0:00:29 > 0:00:32Today, I'm in beautiful mid-Wales,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35land of music, song and mystery.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38It's home to Celtic tradition, the odd dragon
0:00:38 > 0:00:42and the UK's tallest single-drop waterfall, Pistyll Rhaeadr.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53My journey begins at this mystical spot close to Llanrhaeadr...
0:00:55 > 0:00:58..and then continues to Ponterwyd,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01to walk a section of "the mountain connoisseur's route",
0:01:01 > 0:01:03the Cambrian Way.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07At Cwmystwyth, I'll learn to find my way in the wild
0:01:07 > 0:01:09by looking at trees,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12with the help of natural navigator, Tristan Gooley.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16What I love about this beech tree is it's giving me great clues to direction.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Near Rhayader, I'll learn about a fearsome raptor
0:01:20 > 0:01:22that has transformed its image
0:01:22 > 0:01:26from persecuted pest to lucrative tourist attraction.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30And my journey ends at Tregaron, where I'll trot against the clock
0:01:30 > 0:01:33in a harnessed race against time.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36- So they will go a little bit faster, then?- Yes, you can.- Go on!
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Along the way, I'll be looking back
0:01:40 > 0:01:42at some of the best of the BBC's programmes
0:01:42 > 0:01:44from this part of the country.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Croeso i Gymru, and welcome to Country Tracks.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Wales is a culturally rich nation,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01famous for its art, music and literature.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06With a legacy of colourful mythology
0:02:06 > 0:02:10influenced by Celtic folklore, traditions and legends.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Welsh is one of the oldest surviving languages in Europe
0:02:16 > 0:02:18and the people of Wales
0:02:18 > 0:02:21are passionate, expressive and creative.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26No wonder then, that here at Pistyll Rhaeadr,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30the waterfall is surrounded by myths and even tales of dragons.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41The falls collect water from the heather and bog moors of the Berwyn Mountains,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45which feed into the little river, Afon Disgynfa,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47meaning descent, or landing place.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Powerful places, waterfalls,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and it's no surprise that they've long been associated
0:02:55 > 0:02:58with prehistoric ritual and religion.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01If you listen to the pounding, the thundering of that water,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04it strips your emotions to their raw state.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09After tumbling over a series of rapids
0:03:09 > 0:03:13formed over bands of volcanic rock, the water eventually reaches
0:03:13 > 0:03:16the 450 million year-old cliff
0:03:16 > 0:03:20before plummeting down the 240-foot drop into the Afon Rhaeadr.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37This dramatic waterfall is known as one of the seven wonders of Wales,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39but it's also a spiritual place.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Phil Facey, who lives at its foot, is constantly inspired by it.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50- Hello, Phil.- Hello, welcome. - What brought you to this place?
0:03:50 > 0:03:51Well, I was living in Norwich
0:03:51 > 0:03:55and I decided to come on a long weekend to do a bit of walking.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Came up the lane, never been before...
0:03:59 > 0:04:00Eight weeks later,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02I was living here.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06The place has a very special gift.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09When you enter into this little valley,
0:04:09 > 0:04:14you begin to sense within yourself a quietening.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16I'll use the word "sacredness",
0:04:16 > 0:04:21it has touched thousands of people in their heart.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29'In wintertime, the waterfall can freeze.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33'This dramatic picture was taken in 1969,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37'and local legend says images can be seen within,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39'one of which is a dragon.'
0:04:39 > 0:04:42You see where the bridge is, and the eye,
0:04:42 > 0:04:48the whole of that is formed into the face, the side face, of a dragon.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52'There's a story of how the dragon would attack local villages
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'until it was slain by cunning means.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59'Nevertheless, dragon energy apparently still flows
0:04:59 > 0:05:00'within these waters.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04'Another legend is attached to these boulders
0:05:04 > 0:05:07'in a nearby field at the foot of the waterfall.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10'The story goes that a giant and giantess
0:05:10 > 0:05:11'were sheltering in the mountains,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13'building a house below the waterfall.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16'One night, they were interrupted by a cock crowing
0:05:16 > 0:05:20'and had to throw down their stones and leave.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22'The stones, and their stories, remain.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27'The myths and legends may or may not be true,
0:05:27 > 0:05:28'but what cannot be denied
0:05:28 > 0:05:32'is the beauty of the waterfall and its surrounding mountains,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36'which have been designated as sites of special scientific interest.'
0:05:36 > 0:05:38It's such an evocative place.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41You can really understand why people come here,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44why Phil came here and stayed here.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48It's like a little oasis of peace in a busy world.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Not far from here, near Aberystwyth,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Jimmy Doherty met Welsh farmers Rachel and Gareth Rowlands,
0:06:05 > 0:06:09who want to change the world by changing what cows eat.
0:06:15 > 0:06:21Most animals, including humans, give off methane by burping and farting.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Too much methane damages the world's atmosphere.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Cows are serious polluters.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33Each one gives off 300 litres of methane or more every day.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38Rachel and her husband Gareth want to see if a change of diet
0:06:38 > 0:06:42could reduce the amount of methane cows produce.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45- This was, I thought, a novel thing to be doing.- Yeah.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- Measuring output from animals. - Yeah.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50- Science is a wonderful thing.- It is.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53They've installed a police crime scene tent
0:06:53 > 0:06:57to track the amount of methane produced by their cows.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- And this is it.- This is the tent. - This is the fart and burp tent.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06The fart and burp tent, yes. The jokes are flying on this.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09You wouldn't be smoking in there, would you?
0:07:09 > 0:07:10You'd just go up!
0:07:11 > 0:07:14The sealed tent collects and measures the methane
0:07:14 > 0:07:17given off by Rachel's cows.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23- It's quite gassy in there, isn't it? - That's another word for smelly.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26I think one of my eyebrows dropped off when I put my head in there.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31'They've teamed up with scientist, Professor Jamie Newbold, from Aberystwyth University.'
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- How are you doing?- Hello, how are you?- Good, good, good.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- So you are the man who designed this experiment?- Indeed, yes.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44'Firstly, Professor Newbold will measure how much methane the cows produce when fed their normal diet.'
0:07:44 > 0:07:46So we take this out and test it.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50So, the methane is running through here?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53The methane's coming through here... and being detected over here.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58All the way here, to this technical bit of kit.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00To this methane analyser, which is picking up the methane,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02pumping in through these into bags.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07So we're collecting the gas.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Cattle produce methane, most organisms produce methane - animals.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Well, no. It's quite variable. About half of people produce methane.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16Half do, half don't?
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- Do you want to see if you do? - I'll have a test to see...
0:08:19 > 0:08:20Blow into this bag, please, sir.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23A lot of people will say that I am a methane producer...
0:08:27 > 0:08:29HE CHUCKLES
0:08:29 > 0:08:30Quick, get it.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33OK. So we've now connected that.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34- We put that in there.- Yeah.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38This is parts per million of methane.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41So you can see, unlike the cow, it's not going up.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44- A non-methane producer. - I'm a non-methane producer?
0:08:44 > 0:08:46So I'm not adding to the global warming effect?
0:08:46 > 0:08:52So methane producers, the 50% that are methane producers,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55what causes them to produce methane when other people don't?
0:08:55 > 0:08:58We have the same methanogenic bacteria in our gut as cattle does,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01but some of us don't pick it up from our mothers,
0:09:01 > 0:09:02our mothers didn't have it.
0:09:02 > 0:09:08Maybe you've had surgery or a fairly serious dose of antibiotics in your life and you've lost the bacteria.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14- It's all about bacteria.- Bacteria in the gut that forms the methane.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16In you and in the cows.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19- Are you a methane producer? - I unfortunately am.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Right, you're a methane producer. Shame on you.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23THEY LAUGH
0:09:23 > 0:09:25- We have a clear conscience. - We're all right.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27I won't sit next to you on the bus.
0:09:37 > 0:09:38Go behind.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40The scientists want to test the idea
0:09:40 > 0:09:44that they can reduce the methane output of Rachel's cows by changing their diet.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50- Good girls.- Go on, go on.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Come on!
0:09:52 > 0:09:55In you go, ladies. Wonderful.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Pleased to be home, aren't they?
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- This is it. - Great relief, I should think.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05- Wonderful.- It's nice to be out of that tent with all that methane.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07- That was not a happy environment. - Oh, no.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Like being stuck under the duvet.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11THEY GIGGLE
0:10:12 > 0:10:15'There's a few surprise ingredients in the new feed.'
0:10:15 > 0:10:16Right, this is the magic stuff.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19'Including a healthy dose of garlic.'
0:10:19 > 0:10:24- Yes, it's fairly potent, isn't it? - That is something else.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Would you like to do a split of 50-50?
0:10:27 > 0:10:31- If it gets on your hands I'll feel happier about it.- Good Lord!
0:10:31 > 0:10:35I already know what's in here now because of the smell.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39They can smell it. Look, they're coming looking for it.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40COWS MOO
0:10:40 > 0:10:43It's like a bag of Frenchmen!
0:10:43 > 0:10:44HE LAUGHS
0:10:44 > 0:10:47You've got one hell of a smell in there, so you know.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- You're not a garlic lover, are you? - I can't stand the stuff.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52- Garlic bread?- No.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53There's a sophisticate.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54THEY LAUGH
0:10:54 > 0:10:58It reminds me of when the cows got into the wild garlic.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03That's it! When you walk through a wood of wild garlic, that's what it smells like.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07- I'll give it a good mix-up. - I'm doing the same.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11- And you reckon this will work? - Look, I reckon nothing, right?
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- I leave this to the scientists, OK? - Here we go.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Let's leave them to it and see what happens.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'The cows will eat this new diet for two weeks,
0:11:19 > 0:11:24'then they'll go back in the crime tent for two days to be measured again.'
0:11:24 > 0:11:27- They're eating.- They're eating.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30They're going for it, aren't they?
0:11:30 > 0:11:34'When cows eat grass and plants, they produce hydrogen in the gut.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36'This is bad for digestion.'
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Bacteria in the stomach converts some of this hydrogen gas to methane
0:11:42 > 0:11:45which the cows can more easily deal with.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51When the scientists add garlic to the cows' diet,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55they expect it to kill off some of the methane-producing bacteria.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02This will not harm the animal, but the scientists believe
0:12:02 > 0:12:06it reduces the amount of methane gas the cows pump into the atmosphere.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27'It seems incredible to me that a simple change of diet might have such an effect.'
0:12:28 > 0:12:32I'm quite excited because I love getting surprises
0:12:32 > 0:12:35and I love getting results of things.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Being away, I want to see what's happened with the cows.
0:12:38 > 0:12:44Have they eaten the food? Are they producing less methane, more methane? What are the variables?
0:12:44 > 0:12:48Who knows? That's what exciting about an experiment.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51- So what are the results? - If you remember last time,
0:12:51 > 0:12:56we had about 347 metres of methane from the animals.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Yesterday we had 292 metres.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03- So about 10% to 15% less. - So there has been a reduction?
0:13:03 > 0:13:05COWS MOO LOUDLY
0:13:06 > 0:13:10They've just released the two girls back into the herd,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13so from the inflatable shed there,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16and now they're running around. There's all this excitement.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19They're sniffing them because these girls...
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Listen to it! These two girls must reek of garlic.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Look, look.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26Hello, lovely.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30There is a worry that the garlic might taint the cows' meat or milk.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Eh, garlic breath?
0:13:32 > 0:13:34But this experiment is amazing.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Of course it's just the first step in a lengthy process,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42but if all farmers in Wales fed their cattle this new diet,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46then livestock methane emissions could be cut by 15%.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Wouldn't it be great if this idea spread around the world?
0:13:52 > 0:13:54It could seriously help tackle global warming.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02My journey now continues to Ponterwyd where I've joined what is known as
0:14:02 > 0:14:05the mountain connoisseur's walk, the Cambrian Way.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11What exactly is the Cambrian Way?
0:14:11 > 0:14:15You've probably heard of the Pennine Way and the West Highland Way,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18but the Cambrian Way isn't very familiar to a lot of people.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Although it's not recognised as a national trial,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24it's a mountain walking route that goes from Cardiff to Conway
0:14:24 > 0:14:30and it crosses some of the wildest, highest, most beautifully scenic parts of Wales.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36The walk takes in the Black Mountains in Southeast Wales,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia
0:14:39 > 0:14:40and the Carneddau Mountains,
0:14:40 > 0:14:44which include some of the very highest peaks in the country.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48It's very rarely flat and therein lies the challenge.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55It's a strenuous walk, 20 miles longer than the Pennine Way.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00At 275 miles long, the total amount of uphill-walking that you do
0:15:00 > 0:15:07adds up to 60,500 feet, more than twice the height of Mount Everest.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12'The walk is one of the finest in Europe,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14'and the scenery on a good day is tremendous.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18'But with today's weather, I am glad I have my waterproofs on,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20'as I am tackling a small part of the route
0:15:20 > 0:15:22'in the company of rambler George Tod,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25'who has walked the entire trail three times.'
0:15:28 > 0:15:32So, George, tell me a bit about the history of the Cambrian Way.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37Well, it was started with a man called Tony Drake, who had
0:15:37 > 0:15:41a vision of making a route across all the mountaintops of Wales.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45It started off about 40 years ago,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48and he has pioneered the route ever since.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53He has been very active in trying to get it as a National Trail.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Unfortunately, that has not been succeeded up to now.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00But you've walked it quite a number of times,
0:16:00 > 0:16:05- do you still love it as much? - I do, it never loses its appeal.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07A lot depends on the weather, of course.
0:16:07 > 0:16:13Days like today, it is not quite as inspiring as on nice and sunny days.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Approximately 200 hardy souls tackle the walk every year,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20but it does require some serious navigational skills.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- You need lots of maps. - You do indeed.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Because it is not an official National Trail or anything,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30there is virtually no way marking along the route.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35So it does mean a set of OS maps are required for the whole way.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39But over the years, Tony's vision has not been without difficulties.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43When he applied for National Trail status, many organisations
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and local councils along the route raised objections.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49The councils had a number of concerns.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52They included the fact there was erosion on parts of the route,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54the safety of the route and also
0:16:54 > 0:16:58whether public rights were along all of the route.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Has the Countryside Act changed any of the objections?
0:17:05 > 0:17:10It has in many ways, in that now the access has got a legal footing,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13whereas, before it was based on custom
0:17:13 > 0:17:16and practice that people could walk in the mountains.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19It didn't have any real legal standing.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Unfortunately, there are still many other objections
0:17:23 > 0:17:25which have not been overcome.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28One of the practical challenges is the day-to-day
0:17:28 > 0:17:31maintenance of such a long and tough walk.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34The funding to develop the route,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38we would need to do an assessment to see how much work was required
0:17:38 > 0:17:42in terms of things like pack furniture, signage,
0:17:42 > 0:17:43surfacing of the route.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46It would be hard to say at the moment,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49but if you take an example, we are currently developing
0:17:49 > 0:17:52the Wales coast path, which is a much longer route.
0:17:52 > 0:17:58That is a £15 million programme, but that is for an 840-mile path.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02It gives you an idea of the scale of the costs involved.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06The National Trail campaign may not be as high profile now as it was,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09but there are still a few passionate walkers,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13including George, trying to keep Tony's vision alive.
0:18:13 > 0:18:19So far, the last 40 years of Tony Drake's life have been dedicated to
0:18:19 > 0:18:24promoting the walk and maintaining the walk and the guidebook.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Unfortunately, Tony is now rather frail at the age of 88,
0:18:28 > 0:18:30and needs some assistance.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34The longer term future he has envisaged as a charitable trust
0:18:34 > 0:18:38administered by three of us initially.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43There is myself, a close friend of Tony's
0:18:43 > 0:18:48and another walking companion of Tony's.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Between the three of us, we will try to maintain the walk as best we can,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56and keep the guide books continued as far as possible.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01The problem is, none of us are very young, so, in the longer term,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03it'd be nice to have some new, young blood
0:19:03 > 0:19:04to carry the thing onwards.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07- Fresh blood to keep going. - That is the way, yes.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Whether or not the Cambrian Way ever becomes a National Trail
0:19:12 > 0:19:14is a moot point.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17But it will always remain a mountain connoisseur's walk.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25To the west of here, the little town of Llanwrtyd Wells plays host to
0:19:25 > 0:19:29one of Britain's most eccentric races, pitting man against horse.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34Back in 2001, Ben Fogle pulled on his lucky socks and joined in.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Well, you may be wondering what I'm doing in the smallest
0:19:43 > 0:19:45town in Wales, limbering up.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Well, the answer is a very unusual race indeed.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54This is the Man Versus Horse Marathon,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56run over 22 miles of hard terrain.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Normally held in June, the annual race was postponed
0:20:00 > 0:20:02until this month due to foot and mouth.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Is it going to be really muddy?
0:20:04 > 0:20:06I have heard it is going to be extremely muddy.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09We have had monsoon conditions for a few weeks running up to it.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12So, yes, it could be really deep and quite treacherous.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Great(!) Looking forward to that(!)
0:20:16 > 0:20:19The question I really want to know is has a man
0:20:19 > 0:20:21ever beaten a horse in this race?
0:20:21 > 0:20:23This will be the 22nd running of the race,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and it has never yet been done.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28But with conditions on top being so deep and muddy,
0:20:28 > 0:20:29and more hazardous for horses,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I think it is a damn good bet this year.
0:20:32 > 0:20:33There is a very big money prize,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36they have upped it by £1,000 every year the race has run.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40So if a man wins the race, he gets £22,000.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46- Is that worth the deal? Should I meet the men?- Yes, that is it.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Even if I'm absolutely about to collapse, I'm going to keep going.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54John, John. Hi there, nice to meet you.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58You're in my relay team, or I'm in your relay team. I'm a bit nervous.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02I was actually looking at the map here, and it looks...
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Because I was thinking that you'd given me the worst leg,
0:21:06 > 0:21:07as it was the longest one.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Because I have to do from here to here, don't I?
0:21:10 > 0:21:12And then you do this bit.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16And then you will finish us off and beat the horse
0:21:16 > 0:21:17and win all our money.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- I'm running about seven miles, am I?- That's right.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23And how long do you think I should be doing this in?
0:21:23 > 0:21:26I think you'll probably do it in just over an hour.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30THEY LAUGH
0:21:30 > 0:21:31Taxi!
0:21:32 > 0:21:34'Nearly time to go.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38'For safety reasons, the individual runners and relay teams
0:21:38 > 0:21:39'go 15 minutes before the horses.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44- 'As I lined up, seven miles seemed a very long way indeed.'- Go!
0:21:44 > 0:21:45CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:21:48 > 0:21:52INDISTINCT TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT
0:21:54 > 0:21:57And with the runners safely on their way,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00it was the horses turn for the off.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04TANNOY: 'Five, four, three, two, one.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06'Come on, then, let's cheer them away!'
0:22:06 > 0:22:07APPLAUSE
0:22:12 > 0:22:14MUSIC: "Have A Nice Day" by Stereophonics
0:22:14 > 0:22:15# Have a nice day
0:22:15 > 0:22:19# Have a nice day
0:22:19 > 0:22:23# Have a nice day
0:22:23 > 0:22:27# Have a nice day
0:22:29 > 0:22:30# Lie around all day
0:22:30 > 0:22:33# Have a drink to chase
0:22:33 > 0:22:34# Yourself and tourists, yeah
0:22:34 > 0:22:37# That's what I hate
0:22:37 > 0:22:41# He said we're going wrong We've all become the same
0:22:41 > 0:22:45# We dress the same ways Only our accents change... #
0:22:45 > 0:22:46I beat some horses!
0:22:46 > 0:22:49CHEERING
0:22:49 > 0:22:51I've done it. Am I here now?
0:22:58 > 0:23:01I made it. Put that straight on. Good luck. Good luck.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07I beat a horse!
0:23:07 > 0:23:11That was my main mission,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15but I have to say I have the greatest admiration now for the horses.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Not for the people, because anybody who takes part is completely bonkers.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Well, I might have finished, but the race goes on,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and halfway round, the horses are vet checked once again.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31That's lovely, that's fine. Whenever you want to go out, just go.
0:23:31 > 0:23:37- How are the horses?- Yeah, they are mostly going on pretty well.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40The first bunch were fighting fit with enthusiasm.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46- One or two, a wee bit tired. - A bit like me, I think!- Yes.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50- You look cleaner than they do. - I don't know how.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53We're still not convinced you actually ran around.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56I can assure you I did!
0:23:56 > 0:24:00- Come on, John! How are you doing, you doing OK?- I'm OK.- Excellent.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02See you in a bit.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06That way, John.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11We don't stand a chance!
0:24:12 > 0:24:16# What have you done today to make you feel right? #
0:24:16 > 0:24:21TANNOY: 'There they go, over the line, the individual winner.'
0:24:21 > 0:24:25Individual winner he was, but when all the timings were worked out,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28he was not quite fast enough to beat the first horse.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:24:32 > 0:24:38- 2.17.- I am so impressed with that. Excellent. Are you exhausted?
0:24:38 > 0:24:43I'm not as exhausted as my horse is. I think he might want a drink.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Well done. Well run. How was that?
0:24:46 > 0:24:50- Not bad for the first-time.- Are there many people behind you?
0:24:50 > 0:24:53There weren't many behind us from the start!
0:24:53 > 0:24:54LAUGHTER
0:24:54 > 0:24:56It's the taking part that counts.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58And there are horses still coming through,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00so the fact is we beat the horses.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03- We did beat some of the horses. - That's the most important part.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08So much for my lucky socks. Well, that was absolutely amazing.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11I am totally exhausted, but at least I have my little trophy that
0:25:11 > 0:25:13proves I did it - and some very big blisters.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16And I think I will start training for next year.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18I think I'll do it on a horse next time.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Still following the route of the Cambrian Way,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34I have arrived at the arch near Devil's Bridge.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37The area takes its name from the old masonry arch
0:25:37 > 0:25:38which used to span the road.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42It was erected in 1810 by Thomas Johnes,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45formerly the owner of the nearby Hafod Estate,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48to mark King George III's golden jubilee.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55The arch itself is quite a good landmark
0:25:55 > 0:25:58when walking the Cambrian Way, as some of it is not
0:25:58 > 0:26:01very well signposted and that can cause difficulties for walkers.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05So you have to keep referring to Tony's guidebook or your OS map.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07But there is another way of finding your way,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10and I'm not talking about maps or compasses.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15There are a whole host of clues to finding our way that surround us
0:26:15 > 0:26:19when we are out in the wild, if only we learn where to look.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24It is a lost art that natural navigator Tristan Gooley believes can
0:26:24 > 0:26:26enhance our time in the countryside.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Hey, Tristan. What are you doing here wandering around trees?
0:26:30 > 0:26:32I am loving this beech tree,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34that's why I was having a good wander round it.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36I was trying to get to know it.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39The more we walk around a tree, the better we get to know one.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41What I love about this is it is giving me
0:26:41 > 0:26:43some great clues to direction.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45It is really reaching for the southern sun.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49We can see these branches here reaching out to the south,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and it has given me a good feel for the way we're walking.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54How does natural navigation work?
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Well, at its simplest, it is about sun, wind and water,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and these three elements acting on the earth.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Wherever we walk, we will find clues,
0:27:04 > 0:27:06because the sun doesn't move overhead.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09People think it is directly overhead in the middle of the day,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12but it's not. In this country, it's in the south.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14So it makes all the plants behave differently,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17even puddles on paths behave differently.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19The wind is sculpting the landscape around us.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22I think of the sun, wind and water leaving big footsteps
0:27:22 > 0:27:23in the land wherever we go.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Can you tell which way we are facing now?
0:27:26 > 0:27:30Yeah, this beech is a really strong clue, and that is telling me
0:27:30 > 0:27:33that way's south, which means this way must be west.
0:27:33 > 0:27:34'It might sound vague,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38'but Tristan is actually used it for real navigation in real situations.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:42I have used it very practically. I have used it in Dartmoor.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45I walked across half of Dartmoor in thick fog,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48just using the way the grasses were bent by the wind.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52- And it worked.- That is pretty impressive.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Natural navigation is all about observation and deduction.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Tristan wanted to show me some more clues to help me find my way.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Looks like we have got a great example here.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14Can you see these trees which have all come down in the same direction?
0:28:14 > 0:28:15Yes, loads of them.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18What has happened is a storm has blown in and uprooted
0:28:18 > 0:28:22all of these trees and pushed them all down in the same direction.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Once you've tuned into the direction of a storm's winds have blown,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28you can then use that for the rest of your walk.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31You really have to keep your eyes open.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33That's what natural navigation is all about -
0:28:33 > 0:28:35staying tuned to these clues
0:28:35 > 0:28:37and using them to connect to something.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Earlier, we used the sun and its relationship with the trees.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Here, it's the wind and one storm in particular. A south-westerly storm
0:28:44 > 0:28:47has pushed these trees over towards the north-east
0:28:47 > 0:28:50and that is going to help us on the rest of our walk.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55'It's clear trees can establish direction in many ways,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58'but what if there are no trees around?'
0:29:02 > 0:29:06We find ourselves in heather country here, a small piece of it.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Heather hates shady spots.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12So if we find some heather, we can be pretty sure it is a sunny place.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14It could be a sunny slope,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17in which case it is most likely to be a south-facing slope.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- There is a spider's web, can you see here?- Oh, yes.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24And a little spider there.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Spiders have learned, if we can call it that, that it is a waste
0:29:27 > 0:29:32of time to spin webs somewhere where the wind is going to blow them away.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35So what they tend to do is spin their webs in nice sheltered spots.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39Since the wind tends to come from the south-west in this country,
0:29:39 > 0:29:44you'll find more spiders' webs on the North East of gateposts, trees,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46or indeed heather, as in this case.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Where do you get this information from?
0:29:49 > 0:29:51To be honest, it took me a long time.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53I have been learning about it for many years
0:29:53 > 0:29:57and I had to find bits of information in strange places.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00I met people and interviewed people, I went to the desert
0:30:00 > 0:30:03and I spoke to the Tuareg and lots of people in this country.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Little pieces of information came together.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08I had to look back to ancient Greece for some of the myths.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12I'm delighted to say there is a small renaissance of interest
0:30:12 > 0:30:13in this strange subject now.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17Fantastic. And the spider's telling us to go this way, north east,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19so let's head off.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Every second we spend looking at maps, compasses or GPS,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34is a second we're not looking at the world around us.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37So if we put them away and spend more time immersing ourselves
0:30:37 > 0:30:40in the world around us, we have a much richer journey.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49It's been typical Cambrian weather today,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52but I think it's added to the beauty of the walk.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56And Tristan's opened my eyes to the greater experience of the outdoors.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59But I think I'll have to polish my observation skills
0:30:59 > 0:31:01a little before I use them to find my way around.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04But it's definitely food for thought.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12For now at least, it's back to the sat nav for me.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16The Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells
0:31:16 > 0:31:19is the biggest event in the Welsh agricultural calendar.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23In summer 2009, Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker paid a visit.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26Right, it's time to get our hands dirty and Matt,
0:31:26 > 0:31:28you chose something for us both to try.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32As you know, my passion is border collies. Anything to do with border collies.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35But this is herding with a bit of a difference. It's duck herding.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39- Duck?- I've never tried it... - Duck herding!- ..But here's the gang!
0:31:39 > 0:31:43- Hello, chaps!- Here we are, we've got Kenny, we've got Glenn, Tim,
0:31:43 > 0:31:45and a wonderful little gang of ducks.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48So, these dogs and us are going to herd these fellows?
0:31:48 > 0:31:53This course behind us, the idea is to get round it. So we'll have a go, see what happens.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55And it's the ducks doing the course, not us?
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- Well, whatever you fancy. I don't know if you can get through that tube!- I'll have a go!
0:32:02 > 0:32:05Meirion Owen is a third generation sheepdog handler
0:32:05 > 0:32:08and a former Welsh champion.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12He uses ducks as a starting point for training dogs and dog handlers.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17There we go. And they're lovely Indian Runner Ducks?
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Yes. Not your normal table bird, they're ornamental ducks.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- Quite light on their feet, as you can see.- Yes!
0:32:23 > 0:32:26It's up to Matt now really to work them.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29- He has to be authoritative. - They're not listening!
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Come by! Come by! By, by.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34Quite positive, the tone of his voice.
0:32:34 > 0:32:40- By! By!- By.- By! By!- But Glenn is working them towards me now!- Stand!
0:32:40 > 0:32:43- Those ducks are on the run! - HE WHISTLES
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- Oh! - SHE LAUGHS
0:32:46 > 0:32:49- Stand! Stand.- Stand! West Wales accent!
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Matt'll be very frustrated now, Meirion,
0:32:52 > 0:32:55he loves his border collie, and Meg does what...
0:32:55 > 0:33:00To be fair, with the dogs, it's a different tone of voice and everything.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03It's one man and his dog, that's why the programme's called it.
0:33:03 > 0:33:04Stand! Stand!
0:33:04 > 0:33:06- MATT WHISTLES - Stand!
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- Oh, he's whistling, what's the whistling?- Look, look, look!
0:33:09 > 0:33:11- Look, look!- Oh!
0:33:11 > 0:33:13- Hey!- What's the whistle?
0:33:13 > 0:33:18- Well, he's whistling those commands in whistle form.- Oh, I see.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22- Stand! Stand! Stand! - THEY LAUGH
0:33:23 > 0:33:26- Not listening to a word I'm saying! - My turn.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32Stand. Away! Away!
0:33:32 > 0:33:33Away! Stand. Stand!
0:33:33 > 0:33:37The tone of voice is good!
0:33:37 > 0:33:42Walk. By! By! By! By! Stand. Stand. Stand.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48- First obstacle! Doing well!- By. By.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51- They're Indian Runners, these ducks, and they can't half move!- By! By!
0:33:51 > 0:33:54Away! Away! Away! Away! Away!
0:33:54 > 0:33:57- Ah, so close!- So close.- Stand.
0:34:00 > 0:34:01Walk.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Glenn, walk. Glenn, walk.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Glenn, walk.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08- Stand.- Stand.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12- By! By!- Yes!- Hey-hey!- They're in!
0:34:12 > 0:34:18- Very good.- Woo-hoo!- What do you reckon?- Excellent.- I won one!
0:34:18 > 0:34:20THEY LAUGH
0:34:20 > 0:34:21- Well done.- Ah, darling!
0:34:21 > 0:34:25I think it definitely helped having him next door, didn't it?!
0:34:25 > 0:34:26It's lovely, isn't it?
0:34:26 > 0:34:30- That connection with the dog, all the herding.- Dog, duck...
0:34:30 > 0:34:34Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury taking a gander at duck herding.
0:34:34 > 0:34:39My journey, which started at the beautiful Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall
0:34:39 > 0:34:42and continued to the Cambrian Way at Ponterwyd
0:34:42 > 0:34:45and Cwmystwyth, has now reached Rhayader,
0:34:45 > 0:34:50where there is a feeding station for a magnificent bird of prey.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00The conservation of the red kite has been a huge success story.
0:35:00 > 0:35:06Feeding stations have provided excellent diversification opportunities for Welsh farmers.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10They've sprung up around the country, and have now become big business.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18The red kite is a magnificent sight.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22These beautiful birds of prey with their chestnut colour,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25their striking patches of white, and their grey heads,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28were at the point of extinction in 1933.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31There were only two known nests still existing in the UK.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33And both of them were in Wales.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39But now, numbers are rising again and in Wales currently there are about
0:35:39 > 0:35:451,000 breeding pairs and another 1,500 birds who have not yet mated.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54Wiggin Farm was the first feeding station to be set up in Wales, in 1992.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59Every day at 3pm, farmer Chris Powell throws fresh meat to the birds,
0:35:59 > 0:36:05providing the nutrition they need to thrive. And thrive they do.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Chris! That was amazing. How many birds are out there?
0:36:16 > 0:36:19I thought there were only going to be about 20 or 30?
0:36:19 > 0:36:22- There could be anything up to 300 today.- Is that normal?
0:36:22 > 0:36:25It varies from day to day, depending on the weather
0:36:25 > 0:36:29and we've also got a rolling population of kites during the week.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32- So it's not the same ones coming every day?- Well, they might do.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Some days you see odd kites you recognise,
0:36:35 > 0:36:39but the population moves round because they're coming from different valleys.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42What kind of people come here to watch the birds?
0:36:42 > 0:36:45Oh, from all walks of life.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48We've got professional photographers here today,
0:36:48 > 0:36:51and we've got people taking film with their phones.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54And families and individuals.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59In fact, the farm has approximately 20,000 visitors every year.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03It's good for the economy and for tourism,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05and good for the birds, of course.
0:37:06 > 0:37:12This feeding station is one of the first that started this feeding of the red kites,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16so it's good to keep it going and show we're supporting it.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20When I saw the kites feeding it was absolutely out of this world.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Hundreds upon hundreds. You just didn't know where to look.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29There's a big build-up. It's a 3 o'clock start.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34It all happens pretty fast. We must admit we like to hang back.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37We stay till later because they go away and come back again.
0:37:37 > 0:37:43It's not just one big swoop. They come down now and again.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48But are they at risk of becoming a victim of their own success?
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Is it a business that's going to grow and grow
0:37:52 > 0:37:55or, as the kite becomes more common, do you think
0:37:55 > 0:38:01there just won't be the want or need for this kind of tourist activity?
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Well, it's more than just a tourist attraction.
0:38:05 > 0:38:11The reason we introduced a fee in the beginning was to pay for the food.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15- The first thing, the kites come first.- Right.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19All through last winter when nobody could get here, we still fed the kites.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23What would happen to the kites if you stopped feeding them?
0:38:24 > 0:38:28Well, this last winter a great percentage would have died
0:38:28 > 0:38:30because the ground was frozen
0:38:30 > 0:38:34and then you'd got six or 10 inches of snow on top of it,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36so they could find no food at all.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Every year the kites spread out a bit further,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42nesting in Shropshire and Herefordshire.
0:38:42 > 0:38:48I'd get e-mails from farms in Devon at harvest time seeing red kites.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52So as the populations grow, they push out further and further.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55It will get to a point when the furthest birds won't come here.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59They'll go somewhere else. There are other feeding stations.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03There are now five official commercial sites in Wales
0:39:03 > 0:39:05and a few unofficial ones, too.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07It seems that the future of the kite is now interwoven
0:39:07 > 0:39:11with the continued success of places like Gigrin Farm.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16The feeding stations can only be a good thing,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19not only for tourism but also for bird numbers
0:39:19 > 0:39:23and increasing people's knowledge of these magnificent creatures.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27Let's hope it continues to be good business for the countryside.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32The final stage of my journey is leading me to Tregaron,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35where weatherman Derek Brockway followed in the footsteps
0:39:35 > 0:39:40of the 15th century Welsh Robin Hood, Twm Sion Cati.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Of course Twm Sion Cati was a real person
0:39:48 > 0:39:51who roamed these hills and roads about four centuries ago.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55But over the years, so many legends have grown up around him
0:39:55 > 0:39:59that I need a guide who can tell the difference between fact and fiction,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02and who knows this place like the back of his hands.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09Dafydd Morgan is a former teacher and a total Twm Sion Cati fan.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- Hi, Daf!- Hi, Derek.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16He designed this walk and has been known to dress up as Twm
0:40:16 > 0:40:18to promote the area and the outlaw.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21I met him at Soar y Mynydd Chapel,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24the spiritual starting point for our outlaw trail.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Well, Daf, Soar y Mynydd Chapel. This is the start of the walk.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29I've been here a couple of times before.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34- It's the most remote chapel in Wales, isn't it?- Yes, a wonderful location for a religious service.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41Built in the 1820s on the banks of the River Camddwr,
0:40:41 > 0:40:43just off the main road to Llyn Brianne,
0:40:43 > 0:40:47it was also the local school up until the 1940s.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51The walk we're doing is from chapel to chapel, isn't it?
0:40:51 > 0:40:56Yes, going from Capel Soar y Mynydd to Capel Bwlchgwynt in Tregaron.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00This part of the world is big and empty.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05It really does specialise in what I'd like to call attractive loneliness.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10For example, not only does it boast Wales's most remote chapel,
0:41:10 > 0:41:15but just a mile away is Wales's most remote phone-box. Ah!
0:41:15 > 0:41:18We'll also be heading in the direction
0:41:18 > 0:41:20of Wales's most remote youth hostel, too.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24This valley only got mains electricity in 2003.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29That farm down there still isn't connected to the National Grid.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Hasn't harmed the place though, has it?
0:41:32 > 0:41:36It's very wild and desolate up here, Dafydd,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39- but at the same time really beautiful as well.- Yes, it is.
0:41:39 > 0:41:44A wonderful place to lose yourself and get out to the countryside.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Lots of our walks are through National Parks.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49This is a collection of bridleways and footpaths.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52There's no overall body in charge of it all.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55I think the area nearly got the status of National Park in 1971.
0:41:55 > 0:42:00It's a beautiful area of Wales and the beauty is probably
0:42:00 > 0:42:03as a result of nobody else being here,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06which is different to National Parks where people go in hordes.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09You can't go to National Parks without meeting people.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Well, you could go all day and not meet anyone out here.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15And that's not a bad thing, is it?
0:42:16 > 0:42:20So it never got made a National Park? Big deal.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22I know I feel very privileged to be out here,
0:42:22 > 0:42:26walking a well-kept secret with nothing to disturb me
0:42:26 > 0:42:30except a lone red kite hovering overhead. Fabulous.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32The landscape's beginning to change now.
0:42:32 > 0:42:37Yes, in 47 seconds' time we'll come to my favourite view on this walk,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41where we'll see the Doethie Valley and the Doethie River,
0:42:41 > 0:42:46winding its way to the River Twyi which goes to the sea in Carmarthen.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55- That is awesome.- It's beautiful.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Or as we say down here, bendigedig.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Couldn't agree more.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Now, be honest, aren't you glad I've brought you out here?
0:43:09 > 0:43:12At this point, you drop down into the tree-lined valleys
0:43:12 > 0:43:15where Twm and the other outlaws used to operate,
0:43:15 > 0:43:20although the masked man of Tregaron was more than a simple highwayman.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24Some people say he was the Welsh Robin Hood, but was he a real person?
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Yes, his real name was Thomas Jones.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30Born in Tregaron in 1530 and died in 1609.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34So this part of Wales was pretty lawless back then?
0:43:34 > 0:43:37Yes, it was every man for himself
0:43:37 > 0:43:40and Twm stood up for the oppressed and victimised of the area
0:43:40 > 0:43:43and made sure that the poor people had a fair play in the town.
0:43:43 > 0:43:47- So he was a bit of a local hero, then?- Oh, yes, and still is.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52When Twm went straight, he became a bard
0:43:52 > 0:43:53and some of his writing has survived
0:43:53 > 0:43:57and can be found in the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
0:43:57 > 0:44:01An even more significant piece of paperwork, his will,
0:44:01 > 0:44:04is on display in Tregaron's museum and Welsh kite centre.
0:44:04 > 0:44:09'That's still a couple of hours from here, so I'll push on.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11'This is gorgeous walking country,
0:44:11 > 0:44:14'But if I'm truthful, I'm struggling a bit here.'
0:44:14 > 0:44:17It's like being in the army.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20'The Twm trail has robbed me of my energy
0:44:20 > 0:44:24'but I'm keeping on trucking as we head up the bare-headed hills
0:44:24 > 0:44:26'and on to an old and well-worn path.'
0:44:30 > 0:44:35Well, we've just walked through the most amazing river valley, lovely interlocking spurs.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39- And now the path has changed. - Yeah, it's slightly different.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42This is a route from Llanddewi Brefi, for the drovers,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45many years ago and they would to travel along this route to London.
0:44:45 > 0:44:49- And the drovers used to bring their cattle and sheep through? - They certainly would.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53And we're heading now to Ty'n Cornel youth hostel where, at one point,
0:44:53 > 0:44:56the drovers themselves would have stopped there for respite.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58I could do with a rest myself!
0:45:10 > 0:45:12So this is the Ty'n Cornel youth hostel.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14Yeah, it's a wonderful location for a hostel.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16Can we pop in for a cup of tea and Welsh cake?
0:45:16 > 0:45:20No, no time to stop today. We'll have a Welsh cake in Tregaron.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22I'll look forward to that.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Now, there's a lot of walking between the hostel
0:45:26 > 0:45:29and our next big view, the trig point on Garn Fawr.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32To get there, you have to hammer down the path for a mile or two,
0:45:32 > 0:45:36then cut across the forestry before ascending the big hill.
0:45:36 > 0:45:40At which point you're rewarded with this fantastic view.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42Or you should be.
0:45:42 > 0:45:46Of course, when we got there, low cloud, mist and rain
0:45:46 > 0:45:49had robbed us of our just reward. Typical!
0:45:53 > 0:45:56Well, we've come a long way for not much of a view.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58Just look at all this mist and low cloud.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02But here we are, the top of Garn Fawr. Here's the proof.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05This is the trig point. Shame about the view.
0:46:05 > 0:46:10On a good day, you'd see Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons over there.
0:46:10 > 0:46:11Snowdonia over there.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14And down there is the wonderful town of Tregaron.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17- Right, I think we should get going. - Yeah.
0:46:19 > 0:46:25Derek Brockway, walking in the footsteps of Welsh highwayman Twm Sion Cati.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28My journey has also brought me to Tregaron,
0:46:28 > 0:46:31where I am about to change my mode of transport.
0:46:33 > 0:46:37Trotting is an equestrian sport very popular in the centre of Wales.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40It's racing in light two-wheeled buggies called sulkies
0:46:40 > 0:46:45on a half-mile long oval track. And just look at them go!
0:46:46 > 0:46:47Also known as harness racing,
0:46:47 > 0:46:51trotting is thought to have begun in the mid-18th century,
0:46:51 > 0:46:55with a bet between the Earl of March and the Earl of Eglintowne
0:46:55 > 0:46:58that four horses could pull a four-wheeled chaise,
0:46:58 > 0:47:01carrying one person 19 miles in under an hour.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05This led to the earliest recorded race on Newmarket Heath
0:47:05 > 0:47:07on 29th August 1750.
0:47:09 > 0:47:13Tregaron is home to an annual festival of harness racing.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17In amongst the competitors, you can see local businessman Huw Evans,
0:47:17 > 0:47:20who has invited me to learn the ropes, with a visit to his stables.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29I'm here at Huw's home, where he keeps and trains his horses
0:47:29 > 0:47:32and all the family is involved. I can't wait to see these horses.
0:47:35 > 0:47:36Hello!
0:47:37 > 0:47:41Hello. Hello.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44Hello, Miriam. I see you've found Cati, one of our youngsters here.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46I have, Huw. She's very friendly.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50Yeah. She hasn't had much experience yet.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53Due to race for the first time next week, hopefully.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55So tell me a bit about the racing itself, as a sport.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58The sport is very, very popular in this area.
0:47:58 > 0:48:02It's certainly cheaper than thoroughbred racing, in terms of getting involved initially,
0:48:02 > 0:48:05and you can do the training and even the driving yourself.
0:48:05 > 0:48:10I can tell you really love it. What is it that you really love about it?
0:48:10 > 0:48:13I think it's something that we, as a family, can get involved with.
0:48:13 > 0:48:18This one, we've actually bred. We've broken this one in.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20We'll take it to the races. My son will drive her.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22You really get that feeling of exhilaration,
0:48:22 > 0:48:25just seeing the horses doing well, to be quite honest.
0:48:25 > 0:48:27It's lovely to win, we all want to win.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29But it's to see them running at their best.
0:48:29 > 0:48:32Do you have to have a certain type of horse? What breed of horse?
0:48:32 > 0:48:34The breed is a standardbred.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37They started off probably from the thoroughbred breed,
0:48:37 > 0:48:40but somebody obviously realised they could trot faster,
0:48:40 > 0:48:44or as fast as they could gallop, some of them.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48Their temperament is excellent, to be honest. They make even good riding horses.
0:48:48 > 0:48:52People take them on to show jumping and stuff afterwards, because of the temperament.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56Now, I'm relatively new to horse riding,
0:48:56 > 0:48:58but Huw has promised me a go.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00So who am I going to be riding, then?
0:49:00 > 0:49:02This one's too inexperienced for you to take out.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05So we'll put you on Jazz, one of our older mares.
0:49:05 > 0:49:10she is seven years old and she really is a good example of the breed.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13She is calm... I hope so anyway!
0:49:13 > 0:49:15THEY LAUGH
0:49:15 > 0:49:19We just put her in forward in fact, so this will be her last season.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23I'm really thinking she'll make a good brood mare because of her good temperament.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26Excellent. Do I need to get kitted up, then?
0:49:26 > 0:49:31Yes, you'll need some safety equipment. We'll put your body protector on and a hat, just in case.
0:49:31 > 0:49:34We're dealing with horses and they're not machines.
0:49:34 > 0:49:38They will do funny things sometimes, so we'll definitely need to take care of you.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41- And a good pair of wellies. - Oh, definitely, that might be an idea as well!
0:49:47 > 0:49:50The whole family helped to get Jazz tacked up and ready to trot...
0:49:50 > 0:49:52including the dog.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56The track we're going to train on is literally in Huw's back garden,
0:49:56 > 0:49:57which is very handy.
0:50:00 > 0:50:03I'm going to be getting in there with Huw
0:50:03 > 0:50:07and going around the track in the jog cart with my lovely Jazz
0:50:07 > 0:50:09and I'm going to have my first go at trotting.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13And for those of you that are going out into the country this week,
0:50:13 > 0:50:16here's the Country Tracks weather for the week ahead.
0:51:50 > 0:51:57.
0:52:06 > 0:52:09Today, I've been travelling through beautiful mid-Wales.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13I enjoyed the majesty of Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall,
0:52:13 > 0:52:17walked part of the Cambrian Way at Ponterwyd and Cwmystwyth
0:52:17 > 0:52:21and saw some beautiful red kites at Rhayader.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24Now I'm at Tregaron, a trotting hot spot.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27In Wales, harness racing, or trotting,
0:52:27 > 0:52:32began in the late-19th century and has been a popular sport ever since.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36During the 20th century, standardbred horses were imported,
0:52:36 > 0:52:40mainly from America, and driven in purpose-built sulkies,
0:52:40 > 0:52:44which is what you see today. Now it's my turn.
0:52:44 > 0:52:45Round you come.
0:52:45 > 0:52:49- I'm going to get close and personal! - That's OK. Well done.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Even though it's centuries old,
0:52:53 > 0:52:55harness driving is still run on amateur lines
0:52:55 > 0:52:58and the main emphasis is just fun and enjoyment.
0:52:58 > 0:53:02- Isn't it?- Yeah, it's our hobby. - So, we're going to have a go.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05Off we go!
0:53:07 > 0:53:10'It may look like a gentle start, but I'm holding on for dear life!'
0:53:10 > 0:53:16- Sorry, I've got my hand on your leg!- That's all right, you hang on wherever you can hang on.
0:53:16 > 0:53:17You might regret saying that!
0:53:21 > 0:53:25'Now, Huw's track is just for training but I was surprised when we started to climb.'
0:53:25 > 0:53:29- This is a bit of a hill, isn't it?- Well, it is.
0:53:29 > 0:53:31The training for her is more difficult.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34She wouldn't normally race on here like this.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37To have to go up a hill like this means harder work for her.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40How many circuits is in a normal race?
0:53:40 > 0:53:45We normally race over a mile. Some races are a mile and a quarter,
0:53:45 > 0:53:49some a mile and a half. Very, very rare, a two-mile race.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54'Huw has fitted hobbles to Jazz's legs,
0:53:54 > 0:53:57'which are thin, looped straps attached to the harness.'
0:53:57 > 0:53:59There are two gaits in harness racing.
0:53:59 > 0:54:03By gait, I mean the way that the horses actually move.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06There is a pacer and a trotter.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09A trotter moves in the conventional way that the horse would move,
0:54:09 > 0:54:12the diagonal legs move together,
0:54:12 > 0:54:14when a horse is trotting naturally.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18With the pacers, it's a lateral movement,
0:54:18 > 0:54:21the two legs the same side move together.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24There are very few animals that do this.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Camels are one that do it.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30We just put the hobbles on, mainly for racing, to be quite honest.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33I wouldn't normally put the hobbles on for training like this.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39'Pacing horses generally run faster than trotters,
0:54:39 > 0:54:43'with the world record for over a mile being 1 minute 46 seconds,
0:54:43 > 0:54:45'as opposed to 1 minute 50 for a trotter.'
0:54:49 > 0:54:52What speed are we going at now? Is this training speed?
0:54:52 > 0:54:55Yes, they would normally race over a mile.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58We're now jogging over four and a half, five miles, to build up stamina.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01We're only doing about 15 miles an hour now,
0:55:01 > 0:55:03compared to when they're racing,
0:55:03 > 0:55:06where they would be doing anything up to 40 miles an hour.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09- Am I going to have a go, then? - Well, I don't see why not.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11You're doing pretty well at the moment.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15- You've stayed on a couple of laps, so now you're going to be in charge. - Now is the test!
0:55:15 > 0:55:18So, here we are, hands in, into those loops.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21Fingers loose, is it?
0:55:21 > 0:55:25Yes, just keep a bit of contact with her.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28Send her on a bit now. She's just finding it difficult going up the hill.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Oh, she's seen some cattle in the field next door.
0:55:31 > 0:55:32'Trotting is a competitive sport,
0:55:32 > 0:55:37'and as I can't race against anyone else, Huw's suggested a race against the clock.'
0:55:37 > 0:55:42OK, I'm going to time you this lap. We'll go past the gate there
0:55:42 > 0:55:46and we'll see how well you will do compared to the times I was doing.
0:55:46 > 0:55:47Yay!
0:55:49 > 0:55:53- Shall I now go a bit faster? - Yes, you can.- Go on then, Jazz!
0:55:53 > 0:55:58'So my first circuit took me 1 minute and 43 seconds.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01That's not bad for a training speed - 15 miles an hour.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04But I'm not stopping there, I'm sure I can go faster.
0:56:07 > 0:56:11My journey today has been one of contrasts.
0:56:11 > 0:56:15I felt the power of nature at Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21I met a mountain connoisseur on the Cambrian Way.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25And I've learnt to use nature's signpost to find my way.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29I've marvelled at the magnificence of red kites.
0:56:29 > 0:56:34Now all I need to do is find out whether I've improved my lap time.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37Yes, that's the fastest you have been, I think.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41Go on then, Jazz!
0:56:41 > 0:56:45OK, you just have to think about bringing her back a bit coming down the hill.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51Did you see what time was on there?
0:56:53 > 0:56:58- Let's see. Wow, is that 1 minute 32?- There we go.
0:56:58 > 0:57:01I beat my record. Woo-hoo!
0:57:11 > 0:57:14Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:14 > 0:57:17E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk