0:00:02 > 0:00:03Connie!
0:00:03 > 0:00:04SHE SCREAMS
0:00:04 > 0:00:05# The hills are alive... #
0:00:05 > 0:00:07When I won How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria and
0:00:07 > 0:00:10sang as Maria in The Sound Of Music in the West End
0:00:10 > 0:00:13for five years, I often thought of returning to my native Wales
0:00:13 > 0:00:16to climb every mountain till I find my dream.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22# The hills fill my heart with the sound of music... #
0:00:22 > 0:00:27And here I am and just look at that view.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30This week I'm looking forward to meeting some
0:00:30 > 0:00:33people from around Wales who've climbed a mountain of their own.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35In more ways than one.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40And do join us in some rousing singing here in The Land Of Song.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Yes, this week, Songs Of Praise is from beautiful Wales.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Coming up... A hill shepherd reveals his secret.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Strange sightings in the mountains.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Rock climbing that's changing lives.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Wonderful hymns from Llandaff Cathedral
0:00:56 > 0:00:59and musical guests from around Wales.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Cerys Matthews, Steve Balsamo and Elin Manahan Thomas.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Some come up by train, others by foot but whatever you do,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21come and experience the wonders of Snowdonia.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I have got a lot of walking and climbing to do.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30From the Brecon Beacons in the South to the Cambrian Mountains
0:01:30 > 0:01:34in the West and the Carneddau mountain range in the North.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Now, perhaps I won't be climbing every mountain
0:01:37 > 0:01:39but I'll certainly tick off a few.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Here, in the remote, craggy rocks of Snowdonia,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02there is a rare species that spends its time jumping amongst the rocks.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Surely this can't be its natural habitat. I'm off to explore further.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22I have managed to track down and capture this untamed wild creature.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Matt, what brings you to the hills?
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Well, actually, I consider this really to be my back garden.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Because my house is only just around the corner.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33And this is one of the places I come to train
0:04:33 > 0:04:35as a mountain bike trials rider.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43So, what is mountain bike trials?
0:04:43 > 0:04:47So trials riding is a specific form of mountain biking that
0:04:47 > 0:04:51involves negotiating your bike over very difficult terrain.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54That might be rocks or walls or even man-made objects,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56such as skips and cars.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59How long have you been doing this sport?
0:04:59 > 0:05:00I started when I was 16.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04I saw a video of a very famous trials rider called Martyn Ashton
0:05:04 > 0:05:05and he actually inspired me.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09I wanted to do what he did more than anything else.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11It seems quite a risky sport.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Some might say it's too dangerous for them. Do you think it's so?
0:05:15 > 0:05:19Actually, my personal view on it is the inverse.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21I feel that trials is very controlled.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24So I never take a leap from boulder to boulder
0:05:24 > 0:05:27without assessing the different options that might go wrong,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29trying to rule those out in my mind
0:05:29 > 0:05:31and controlling every single variable.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Do you say a silent prayer before you do go? I might quote a Psalm.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
0:05:45 > 0:05:48What part does God play in your life and in your sport?
0:05:48 > 0:05:51In the Bible, it says that when you do something,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54whatever it may be, work as if you're working for God, not for man.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58And so I often try and think of that in my sport.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02So I try and do this as if this is an expression of worship to God.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05It's one way in which I can use my God-given talents.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Is this your paradise then?
0:06:07 > 0:06:09On a day like this, it's quite hard to beat, isn't it?
0:06:09 > 0:06:13Down by the lakes, up here in the mountains. It's really wonderful.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15And it always makes me think, there's a verse in Romans that says,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18God's invisible qualities and his eternal power
0:06:18 > 0:06:22and his divine nature are revealed to us in creation.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24And I can't help but just thinking that when I'm out here.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37# Life is easy
0:06:39 > 0:06:43# When you're up on the mountain
0:06:46 > 0:06:49# You've got peace of mind
0:06:51 > 0:06:55# Like you've never known
0:06:58 > 0:07:02# But then things change
0:07:03 > 0:07:06# And you're down in the valley
0:07:09 > 0:07:13# Oh, don't lose faith
0:07:14 > 0:07:18# For you're never alone
0:07:20 > 0:07:25# For the God on the mountain
0:07:26 > 0:07:30# Is the God in the valley
0:07:33 > 0:07:36# When things go wrong
0:07:39 > 0:07:42# He'll make it right
0:07:44 > 0:07:48# And the God of the good times
0:07:50 > 0:07:54# Is the God in the bad times
0:07:56 > 0:08:00# The God of the day
0:08:01 > 0:08:05# Is the God in the night
0:08:08 > 0:08:12# You talk of faith
0:08:13 > 0:08:19# When you're up on the mountain
0:08:20 > 0:08:24# All of the talk comes easy
0:08:26 > 0:08:29# When life's at its best
0:08:31 > 0:08:35# But it's down in the valley
0:08:37 > 0:08:41# Of trials and temptations
0:08:44 > 0:08:47# That's when faith
0:08:49 > 0:08:52# Is really put to the test
0:08:52 > 0:08:55# Oh-h-h-h
0:08:55 > 0:08:58# For the God on the mountain
0:09:01 > 0:09:04# Is the God in the valley
0:09:07 > 0:09:10# When things go wrong
0:09:13 > 0:09:19# He'll make it right
0:09:19 > 0:09:23# And the God of the good times
0:09:25 > 0:09:28# Is the God in the bad times
0:09:30 > 0:09:34# The God of the day
0:09:36 > 0:09:40# Is the God in the night. #
0:09:52 > 0:09:54High on the slopes of Cader Idris mountain,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57the Chair of Idris the Giant, according to folklore,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00is the Nunnery of the Carmelites,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03an order founded by the Lady of Mount Carmel.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06It seems that mountains are important to them also.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Hello, Sister. Hello.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Connie, come and pick a branch. You pick that one there. Oh, wow.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24What am I picking? The red ones.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26Just the red ones. So they are...?
0:10:26 > 0:10:31They're redcurrants. Redcurrants. Ooo! Yes.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Do you think if I was to join as a Carmelite nun...
0:10:34 > 0:10:36It would be lovely, wouldn't it?
0:10:36 > 0:10:39What would I miss the most, do you think?
0:10:39 > 0:10:43We do miss the fact that we won't have children.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46I mean, when our families, sisters and that have a child,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48I mean, it does tug on you,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50but this is what God wants
0:10:50 > 0:10:53and I know I can help more people this way.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56I'd have got married and had half a dozen children,
0:10:56 > 0:11:01but the Lord said no, there's something better.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Sister Ruth, you're the mother prioress at Carmelite Monastery.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12What a beautiful setting. Stunning, isn't it?
0:11:12 > 0:11:17Well, it's very inspiring because everything reminds you of God.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19It's like a projection of God's glory, isn't it?
0:11:19 > 0:11:23And so it's bound to draw you deeper into the Lord.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28INDISTINCT PRAYER
0:11:40 > 0:11:43So, Sisters, you're busy in the kitchen. What are you preparing for?
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Well, the sisters will be going into the chapel
0:11:46 > 0:11:49just before midday to say a prayer.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And, obviously, they need to eat, so a sister has to cook the meal.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55So, today, we're having tuna and rice with courgettes,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58which Sister Bernadette has prepared mostly.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02It's a great joy to cook for the sisters. And, um...
0:12:02 > 0:12:05I've not poisoned anybody yet. So... Fingers crossed.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Keep our fingers crossed. Not today. Not today, yeah.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09Sister Bernadette,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12how did you come to be a part of the Carmelite community?
0:12:12 > 0:12:17I am from Lithuania and I came in prayer.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Because Carmelite is based on prayer and contemplation
0:12:20 > 0:12:24and that is my part, my life.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30BELL PEALS
0:12:31 > 0:12:34And I shall put the vegetables on.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37So that's mine, is it?
0:12:37 > 0:12:39A doggy bag. LAUGHTER
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Thank you. OK.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51BELL RINGS
0:12:54 > 0:12:56To spend a day with the Carmelite nuns,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00to witness their commitment to God, praying seven times a day,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03cutting themselves off from their friends and their family,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06something perhaps I couldn't consider doing,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08but a great privilege.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The Welsh Highland Railway here in Beddgelert
0:14:47 > 0:14:50is possibly one of the most scenic railway journeys in Britain.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54And its 25-mile track from Caernarfon to Porthmadog
0:14:54 > 0:14:56really is breathtaking.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03The railway is reportedly the oldest in the country
0:15:03 > 0:15:07and it's been lovingly restored by an army of local volunteers
0:15:07 > 0:15:08and enthusiasts.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10I've come to meet Richard Buxton,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13a retired clergyman that now loves to help out on the trains.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Richard, tell me about the railway.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Well, this is part of the Ffestiniog Welsh Highland railway system
0:15:21 > 0:15:23that runs all the way from Blaenau Ffestiniog
0:15:23 > 0:15:26via Porthmadog, Beddgelert to Caernarfon.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29It's a stunning route, isn't it?
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Well, this route runs through some of the finest scenery in the world.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36And a great way for you as a clergyman to enjoy God's creations.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Absolutely so. You see both the very best of God's creation here
0:15:39 > 0:15:43and, of course, you see the way that human beings interact with it
0:15:43 > 0:15:48in a way that is harmonious and good and uses it properly.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50And this is one of the most important things
0:15:50 > 0:15:52that we as human beings have to realise.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54We have to use creation properly.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58TRAIN WHISTLE
0:18:04 > 0:18:07The mountains and valleys at the foot of the Brecon Beacons
0:18:07 > 0:18:11in South Wales are world-famous for their rich coal seams.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15The coal from this colliery in Treharris was the deepest in Wales
0:18:15 > 0:18:19and it supplied coal for transatlantic ocean liners.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Since the early '90s, the coal, the colliery
0:18:21 > 0:18:24and its employment has all but gone.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27But here in the valley, the community is fighting back.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Whoo!
0:18:31 > 0:18:33What a day for it! It's incredible! Ah, I know.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Do you know, this is my first ever mountain
0:18:36 > 0:18:38of the Brecon Beacons that I've climbed.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40And you're at the top and look at the view!
0:18:40 > 0:18:43And a readymade seat. Oh!
0:18:43 > 0:18:47Amazing! So, what have we got here?
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Well, we're on the top of Corn Ddu. You've just come up the rock step.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55And then behind us, we've got Pen y Fan and Cribyn
0:18:55 > 0:18:59and then, right over there, you can see the Bristol Channel and the sea.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03So you don't get a view much better than this. It's breathtaking.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06This is your natural environment. Do you feel at home here?
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Yeah. This really is home, actually.
0:19:09 > 0:19:10I love being in the mountains.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I'm part of a mountaineering club
0:19:12 > 0:19:15and we spend a lot of time climbing or walking in the hills.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19I also run a Christian outdoor centre half an hour down the road.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21And we bring children up into the mountains.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24We take them climbing, we take them canoeing.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27And I just love bringing children up and showing them this creation.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30So, what drew you to the summit centre?
0:19:30 > 0:19:32So we took over running the summit centre three years ago.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36And it's a business that's failed a number of times,
0:19:36 > 0:19:41but it was built on an old drift mine to really regenerate an area.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44It's got the most amazing indoor climbing centre,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46it's got some residential areas.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50And we took it on wanting somewhere where we could take young people
0:19:50 > 0:19:54in South Wales and just give them an experience of God's creation.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59How would you describe your relationship with God?
0:19:59 > 0:20:00Well, what a question!
0:20:00 > 0:20:03I just love Jesus and everything he's done for me.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07There's times where, when you're climbing and you can be scared,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09you've got to cling onto that rock
0:20:09 > 0:20:12or you just sit in a corner in that rock
0:20:12 > 0:20:15and you're almost in the cleft of that rock.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17And I feel that sometimes, when you're praying,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21you've almost got to hide in God's presence to get through,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23to cherish being with him.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27And so being on a rock face, you're so much closer to God
0:20:27 > 0:20:29and you know God's present with you.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35No programme from Wales would be complete
0:20:35 > 0:20:36without a hymn sung in Welsh.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41Here's Cerys Matthews' unique rendition of Arglwydd Dyma Fi.
0:20:41 > 0:20:42I Hear Thy Welcome Voice.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51By now, my journey has taken me
0:22:51 > 0:22:53to the Cambrian mountain range in West Wales
0:22:53 > 0:22:56and the small rural village of Ponterwyd.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02When I grew up on a farm not too farm from here,
0:23:02 > 0:23:06high on a hill was not a lonely goatherd, but a solitary shepherd.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And I took every opportunity to pretend to be one.
0:23:12 > 0:23:13Yes, that's me.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Well, I've come to meet an extraordinary man
0:23:16 > 0:23:20who's quite possibly one of the last remaining shepherds in Wales.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23His story of how he's had to climb every mountain in his personal life
0:23:23 > 0:23:26whilst working on this uncompromising terrain
0:23:26 > 0:23:28is truly inspirational.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31I'm about to meet up with him in one of the most hectic periods
0:23:31 > 0:23:33of the farming calendar, shearing season.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35H-H-Help.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37BLEATING
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Erwyd, what do you love about your job?
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Well, it's the change of scenery.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54My work takes me from Ynyslas by the sea,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56right over Pumlumon to Elan Valley.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58And nobody can wish for more.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Now, you live next to the chapel. How many years have you lived there?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05About 38 years, I think. 38 years. Wow!
0:24:05 > 0:24:07You must have heard a few sermons. Any good ones?
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Well, sermons to me are something
0:24:09 > 0:24:13that I have something to think about the next day.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Whilst you're tending your flocks. That's right, yeah.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19So, what is the art of shepherding?
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Shepherding is synonymous with caring.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23You know, it's part of life.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25It's a wonderful part of life.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Pull it flat against the skin.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36And just keeping pushing?
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Yes, yes. Down. Wow!
0:24:40 > 0:24:43It must be a bit tickly. Yes, that's right.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45I think she's getting a bit impatient with me.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Try it once more on there.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Wow! Bye-bye, sheep. Bye-bye, sheep.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58The sheep's still alive and it's got quite an odd haircut.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Ridges. We'll call it Ridges. It's all the rage!
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Ridgy sheep, all the rage. There we are.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Shall I put it back on it? Do you want it back?
0:25:05 > 0:25:08I can give it back. You can be normal again. You can have it back.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10I'll glue it on.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Well, this is a proper Welsh chapel, isn't it? I'd imagine so.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25It's been here since 1852.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Erwyd also looks after the chapel
0:25:28 > 0:25:31and the wider flock of the local community.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35At a young age, he learnt how to deal with the hardship of loss
0:25:35 > 0:25:37from his own personal experiences.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Have you had to climb any mountains in your personal life? Well, yes.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47There was one, I found it very difficult to surmount,
0:25:47 > 0:25:54was the fact that 31 years ago, my wife, Mari, passed away aged 28.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59And, um...I had two children at the time aged three and four.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04And, um...friends and family were absolutely instrumental
0:26:04 > 0:26:07in helping me to bring up the children.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11And now, thankfully, I have grandchildren
0:26:11 > 0:26:14and that fills a big void.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18And I always try to help everybody and when I was in trouble,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20everybody helped me,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23which is the way I think life should be.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25ERWYD WHISTLES
0:26:25 > 0:26:26Come by.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Well, I can't meet anyone with a talent and not have a go myself.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34So we'll see how the dogs respond.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36CONNIE WHISTLES
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Any good?
0:26:38 > 0:26:40He looked away, didn't he? He wasn't too impressed.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42All right. Go on, teach me.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Now, then, are you fully insured? I think so.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Can I borrow two of your fingers?
0:26:47 > 0:26:49All right, OK. You can have these two.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52They're really clean, I promise. Right.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56ERWYD WHISTLES A TUNE
0:27:05 > 0:27:08CONNIE LAUGHS That was supposed to be Llwyn Onn.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10That was brilliant!
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Well, I think I'll keep practising. Yes, indeed.
0:27:13 > 0:27:14LAUGHTER
0:27:27 > 0:27:33# The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want
0:27:33 > 0:27:40# He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
0:27:40 > 0:27:46# He leadeth me
0:27:46 > 0:27:52# Beside the still waters
0:27:56 > 0:27:59# The Lord is my shepherd
0:27:59 > 0:28:02# I shall not want
0:28:02 > 0:28:09# He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
0:28:09 > 0:28:15# He leadeth me
0:28:15 > 0:28:21# Beside the still waters
0:28:27 > 0:28:34# Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
0:28:34 > 0:28:37# I will fear no evil
0:28:40 > 0:28:47# Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
0:28:47 > 0:28:50# I will fear no evil
0:28:52 > 0:28:56# For you are with me
0:28:56 > 0:29:00# You will comfort me
0:29:00 > 0:29:03# You are with me
0:29:03 > 0:29:08# You will comfort me
0:29:11 > 0:29:17# Comfort me
0:29:19 > 0:29:25# Surely goodness and mercy
0:29:25 > 0:29:32# Shall follow me all the days of my life
0:29:32 > 0:29:44# And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever
0:29:48 > 0:29:50# For ever
0:29:55 > 0:29:58# For ever
0:30:02 > 0:30:08# For ever. #
0:30:13 > 0:30:16We praise you for the adventure of the great outdoors.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Protect us and keep us safe.
0:30:18 > 0:30:24In our busy lives, let us remember to give time to each other.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Help us face the mountains of worry as we trust in you.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32We praise you for the life you give us
0:30:32 > 0:30:36and we thank you for the ability we have to enjoy your creation.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40And wherever we are, help us to draw closer to you
0:30:40 > 0:30:43as you are close to us.
0:30:43 > 0:30:44Amen.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48Thank you for joining me
0:30:48 > 0:30:51on my musical and spiritual journey climbing every mountain.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54We end our programme with a very fitting hymn.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58With words by Timothy Rees, God Is Love, Let Heaven Adore Him,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02set to the rousing Welsh hymn tune Hyfrydol, meaning beautiful.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05From beautiful Wales, hwyl fawr!
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Next week, Bill introduces hymns for Remembrance Sunday
0:33:18 > 0:33:22from the Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick,
0:33:22 > 0:33:23remembers the unsung heroes
0:33:23 > 0:33:27who maintained the nation's lifeline during WWII
0:33:27 > 0:33:31and hears about the cost of service for one of today's soldiers.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd