0:00:02 > 0:00:05Long, sunny days when our countryside
0:00:05 > 0:00:07is bursting with colour and life.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12It's the season that brings out the child in us all.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15Summer is here.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21It's the perfect time to enjoy the beauty
0:00:21 > 0:00:23of our great British landscape.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30And our amazing wildlife.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31OWL SQUEAKS
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Some of us are still hard at work.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40But whatever you are doing and whatever the weather,
0:00:40 > 0:00:41our island is at its very best.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49All week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:51 > 0:00:55..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Nobody asks the question, have we got enough water in the locality
0:01:00 > 0:01:03to ensure that the taps will be running in those new houses?
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Nationwide, we've got our rivers at real crisis.
0:01:10 > 0:01:15The very warmest of welcomes to Countryfile Summer Diaries.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Here's what is coming up on today's programme.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Paul learns all you need to know about adopting hens.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30THEY CHEER
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Take a bow! Look at that!
0:01:33 > 0:01:38Roy Taylor finds out how a landscape laid waste by coal mining
0:01:38 > 0:01:41has become a wonderful wildlife sanctuary.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46So you can imagine this, you can see this stretch of dirt and grit here.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51This is what 364 football pitches looked like.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54And with one of the warmest years on record...
0:01:54 > 0:01:58..I'll be taking the plunge to see what wonders you could discover
0:01:58 > 0:01:59in our seas this summer.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08All this week, we're on the Isle of Wight.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12And today I'm visiting its world-famous landmark,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16the ancient chalk stacks known as the Needles.
0:02:17 > 0:02:18In prehistoric times,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22they formed part of cliffs that are thought to have reached all the way
0:02:22 > 0:02:23to Dorset, 20 miles away.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27But, now, only three pillars remain.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31At the end of the Ice Age,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34water from melting ice sheets flooded the chalk ridge
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and gradually eroded the rock
0:02:36 > 0:02:39until the island became detached from the mainland.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43This happened thousands of years ago.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46But climate change, shifting weather patterns
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and higher water levels all continue to have
0:02:48 > 0:02:52a dramatic effect on the shape of our British coastline.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56So dramatic, in fact, that it's estimated
0:02:56 > 0:03:02as many as 700 homes in the UK will be lost to coastal erosion by 2030.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06But what will a rising seas mean
0:03:06 > 0:03:09for our favourite summer holiday destinations
0:03:09 > 0:03:11and the people who live there?
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Well, Margherita is heading for one of Britain's smallest islands
0:03:15 > 0:03:16to find out more.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21This is a beautiful spot.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23This causeway seems pretty sturdy,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26and that castle's been here since medieval times.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29But rising sea levels and coastal erosion
0:03:29 > 0:03:32are causing the community that live here some fresh challenges.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38The tiny tidal island of St Michael's Mount
0:03:38 > 0:03:41lies a quarter of a mile off the Cornish coast,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44and is home to 30 full-time residents.
0:03:44 > 0:03:50But its status as a popular tourist destination could be under threat.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Caitlin DeSilvey, a professor in a cultural geography,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55tells me more.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Caitlin, what kind of problem are we facing here?
0:03:57 > 0:04:00The problem on this stretch of coastline
0:04:00 > 0:04:03is just about a rapidly changing coast. So this is nothing new -
0:04:03 > 0:04:05this coast has been changing for millennia.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08But what we are seeing now is actually accelerated change.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11And so with climate change, sea levels rising,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14there are more frequent storms and the storms we do get
0:04:14 > 0:04:17tend to be a little bit more aggressive and violent.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21All of that adds up to make the coast more vulnerable to erosion.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25What does that mean for St Michael's Mount?
0:04:25 > 0:04:26At St Michael's Mount,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30we have a unique situation where the Mount is connected to the mainland
0:04:30 > 0:04:34by a causeway, and that causeway at the moment has a tidal window
0:04:34 > 0:04:37for access where you can go across about two or three hours
0:04:37 > 0:04:40on either side of the water.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44What is likely to happen is the sea level rises as much as a metre
0:04:44 > 0:04:48over the next 100 years and so eventually it will close altogether
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and the causeway itself will become a feature
0:04:51 > 0:04:53that's just underwater archaeology.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Among the permanent islanders is Lord James St Levan,
0:04:59 > 0:05:00who lives in the castle.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02We'll have to look after the causeway.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05We've put rocks along the side of it to protect it.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07So even though it's got a reinforced concrete base,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10the sea is a very powerful beast.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12So I think we'll have to keep an eye on it.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17On a neap tide at low water, the sea doesn't go out as far,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19which limits the use of the causeway.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Already, there are days in the year - not many, but a few -
0:05:23 > 0:05:25when the causeway doesn't open at all.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28When it's a very neap tide. And I think what will happen
0:05:28 > 0:05:31is those neap tides will become more common
0:05:31 > 0:05:32and the causeway won't open.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36And if one day in the future you did lose the causeway,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39how do you think that would impact St Michael's Mount?
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Say the causeway only opened half the days of the month,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46not having that easy access -
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and we bring almost all our supplies across the causeway,
0:05:49 > 0:05:50rather than on a boat -
0:05:50 > 0:05:53that would change how life on the island worked.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58Garry Earley has been the island's main builder for nearly 30 years.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01He's seen everything the changing weather has thrown at this place.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07A few years ago, massive storms washed away part of the causeway.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10The worst thing is when the storms come in
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and then you get the causeway coming up in places.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16You just couldn't solve the problem because the tide was coming in.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18You could just watch it.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22And it was like piano keys just coming off the causeway.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26It's a constant battle to keep this crucial lifeline open
0:06:26 > 0:06:29and keep the island connected to the mainland.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It's vital for far more than access.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35The causeway is crucial, really, for the islanders,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38and the running of the Mount itself.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42It shelters the sewage pipe which comes from here to the mainland.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44You've got the electric cable coming in.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47So there's lots of things which makes this island work,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49so it is a very important asset to have.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Time for me to take a little trip.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56Hi, Mike. Good to see you.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58- And to you.- Are you all right to give me a lift?
0:06:58 > 0:07:01- Certainly am. Jump on. - Thank you so much.- No problem.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- VOICEOVER:- Mike Grieg not only operates the boat back and forth
0:07:04 > 0:07:06to the island, he also lives there.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13How do you think it would affect the island
0:07:13 > 0:07:15if you lose the causeway in years to come?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18A massive impact on the business.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22So many people target the whole visitor's experience
0:07:22 > 0:07:25of getting the boat across one way and then walking back the other.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29But on the flip side, a busy boating operation that we have already
0:07:29 > 0:07:31certainly will have to up its game.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34And how would it affect you actually living on the island?
0:07:34 > 0:07:37It will certainly make shopping to the island a lot harder.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Certainly a lot more watching the clock and,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42"When is the next boat available?" kind of thing.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Residents are already being forced to adapt to protect island life.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53What we are doing is trying
0:07:53 > 0:07:56to future-proof the island as far as we can.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58And in the houses on the harbour front,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00we tend to feed the electrics in from above,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03so none of the electric points are at floor level, they're higher.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06We now have slate floors, as a matter of fact.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09So if they do get flooded, it isn't a ruined carpet each time.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And it's just the things which are not terribly difficult to do
0:08:12 > 0:08:14but could be very helpful in the future.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23It's a real treat to be able to walk along this causeway.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27And who knows how many more generations will be able to do that?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30One thing's for sure, the people that live and work here
0:08:30 > 0:08:33on St Michael's Mount are doing everything in their power
0:08:33 > 0:08:34to ensure this unique feature
0:08:34 > 0:08:37remains part of our coastal landscape.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Later in the programme, we'll be revealing how coastal erosion
0:08:42 > 0:08:45is forcing another of Cornwall's beauty spots
0:08:45 > 0:08:48to make tough decisions about its heritage.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56The British coastline stretches for more than 11,000 miles
0:08:56 > 0:08:58across more than 6,000 islands.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01And, at this time of year, plenty of us hit the beach
0:09:01 > 0:09:03and go for a dip in the sea.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05But you don't have to go as far as the Caribbean
0:09:05 > 0:09:08to find dazzling white sands, turquoise seas
0:09:08 > 0:09:11and an abundance in aquatic life.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13It's right here in the UK,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15and Keeley has been taking the plunge.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Forget the Maldives, ditch the Great Barrier Reef.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30Scottish seas are a treasure trove for snorkellers and divers.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32The West Coast boasts some of the clearest
0:09:32 > 0:09:36and most vibrant, wildlife-filled waters in Britain.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Now, I haven't chosen a great day for it, but if the sun's shining,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43these beaches can rival some of the most beautiful in the world.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Scotland is world-famous for its stunning scenery and nature,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53but what's under the waves is just as spectacular.
0:09:53 > 0:09:59Jam-packed with sponges, sea urchins, crabs, seals and dolphins,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Scotland's seascape is teeming with life.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07And what better way to experience it than by snorkelling?
0:10:07 > 0:10:10The Scottish Wildlife Trust has just created
0:10:10 > 0:10:14the North West Highland Snorkel Trail along a 100-mile stretch
0:10:14 > 0:10:17of this coastline so everyone can get an up-close view
0:10:17 > 0:10:20of life underwater.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Noel Hawkins from the Trust was the inspiration behind the project.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- Hello, there.- Hiya. - How are you doing?- Good.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28- Good to see you.- And you.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30I want to hear a bit more about this project
0:10:30 > 0:10:32- because I believe that you came up with the idea.- I did, yeah.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34I'm working with the Scottish Wildlife Trust,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36on a project called the Living Seas Project.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39It's a three-year project where we're looking at ways
0:10:39 > 0:10:42to re-engage communities and people with the sea and marine environments
0:10:42 > 0:10:44up here in the North West Highlands.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45So why snorkelling, then?
0:10:45 > 0:10:48We thought, "Well, snorkelling's a bit more accessible."
0:10:48 > 0:10:50You can buy kit for relatively not too much,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53go in as long as you're sensible. Anyone can do it, really.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55So obviously a stunning part of the country.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58But what's so special about it for this trail?
0:10:58 > 0:11:02In the sea itself, we get a lot of crabs, juvenile fish, starfish,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05sea urchins. We get some quite strange ones, actually, too.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08So there's a lot out there once you start looking.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Everybody comes here. The Highlands is synonymous
0:11:10 > 0:11:12with beautiful landscapes and seascapes,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15but above the water. And it's actually getting down underneath
0:11:15 > 0:11:17where you actually learn about more what's here
0:11:17 > 0:11:21and why it's an important and very beautiful and varied ecosystem here.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23It literally is just stepping into a different world
0:11:23 > 0:11:25with the greens and browns of the seaweeds
0:11:25 > 0:11:29and the animals themselves - it's like a rainbow sometimes.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31And is summer a good time to get out and enjoy this kind of thing?
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Summer's the best time cos it's not only a bit warmer and brighter,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38it's nicer when the sun's out - you can see things more vividly.
0:11:38 > 0:11:39But it can be fragile.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Getting people out to be aware of it, hopefully start caring about it,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45and then maybe join us in helping protect and conserve it.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Noel investigated over 20 sites for the Trail
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and picked the best nine based on their beauty,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56range of wildlife and accessibility.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58It's not a difficult trail for beginners,
0:11:58 > 0:12:03but, for safety reasons the Trust discourages solo snorkellers.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Today, I have the company of a group of local schoolchildren.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- Morning, folks!- Hiya, guys. - Hello!- How are you doing?
0:12:10 > 0:12:12That means OK.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- VOICEOVER:- Not that I'm worried, but what's the sign for a shark?
0:12:17 > 0:12:20- A big shark?- Great white shark.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23If you see one of them, then the next signal is...
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Run up the beach and create a new 100m record.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29The project has trained 12 instructors
0:12:29 > 0:12:31to pass on their snorkelling skills.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Sue, one of their newest graduates,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36can't wait to get this class in the water.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Children are amazingly good at learning and picking up new skills
0:12:40 > 0:12:42and talents, especially the ones that live here.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45There's no fear. They're straight in there.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48And since we've been teaching them,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50it's really taken off and they're desperate to get in
0:12:50 > 0:12:53and do snorkelling and see what lies beneath our waves.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56They are the custodians of our future, our seas here,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00so it's really important to get them to appreciate,
0:13:00 > 0:13:01to love and to learn what's there
0:13:01 > 0:13:04so that they can protect it for the future.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06I'm very excited to see all these creatures,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09but I'm really nervous because that sea looks cold.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11I'm cold stood here, so...
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Yes, I'm not going to lie to you, it is cold.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15But when you get in, you actually get used to it
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and you're so absorbed in what you're doing
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- and what you're looking at... - I'll forget all about it, will I?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22- You will. You'll get acclimatised. - Are you sure?
0:13:22 > 0:13:25I'm absolutely positive. You'll become acclimatised, yes.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30A decent, thick wet suit is essential on a day like today.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Not only does it defend against the cold,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34it also protects from scratches and stings.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Well, I'm still not convinced about getting in the cold Atlantic sea.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48But if the kids are game, I guess I'm going to have to give it a go.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00It's amazing what you can see down here.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Just in this area of kelp,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04there's tonnes of little fish weaving in and out.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07There's a jellyfish there, just there,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10and actually there has been quite a few swimming around us.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11And on the seabed,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14there's just loads of little crabs wandering around.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16I didn't realise we were going to see quite this much.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Even on a dull day, these Highland waters are crystal clear.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27And you can really concentrate on the beauty
0:14:27 > 0:14:29of this spectacular environment.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Do you know what? That was great.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39There's a whole other world teeming beneath the surface.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41And actually, when you're under the water,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43it doesn't actually feel that cold.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Back on dry land, where a welcome hot drink awaits,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53there's a chance to swap tales of our underwater adventure.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56And what was the best thing that you saw?
0:14:56 > 0:14:57I think the lion's mane.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Because they're red in the water.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03It wasn't that big but it was scary.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05- And were you cold?- No.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07- I'm a man. I'm a man. - THEY LAUGH
0:15:08 > 0:15:10If this site is anything to go by,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14any snorkellers tackling the rest of the 100-mile trail
0:15:14 > 0:15:16are in for a treat.
0:15:16 > 0:15:17I'll be completely honest with you,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20I wasn't expecting to see such variety or beauty
0:15:20 > 0:15:22here in the Scottish seas.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25So I've got a whole new appreciation for our marine life.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28And the best thing? It's all right here on our doorstep,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30for all of us to enjoy.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37In the UK, we're blessed with
0:15:37 > 0:15:40a wealth of wonderful wildlife to enjoy,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43be it underwater or on land.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44Here on the Isle of Wight,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48there's a huge range of habitats from chalk cliffs to beaches,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51so it means that summer visitors
0:15:51 > 0:15:55are likely to see all sorts of different birds.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57And whilst you're likely to see them at the seaside,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00around the country there are some surprising places
0:16:00 > 0:16:05to spot our feathered friends, including disused coal mines.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Roy is headed north to Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve
0:16:08 > 0:16:12in the heartland of West Yorkshire to investigate.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22I have been a keen birder for over 40 years now.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24And the RSPB nature reserve at Fairburn Ings
0:16:24 > 0:16:26is one of my very favourite places.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28I might hear a booming bittern.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30I might see a bearded tit today.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34But when I came here in 1978, it was very different.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Frankly, it was pretty grim.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Today, it's hard to imagine
0:16:41 > 0:16:45that this place was once a vast industrial tip,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49a dumping ground for coal waste from the local collieries.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51At their height in the 1920s,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Britain's coal mines employed over one million people.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59But with the last deep mine closing just a few years ago,
0:16:59 > 0:17:04our landscape has been left with a legacy of industrial wastelands.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07When Fairburn Ings shut down back in the 1950s,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11a decision was taken by the locals to let nature take over.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15From coalface to wild place,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19it's now a nature reserve enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Access roads have been replaced by paths and cycle tracks,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28bringing a plethora of bird-watchers.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Chris Fuller, a volunteer at the reserve,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34is a font of information about its industrial past.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39When did coal dumping stop here, and what did the site look like then?
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Well, they were still dumping waste here up until 1995,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45coming in from the big Selby coal mine.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51So you can imagine this, you can see this stretch of dirt and grit here,
0:17:51 > 0:17:56this is what 364 football pitches, equivalent, looked like.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58So it's a vast area.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01And you had a bit of smoke coming in from the pits themselves.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03You can imagine it was a pretty bleak scene.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05- Pretty gloomy landscape. - That's right.
0:18:05 > 0:18:10A naturalist came here in 1938 and she called it "a dismal swamp".
0:18:10 > 0:18:13- Wow!- And I think she got it absolutely right
0:18:13 > 0:18:17because, at one stage, this held a record
0:18:17 > 0:18:21for one of the biggest slag heaps in Western Europe.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26Today, Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve is considered a great success story.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30It's a dedicated and diverse wildlife habitat,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33the ideal spot for wetland birds.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Tell me what's in here and the special birds you've got breeding
0:18:36 > 0:18:38for the first time this year.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41It's the perfect habitat for things like little egrets,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44which nested here a couple of years ago.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47They joined the herons and the cormorants.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51- Now, this year, we've got the appearance of a spoonbill.- Wow!
0:18:51 > 0:18:56Just to have one is quite something, but then it finds a mate, has young,
0:18:56 > 0:19:01the young fledge - that's really quite something.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Spoonbills are a bird of European conservation concern,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and a real rarity in the UK.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Highlighting what a perfect place this has become for wildlife.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16And this isn't the only industrial site
0:19:16 > 0:19:18to have been given a new lease of life.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24It's been such an achievement that when, just down the road,
0:19:24 > 0:19:29an old opencast coal mine site ceased operating,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33plans soon followed to emulate the Fairburn Ings success.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38St Aidan's is an old opencast mine site.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Mining ceased here in 2002.
0:19:41 > 0:19:47But work started immediately to turn it into a wildlife haven.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52Someone who can really appreciate its transformation is Andrew Holmes,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55who was employed here when it was still a coal mine.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59When I worked here, it were a huge hole, there were no greenery,
0:19:59 > 0:20:06it was all grey and rocks and it almost looked like a moon landscape.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08It were that type of environment.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13With dump trucks and machinery, you know, it were noisy, dusty,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17completely different to what you're looking at now.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21From a thriving coal mine to a flourishing nature park.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Black-headed gulls nest here in their thousands.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Sand martins zoom overhead
0:20:26 > 0:20:31whilst dragonflies and butterflies are everywhere.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Fairburn Ings and St Aidan's are enjoying a new lease of life,
0:20:35 > 0:20:39completely at odds from their industrial heritage.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42But, for me, I think the real legacy of places like this
0:20:42 > 0:20:46is that they offer people the chance to get outdoors
0:20:46 > 0:20:50and connect up close and personal with wildlife.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54So grab your bike, grab your dog or your binoculars,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57and get down to your local wildlife reserve this summer.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05Summer is when our seas come alive with marine life.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08From some of our biggest to some of our smallest.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13And over the years on Countryfile,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17we've been lucky enough to come across an incredible assortment
0:21:17 > 0:21:19of weird and wonderful creatures of the sea.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28One of the most impressive and regular visitors to our shores
0:21:28 > 0:21:29is the basking shark.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34It's the second-largest shark in the world, weighing up to four tonnes.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Despite its size, it can be hard to find.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Have you seen any basking sharks?
0:21:43 > 0:21:44We may have missed them in Cornwall
0:21:44 > 0:21:47but they're known to migrate up the West Coast of Britain,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50so try to catch them in Scotland at the end of summer.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Dolphins and porpoises are a popular sight off our coast
0:22:01 > 0:22:04but one of the rarest is the white-beaked dolphin.
0:22:05 > 0:22:11One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, wow!
0:22:11 > 0:22:13HE LAUGHS
0:22:14 > 0:22:17For a chance to spot one, head to Northumberland.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22From one magical creature to another -
0:22:22 > 0:22:27the tiny seahorse, found amongst the eelgrass beds at Studland Bay.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Oh, my goodness!
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Take the plunge beneath the waves in search of this wondrous fish.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Back on shore, why not delve into a classic British summer pastime,
0:22:44 > 0:22:45rock pooling?
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Cor, this is a ferocious-looking fella! What's this one?
0:22:53 > 0:22:54This is a spiny spider crab.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59So grab your wellies and get exploring.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07With long hours of daylight, this is the best time to be outdoors.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11Whatever your preferred activity, there's something for everyone.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16And one thing that suits pretty much all of us is alfresco dining,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19as Matt discovered on a trip to Wales.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Summertime - Britain at its very best.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30A time for friends to come together,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32head outdoors and fire up the barbecue.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37A heat wave goes hand-in-hand with a meat wave.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41But there's no back garden cook-up for me.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Oh, no!
0:23:44 > 0:23:47I am waiting for the first ladies of barbecue.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51South Wales's very own Thelma and Louise, Shauna and Sam.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Now, these are two ladies who have learned their barbecuing skills
0:23:53 > 0:23:55around the Deep South of the USA,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and I'm supposed to be meeting them here on this corner.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Bravely binning their careers three years ago,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12executive Sam Evans and teacher Shauna Guinn
0:24:12 > 0:24:14headed off in pursuit of the American Dream -
0:24:14 > 0:24:16and the quintessential US feast.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Whoo! Howdy, partner!
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- We're going to take you for some barbecues!- Super!- Jump on in!
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Jump in! Here we go, then, let's go!
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Woohoo!
0:24:29 > 0:24:32The girls are taking me to a beach barbecue for their friends.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Whoo!
0:24:36 > 0:24:41Restauranteurs Shauna and Sam may live in the leafy Vale of Glamorgan
0:24:41 > 0:24:42but a trip to the Deep South
0:24:42 > 0:24:46saw them fall head-over-heels with barbecue, US-style.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47Whoo!
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Were you, like, obsessed with barbecue before you set off, then?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53How did it all start?
0:24:53 > 0:24:55We were what's known as back yard barbecuers
0:24:55 > 0:24:57so we'd do a little barbecue in our back yard
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and have some friends round.
0:24:59 > 0:25:00But we didn't really have a plan -
0:25:00 > 0:25:02we just knew what we liked and knew what we loved
0:25:02 > 0:25:04and just set out for the States, and that was it.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07And did you have a barbecue teacher, then?
0:25:07 > 0:25:10I think a lot of what they call pit masters,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12these are the guys that look after the barbecue pits
0:25:12 > 0:25:14throughout the day and throughout the night,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17a lot of thought we were super-quaint.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18So not only were we female -
0:25:18 > 0:25:21so that's almost unheard-of in barbecue -
0:25:21 > 0:25:23we had these British accents
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and we wanted to learn about barbecue,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27so they just thought we were a trip, you know.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30So, were they quite open, then, in passing on their techniques?
0:25:30 > 0:25:31Yeah, they were.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34They would never have thought in a million years
0:25:34 > 0:25:36that two women would go to America
0:25:36 > 0:25:40and take their, like, national, traditional cuisine
0:25:40 > 0:25:42and bring it back.
0:25:42 > 0:25:43I've got to put it out there,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47I think part of the pull to the Deep South for me personally
0:25:47 > 0:25:49was my absolute love of country music.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51MUSIC: Islands In The Stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
0:25:51 > 0:25:53THEY SING ALONG
0:25:53 > 0:25:59# I was sorry inside, there was something goin' on... #
0:25:59 > 0:26:01HE HUMS GUITAR RIFF
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Go on, Matt, take it home!
0:26:05 > 0:26:07# Islands in the stream
0:26:07 > 0:26:09# That is what we are
0:26:09 > 0:26:11# No-one in-between
0:26:11 > 0:26:13# How can we be wrong...? #
0:26:15 > 0:26:16This is our grill, Big Mama.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18- Big Mama?- Big Mama, yeah.
0:26:18 > 0:26:19Was Big Mama an oil drum before?
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- She was an oil drum, we made her ourselves.- Did you?
0:26:22 > 0:26:24And you can see the temperature gauge is beautifully soaring there,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26so it's now hot enough for us to grill off.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28- Oh, it is. 450!- Yeah, it'll cool down when we open it,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31so careful you don't burn yourself.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33There we go. Yeah.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35So what we're going to start doing is we're going to pop these...
0:26:35 > 0:26:37I've already oiled these.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- MEAT SIZZLES - Oh, that smell!
0:26:39 > 0:26:41- It's good, isn't it? - Oh, it's delicious!
0:26:41 > 0:26:44This is what the Americans would call grilling.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47This is more a typical British barbecue.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48This involves direct heat,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51so you can see you've got the heat from the charcoal
0:26:51 > 0:26:53and that's really penetrating the meat.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55I don't know how many barbecues you've ever been to.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Quite often, you go around to your friend's house
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and they light the biggest fire that they can possibly light.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Then we wonder why we get that delicate balance
0:27:03 > 0:27:05of burnt on the outside, raw in the middle.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07How do you avoid that? What's the secret?
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Well, the secret is having different parts to your grill.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Always bank your coals to the left or the right,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16leaving a little cool part where you can run to
0:27:16 > 0:27:19if things start to get a little bit hairy.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25If you thought Big Mama was impressive, then meet BB King,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28the American barbecue smoker Sam and Shauna made
0:27:28 > 0:27:31from an old compressed air tank.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Here's the difference between British barbecue
0:27:33 > 0:27:34and American barbecue.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37This is a completely different kettle of fish, this is a smoker.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Now, what we're doing here is we're creating indirect heat,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43so what we've got is our fire here,
0:27:43 > 0:27:45so we're not going to be creating any sizzling grill
0:27:45 > 0:27:48because this is turning into the smoking chamber.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51But the really clever thing about this,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55the smoke and the temperature of the smoke gets firstly pulled along
0:27:55 > 0:27:59the bottom and then up and over and then out on this side.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02What you get is the double pass over the meat.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05This is our reverse flow smoker.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07And we have an old saying in American barbecue -
0:28:07 > 0:28:09"If you looking, you ain't cooking!
0:28:09 > 0:28:11So, once we get the fire going
0:28:11 > 0:28:13and we maintain the temperature in our chamber,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16we can't be looking too much cos every time we open that,
0:28:16 > 0:28:17the temperature's going to drop
0:28:17 > 0:28:19and it's going to take us a while to get back up to temp.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20Do you know, it's nice,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23cos it brings around a whole different style of eating.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Instead of sitting there, flashing it on the grill
0:28:25 > 0:28:27and then, you know, wolfing it down, you invest...
0:28:27 > 0:28:29You see, it doesn't matter if it's cloudy or whatever,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33- you just go outside...- Exactly. - ..light the reverse flow
0:28:33 > 0:28:34- and off you go!- Very good.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Shauna and Sam's barbecue may be all about the meat
0:28:40 > 0:28:43but they do some mouthwatering sides, too, to serve with it.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48- We're going to make some delicious chimichurri.- Chimichurri?
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Yeah, it's this really great sort of Argentinian pesto.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56It's so easy - just chop coriander and parsley,
0:28:56 > 0:29:00grate garlic, glugs of oil and vinegar...
0:29:00 > 0:29:02A little seasoning.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05So a really good pinch of salt, to really bring out those flavours.
0:29:05 > 0:29:06And as we're, you know, by the sea.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08- Yeah, perfect. - And we have a seagull.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11There's a seagull eyeing us up there. Don't get any ideas.
0:29:11 > 0:29:12THEY LAUGH
0:29:12 > 0:29:15And what we're going to finally add is a little smoked paprika
0:29:15 > 0:29:17and a little chilli flakes.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19- Look at that.- There we go.- OK, good.
0:29:19 > 0:29:20Right.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22Have a sniff of that.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24I might have a taste of it as well.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26- Yeah!- Happy?- Oh, tasty.
0:29:26 > 0:29:27Perfect.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31So should taste a little garlic, a little of that red wine vinegar.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33- It's delicious.- Yeah, that's great!
0:29:35 > 0:29:38- All right, come on over! - Come on, guys!
0:29:38 > 0:29:40- Come on in. - Here's the party animals!
0:29:40 > 0:29:42I hope you're hungry!
0:29:42 > 0:29:44- VOICEOVER:- It's showtime.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Sam and Shauna have invited friends and family
0:29:46 > 0:29:48to come and enjoy the feast.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50Oh! Really lovely!
0:29:50 > 0:29:53There you are, sir. Yeah, one of each. Oh, you got the big bit!
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Oh, trust you! THEY LAUGH
0:29:56 > 0:29:59So the kebabs and veal steaks went down well.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01Sam, you're going to have to put some more on.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05But it's time to serve the jewel in the US barbecuing crown.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08Brisket. Smoked in grease-proof paper for eight hours
0:30:08 > 0:30:10and beautifully tender.
0:30:10 > 0:30:11SHE LAUGHS
0:30:11 > 0:30:14That's heaven on earth. That is literally heaven.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18- That's good.- Happy with that?- Yeah.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25A perfect end to a slightly cloudy summer barbecue.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32At least it's not as blustery as where I am.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Here on the Isle of Wight, the three remaining Needles,
0:30:38 > 0:30:43rising 30m above the sea, are justifiably world-famous.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48And they look like they do because of many, many centuries of erosion.
0:30:48 > 0:30:53Which begs the question, coastal erosion is a natural phenomenon,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56so how far should we go to prevent it?
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Margherita has been finding out.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07It's not just ancient places like St Michael's Mount
0:31:07 > 0:31:10at risk of coastal erosion.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13The Cornish coast is famous for its tiny fishing harbours,
0:31:13 > 0:31:16like this one here at Mullion Cove.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Nestled into the west coast of the Lizard Peninsula,
0:31:19 > 0:31:24this quintessential cove draws thousands of visitors every summer.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29But this particular piece of Cornish history is now on borrowed time.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33The Cornish harbour here on Mullion Cove is under attack
0:31:33 > 0:31:36from rising sea levels and increasingly violent weather.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Thankfully, not so much in the summertime.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44But, come winter, this place is at the mercy of the elements.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50Powerful storms race across the Atlantic to batter the coastline
0:31:50 > 0:31:52with strong south-westerly winds.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58Someone who is all too familiar with this volatile weather
0:31:58 > 0:31:59is John Pascoe...
0:31:59 > 0:32:00Thanks, John.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03..who has fished these seas for the past 50 years.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06So, John, you know this harbour well?
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Yeah, I do. Very much so.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12I've seen a lot of gales, I've seen some lovely fine weather,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15some beautiful sunsets
0:32:15 > 0:32:17and what more can one want?
0:32:17 > 0:32:19But the storms in recent years,
0:32:19 > 0:32:21are they the worst you can remember here?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Oh, yeah, yeah, they were very, very...
0:32:23 > 0:32:25One particular storm we had was...
0:32:26 > 0:32:31You couldn't see the island, the seas were breaking right up.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33And the spray, just...
0:32:33 > 0:32:36It was a whiteout, you couldn't see nothing.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Towards the end of the 19th century,
0:32:39 > 0:32:43plans were drawn up to create a protective harbour here.
0:32:43 > 0:32:48It was funded by local aristocrat, Lord Robartes of Lanhydrock,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52who drafted in skilled stonemasons from across the South West.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56After six years and at a cost of £15,000,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59these two stone piers were built.
0:32:59 > 0:33:04Now these walls, which provided refuge for almost 130 years,
0:33:04 > 0:33:07are going to be left to nature.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10The decision has been made to let this piece of our heritage
0:33:10 > 0:33:12slip gradually into the sea.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16For the past 72 years,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Mullion Cove has been managed by the National Trust.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23For ranger Justin Whitehouse, the increasing cost of repairs
0:33:23 > 0:33:25are making the walls difficult to maintain.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Every year, the Trust puts in...
0:33:28 > 0:33:31I think this year it's about £10,000 of maintenance.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34But the main cost is repairs and even, I think,
0:33:34 > 0:33:38last year or the year before, it was about £100,000.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41After the big storms of 2014, er,
0:33:41 > 0:33:45that was almost £500,000 of repairs.
0:33:45 > 0:33:50And so, on average, it works out about £1,500 every week.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54Eventually, there'll come a time when the harbour is so badly damaged
0:33:54 > 0:33:59by storms, the Trust has decided it will no longer be repaired.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01So we can't predict when it's going to happen
0:34:01 > 0:34:04but we know that, at a certain point in the future,
0:34:04 > 0:34:06the harbour won't be here.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08I personally will find it a huge loss.
0:34:08 > 0:34:09I spend half my life down here
0:34:09 > 0:34:11and it's a great part of our heritage -
0:34:11 > 0:34:13it's an important feature of the Cornish coastline.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15It brings in a lot of visitors,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18it's an important place to the local community.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20But, you know, we can't protect everything.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24But what do the locals make of the approach
0:34:24 > 0:34:26being taken at Mullion Cove?
0:34:27 > 0:34:32Patricia Pearson has lived here for 75 years.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34She and her husband, Paul, run the cafe
0:34:34 > 0:34:37and they're fairly pragmatic about the impact
0:34:37 > 0:34:40that losing the harbour will have on their business.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44If it wasn't here, what do you think it would do for business?
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Because you've been running your cafe here for a number of years.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50- Yes, yes.- We actually get a lot of our customers
0:34:50 > 0:34:53from people who are walking the coastal cliff path,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56as opposed to just holiday-makers coming down on spec.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00I don't believe it's going to do much harm to the buildings.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03They were here before the piers were here anyway, some of them.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06And Patricia, for you, how would it change your life
0:35:06 > 0:35:08if the harbour was not maintained as it has been?
0:35:08 > 0:35:13I think it would take a while before it would disintegrate totally
0:35:13 > 0:35:18and I'm getting older, so I don't know whether I will even be around!
0:35:19 > 0:35:21But Jeff Maher, another resident,
0:35:21 > 0:35:26has particularly strong ties to the harbour and is not so sure.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Jeff, your family have the most incredible link to Mullion Harbour.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32- That's correct.- Can you tell us a little bit about it?
0:35:32 > 0:35:37Yeah. My grandfather acquired the harbour in 1925
0:35:37 > 0:35:40and gave it to The National Trust in 1945.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44And how would you feel if the harbour was no longer maintained?
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Personally, I think it would be very upsetting
0:35:47 > 0:35:50and I don't think anybody would benefit.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55I think it would be tragic for Mullion, the village,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58least alone the future generations of Britain
0:35:58 > 0:36:00and the tourists that come here.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03And your dream for the future of Mullion Harbour?
0:36:03 > 0:36:07Well, just maintained as it is in perpetuity.
0:36:07 > 0:36:08So everybody can enjoy it.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11If I came back in 500 years, it would be here.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15It's clear that the fate of the harbour
0:36:15 > 0:36:17has stirred up strong feelings
0:36:17 > 0:36:20in Mullion Cove's small but bustling community.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24It's a community that may never be the same
0:36:24 > 0:36:26once its heritage has been washed into the sea.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Over the next 100 years,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33the look of our coastline in Britain is set to change.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Rising sea levels and coastal erosion are a problem.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38There are options available
0:36:38 > 0:36:40but difficult decisions will have to be made -
0:36:40 > 0:36:42decisions we'll all have to face up to.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Long, balmy summer evenings.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55A chance for many of us to take time out and relax.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00But spare a thought for the nation's busy poultry keepers,
0:37:00 > 0:37:04as the long hours of daylight mean increased egg production.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07So what about hens that have passed their prime?
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Paul's in Somerset, collecting tips
0:37:10 > 0:37:14on how you could offer some old hens a new lease of life.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17HE LAUGHS
0:37:17 > 0:37:21One of the first things we got on our smallholding were our hens.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Not only do they give us a bountiful supply of fresh eggs every day
0:37:24 > 0:37:26but they're great fun, too - the kids love them.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Now, if you're thinking of adding a few hens to your brood,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32you may not need as much space as you think,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35and you could be doing a good deed in the process.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42So how do you raise chickens when you don't have that much land?
0:37:42 > 0:37:46Well, Hayley Spencer keeps hens right in the heart of suburbia.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Here we go, Paul, here's my back garden.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Wow, how many chickens have you got?
0:37:53 > 0:37:55I've got seven the moment.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58You wouldn't expect seven chickens in kind of like a small back yard
0:37:58 > 0:38:00like this of a three-bed semi, would you?
0:38:00 > 0:38:02No, you wouldn't. That's brilliant, I love it.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05- Are you enjoying it?- Love it. I wouldn't be without them.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07- Are they all pets? - Yeah, all pet chickens.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09- They've all got names? - All got names.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14I've got Tulip, I've got Wubby, I've got Poppy, I've got Fat Pam.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Fat Pam!
0:38:16 > 0:38:17SHE LAUGHS
0:38:17 > 0:38:19I've got Big Brenda down there.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23I've got Mavis and I've got Gertie.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26And I love the fact that they kind of roam around
0:38:26 > 0:38:29underneath the trampoline, which is a bit of a dead space, isn't it?
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- Yeah.- They don't have a bounce, do they?- Sometimes that happens!
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Do they? I love it, it's like a holiday camp for chickens.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39These ladies are all from the British Hen Welfare Trust,
0:38:39 > 0:38:43who re-home around 50,000 commercial hens a year
0:38:43 > 0:38:47in loving homes like Hayley's, who give them a second chance at life.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50We started off with two rescue hens, they were battery hens,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53they came to the end of their productive period.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55They were about two and half years old,
0:38:55 > 0:38:58so we inherited those and, do you know, they did us well, actually.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01- You know, they lived out their days. - Yeah.- And we've got some more now.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03But all of yours are rescue hens, aren't they?
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Yeah, all rescue chickens that I keep.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07All battery hens or caged hens.
0:39:07 > 0:39:08All come from the cage system.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Yeah, it's very rewarding, isn't it?
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- Nursing them back...- It is.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14..and seeing them becoming healthy birds again,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16doing what they naturally do. Scratching around.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19- Yes.- Because those battery hens never scratch, do they?
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- They don't know how to scratch. - No, they're not able to.- No.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24What's the worst state you've had them in?
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Well, Wubby come back, she was...
0:39:26 > 0:39:28She didn't have a feather on her body,
0:39:28 > 0:39:32she was left in a pile of dead chickens.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36And in the pile, I was sure that I seen a little flicker in her eye.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38So I put her in my car,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42I wrapped up her in one of the dog blankets and, half an hour later,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45I checked on her and her eyes had opened.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48She was severely dehydrated.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51So, throughout that night,
0:39:51 > 0:39:54- I just syringed fluids into her.- Aw.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57And by the next day, she was a little bit brighter,
0:39:57 > 0:40:00still touch-and-go whether she would make it.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02But over the course of the next week,
0:40:02 > 0:40:04I got fluids into her and I got
0:40:04 > 0:40:05small amounts of food into her.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06Oh, brilliant.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08It literally is a transformation, isn't it?
0:40:08 > 0:40:11They were on death row and look at them now, they're so happy!
0:40:11 > 0:40:13They are. Happy, healthy.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Oh, well done, we need more people like you about.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Looking after these chickens.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21It doesn't take a lot to keep your hens happy.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Just a bit of imagination.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26Hayley's putting old play equipment to good use
0:40:26 > 0:40:29to keep her hens safe and entertained.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32And she's adding to that all the time.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36- I gather you want to make a swing today for the chickens?- Yes.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38- Have you made one before? - No, never.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41I've never seen a chicken on a swing.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44- The thing is, it's keeping them entertained, isn't it?- Exactly.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Giving them an enriched life.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51- About there, I think - they don't want to jump too high.- No.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55And battery hens don't have the muscle that a proper hen would...
0:40:55 > 0:40:58- Exactly.- ..to be able to jump very high.- There you go.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- HE LAUGHS - Chicken swing.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Right, who's going to try it first?
0:41:05 > 0:41:06- This one's Pandora.- Pandora?
0:41:08 > 0:41:12- Yeah!- Yeah!- Take a bow.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Look at that!
0:41:14 > 0:41:16She's enjoying it, look, she's swinging.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18She's thinking, "Oh, this is different."
0:41:20 > 0:41:22This just goes to prove, you know,
0:41:22 > 0:41:26you've got happy hens here and we're in suburbia in a small back yard.
0:41:26 > 0:41:27Anyone can keep chickens at home.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30- They are easy to look after.- Yeah.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32You need a henhouse to start.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34This was once grass but obviously now it's mud,
0:41:34 > 0:41:38which actually, they prefer. Somewhere to scratch around in.
0:41:38 > 0:41:39Some food, some water.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42- We give ours clean, fresh water every day.- Yeah.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46And henhouses, clean out and put fresh sawdust in
0:41:46 > 0:41:49- and a bit of hay and straw once a week.- Yes.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Now, it's no good having one chicken -
0:41:51 > 0:41:53they'll get depressed by themselves.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55So, ideally, what, two or three chickens?
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Three is the minimum.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00They're flock animals and three would give you a small flock.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Yeah. Obviously, there are urban foxes around
0:42:02 > 0:42:04and there's the neighbour's dogs.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08Yeah, and they're... Foxes are usually your biggest predator.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- So make sure you've got a good enclosure.- Yeah.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17It's great to see how Hayley's hens have become part of the family
0:42:17 > 0:42:20and how much joy she gets from having them around the house.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22If you're considering a new addition to your back yard,
0:42:22 > 0:42:24then maybe you should give some thought
0:42:24 > 0:42:26to some rescue hens just like these.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Eh? Buck-buck?
0:42:28 > 0:42:30CHICKENS CLUCK
0:42:30 > 0:42:33And that's all for today but here are just some of the entries
0:42:33 > 0:42:36in our Summer Diary tomorrow.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Margherita uncovers the secrets of garlic,
0:42:39 > 0:42:41one of our more pungent seasonings.
0:42:41 > 0:42:46Oh, on my tongue straight away, I can feel... Wow! Ooh-hoo-hoo!
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Paul will be showing you how a city roof
0:42:50 > 0:42:52could be the perfect place to keep bees.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54I can't believe that is so good,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56and it comes from the rooftop here.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59And I'll be finding out how going back to the past
0:42:59 > 0:43:02could help to offer a solution for the future.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05So make a date with us tomorrow.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Until then, goodbye.