0:00:05 > 0:00:08Springtime, when the days lengthen,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10and signs of change are everywhere.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12LAMBS BLEAT
0:00:12 > 0:00:14There's not a corner of the British Isles
0:00:14 > 0:00:17that doesn't warm to the arrival of spring.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21It's our most extraordinary season for one big reason.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25It's a time of astonishing growth and regeneration.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27From pond life to bird life,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29from the scent of fresh blossom,
0:00:29 > 0:00:34to our smallest mammals reawakening after months of hibernation.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39We'll be bringing you the most remarkable stories
0:00:39 > 0:00:41of this wonderful time of year.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Tales of survival, endurance and occasional indulgence.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Join us for this special week of programmes,
0:00:49 > 0:00:55as we celebrate the secrets of spring, here on Countryfile Diaries.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10We've been here all week in the New Forest in Hampshire.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14It's one of 14 National Parks in England, Scotland and Wales.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19And, every year, it attracts 13 million visits from people
0:01:19 > 0:01:23who want to experience its outstanding beauty and diversity.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Where better place for us to witness the wonders of spring?
0:01:31 > 0:01:34From the carpet of bluebells in this ancient woodland,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38to the 6,000 animals roaming the heathland with their new arrivals.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40But as summer approaches,
0:01:40 > 0:01:45the symphony of spring is reaching its crescendo.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48The team will be filing their final report,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51as spring sweeps across the British Isles.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Nearly seven million sea birds breed here in the UK every year.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03But how do they know whose egg is whose? Margherita is on the case.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Each one is unique to the female.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08So, it's a fingerprint on the egg that they recognise?
0:02:08 > 0:02:10That's a perfect description, yeah.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13James has an unusual spring gift for an artist.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20I've got this pigment here of pure extract from the bluebell.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23It's quite a good purple!
0:02:23 > 0:02:26And Paul discovers some unexpected residents
0:02:26 > 0:02:28on his Wiltshire smallholding.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Listen to him! This is it!
0:02:30 > 0:02:33- He's gone right up to the camera! - Yeah.- That is brilliant.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39But first, if you're unlucky enough to see spring
0:02:39 > 0:02:42as the start of the sneezing season, you're not alone.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47Around 18 million of us in the UK suffer from some kind of hay fever.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51And Keeley's been finding out why hay fever is increasingly
0:02:51 > 0:02:53getting up the nation's nose,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57and what's being done to try and ease people's suffering.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03It's estimated that a staggering one in four people in the UK
0:03:03 > 0:03:07suffer from hay fever - sniffs, sneezes and itchy eyes.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09It can be months of misery.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12While many of us think of it as a summer problem,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15the allergy season's actually a lot longer than you think.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Hay fever kicks off in spring.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21These seasonal sniffles are caused by tree pollen,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24rather than grass pollen which comes out in summer.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27When spring arrives, the tree pollen is released into the air
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and it's these airborne pollen grains
0:03:29 > 0:03:32that get caught in our nose and eyes.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35That's bad news for hay fever sufferers like Ruth Holroyd.
0:03:35 > 0:03:41Although she loves this time of year in her garden, it comes at a price.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Would you say it has a big effect on your life?
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Mm, yeah, it does. My eyes just drip all the time and stream,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51and you can't see sometimes. It starts to blur my vision.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Where things touch my skin, I'll get a rash
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and start itching it, you can't help it, can you?
0:03:56 > 0:03:58I have to go in, strip off, shower,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and get all the pollen off me, off my hair.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04You can't live a life and stay indoors,
0:04:04 > 0:04:09and stay away from hay fever. You have to go out and live your life.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Ruth's not alone.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The charity Allergy UK says the number of sufferers
0:04:13 > 0:04:15has doubled in the last 30 years.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17But what I want to know is why?
0:04:18 > 0:04:23It's a question that's at the forefront of many scientific minds.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27One theory is with the expansion of green spaces in urban areas,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30there's a push for plants that are pollen-producing problems.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Here, in Worcester, they've pledged to make the city greener.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Over the last few months, they've planted 2,000 new trees
0:04:36 > 0:04:38in urban spaces just like this.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41That's great news for the city and for green spaces,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44but bad news if you suffer from allergies.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46That's because many of these new trees
0:04:46 > 0:04:48are preparing to pollinate in spring
0:04:48 > 0:04:52and this is one of the main culprits, the silver birch.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Councils love the beautiful birch tree.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58They're quick-growing, compact and easy to maintain
0:04:58 > 0:05:01with bark that's conveniently resilient to traffic pollution.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03They also don't drop fruit on the ground,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05causing slip and trip hazards.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08The only problem is, birch is one of the most potent pollens.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13Affecting around four million of us, it's second only to grass.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Beverley Adams-Groom is from
0:05:15 > 0:05:17the National Pollen Unit at Worcester University.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20She's studying how the birch catkins release pollen
0:05:20 > 0:05:21in relation to the weather.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23- Hello, there, Bev!- Hi.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Why is it that birch trees are such a problem?
0:05:26 > 0:05:30A mature tree will produce millions of pollen grains.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33These millions of tiny, light pollen grains can become
0:05:33 > 0:05:37readily airborne, easily dispersed, get up people's noses very easily.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Not all trees are allergenic,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41but birch pollen is the worst in the United Kingdom.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44They don't seem to be producing very much today.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46- It's probably too cold for them? - It's too cold today.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50I've put these in a warm environment where they will release pollen.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52So, these yellow bits here, they're the pollen,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- that's what people are allergic to? - That's right, yes.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So, you can see just one catkin produces
0:05:58 > 0:06:02millions of these microscopic pollen grains.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05If you think about how many catkins are on a tree like this
0:06:05 > 0:06:07and they're all producing this pollen, you can just see
0:06:07 > 0:06:09why people are allergic to it,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- what a problem it can be. - Yes. Absolutely.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14And why is it such a problem in urban areas?
0:06:14 > 0:06:16If you've got a lot of high buildings,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19they can trap the pollen within,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23rather than becoming absorbed into the soil, or getting away.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Beverley is hoping her research will help predict
0:06:26 > 0:06:29exactly when the birch catkin pollen is at its peak.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30Eventually, we want to produce
0:06:30 > 0:06:33really good quality pollen forecast models,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37so we can learn much more about the severity of the season.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40At the moment, the models are fairly basic.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43When I give the weather forecast and I'm giving the pollen count,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45I tend to give it when it's really high,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48but I wouldn't mention the exact kind of pollen.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50That would be really useful, I think, for people?
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Very useful, yes, very useful indeed.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55For many people, hay fever is the worst thing about spring.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58But for some businesses, it can mean big bucks.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Whatever the cause, most people end up in the medicine aisle
0:07:02 > 0:07:03at the local supermarket or chemist.
0:07:03 > 0:07:09The hay fever remedy market is worth an astounding £117 million.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13For most, these tablets, balms and sprays are the only weapon
0:07:13 > 0:07:17in the battle against seasonal sneezes. Or are they?
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Perhaps there's another more natural way
0:07:20 > 0:07:23we can ease the springtime suffering at home.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Sheena Hume is a specialist allergy nurse,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28with more than 20 years' experience.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32She thinks she might be able to help Ruth with her pollen predicament.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Why have you chosen this variety?
0:07:44 > 0:07:49I've chosen these because they're all considered to be low in pollen.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52You've got lots of flowers in here, a bit of a surprise, isn't it?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55This one, can you see it has trumpet-shaped flowers?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58So, the bees have actually got to go looking for the pollen.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It's not in the air, like it would be with birch pollen.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Does that mean the pollen is less likely to affect me
0:08:04 > 0:08:05and it's more hard to get out?
0:08:05 > 0:08:08There's still pollen in there. The pollen is considered to be
0:08:08 > 0:08:12more sticky and heavy, so it's less likely to become airborne.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Anything that attracts bees is also good for pollen sufferers.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17So, I'd just have a little strap line that is,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20"Bees without the wheeze and sneeze!"
0:08:20 > 0:08:22The bright colours and flowers attract the insects,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26and that's good because it means the pollen isn't going up Ruth's nose,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28- the insects are taking it instead? - Absolutely.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36One of Sheena's other top tips is to mow your lawn regularly
0:08:36 > 0:08:38to keep it short.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Despite producing pollen in summer, it can be beneficial.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47The pollen that lands on the grass will be absorbed as nature intended.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Whereas, if you've got lots of hard landscaping,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53it just stays around and blows around.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00I am quite excited about planting some different things and maybe
0:09:00 > 0:09:04not having so many allergic reactions when I'm doing it.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Take some time to enjoy your garden as well.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16So, how has the new pollen-free garden
0:09:16 > 0:09:20affected Ruth compared to her usual spring suffering?
0:09:20 > 0:09:24I wrote a poem, weirdly, which is called In March It Starts.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26"The sniffs and smarts, my eyes are streaming,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29"and I'm dreaming of winter and Arctic winds."
0:09:29 > 0:09:32And I can't remember any more of the poem, but I need to rewrite it now!
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Having spoken to Sheena
0:09:35 > 0:09:39and realising that there are so many things I can do
0:09:39 > 0:09:42that don't involve staying indoors and missing out on everything.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47So, yeah, it's not all doom and gloom, and pollen and sneezing.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49So, yeah.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53By making a few simple changes in our own gardens, hopefully,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56we can all manage the misery a little bit better
0:09:56 > 0:09:58when the hay fever blues arrive.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Now, spring triggers a mammoth migration to our shores.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Almost seven million sea birds breed in the UK each year.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Margherita is in East Yorkshire to find out
0:10:13 > 0:10:16why the coastline there is such a draw for them.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23The white chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head
0:10:23 > 0:10:27are a visual treat as far as the eye can see.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31What makes this dramatic coastline extra special are the birds.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33BIRDS CRY
0:10:34 > 0:10:37No surprises, then, that this place, Bempton Cliffs Reserve,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41has been nicknamed Sea Bird City. And you can see why.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44It's the UK largest mainland sea bird colony and, every year,
0:10:44 > 0:10:49in the spring, a quarter of a million birds come here to breed.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Species from guillemots to gannets, razorbills to puffins.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00In fact, nearly all of Britain's cliff-nesting sea birds come here.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03I'm meeting reserve manager Keith Clarkson...
0:11:03 > 0:11:04Lovely to see you, Margherita.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08..to see how numbers are faring now the birds have returned in spring.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Keith, this is just magnificent,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14seeing all these sea birds in one place.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15Are the numbers up this spring?
0:11:15 > 0:11:19The numbers seem to be going up on many of the birds nesting here.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21We've got huge numbers of kittiwakes
0:11:21 > 0:11:24and the noise behind us is just, "Kittiwake, kittiwake, kittiwake!"
0:11:24 > 0:11:28They're filling the air with the sound of their name, kittiwake.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29KITTIWAKES CRY
0:11:31 > 0:11:33We've got small numbers of guillemots and razorbills,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35and we've got tucked in nooks and crannies
0:11:35 > 0:11:39a few fulmars, and the herring gulls right on the top of the cliffs.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42So, why do so many come back to this section of coastline?
0:11:42 > 0:11:45These 300-foot cliffs have all these horizontal layers
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and it creates perfect little nesting ledges for these birds
0:11:48 > 0:11:51which are totally inaccessible to all the mammals
0:11:51 > 0:11:55that would otherwise eat them - weasels, stoats, foxes, rats.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57It makes the perfect sea bird city.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00So, a nice property in a safe area to raise the family in!
0:12:00 > 0:12:04That's it! Desirable residences.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08But unless there's good quality food nearby, it would be hopeless.
0:12:08 > 0:12:13What these sea birds are looking for is sand eels, sprats and small fish.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Fortunately, the North Sea has a larder full
0:12:16 > 0:12:18for these birds to feast on.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Whilst ever that situation remains,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23we can expect this colony to prosper.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28With all they need on their doorstep,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31the chalk cliffs are definitely hot property
0:12:31 > 0:12:34when it comes to our returning sea birds.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36But it's not just our feathered friends
0:12:36 > 0:12:39who have an important job to do this spring.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Now they're back and nesting, it's the perfect time
0:12:43 > 0:12:47for Keith and his team to undertake a spring census.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Today, it's all about the guillemots and the razorbills.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54They're expecting to see 40,000 pairs of guillemots
0:12:54 > 0:12:56on this spring survey.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59To count them all seems impossible, but they do,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03with the aid of photographs taken of the nest sites last year.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Keith can track who's moved in and who's moved out
0:13:06 > 0:13:08of their cliffside abode.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Each year, we can come back and we can see
0:13:10 > 0:13:14whether that bird on that nest territory is still there.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16And the birds come back to exactly the same spot?
0:13:16 > 0:13:18So, this is the same resident that's there now?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20It's almost certainly the same bird,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23because it's in exactly the same spot where it was last year
0:13:23 > 0:13:25and the year before.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26And we can follow them through
0:13:26 > 0:13:28to the point where they lay their first egg,
0:13:28 > 0:13:32and then the chick hatches and, at 18 days, 20 days after that,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35the chick jumps and leaves the cliffs.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38So, these razorbills seem to have quite a bit of space on the cliff.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41And here, we've got... It looks a bit busier here.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43- These are the guillemots? - That's it, Margherita.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46These are guillemots and they're all cramped together.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- There can be 100 guillemots all on one ledge.- All laying one egg each?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51All laying one egg.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54There's no nest, they just lay directly onto the ledge.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56It's quite incredible.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59How do they know, when they've gone out to feed and come back,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03- that that's their egg?- Just by chance, I have a replica gannet egg!
0:14:03 > 0:14:06It's a completely white egg.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10- A guillemot egg, this is a typical guillemot egg.- Oh, wow.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- This, again, a replica.- My goodness!
0:14:12 > 0:14:15But every guillemot egg is unique.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19So, some are blue, some are white, some are brownish.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21They've got these wonderful speckles and lines on them
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and each one is unique to the female.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26So, it's like a fingerprint on the egg that they recognise?
0:14:26 > 0:14:28That's a perfect description, yeah.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31And it means they absolutely can identify their own egg
0:14:31 > 0:14:33amongst all the others,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35and guard that egg and start incubating it again.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44For every new spring chick that hatches in a nest
0:14:44 > 0:14:48or out on one of these ledges, it's a real testament
0:14:48 > 0:14:52to the importance of Bempton Cliffs as a safe haven for our sea birds.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Now, in the earlier part of the last century,
0:15:04 > 0:15:09almost a million working horses were used regularly on farms.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Today, they're a much rarer sight.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14But if you go to Dartmoor in spring, you might be lucky enough
0:15:14 > 0:15:17to see horses being used in a very traditional way.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Here's Jules.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Well, today is the day of the annual cattle drive.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32It's a really important moment in the farming diary.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Cattle that have spent the winter in sheds are now going to get moved
0:15:35 > 0:15:40to their spring grazing, some 800 feet up on the top of the Dartmoor.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43But to go where they're going, well, I'm going to have to swap
0:15:43 > 0:15:47my trusty 4x4 for something a little more sure-footed.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56Devon beef farmer Phil Heard is one of only a small number of farmers
0:15:56 > 0:16:00in Britain keeping the tradition of cattle driving by horseback alive.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05In late spring, Phil moves his herd of beef cattle
0:16:05 > 0:16:07onto the high hills of Dartmoor.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Here they'll spend the summer months grazing across some
0:16:10 > 0:16:15300 miles of the moor, making good use of poorer moorland grass.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Today, I'm joining him to move the first batch of cattle.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23- Morning, Jules.- How are you? Good to see you.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Good to see you, so... Hello.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29We're hard at work getting ready for a big day in your year?
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Yeah, this is what we've been waiting for all winter.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Spring growth, the cows are getting out doing what they do best,
0:16:35 > 0:16:36which is grazing on Dartmoor.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Now, how many are we going to move out today?
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- Today we've got just under 50.- Yeah.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43It's mainly Angus crosses.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46They've been cooped up indoors for six, seven months.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49I'm sure they will be very happy to get outside.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Now, I'm an experienced rider,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55but I've never ridden cowboy-style in a deep saddle like this one.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57- No lasso, then?- No, no.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59THEY CHUCKLE
0:16:59 > 0:17:01There is a limit to the Western theme?
0:17:01 > 0:17:03There is, so far. I'm working on it.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Any top tips then on riding Western?
0:17:05 > 0:17:06- There's only one rule.- Yeah.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08- Don't fall off.- Fine.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Oh! Gosh.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15It does feel quite comfortable. Good boy.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18With my instructions to stay at the rear, it appears the cattle
0:17:18 > 0:17:22need no encouragement to leave the barn and head for the hills.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25You must be delighted to cut down on the feed bill by getting them
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- up on the moor. - It's been a long time coming.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32But it's not just a free meal the cows have up on Dartmoor.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34The variety of grasses adds flavour to their meat
0:17:34 > 0:17:37and helps shape the Dartmoor landscape.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41These cattle are quiet and hardy,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44well-suited for the tough conditions and the rough grazing.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49What is it they say about Dartmoor, Phil? Four seasons in a day?
0:17:49 > 0:17:53- It certainly is. - Sunshine and now some sleet.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57That's why I love living here.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Look at that view.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01That is stunning.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03What is it about Dartmoor, do you think,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05that makes it do so well through the year,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08because it doesn't look like particularly rich grazing?
0:18:08 > 0:18:12You can't bring any animal and put it up here, it's not particularly rich grazing.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15They need to be sort of born here and raised here
0:18:15 > 0:18:17so they get immune to any of the ticks,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21or any other parasites that might be in this type of grass.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30For centuries, thousands of cattle have walked this ancient drovers' way,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33once a main route, running through Devon and Cornwall.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38So, this is it, Phil, the entrance to the moor proper.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41This is the gate onto the common.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45The grazing season starts on the 1st of May
0:18:45 > 0:18:48and Phil's herd are the first to hit the common.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52So, bringing them out of the farmyard is one thing, Phil,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54but how do you go about rounding them
0:18:54 > 0:18:58up with thousands of acres to choose from at the end of the summer?
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Yeah, we go on the horses again.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03We know where they're going to be. They usually stay in the same area.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Come the end of the summer, they're usually keen to come down again.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07The grazing's deteriorated.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Such a prehistoric landscape this is, isn't it?
0:19:10 > 0:19:12It hasn't changed for thousands of years, has it?
0:19:15 > 0:19:17We're nearing the end of our six-mile journey.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21We've just the rise up over the pass to go before we say
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- goodbye to the cattle.- Come back a bit, Mandi, back out a bit.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28If you come over between me and Mandi again, Jules.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35You know, Phil, when you get up here, you could be in the Midwest, couldn't you?
0:19:35 > 0:19:36You certainly could, yeah.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38You could be in Alberta, you could be in Montana.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41- You could be anywhere. - What a special place.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46And, at the top of the pass, it's time to leave the cattle...
0:19:46 > 0:19:48home on the range.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50We'll come up and check them tomorrow
0:19:50 > 0:19:52- and the next few days, just to make sure they settle down.- Yeah.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54I mean, it's particularly fresh today.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- Are they going to get a bit of a shock?- Yeah.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Coming out of the shed to the cold uplands.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Yeah, they've been in a lovely, cosy, warm shed all winter.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Now they've come up onto subarctic Dartmoor.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07It's the cattle that keep Dartmoor looking like it does.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I think a job well done.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11- That deserves a trip to the saloon, doesn't it?- I think it does.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- Are you buying?- Yeah. Come on, cowboy.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Come on, boys. Come on, dogs.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17PHIL WHISTLES
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- KEELEY:- The New Forest National Park is one of the best
0:20:28 > 0:20:31places for witnessing wildlife in Britain.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It's home to nearly 100 different species of bird and nearly
0:20:34 > 0:20:39half of them are ground-nesting, so I'd better watch out where I tread.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Spring is the start of their breeding season,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45but being on the ground puts them in danger.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48I'm joining Andy Page from the Forestry Commission.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50It's his job to monitor ground-nesting birds.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53- Hi, there, Andy.- Hello.- Hello, how are you doing?- Pleased to meet you.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55What are you looking for at the moment?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Well, this particular part of the forest is very
0:20:57 > 0:21:01good for a really special bird for the New Forest, the woodlark.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05It likes these very heavily grazed parts, so this is a perfect area.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09These are much more typical places for the woodlark to be nesting.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11You don't need a lot of cover.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14He wants to show me one of their nests.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16There's a little bit of cover, but not too much.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18That's too much in there.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21But these woodlarks are well camouflaged.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- This is a typical spot, here.- OK. - Another one there.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25There are two or three places here.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26This is a really nice spot,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29but it will always be in this sparser vegetation.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- So it could be in something as simple as this?- Yeah, have a look.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Is it there?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I'd like to say no, but I've not got a trained eye. You tell me.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42I'll have a look.
0:21:45 > 0:21:46Oh!
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Oh, yes.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Oh, gosh. What am I looking at here, then?
0:21:51 > 0:21:53You're looking at three woodlark
0:21:53 > 0:21:55chicks, probably about ten days old.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58- I could easily have tripped over that.- You could.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- They're just out to the elements, aren't they? Exposed?- Yeah.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08They're going to be very vulnerable in a space like that.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Yes, but it's just the way this species has adapted to
0:22:10 > 0:22:12utilise this particular environment.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15But why, why would they want to be so exposed?
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Actually, they use their cryptic colouring of the plumage to
0:22:19 > 0:22:21give them that protection.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23So, the female will sit very, very tight.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26We could be stood here within a few feet of the female on the nest
0:22:26 > 0:22:28and she wouldn't come off.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- She would be very well camouflaged. - Very well camouflaged, yes.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32I'm going to be really careful about...
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Very paranoid about where I'm standing.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37That's not a bad way to look at this.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40If you keep on the really short and well-worn tracks, you're fine.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42If you stray off into the vegetation,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44- even the bracken areas, you could easily tread on them.- Yes.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48And your dogs, with their much more, their sense of smell
0:22:48 > 0:22:52so heightened that they can detect these birds even though they've got a much reduced,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55giving off a much reduced scent because they're incubating eggs.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58- That's why you want people to keep them on a lead.- It is, yes.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01JOHN CRAVEN: Later, Jules will be finding out how dog walkers
0:23:01 > 0:23:04can limit the effect they have on ground-nesting birds
0:23:04 > 0:23:08when he puts his own dog through its paces.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12A woodland carpet of bluebells,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16a swathe of colour that signifies that spring is truly here.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19But James reveals there's more to bluebells
0:23:19 > 0:23:21than just their pretty looks.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26There is one plant that's perhaps captured our hearts more
0:23:26 > 0:23:28than any other.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31The native bluebell, one of Britain's favourite wild flowers,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34but there is more to this plant than meets the eye.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39I've come to meet a scientist on a mission to unlock the secrets
0:23:39 > 0:23:42of the bluebell.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Hello.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- Hello.- Vera?- James.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49- That's it, good stuff. Good to meet you.- And you.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Originally from Germany, Dr Vera Thoss is
0:23:52 > 0:23:53a chemist at Bangor University.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57She specialises in the study of plants on a molecular level.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59To aid her research,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02she is licensed to manage a wild colony of bluebells.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05She is, in fact, the only person in Wales with such a licence
0:24:05 > 0:24:09and one of only a handful in the entire UK.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10Look at this.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13It's like some kind of blue landslide.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Yes, painting the mountains blue.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Amazing. But when you look at this as a geeky chemist,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21you're not looking at this in terms of it being beautiful,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24you're more interested in the amazing chemicals that go on inside?
0:24:24 > 0:24:27About half of all medicines that we use today
0:24:27 > 0:24:31come originally from plant source, or from a biological source,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34so bluebells are mostly described as poisonous,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36but there is potential future medicines in there,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40because bluebells, we know there are amino sugars in there and
0:24:40 > 0:24:46those amino sugars are potential anti-cancer drugs, anti-TB drugs.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48We still have to try to tease them apart
0:24:48 > 0:24:52and see what are the individual ones, what are their structure,
0:24:52 > 0:24:53what could they possibly do.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56We're still just scratching the surface
0:24:56 > 0:24:58when it comes to the medicinal potential of the plant world, but
0:24:58 > 0:25:03with around 300,000 plant species on Earth, that's a lot of testing.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08Medicine aside, Vera reckons there maybe even more uses for bluebells.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12The first thing we have to do is look at the different components
0:25:12 > 0:25:14which are in the plant -
0:25:14 > 0:25:17the oils, the carbohydrates, the scent, the pigment -
0:25:17 > 0:25:19what are they
0:25:19 > 0:25:21and how we can get them out.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25If you want, we can maybe get the pigment out of these flowers.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28It's not illegal to pick bluebells for your own use,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30but you would be breaking the law if you took the bulbs.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33And always get the landowner's permission before you pick
0:25:33 > 0:25:34any wild flower.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37So, how much do we need?
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Oh, how much have you got?
0:25:40 > 0:25:44- It'll take me ages to fill one of these. - That will do, we can use those.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- OK, OK.- Just to illustrate the principle.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Having collected a few handfuls, the next step is to add some solvent.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53In this case, methanol.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59What we should begin to see after a few minutes is that the
0:25:59 > 0:26:01bluebells will begin to go pale.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08What we do is we leave it for a day, take it back to the lab,
0:26:08 > 0:26:12take off the flowers and distil off the solvent.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14What we are left with then is something which looks like that.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17So much darker than the flowers themselves.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19So much darker than I ever imagined.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Vera is hoping to reveal just how versatile bluebells can be, but
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I've got a little experiment of my own that I'm keen
0:26:28 > 0:26:29to put to the test.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Just across the Menai Straits lies Anglesey,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38home of an artist known for capturing some of the most
0:26:38 > 0:26:41picturesque scenes of North Wales, Janet Bell.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I'm hoping that she'll be able to use this pigment in her
0:26:44 > 0:26:47latest creation, the Bluebell Wood.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52- Janet. What a great place to be creative in.- Isn't it, just?
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I'm painting bluebells at the moment.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58My painting is more about colour and form, rather than the detail
0:26:58 > 0:27:03of the flowers, but I adore flowers so this is a great place to be.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05I've got a little surprise for you.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10I've got this pigment here which, believe it or not, is a pure
0:27:10 > 0:27:14- extract from the bluebells you're taking images of right now.- Wow!
0:27:14 > 0:27:15How amazing.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17- And I'm wondering - I'm no artist... - Yeah.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19..whether you can actually paint with this.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21- I'm led to believe you can.- Wow!
0:27:21 > 0:27:24It really is quite strong purple, isn't it?
0:27:25 > 0:27:28If I add some white paint to it, let's see what happens.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35It's quite a good purple. That's real bluebells.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- You're painting bluebells, using bluebells.- Using bluebells.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43The other interesting thing about this pigment is
0:27:43 > 0:27:47it doesn't have a fixative in it, so we don't know exactly
0:27:47 > 0:27:50- how long it'll keep its colour for.- OK.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52The bluebells are here for three weeks,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55- the painting might just be here for three weeks.- Yeah, yeah.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58It looks great as it is! We'll see what happens!
0:27:59 > 0:28:02This may have been just a bit of fun, but there's no denying that
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Janet has really captured the beauty of these bluebells.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12It never ceases to amaze me about how even the most familiar plants
0:28:12 > 0:28:16can still harbour this enormous range of unknown properties.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Maybe one day we'll unlock the secrets behind this fantastic
0:28:20 > 0:28:21little flower.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25All this week we've been following Paul Martin
0:28:25 > 0:28:28on his Wiltshire smallholding and he's been giving us
0:28:28 > 0:28:31an insight into living the country life.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36Today, it's the culmination of Paul's springtime to-do list.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45My ambitious plan is to turn our country abode
0:28:45 > 0:28:48into a self-sufficient smallholding.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51We're transforming this place into a wildlife haven that will
0:28:51 > 0:28:55fill our larders and put produce on our plates.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00Over the course of this spring,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04to investigate exactly what wildlife visits our land,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06we've peppered the gardens,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09the paddocks and even the pond with camera traps.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Time to see what they captured.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19- Are you ready for this, Dylan?- Yes.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22This is pond cam, here we go.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24I've not seen any of this, either.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28- Look, there.- Oh, my goodness! Wow.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30I'm so chuffed.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32That is incredible.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37- Look at the newt, look at the newt. - We're so lucky.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Yeah, this is our dirty, mucky pond.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Look, look, look.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44- There's another one.- Wow!
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It's swimming up to see his friend.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50- It's coming up. - Isn't that brilliant.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53- Yeah.- You know the very far field... - Yeah.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58There's an animal track that's been quite beaten down
0:29:58 > 0:30:01and I've a feeling that could be where the badgers are coming in.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03- Shall we have a look?- Yeah.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09- It's a deer!- Oh!- It's a deer.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13- It's gone right up to the camera. - Yeah.- Wow! It's sniffing it.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15- How adorable.- That is brilliant.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25This spring, we've been planting seeds that will transform
0:30:25 > 0:30:30our land later in the year, looking forward from spring to summer.
0:30:30 > 0:30:31So, what have we learnt?
0:30:32 > 0:30:36In early spring, I joined a band of smallholders looking to
0:30:36 > 0:30:40play their part in bringing new life to the countryside.
0:30:41 > 0:30:42I've not seen that before.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44That really does sum up spring, doesn't it?
0:30:44 > 0:30:47They're both all right and that was so exciting.
0:30:47 > 0:30:48SHEEP BLEAT
0:30:52 > 0:30:57Do you see them in there? They look a lot bigger than what I remember!
0:31:01 > 0:31:03There they go.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08- They look very, very settled. - They're grazing away.- Yeah.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Mowing the lawn.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14And, I have to say, the grass does look better than ever.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Each of our one-year-old Wiltshire Horns can eat up
0:31:18 > 0:31:22to 2kg of grass and weeds per day.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25With the sheep settling into life out in the fields,
0:31:25 > 0:31:29I had a go at grafting my own heritage apple trees.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31Fantastic.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35With any luck, this will produce a nice big tree that you can plant out next year.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39And planted the beginnings of my own traditional orchard.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46With the saplings planted and the blossoms about to bloom,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Charlotte and I turned our attention to pollination.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53- There's the Queen. - She's a lot bigger, isn't she?
0:31:53 > 0:31:55We installed our own beehive,
0:31:55 > 0:31:59complete with its own living willow wall.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03It's too early in the year to see the willow in all its glory,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06but hopefully later on in the summer, that will be a
0:32:06 > 0:32:08barrier full of leaves and shoots.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10I'm chuffed to bits with that, it looks fantastic.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13It's a lovely, creative addition to this area of woodland.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24As the weather warms and the flowers start to fill the landscape,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27and with the local bug life waking up to spring,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29it was time to give the pond a makeover.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35And it turned out to have a few surprises of its own.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39- Oh, look what I found.- Oh, wow, look at that. We found a newt.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Do you know, I'm so surprised there is so much wildlife.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47With the overgrown trees stripped away,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50sunlight now beams down onto our old pond.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57I've even found a use for the prolific pond weed.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Now...this stuff makes brilliant compost.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07It rots down really quickly.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09It stops your compost heap from drying out.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13Of course, it's full of nutrients for young seedlings.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17So, all in all, we're tired but happy.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21It's been brilliant fun giving our smallholding a makeover this spring.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24I'm really excited about the variety of natural habitats
0:33:24 > 0:33:27we now have dotted all over.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32And we haven't even scratched the surface yet of what's possible here.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34Who knows what the summer will bring.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Earlier, Keeley saw how ground-nesting birds
0:33:50 > 0:33:52are vulnerable in springtime.
0:33:52 > 0:33:57They face peril from pet dogs running wild off the lead.
0:33:57 > 0:33:58Here's Jules.
0:33:58 > 0:33:59Now, it's thought there are
0:33:59 > 0:34:02a staggering nine million dogs in Britain.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05One in four homes, it's thought, have a canine companion
0:34:05 > 0:34:08and, of course, when spring comes and the weather turns,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10most of us just want to let them off the lead.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11Go on, then.
0:34:11 > 0:34:12And have some fun.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Dog walkers would be horrified at the damage they could be causing
0:34:17 > 0:34:21by allowing their dogs to run uncontrolled off the lead.
0:34:22 > 0:34:27Last year, National Park ranger Dawn Rayment set up Temptation Alley,
0:34:27 > 0:34:32a course that tests dog owners' ability to recall their pets.
0:34:32 > 0:34:33Yes!
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Teddy! Good boy! Here!
0:34:35 > 0:34:38This is my Labrador Teddy
0:34:38 > 0:34:39and for a young dog like him,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42well, the New Forest is full of distractions.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44So, this is the day
0:34:44 > 0:34:47when I thought I'd put him to the test on Dawn's course.
0:34:47 > 0:34:48Good boy. Come on, then.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Now, tell us about ground-nesting birds here in the New Forest
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and what your scheme is trying to achieve.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00People coming to the forest might not be aware
0:35:00 > 0:35:03that we're one of the most important sites in Europe
0:35:03 > 0:35:05for ground-nesting birds.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09Dogs, they've got 10,000 times better sense of smell than we do.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11They're disturbing birds and then they're flying of the nest,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13they're wasting energy
0:35:13 > 0:35:16and, sadly, they'll sometimes abandon the nest altogether.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Now, in terms of the numbers of visitors you get to the New Forest,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22how much of a problem is it for your ground-nesting bird population?
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Literally, on a day-to-day basis,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27we're talking about 35,000 visits a day
0:35:27 > 0:35:30and, of that, 28,000 of those are probably dog walks,
0:35:30 > 0:35:35so that's a huge potential to have an impact onto those birds.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38So, how is the course that you've set up behind me
0:35:38 > 0:35:39going to help Teddy?
0:35:39 > 0:35:42We've penned an area off and, basically, we've got distractions
0:35:42 > 0:35:44and what we want you to do is stand at one end,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46I'll stand the other with Teddy
0:35:46 > 0:35:50and then you call him and, fingers crossed, he comes back to you.
0:35:50 > 0:35:51Come on, Teddy.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56Now, Teddy is distracted at the best of times,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59so this course will definitely be challenging.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04- So, if you go to the far end... - Right.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06Now, what we need you to do
0:36:06 > 0:36:09is become the most exciting thing in here
0:36:09 > 0:36:11and, when you are ready, I'll let him go.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Teddy has to ignore a range of enticing sights and smells
0:36:16 > 0:36:20from tennis balls to cuddly toys and tasty treats.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Right, then. Teddy! Come on, then. Good boy. Good boy. Teddy!
0:36:24 > 0:36:27'And he's off.'
0:36:27 > 0:36:30- Tennis ball!- Teddy! Come on!
0:36:30 > 0:36:33- And a pheasant!- Oh, no!
0:36:33 > 0:36:37Well, a good effort from Teddy but those toys were just too tempting.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39What a performer! Teddy.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41What's he got?
0:36:41 > 0:36:43There won't be a single treat left.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47There you are. Your very first ribbon.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49And it just goes to prove that we can all do our bit
0:36:49 > 0:36:51to help many of our native species
0:36:51 > 0:36:54at this really important time of year.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55Teaching our dogs is one thing,
0:36:55 > 0:37:00but clearly, teaching their owners how to train them is another.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02I suspect that both Teddy and I
0:37:02 > 0:37:05have still got an awful lot of work to do. Come on.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13As the daffodils fade,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16it's time to look ahead to the change of the season.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Ellie travelled to Cornwall to witness the start of summer
0:37:20 > 0:37:23in style, along with about 30,000 other people.
0:37:29 > 0:37:30Spring.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Traditionally a time for communities to come together
0:37:32 > 0:37:34and celebrate the changing season,
0:37:34 > 0:37:39with many a city, town or village having its own custom or ritual.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44The oldest one of all is said to be here in Padstow
0:37:44 > 0:37:46down on the Cornish coast.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52On May Day, the narrow streets are ablaze with colour,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55decorated with boughs of fresh spring greenery
0:37:55 > 0:37:58through which dancing black stallions, known as Obby Oss,
0:37:58 > 0:37:59will parade.
0:38:00 > 0:38:05And, right now, I'm waiting for the Old Oss to frolic out of its stable,
0:38:05 > 0:38:07otherwise known as the pub.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Now at large, the two prancing Obby Oss
0:38:15 > 0:38:17will be carried by passionate locals
0:38:17 > 0:38:22who dance, sing and drink their way through these old streets.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25It is bizarrely emotional.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27There's something about the collective singing
0:38:27 > 0:38:29and the collective dancing.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31It actually kind of makes me a bit choked.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33So, what's it all about?
0:38:33 > 0:38:37If anyone knows the origins of this festival, it's Doc Rowe,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39who has spent a lifetime collecting material
0:38:39 > 0:38:41relating to British folklore.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45So, Doc, is this about fertility or the ringing of summer,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48or warding off French sailors from the 14th century?
0:38:48 > 0:38:49What's it all about?
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Everyone wants these things to go back to pagan times, you know,
0:38:52 > 0:38:56that's what we desperately want, but it's Padstow celebrating themselves.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58It's like a pacemaker, you know?
0:38:58 > 0:39:00So it's the heart of the community
0:39:00 > 0:39:04and on May Day, they charge it up again for the rest the year.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07So, where did the two different Osses come from?
0:39:07 > 0:39:10The Old Oss, the red one, and then the blue ribbon one? That was later?
0:39:10 > 0:39:14It's said that, at the turn of the last century, some of the people
0:39:14 > 0:39:18in Padstow thought they were getting rather inebriated on the day
0:39:18 > 0:39:20and so they brought in the blue ribbon,
0:39:20 > 0:39:21which was a sign of temperance,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23so it was actually a temperance Oss
0:39:23 > 0:39:26and, again, the story goes that, within a year or so,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29they were as intemperate as the others.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32SHOUTING
0:39:32 > 0:39:36The origins of this festival may have been lost in the mists of time,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38but its customs live on,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40woven into the fabric of the community
0:39:40 > 0:39:42by principal families reprising the same roles
0:39:42 > 0:39:44they've had for generations.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48Old Mac, he's 84 now and his dancing days are over,
0:39:48 > 0:39:51and he's handing the club over to his little grandson Willy.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Now, believe you me, little Willy is a grand dancer.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59More than 60 years ago, the talk of the town was William McOwen,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02the artful teaser and terror of the Oss.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05A generation later, Willy's all grown-up
0:40:05 > 0:40:08and no longer teases the swirling beast,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11but his son Jamie has taken on the family mantle.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14What was that first experience like doing it?
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Well, it's tremendous, isn't it?
0:40:16 > 0:40:19When you come out with the club, you're in charge of that Oss.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21We've been brought up with it since we was little kiddies,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24because your mum's brought you down here, you heard the drums,
0:40:24 > 0:40:27and, once you hear them drums, it's in your head the rest of your life.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30You've either got it then or you ain't.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32And, Jamie, why tease the Oss? What's that all about?
0:40:32 > 0:40:34It's for the Oss to follow because if he just comes out,
0:40:34 > 0:40:35he's just dancing blind.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Like my dad said, you're brought up with it from such a young age.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41You think of all your family going back and you always hope
0:40:41 > 0:40:43that you can do them proud and, you know, do it well.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45And this is purely for people from Padstow, isn't it?
0:40:45 > 0:40:47You can't join what you guys are doing
0:40:47 > 0:40:49if you're a girl from Gloucestershire, can you?
0:40:49 > 0:40:52- Unless you married into a family down here.- Oh, really?
0:40:52 > 0:40:53So the only way I could get in on this
0:40:53 > 0:40:56is if I was to marry someone from Padstow, is that right?
0:40:56 > 0:40:59- Yeah.- Pretty much.- Well, that can be arranged.- Can it?- Yeah.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- I might get lucky today! - You might be, I think.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05On their winding route through Padstow,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08both Osses visit the nearby stately home Prideaux Place.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Traditionally, the Old Oss stays outside,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15but the blue ribbon Oss is welcomed inside.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Well, I haven't managed to track down a groom,
0:41:17 > 0:41:19but I have been given a special invitation
0:41:19 > 0:41:22from the lord of the manor Peter Prideaux Brune,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24who's allowed me special access
0:41:24 > 0:41:27to see what goes on in Padstow behind closed doors.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32So, Peter, I understand it's a bit of a coup
0:41:32 > 0:41:35that I'm allowed in here today when I'm not from Cornwall.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Well, it is but I love Countryfile, so you're very welcome.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Well, that's very kind of you. So, when the blue ribbon Oss come in,
0:41:42 > 0:41:46- they will all be local people, will they?- Oh, yes. Absolutely.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49You have to be a sixth generation Padstowan.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50There are occasionally the odd fistfights
0:41:50 > 0:41:52about who gets in and who doesn't.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54Do you have any allegiances?
0:41:54 > 0:41:57I mean, the blue ribbon Oss team get to come in here,
0:41:57 > 0:41:59whereas, the Old Oss are outside.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02No! No allegiance at all.
0:42:02 > 0:42:03I'm not allowed to.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07In fact, we had the Red Oss up here this morning
0:42:07 > 0:42:09and I wore my red tie.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11So the ties are appropriate!
0:42:11 > 0:42:14And then, when they go, I have to change quickly
0:42:14 > 0:42:16and put my blue tie on.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18So it's just tradition, then, that the blue ribbon Oss come inside?
0:42:18 > 0:42:21I don't know why. I've always said to the Red Oss that they can come in
0:42:21 > 0:42:24and they're very welcome, but they say, "No, we like to dance outside
0:42:24 > 0:42:27"and the Blue Oss dances inside." Tradition.
0:42:27 > 0:42:32And do you know? It still sends a prickle down the back of my neck.
0:42:38 > 0:42:43Amazing! It's gone from an empty space to an instant party!
0:42:43 > 0:42:45And they love to party!
0:42:45 > 0:42:47And, being caught up in the party atmosphere,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50it looks like the unexpected has happened.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- Do you want a go with the club? - Me? Really? Can I?
0:42:53 > 0:42:55I've been invited to tease the Oss.
0:42:55 > 0:42:56Come on, Ellie!
0:42:56 > 0:42:58I'm allowed to have a go!
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Am I allowed to go?
0:43:08 > 0:43:09Sorry!
0:43:13 > 0:43:15This is amazing.
0:43:18 > 0:43:19Thank you so much!
0:43:22 > 0:43:23I can't believe I got to have a go.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25What a privilege!
0:43:28 > 0:43:31With this crisp night drawing in,
0:43:31 > 0:43:33it's time to bid farewell to the Osses
0:43:33 > 0:43:36and our glorious spring until next year.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38SINGING
0:43:52 > 0:43:55And that's it, I'm afraid, from the Countryfile Spring Diaries
0:43:55 > 0:43:57here in the New Forest in Hampshire,
0:43:57 > 0:43:59and what a wonderful place it's been, hasn't it,
0:43:59 > 0:44:01to explore the magic of springtime.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03Well, the next stop, of course, is the summer,
0:44:03 > 0:44:05but what kind of weather can we expect, Keeley?
0:44:05 > 0:44:08Well, globally, some forecasters are saying it could be the warmest year
0:44:08 > 0:44:11on record, but before you get too excited, I don't think we'll be
0:44:11 > 0:44:12in our deck chairs all summer long.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15- So, as always, we'll just have to wait and see.- We will, I'm afraid.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18- But, for now, goodbye. - Bye-bye.- Cheerio.