0:00:27 > 0:00:31I'm in the rich and fertile land of County Down,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33deep in these fields of gold.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40I'll never underestimate the importance of why people
0:00:40 > 0:00:43get in touch to find out what our weather's going to do,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46should they be trying to organise a barbecue
0:00:46 > 0:00:47or paint the garden fence.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50But for some, their livelihoods depend on it,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54so I've come here to find out how important an accurate forecast is.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03This is Allan Chambers and his farm is on the Lecale peninsula.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10We're surrounded on three sides by water, so we're quite mild.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12We don't get heavy frost.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13But the most important thing
0:01:13 > 0:01:17is that we have probably the lowest annual rainfall in Northern Ireland
0:01:17 > 0:01:19and that's between 28-30 inches.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Why is that?
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Well, we're on the sheltered side of the Morne Mountains,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25so the Atlantic troughs, the Atlantic fronts
0:01:25 > 0:01:28that bring the weather, the showers and the rain in,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30tend to deposit most of the rain
0:01:30 > 0:01:32on the far side of the mountains from here.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38It's an arable area and Allan can grow crops
0:01:38 > 0:01:42that most of Northern Ireland's farmers find difficult to do.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46We're growing three crops - wheat, barley and forage maize.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50All those crops need to be drilled and sown in dry conditions,
0:01:50 > 0:01:51when the ground is suitable,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53and when it comes to looking after them,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56we have to have low wind for doing spraying,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59good ground conditions to get machines on the field.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Today, we're harvesting the wheat.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04We've been watching the weather carefully,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08because we want to get the machines in when the grain is at its driest.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Well, I've been an arable farmer now for 50 years and basically,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19my life has been ruled by the weather.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21I need to plan ahead.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25I need to know when I'm going to get these windows that will open for me
0:02:25 > 0:02:29to get big machines into the fields, or get my crops sprayed
0:02:29 > 0:02:31or get my fertilizer on,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33so I watch the weather forecast every day,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36sometimes four or five times a day,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39not only to see what it's going to do the next day
0:02:39 > 0:02:41but, say, in four or five days' time.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Allan's going to be under a bit of pressure to get
0:02:44 > 0:02:47the harvest in before the weather breaks.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Two days ago, it looked like we were going to get four dry days.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Yesterday, there seemed to be a change coming about
0:02:53 > 0:02:55and this morning, we were told that there could be
0:02:55 > 0:02:57very heavy rain by Friday afternoon.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01We'll try to get this grain harvested
0:03:01 > 0:03:04and the straw baled up and looked after
0:03:04 > 0:03:05before the weather breaks.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08If the breeze keeps up, and there's no dew,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12we can work away, so everything going well,
0:03:12 > 0:03:13a couple of days, three days,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16we will have the grain safely in store
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and my year's work will have reached its fulfilment.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29I'm glad the weather was kind to Allan, and all farmers -
0:03:29 > 0:03:32another worry over for another year.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44This may look a nice, scenic path for the ordinary rambler,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46but of course, it's doing something important
0:03:46 > 0:03:48for the conservation of this area.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Yeah - the sole and only reason we put the boardwalk in
0:03:51 > 0:03:53is to help conserve the habitat.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56What was basically happening was the footfall of walkers was
0:03:56 > 0:03:59eroding this rare blanket bog,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01so we had to take some remedial action to protect it.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Today's quite a nice day, but it's not great for the midges, here! We're being eaten alive.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07I think we need to go for a higher altitude.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Yes, I think so. Try and find a bit of breeze.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18- Over halfway up - it's longer than it looks, isn't it?- It is, indeed.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20But some of the views are spectacular.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23The views are certainly worth it. There's no doubt.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25You're looking right across Fermanagh here,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27out into Donegal, Sligo...
0:04:27 > 0:04:29It's pretty breathtaking, all right.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32And, what, we've got about 200-300 steps still ahead of us.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Well, we'll get there.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- So no trees?- No, no trees, no.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Peat's not a very good growing medium,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50so it's only specialised plants that can tolerate
0:04:50 > 0:04:51those nutrient-poor conditions.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01We're almost at the top. Oof!
0:05:01 > 0:05:04'The trail across the bogland is over 7km long
0:05:04 > 0:05:08'and takes us to the summit of Cuilcagh Mountain.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10'But so far, it's been worth it.'
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Well, here we are, Richard.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Up to the top. 660m.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19It's still quite squelchy, isn't it?
0:05:19 > 0:05:21And you can really tell that the rainfall
0:05:21 > 0:05:23shaped this land in front of us.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Yes - it has a profound effect on the landscape around us.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28And how important is the bogland and why?
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Well, the bog is important in its own right,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33for the biodiversity and its intrinsic environmental value,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35but equally, it acts as a carbon store -
0:05:35 > 0:05:38this blanket bog, and other bogs in Ireland,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41are literally storing millions of tonnes of carbon.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44The peat is basically vegetation which hasn't completely rotted,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48so it's locked away in the bog over thousands and thousands of years,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52so this really is almost playing the same role as the Amazon rainforest
0:05:52 > 0:05:55in helping with climate change.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So, essentially, you don't mind Fermanagh being called
0:05:58 > 0:06:01one of the wettest counties of Northern Ireland, if not Ireland?
0:06:01 > 0:06:03At times - no, on my day off, I'd rather it was a bit drier,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05sometimes, but what can you do?
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Still, like today, the views are breathtaking.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Yes, oh, it's fabulous, it really is.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20And from a breathtaking but treeless landscape
0:06:20 > 0:06:22to a lush forestry,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and my pathway to the underground,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26where the waters that fell on Cuilcagh bogland
0:06:26 > 0:06:29have made their way to the Marble Arch Caves.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- Michelle?- Hello, how are you? - How are you?
0:06:33 > 0:06:36God, that's some walk! Great weather for it, though, isn't it?
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- Yes. Are you ready to go underground?- I am.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40- If you want to follow me, we'll head in.- Perfect.
0:06:40 > 0:06:41'Michelle's going to be my guide
0:06:41 > 0:06:45'through this fascinating natural underworld of waterfalls,
0:06:45 > 0:06:49'rivers, caves and winding passages.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51'It's beautiful and brilliant.'
0:06:51 > 0:06:55We're deeps below Fermanagh and you may be forgiven for thinking
0:06:55 > 0:06:58that the weather above won't affect us, but it does.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Yes, it does. The rainwater that falls on Cuilcagh Mountain,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04it's actually the catchment area for the three rivers that flow
0:07:04 > 0:07:06into the Marble Arch Caves
0:07:06 > 0:07:09and we're actually making our way up one of the rivers,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11which is called the Cladagh Glen.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14So you can imagine that the weather that we experience in Fermanagh
0:07:14 > 0:07:16and, in particular, up on Cuilcagh Mountain,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20has a large impact in relation to the show cave.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23We're able to come comfortably through this cave,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25but it all depends on the amount of rainfall
0:07:25 > 0:07:27that we get above, doesn't it?
0:07:27 > 0:07:29This cave tour is very much weather-dependant -
0:07:29 > 0:07:31there's days where we have to opt
0:07:31 > 0:07:33that we actually don't have a cave tour available.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35It really depends on the blanket bog,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38whether or not the blanket bog is dry or if it's saturated.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41It depends if it's local rain or it has fallen at a distance,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and it also depends what the rivers are like -
0:07:43 > 0:07:46if they've had a period of time where they've dried up,
0:07:46 > 0:07:47or if there's water in it.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49That is why the staff that work here
0:07:49 > 0:07:52monitor the weather forecast on a daily basis.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53You're actually going outside
0:07:53 > 0:07:56and visually looking at Cuilcagh Mountain
0:07:56 > 0:07:58to see if it's under cloud, if it's raining,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00what you think is happening on the mountain,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02because it has its own little climate.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05In terms of weather, what's your perfect scenario?
0:08:05 > 0:08:07SHE LAUGHS
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Best-case scenario is probably the rarest situation
0:08:10 > 0:08:12that we ever have, is that when we have a heat wave.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14I knew you were going to say that. SHE LAUGHS
0:08:14 > 0:08:17But even at the moment, you know, we've had a period,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19a whole week, now, where we've had dry weather.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22It's not hot, it's not sunny, but there's been no rain
0:08:22 > 0:08:25up on Cuilcagh Mountain and that changes everything.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28It changes the amount of water coming off the mountain.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30It changes the atmosphere in the cave.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34I really like it when we've had a little bit of rainwater
0:08:34 > 0:08:37it's coming into the cave and the rivers are rising slightly
0:08:37 > 0:08:39and you can hear the rumbling of the river,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41and that's part of the experience
0:08:41 > 0:08:43and the excitement for members of the public.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45So people who do arrive on a rainy day,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47I don't think they're losing out.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I think they're seeing it in a different way and to me,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52that's what it's all about.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54- Every cloud has a silver lining. - Yes, we could say that.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56LAUGHTER