 0:26:48'It seems to be amazing if you can just get to touch the ball.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52'But if you score a goal, there's huge adulation. And at the end of the day,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55'the hand-painted ball is yours to keep as a trophy.'
0:26:55 > 0:26:59I've got a ball that my granddad got in 1896.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02My dad wasn't fortunate enough to get a ball.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05I got mine in 1975.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09My son is playing today, hoping to get a ball.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12And I'm hoping it's gonna be here long enough for my grandson to play.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14All right!
0:27:14 > 0:27:16- I played for 42 years. - And did you have a good time?
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Absolutely marvellous, there's nothing like it.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22I was a river player cos I was never nimble on foot.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24So I always played in the river and got wet!
0:27:24 > 0:27:28- What did it feel like to score a goal?- Absolutely wonderful.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31You dream all your life of it in Ashbourne...
0:27:31 > 0:27:35It is, it's something you can't believe will ever happen.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38And... I can't explain it, it was absolutely wonderful.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40SHOUTING AND CHATTER
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Well, it's not a game of two halves
0:27:42 > 0:27:45and there are no complicated offside rules.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47In fact, there are hardly any rules at all!
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Just three very simple ones.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Number one, there's no mechanical assistance for the balls -
0:27:53 > 0:27:55which basically means you can't put it in a car or bike.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Number two, if the ball goes missing for more than an hour,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01then it is counted as void. And number three,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03If a goal is scored before 5pm
0:28:03 > 0:28:06then another one is turned out and the whole thing starts again.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11'It's a challenge just knowing where the ball is.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15'And knowing who's on who's team!'
0:28:15 > 0:28:16It's like a big oven.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19But it's like someone's squeezing you at the same time.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20You know what I mean?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22You've got, like, a big rugby squad.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26It's like there's about six rugby teams in one go.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30'It's a rough and muddy old game
0:28:30 > 0:28:34'and physically very demanding...'
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Cramped, hot, claustrophobic...
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Can't breathe!
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Bye-bye!
0:28:45 > 0:28:49'After 2.5 hours of play, the ball had moved 200 yards up the hill
0:28:49 > 0:28:51'but then came back to the car park.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53'And then things got really messy...'
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Substantial progress has been made,
0:29:14 > 0:29:18they've now got the ball into the park. It's come to a standstill now,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21they're trying to get it in the river and up to the goal.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26But even if they don't score tonight, the whole game starts again tomorrow!
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Personally, though, I've had enough mud for one day
0:29:29 > 0:29:32and it's getting dark - I'm going home. Bye-bye!
0:29:40 > 0:29:44So far, I've travelled from the Heights of Abraham to Cromford,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46and then onto the village of Tissington.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Now, I'm heading to the pretty hamlet of Milldale.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01In May 1653, this little gem of a book was published.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03It's called The Compleat Angler, or,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06The Contemplative Man's Recreation.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09It's by Izaak Walton and as the name suggests,
0:30:09 > 0:30:11it's loosely based around fishing.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13Incredibly, this has become
0:30:13 > 0:30:17the third biggest-selling book in the English language.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24The book tells the story of a wise old angler who meets a young companion.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28They decide to travel together through the north of England on a fishing trip,
0:30:28 > 0:30:32during which they discuss at length, fish, the universe, and, well, everything!
0:30:32 > 0:30:36The two travellers are called Piscator, the wise old angler,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39and Viator, his pupil. In the book, they arrive at this very bridge
0:30:39 > 0:30:43at Milldale which, in those days, wouldn't have had any walls
0:30:43 > 0:30:45and would have been pretty frightening to cross.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49In the book, Viator says,
0:30:49 > 0:30:54"Why, a mouse can hardly go over it. 'Tis not 12 fingers broad."
0:30:54 > 0:30:56Following the phenomenal success of the book,
0:30:56 > 0:31:02the bridge previously known as "Milldale", was remained, "Viator Bridge".
0:31:02 > 0:31:04But this is much more than a fishing book.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07It's got poetry, ruminations on nature,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10and it even contains recipes.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13And I've got plans for a spot of lunch.
0:31:15 > 0:31:20MUSIC: "Tubas In The Moonlight" by Bonzo Dog Band
0:31:27 > 0:31:31I'm gonna try cooking one of Piscator's famous recipes for trout.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35I should probably mention now that I'm not very good at cooking.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36But I'll give it a go!
0:31:36 > 0:31:40I feel like I'm venturing back into a bygone era.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45In fact, I'm going to be tasting history. This is a 353-year-old recipe.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49First of all, we take our pan and according to this,
0:31:49 > 0:31:52we add a little vinegar.
0:31:52 > 0:31:58There we go. And a little white wine - I like that touch.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00In it goes.
0:32:00 > 0:32:06Next, we add some rosemary and thyme. A little bit there.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10A little bit of that in and a little bit of that.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15Next, we add some salt. And some lemon rind.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17Do I look like Jamie Oliver yet? Probably not!
0:32:17 > 0:32:23And we pop it onto the stove until it comes to the boil.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27We'll leave it for a bit. This is, presumably, the boring bit in cooking.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39And now, that has finally come to the boil,
0:32:39 > 0:32:46so I will take my piece of trout and pop it in there.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Just put that on there and, eh, we leave that to boil for a bit.
0:32:59 > 0:33:04Right, well, it looks like that has just about finished.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08I'll take that off the stove.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10It certainly smells quite nice.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14I'll pop that...
0:33:17 > 0:33:21Doesn't look too bad. Even if I say so myself!
0:33:21 > 0:33:23A little bit lonely on the plate, there.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26Right...
0:33:26 > 0:33:28OK...
0:33:28 > 0:33:30I'll see what this tastes like.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34Mmm.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39Not bad. A little bit more Ray Mears than Gordon Ramsay, but very tasty.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43What a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48# Tubas in the moonlight
0:33:48 > 0:33:56# Will bring my loved-one home... #
0:34:00 > 0:34:03'It's always nice to round off a meal with a fine piece of cheese.
0:34:03 > 0:34:08'John Craven went to find out what goes into making a local Derbyshire Stilton.'
0:34:08 > 0:34:13'The cheese is named after a village in Cambridgeshire but it's never been made there.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16'Derbyshire is one of only three counties where it can be produced
0:34:16 > 0:34:19'and Hartington is just inside the border.'
0:34:19 > 0:34:22- So, what have we got here, then? - This is the curd, John.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24Five hours ago, this was milk.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29And now we've separated the milk out into the solids and the liquid.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32- This is the curds and the whey in Little Miss Muffet!- Yes!
0:34:32 > 0:34:34And how have you got it so solid so quickly?
0:34:34 > 0:34:38Erm, we use natural things. We use bacteria and enzymes called rennet.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42- And that separates the milk out. - And what happens to the curd
0:34:42 > 0:34:46when you've got rid of all this watery waste?
0:34:46 > 0:34:50We'll cut it up into smaller pieces and then we'll put it into
0:34:50 > 0:34:53some plastic cylinders to make the traditional Stilton shape.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55I'll show you that now.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57- Which "whey"?- This "whey"!
0:34:59 > 0:35:01This is where we store the cheese to mature them.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04- How many are here then? - 30,000 in this store
0:35:04 > 0:35:07and a total capacity for over 120,000 Stiltons.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10I have to say, what a pong in here!
0:35:10 > 0:35:12That's a beautiful smell.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14- Smelly feet, isn't it? - It's ammonia gas.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17It's the same chemical that gives you sweaty feet.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21That's why a lot of people think Stilton smells like old socks.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25A lot of people think that, but all blue cheeses smell like that when they're maturing,
0:35:25 > 0:35:29especially in here, we've got 30,000. It doesn't smell like that on your plate.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Has Stilton always had that smell?
0:35:31 > 0:35:36No, no. Stilton originally... This is originally what Stilton looked like.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40- There's no mould in there at all, is there?- No blue.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42This is what Stilton was originally.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47The blue stuff is a mistake, or an accident, depending on your viewpoint.
0:35:47 > 0:35:48How did that happen then?
0:35:48 > 0:35:51A crack in the cheese, some blue mould got in...
0:35:51 > 0:35:54There's good and bad moulds. This is a good mould.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55And it's made it blue.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59How long does it take to create a mature Stilton?
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Well, that's a week old, that's a month old,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06three months, four months. That's a mature Stilton - four months old.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09- Only four months? I thought it would be three or four years.- No.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13With cheddar, you'd be correct. A good cheddar can be up to two years old.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18Stilton matures in that short time. The blue mould accelerates the maturing process.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20So a cheese is ready at three or four months old.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24So if it's only four months, this must be your Christmas supply here.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27This is going to be served up on Christmas Day, most of this lot.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31How do you manage to get the blue into the cheese then?
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Originally it was an accident,
0:36:33 > 0:36:39but what we do nowadays, we add the mould spores or seeds at an earlier part of the production process.
0:36:39 > 0:36:40And then?
0:36:40 > 0:36:44And then later on, what it needs to trigger that mould to grow is oxygen.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48So we pierce the cheese, make holes in it and then lets oxygen in
0:36:48 > 0:36:51and the blue grows and you get that nice marbled effect.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56Unfortunately, we don't have the opportunity to revisit the Hartington creamery.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Production is now being wound down
0:36:58 > 0:37:01and it'll be closing its doors for good this summer.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06A sign of the many pressures small companies face to stay viable in rural areas,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08especially in this tough economic climate.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21I've hiked north-west of Milldale
0:37:21 > 0:37:25to a climber's paradise known as The Roaches.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29I'm off to meet a man who regularly climbs these cliffs - Dave Turnbull.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38Dave is the chief executive of the British Mountaineering Council.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42He's climbed some of the most challenging peaks all over the world.
0:37:42 > 0:37:47I'm here to experience just what it is that keeps bringing him back to the Peak District.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52So Derbyshire and the Peak District is heavily steeped in climbing history.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56There's probably a hundred different crags here.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58Some of them several miles long.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02It's got a history going back to the end of the 19th century.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04You've got the Dark Peak, the good stone such as this
0:38:04 > 0:38:08and you've got the White Peak, the limestone cliffs. It's a great training ground.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13So for someone like me, who's a novice, I've done a teeny bit in the past, but not a great amount,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16is this a good place, The Roaches, to come and practise?
0:38:16 > 0:38:22Yeah, this'll be challenging. We've picked a classic climb, first done in 1947, I think.
0:38:22 > 0:38:28It was quite a climb of its day. I think it will be quite challenging for you.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31So what do I need to climb this?
0:38:31 > 0:38:35You're basically OK like that. Climbers today climb in all sorts of different clothes.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39We've got a harness, two ropes, all the modern climbing equipment.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42This things are called Friends - climbing devices.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47These things revolutionised climbing in about 1977, when they were built.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50These things go in cracks and they protect you if you fall off.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58'We're going to be attempting the well known climb, Valkyrie.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04'Given Dave's climbing history, I think I'll let him lead.'
0:39:05 > 0:39:10Generally very good on gritstone, you can take a lot of weight on your feet.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14- OK.- So you're basically using the wide sections of the crack.- Yep.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19- Good.- Can I use my back to lean against?
0:39:19 > 0:39:22You can use anything, any part of your body.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24OK, this is going to be interesting.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Are you sure this is a climb for a novice like me?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29I didn't say that!
0:39:29 > 0:39:30(BOTH LAUGH)
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Keep thinking about where your feet are.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35That's it. Is it a wide section of crack there?
0:39:35 > 0:39:36There is, yeah.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39I think you can get a bit of a fist in there.
0:39:39 > 0:39:40That's all I'm hanging by.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43I think maybe you need another one higher up. Then get your feet up.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Ooh, that's beginning to hurt.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51OK, you might be ready to catch me if I...
0:39:51 > 0:39:52I've got you tight.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56That's it. You've done the hard bit now.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00That's good. That's good.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07I had no idea how hard this is.
0:40:07 > 0:40:08OK.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25That was slightly undignified. I'm sure most climbers don't...
0:40:25 > 0:40:27No, you're looking good.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30'If I thought that was hard,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33'it was nothing compared to what I had to do next.'
0:40:41 > 0:40:44- I need to go a bit lower, don't I? - I think so.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46You need to be able to stretch your left foot out.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50- You've definitely got the ropes, haven't you?- Definitely got you.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01I'm going to put all the weight on my arm, I can't break it, can I?
0:41:01 > 0:41:03No, you won't break your arm, don't worry.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07- Sort your feet out, Ben!- I know.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11You look like you're about the right height there.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13Shall I just...
0:41:13 > 0:41:15Come on, Ben.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18You've got me if I fall, yeah?
0:41:18 > 0:41:20Yeah. Pull upwards with your left hand.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22Come on, Ben.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34I want to hug you!
0:41:34 > 0:41:35THEY LAUGH
0:41:35 > 0:41:38- Put it there.- Thank you very much.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42Let me clamber up this last...
0:41:46 > 0:41:48Woo hoo hoo!
0:41:48 > 0:41:49The summit.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Thank you very much.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54That...was quite scary, I have to say.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Very satisfying, though.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58You did well.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01It's quite a difficult climb for the first time on gritstone.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04I'd like to see the novices you have around here!
0:42:13 > 0:42:17Ooh, it's good to be back on firm land.
0:42:17 > 0:42:18That got the heart pumping.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20That was scary.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25Like any wilderness, the Peak District can offer excitement and even danger.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29You wouldn't want to be all alone out here if the weather turned.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34The Derbyshire Moors at the end of the 17th century.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37It's bitterly cold, the wind is biting.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Jane Cullembullen and her two daughters leave their home
0:42:40 > 0:42:43and travel to her sister's in Sheffield for Christmas.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46It's a journey of 25 miles.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49As they cross the moors, they get hopelessly lost.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Their bodies were found huddled in a hollow when the snow thawed the following spring.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Tragic accounts like that
0:42:55 > 0:42:57were frighteningly common in the 17th century.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01Although many of the locals knew how to cross the treacherous moors
0:43:01 > 0:43:06and could understand the maze of crisscrossing pathways, strangers couldn't.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08As trade increased between villages and towns,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11more people found themselves crossing the unknown.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14Many were lost and were never found again.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17But after the death of the mother and her two daughters,
0:43:17 > 0:43:20the government decided that something had to be done.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27In 1697, at the time of William III,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30they passed an act all to do with roads.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33They inserted a clause which said that...
0:43:33 > 0:43:36local parishes could erect guide posts or stones,
0:43:36 > 0:43:38or, as they call them round here, stoops,
0:43:38 > 0:43:42with the directions to the nearest market towns.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46This is just the sort of place, a lonely moorland crossroads,
0:43:46 > 0:43:48where they would erect the stoop.
0:43:48 > 0:43:53You've got to imagine the scene before a single wall was built,
0:43:53 > 0:43:54or any of the roads.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56Where does the word stoop come from?
0:43:56 > 0:44:00It dates from the time when we were ruled by the Danes.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04The word stoop is simply the Danish word for a stone.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06I'm sure this stoop is very useful
0:44:06 > 0:44:09and I'm sure there's probably some in the other direction,
0:44:09 > 0:44:12but how do you know how to get from this one to the next one?
0:44:12 > 0:44:14The hand reminds you to go to the right.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17And in those days, of course, before the heather,
0:44:17 > 0:44:20the trackway would be perfectly clear.
0:44:20 > 0:44:25In pre-stoop days, they relied on natural features.
0:44:25 > 0:44:29Even in some lonely areas, they used individual thorn trees,
0:44:29 > 0:44:32they only trees that would survive out here.
0:44:32 > 0:44:33People would memorise them.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35And even if they were strangers,
0:44:35 > 0:44:38they would recite a list that a local would give them.
0:44:38 > 0:44:44And very often, in a dale in Derbyshire, the people didn't know the way to the next dale.
0:44:44 > 0:44:45They never went.
0:44:45 > 0:44:50So those who did know made a living out of guiding foreigners
0:44:50 > 0:44:53and the foreigners might live only ten miles away.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01With the introduction of maps and construction of proper roads,
0:45:01 > 0:45:03stoops became less important.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07Many of them fell into disrepair, crumbled, or were simply forgotten about.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11Until now, that is. Jim, you're not going to let people forget about stoops.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15- You're busy restoring them to their pride of place.- Yes, I am.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18I'm a member of the Holymoorside & District History Society.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22We're all very committed to the conservation of many things,
0:45:22 > 0:45:24but especially guide stoops at the moment.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28How do you go about restoring these to their former glory?
0:45:28 > 0:45:33When we find one, we remove it and put it back on to its original site.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36They have travelled quite a distance, in some cases,
0:45:36 > 0:45:38from where they originated from.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40Why do you find them so fascinating?
0:45:40 > 0:45:43They have so many interesting features about them.
0:45:43 > 0:45:47The date on one, the stonemason evidently had the wrong impression
0:45:47 > 0:45:51of what the figure seven looked like, cos it was facing the wrong way.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54And the phonetic spelling of the different place names
0:45:54 > 0:45:57are also very different,
0:45:57 > 0:46:02dependent on the area and the dialect of the area from which the stonemason came.
0:46:04 > 0:46:09- What's the story behind this one? - In 1940, the Home Guard, in their wisdom,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11decided to bury all guide posts
0:46:11 > 0:46:14in case they were of assistance to the expected German invasion.
0:46:14 > 0:46:19And this particular one lay buried in a trench there for 55 years.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23- It's in good nick, isn't it? - Absolutely. It's been preserved in the peat.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26The only thing that hasn't any respect for it is the birds.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30- Their droppings are creating a corrosion effect on the top. - SHE LAUGHS
0:46:30 > 0:46:32This is a typical example
0:46:32 > 0:46:37of a guide stoop having been removed possibly 200 years ago
0:46:37 > 0:46:39by a farmer who needed a gate-post.
0:46:39 > 0:46:44And he nicked it from its original site, where it started life in 1710.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46But now we're in the fortunate position
0:46:46 > 0:46:51whereby, thanks to Michael Burnett, the present farmer on this land,
0:46:51 > 0:46:54he has agreed to do an exchange deal with us
0:46:54 > 0:46:58whereby we are giving him a gate-post as a replacement for this.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02- So soon you'll be able to add this one to your list of restorations. - Absolutely.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04This is a stoop you erected earlier.
0:47:04 > 0:47:08- How long ago did you restore it? - A year ago last October.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13This was re-erected after the war in the wrong position, some quarter of a mile in the distance.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17Now these stoops are back in position, what's their future?
0:47:17 > 0:47:19They're given a Grade II listing,
0:47:19 > 0:47:23and that gives them protection for eternity, we hope.
0:47:23 > 0:47:27And of course, they give a lot of pleasure to future generations.
0:47:27 > 0:47:32And they add an added entrance for visitors to this national park.
0:47:32 > 0:47:36My visit to the park is coming to an end.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39But there's one more challenge ahead of me.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41I'm nearly on the summit of Shining Tor
0:47:41 > 0:47:46and in a moment, I'm going to be flinging myself off the edge, attached to a paraglider.
0:47:46 > 0:47:47My route through the Peak District
0:47:47 > 0:47:50has taken me from the Heights of Abraham,
0:47:50 > 0:47:52through Cromford and into the village of Tissington.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57I then travelled to the hamlet of Milldale,
0:47:57 > 0:48:00and scaled the gritstone of The Roaches.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03To end this journey, I've come to Shining Tor.
0:48:06 > 0:48:11I've climbed 1,834 feet to the summit.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14But it's not just for this breathtaking scenery.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17Local flying instructor Mark Bosher
0:48:17 > 0:48:21is set to show me one of the safest ways to throw myself off.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23- Hello, Ben.- Hello.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25- That's quite a hill.- It is.
0:48:25 > 0:48:27The view up here...
0:48:27 > 0:48:31I can't believe we're going to be flinging ourselves off the edge of this.
0:48:31 > 0:48:35- Yes, we will. We'll be flying off. - I understand I'm in capable hands.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37- You've done this lots of times. - A couple.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41We're going to be paragliding, which is what all this stuff is here.
0:48:41 > 0:48:45It's a giant parachute. So what do I need to know?
0:48:45 > 0:48:48We're going to have a quick safety brief, obviously.
0:48:48 > 0:48:51The main thing is that when you go off, keep your legs down,
0:48:51 > 0:48:54keep running, and just relax and we'll be away.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57- All you've got to do is stick it on like a jacket.- OK.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00It's like a chair I'm putting on.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03I've got a camera on here, so... Yeah, have a look at that.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06Hopefully that's going to record the views we have.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10- Anything else I need...- No, just keep running, keep your legs down,
0:49:10 > 0:49:11get in the air and we're off.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14Quite a strange thing, to keep running on the edge...
0:49:14 > 0:49:18Not natural, but that's what you have to do.
0:49:18 > 0:49:22'As I'm not an experienced paraglider, I won't be doing this jump solo.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26'I'll be secured to Mark and will fly tandem, so I can enjoy the view.'
0:49:26 > 0:49:27- Ready?- Ready.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29MARK SHOUTS ENCOURAGEMENT
0:49:33 > 0:49:35Keep running, keep running!
0:49:38 > 0:49:40BEN WHOOPS
0:49:44 > 0:49:46BEN LAUGHS
0:49:46 > 0:49:48That's so cool.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52That's nice. That's good.
0:50:13 > 0:50:15Woo, this is fast!
0:50:21 > 0:50:24This is amazing!
0:50:25 > 0:50:27Oh, wow!
0:50:28 > 0:50:30Look ahead.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33- Keep my legs bent?- Yeah. OK.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35Now. Run, run, run.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41Well done, Ben. Well done.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Right, just stop there.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46Fantastic.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48We're there. That's it.
0:51:01 > 0:51:02Whoa.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05Well, I'm not quite Tom Cruise in Top Gun,
0:51:05 > 0:51:08but I feel like it. That was incredible.
0:51:08 > 0:51:12I began this journey on the Heights of Abraham,
0:51:12 > 0:51:15and I've ended it here, on the bottom of Shining Tor,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18with my feet firmly on the ground.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20It's been a fascinating journey,
0:51:20 > 0:51:22where I've discovered how the people of Derbyshire
0:51:22 > 0:51:26have kept the rich traditions and heritage of the Peak District alive.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media
0:51:43 > 0:51:46E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk