Episode 5 Countryfile Winter Diaries


Episode 5

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This is the toughest time of year,

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but it can also be the most spectacular season

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in the entire calendar.

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Winter is upon us.

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It's a time when days are short and temperatures can plunge.

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But there are still plenty of ways

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growers can make the most of the season.

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It's the time when the British weather throws

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everything it's got at us.

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And while some animals are hibernating,

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others are bringing new life into the world.

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All this week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...

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There you go.

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I really thought that we would struggle to capture this

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and they'd be off... Freedom!

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..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.

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Look at what's happened to the ground underneath my feet.

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That can't be good for business.

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JOHN EXHALES The very warmest of welcomes.

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This is Countryfile Winter Diaries.

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OWL SCREECHES

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Coming up for you on today's programme...

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Paul discovers some tips on how you could reinvent

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your garden this winter.

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There's plenty of people who've got ponds -

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what should they be doing at this time of the year?

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I'll be checking progress on an ambitious project

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we last visited several years ago.

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Since you guys were here, we've planted 2 million trees.

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We're ten years in, but it's a 200-year project.

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It's going well so far.

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And I'll be sampling salad that can be grown

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with a little help from your pet fish.

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All this week, we've been enjoying the rugged beauty

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of the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.

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4 million visitors come here every year to enjoy

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its lochs, and forests, and peaks.

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It's also a magnet for dog-owners.

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There are 8 1/2 million dogs in Britain,

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which shows just how much we love them,

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but the question is, do we love them too much?

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Many of the nation's dogs are overweight,

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and that includes Teddy, Jules Hudson's canine pal.

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My canine sidekick is spoiled,

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and he's not alone - we spent an incredible £923 million

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on dog food every year.

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But, of course, dogs need exercise,

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and my Labrador, Teddy, here,

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is no exception.

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At just over two years old, he's a big kid.

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He's a bit like Tigger.

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Everything, in Teddy's world, is exciting,

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and it tends to unfold at about 100mph,

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and, as for the rain and the cold, well, as you can see,

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he doesn't seem to mind it at all.

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But, of course, the winter can be a problematic time for some dogs,

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so, if you want to save yourself an expensive trip to the vet,

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well, there are a few things that you should be aware of.

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'Ian Fleming is a vet working for the PDSA,

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'one of the UK's leading veterinary charities.

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'He's based in Birmingham and is an expert in dog health.'

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So, can you give us your top tips, Ian,

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for helping us look after our dogs during the winter?

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OK. It's important after they've been out for a walk

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in the wintertime to get them home, dry them up properly,

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and check their feet to make sure

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there are no foreign bodies in there.

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If there is any great or gravel that's got stuck in between

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the paws in the wet and the mud,

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get that washed out before it causes a serious problem.

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Going out on dark nights or dark mornings,

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it's important to maybe use something

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like a high-visibility jacket,

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or even some of these LED collars that you can get these days,

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which have flashing safety lights,

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and that can make a dog a lot more visible.

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Now, Ian, tell me, one thing has always fascinated me about dogs,

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and Teddy in particular -

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how is it that these feet can cope with freezing temperatures

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which would tear our skin apart?

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If we have a quick look at Teddy's paw...

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-Show us your foot, Teddy.

-There we go.

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-Oh, good boy.

-You can actually see the skin here is quite thickened

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and quite tough, so it acts as a natural insulation there,

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to help stop getting the cold into the deeper layers of his paw.

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But, on very, very cold days,

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-they can actually be subject to frostbite.

-Good boy.

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So, although they're much, much tougher than you or me,

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they're not indestructible.

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Well, there you are, Teddy. I know you love the snow,

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but we might just have to moderate how much time you spend in it

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as and when it comes.

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Now, during the winter, of course, we all like to cosy up at home.

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Is there a danger that we don't give our dogs enough exercise?

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Dogs like a regular walk -

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about 16% of our dogs don't get walked even once a day,

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and that's not acceptable.

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'Yes, it's a shocking statistic that 250,000 of our dogs

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'never get the exercise they so badly need,

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'and a further 6 million get out for less than an hour every day,

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'but, despite there being a distinct wintry chill

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'in the air this morning,

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'it's best paw forward for a group of local dog-owners

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'and their pets.'

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-Hello, everybody. How are you?

-Hello.

-Fantastic!

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This is a very jolly gathering, isn't it?

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Well, it's great to see all of us doing our bit to give our dogs

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the exercise they need,

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but I dare say we've all been spoiling them with

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-a few treats on the walk. Yes?

-THEY LAUGH

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Well, the thing about this time of year,

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it's a really good opportunity, I think,

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when the days are a bit shorter, and we've got a bit more spare time,

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to give them a little bit of an MOT.

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Who fancies a trip to the vet?

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A nice trip to the vet!

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-Come on.

-I certainly do. Come on, then, Daisy.

-Come on, now.

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Many animals put on weight for winter, and dogs are no exception -

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a spare tyre or two acts as insulation -

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but, as is the case for humans,

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canine obesity is becoming a serious problem.

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We're taking our pets for a medical checkup and weigh-in,

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with vet Namnish Heran,

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to find out the perfect weight for each pooch.

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Teddy is first in the queue.

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Mr Hudson with Teddy, please.

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-Hi. How are you?

-Hello. I'm fine, thank you.

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So, if you pop him on the scale straight away,

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-so we have his current weight.

-Sure. Come on, Teddy.

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-Just...

-There we go. As you can see, he's full of beans this morning.

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How is he? Good boy, sit down. There we go.

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Oh, you are an angel.

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'Some dogs are more prone to obesity,

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'including pugs, dachshunds and cocker spaniels -

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'unfortunately for Teddy, Labradors also come high up on the list,

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'so I'm feeling nervous.'

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He's 39.2 kilos.

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Teddy... That's heavier than I would like him to be.

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-I think, yes.

-It's certainly heavier than he has been,

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-certainly before Christmas.

-I do agree with you there.

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He is a bit heavier than

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-what he should be, OK?

-Oh.

-JULES LAUGHS

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Shall we give them a quick examination?

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That would be fantastic if you would, yes.

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So, a general way of looking at them is you just rub your hands

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around the chest there, OK?

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And when you are running your arms, just gently, there,

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you should be able to feel the ribs, OK?

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And you should be able to feel the hips there, as well.

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What do you feed him?

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-He gets a dry mix...

-OK.

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-..a cold-pressed mix...

-All right.

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..and then he gets a little quarter of a little tray of meat

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to go with it to make it a bit exciting.

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-How many times are you feeding him?

-Twice a day.

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That is a lot.

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He gets breakfast and dinner.

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-He shouldn't have to.

-Really?

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OK, at this point, if you can just, just take it less there,

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-just about probably a quarter of it away...

-Yeah.

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..cos the concern is that once it piles up,

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it's very difficult to get it down afterwards.

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'We pet-owners have also got to kick the habit of giving our canine chums

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'too many doggie treats -

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'some of them contain as many calories as a chocolate bar,

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'so it's not hard to see how our beloved mutts pile on the pounds.

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'Let's see how Teddy's new friends measure up.'

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How much did you say she was?

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7.278.

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Eight kilos.

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So, we need to lose a minimum of about two kilos.

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OK.

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Good girl.

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On the scales.

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30.5 kilos.

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-If you can get down to probably 28...

-OK.

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..I would be more happy with that.

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Four-ish? Three, four?

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-Four kilos. Oh, perfect weight, there.

-Four kilos!

-Yeah.

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This way. Come on.

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There we go. There we go. Good girl.

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76 kilos, there.

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She is overweight.

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'Incredibly, just one of the dogs weighed here today

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'is a healthy weight,

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'and that's just the tip of a very large obesity iceberg.'

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I mean, it is quite a common problem, I'm afraid.

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People don't realise it.

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One in three dogs are overweight.

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'Nationally, that's nearly 3 million dogs.

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'It's actually very, very serious -

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'all that chubbiness comes at a price.'

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What you have to understand -

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what any kind of obesity brings with it

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is diabetes, heart disease, joint problems,

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breathing problems, problem of overheating, exercise intolerance...

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'And none of us wants that for our beloved family pets.'

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Good boy, Teddy.

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So, there you have it.

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That mantra that we've all learnt in recent years

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about eating less and moving more,

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perhaps it does apply as much to our dogs as it does to us -

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and so, next time those big brown eyes look up at you,

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demanding that one extra treat,

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well, now you know what to say.

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I'm afraid the answer is going to be no.

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Come on, Teddy, let's work of some of that fat.

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Good boy.

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And I'm sure there's plenty of us who could do with

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going on a diet this winter.

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We Brits have a growing appetite for salad all the year round,

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and for other unseasonal crops,

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and that's led to a revolutionary system of food production.

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Not only is it energy-efficient,

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it's also something that you could try at home.

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Margherita is taking the taste test.

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We don't normally associate our cities with growing food,

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but this unassuming industrial unit in London's East End

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could house the answer to our current lettuce shortage.

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They produce 20,000 kilos of salad here all year round,

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and they're doing it with the help of something rather surprising -

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fish.

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'It's the brainchild of biologist turned urban farmer Tom Webster,

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'who's agreed to show me around.'

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And what do I need this for,

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-on the farm?

-Erm...

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So, this just reduces any contamination risks of you

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bringing anything in from the outdoors.

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-It's a germ-free environment.

-Germ-free environment, exactly.

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-Shall we go through to the fish farm?

-Great. Here we go.

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'For the last four years,

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'Tom's been using a pioneering process called aquaponics.'

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Tom, what is aquaponics?

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It is the combination of two well-established farming practices.

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The first is fish farming, or aquaculture,

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and the second is hydroponics.

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'Hydroponics is a method where plants are grown in water

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'rather than soil.'

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What we do is we take the waste water from a fish farm,

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and we use that as a fertiliser in a hydroponics system

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where we grow salads and leafy herbs.

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And what is it about the fish waste that is so good for growing plants?

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Fish waste is extremely high in nitrogen, and it contains

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a lot of the essential nutrients a plant needs for its growth,

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and because it's already dissolved in the water,

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it means that we can easily use it as a fertiliser for the plants.

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So it's...

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It's the fish poo in the water that you're using to grow the plants.

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Exactly.

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'The waste water is then filtered to take out any contaminants

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'before being fed to the plants.'

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The great thing about this is that it's really replicating what

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happens in nature, so what may seem like quite an artificial system

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is really based on a very natural process.

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And aquaponics, is it relatively new?

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As we're looking at it here, it's fairly new.

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We're one of a few companies doing it on this sort of scale,

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and we really think it's got a large part to play

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in the future of food production.

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'Now the fish have done their bit, I'm keen to see what happens next.

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'When I heard I was spending the day at a farm,

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'I didn't think it would look like something out of

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'a science-fiction film.'

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Wow. Oh, my goodness.

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-Welcome to the farm.

-MARGHERITA LAUGHS

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'Unlike a conventional farm,

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'here they have to provide everything their crops need.'

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So, we maintain it at a steady temperature throughout the day.

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We reduce that at night so the plants get their day and night.

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And you've used every last inch of this space.

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Cities aren't cheap, so we really have to make the most

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out of every square foot of the building.

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And, Tom, what are you actually growing in here?

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We grow a variety of leafy salads.

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These are pea shoots - the young leaves of a pea plant -

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it's one of our salad varieties,

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and we grow them in around two weeks from seed to harvest.

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And the great thing about this sort of environment is that

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that's two weeks, in the middle of December,

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but it's also two weeks in the middle of August,

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so it's always the same.

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So, these plants don't see sunlight or get any rain. It's...

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They're all grown indoors under artificial conditions.

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Correct. Our plants are grown in a very stable environment.

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They are put through very little stress.

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'There's one thing I haven't seen yet.'

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-The fish poo that we saw earlier...

-Yeah?

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..how does that get into here? What happens?

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All right, let me show you.

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The waste is all fed to the root of the plants.

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So, if you look here,

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these plants are grown on a recycled carpet fabric.

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-This is old carpet?

-This is old carpet.

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Why have you got...? You use carpet?

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Carpet is, you know, it's a recycled material.

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It provides everything the plant needs for its early stage of growth.

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So, here you can see the water comes up...

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-So, the seeds are soaking in this nutrient-rich water.

-Exactly.

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'But, ultimately, when it comes to food,

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'the proof of the pudding - or rather the freshly-washed salad -

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'is in the eating,

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'so, what does it actually taste like?'

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Middle of winter, still snowing outside. What have we grown?

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First of all, we've got the pea shoots, then the sunflower shoots.

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There you go.

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OK...

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I don't think I've tried these before.

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It's literally like... The sunflower is the same plant.

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Oh, there's a nutty kind of flavour to that.

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-It's delicious, isn't it?

-Mmm. I like that one.

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'And not the slightest tang of fish poo.'

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-And then more familiar will probably be the watercress.

-OK.

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-So, all grown aquaponically?

-All of it.

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I'll just take a little...

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Oh, it's got a real kick to it.

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-Yeah, very peppery.

-Real pepper...

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Well, now I've, sort of, had my hands in all these,

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I was just thinking maybe I could...

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It would be silly to throw them away, wouldn't it?

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You know, no-one else would want them now, would they?

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No. There you go.

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'Aquaponics is set to become big business in the UK,

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'and, amazingly, with the right kit, it's something you can do at home.

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'Specialist Vlad Petric has agreed to show me the ins and outs.'

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And what kind of fish have you got in this system?

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Tilapia, which is a warm-water fish,

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so it has to be kept at really high temperatures.

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It's more for indoor use.

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People generally start off with aquaculture,

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so, guys, they have an aquarium at home and have an interest in fish in

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general, and they want to step it up and have their herb garden as well.

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A system like this would cost around £600, but they do come smaller.

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Now, this looks simple enough.

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How much work I going to have to put in?

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Once it's up and running, you'll have to spend, maybe,

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five minutes to ten minutes a day,

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and do weekly maintenance that might take half an hour,

0:15:140:15:17

and that's pretty much it.

0:15:170:15:18

It's pretty simple and it's really enjoyable.

0:15:180:15:20

You can also get the kids involved.

0:15:200:15:21

You can start off as a complete beginner and do the basics,

0:15:210:15:24

but then you can learn more, so it's a science as well as a hobby.

0:15:240:15:27

So, is it that...that simple?

0:15:270:15:29

-Fish food, regular cleaning...

-Yeah.

0:15:290:15:31

-..and I've got herbs, salad...

-To feed your whole family with.

0:15:310:15:35

-..year-round.

-Yeah.

0:15:350:15:37

It's amazing to think that putting your pet goldfish to work at home

0:15:370:15:40

could help provide greens for your table.

0:15:400:15:42

Good news, there, for lettuce-lovers.

0:15:440:15:46

Now, from state-of-the-art to more traditional methods

0:15:460:15:49

in the snowcapped Yorkshire Dales... COWS MOO

0:15:490:15:52

..and a reminder that, although spring is around the corner,

0:15:520:15:55

winter still has a sting in its tail.

0:15:550:15:58

Adam braved the elements to find out how farming

0:15:580:16:00

has influenced this breathtaking landscape.

0:16:000:16:04

Every time I come here, I'm amazed at how different it is

0:16:040:16:07

-from back home in the Cotswolds.

-SHEEP BLEAT

0:16:070:16:09

This scenery is classic Yorkshire Dales,

0:16:090:16:12

and with the snow on the ground, it looks absolutely stunning.

0:16:120:16:16

And dotted around down in the valley and up on the hills,

0:16:160:16:18

you can see the odd sheep and cow,

0:16:180:16:20

but they look very small in this huge landscape,

0:16:200:16:23

and quite insignificant, but, actually, they've played

0:16:230:16:26

a major role in shaping this land for thousands of years.

0:16:260:16:30

Nothing is as natural as it appears.

0:16:330:16:35

Farmers down the millennia have worked and made this land

0:16:350:16:38

what it is today.

0:16:380:16:40

Those early farmers must have found it pretty tough going up here.

0:16:410:16:45

The landscape is hard and unforgiving,

0:16:450:16:48

and the weather, at times, can be harsh and unpredictable,

0:16:480:16:51

so shelter was essential.

0:16:510:16:53

Just imagine what it must have been like for those prehistoric farmers

0:16:530:16:57

when they came across this place.

0:16:570:16:59

Malham Cove -

0:17:030:17:06

this natural limestone amphitheatre

0:17:060:17:08

offered protection from the elements,

0:17:080:17:10

somewhere to shelter from the ice and the snow.

0:17:100:17:14

The survival of those early farmers would have depended on it.

0:17:140:17:17

It's been described as one of the natural wonders of Britain.

0:17:200:17:23

So, those early farmers had shelter.

0:17:260:17:29

Apparently, evidence they were here is in the landscape all around us.

0:17:290:17:33

To find out more, I'm meeting Miles Johnson -

0:17:340:17:37

he's the archaeological adviser for the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

0:17:370:17:42

But how do we get a look at this evidence?

0:17:420:17:45

We fly over it.

0:17:460:17:47

DRONE BUZZES

0:17:490:17:51

Our eye in the sky shows us more than just prehistoric remains -

0:17:510:17:55

there are clear signs of medieval farming below.

0:17:550:17:58

What can you see here, then, of some significance, Miles?

0:17:580:18:01

If you look across,

0:18:010:18:02

you can see that there's long lines running through the shot.

0:18:020:18:05

-Yeah, those stripes.

-That's right.

0:18:050:18:07

Those are what we call cultivation terraces or lynchets.

0:18:070:18:10

They are basically the remnants of the medieval farming landscape,

0:18:100:18:14

and each of those terraces will represent a farmer's strip,

0:18:140:18:18

and on that strip the farmer will have planted oats, or turnips,

0:18:180:18:22

or swedes, or something like that.

0:18:220:18:24

And now, you know, we just use it for grazing, don't we, up here?

0:18:240:18:27

Exactly, and that's part of the beauty of it,

0:18:270:18:30

in that, you know, the more recent pastoral management

0:18:300:18:33

has preserved this wonderful older landscape.

0:18:330:18:36

So, these acres have been farmed for millennia,

0:18:400:18:44

and they're still being farmed.

0:18:440:18:46

I'm joining my old mate Neil Heseltine.

0:18:460:18:49

-COWS MOO

-Neil farms a herd of native

0:18:490:18:51

Belted Galloways, hardy cattle suited to this land.

0:18:510:18:54

-Hi, Neil.

-Hi, Adam. How are you doing?

0:18:570:18:58

All right. I was told you were out with your cattle,

0:18:580:19:00

-but it's quite a walk, isn't it?

-It is.

0:19:000:19:02

-You managed it all right, though.

-I did, yeah.

-Good.

0:19:020:19:04

And the cattle seem to thrive up here.

0:19:040:19:06

Yeah, we're really pleased with them, actually.

0:19:060:19:08

You know, they obviously live up here all winter,

0:19:080:19:10

and they're looking in good fettle at the moment.

0:19:100:19:13

So, it's about grazing to suit the environment,

0:19:130:19:15

-as well as looking after the cattle?

-Yeah, it is.

0:19:150:19:17

It's about getting this grass down so that the flowers are

0:19:170:19:20

allowed to flower in spring and come through,

0:19:200:19:22

and so the sward isn't dominated by grasses.

0:19:220:19:25

We've got to move these to another field to,

0:19:250:19:26

sort of, do the same thing there,

0:19:260:19:28

so, if you want to give us a hand, that'd be great.

0:19:280:19:30

You always get me working up here when I come and see you.

0:19:300:19:32

Yeah, well, I know you do very little at home,

0:19:320:19:34

so we'll put you to some work.

0:19:340:19:35

Yeah, all right.

0:19:350:19:37

Come on, girls.

0:19:440:19:46

They're going along very nicely, aren't they?

0:19:460:19:48

Yeah, well, they've been along the route a few times now,

0:19:480:19:50

so they, kind of, know their way,

0:19:500:19:52

and with a bike and trailer in front of them with a load of silage,

0:19:520:19:54

they just follow their noses.

0:19:540:19:56

These dry-stone walls are amazing -

0:19:590:20:01

quite different to what we have in the Cotswolds.

0:20:010:20:03

Yeah, I mean, obviously there's a plentiful supply of stone around,

0:20:030:20:06

so they could make them as high as they wanted, really,

0:20:060:20:09

and I think these roads would originally be, sort of,

0:20:090:20:12

-built and enclosed for moving stock along, primarily...

-Yeah.

0:20:120:20:14

..and it's only probably in recent times that

0:20:140:20:16

-they've become actual roads for cars.

-Yeah.

0:20:160:20:19

We've got to get them round this car. Is that a problem?

0:20:190:20:21

Well, not really, as long as they get sided up, as we call it,

0:20:210:20:24

as long as they get well in the side,

0:20:240:20:26

and the cattle will get past OK as long as he turns his engine off,

0:20:260:20:29

but, erm...

0:20:290:20:30

They sometimes get a bit funny with us,

0:20:300:20:32

but it's the cars that are impostors on the road, not the cows.

0:20:320:20:35

COW MOOS

0:20:400:20:42

So, are your cattle fed purely on grass,

0:20:420:20:44

or do you feed grain and concentrate pellets to them?

0:20:440:20:47

No, we... We've had them for about 12 years now,

0:20:470:20:50

and we've never fed them any grain whatsoever.

0:20:500:20:52

And is there a premium for that kind of meat?

0:20:520:20:55

Well, yeah. We've actually...

0:20:550:20:57

We've become approved suppliers of

0:20:570:20:58

the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association,

0:20:580:21:00

which deal entirely with mainly beef and lamb,

0:21:000:21:03

which is all produced without any use of grain whatsoever.

0:21:030:21:06

It's incredible, isn't it, when you think of the archaeology

0:21:060:21:09

and some of the people have been here for thousands of years,

0:21:090:21:11

producing meat that you're now doing today?

0:21:110:21:13

'And just like those old farmers, we have to be ready for anything...'

0:21:150:21:19

WIND BLOWS

0:21:190:21:21

COWS MOO

0:21:210:21:23

'..because nature has a tendency to bite back.

0:21:230:21:26

'The blizzard comes out of nowhere.

0:21:290:21:31

'The Belted Galloways just plough on, seemingly oblivious.

0:21:330:21:38

'For Neil and I, it's not quite so easy,

0:21:380:21:40

'and we soon fall behind the herd...

0:21:400:21:42

'..but there's more trouble ahead.'

0:21:440:21:46

SO, it looks like the last bit of the journey's going to

0:21:460:21:48

be the hardest bit, Adam.

0:21:480:21:50

How are we going to get this open?

0:21:500:21:52

I think all we can do is dig it out, I think.

0:21:520:21:54

-So, if you...

-Is this is the field where they're going?

0:21:540:21:56

Yeah, this is where we're going to finish up,

0:21:560:21:58

so if you could just start digging that out, Adam...

0:21:580:22:00

-ADAM LAUGHS

-Yeah. Righto.

0:22:000:22:02

Give me the sunny Cotswolds any day.

0:22:030:22:06

ADAM LAUGHS

0:22:060:22:08

Keep going that way with it.

0:22:080:22:10

I told you to bring a shovel.

0:22:140:22:15

THEY LAUGH

0:22:150:22:17

'With the gate finally open,

0:22:210:22:23

we tempt the cattle through with some tasty silage.'

0:22:230:22:26

Go on, girls!

0:22:260:22:27

'When the snow melts, they'll get to work grazing,

0:22:270:22:30

'keeping the grass short,

0:22:300:22:32

'allowing wild flowers to burst through later in the spring.'

0:22:320:22:35

So, this is their nice new home.

0:22:360:22:38

Yeah, they'll be glad we brought them, won't they?

0:22:380:22:40

It's horrible!

0:22:400:22:41

And they're stood here as steady as rocks, whereas I'm freezing.

0:22:410:22:44

Yeah, yeah, it comes back to that hardiness

0:22:440:22:46

we were talking about before,

0:22:460:22:47

and, you know, they're bred to do this...

0:22:470:22:49

-Yeah.

-..so, hopefully, like I say, in the next couple of days

0:22:490:22:52

we'll keep an eye on them, but they should be fine.

0:22:520:22:55

'From earliest times, farmers have worked this countryside,

0:22:550:22:59

'battling the elements, eking out a living,

0:22:590:23:02

'but they've left their mark and continue to shape this land.'

0:23:020:23:06

There's a sort of serenity to this winter landscape,

0:23:130:23:17

but being outdoors can be inspirational

0:23:170:23:20

even on a smaller scale.

0:23:200:23:21

Gardens, for instance,

0:23:210:23:23

can be at their colourful best in spring and summer,

0:23:230:23:26

but even at this time of year they can offer some surprising riches,

0:23:260:23:30

and Paul has been to a grand garden in Wiltshire

0:23:300:23:33

to get some seasonal tips for all of us.

0:23:330:23:35

It's nippy this morning, but wintertime really provides us

0:23:440:23:48

with the opportunity to look at

0:23:480:23:50

the areas of the garden that need working on,

0:23:500:23:53

when it's bare-bones or exposed.

0:23:530:23:55

Most of us want a garden that's pleasurable to look at and be in.

0:23:550:24:00

In this area of the garden, on our front lawn,

0:24:000:24:03

I'm really happy with it,

0:24:030:24:05

because it gives us lovely splashes of greens and greys and silvers.

0:24:050:24:08

It looks good all year round,

0:24:080:24:10

but, when I turn here to this bank,

0:24:100:24:13

I just don't know what to do with it.

0:24:130:24:15

It looks a complete mess, so now I want to turn it into meadow grass,

0:24:150:24:19

maybe wild flowers, or turn it into a border to add a splash of colour.

0:24:190:24:23

I think it needs a splash of colour.

0:24:230:24:25

So, that's my challenge, and I need some advice,

0:24:250:24:27

because I haven't got a clue what to do or what to plant up.

0:24:270:24:30

So, for winter planting tips,

0:24:320:24:34

I'm going somewhere the kids and I love visiting.

0:24:340:24:37

The Courts Garden is an attractive, seven-acre, formal garden,

0:24:400:24:43

and it's something of a local gem, even in the heart of winter.

0:24:430:24:47

The house dates back to the 18th century,

0:24:490:24:52

but the grounds are heavily inspired by the Arts and Crafts style

0:24:520:24:56

of English country garden from the early 20th century.

0:24:560:24:59

It's a big job keeping the gardens looking their best all year round.

0:25:010:25:05

For the last six years, Neil Carter has been part of the team

0:25:050:25:09

bringing their skills to the job.

0:25:090:25:11

I love these gardens, and we come here as a family quite a lot,

0:25:130:25:16

all year round.

0:25:160:25:17

Talk me through the layout and the design.

0:25:170:25:19

Well, the garden itself is laid out in a series of rooms -

0:25:190:25:22

both formally, with the use of hedges of varying heights,

0:25:220:25:25

and informally, with the use of borders -

0:25:250:25:28

and that means you can turn a corner

0:25:280:25:31

and there's something new on every corner.

0:25:310:25:32

Cos, I mean, it's quite exciting -

0:25:320:25:34

you don't know what's going to happen next.

0:25:340:25:36

And it's a garden designed by the owners,

0:25:360:25:38

who really weren't horticulturalists.

0:25:380:25:40

-Mm-hmm.

-It's just the personal touch.

0:25:400:25:43

And it's a privilege to work in a garden like this.

0:25:430:25:46

This is just so beautiful, it really is.

0:25:460:25:50

My garden pond's gone a bit wild. I'm a bit embarrassed by it.

0:25:500:25:53

But plenty of people have got ponds -

0:25:530:25:55

what should they be doing at this time of the year?

0:25:550:25:57

At this time of the year, it's a good idea to get in there

0:25:570:25:59

and clean it out.

0:25:590:26:00

-Not too much. Leave some stuff in...

-OK, OK.

0:26:000:26:02

-..cos all the wildlife is...

-Elsewhere at the moment.

0:26:020:26:04

-..elsewhere. Yeah.

-So it's a safe time to do it.

0:26:040:26:07

So, what have you got planted up around it?

0:26:070:26:09

Along both sides, we've got Iris sibirica, which is...

0:26:090:26:12

Yeah, and irises like water, don't they?

0:26:120:26:14

Irises do like water, yes.

0:26:140:26:15

-They're very nice blue flowers in June.

-Mm-hmm.

0:26:150:26:19

And then, following those, there's Angels' Fishing Rods,

0:26:190:26:22

-which have lovely, long, arching stems.

-Oh, I know...

0:26:220:26:26

Not a lot of colour this time of the year,

0:26:260:26:28

but, boy, does that look good, that vista,

0:26:280:26:30

when you look down there and you see the reflections,

0:26:300:26:33

and it's just so calming, isn't it?

0:26:330:26:35

It is, and you can plant around the pond for winter...

0:26:350:26:38

-with winter interest that reflects within the pond.

-Such as?

0:26:380:26:41

-Dogwoods are a good...a good idea.

-DOG BARKS

0:26:410:26:43

Is that a shrub?

0:26:430:26:44

-It's a shrub with colourful stems.

-OK.

0:26:440:26:48

'Great. Neil's green-fingered tips are just what I'm after,

0:26:480:26:51

'but what can he suggest for a border?'

0:26:510:26:54

Well, if you've got a bank, and you want, really,

0:26:540:26:56

year-round interest, I would probably recommend periwinkles.

0:26:560:26:59

-And what colour's that?

-Blue.

0:26:590:27:01

Blue. Brilliant.

0:27:010:27:02

A solid blue like that, it'd be a streak of that -

0:27:020:27:04

I think that'd look quite dynamic.

0:27:040:27:06

When should I plant that up?

0:27:060:27:07

Well, any time of year.

0:27:070:27:09

The most economical way of planting a large bank like that

0:27:090:27:11

-would be to buy plug plants.

-OK.

0:27:110:27:13

-You can get 200-300 plug plants...

-Right.

0:27:130:27:15

..and I would recommend planting them through a membrane.

0:27:150:27:18

So, I have to scalp it and get rid of the grass.

0:27:180:27:20

You will have to get rid of the grass. Yeah.

0:27:200:27:21

OK, and what about maintenance? It's a hard area to get at.

0:27:210:27:24

It doesn't need any maintenance. You...

0:27:240:27:26

All the maintenance that'll be needed is keeping it on the banks,

0:27:260:27:29

-so you'll probably have to move past it or clip...

-Yeah.

0:27:290:27:31

-..clip the bottom of it.

-Which we do anyway.

-Yeah.

0:27:310:27:33

I think it sounds brilliant. You've sold me on that idea.

0:27:330:27:35

I can't wait to get started.

0:27:350:27:37

Winter is the time when gardeners get ahead

0:27:380:27:41

and prepare for the coming spring.

0:27:410:27:43

Here at Courts Garden, they're getting things in order for

0:27:430:27:46

when they open to the public later this month.

0:27:460:27:50

Neil's keen that we tackle the herbaceous borders

0:27:500:27:52

and, over in this bed, there's a lot of plants that need dividing up.

0:27:520:27:56

So, you're getting tight in?

0:27:580:27:59

You are. You get right under it.

0:27:590:28:01

The ground's really hard, isn't it, at this time of the year?

0:28:010:28:05

Are you not frightened to, sort of, chop right in, right on it?

0:28:050:28:09

Not really, no.

0:28:090:28:10

-Do you want a hand on this side?

-Yeah, go on.

0:28:100:28:12

-You use two forks, then, to split it apart.

-OK, I reckon we can do that.

0:28:120:28:16

Yeah, and back-to-back.

0:28:160:28:19

-Pop it in...

-Yeah.

0:28:190:28:20

..and prise them apart.

0:28:230:28:25

-They are tough, but they split quite easy.

-They are tough.

0:28:250:28:28

As long as you've got the crown.

0:28:280:28:30

So, we've managed to get four out of that one.

0:28:300:28:33

-We have, yeah.

-Yeah.

0:28:330:28:34

If we were going to divide them further for planting into a pot,

0:28:340:28:37

you could take that further or you could keep going.

0:28:370:28:40

Gosh. Five out of one.

0:28:400:28:42

-Shall we put them in a bucket and do some more?

-Yeah.

0:28:420:28:45

I love the sound of that crunch. It's rather satisfying.

0:28:480:28:51

Gosh, it keeps you warm as well, at this time of the year.

0:28:510:28:55

Ah...

0:28:550:28:56

'Winter's not just about digging stuff up -

0:28:570:29:00

'there's pruning to be done as well.

0:29:000:29:02

'Neil has got some tips to ensure these roses look their best

0:29:020:29:06

'later in the year.'

0:29:060:29:08

A good, hard cut back. Don't be scared of it.

0:29:080:29:11

No, don't be scared of it, and you prune them down to the first bud.

0:29:110:29:14

-No more than an inch.

-Yeah, OK. Yeah.

0:29:140:29:16

And you just keep going.

0:29:160:29:18

'Once they're pruned, you can leave the stems as they are.

0:29:180:29:21

'On the other hand, you can try Neil's nifty little trick

0:29:210:29:25

'with hazel poles and a ball of twine.'

0:29:250:29:27

So, how will you start with this? What are you looking at?

0:29:270:29:30

Well, you need to take the hazel, and you see, carefully, then?

0:29:300:29:34

-OK. OK. Over your knee.

-Cos there's nothing more frustrating than

0:29:340:29:37

-getting to the end and it snaps.

-And it snaps!

0:29:370:29:39

So, yes, you've got to gently get it to bend.

0:29:390:29:43

-OK, gently, and it becomes quite pliable.

-Gently.

0:29:430:29:47

'The poles are pushed down into the soil,

0:29:470:29:49

'just a couple of inches at each end, to form an arch.'

0:29:490:29:52

That's perfect. Nice and supple.

0:29:520:29:54

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:29:540:29:56

'Once you're happy with your arches,

0:29:560:29:58

'the pruned rose stems are tied in with twine.'

0:29:580:30:01

It looks neat and tidy, and that's very quick as well,

0:30:020:30:06

but I like the fact that you've created shapes that you

0:30:060:30:09

wouldn't expect to see, and I'm going to give that a go.

0:30:090:30:12

'These hazel supports will train the roses and, come summer,

0:30:120:30:16

'they'll blossom into arches of colour.'

0:30:160:30:19

Come back and see this in June, when it's in full bloom,

0:30:190:30:21

-for the final effect.

-Yeah. Yeah, I'll do that.

0:30:210:30:24

If you want to do up your garden,

0:30:280:30:29

I can definitely recommend visiting a place you love.

0:30:290:30:33

You'll be amazed at what you see that can inspire you,

0:30:330:30:36

even at this time of the year, in the heart of winter.

0:30:360:30:39

As we come to the end of this year's Countryfile Winter Diaries,

0:30:500:30:54

let's get a progress report on a remarkably bold project

0:30:540:30:58

which is taking place right here,

0:30:580:31:00

in the heart of the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park,

0:31:000:31:03

which has been our base for all this week.

0:31:030:31:05

An enormous forest for the future is springing up all around me,

0:31:080:31:12

thanks to the Forestry Commission, the RSPB, and the Woodland Trust.

0:31:120:31:17

8 million trees will eventually cover an area as large as Glasgow,

0:31:170:31:22

but don't hold your breath -

0:31:220:31:23

the estimated completion date is 2207.

0:31:230:31:27

Countryfile was here eight years ago,

0:31:270:31:29

shortly after the project was launched.

0:31:290:31:32

Deforestation and overgrazing had destroyed many habitats

0:31:330:31:37

vital to the survival of native species,

0:31:370:31:40

but, by connecting adjacent areas of woodland, it was hoped that

0:31:400:31:44

these habitats would be restored and wildlife would return.

0:31:440:31:48

No easy task, as Katie Knapman discovered at the time,

0:31:480:31:51

when she helped John Mulgrew of the Forestry Commission.

0:31:510:31:55

And how many are you hoping to plant?

0:31:550:31:57

Erm, this year, about 250,000 trees.

0:31:570:32:00

Oh, so we've got quite a way to go.

0:32:000:32:01

-We have a long way to go, yeah.

-OK.

0:32:010:32:03

'Now, in the depths of winter,

0:32:140:32:16

'and almost a decade since we visited,

0:32:160:32:19

'I can see lots and lots of saplings.'

0:32:190:32:21

What a view, isn't it, eh?

0:32:220:32:24

It's absolutely beautiful.

0:32:240:32:27

'Project manager for the Great Trossachs Forest is Sue Morris,

0:32:270:32:30

'and she's giving me an update.'

0:32:300:32:33

And what a huge challenge everybody's taken on -

0:32:330:32:36

I mean, 8 million trees in a forest the size of Glasgow.

0:32:360:32:40

How's it going now?

0:32:400:32:41

So, since you guys were here, we've planted 2 million trees.

0:32:410:32:45

We've got areas that are naturally regenerating.

0:32:450:32:48

We're working hard to tackle invasive species,

0:32:480:32:51

and encouraging biodiversity,

0:32:510:32:53

so we're ten years in, but it's a 200-year project, so...

0:32:530:32:56

Going well so far, then?

0:32:560:32:57

We've got a long way to go, but it's going well so far.

0:32:570:33:00

-And here's just one of those trees.

-Yeah.

0:33:000:33:02

It's a birch, isn't it?

0:33:020:33:03

It is a birch, yes.

0:33:030:33:04

And as well as birch, what other trees are you planting?

0:33:040:33:07

So, we're planting Scots pine, hawthorn, juniper,

0:33:070:33:12

a lot of oak, ash, alder,

0:33:120:33:15

a variety of species depending on what the soil

0:33:150:33:18

-and what the aspect looks like.

-A lot of...

0:33:180:33:19

-A lot of traditional trees.

-All native trees.

0:33:190:33:22

'But recreating the ancient woodlands that once stood here is

0:33:220:33:26

'not simply a matter of planting row upon row of saplings.'

0:33:260:33:30

-When the project is finished...

-Yeah.

0:33:300:33:31

..it's not going to be all trees, though?

0:33:310:33:33

It's not going to be, you know, the traditional forestry thing.

0:33:330:33:36

It's going to be like this -

0:33:360:33:37

this open mosaic of woodland and open habitats.

0:33:370:33:40

But what about conifers?

0:33:400:33:42

Because when people think of Scotland,

0:33:420:33:44

they think of regimented rows of conifer trees.

0:33:440:33:47

No, we're not planting conifers.

0:33:470:33:49

We do have some remnants left, as you can see across the lochside,

0:33:490:33:52

but they ultimately will come out. They will be felled.

0:33:520:33:55

Red squirrels love conifers, don't they? What about them?

0:33:550:33:57

-They do, and...

-And you've got lots of red squirrels.

-We do.

0:33:570:34:00

We have... We have a very... We have a stronghold for red squirrels,

0:34:000:34:03

so whilst creatures like that need their food,

0:34:030:34:06

and whilst the young trees can't provide those seeds at the moment,

0:34:060:34:10

we're retaining some conifers to enable the food source

0:34:100:34:14

and the wider population to thrive.

0:34:140:34:17

'Increased biodiversity is the overarching goal of the project,

0:34:170:34:21

'and an unlikely creature has been lending a helping hoof.'

0:34:210:34:25

We have Highland cattle.

0:34:250:34:26

We have Luing cattle over on another part of the Great Trossachs Forest.

0:34:260:34:30

They are used for different purposes. They break up the ground.

0:34:300:34:33

They help push tree seeds into the ground,

0:34:330:34:36

to encourage natural regeneration.

0:34:360:34:38

They break up the bracken,

0:34:380:34:40

which, then, the frost gets in and helps to kill the bracken,

0:34:400:34:42

and then we also have this really important habitat,

0:34:420:34:45

called wood pasture, which requires an element of grazing to create this

0:34:450:34:50

habitat, so the cattle are key to us to deliver that habitat as well.

0:34:500:34:54

'Well, it's still early days,

0:34:540:34:56

'but there seems to be encouraging signs of life.'

0:34:560:34:59

We monitor certain species,

0:34:590:35:00

and there are certain species that we expected to come back.

0:35:000:35:03

Black grouse is one of them.

0:35:030:35:04

We've had a huge increase in the black grouse population,

0:35:040:35:07

which, as a nationally declining population,

0:35:070:35:09

-we were really pleased with.

-Yeah.

0:35:090:35:11

It's since stabilised because the black grouse need a woodland edge.

0:35:110:35:15

They need moorland.

0:35:150:35:16

They're very fussy, but they're beautiful creatures.

0:35:160:35:19

'The mating ritual of the black grouse is something to behold.

0:35:190:35:23

'The males perform an elaborate dance

0:35:230:35:25

'on what's known as a lekking site.'

0:35:250:35:28

These leks are popping up in new locations -

0:35:280:35:31

as our woodland expands and the woodland edge moves, so do the leks,

0:35:310:35:35

having these open glades, encouraging wild flowers

0:35:350:35:38

and the understorey of woodlands to come back.

0:35:380:35:41

So, only 6 million trees left to plant.

0:35:420:35:45

Well, we've got quite a lot of them in.

0:35:450:35:47

I think the regeneration will do most of that for us, so we...

0:35:470:35:51

We've done the bulk of the planting now.

0:35:510:35:53

I think now we need to wait and see what happens, so it's exciting.

0:35:530:35:58

It is, and I think everybody in the world of conservationists

0:35:580:36:01

is watching this with bated breath.

0:36:010:36:03

Everybody wants to succeed, don't they?

0:36:030:36:05

Absolutely, and it will - I'll make sure of it.

0:36:050:36:08

The National Park is home to a wonderful array of wildlife,

0:36:140:36:17

everything from deer and osprey to seals and porpoises,

0:36:170:36:21

but there's one creature that Ellie always wanted to see in the wild,

0:36:210:36:25

and she went further north,

0:36:250:36:27

to the Uist Islands in the Outer Hebrides,

0:36:270:36:29

to see how their community of otters are coping with the harsh winters.

0:36:290:36:34

The islands here take on a different character in the winter.

0:36:430:36:47

The last of the holiday-makers have gone

0:36:470:36:49

and the wildlife reclaims the land.

0:36:490:36:51

This footage was taken by our crew before I arrived,

0:36:560:36:59

but they only managed to get a glimpse.

0:36:590:37:01

Typical - I'm never in the right place at the right time.

0:37:010:37:06

'So, I'm not taking any chances.

0:37:060:37:08

'I'm joining Steve Duffield -

0:37:080:37:10

'he's the Hebrides' top otter-spotter

0:37:100:37:12

'and he knows the best places to look.'

0:37:120:37:15

THEY LAUGH

0:37:150:37:17

So, Steve, what are our chances of actually seeing otters today?

0:37:170:37:20

Well, they're not bad.

0:37:200:37:21

There's probably something like about 75%, 80% chance

0:37:210:37:25

-of actually seeing one.

-Mmm. I like those odds.

0:37:250:37:27

A lot of it's to do with the timing.

0:37:270:37:28

If you're there at the right time of day, with the tides

0:37:280:37:30

either rising or falling, you've got a better chance than,

0:37:300:37:33

say, if you were there at low tide, or at high tide.

0:37:330:37:35

This is pretty much the bleak midwinter -

0:37:350:37:37

how come this season is good for them?

0:37:370:37:39

The weather's much harsher at this time of year.

0:37:390:37:41

It's cold, and so they actually have to feed more,

0:37:410:37:43

so they're actually active for much longer periods.

0:37:430:37:45

-So, it gives us a better chance of seeing them, then?

-Yeah, absolutely.

0:37:450:37:48

-Yeah.

-Hmm, let's hope so.

0:37:480:37:49

'We need to track down these elusive creatures,

0:37:540:37:57

'so Steve and I are looking for telltale signs -

0:37:570:37:59

'their poo, or spraints as they're called.

0:37:590:38:02

'Mmm, nice(!)'

0:38:020:38:04

So this is a great patch here.

0:38:050:38:07

You can see that there's loads of signs around here that

0:38:070:38:09

-otters have been using it.

-Oh, yeah.

0:38:090:38:11

You see that it's all flattened but lots of spraints as well.

0:38:110:38:14

See that?

0:38:140:38:15

That's incredibly fresh there.

0:38:150:38:17

Oh! So fresh it's a bit too wet to pick up.

0:38:170:38:20

-Still wet, yeah.

-How delicious.

0:38:200:38:22

-There are spraints all over this.

-There are, yeah.

0:38:220:38:25

If you actually smell that, it's not that...

0:38:250:38:28

It's not a bad smell!

0:38:280:38:29

No, it's not horrendous.

0:38:290:38:30

But once you know what it is, it puts you off.

0:38:300:38:33

THEY LAUGH

0:38:330:38:34

Sort of mushroomy, would that be right?

0:38:340:38:36

Actually, I've never thought of it like that but, yeah,

0:38:360:38:38

I would say that, yeah. It's sort of a slightly fishy, musky smell.

0:38:380:38:42

Not something you'd obviously make a perfume out of.

0:38:420:38:45

-You wouldn't hurry to do that.

-But it's not unpleasant.

0:38:450:38:48

Well, you know, they could be watching us right now.

0:38:480:38:51

From a distance!

0:38:510:38:52

Yeah, watching us poke around in their poo.

0:38:520:38:55

Yeah! "Weirdos."

0:38:550:38:57

It's very green here, you see,

0:38:570:38:59

compared with all the area around it and it's almost definitely

0:38:590:39:02

because the otters have used this area for a long time

0:39:020:39:05

and they've been sprainting here, so they've actually enriched the area.

0:39:050:39:09

This is why it looks so bright green compared to the rest of the place.

0:39:090:39:12

-It's been fertilising it.

-It has, absolutely, yeah.

0:39:120:39:14

It's a good location but there's an even better one just over here.

0:39:140:39:17

Oh, great. We'll take a look.

0:39:170:39:19

So there's solid evidence that they've been here recently.

0:39:230:39:27

Now all I need is an eagle eye to see one.

0:39:270:39:29

-Is this a good spot?

-This is an excellent spot, yeah.

0:39:290:39:32

We've actually been seeing otters here throughout the summer.

0:39:320:39:36

There's actually been a family,

0:39:360:39:37

two youngsters and a female, using this area.

0:39:370:39:40

It's a cracking place for them

0:39:400:39:42

and a good place to stay for a while and scour the area.

0:39:420:39:46

You've got a good vista all the way around across...

0:39:460:39:49

Yeah, that's right and they do use all of this area as well.

0:39:490:39:53

-OK, a big range.

-Yeah.

0:39:530:39:54

They could turn up virtually anywhere in this bay.

0:40:010:40:04

So far all I can see is the odd heron.

0:40:040:40:06

-A bit of a waiting game, isn't it, Steve?

-It is, yeah.

0:40:120:40:15

It's a long time coming, but right on cue...

0:40:150:40:19

There's one, just up, just over there.

0:40:190:40:21

You see, if you look up the left-hand side of the island

0:40:210:40:23

then towards the seaweed, there's one just...

0:40:230:40:26

Oh, yes!

0:40:260:40:28

Fantastic.

0:40:280:40:30

I've never seen an otter in broad daylight before.

0:40:300:40:32

This is amazing.

0:40:320:40:34

Yeah, there it is, right-hand side, coming down this side of the island.

0:40:350:40:38

Oh, yes.

0:40:380:40:40

You can see it roll. If you have a look in the telescope, Ellie,

0:40:400:40:44

-it was just rolling in the seaweed there.

-Part of its grooming process?

0:40:440:40:48

Yeah. It's really important

0:40:480:40:50

that they maintain the quality of their fur

0:40:500:40:54

and they're actually a freshwater creature

0:40:540:40:57

but it's using the marine environment to its advantage

0:40:570:41:00

because there's more food in here

0:41:000:41:02

but they do have to sort of maintain their coat,

0:41:020:41:05

so they can't let it get matted up with salt water.

0:41:050:41:07

-They'll have to return to freshwater to actually wash...

-To clean off?

0:41:070:41:11

-To clean off, yeah.

-Oh, right.

0:41:110:41:13

-Hello, heading off.

-It's going up the rock, yeah.

0:41:130:41:16

The tail's amazing, isn't it?

0:41:160:41:18

You see that, the way it's stiffened its tail there?

0:41:180:41:20

-Yeah.

-That's sprainting at that moment.

0:41:200:41:23

You see, it's just got a very stiff tail

0:41:230:41:25

so it's leaving a scent marking there for the other otters.

0:41:250:41:28

I honestly didn't think we were going to see one today.

0:41:300:41:32

That was quite a waiting game.

0:41:320:41:34

I know. It often is that way

0:41:340:41:37

and you often have a feeling that there's nothing here at all.

0:41:370:41:42

It just takes time, really,

0:41:420:41:44

but if you're patient, you will eventually see them.

0:41:440:41:47

And for the next hour,

0:41:480:41:50

these amazing creatures frolicked in the sea right in front of me.

0:41:500:41:54

It felt like my own personal show.

0:41:540:41:56

-All the water coming out of their fur.

-It's got a fish!

0:41:560:41:59

The Uists are about the best place in the UK to go otter spotting

0:42:090:42:13

and thanks to Steve, I've realised

0:42:130:42:15

one of my lifelong ambitions, to see them.

0:42:150:42:17

One just popped up, it's got another fish.

0:42:310:42:33

Successful day today.

0:42:350:42:36

Oh, that's amazing.

0:42:400:42:41

And that's all we've got time for from our Winter Diaries.

0:42:500:42:53

It's been a real pleasure to celebrate the season here

0:42:530:42:56

in the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park,

0:42:560:43:00

but we'll be back soon with Countryfile: Spring Diaries

0:43:000:43:03

and we hope that you will be watching. Until then, goodbye.

0:43:030:43:07

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