0:00:07 > 0:00:09You might think that this is a Canadian forest.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13The African savanna.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15The Scottish mountains.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18But this is my adopted home, Wales,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21and the many countries within it.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24I've always been drawn to remote places around the world,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28but only recently I started questioning myself.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Why am I travelling to these far-flung parts of the world
0:00:31 > 0:00:35to look for authentic, intact communities,
0:00:35 > 0:00:40when there are communities like that right on my doorstep?
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Wales is home to less than 5% of the UK population,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46with most people concentrated in the south.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48And the sparsely-inhabited countryside
0:00:48 > 0:00:53is exactly what attracted me to move here ten years ago.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57So I'm now travelling the lesser-trodden areas of Wales
0:00:57 > 0:01:00with my best Welsh friend Teg,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02to discover how its landscapes are being shaped
0:01:02 > 0:01:04and how they are shaping its people.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Last time, I learned how to flog sheep.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Can't we have a little bit more? You've got two ladies in the ring.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16I got hooked on fly-fishing.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Gosh, you really did have so little faith in me.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20THEY LAUGH
0:01:20 > 0:01:23And Teg had her first family reunion.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26This is, like, my happiest moment is standing here, watching her work.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28- Proud granny! Proud granny! - I am, I am.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32This is Wales: Off The Beaten Track.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Of course, I may only be accepted in these communities
0:01:34 > 0:01:37because I've got the right nationality of dog.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43During our final week travelling through Wales,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46we explore Carmarthenshire,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48starting in the remote Cothi Valley,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52where I'm surprised to find a dairy and meat farm
0:01:52 > 0:01:54with a 100-strong herd of goats.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00In Wales, these animals are a particular challenge to keep in large numbers,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03mainly because of their aversion to wet weather.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Yet, for Lynn Beard, these curious creatures are worth the effort.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Hello, girls! Hello!
0:02:09 > 0:02:12- It's actually quite a beautiful and sunny day today.- Yeah.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Why aren't they scampering about your beautiful fields?
0:02:15 > 0:02:18- It's too wet under their hooves. - Is it?
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Not only do they not like wet on their backs, goats...
0:02:20 > 0:02:22- Yeah.- ..they hate getting their hooves wet.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26See, I thought that might be just my goats being slightly prissy.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30No. Their coats aren't waterproof like cows. They don't turn the rain.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31So they chill very, very easily.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34- And they just hate it.- Right.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37- Ears go down, hooves are up and down.- Yeah.- No.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Lynn moved from Kent to Wales 14 years ago,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45looking for a quieter life for her family and her kids.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Don't tell me you name every single one of your goats?
0:02:47 > 0:02:49- Every goat is named.- Really?
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Every goat. This is Robin. That there is the dreadful Wiggle.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55KATE LAUGHS My goodness!
0:02:55 > 0:02:57And that's Lydia.
0:02:57 > 0:02:58How long have you been keeping goats?
0:02:58 > 0:03:01It's a slightly left-of-field idea even now, isn't it?
0:03:01 > 0:03:03It is. I started 41 years ago.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Oh, my goodness, you must have been two!
0:03:05 > 0:03:08I was. You hit it right on the head. Exactly!
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- Exactly. Right on the nail. I was very, very young.- Yeah.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14I'd always loved goats. I don't know why.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18They are just... To me, they're just wonderful.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22These girls are like high-maintenance princesses.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Not only do they hate getting their feet dirty,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28but you have to make their beds for them every day.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32Though that's mainly because they have a ferocious appetite for it.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Goats will not milk on grass alone.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39They will go out there, they will skip from here to there,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41have a mouthful here and a mouthful there.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45- They will still come in at night and want their hay.- Yeah.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47So they're not for the faint-hearted.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50They're Marmitey, is what I call them. They're Marmitey.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52You love them or you loathe them.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54The girls are milked twice a day,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and Teg is keen to work her magic, bringing them into the parlour.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Hello, Teg! Hello, sweetie pie!
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Teg, shall we go around the back?
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Are you coming down, then, girlies?
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Go back. Go on. Teg, Teg. Good girl!
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Good girl! What do you think, Lynn?
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Well done, Teg!
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Blimey! Aren't you good?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Lynn normally does the milking single-handedly,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19but today I'm going to attempt to help.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20Come on!
0:04:21 > 0:04:23You have to help me out here a little bit
0:04:23 > 0:04:25because I haven't done this before.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Just as I get to grips with the pumps, I come across another problem.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33So there's a sitting-down protest going on here.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35- Is that normal?- No.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37KATE LAUGHS
0:04:37 > 0:04:40That's what happens when you've got a beginner in your milking parlour.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42That is hilarious!
0:04:42 > 0:04:44- Oh, well!- A sitting protest.
0:04:44 > 0:04:45I'm sorry, darling!
0:04:45 > 0:04:50Lynn gets on average 200 litres of goat's milk a day.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55And to add value to her produce, all of it goes into the making of mouthwatering goods
0:04:55 > 0:04:57she sells at farmers' markets.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- They just came out this morning. - Oh, my goodness!
0:05:01 > 0:05:03- Did you have any training for this? - No.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Are these goaty in any way?
0:05:05 > 0:05:07They are all goat butter.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09All her recipes are goat-based.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11But in order to try any,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13I've got to get stuck in.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17While I have fun helping her make her goat-meat Scotch eggs...
0:05:17 > 0:05:21- How's that?- That's not too bad. Not bad at all.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25..it's her legendary goat's cheese and leek vegetarian version
0:05:25 > 0:05:27that I'm craving.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Right, Lynn, moment of truth.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30It's the moment of truth, Kate.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Oh, my goodness!
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- Good?- Unbelievably good.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46If you get to the point where you say,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48"I want to retire," you're not allowed to.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51- OK, then. - Those are... They're amazing!
0:05:51 > 0:05:54By using the milk and meat she produces on the farm
0:05:54 > 0:05:55to make goods to sell direct,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Lynn has found a way to make a living from the animals she loves.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02But it's a full-time, seven-day-a-week job.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Thankfully, though, country life isn't always about work.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Nearly 30 miles west, I discover a sport
0:06:10 > 0:06:14that has been keeping people entertained for over 100 years,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17and is particularly popular in this part of Wales.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22The unusual form of horse racing known as trotting
0:06:22 > 0:06:28is a life passion for builder, horse trainer and racer Mathew Tromans.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32One he's already passed on to his 14-year-old daughter Ellie,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35who's now a Wales and Borders champion.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42The sport has being growing in Wales since the late 19th century.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45And today, I'm joining in the fun with the whole family.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- Mathew.- Yes, that's correct. This is Wendy, my wife.- Hello, Wendy.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50- And Ellie, my daughter. - Hi, Ellie. Lovely to meet you all.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52And who is this splendid beast?
0:06:52 > 0:06:55This is Habberley Playboy, his racing name,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57but we call him Jack back on the yard here.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01I'm sort of looking at him and I don't know what sort of horse he is.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04They're a breed on their own, really, they're a standard bred,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- a pacing horse...- Right.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09- You get a lot of them in America... - Yeah?- ..and Australia
0:07:09 > 0:07:11and over here in the UK.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15- So, they're bred specifically for this sport?- Yes, yes.
0:07:15 > 0:07:16OK. Now, I have to confess,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19I know absolutely nothing about this sport at all.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I mean, I just think of it as, basically,
0:07:22 > 0:07:23people re-enacting Ben-Hur.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26It does get a bit like that on the racetrack sometimes.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30But basically, they've got a different action to your general horse.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- Right.- These are called the pacers. - Yeah.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36One side moves unilateral to the other.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39So effectively, you've got... If I was on all fours,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41you've got that side moving together...
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- Yeah, that's correct. - ..rather than opposites, like that.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46- Yeah. Yes.- Wow! OK.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51But instead of riding a horse, trotting is about driving it
0:07:51 > 0:07:53from a cart called a sulky.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57- Could I just sit on it...- Yeah, yeah.- ..just to see how it feels?
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Is there a way of getting on, or do you just...?
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Yeah, well, if I get on. Just hold his head, Els,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04- and just swing your legs over.- OK.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- And then you...- Oh, you put your legs up there?- Yeah.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- Very vulnerable.- I was going to say.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Yeah, it is a little bit vulnerable.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12Hang on.
0:08:16 > 0:08:17That's it.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20That's terrifying.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23I'm terrified just sitting here because it feels like you just...
0:08:23 > 0:08:27- You're going to fall...- You're going to fall backwards, or...
0:08:27 > 0:08:29When you've got the reins in your hands as well,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31- it gives you more balance, as well. - Right.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33- Because the horse will be pulling on you, as well.- I suppose so.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35The majority of them will, anyway.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Oh! Right, then, Jack, I'm going to
0:08:38 > 0:08:40leave you to the experts, I think.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46We follow Mathew to the training ground so I can watch and learn.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51These horses need exercising every day,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54even during inclement weather.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56It's so elegant, isn't it?
0:08:56 > 0:09:01So, Ellie, was it you standing up here in the field, watching your dad
0:09:01 > 0:09:03that made you think, "I want to do that"?
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Yeah. And when I was younger, I used to sit with him, between his legs.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07From that moment, I loved it.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- And I just love being around horses, as well.- Yeah. Yeah.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14They're very kind of magical animals, really, aren't they?
0:09:14 > 0:09:15Yeah. Yeah.
0:09:15 > 0:09:16It's a lovely thing to watch.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20I'm absolutely terrified about the thought of doing it, I have to say.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Mathew, that was just wonderful to watch! Just wonderful!
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Now it's my turn to be brave.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Mathew is letting me drive Lou.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34He's still in training and, hopefully, will take it easy on me.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37I know! He's looking at me going,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39"Do you actually know what you're doing?"
0:09:39 > 0:09:42No, is the answer, but I'm learning.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Dressed for the occasion, I get myself into position.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- Park yourself on there.- Yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Are my feet in the right place, or should I have them up?
0:09:49 > 0:09:52You can have them up, if you want, or you can have them down.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55I might start with them down. It feels a little bit gynaecological.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58OK. Leave his rein go a bit. Lou, come on, walk on.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02- All right? - It feels amazingly steady.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Thankfully, we start gently.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07It's no good running before you can walk, as they say.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12No. I'm very, very happy, I have to say, being a slightly old lady.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14KATE LAUGHS
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But once I get the feel for it, there's no stopping me.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Oh, this is fantastic! Ha-ha-ha!
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Trotting racetracks are usually a mile long,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and even though I'm doing nothing like top speed,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31when racing, these horses can cover it in under two minutes.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Ha-ha-ha! I'm loving this!
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Oh, you're looking after me beautifully, Lou!
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Look, we're giving Teg a run for her money. Good boy!
0:10:42 > 0:10:44- Good boy, Lou.- Steady. - Good boy, Lou.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Oh, Mathew, I'm loving it! You're not having your horse back!
0:10:47 > 0:10:49- THEY LAUGH - I think she's got the hang of it now.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51She'll be on the racetrack next week.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Good boy!
0:10:54 > 0:10:55Steady!
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Whoo!
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Thank you!
0:11:00 > 0:11:02What a good boy you were!
0:11:02 > 0:11:05I have to give you a hug. I know your wife's here and everything, but...
0:11:05 > 0:11:08- I'm glad you enjoyed it.- I loved it!
0:11:08 > 0:11:11It's been a huge treat and a really lovely introduction
0:11:11 > 0:11:13to something that I absolutely knew nothing about.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- So, thank you, thank you...- I'm glad you enjoyed it.- ..very, very much.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18I loved it. What do you think, Teg?
0:11:18 > 0:11:20It would make you fit, wouldn't it, chasing me around?
0:11:20 > 0:11:24- You could get used to it, couldn't you, Teg?- I think you'd quite like it, wouldn't you?
0:11:24 > 0:11:25You'd make quite a good carriage dog.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Whilst horses are popular in Wales,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32the most common animals are sheep.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35They outnumber humans by three to one.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Their wool has kept the Welsh snug and warm for centuries.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43However, today, the wool industry barely exists.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46Just eight miles south,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50I visit one of eight remaining traditional woollen mills in Wales.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Elvet Woollen Mill has been running for 120 years.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58But today, it's single-handedly operated
0:11:58 > 0:12:01by 86-year-old Englishman Michael Tolputt,
0:12:01 > 0:12:06who first came to Wales as a child evacuee during the Second World War.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10What was it about Wales that made you want to come and be here?
0:12:10 > 0:12:12- The people.- Was it?
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- Yes. I found the Welsh people to be very generous.- Yeah.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20When you consider that there were these brats coming from England.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23They didn't know what they were taking into their house,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27into their homes, but they welcomed us with open arms.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33Nearly 40 years ago, Michael was offered to take over the Elvet Woollen Mill.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And today, this Englishman is keeping the Welsh weaving tradition alive.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39THEY LAUGH
0:12:39 > 0:12:42It looks fantastically ancient!
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Ancient, yes.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Before any weaving takes place,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49the yarn is transferred onto plastic cones.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56How many cones do you need to make, I don't know, a blanket for a bed?
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- If we take a tapestry bedcover... - Yeah.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02So you need 256 cones.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04My goodness!
0:13:04 > 0:13:07- And this can do ten at a time? - Ten at a time.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11So, you have to do this process 26 times
0:13:11 > 0:13:13- before you can even get started? - Yeah.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Patience is a virtue in this line of work.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21The cones are then arranged on another machine
0:13:21 > 0:13:23into a pattern that only Michael can understand.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Can you translate the pattern
0:13:27 > 0:13:31that you want to make in your head to where the wool needs to go?
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Oh, yes. I can break it down into the threads.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Really?- Yes.- That's remarkable!
0:13:38 > 0:13:41But Super Mike doesn't stop there.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45The next stage puts the intricacy of his work into perspective.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Each strand is individually threaded onto the warping mill
0:13:49 > 0:13:51in a very meticulous order.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56So you'll have 2,560 threads on here. All 77 yards long.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00And every single thread, you will have hand-tied from here?
0:14:00 > 0:14:01Yes.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Wow!
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Then, finally, the threads come together on the looms.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10It really is handmade by your hands.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Oh, yes. Yes.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16This loom is set up for making a traditional Welsh tapestry,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18a pattern known as Caernarfon.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21And that's my cue to get involved.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23- All you've got to do is just pull that.- Once?
0:14:23 > 0:14:25- Once. Just like that.- OK.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Just pull it now, before I start up.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29It will give you an idea of the tension.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31- OK.- Right?- Yep.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- It'll be bang-bang-bang-bang-bang! - Yes.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35- As soon as you do that.- OK.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40I'm not going to mess up this priceless piece of cloth, am I?
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Well, I did say, "Are you insured"?
0:14:42 > 0:14:44THEY LAUGH
0:14:44 > 0:14:45Probably not for that much.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Some of these machines have been working since 1904.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00And even though this is absolutely in the fabric of Welsh heritage,
0:15:00 > 0:15:05the items produced here are sold in Japan and America, not in Wales.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Michael stands here for hours, making sure there are no problems.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15So, what's happened there?
0:15:15 > 0:15:18- You see the thread broke? - Oh, yes.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19And the loom shut down.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22But how on earth do you then fix that?
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Michael ties a little knot to join the threads,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29but soon after starting again, another one goes,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33and I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35It's almost like you set this up.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38It doesn't feel very secure, Mike.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42I was trying to make it tiny.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50I was hoping, at the end of the day, you might want me
0:15:50 > 0:15:53as your apprentice, but I think I might have failed my first test.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58You're doing exactly the same knot as I did.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01At least I don't have to embarrass myself any further,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04as one of Michael's clients turns up to inspect her order.
0:16:04 > 0:16:05Do you have a slight crush?
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Because I've already developed one and I only met him an hour ago.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11- Yeah, I know. It's hopeless, isn't it?- Hopeless.- Yep.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- He's recording this! - He is.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Wool producer Polly Jones rears a rare breed of sheep
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and trusts nobody else to weave her products.
0:16:23 > 0:16:28However, there is an undeniable threat looming over this mill.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33This mill was started in 1880 and it's been in production ever since.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36I must admit, I don't have many worries, but one of my biggest
0:16:36 > 0:16:40worries is what happens when I no longer
0:16:40 > 0:16:42turn up to carry this work on,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45because I don't see anybody else coming along...
0:16:47 > 0:16:49..to take over.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52- I think the colleges used to have weaving courses.- Yeah.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54And the colleges locally don't do that now.
0:16:54 > 0:17:01- So something that is an enormously proud Welsh tradition...- Yeah.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- ..could be lost?- Oh, yes.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06It could be the coal mines all over again.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09That would just be desperately sad.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Well, there's only one thing for it, Mike.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15You're just not allowed to die!
0:17:15 > 0:17:19You're going to have to just stick around for a bit longer.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20Isn't he, Polly?
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Oh, I mean, I've told him ten years at least I want.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25And if not, I'll dig him up!
0:17:25 > 0:17:26I'll come and help you.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Mike, it's been an absolute pleasure... Pleasure to meet you.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- And, Polly, thank you. - You're welcome.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34I'm going to steal that.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41In the rich tapestry of Welsh life many things come and go,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44but even when we think something may be lost forever,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46we can still be surprised.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54Six miles south, I discover an animal trying to reclaim its place
0:17:54 > 0:17:57in the waterways of the Welsh countryside.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Beavers became extinct here some 400 years ago,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05hunted down for their fur, meat and scent oil.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Today, biologist and farmer Dr Nick Fox is at the forefront of a
0:18:11 > 0:18:16project that aims to reintroduce beavers into the wilds of Wales.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19In the history of Pembrokeshire, in 1603,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22it was written about the beavers in the Welsh...
0:18:22 > 0:18:24..South Wales rivers. Right
0:18:24 > 0:18:28And all through history, back to 10,000 years ago,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32in the last ice age, this has been a stronghold for beavers,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- because we've got water here. - You have!
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Yeah, and we've got bogs and stuff.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38So things that beavers love.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40And they weren't hunted out because they were a pest,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43they were hunted out because they were wanted so much.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47It got to the point where a beaver pelt skin was worth
0:18:47 > 0:18:49the same as a good horse.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51- Wow.- Yeah.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Why did you think that it would be good to bring beavers back?
0:18:55 > 0:19:00The farm here isn't really paying its way from the agricultural
0:19:00 > 0:19:04point of view, and so we've put about 30%
0:19:04 > 0:19:08of the farm out of agriculture, all the sort of rough bits,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11into wildlife habitats.
0:19:11 > 0:19:17So now we're trying to "farm" wildlife economically.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21- It goes under the heading of tourism, if you like.- Yeah.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24But really, for me, it's not about tourism,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28it's about allowing people to come to the countryside,
0:19:28 > 0:19:32to experience the countryside, and to learn first-hand about,
0:19:32 > 0:19:37in this case beavers, but other things, too, for real.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42Three years ago, Nick Brought a pair of beavers from Devon to his farm,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46as an experiment to prove that beavers can help generate
0:19:46 > 0:19:49habitat for themselves and other creatures in Wales.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53The hope is that the Welsh government will approve an
0:19:53 > 0:19:56application to release ten pairs of beavers
0:19:56 > 0:19:59along two rivers in Carmarthenshire.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Today, there are three family groups
0:20:02 > 0:20:05living in different parts of Nick's farm
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and it's Andrew Love-Jones and Jo Oliver's job to keep on top
0:20:08 > 0:20:11of how the beavers are changing this landscape.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- Ah!- Now, here we are.- Now, that...
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- That's your absolute classic... - I recognise that.- ..cartoon beaver.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Look at that! Oh, that is just brilliant!
0:20:21 > 0:20:23- So this is a cherry.- Yeah.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27And I really didn't want them to take a cherry.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31So on a still evening, if you just go and sit quietly on the pond
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- you can hear them. - HE CRUNCHES LOUDLY
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- It's fantastic.- And I love the fact that they turn everything
0:20:37 > 0:20:41- into a beautifully sharpened pencil. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48One of the biggest concerns that people have with beavers
0:20:48 > 0:20:49- is they chew trees.- Yeah.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52What we don't realise is that they do regenerate.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54And here beavers have chewed this,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56but you've got a new shoot regenerating already.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01However, not all trees survive the beavers' sharp teeth.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03So to stop them munching on certain ones,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06they've found an effective solution.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Tens of thousands of miles of old sheet netting,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10- as you can imagine, hanging around farms.- Yep.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13And it's as simple as just putting a bit around a tree like that.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- And that will work, will it? - That will work.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18They just don't like the feel of metal.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21These busy nocturnal animals harvest trees for food,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25and use the leftover ones as building material
0:21:25 > 0:21:28for their lodges and dams.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31It's just an amazing piece of engineering.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33There's big rocks in there.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- How they carry them...- Yeah.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I don't know if you've seen beavers' arms, they're only little.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39They're only little things, yeah.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41But they have quite substantial stones,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45- they have the big branches that they use as buttresses...- Yeah.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49- ..and then they weave it all in and they work the clay.- Yeah.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54- It's amazing. But it's interesting that it isn't a solid dam.- No.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- It's porous and that's why they don't give.- Right.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Today it's pouring down, we've got an awful lot of water
0:22:00 > 0:22:03coming down the hill, but it's allowing water through.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05So this isn't bad engineering...
0:22:05 > 0:22:07This isn't bad engineering, this is design.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08..this is really clever.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10So it's like a filtering system.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Yeah, and that's the by-product of these porous dams,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16is they filter out sediment.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Right, so for rivers that get absolutely sediment-bound
0:22:20 > 0:22:22- and have to be dredged... - Absolutely.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- ..all you need is a couple of beavers.- Yeah.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Another upside of constructions like this is that they help to
0:22:28 > 0:22:31slow the flow of water and so can prevent flooding.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Of course, they do change landscapes and not everybody
0:22:36 > 0:22:39is in favour of the reintroduction of beavers.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41We're never going to try and say there won't be problems
0:22:41 > 0:22:44with beavers. There has to be the ability in law
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- to manage beavers where they're not wanted.- Yeah.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50So in areas where there's flood prevention measures,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52- we don't need beavers.- Yeah.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55But in areas where further upstream we could help prevent floods...
0:22:55 > 0:22:56- Yeah.- ..that's where we need beavers.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58That's where you need beavers.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00But the beauty is, Kate, just over there
0:23:00 > 0:23:02we've our silage fields, which are productive.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05- So we've got this...- Yes. - So you can have both.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09- You can have both. Give nature the bits that aren't useful...- Yep.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12- ..for our purposes.- Yeah. - Because that's what nature likes.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- Because they can make it useful. - They can make it useful.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18And we'll look after the bits that we can get tractors on.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Beavers have already been returned to Scotland and parts of England.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27At Nick's farm they seem well established.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I just hope they'll show themselves this evening.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Is that one there? Oh!
0:23:37 > 0:23:38Is that one? Just there.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40It's halfway between the island and the mainland.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Got it. Oh!
0:23:45 > 0:23:47I can't believe we saw one!
0:23:47 > 0:23:49I was sitting here thinking, "We're never going to see one,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51"not on a night like this."
0:23:51 > 0:23:53That's so exciting.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55HE LAUGHS
0:23:55 > 0:23:57That's a treat.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Well, these are true Welsh beavers, born and bred.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05So, in a way, the beavers are back,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08it's just the bureaucracy we have to sort out next.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Teg and I have travelled nearly 2,500 miles across Wales,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18starting in the spring and ending in the autumn.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Now we're going to leave dry land and take to the water
0:24:22 > 0:24:25at Llansteffan for our grand finale.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Ferry crossings to the neighbouring village Ferryside
0:24:29 > 0:24:32were established here almost 1,000 years ago,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36but the service was brought to an end in the 1950s.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42Today, we're taking 81-year-old local librarian Eiluned Rees
0:24:42 > 0:24:47on a journey down memory lane, as we whisk her across to Ferryside
0:24:47 > 0:24:50with the help of an expert team from Llansteffan Rowing Club.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54So you're joining the wonderful wrinklies today, Kate.
0:24:54 > 0:24:55KATE LAUGHS
0:24:55 > 0:24:57I'm extremely honoured.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Back In The 1950s, when Eiluned was amongst the last people
0:25:01 > 0:25:04to be ferried across, things were a little bit different.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07The boat that you took as a child to go and get your fish and chips
0:25:07 > 0:25:12and your ice cream, was that sort of an official service?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15No, it was Willy Jones' boat, he was a fisherman.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18He catered for visitors as and when they needed it.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Oh, OK. So how did you let him know?
0:25:20 > 0:25:22His sister used to live in Llansteffan
0:25:22 > 0:25:25and you could go to her and then, if there were enough people,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28she'd wave a flag and he'd come over with the boat.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30KATE LAUGHS
0:25:30 > 0:25:32And was that the last boat service
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- basically between Llansteffan and Ferryside?- Yes.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42- Right, shall I try and pull my weight a little bit?- You can.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46I've never rowed before, but team coach Nicola Thomas is at hand.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Arms straight out in front. - Yeah.- Drop the blades in.- Yeah.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51So then it's a body pivot back and then finish with your arms.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53You're pushing through the footplate at all times,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55that's where your power comes from.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57So in, lean and pull.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02With Kate, then, gentlemen. Make her look good.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06- We'll take our lead from you, Kate.- And in, lean and pull
0:26:08 > 0:26:10How are you doing, Eiluned?
0:26:10 > 0:26:12It's wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Is it bringing back happy memories?
0:26:14 > 0:26:17This is better than a world cruise.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19That's the right thing to say!
0:26:23 > 0:26:26With Kate, then, gentlemen. Don't rush a lady.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Even though Llansteffan and Ferryside are only a mile
0:26:31 > 0:26:33apart across the estuary,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36to drive between the two takes up to an hour.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43However, new plans are afoot to reinstate the ferry crossing,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46but the punters shouldn't be expected to row.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50- Oh, come on, Kate! - And in. Good.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Keep rowing until we stop, guys. Keep rowing until we stop.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Thank you for being so patient with me.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Now, then, who's buying the fish and chips
0:27:05 > 0:27:08and who's buying the ice cream?
0:27:08 > 0:27:10You're out of luck, my purse is in the car!
0:27:10 > 0:27:13It'll be me, then. Come on, Teg.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16You're a good dog. Did you enjoy it? Did you enjoy it?
0:27:16 > 0:27:19I loved it. I absolutely loved it.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Thank you very, very much.
0:27:21 > 0:27:22Thank you, Kate. Thank you.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26So here we are in South Wales, after starting our journey many
0:27:26 > 0:27:28months ago in North Wales.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32We've come right through the middle of this country
0:27:32 > 0:27:36that has this extraordinary mix of tradition,
0:27:36 > 0:27:41of heritage, of real pride in its culture.
0:27:41 > 0:27:46It's a country that welcomes in people from the outside,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49as long as they properly appreciate where they are.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51And, my goodness, I've met some people.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53HE GRUNTS
0:27:53 > 0:27:56If I was a doe, I couldn't resist that!
0:27:56 > 0:27:58- Shwmae.- Shwmae!
0:27:58 > 0:27:59SHE LAUGHS
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Oh! I can't speak, it's too cold!
0:28:02 > 0:28:04It's a really, really special country
0:28:04 > 0:28:09and I feel very proud to call it home.
0:28:09 > 0:28:10Teg!