0:00:03 > 0:00:09- 'Where are we?'- That's west. - That's south.- That's west, that's north, so we've got to just...
0:00:09 > 0:00:12'Well, we're lost.'
0:00:12 > 0:00:14- We're getting nowhere.- Yep.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19'We've taken on the unusual challenge of finding our way round the country
0:00:19 > 0:00:24- 'with just nature as our guide.' - I've never been more lost. - Where's an oak tree, please?
0:00:24 > 0:00:29'We've no maps.' I suggest we head that way.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34- 'No satnavs.'- Oh, no. Just doing this isn't helping.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36'And no compass.'
0:00:36 > 0:00:38You will not look at that compass.
0:00:38 > 0:00:44- 'Instead, actor Stephen Mangan...' - We're all going to die!
0:00:44 > 0:00:50- '..presenter Sue Perkins...' - Even our three minds aren't equivalent to one normal size mind.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52'..and me, Alison Steadman...'
0:00:52 > 0:00:54- Stand by. Right. - HORN HONKS - Oh, my God!
0:00:54 > 0:00:57'..have all been learning to navigate the natural way.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:02I think this must be the southwesterly path, cos of the wind.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05'We've been taught by expert navigator Tristan Gooley.'
0:01:06 > 0:01:10The sun is really important and we can use it as our compass.
0:01:10 > 0:01:15Now, there are many, many ways we can use plants to help us find direction.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20'And each of our journeys has a special connection to one of us.'
0:01:20 > 0:01:25Crab fishing with my dad. You pick them up and have a little look at them.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29'And in this programme, I'm leading the gang through Wales.'
0:01:29 > 0:01:32You have arrived!
0:01:32 > 0:01:35'And back to my beloved home town, Liverpool.'
0:01:57 > 0:02:01'Our final journey takes us to the beautiful land of Wales.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07'We'll be using the ancient skill of natural navigation.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10'And so what better way to get to our starting point
0:02:10 > 0:02:15'than a means of transport right out of the 19th century,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19- 'the Ffestiniog steam train?' - That's it, thank you.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22'It's the oldest independent railway company in the world,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25'still running trains today.'
0:02:25 > 0:02:28HE BLOWS WHISTLE
0:02:28 > 0:02:30TRAIN HORN TOOTS
0:02:30 > 0:02:34So here we are in North Wales.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36And it's just amazing.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Gorgeous day, fantastic weather, very lucky.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43And the scenery is just breathtaking.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48And North Wales means a lot to me because I was brought up in Liverpool
0:02:48 > 0:02:55and many of our days out were in North Wales because it's so easy to get to.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59But we used to have great holidays and it's such a beautiful place,
0:02:59 > 0:03:05so for me, it'll be nostalgic, but also, I'm going to places I haven't been before.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16'Our journey begins at the end of the line in Blaenau Ffestiniog.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21'From there, we head north to Llandudno and Great Orme.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26'Then we go by boat, retracing the old ferry route to Liverpool.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29'And then in Liverpool, we are set the extraordinary task
0:03:29 > 0:03:34'of using nature alone to attempt to navigate our way around a city.'
0:03:34 > 0:03:38We've got lots of mountains around
0:03:38 > 0:03:41and lots of trees, which we didn't have in Ireland,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43so it's going to be a different experience.
0:03:44 > 0:03:49The thing about the natural navigation is, it just makes you look more.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I'm looking all the time, even on the train, I'm noticing lichen.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I've been christened now The Lady Of Lichen.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03TRAIN HORN TOOTS
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I've come to Wales a lot, but I've never actually seen it,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11because every time we used to go, it was just stair rod rain.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And we never really got it as kids. We were like, "Why are we coming here?
0:04:15 > 0:04:19"Why are we in a static caravan? Why is there a blizzard outside?" But I completely get it.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23Now when I see it, I think, "Yeah, this is an amazing landscape".
0:04:26 > 0:04:29I've never been on a steam train before, but I'm liking it.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33It's a really relaxing way to arrive somewhere.
0:04:36 > 0:04:42'So, leg one. Our natural navigator Tristan has designed a route for us to follow.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46'Starting in Blaenau Ffestiniog,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50'we have to navigate our way up into the Welsh hills.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:53'We'll be trekking through part of this area's industrial history
0:04:53 > 0:04:57'in search of the hidden entrance to the Cwmorthin Slate Mine.'
0:04:58 > 0:05:00'With the whole landscape covered in slate debris,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04'we've been warned there might not be much nature to go on.'
0:05:05 > 0:05:11- OK, guys, welcome to Wales. - Lovely to be in Wales. Thank you. - Thank you.- Right.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17- Looks like the mountain hasn't been shaved.- A mountain of slate. - Big mountain flakes.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Doesn't look very stable. It looks like if you pulled the right piece, the whole lot would come down.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25'The first landmark we need to find is a waterfall to the north.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28'But which way is that?'
0:05:28 > 0:05:33- I thought you said that big, flat rock there which is facing east. Ooh, look at that.- What?
0:05:33 > 0:05:35- That lone tree up there.- Oh, yeah.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39- What's it doing? What does it mean? - Well, it's giving us some clues.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43The clue is, don't plant trees up there, they won't survive.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Do you think that was an ill-fated attempt at an orchard?
0:05:47 > 0:05:50"Top of the mountain, lone surviving tree, completely exposed.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55"Gentle combing gives a clue." Well, we're a bit muddled about that. "Head north."
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Well, if that's south, that's west, that's southwest.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03You'd expect the comb to be... A gentle comb.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- The sun is there.- Yeah. - So we know that the sun is heading...
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- If that's southwest, then north is there. Head north.- That way.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12So I presume this road bends round.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- We think. Unless we've got to go... - Cos that definitely goes east.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21- That definitely goes west. - That's west. That's north. So we've got to just...
0:06:21 > 0:06:26'Oh, for goodness sake! Two clues and we're still not sure.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30'We haven't even set off in any direction, right or wrong.'
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- The sheep are just laughing. - Maybe it's further up.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36- I think we should head up here. - There's a big, flat rock.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40'Yep, we thought we had the hang of this, but we really don't know which way to go.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44'So we choose a path and take it.'
0:06:45 > 0:06:48'As we head high into the hills, the going gets tough.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52'It's steep, winding, and the slate gives way under foot.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55'I'm exhausted already.'
0:06:56 > 0:06:58- A little break?- Sure.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01- A little recovery break. - There's a nice pool here.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Oh, look at that!
0:07:03 > 0:07:08'On our left, as luck would have it, the waterfall mentioned in the guide.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12'And it's not just a pretty sight. It could help us find our way.'
0:07:15 > 0:07:20Rivers or streams are another one of those clues that won't give you direction
0:07:20 > 0:07:24but you still need to stay tuned into what they're doing.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28Because if you notice the way they're flowing,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31and using other clues, you work out which direction that is,
0:07:31 > 0:07:36then if a little bit later on you become disorientated and you come back to the same stream,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40if you took note of which way it's flowing before and you come back to it,
0:07:40 > 0:07:45there's a very good chance it'll still be pointing the same way for you. That marks the land for us.
0:07:45 > 0:07:51'Because we're heading north, we now know this stream is flowing north to south.
0:07:51 > 0:07:57- 'It might come in handy later.' - So it says go past the waterfall and then take a west turn.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04- "Look for a path to the west. Follow path round."- OK.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Well, that looks like a west-facing path to me.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Heading straight to the sun.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15"At the gate, look for some large stones on the right."
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Well, there's a big pile of them over there, there's some over there.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- That's one dilapidated gate.- You are all over that countryside code.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32"After the gate, look for some large stones on the right."
0:08:32 > 0:08:36'Is Tristan having a laugh? There are rocks everywhere.'
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Ah, there's some big ones coming up.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45'Well, we found a big rock. But was is Tristan's rock?
0:08:45 > 0:08:49'Who knows? This place is absolutely littered with them.'
0:08:50 > 0:08:54This is certainly the most percussive walk we've been on.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Makes a really nice noise. A tinkling noise.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Sounds like a gin and tonic glass being refreshed
0:08:59 > 0:09:03although that may hint at what's going on in my mind right now.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08What sort of music are they going to play over this? Stereophonics?
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Shirley Bassey.- Super Furry Animals.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15- Tom Jones.- Let's have a bit of Nessun Dorma over this.- Ohh.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20THEY HUM NESSUN DORMA
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Due to budget cuts, we're now to provide our own soundtrack.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28THEY HUM NESSUN DORMA Sweeping view!
0:09:28 > 0:09:31MUSIC: "Nessun Dorma" by Pavarotti
0:09:45 > 0:09:47THEY HUM NESSUN DORMA
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- Ooh, that'd be lovely. - A derelict house.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56The irony is, it's missing a roof in the middle of roofing country.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03- What does it say, Sue? - "When you get to the derelict house on your right, head east."- OK.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07'We know the water's flowing north to south,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11'so crossing the stream, we're confident we're heading east.'
0:10:13 > 0:10:17'This gorgeous landscape is getting more rugged than a Welsh rugby player's chin.'
0:10:18 > 0:10:21God, this is so stunning!
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- Hey.- God, look at that.- That's nice.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- It's pretty epic, isn't it? - I could plunge head-first into that.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Really beautiful. All it needs is a really good sweep
0:10:39 > 0:10:41to clear up all this debris.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46It's just...breathtaking,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48in the true sense of the word breathtaking.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53You come around the corner, you see all this slate piled I don't know how many feet
0:10:53 > 0:10:57and it's just beautiful. It's... Ooh!
0:11:10 > 0:11:16This is so beautiful, this place. It's so still and timeless and you look at the lake...
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Already now, I'm not just seeing a lake, I'm noticing water patterns
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and wind patterns and all that. And you cast your eye down and then you see this
0:11:23 > 0:11:27and then you realise that nature was just perfect until mankind came along.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Sue, have you seen my Ribena bottle?
0:11:31 > 0:11:34I think we'd better take that with us.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Keep Britain tidy.
0:11:39 > 0:11:45That grass or whatever it is, reeds, it's beautiful, that way it's grown.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47- It's grasses, yes.- Yeah.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51'No time for sightseeing. We need to find the hidden entrance to the mine
0:11:51 > 0:11:54'somewhere in these slate mountains.'
0:11:54 > 0:11:58There's a great bit of slate topiary here.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00We've got some yellow stuff on this side.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02'Then a lucky break.'
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- There's spiders' webs up there. Millions of them.- Ah!
0:12:05 > 0:12:10That's incredible! There's absolutely loads of them shimmering on the northeast corner.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13'Spiders showed us the way in Ireland
0:12:13 > 0:12:16'and here are some more to help us again.'
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Every spider in the world has decided to get out of the wind.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Basically, all this is is a spider windbreak,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26this big pile of slate.
0:12:26 > 0:12:32'Tristan has taught us that spiders usually spin their webs on the northeasterly side.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34'We think we've got our bearings.'
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Watch the fence.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50'The mine must be close, but we're running out of clues and there's still no sign of it.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53'Just tonnes and tonnes of slate.'
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- Gordon Bennett.- Up you go.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01- Cheers.- Hang on. You're all right. - Cheers. Yep. Got it.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07'If we've got this wrong, we'll have to go back and start again.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11'Don't tell me we're up the wrong mountain.'
0:13:12 > 0:13:15It's all gone a bit Scooby-Doo.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18'Suddenly, there it is.'
0:13:18 > 0:13:21My God! That is amazing!
0:13:21 > 0:13:25'You can't see it until you're almost upon it.'
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Ooh. Wow.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33- You suddenly get an incredibly cold blast of air. That is glacial!- Ooh!
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- Really strong easterly.- It's freezing!- Just whistling through.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Oh, my God!
0:13:39 > 0:13:42'We did it! A needle in a haystack.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45'Or a mine in the middle of a mountain.'
0:13:45 > 0:13:51'This place has been closed for 30 years and now looks pretty spooky.'
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Ooh, it's intriguing, if not slightly frightening at the same time looking down.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00'There are 50 miles of tunnels cut into the hills.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03'The miners used to call this place "the slaughterhouse"
0:14:03 > 0:14:08'due to its reputation for bad working conditions. It gives me the shivers.'
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- I've got other things to do.- She's very busy, isn't she?- Ah, right.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15'Time to head off. We've got a big day tomorrow.'
0:14:15 > 0:14:19The Lady of Lichen has been summoned somewhere else.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- God, it's cold. - She's happy in her fantasy world.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29'The next day and a new challenge.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35'But before we start the second leg of our Welsh journey,
0:14:35 > 0:14:40'I'd really like to show Stephen and Sue a place with very fond memories for me.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43'Swallow Falls near Betws-y-Coed.'
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Wow.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54There aren't many places like this.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59And I think, as a child, coming here for the first time, it was that force of water,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02that kind of excitement.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- How old were you when you first came here?- Probably about nine.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- Would you come here every year?- No.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11We used to go to Llangollen, Llandudno.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Colwyn Bay was always a favourite, and Conwy.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Crab fishing with my dad. You used to get a line.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24We never... It doesn't hurt the crabs.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27They just bite onto a bit of bait with their pincers
0:15:27 > 0:15:30and you pick them up, have a little look at them then let them go.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35- Not catching them to eat them. - No.- You're just making them late for something.
0:15:35 > 0:15:41'I loved coming here with my dad, but now I'm seeing it in a whole new way.'
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Look over there. It's all white lichen, isn't it?
0:15:44 > 0:15:47- Yeah.- On the slate rock.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53'Ahh. So what do we all take away from this idyllic scene? The charm, the beauty and positive vibes?
0:15:53 > 0:15:58'No! We all start to figure out which way is north.'
0:15:58 > 0:16:01So we sort of know that that's south.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Well, actually, that's in the east now, isn't it?
0:16:03 > 0:16:06That's north. We can't stop.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- I can't stop.- It's like a disease.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'Truly now we're all geeky navigators.'
0:16:12 > 0:16:16'For the second leg, we're going from Betws-y-Coed
0:16:16 > 0:16:19'to the seaside resort of Llandudno
0:16:19 > 0:16:21'where I used to come on holiday as a little girl.'
0:16:22 > 0:16:28'First we need to navigate in a westerly direction through woodland in search of a churchyard.'
0:16:29 > 0:16:32So it says, "Start near post box".
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- Yep.- "Follow the southern path that bends west."
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- Look at that view! - God, look at those trees.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Having been tree-starved in Ireland but bog-rich, you've got this.
0:16:43 > 0:16:50- All the lower ones are deciduous trees and all the ones on the top are conifers.- Yeah.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- Loads of conifers over there.- Yeah.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56But it's the deciduous ones that give us the clues.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01That's right. We love them. How green is my valley? Very green is the answer.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04'There are plenty of trees in view,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06'but there's a sign right under our noses.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09'Or rather, just above our heads.'
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- There's a sign that might give us a clue.- Yes.
0:17:18 > 0:17:26Every single day, all day, the sun, the wind and the water are leaving their mark all around us.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31And here's quite a nice example. If you have a look at the two sides of this sign,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33particularly the blue part,
0:17:33 > 0:17:39- can you see they're not the same? - No.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42- Oh, right.- It's bleached.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45You leave something out in the sunlight, it loses its colour.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50So that's just one more way of reading back to where the sun's been.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53- Hello! Hello!- Aha!
0:17:53 > 0:17:56- So...- That looks sun-bleached.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Bleached. Dark and foreboding.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Dark! And we've got a mossy lichen here
0:18:02 > 0:18:05- that likes the moisture, haven't we? - Indeed.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Plus, there's a really, really large golden ball shining in our face
0:18:09 > 0:18:13- at around about lunchtime. - Which means, Sue, tell us.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Which means follow it! SHE SINGS
0:18:16 > 0:18:19- Southerly. And it bends west, which is good.- And it bends west.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- So south going west.- OK.- Yeah, OK.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27'Wow. I think we're getting good at this.'
0:18:27 > 0:18:32This is not the Wales that you experienced as a child. Do you remember sunshine like this?
0:18:32 > 0:18:37- I remember hot days sometimes, yeah. - This is extraordinary. - We didn't do these kind of walks.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42There's a tick effect tree.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44'Tristan told us about the tick effect.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48'The branches grow thicker on the south side facing the sun.'
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Ah, we're crossing the wobbly foot bridge imminently.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58'On the other side of the bridge, there's the church we're looking for.'
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Chain bridge.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08- Bouncy bridge.- Oh, it is bouncy.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- Oh, dear!- No!- Oh, dear!
0:19:12 > 0:19:15'St Michael's is a 14th century church.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18'It's the oldest building in Betws-y-Coed.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23'The trees look ancient, too, and we want to see if we can work out their age using a Tristan trick.'
0:19:24 > 0:19:29Didn't Tristan say something about if you measure the distance around in centimetres...
0:19:29 > 0:19:35- You'll see how old it is. - ..the diameter of a tree, and divide by two, that's how old it is?
0:19:35 > 0:19:37- Have you got a measure? - Well, I could hug it.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42Let's say... If you've got arms long enough to hug that, I'm saying you're half-chimpanzee.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47- Or silverback.- I might have to do a couple of hugs.- We can have a guess.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50- THEY LAUGH - Stephen!- OK.- No.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56- I've lost you, Stephen. - And another half of me. So it's three of us and a half.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00So I reckon it's about... I'm 1.8. There's three of us.
0:20:00 > 0:20:05- Five and a half. So divide by two. - 500. So 250 years. - It's probably about 300 years old.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10- No fillers, no facelift. Still looks great.- Still looks good. - Looks better than I do!
0:20:10 > 0:20:14I think it could do with a little bit of a bottom lift myself.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- Don't!- Don't listen! You are lovely just the way you are!
0:20:18 > 0:20:20- The way you are.- Yeah.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26'No time for tree-hugging. We've got to get going.'
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- So...- Hold on a minute.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35- Hold on a cotton-picking minute. Niagara Falls.- Angel Falls.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40- Niagara Falls...- Is...- To the west. - Due west, yeah.- That makes sense.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Angel Falls is south.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51- Southwest. That makes sense, cos it's down in South America.- Yeah.
0:20:51 > 0:20:57- Victoria Falls.- Makes total sense, cos it's north, slightly...
0:20:58 > 0:21:02- ..northeast. East by northeast. - Is it? You're going to Norway.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Yeah, but Victoria Falls is in...
0:21:06 > 0:21:09- It's not in North America, is it? - No, it's in Africa.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16- It's in, er...- It's in Africa. So that's pointing the wrong way.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- It should be pointing south. - It's a long way round. - Good job we're not a bird.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22- Exactly! Imagine that! - That's ruined my trip.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27- We could be flying off there. - But I was about to go there. That's my final destination.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- 8,200km.- Yeah.- You get there and you go, "Hang on, I'm in Siberia!"
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- The wrong place.- I'm in a gulag.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37'From Betws-y-Coed, it's full steam ahead for Llandudno.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39'We've relocated to Bryn Pydew
0:21:39 > 0:21:44'and our route out of town takes us north through dense woodland.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50'From the woodland, we need to head northeast. And we know that tree stumps can give you a good clue.'
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I'm doing empire pose on the tree stump.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56- I'm doing an album cover for a new prog-rock outfit I've started up.- OK.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59- We've got to head northeast. OK. - Northeast.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Four o'clock in the afternoon, the sun's in the southwest.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Away from the sun. That way.
0:22:04 > 0:22:10- So...- Let's rock.- I tell you what, we're almost getting cocky now. You can use the tree stump!
0:22:12 > 0:22:16If you come across a tree stump, take a second to have a good look.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19What we find is that the heart of the tree
0:22:19 > 0:22:24is not normally actually right in the middle of the tree.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Because trees grow more heavily on one side, on the southern side,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30the trunk grows in a way that compensates
0:22:30 > 0:22:34and the heart ends up being slightly closer to the southern edge of the tree.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37But it's always quite a subtle effect.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Even if you can find it, it'll only be a couple of centimetres at best.
0:22:43 > 0:22:49I'm going to divine the tree stump, which is something that the ancient witchy family of Perkins have done
0:22:49 > 0:22:51since around about 2011.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Well, there's the centre. Is that the centre of the tree?
0:22:54 > 0:22:57So the south side's got more rings on it, hasn't it?
0:22:57 > 0:23:02Well, the thing is, it's in such a heavily wooded area,
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- that I don't know whether that would hold true. - The epicentre would be tilted
0:23:06 > 0:23:09- towards the south.- That is true.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13The south. That's right, the south, which is over there,
0:23:13 > 0:23:18- has heavier growth. - So the ring, the central core of it,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22is not right at the middle, it pushes towards south, where the weight is.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27So this is thicker on this side to support the heavier weight on this side of the branches.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- Is it?- You see, that's the centre of the tree there.- Yeah.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34So there's much more trunk on this side
0:23:34 > 0:23:37and that's because all the heavy branches were on this side
0:23:37 > 0:23:41- and it needed something to stop it falling over.- Yeah.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45- Right.- That is good. I like that. - That was good. Ringology.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48I just made that up.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52'These two are running rings round me. I wouldn't have got that.'
0:23:52 > 0:23:56So we know which way we're going.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59- But it's kind of nice to do it not from the sun.- That's true.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03Because, you know, you won't always have that as a guide.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- Particularly in Wales.- Cheers.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15- Great wood.- You're so quick at this, Stephen. You go, bang, bang, sun's there, northwest.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19- The sun is a bit of a... - Yeah, but I think it was important to do it from a tree.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23- The tree stump was the key there. - I'm agreeing. But the sun makes it very easy.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26"Enter field."
0:24:26 > 0:24:31'We need to cross this field to get to our next clue. But there's an obstacle.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- Hello.- Hello.- This has now turned into an assault course.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Whoops.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44- There's something over there. - Cheers. Oh, my God.- Are you good?
0:24:44 > 0:24:48- Oh, my God!- Hello. - I think just stand still.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50'And the obstacles keep coming.'
0:24:50 > 0:24:53HORSE NEIGHS
0:24:53 > 0:24:56So he's called his mate in.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59- How many horses are lurking? - He's not as shy.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- I think I'm heading towards the hedge.- Yeah, me, too.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04- I'll deal with them. - And just stand still.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- I think they want us out of the field.- I think they do.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17HORSE NEIGHS They're saying, "Can you naturally navigate the hell out of here
0:25:17 > 0:25:21- "otherwise I'm going to stampede." - He's saying, "Go! Go! Just go!" - Yeah.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24OK! I'm going to head northeast out of here!
0:25:28 > 0:25:31What's this contraption?
0:25:31 > 0:25:34'Happy to make it out alive, we venture through a kissing gate
0:25:34 > 0:25:39- 'and into a garden of Eden.'- Merci.
0:25:39 > 0:25:45They've kept this as a designated meadow for wildlife, I guess.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Teeming, isn't it?
0:25:49 > 0:25:53"When you come out of the flower field, use your sense of sound
0:25:53 > 0:25:55"to hear the busy road to the southwest."
0:25:56 > 0:26:00'So, where's the traffic coming from? We can't see a road,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03'so for the first time, we've got to rely on our ears.'
0:26:03 > 0:26:07- The sun is... - Maybe heading more towards the west.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09- What is it, about half four?- Yeah.
0:26:09 > 0:26:15- It'll be west at about six. - The breeze is a sort of northwesterly today.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17The road feels like it's over there, doesn't it?
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- Unless that's... - BIRD SQUAWKS
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Buzzard. Did you hear it call?
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Even the buzzard has identified us as dead meat.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31- THEY LAUGH - Yeah, give them 20 minutes, they'll be ready.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33He's thinking, "Right, carrion".
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Well, head north. So the sun's going round.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Oh, God. Help me here.
0:26:44 > 0:26:50- To set in the northwest. - The sun is... It's about four, so the sun is southwest-ish.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53- So north is...- It'll soon be...
0:26:54 > 0:26:56But the sound doesn't seem...
0:26:56 > 0:26:59The wind's blowing this way, so the road can't be there,
0:26:59 > 0:27:04because the sound would be blowing that... The sound... You know. It's...
0:27:05 > 0:27:09- It's blowing the sound from there. - The road sounds like it's in the north.- It does.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- And that's definitely north. - Yeah, that is north.
0:27:12 > 0:27:18'This is hopeless. If we can't get this right, it'll be dark before we get to Llandudno.'
0:27:18 > 0:27:21- That's definitely north, anyway. - Yeah.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28I feel like I'm in Little House On The Prairie.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41- Ooh, it's nice and cool here. - Normally it would be horrible to have a north wind,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44but it's actually refreshing today.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- The sea! - THEY CHEER
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Oh, I do like to get lost beside the seaside.
0:27:50 > 0:27:56- It's very hazy today, but you can see it.- Ah, lovely!
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- Hey, hey, hey.- That's a sight.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Hey, hey, hey.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Wowwy.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10- Lovely evening.- Gorgeous.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17It says here, "When you see Llandudno,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20- "you have arrived!"- That's Solihull.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23That ain't no Solihull.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27- Gorgeous.- We did it! We're here! - Well done.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31- That haze on that sea. It's just a perfect day.- Mm.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Well, I mean, it's great to be here, but it's not...
0:28:37 > 0:28:42From this perspective, it's not the Llandudno that I know.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46I know the promenade, Church Walk.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Everything's always much more Technicolor in the imagination, isn't it?
0:28:50 > 0:28:54Yeah. In my mind, it's big white hotels
0:28:54 > 0:28:59and gulls flying around and the mountain.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27Well, this is wonderful. It's a beautiful evening, the weather couldn't be better.
0:29:27 > 0:29:33The sea air, lots of memories of being here
0:29:33 > 0:29:35with my parents, my cousins, my sisters,
0:29:35 > 0:29:39and my own two boys, as well, when they were little.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42And so it's just great to be here.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45I haven't been here for about 25 years
0:29:45 > 0:29:49and I'm actually wondering why, cos it's so beautiful. It really is stunning.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55'After a hard day of natural navigating,
0:29:55 > 0:29:59'there is no greater treat for me than spending the night in Llandudno.'
0:30:08 > 0:30:13'A new day and we're leaving Llandudno to begin the third leg of our trip.'
0:30:13 > 0:30:18So Church Walks here is where I stayed when I was nine with my mum and dad
0:30:18 > 0:30:23- and it's one of these houses on the left.- It's that one. There's a plaque saying Alison Steadman.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27I don't know which one it was, but I remember it was great.
0:30:27 > 0:30:32'First we take the tram up to a limestone headland called Great Orme.'
0:30:32 > 0:30:37- Can we just...- Can we board? - Do we just get on and press go? Press the accelerator?
0:30:37 > 0:30:42- Are the controls easy to work out? - Are we going to be... No, we're not. Yes, we are. We're off.
0:30:42 > 0:30:48- We're off!- This does 0 to 60 in three days. It's like a knife through butter. And the same speed.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54I think the first time I came on the tram, I was nine.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57And then I brought my two boys here about 25 years ago.
0:30:59 > 0:31:05And we all came on the tram, my parents, my sisters, my two boys
0:31:05 > 0:31:08and it was very exciting for them.
0:31:08 > 0:31:14I have to say, I've probably only been on two or three trams before
0:31:14 > 0:31:16and this is terrific.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20I mean, the G forces are messing with my head.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31There's a cable car!
0:31:36 > 0:31:39- Morning.- Morning.- Morning!
0:31:51 > 0:31:53OK.
0:31:56 > 0:32:01'From the summit of Great Orme, we have to navigate our way due north
0:32:01 > 0:32:04'across the desolate landscape to a cafe on the far side.'
0:32:06 > 0:32:09'We know this area is often blanketed in thick sea mist,
0:32:09 > 0:32:13'so it could be a case of the blind leading the blind leading the spectacled.'
0:32:13 > 0:32:15They take their golfing so seriously.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Can I have a bit of concentration, please?
0:32:18 > 0:32:23'First, with no sun to go by, we've got to find another way to get our bearings.'
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Ah. Church. Church.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Graveyard.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40It's not just the church that's aligned west to east,
0:32:40 > 0:32:42but all the gravestones, as well.
0:32:42 > 0:32:48Traditionally, people were buried with their head at the western end and their feet at the eastern end
0:32:48 > 0:32:52so that on the day on judgement when the dead shall rise,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56everybody rose facing towards the right place.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59But there is also a tradition
0:32:59 > 0:33:03that the clergy would be buried the opposite way round.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07The idea is that when the congregation rise and are facing east,
0:33:07 > 0:33:12the priest can rise to be facing his congregation.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17- Oh, yeah, there it is. - Yep.- OK.- We should be able to get the east-west from there.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20- We've got the east-west, we hope. - So if we're...
0:33:20 > 0:33:26- It's funny, wherever you go... - "Turn into wind direction. Use clues to get bearings east and west."
0:33:26 > 0:33:29OK, so east.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32- East, west.- The other way round.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35So we're heading north and the wind's in our face.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39And you can see that the gravestones are there, so that's east.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Cos when you leap up, when you're reborn,
0:33:42 > 0:33:47- you face the promise land.- You face east. Right.- Poland.- Exactly.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50'We think we know the right direction,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53'but before we head off into the wilderness, we just want to make sure.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00The wood has lost all its varnish on this side.
0:34:00 > 0:34:06On this side, it's... So that means it's getting a lot more sun on this side.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11And this one in particular is really exposed and it's taken all the varnish off.
0:34:11 > 0:34:17So that looks like this is south-facing.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20This direction. Somewhere there seems to be north.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- Fancy that?- Yep, let's do it.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30See, that's a very westerly path.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Let's have a look.
0:34:38 > 0:34:44- I don't know. It's hard to know where we are.- "Check telegraph poles. Continue north, then west."
0:34:44 > 0:34:47We did a sort of north. Whether we've already done the northwest
0:34:47 > 0:34:50or whether we do it now... You can't go north from here.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54'We settle on the direction we think is west.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59'The next landmarks the guide tells us to look out for are some standing stones.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02'But within minutes, this whole place is covered in thick fog.'
0:35:02 > 0:35:07Moorland, mist, don't really know where we're going, what could possibly go wrong?
0:35:07 > 0:35:09- No food, no water.- Mm.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18These look a bit like standing stones.
0:35:18 > 0:35:23- Compressed. What was it? All the sea creatures.- Compressed sea creatures.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26And so it was Stephen who was the chosen one.
0:35:26 > 0:35:31"On reaching the standing stones, head to the summit of the stones and use the clues you know
0:35:31 > 0:35:35- "to continue west." - The thing is, now you can barely see where the sea is.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39- So you are actually... - You are blind.- ..totally blind.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44- I'm on the north-south-east-west side.- Where do you think the summit is?- Look at this.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47There's loads of lichen this side and hardly any this side.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52- So it's a west-favouring... - North-favouring. - North-favouring lichen, yeah.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54We can see the wind still coming in.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Yeah, which is northwesterly, so...
0:36:01 > 0:36:04I think... Hm.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08- So what's the summit? Where's the summit, do we think? That?- Yeah.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13- I reckon this is the... - I reckon that's the summit. - ..the summit.- Yes, I think so.
0:36:13 > 0:36:19- With the mist, you feel you could be in Scotland or... - You feel you could be anywhere.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21Apart from anywhere hot.
0:36:21 > 0:36:28"Take it in turns to choose the path you take. At each junction, take the more westerly path."
0:36:28 > 0:36:30OK. Who wants to go first?
0:36:30 > 0:36:33We're all going to die. THEY LAUGH
0:36:33 > 0:36:37If it's left up to me, it's over.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39- Alison.- Let me read it again.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42- These are your people, this is your...- Lead us.
0:36:42 > 0:36:47- Lead us, please.- Lead us, please. Please. Please help us.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51- Princess of the moor. - Only you know the lichen.- And it came to pass that she did cry.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54- Well, I would say this.- OK.
0:36:54 > 0:36:59- You are our leader. We're not even going to be dispute it. - We're just going to do it.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- She's striding.- Trust me, I don't know what I'm doing.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Never has the word purposeful been used more accurately.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09We'll need torches in a minute.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Two paths diverged in the mist.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20- This path, I'm deciding. - OK.- No, don't!- What?
0:37:20 > 0:37:23You're critical! You weren't critical with Alison.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26I would've said OK if we'd gone that one.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29- I'm going to go.- If you want to go due east, that's fine.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33THEY LAUGH This is my one chance at leadership and you've undermined it.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35- No, it's a terrific choice. - I feel...
0:37:35 > 0:37:40I haven't got a clue. I've completely lost my sense of purpose and direction.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45'The guide tells us to take the most westerly path at every junction.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'That will lead us to a road and refuge.'
0:37:48 > 0:37:53- I'm hoping, at the end of this, there's a lovely cafe with a big urn of tea.- Mm.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57'But the place is criss-crossed with paths. This is a nightmare.'
0:37:59 > 0:38:02I'm confused, totally confused now.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Well, the wind is coming straight into our faces.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09And we thought the wind was west-northwest, if it hasn't changed, of course.
0:38:10 > 0:38:15OK, going by the wind, and by...
0:38:16 > 0:38:21..the way that the grass are moving, the grasses are moving, this way.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26- I love it. I love the confidence. - But inside just jelly. - I love the decisiveness.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31The inner monologue is, "I don't know what I am doing, please help me, please don't let me die alone, God."
0:38:35 > 0:38:38'50 minutes later, we're lost.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42'We could be going in circles, and in this mist, who can tell?'
0:38:44 > 0:38:46I can hear the sea.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I'm worried we're getting quite close to the sea.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53Shall I go first, in case I've made a terrible mistake and you'll know if I disappear.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57It looks as though that path peters out down there.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00- I'm going to... If this is my decision...- Where are you?
0:39:00 > 0:39:04- If this is my choice, I'm going to take this one.- All right, then.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14Oh, this is... I mean, I've never seen more forks ever!
0:39:14 > 0:39:16This is our Lord Of The Flies moment, isn't it?
0:39:16 > 0:39:20How long is this going to go on? This could go on for another two hours.
0:39:23 > 0:39:29- Oh!- Tarmac road!- Yes! I see a road! - Oh, my God, a road!- Help us!
0:39:30 > 0:39:33I don't think I've ever been so pleased to see tarmac.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36I know, it's great to be in nature, but there's nothing like it.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40Really, the sight of that road has filled my heart with joy.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47'We've found the road home.'
0:39:47 > 0:39:51'The road to salvation. Or, at least, to the cafe.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:57- I notice they're hotter on one side than the other. - The north side of these cakes is...
0:40:02 > 0:40:06Well done! Well done!
0:40:06 > 0:40:09- So, that's not a walk you would have done as a kid, I presume?- No.- No.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13Unless your parents wanted to get rid of you, in which case...
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Head out to the gorse. See you in an hour.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18You know your parents want shot of you when they do that.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23'Over tea, we look at some of the holiday brochures from the cafe's library.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25'Some of them date back to my childhood.'
0:40:25 > 0:40:29- That's the thing my dad always loved was mini golf, or...- Pitch and putt.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32..or pitch and putt, yeah. We used to play that a lot.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37You can always guarantee at the seaside in England, a pitch and putt or a mini golf.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41- That's one of the big ferry boats. - That come from Liverpool?
0:40:41 > 0:40:46- I'm pretty sure it was that size boat.- What was the name of the one you came on?
0:40:46 > 0:40:49I think St Tudno was one of them.
0:40:53 > 0:40:58'We've got to get a move on, as Alison's hometown of Liverpool beckons.'
0:40:58 > 0:41:03'Hearing her happy childhood memories has given Stephen and me an idea.'
0:41:03 > 0:41:06'We're going to take Alison on a trip down memory lane
0:41:06 > 0:41:10'by crossing from Llandudno to Liverpool by sea.'
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- Well done. - I'm sorry but my foot is stuck.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16SHE LAUGHS The claw.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Well, the seat's lovely and dry.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24- Sorry about the wet seat.- It's all right. I've had a wet seat before.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27- I'd rather stand. It's more Hawaii Five-0.- Yeah.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30MUSIC FROM HAWAII FIVE-0
0:41:30 > 0:41:32'This isn't how I remember it at all.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36'And now we've got to get on that thing.
0:41:37 > 0:41:43'As a child, I used to get really excited on the ferry ride from Llandudno to Liverpool.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46'I can remember it all so vividly.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50'But today, it's not just my love of the sea that's missing.'
0:41:50 > 0:41:55The ferry I used to know and love no longer happens.
0:41:55 > 0:42:02Which is a shame because it would mean a lot more business for Llandudno as a resort.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07And it was a lovely trip to do from Liverpool and it's sad that it's finished.
0:42:09 > 0:42:15'I'm told I'm in charge and I take it all quite seriously and get very Captain Pugwash.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17'Till I realise the auto-pilot's on.'
0:42:17 > 0:42:22'Perhaps it's Sue's steering, but the crossing is getting rougher and rougher.'
0:42:22 > 0:42:26I'd say if you're ever thinking of travelling from Llandudno to Liverpool,
0:42:26 > 0:42:31you could do a lot worse than driving. Don't get a boat.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34- Drive. - SHE LAUGHS
0:42:34 > 0:42:39'Not quite the treat for Alison we had in mind. But we do have one more up our sleeves.'
0:42:39 > 0:42:43- BELL RINGS - Oh, yay!
0:42:45 > 0:42:50- Hi there. Thank you.- Oh, yay!
0:42:51 > 0:42:56As the Liverpool town crier, I'd like to give you a great welcome...
0:42:56 > 0:42:58SHE SHOUTS: Thank you!
0:42:58 > 0:43:02..to Alison Steadman, Sue Perkins, and Stephen Mangan.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Liverpool is best. I thank you!
0:43:05 > 0:43:09I thank you! Now where do I get shoes like that?
0:43:12 > 0:43:17'Ah, lovely Liverpool. Our final leg. I know it so well.'
0:43:17 > 0:43:21- Hey, so this is where it began.- Yes.
0:43:21 > 0:43:29'But for the first time ever, we are going to try to naturally navigate through an urban environment.'
0:43:29 > 0:43:32- That's south, isn't it?- No, because they've got south going there.
0:43:32 > 0:43:39'We're starting at St George's Hall, an integral part of the city's cultural and arts scene.
0:43:39 > 0:43:43'Tristan has given us a series of clues that will lead us to our destination,
0:43:43 > 0:43:46'which will remain a mystery until we get there.'
0:43:46 > 0:43:52'Let's hope it's not back on that boat. But first, we need to find out which way is south.'
0:43:52 > 0:43:58- It could be Rome.- It could be. - If it wasn't so freezing, it could be Rome. Right, OK.
0:43:59 > 0:44:05"This is your last journey. As I'm sure you're aware, navigation uses nature to find your direction,
0:44:05 > 0:44:08"but even in the city, it can be used effectively.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10"This is St George's Hall.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14- Tour guide.- "Have a look at Victoria and Albert."
0:44:14 > 0:44:17Now, that's Victoria.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20- And that's Albert.- I'm glad. I was always confused.- Now, Queen...
0:44:22 > 0:44:26- ..of the Lichen. Lady Lichen. - You can see them from here. - They are covered.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30- That one is really green on this side.- Shall we look at the other side?- Yeah.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33Shall we look at Victoria's other cheek? ALISON LAUGHS
0:44:33 > 0:44:36- Ah, look!- It's the same as Albert.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40This side is very dark.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43- This side is...- Whereas this side...
0:44:43 > 0:44:48- The sun must be shining on here more. - I presume that's the sun, isn't it?
0:44:48 > 0:44:51You can even see the bottom bit is completely green.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55Or is it lichen because it's north? That's the thing.
0:44:55 > 0:45:00- Because these are bronsh. These are bronsh.- Bronsh? Are you Dutch? - Bronze statues.
0:45:00 > 0:45:06- Oh, they're bronsh. - They've oxidised, haven't they, and they do that in the sun?
0:45:06 > 0:45:08In the sun!
0:45:09 > 0:45:12'So it could be weathering, sunshine, or lichen.
0:45:12 > 0:45:18'In other words, we have no idea. We need something else to lead us south.'
0:45:18 > 0:45:21OK, well, let's prove this is south.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23Are these lions telling us anything?
0:45:23 > 0:45:29'The lions may not have much to say, but Tristan has told us that their appearance can speak volumes.'
0:45:32 > 0:45:36Alison, could you have a look at both sides of this sign for me and tell me what you see?
0:45:40 > 0:45:46- Er, it's all green on this side. - Exactly, yeah. - Green and sort of yellow.- Yeah.
0:45:46 > 0:45:52- Clean on that side...- Nice and clean, isn't it?- Clean on that side and green and sort of yellow.
0:45:52 > 0:45:58The green is mostly algae, which is loving the moisture because the sun isn't getting there.
0:45:58 > 0:46:03If the sun isn't getting there, it's a clue that that might be the northern side.
0:46:03 > 0:46:08This side is getting lots of sun, it's drying it out regularly, the algae doesn't like dry surfaces.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11So we've got quite a big difference between the two sides.
0:46:11 > 0:46:15So it's pointing the way to a Roman villa that way.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18But telling us south is that way and north is that way.
0:46:20 > 0:46:24Look, on this side, they've got the greeny, and on this side,
0:46:24 > 0:46:28- they haven't got any, so they're dry on this side.- So this is south.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30They're moist on this side so this has to be south.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34- I love it! Come on! - The leadership of Alison!
0:46:34 > 0:46:36Hang on.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39'The closer you look at your city, the more you see.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43'It comes to light in a completely different way.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46'There's so much I'd never noticed before.'
0:46:46 > 0:46:48There's a park. What do the trees tell you?
0:46:48 > 0:46:53- Well!- Ah. Lovely tick effect. Bang in the middle of Liverpool.
0:46:53 > 0:46:58- It's telling us our decision that that was south is... - Pretty good, I think, yeah.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03'So, even in the city, the sun affects the trees.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06'And these are all heavier on the southern side.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09'Taking our cue from them, we head south
0:47:09 > 0:47:12'and discover our next clue set in stone.'
0:47:17 > 0:47:21- East.- Yeah, those trees...
0:47:21 > 0:47:24South. It's completely wrong, this compass, isn't it?
0:47:24 > 0:47:28- South is here, southwest is there. - South is further round.
0:47:28 > 0:47:33- Well.- It's 90, well, about 60 degrees out.- Yeah, I would say.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36I don't think it's wrong. I honestly don't.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40Mind you, we're only going from a statue, which is not that accurate.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44- It's not that accurate. - I like that you're defending the reputation of the council.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46I can't believe they would get this wrong.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50They do have instruments, whereas we just have some trees.
0:47:50 > 0:47:54- We used the green on the side of a statue.- A tree and we've used the side of a lion.
0:47:54 > 0:47:59- So I would think...- We've used a flank of Victoria's horse.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02And we can't be wrong. That's scientifically proven.
0:48:02 > 0:48:08- So, OK, so southwest is down there. Yeah.- You think this is south?
0:48:08 > 0:48:10So we think they are 45 degrees out.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15I do anyway. 'You could say using the compass is cheating,
0:48:15 > 0:48:19'but actually, it has just left us more confused.'
0:48:19 > 0:48:24'In the next square, we have to head due south, but we now don't know which way that is.'
0:48:24 > 0:48:27So, we think south is...
0:48:29 > 0:48:35- We entered the square here.- OK, well if the council's right, then south is there, which means north is there.
0:48:38 > 0:48:43- The compass says south is that way, doesn't it?- I thought it said it was more that way.
0:48:43 > 0:48:47- We went...- No, more that way.- 40... - I think it's that way, south.
0:48:47 > 0:48:49You mean, you think it really is that way?
0:48:49 > 0:48:53- No, I think...- Or...- There's so many different versions now.
0:48:53 > 0:48:56- Their south was that direction. - No, their south was that direction.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00- Yes, that direction. I go with Sue. - Shall I go back and check?- Check.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03Meanwhile we'll stay like this. 'I sound confident, don't I? I'm not.
0:49:03 > 0:49:08'This is difficult. Unlike the countryside, in the city, buildings block the view.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11'We can't even see the trees now that originally indicated south.'
0:49:11 > 0:49:14I definitely thought south was that way.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18- Are you walking directly south? - I come with news of south.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23- Their compass is pointing there for south.- OK.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28'We need another clue that will help us find south.'
0:49:30 > 0:49:34If you want to use mosses or lichens to find direction,
0:49:34 > 0:49:38the golden rule is try not to use one on its own.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40There's a real temptation, we all do it,
0:49:40 > 0:49:44you see a moss or lichen and think, "That must be north or south".
0:49:44 > 0:49:49But the best thing to do is pause and have a really good look around.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51Let me show you an example. If we look at this roof up here,
0:49:51 > 0:49:54can you see that nice, thick carpet of moss there?
0:49:54 > 0:49:58The moss is loving it. That's a side of the roof that's staying wet.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01But if we look in the opposite direction,
0:50:01 > 0:50:04have a look up on this roof here and tell me what you see.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07- No moss.- And lichen.- Golden lichen.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11Golden lichens. So we go from a suspicion that that might be north-facing,
0:50:11 > 0:50:14to feeling really quite confident about direction.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20- So that is south. - Yeah, no, that's definitely south.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24What do you mean, "that's definitely south"? I thought that was what we were confused about.
0:50:24 > 0:50:28- No, we have to go to the north side of... Oh no, we... - This started off so well.
0:50:28 > 0:50:33Look at the moss above the window sill. It's the north side. That's south, that's north.
0:50:33 > 0:50:37Really? I didn't know it was moss. I thought it was some kind of paint effect.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40- There's moss up here on this building.- Ah, finally.
0:50:40 > 0:50:45Yes. That's it. That's what it is. OK. Good. Let's get out of here before we change our mind again.
0:50:46 > 0:50:53'So, using a combination of moss, trees and a dodgy compass, we head off in what we hope is south.'
0:50:53 > 0:50:57'At the next junction, we need to head southeast. And I spot something in the distance.'
0:50:57 > 0:51:04- It's a church!- Hey! - It's a church and we're looking right into the corner of it.
0:51:04 > 0:51:09- So that would give us perfect east and west.- So that is west because the altar is that end.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12- Yeah. East.- So that's west and we're heading southeast.- Southeast.
0:51:12 > 0:51:17- Perfect.- Ah!- I love it. - How did it come to this.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Bold Street.
0:51:21 > 0:51:27This used to be THE street in Liverpool when I was a child for exclusive shops.
0:51:27 > 0:51:32There used to be a coffee shop on this street called Espresso Bongo or something.
0:51:32 > 0:51:38- Oh!- We used to come in, when it was frothy coffee for the first time in the 60s.
0:51:38 > 0:51:43And they used to be in see-through Pyrex cups with the froth on the top.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46I imagine you coming in going, "Hey, pussycat, bung me a hot java."
0:51:46 > 0:51:52Me and my friend Pat used to come and have coffee. And we used to think we were just the bees knees.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54- Frothy coffee. - SHE LAUGHS
0:51:57 > 0:52:02Like most industrial cities, all the buildings were all black with all the smoke.
0:52:02 > 0:52:06This one hasn't been cleaned so you can still see all the soot.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08When I was at school the fogs you used to get.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12Truly you couldn't see your hand in front of your face sometimes.
0:52:12 > 0:52:16We used to get sent home early because the fogs were so thick
0:52:16 > 0:52:19- that as kids we couldn't get home. - Wow.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24'Perhaps the soot can help us find our way.'
0:52:24 > 0:52:29"At the next more major junction look at the corner of the buildings to the southeast."
0:52:29 > 0:52:32- So this is... - We're heading east. So that corner.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36- Oh! Pollution. - Yeah, really blackened by it. - Much worse on this side.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40The prevailing wind would be bringing the soot constantly.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42'The corner of this building is a massive clue.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45'The prevailing winds in the UK are from the southwest.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48'This means we can work out which way the soot is facing.'
0:52:52 > 0:52:55'At the next junction we have to head north.'
0:52:59 > 0:53:03'Alison thinks that a low wall might hold a clue.'
0:53:06 > 0:53:10- Oh.- Wait a minute. Look at all this moss.- Moss.- All that moss.- Yeah.
0:53:10 > 0:53:16'As before, the moss likes the northern side, and shows us which way to go.'
0:53:16 > 0:53:20I have found moss. And I have found lichen.
0:53:20 > 0:53:24- This is Moss Side, basically. - It's Moss Side. Follow me.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30- I'm not sure I can let that gag go. - SUE LAUGHS
0:53:30 > 0:53:34'As we head north, I have an inkling where we are heading.'
0:53:34 > 0:53:37- "Keep walking until you find the theatre."- Hope Street.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40- What's on Hope Street? - We're going to find the Everyman.
0:53:42 > 0:53:47- We can smell a theatre.- Yeah. - I can smell the grease paint. - We can smell it from a mile off.
0:53:51 > 0:53:57- Hey! So this is where it began.- Yes. - I wonder if they've finished building it yet.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02So how long has it been since you were last back here?
0:54:03 > 0:54:09Oh, years and years. I was here in 1971. 71, 72.
0:54:10 > 0:54:15'Like navigational bloodhounds, we've reached our destination. Success!
0:54:16 > 0:54:22'We've passed our final challenge and have managed to naturally navigate around a city.'
0:54:29 > 0:54:33- God, this is so weird. It's... - Do you remember it?
0:54:33 > 0:54:36It looks like it's been here for at least 40 years.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40'Being here brings back so many memories.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45'I first performed at the Everyman Theatre in the early 70s.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48'This was such a vibrant and fun place to be.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51'It was also invaluable for me as a young actress
0:54:51 > 0:54:54'as it was here that I learnt such a lot.'
0:54:59 > 0:55:02- Oh, wow! It's all on one level. - Great.
0:55:04 > 0:55:06Well, here we are.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10Again, this has been changed since I was here, but some of it is the same.
0:55:10 > 0:55:15- Was it in the surround when you came still?- It was.
0:55:15 > 0:55:19But we had a stage, you know, it was a separate...
0:55:19 > 0:55:21God, it's weird, isn't it?
0:55:21 > 0:55:25- I don't know.- So, there was a rostrum here and sort of...- Yeah.
0:55:25 > 0:55:30- Yeah, because it was a cinema...- Oh, was it?- ..before it was a theatre.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34- Hello. I promise we're not trespassing.- Oh, my God!
0:55:34 > 0:55:40It's Dave and Paddy. Oh, my God! How are you?
0:55:42 > 0:55:47- How brilliant to see you. - Nice to see you.- Hello, Dave.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49I didn't know this was going to happen.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52- I'm all overcome now.- Are you?
0:55:52 > 0:55:57'Paddy and Dave ran the Everyman bistro. It was open after the show till late,
0:55:57 > 0:56:00'and I used to go there virtually every night for a meal and a drink.'
0:56:00 > 0:56:05I'm not just saying this, one of the best things about being here was these two guys in the bistro,
0:56:05 > 0:56:10it was a wonderful bar, there was food, it was always good, it was always freshly-cooked.
0:56:10 > 0:56:15And it was a really good atmosphere. I'm not being kind, it's true.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18But it was great, it was...
0:56:19 > 0:56:24'A perfect end to our trip through Wales and Liverpool.'
0:56:24 > 0:56:27I was very proud of my city and proud to show it off.
0:56:28 > 0:56:33It was fascinating to walk through a city and actually open your eyes to what's around you.
0:56:33 > 0:56:37And I realised that I don't normally do that.
0:56:37 > 0:56:42It's a shame because if you're not aware of where you are, you're not really there.
0:56:43 > 0:56:48I think, for me anyway, what this has been about is the more you can locate yourself somewhere,
0:56:48 > 0:56:53the greater chance you have of being utterly lost in the sheer wonderment of it all.
0:56:53 > 0:56:57- But Wales was good, wasn't it? - I can't wait to go back there.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00- It was jaw-droppingly stunning. - It made me want to go back.
0:57:00 > 0:57:05'Natural navigation has been our guide every step of the way.
0:57:05 > 0:57:10'And it's changed the way each of us now sees our homelands, through Sue's beloved Cornwall...'
0:57:10 > 0:57:16I know how everything has worked, geographically, geologically, environmentally, on the way here.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20And I never would have done that before. Never would have stopped to notice anything.
0:57:20 > 0:57:25This has been about the journey and experiencing the journey. It's not about the end goal.
0:57:25 > 0:57:32'And it was natural navigation that led us through Stephen's family homeland in Ireland.'
0:57:32 > 0:57:37I'm really delighted to be able to bring the other two here and show them what a special place it is.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40A real strong sense of belonging to this area.
0:57:42 > 0:57:45'It has been such an eye-opener for all of us.'
0:57:47 > 0:57:49You have arrived.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52I've been looking at things in a completely different way.
0:57:52 > 0:57:57Observing every tree, every colour of a rock,
0:57:57 > 0:58:02and suddenly you're very aware of just everything around you.
0:58:05 > 0:58:09Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:09 > 0:58:13E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:58:13 > 0:58:13.