Pennod 1 Wil ac Aeron

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-We're Wil and Aeron,

-farmers from the Dyfi Valley.

-From the Andean peaks

-to Scandinavian glaciers...

-..we've experienced

-rural life all over the world.

-In this series,

-our travels take us to Scotland.

-Welcome to Scotland. We made it.

-We're realizing a childhood dream.

-We're doing a 1500 road trip...

-..in a campervan that will be

-our mode of transport and home.

-A Scottish explosion.

-We're normally best friends.

-I'm in the wrong blooming lane.

-I'm in the wrong blooming lane.

-

-Just go round.

-A month in each other's pockets

-is asking for trouble.

-National Park Highlands!

-We'll have new experiences...

-..and challenge each other.

-We'll see the traditional...

-It's perfect.

-It's perfect.

-

-..and the modern.

-Bowhill Estate.

-The cities, Irn-Bru and haggis

-aside...

-..we'll see huge estates,

-mountains and distant islands.

-I can't get my head round

-the scale of it.

-How do our lives differ

-from the Scottish way of life?

-First, finding a way

-of getting there.

-Hendreseifion Farm, Machynlleth.

-Four weeks to go...

-The plan is to go to Scotland.

-We've talked about it for years.

-It's a dream to go on a road trip.

-Travelling is something

-every young man wants to do.

-Scotland makes sense to us.

-There is so much to see.

-The campervan worries me

-more than anything.

-This is it.

-This is the best angle.

-The campervan itself...

-..is a 1986 model T25

-Volkswagen campervan.

-I'd always fancied having

-a campervan with a surfboard on top.

-I don't surf, but I like the image.

-The camper

-hasn't moved for five years.

-It's been my dog's home,

-and god knows what else.

-It smells of mice.

-You know I don't like mice.

-I thought it was a bargain at 500.

-It's quite sturdy.

-Slow puncture.

-Very slow. That's all

-that's happened in five years.

-When I first brought it home...

-..I realized it needed a lot of work

-to get it roadworthy.

-Will it start?

-Will it start?

-

-Maybe!

-Try it.

-Is anything happening?

-Is anything happening?

-

-Not yet.

-Have you turned the key?

-Have you turned the key?

-

-Yes.

-Now?

-Can you hear a noise?!

-Now?

-ENGINE DOESN'T START

-ENGINE DOESN'T START

-

-It started.

-Now?

-Nothing's happening.

-Nothing's happening.

-

-Now?

-There's a light flickering.

-On a scale of 1 to 10...

-..getting there and back...

-..in the campervan, is minus one.

-Fire in the hole.

-It's cosmetic.

-She needs a bit of make-up...

-..and then she'll be pretty.

-ENGINE STARTS

-What did I say?

-It was luck.

-And faith.

-I can't see a thing.

-See you in John O'Groats.

-It's a trip of over 1500 miles.

-I reckon we'll start...

-I reckon we'll start...

-

-..by mucking out.

-It needs to pass an MOT

-in under a month.

-I'm still worried about the mice.

-It'll be a long labour of love.

-I haven't put poison down

-since spring.

-Brand new panels.

-The dog slept on it.

-We're not mechanics. It'll be

-a miracle if we finish in time.

-We could grow potatoes here.

-I hoped it would be less work.

-It's a state.

-I've had to overcome worse problems.

-Farmers are used to obstacles.

-There's nothing like a deadline,

-a date to aim for.

-As well as bringing the van back to

-life, we need to plan the journey.

-I'm keen to go this way,

-turn left in Fort William...

-..then go across...

-Oh!

-Good start. The map is broken,

-like our relationship.

-Dad made this journey

-when he was younger.

-He says Scotland is like Wales,

-only much bigger.

-Then to the Isle Of Skye

-and cut back through.

-We want to go to North Uist.

-It's part of the country

-we know very little about.

-The roads are as foreign

-as the culture.

-We need to learn Loch Lomond.

-AERON SINGS

-THE BONNY BANKS OF LOCH LOMOND

-# Loch Lomond #

-You know it.

-After a month of hard work...

-..the van passed the MOT.

-Let me show you what we've done.

-A new arch and window.

-A spray job. We fixed the door hinge

-and welded it back on.

-It has come from a dark place.

-Getting the tap to work

-was a big job. Watch this.

-Oh!

-Cups and clothes replace

-the mice and dog.

-It's spacious.

-The cattle have been fed, and a

-'to do' list left for the workers.

-The challenge of being in a camper

-for a month with Aeron starts.

-Have we got everything?

-Map?

-It started.

-It started.

-

-It hasn't let us down yet.

-Hist.

-Off we go.

-Is the road clear?

-Is the road clear?

-

-You're OK this side.

-How much petrol have we got?

-How much petrol have we got?

-

-It's half full.

-There's no power steering.

-There's no power steering.

-

-You're OK this side.

-I know him.

-I know him.

-

-You'll wave at anyone.

-Yes.

-Goodbye to the Dyfi Valley. And

-so far, the camper is going fine.

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-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Our Scotland road trip has started.

-After 200 miles, and Aeron

-wittering on, the border is close.

-Marchbank Hotel.

-I remember him well.

-I'm sick of you reading out

-every sign.

-Hist, hist!

-Here we are.

-The big moment has arrived.

-Failte Gu Alba.

-At last.

-It feels different already.

-It feels better.

-Welcome to Scotland. We made it.

-AERON PLAYS FLOWER OF SCOTLAND

-We're going to

-the creme de la creme of estates.

-Bowhill is one of Europe's biggest.

-I can't wait to get out of the van.

-FLOWER OF SCOTLAND

-Watch the corner.

-There are houses here.

-What have we got here?

-Carry on.

-Bowhill Estate office.

-Watch the bump.

-Climbing the hill gave us

-an idea of the estate's expanse.

-I can't get my head round

-the scale of the place.

-People like the queen

-own Scotland's estates.

-The Duke Of Buccleuch owns Bowhill.

-He is Britain's

-biggest private landowner.

-If you measured

-all the fences on his land...

-..they'd stretch from

-Selkirk to San Francisco.

-The landscape is similar to home...

-..but on a much bigger scale.

-There are seven farms

-on the 63,000 acres.

-As well as agriculture...

-..its businesses include

-engineering, conservation...

-..forestry and tourism.

-Think of managing all of this.

-Where would you start?

-Keep on top of the pasture,

-or which sheep to take where?

-The present owner

-is the tenth Duke Of Buccleuch.

-His farm manager

-is Welshman Sion...

-..originally from Montgomeryshire.

-Are you OK?

-We'll work here for a few days...

-..learning how to manage

-such a huge place.

-How are you, Aeron?

-Wil said you had a smart house.

-Is that it?

-No, that's the Duke

-Of Buccleuch's estate house.

-Does he live there now?

-No, that's one of four.

-He's living in the house down south.

-It's one of four houses.

-Does he stay here sometimes?

-Yes. This is their home.

-It's the Buccleuch seat.

-That's where the family seat is.

-It's a huge house.

-It must cost a lot to run.

-Yes, the heating costs

-about 150,000 a year.

-You're making me sweat,

-thinking of such a bill.

-I'm surprised you haven't found

-a clever or cheap way to heat it.

-We've started something.

-I'll show you later.

-We start with a familiar job...

-..helping the old shepherds

-to gather from the mountain.

-There are over 5,000 sheep

-scattered around the estate.

-Believe it or not, only

-three shepherds look after them.

-The shepherds are only

-small grains in a sea of land.

-Sion has to keep an eye on them

-and make sure they're safe.

-To do this, he uses gadgets

-we're all familiar with.

-You said you can track the motor

-bikes out on the mountains.

-Is this the app?

-Yes, we have a website...

-..that takes the data

-from these TrackPorts.

-Every ten minutes, they drop

-a breadcrumb, as it's called...

-..and follow the bikes.

-If the two lads are working

-on their own somewhere...

-..they have to report in

-every four hours.

-If they don't, we know there's

-a problem, and someone is missing.

-We don't wait until 5.00pm for the

-wife to phone, saying he's missing.

-We can be proactive

-and find his location.

-Every ten minutes.

-A bloke from Scotland said to me...

-"..Farm smarter, not harder."

-Yes, 100% right.

-You agree.

-You agree.

-

-Definitely.

-After the mountain gathering...

-..we spent a few hours branding

-horns with the old shepherds.

-How do you know they're hot enough?

-How do you know they're hot enough?

-

-They go red when they're hot.

-Ah. Simple.

-You don't touch it like that!

-That's red and ready to go.

-William is ready.

-Alright, Wil?

-Side by side with their new toys...

-..I get the impression

-they've seen big changes recently.

-The use of technology is increasing.

-Soon, Sion will

-be able to fly a drone...

-..to keep an eye on the flock.

-The mark is special to the farm.

-It's quite simple,

-you just hold it the right way.

-Quite simple.

-I'm not really

-a modern technology man.

-I have a phone and television.

-I like reviving the old skills.

-We've heard about technology

-and read about it.

-Seeing technology

-being used on a farm...

-..and being part of it today...

-..makes you feel

-there's room for technology...

-..to help the farmer.

-It could help with health

-and safety or with stock.

-It makes life easier.

-A mountain farm is hard work.

-If there are ways to improve that...

-..it's a good step forward.

-I'm not an app man.

-I have a weather app

-and things like Facebook.

-But I don't have one that

-is useful with work, not like here.

-This is something else.

-I'll leave the apps to them.

-I'll stick to marking horns.

-The way technology is going,

-you'll have no work.

-You'll stay in bed!

-You'll stay in bed!

-

-I'll just open a computer every day!

-That's the way.

-After a long shift on the farm,

-we escaped from the van to the pub.

-Slainte mhath!

-Slainte mhath!

-

-Slainte mhath!

-We're drinking whisky.

-It's nice too.

-Like it?

-Like it?

-

-It's nice.

-This is the strongest one, 46%.

-It's from a place called Ardbeg.

-Whisky is highly

-respected in Scotland.

-It's like the French and their wine.

-Good grief.

-We learnt that there are hundreds

-of single malts and blends.

-The expert advice is to add a drop

-of water to enhance the taste.

-Swill it round your tongue.

-That's even more interesting!

-We're having a bit of information

-about how to recognize whiskies.

-I didn't know much about it.

-I'm learning.

-Mm.

-CHUCKLES

-You're not so keen, I can tell.

-It's strong!

-We tried I don't know

-how many whiskies.

-They were marvellous.

-Wow, I feel warm now.

-Oh!

-My lips seem to have gone numb.

-It's not very strong.

-There's a lot of water in it.

-We're learning.

-It's fun.

-Isn't it, William?

-Yes, Aeron.

-Well!

-It's early morning

-after a late night.

-Good morning.

-This is my bed.

-It's quite cosy.

-I can peep out of the top

-to see what the weather is like.

-It's a bit tight.

-If I wanted to stretch,

-I'd have to go like this.

-We'd be close, and I'd see William.

-I don't want that.

-We spend the day helping

-in different places.

-HEN SQUAWKS

-That's it.

-This one is called Bessie,

-apparently...

-..or number 20,000.

-There are 32,000 hens on the farm.

-They supply Britain's biggest

-supermarkets and fast-food joints.

-We've all probably

-eaten eggs from here.

-The estate's hens and other

-livestock produce tons of waste.

-We've been given the job

-of collecting it today.

-They said, "Go to Scotland. It'll

-be a nice break from farming." Fine!

-Sion has a new toy...

-..an anaerobic digestion, low

-carbon, renewable energy plant.

-It turns manure into electricity.

-It's the same principle

-as stuff in a fridge.

-If something in a fridge

-starts to go off, it smells.

-It's the same process as this.

-When things go off,

-they produce gas, methane.

-We cook the manure in a tank,

-up to 50 degrees.

-It speeds up the process

-of producing methane.

-It took a long time to work

-that out, but it makes sense.

-It's been slow in this country.

-The Germans and Austrians

-are miles ahead of us.

-Most power stations

-in Germany are AD plants.

-Do you want to see the tanks?

-Do you want to see the tanks?

-

-Yes, let's see the tanks.

-Put your hand on top, it's warm.

-It is!

-It's all gas under that.

-It's a dangerous place to stand.

-You don't want a smoke, do you?

-You don't want a smoke, do you?

-

-No.

-Here's a question.

-How many houses can the two tanks

-supply with electricity?

-About 150 houses.

-You produce enough electricity

-for 150 houses, for a year?

-Roughly.

-They produce electricity, the dry

-waste is used as cattle bedding...

-..and the fluid

-is an excellent soil fertilizer.

-The AD plant cost

-over a million pounds.

-It sounds a lot, but thousands

-of pounds worth of electricity...

-..will be produced in the coming

-years, so it makes sense.

-It's quite inspiring.

-Seeing it work on a farm...

-..on land that's quite

-similar to home...

-..makes your brains think...

-"..I could do something

-like this back home."

-But it needs a lot of money

-and has to be run properly...

-..and also very importantly,

-it's on a huge scale here.

-He said that this system has paid

-for itself a hundredfold.

-I can only take my hat off to him.

-When we arrived, we had no idea

-how an estate like this was run.

-But in only a few days, we've seen

-that the scale of the place...

-..is an opportunity to blend

-the traditional and the modern.

-Looking at this place...

-..I don't think I could

-handle all the management work.

-I'm not organized enough.

-You have to be well-organized...

-..have a lot of determination

-and the right attitude.

-I can only admire Sion's work.

-Coming here to see a farm on

-this scale being managed so well...

-..has been a privilege.

-Maybe one can try a lot

-of these things, whatever the scale.

-There's a lot to learn

-from farmers like this.

-Oh, no.

-There's a monster roundabout too.

-If it says north, go north.

-If it says north, go north.

-

-The A7 is that way.

-Go that way!

-Go that way!

-

-I'm in the wrong blooming lane!

-Just go round.

-Just go round.

-

-Where do I want to go off?

-Talk to me, Goose.

-Talk to me, Goose.

-

-Not here.

-Not here?

-Not here?

-

-Not here.

-This one?

-This one?

-

-No.

-There?

-There?

-

-Edinburgh East and North?

-We did it in the end!

-Next time...

-If the van is still going, we leave

-the country and head for a town.

-We get to grips

-with Scottish cliches...

-..amidst the tartan,

-bagpipes and cabers.

-We're going to the Highland Games.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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