0:00:02 > 0:00:04The days may be some of the shortest in the year,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07and the hours are the darkest,
0:00:07 > 0:00:09but winter casts its own special spell.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16A time to embrace the magic of our wonderful British landscape.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Be captivated by our wildlife.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24And enjoy the bracing great outdoors.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32The season may be beautiful, but winter's not without its problems.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37All week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:39 > 0:00:42- Little sieves make perfect feeders. - Brilliant! You know what?
0:00:42 > 0:00:44My kids would love to do this.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Some people say, "Why don't you put the heating on at home?"
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Because we can't afford it. The cost is astronomical.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00A warm welcome to Countryfile Winter Diaries.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12And here's what we've got coming up for you on today's programme.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Winter weather goes off the rails, causing chaos on the track.
0:01:16 > 0:01:17We've had landslides.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20The railway moved 40 metres towards the sea
0:01:20 > 0:01:22and it's a real challenge to look after.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Doggy detectives are sniffing out cancer.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29When we have a particular disease or condition, that changes our odour
0:01:29 > 0:01:32and the dog can identify the disease by this change.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36And from windowsills to balconies,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38I'll be digging up some ingenious ideas
0:01:38 > 0:01:41to show you how to grow your own winter vegetable bonanza.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50We're spending all week here on Anglesey,
0:01:50 > 0:01:54a remarkably fertile island once known as the breadbasket of Wales.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00You know, for centuries, sheepdogs like Scruffy here
0:02:00 > 0:02:03have been our farmers' sergeant majors,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06guiding and herding livestock on our hills and lowlands.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10And I've long been astonished by their obvious skill and intelligence
0:02:10 > 0:02:12as I've seen them working at sheepdog trials
0:02:12 > 0:02:13right across the country,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16bringing even the most unruly of flocks to heal.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21While sheepdogs themselves of course may be guardians of our farms,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24it seems that man's best friend is now also poised
0:02:24 > 0:02:28to come to our rescue in an exciting new medical breakthrough.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35Every year, 47,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38and some 50,000 women with breast cancer.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Worryingly here in Britain, we have one of the worst
0:02:41 > 0:02:44cancer survival rates of any country in Europe.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47And dealing with a killer that's now claiming so many lives
0:02:47 > 0:02:50is one of the biggest problems faced by the NHS.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53So, I took my dog Teddy to sniff out the story
0:02:53 > 0:02:56and meet some truly remarkable four-legged detectives.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06As you know, Teddy is the most faithful of companions.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10But I'm keen to see if he can cut the mustard with these guys.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Miracle workers, dogs who can sniff out cancers.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18They are, in many respects, the ultimate early warning system
0:03:18 > 0:03:20on four legs. Good boy.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24But before I put Teddy into training,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I want to find out more about this remarkable medical breakthrough.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Dr Claire Guest, here with her own dog Daisy,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34is an animal behaviour scientist
0:03:34 > 0:03:39who runs the Medical Detection Dog Centre here in Milton Keynes.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Us humans, we've all got our own unique odours.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45We know that dogs can trail us over fields and have done for centuries.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48But what we didn't know is that when we have a particular disease
0:03:48 > 0:03:50or condition, that changes our odour
0:03:50 > 0:03:54and the dog can identify the disease by this change.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59When a particular disease changes our odour, it's believed
0:03:59 > 0:04:04dogs can smell it through our sweat, urine and even from our breath.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08And many studies have now proved it. This isn't a shaggy dog story.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Did you find that the medical profession at large
0:04:12 > 0:04:15was slightly sceptical of what you were suggesting?
0:04:15 > 0:04:16Huge amount of scepticism.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20But of course, we use dogs reliably in many situations already.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- Yeah, of course.- If you look at the House of Commons
0:04:23 > 0:04:26or if you look at Canary Wharf, who's keeping people safe every day?
0:04:26 > 0:04:31It's dogs going in, detecting explosives or searching the areas.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36If disease can be smelt by a dog, why can a dog not be used
0:04:36 > 0:04:39as a reliable way of telling us it's there?
0:04:39 > 0:04:44The power to sniff out disease lies in a dog's remarkable nose.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47While humans have 5 million scent receptors,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49a dog can have up to 300 million.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53And those captured scent particles are processed
0:04:53 > 0:04:58by a part of the doggy brain 40 times larger than ours.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00With that kind of superpower,
0:05:00 > 0:05:05a dog can detect a teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic-sized swimming pools.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07And that's without a doggy paddle.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09You've mentioned cancer.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Are there any other diseases where you can apply
0:05:12 > 0:05:14the skills of the dogs that you're training?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Absolutely, I mean, every disease has an odour.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And many diseases are very, very difficult to detect
0:05:19 > 0:05:21in the early stages.
0:05:21 > 0:05:22Parkinson's, for example,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25it's believed the damage is done from about 30 years
0:05:25 > 0:05:29before the motor symptoms appear that are so devastating.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33What we need is non-invasive, reliable, cheap ways
0:05:33 > 0:05:37of diagnosing disease, and the dogs are offering us an answer.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Inside the bio-detection unit,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44a small group of dogs has been trained in blind testing
0:05:44 > 0:05:47to recognise and identify the odour of certain diseases
0:05:47 > 0:05:48from a sample of urine.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Rob Harris and his team are getting ready
0:05:52 > 0:05:56to put another four-paw detective through her sniffing paces,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59this time for pancreatic cancer.
0:05:59 > 0:06:00Wow, Rob!
0:06:00 > 0:06:03That looks like a fairly complicated bit of apparatus.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04What does it do?
0:06:04 > 0:06:07So, in each one of these positions that Mark's working with now,
0:06:07 > 0:06:09he's placing a urine sample out.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Each one of these urines comes from a different type of person,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14they could be healthy or they could be diseased.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16But specifically what the dog will be looking for
0:06:16 > 0:06:17is malignant prostate cancer.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21What we're looking for is to sit down and stare at the sample.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25From these tests, scientists hope to eventually understand
0:06:25 > 0:06:27what scent particles the dogs are recognising,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30and develop electronic noses which spot them too.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Two artificial noses already developed
0:06:34 > 0:06:37attempt to pinpoint bladder cancer from urine samples
0:06:37 > 0:06:39and lung cancer from a person's breath.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Well, I can't wait to see how well Kiwi does.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Now, Sarah is standing behind that smoked glass screen. Why is that?
0:06:48 > 0:06:52It's so when the dog is working and it comes across a target sample,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Sarah can't give any facial signals to say to the dog
0:06:55 > 0:06:56this is the correct one to pick.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59So, it really is a blind test, isn't it, in every respect?
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Well, she's off, right.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Now look at that, really deep...sniffs
0:07:05 > 0:07:07at every single pot.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Eight samples to choose from.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12And how quickly will a dog make sense of that sample?
0:07:12 > 0:07:15She'll do the clearance in around about 10-11 seconds maximum.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- Look, there we are. That's amazing! - Incredible.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23That's absolutely amazing. Well done, Kiwi.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24It's the right result,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and it's being replicated time and time again.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Other dogs at the centre are also being trained and tested
0:07:32 > 0:07:35to identify Parkinson's and malaria.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Now, I've brought Teddy with me.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40He should, in theory, have all the faculties
0:07:40 > 0:07:42to do what she's just done.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44But of course, he's very untrained in this respect
0:07:44 > 0:07:48but I'd be fascinated to see just how good he might be.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Well, it's time to put Teddy's nose to the test,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55with some very basic training that all the dogs here underwent
0:07:55 > 0:07:58at the start of their journey.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Teddy's got to associate finding a particular smell with a treat.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05In this instance, a sample of universal detection compound.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07It smells a bit like marzipan.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Ready, then? We're going to have a wander around.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Get used to his environment.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14- Teddy? - CLICKER CLICKS
0:08:14 > 0:08:16So, the clicker is just to reinforce the fact
0:08:16 > 0:08:18that he's doing something right.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23- Yeah, good boy!- Well, he hasn't recoiled from that smell, has he?
0:08:23 > 0:08:25He's understanding that he needs to sniff it.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Yeah, good boy!
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Just that little head bob at the end.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Well, Teddy's following the scent.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37But can he sniff it out when he can't see it?
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Putting it under a pot will eliminate the sample
0:08:42 > 0:08:44as a visual clue.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Teddy's being tested on smell alone.
0:08:47 > 0:08:48Yes, good boy!
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Hiding the sample under one of the identical pots
0:08:52 > 0:08:55means Teddy will hopefully learn to associate a treat
0:08:55 > 0:08:57with the smell and not the pot.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00Yes, good lad!
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Just looking for the slight little twitches of the nose.
0:09:03 > 0:09:04No flies on you, Teddy!
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Now for the multiple choice.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Let's see!
0:09:13 > 0:09:15- And he's taken it.- Go on, lad.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Nice little tail wag as well. Good boy!
0:09:18 > 0:09:19They might be baby steps,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23but maybe Teddy has the makings of a doggie detective after all.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28Until then, he can only aspire to do what Daisy has done for Claire,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30and that's save her life.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Daisy was my prostate cancer detection dog
0:09:33 > 0:09:35and she started to behave a bit differently around me.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38One day, I took her for a walk and I got her out of the car.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42She wouldn't go, she kept jumping against me, jumping into my chest.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46And cut a long story short, I was diagnosed with very early stage
0:09:46 > 0:09:49but deep-seated breast cancer.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51I had surgery and radiotherapy
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and six years later, I'm here to tell the tale.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57What Daisy did for me could be a change that could be done
0:09:57 > 0:09:59for so many people around the world.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02How many lives in the future could we save
0:10:02 > 0:10:05by understanding how Daisy has done it?
0:10:06 > 0:10:09It seems in man's battle against disease,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13it might well be the case that the dog's nose knows best.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21What extraordinary dogs they are. And Teddy?
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Well, he did pretty well too.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Now later on, I'll be meeting another trailblazer
0:10:26 > 0:10:28poised to lend a helping hand.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30The little chap in question is a British first,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and you may not quite believe what you're seeing.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Anglesey is a bit of a record-breaker too.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Its oldest railway station has the longest name in the world,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52although for ease it's best shortened to Llanfair PG.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57On the island, the trains wriggle around the coast.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59But head in the other direction,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and they deliver you to one of the most congested sections
0:11:02 > 0:11:05of the railway network in the south-east of England.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11With a staggering 2.5 million passengers using that region alone
0:11:11 > 0:11:14every day, the trains have to keep running,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17and a dedicated team of specialists are charged
0:11:17 > 0:11:19with keeping the wheels rolling.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Keeley's investigating how the trains are taking the winter strain.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29It's the announcement every train passenger fears -
0:11:29 > 0:11:32trains cancelled or delayed.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37And that's never more likely than in the depths of winter.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Passenger numbers have doubled in the last 20 years
0:11:41 > 0:11:44and they're set to double again in the next 25.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47So, maintenance teams have their work cut out
0:11:47 > 0:11:49to cope with the variations in British weather
0:11:49 > 0:11:53and with an ageing network that needs, well, a lot of TLC.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Seasonal rail planner Sayeeda Murali is the go-to woman
0:11:59 > 0:12:03to deal with everything, from storms to ice and snow,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07and she's got some big guns in her arsenal to beat the big chill.
0:12:08 > 0:12:13- So, this is the ice train. How does it work?- It does several things.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17The main one is it lays a de-icing fluid on the third rail,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21which then helps to prevent ice from forming overnight,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23which means that passenger trains
0:12:23 > 0:12:26can then run smoothly in the morning.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30That electrified third rail runs between or beside the tracks
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and powers much of the network's train stock.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35We can also attach a snowplough to it.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37So, what would you say was your biggest challenge
0:12:37 > 0:12:39in terms of the weather?
0:12:39 > 0:12:41One of the biggest challenges that we have
0:12:41 > 0:12:43is knowing what the weather is going to do.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Unfortunately, nobody knows,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49so it's not just about when winter is going to start,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51but also how that winter is going to shape up.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Whether it's going to be wet and windy,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57or whether it's going to be dry and cold.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Just like everyone else, Network Rail relies
0:12:59 > 0:13:04on weather forecasts, which they receive before 3am every morning.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06If snow and ice are predicted,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Sayeeda's snow trains hit the tracks.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10So, as the climate changes,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13is there any weather that you're becoming more concerned about?
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I would say snow.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19You know, heavy snow that we haven't seen in recent years,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21partly because we haven't seen it
0:13:21 > 0:13:26and so trying to mitigate it would be more of a struggle.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30We've seen from the roads as well how snow can shut everything down.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36The railway system in Britain is the oldest in the world.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41The first public station opened in 1825.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47Today, trains steam through 4.5 million journeys a day
0:13:47 > 0:13:50on nearly 20,000 miles of track.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56In the winter, if junctions get iced up, they could derail a train.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Thankfully, there's now insulation and heating attached to points,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03and even helicopters with thermal imaging,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06identifying anything that's not working.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09But snow and ice aren't the only headaches.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Winter storms are a real threat.
0:14:14 > 0:14:20In 2014, they hammered our coast and literally tore tracks apart.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24And the White Cliffs of Dover,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26one of the UK's most famous landmarks,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28could crumble into the sea.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33I'm meeting Network Rail's Derek Butcher to find out more.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36It's a spectacular place, isn't it?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39To have a railway just beyond the cliff.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42It is, and it's a real challenge to look after.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45It was built in 1844. We've had landslides ever since.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48In 1877, there was a landslide.
0:14:48 > 0:14:5130 metres of one of the tunnels disappeared.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53And again in 1915,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56there was another landslide and, in that particular occasion,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- the railway moved 40 metres towards the sea.- Really?
0:14:59 > 0:15:02So, we've experienced problems ever since this particular railway
0:15:02 > 0:15:04was built at this particular location.
0:15:04 > 0:15:10In the 1915 incident, almost 1.5 million cubic metres of chalk
0:15:10 > 0:15:13slipped, catching a passenger train in the process.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Enormous damage was caused to the line but, miraculously,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20there was no loss of life.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23What is it about the geology of this area, then?
0:15:23 > 0:15:26This is a cross section showing the geology of the particular area.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29These are the White Cliffs of Dover, made of chalk.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31They're sat on top of something called gault clay,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33which is very plastic clay,
0:15:33 > 0:15:39and you get landslips caused when the material here softens up,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41primarily due to rainfall
0:15:41 > 0:15:45which percolates down through the chalk onto the gault clay.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48And then you get the slip surface forming
0:15:48 > 0:15:50and the material moves towards the sea.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51The way that we counter against that
0:15:51 > 0:15:55is we've got some sophisticated monitoring in the cliffs.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58At sites of landfall and landslip risk across the country,
0:15:58 > 0:16:03motion sensors and CCTV have been installed to detect movement.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Solving the problem can include steel rods
0:16:07 > 0:16:11to stabilise the earth or improve the drainage.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14We have some monitoring systems actually linked to the signal box
0:16:14 > 0:16:15a little further along the line.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17We have signalling tripwire systems,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19so if we end up with a big landslide or a rock fall,
0:16:19 > 0:16:20we can stop the trains.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23So, why don't you just remove this part of the railway?
0:16:23 > 0:16:26There's about six miles of railway that runs between Folkestone
0:16:26 > 0:16:28and Dover, so it would cost a lot of money to do that.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30So, how much of a challenge will it be
0:16:30 > 0:16:32to keep trains running here in the future?
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Possibly in the next 60-70 years, with changing sea levels,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39wetter winters, drier summers, we could expect to see
0:16:39 > 0:16:41some changes to the ground, some shrinkage in the summer,
0:16:41 > 0:16:46more landslides later on in those particular times in the winter.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48But our monitoring systems in place,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50I think, will counter against some of that.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52We'll be able to learn from those
0:16:52 > 0:16:57and our solutions and plans will evolve over those next 10-20 years.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's quite incredible that you not only look after a railway
0:17:00 > 0:17:03but also one of the country's greatest landmarks.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05It's fantastic, isn't it?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10I catch trains all the time and I had no idea
0:17:10 > 0:17:14just how much work goes on behind the scenes to keep us all on track,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18as our railways shape up for the challenges of the future.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Thanks, Keeley.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Well, they've clearly got a battle on their hands
0:17:25 > 0:17:27but do seem more than prepared to meet the challenges
0:17:27 > 0:17:31of what changing weather patterns will throw at them.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Now, looking around me here, you may be forgiven for thinking
0:17:34 > 0:17:36that I was in the tropics.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39As an island, Anglesey enjoys a special climate all its own,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42thanks to the benign influence of the Gulf Stream.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Temperatures here are warmer than the rest of Britain -
0:17:46 > 0:17:50warm enough to grow kiwis, olives and even bananas.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55Now, most of us can't grow anything quite as exotic in our own gardens,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57but more of us are growing our own fruit and veg.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01And it's not surprising when you think that food prices have shot up
0:18:01 > 0:18:03twice as fast as our wages
0:18:03 > 0:18:07and winter is a great time to flex your veggie muscles.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09But what do you do if you're stuck for space?
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Well, Paul has been doing some digging.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22I'm lucky enough to have my own polytunnel.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24I put this up with a mate at the end of last summer.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26It's very exciting, there's no looking back.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28And I know it's looking very sparse at the moment,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32but now is the time of the year to start sowing those seeds,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35ready for spring, and right now, I'm sowing some broad beans.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37But you don't have to have all of this
0:18:37 > 0:18:40to have a fabulous winter vegetable bonanza.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43There are alternatives and they don't cost much either.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Back in the 1940s,
0:18:50 > 0:18:55rural households grew more than 90% of their own fruit and veg.
0:18:55 > 0:18:5975 years later, that's down to just under 4%
0:18:59 > 0:19:02across the whole of Britain.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04But all of that is about to change,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06as food bills are walloping our wallets,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09and there's growing concern about produce travelling
0:19:09 > 0:19:13thousands of miles before it lands in our shopping baskets.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19There are an estimated 3.5 million households in the UK
0:19:19 > 0:19:21who don't have gardens.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24But with waiting lists for allotments at an all-time high,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28more and more of us are obviously wanting to grow our own food.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32But if you've just got a tiny balcony or a small windowsill,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36don't despair, because veg expert and writer Ben Vanheems
0:19:36 > 0:19:40knows how to make the smallest of spaces green and bountiful.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- Hi, Ben.- Hello! - Well, I can see you've been busy.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47You've transformed my courtyard area.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50I love the plastic guttering all planted up.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53A lot of people don't have a great deal of space
0:19:53 > 0:19:55- to plant up vegetables.- Yes.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Now, you've got some super-cool ideas to show us
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- how we can utilise small amounts of space.- Absolutely.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04The great thing about growing your own is you really don't need
0:20:04 > 0:20:08lots of acres of ground, you can grow it in a small courtyard garden,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10even like a little balcony, everything.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14So, here are some quite nifty ideas just to get started.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17So, this is a really fun and quirky idea.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20We've often got old wellies lying around. Don't chuck them out,
0:20:20 > 0:20:22just drill some holes in the bottom,
0:20:22 > 0:20:27fill it with your compost and then sow in top, and you're away.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Here we've got some carrots, lovely eruption of foliage.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32And there's a nice depth there, so that's the right depth for carrots.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34That is exactly.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37You could grow miniature varieties of parsnip in there, radishes,
0:20:37 > 0:20:38as well as salad leaves.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Do you know, I think that's great because that's make do and mend.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Absolutely, it's great fun. This is quite a fun idea.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47You can drill some holes in the bottom, for drainage again,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50fill it up. I've just got an oregano in here,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53you could have some sort of trailing thyme. Good for herbs.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Another great thing I like to do - fill it with watercress.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58So, you sow that, germinates really quickly.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- It just makes a really attractive little feature, actually.- Yeah.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03So, there's no excuse, is there?
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Even if you have a space the size of this table,
0:21:05 > 0:21:10you can grow some carrots, you can grow some herbs and obviously fruit.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Ben's make-and-mend planters aren't just for winter.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15They can be used all year round.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18You've got some strawberries in the offcuts of gutter?
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Absolutely, so strawberries often get munched by the slugs.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25By raising them up on these gutterings, you...
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- They start to hang again. - Exactly.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- And add colour.- You can see them, you can pick them easily.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32It's very straightforward.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34The important thing with guttering, like anything else,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36drill some holes in the bottom there,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38so the water can come out.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Get yourself some end caps, so it doesn't all drain out,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43and then you just get your brackets, clip them on.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45- Which is what you've done here? - Exactly.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48So, if you think about it, you take a piece of ground,
0:21:48 > 0:21:49you flip it up on the wall
0:21:49 > 0:21:52and you've got your growing surface area.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54- There's a big footprint there, isn't there?- Exactly.
0:21:54 > 0:21:55I think that's brilliant.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57It's a really great way of adding a splash of colour
0:21:57 > 0:21:59and getting something tasty to eat. It's so simple.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- Exactly, it's a boring old wall! - Exactly.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04And the great thing is you're actually cultivating all this,
0:22:04 > 0:22:06- you don't have to go to the supermarket.- You don't.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08The most satisfying thing is harvesting your own,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11and if you've not done it before, it gives you a real buzz.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12It's a reward.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Money might not grow on trees
0:22:14 > 0:22:17but you can save the pennies growing your own.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- I notice you've got some pallets here.- Yes, I have. Loads of these.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Which are brilliant, aren't they?
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Perfect for herbs. You've removed some of the central rungs here
0:22:26 > 0:22:27and boxed it underneath.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30And then we've got this beautiful herb planter.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33It's like the vertical planting we were talking about just then.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35You've got all your herbs on display here.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- Yeah.- And look, it's at head height,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39so you get all those wonderful fragrances.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41- As you brush past, you can smell the fragrance.- Glorious.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Is that just a normal compost or something else?
0:22:43 > 0:22:46What we've done with this compost, cos these are Mediterranean herbs,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48- they need free-draining soil. - So, it's drier?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50That's right, we've added grit to help with the drainage
0:22:50 > 0:22:52and then they'll be quite happy in there.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54- And doesn't that look great on the wall?- Stunning.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58The average British garden might be 40 metres squared,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01but what if you have no outside space whatsoever?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Giant beans might be out, but a little creativity goes a long way.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09I hope you don't mind,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11I've put some things on the windowsill here
0:23:11 > 0:23:13which I think you'll find interesting.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Now, windowsills are obviously a great resource
0:23:15 > 0:23:17and there's all this natural light flooding through,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19and it's at room temperature. It's so much warmer.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22It increases what you can grow.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25So, let's start with this, supermarket herbs.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28A lot of people think it's just one plant, but when you actually get it
0:23:28 > 0:23:32out of the pot, you can see there's lots of different seedlings there.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- You can split it.- You can actually just spit it open, like that.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38And then you've got two herbs for the price of one.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43And here, I've got an old carton that tomatoes came in
0:23:43 > 0:23:45and repurposed it to grow microgreens.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48And you can grow things like radishes, coriander, basil,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50really tasty things.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53They're ready to harvest between 7-14 days from sowing.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Cut them off and you're ready to go.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58But you only get one harvest with those crops?
0:23:58 > 0:24:00That's right, but then we've done the same thing here,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02we've grown some salad leaves again.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05And you can snip off the odd leaf and that'll carry on growing,
0:24:05 > 0:24:06so it's a nice living salad, there.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Now, this is something a bit quirky, which I think you're going to like.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Get these juice cartons, we can rinse them out several times,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16get them nice and clean
0:24:16 > 0:24:19and then you've got these little mung bean seeds here,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21which are sprouting seeds. They're just like the beansprouts
0:24:21 > 0:24:23you get in the supermarket,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25but they're so easy to grow.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28So, all we've done here is we've snipped off the corners
0:24:28 > 0:24:32and rinsed it out. Fill them with your mung bean seeds,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35only about that much, and then you rinse them twice a day.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- You have to do that twice a day?- That's right.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Once in the morning before you go to work, say,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41and when you come back.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44So, you drain them like that, and then just after seven days,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47it's ready to roll. So, let's get the scissors in.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52If we just cut through there...
0:24:53 > 0:24:56..and then, they should all be grown.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58- This is like Pandora's box, isn't it?- That's right.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00- Open the box right now! - I can feel it. Here we go.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- There we go.- Wow, look at that.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07That is packed in there, it is so condensed.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10They're all packed and perfect for stir frying, nice and fresh,
0:25:10 > 0:25:11full of goodness.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13- So easy to grow.- Great for the kids.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16My kids will love that, they really will.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20- There is a garden in a carton there. - Doesn't get any smaller than that.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21No.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35A garden in a carton, I love ideas like that
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and of course they are great fun for all the family.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39Now, of course, spring is the time
0:25:39 > 0:25:42when our gardens really start to come to life.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I am at the Hidden Gardens of Plas Cadnant,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47just a stone's throw from the Menai Bridge,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50ten acres painstakingly rescued over two decades
0:25:50 > 0:25:53from overgrowth and neglect.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57But back in Christmas 2016, floods swept away rare plants
0:25:57 > 0:26:02and it has been a labour of love to revive this plantsman's paradise.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Already the snowdrops are showing their snowy heads,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14an exciting reminder that the season is changing,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18so here is our top five favourite signs that spring is on its way.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25What can be more stunning than a carpet of these beautiful flowers?
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Widespread across our woodlands, parks
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and gardens all over the UK,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35these sturdy little beauties can push through frozen soil
0:26:35 > 0:26:39and are the of first Britain's wild flowers to bloom.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40Known as a symbol of hope,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43they also contain a substance used to combat Alzheimer's.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Wherever you live, look out for the chaffinch,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54one of the most colourful of our finches.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56They're our second most common bird in the UK
0:26:56 > 0:26:59so you shouldn't have trouble finding them.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Busy in the spring feeding their hungry chicks,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07they like to keep their nests clean, right down to eating the poo,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10handily wrapped in a special membrane.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12There's gift wrapping for you.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20You should be able to spot toads in ponds all over the country
0:27:20 > 0:27:22and they are pretty amorous in spring.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26A knot of males cling to one female in a bid to fertilise her eggs.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30They come back to the same spot for as long as they live -
0:27:30 > 0:27:32believed to be up to 40 years.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Lambs epitomise the miracle of birth,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41it is what spring is all about.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46In the Lake District, the herdwick sheep, thought to be the UK's
0:27:46 > 0:27:48oldest and toughest breed,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51come down from the mountains to lamb outdoors.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56These little fellas weigh around 5.5 pounds when born
0:27:56 > 0:27:58but they pile on the weight
0:27:58 > 0:28:01at the rate of more than eight ounces a day.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Black on arrival, they get whiter as they grow and there is little
0:28:05 > 0:28:09more to lift the spirits than the sight of a gambolling lamb.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17On open plains in places like Suffolk and Norfolk, Wiltshire
0:28:17 > 0:28:20and Cheshire, you will soon see mad March hares.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25The fur flies as they size up to each other for some spring boxing.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30But it is not the males fighting it out.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32The females are the real Nicola Adams
0:28:32 > 0:28:36teaching the boys a thing or two.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39And if they don't cut the mustard with the female, well,
0:28:39 > 0:28:41they get their marching orders.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Well, if there's one thing sure to put a spring in your step it is
0:28:52 > 0:28:55a good walk, but how many of us really appreciate
0:28:55 > 0:28:58what it takes to keep our countryside
0:28:58 > 0:29:00open and safe all year round?
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Well, Ellie has been to the Lake District to find out.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11ELLIE: The Lake District offers hundreds of walks for all ages
0:29:11 > 0:29:16and abilities, whether it is ambling around lakes, high ridge walks
0:29:16 > 0:29:20or scrambling over rocks, and all through spectacular surroundings.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27With millions of people using the paths each year, their upkeep
0:29:27 > 0:29:30is vital to keep them accessible,
0:29:30 > 0:29:34but when you think there is 2,292 square kilometres
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and more than 200 fell tops to cover, that's quite a job.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44I have come to the village of Patterdale
0:29:44 > 0:29:47to meet a group of apprentices training in the skills
0:29:47 > 0:29:50essential to look after somewhere as special as this.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Matt Eves from the Lake District National Park Authority is
0:29:56 > 0:29:58the apprentice supervisor.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Matt, what is this scheme all about?
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Really it is about training the next generation of employees
0:30:04 > 0:30:05who are going to look after
0:30:05 > 0:30:07the spectacular landscape we are in, here, now.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09- How many people have you got involved?- So, there is nine
0:30:09 > 0:30:12apprentices currently over two different levels, intermediates
0:30:12 > 0:30:14and advanced level apprentices,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17and we also have volunteers involved, mentors.
0:30:17 > 0:30:18So, it is a wide-ranging scheme.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20And when you say different rural skills,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23what specifically will they be involved in?
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Everything from forestry through to river bank restoration
0:30:26 > 0:30:29through to driving tractors to diggers.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32All the fundamental skills we need to look after this environment
0:30:32 > 0:30:35and the qualifications that go alongside that as well.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39Today, the apprentices are tasked with building this bridge
0:30:39 > 0:30:42to help the less mobile members of a local walking group.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43It is going well, isn't it?
0:30:43 > 0:30:46- Can I give you a hand for the last bit then?- Absolutely, get stuck in.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49The guys are about to put some rails in.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54You are the youngest member of the group, aren't you?
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Yeah, at 17 I left school and came straight here, really.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00- What was it about it that appeals to you?- Being outdoors.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Just, like, learning new skills.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07When you have completed this, what's next?
0:31:07 > 0:31:11Hopefully follow the line of work and keep working outside.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15- Do you love it?- Yeah. - Even in this weather?- Yeah!
0:31:17 > 0:31:20The skills these apprentices are learning will help sustain
0:31:20 > 0:31:24this inspirational landscape for generations to come.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28- Job done. Looks all right, doesn't it?- Yeah.- Nice one.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34On a freezing cold day like today, you can really get a sense
0:31:34 > 0:31:37of how tough it is to work in this environment
0:31:37 > 0:31:40but there is a select team here that are going that extra mile
0:31:40 > 0:31:44to keep the area accessible even in the coldest winter months.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52Every day between December and March
0:31:52 > 0:31:55it's the job of the fell top assessors,
0:31:55 > 0:31:59come rain, shine or even snowdrifts,
0:31:59 > 0:32:03to scale the 3,117 feet, or 950 metre,
0:32:03 > 0:32:04peak of Helvellyn.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06They provide an up-to-date report
0:32:06 > 0:32:09for the Lake District national park's forecasting service
0:32:09 > 0:32:10Weatherline.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14Today, we're meeting up with veteran assessor John Bennett
0:32:14 > 0:32:17who is on his way to the top of Helvellyn.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19And as one of only two assessors,
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Graham Uney has just landed this coveted role.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26So, tell me a bit about the details of what your job involves.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30As we're going up, we are looking at the conditions underfoot.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32So, we're seeing what height the snow begins at,
0:32:32 > 0:32:36what condition the snow is in - is it hard, is it soft,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38is it stable? Most importantly, is it unstable?
0:32:38 > 0:32:41Are there parts that you should not go anywhere near
0:32:41 > 0:32:42because it might slip off?
0:32:42 > 0:32:45We are also looking at the conditions of the paths,
0:32:45 > 0:32:46particularly popular routes,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50like this one, for example, you can get a lot of ice being compacted.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53- And when you get to the top? - Then when we get to the top,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55we are measuring the strength of the wind
0:32:55 > 0:32:57in terms of maximum gusts at that moment,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59- which will be quite strong today. - I reckon.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02The average, then most importantly the wind-chill.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06How it actually feels to people going up there, that is
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- vitally important.- How long have you done this job for now?
0:33:09 > 0:33:13I've done this for seven years now, this is my eighth season.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17- So coming up to about 450 ascents by now.- Is it?
0:33:17 > 0:33:18It will be by the end of this season.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22So have you any advice for Graham, the new starter?
0:33:22 > 0:33:25The most important thing is knowing when to turn back.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29- Which might be a day today. - It could be if it gets any stronger.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33The reports John and Graham provide for Weatherline
0:33:33 > 0:33:37will help keep anyone venturing on the spectacular mountains
0:33:37 > 0:33:40as safe as possible during the harshest of winter months.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46It is incredible to see all the hard work
0:33:46 > 0:33:51that goes into keeping our national parks open all year round.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Now, I've been up to North Yorkshire to meet a little fellow
0:33:55 > 0:33:58who is being trained for something rather special.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07I have come to a very frosty Northallerton in Yorkshire
0:34:07 > 0:34:11to meet a young man who might just revolutionise the world
0:34:11 > 0:34:14of assistance animals. And it's not you, is it?
0:34:16 > 0:34:21The chap I am after is indoors in the home of Katie Smith.
0:34:23 > 0:34:29It is nice and warm in here and I am looking for Katie and Digby.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- Hello, Katie.- How are you doing?
0:34:31 > 0:34:34I am very, very well, and this must be Digby.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38He is absolutely gorgeous.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42Digby, all 30 inches of him, is an American miniature horse
0:34:42 > 0:34:46and Katie is training him to be this country's first-ever
0:34:46 > 0:34:49guide horse for the blind and partially sighted.
0:34:49 > 0:34:55This is a very ambitious idea, to think you can do with a horse
0:34:55 > 0:34:57what we're used to seeing done with dogs.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59There is no reason why you can't.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01I mean, guide dogs do an amazing job.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05It's to give the people that can't for whatever reason have a dog
0:35:05 > 0:35:08the chance of the independence
0:35:08 > 0:35:11a guide dog can bring to somebody's life.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Now many of you might already be asking why a horse
0:35:15 > 0:35:17instead of a guide dog?
0:35:17 > 0:35:20Well, the reasons vary, from allergies to dog phobias,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22and horses are stronger than dogs
0:35:22 > 0:35:26so they can really benefit people with disabilities, too.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30In America, they have blazed a trail you are now following,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33what level of success have they really achieved?
0:35:33 > 0:35:36A lady had had one for three years
0:35:36 > 0:35:38and she loved it
0:35:38 > 0:35:41and it gave her quite a lot of independence.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46So it went on planes and on buses and on public transport.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48As I understand it, with a guide dog
0:35:48 > 0:35:51there are key commands that they have to master.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52Is that the same for Digby?
0:35:52 > 0:35:55I am working with the same commands.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59At the moment, it's very basic because he is only eight months old.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02So his socialisation, he's getting out and about,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05seeing things, he's getting used to my voice,
0:36:05 > 0:36:10he's getting used to simple commands like forward,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12straight, right, left.
0:36:12 > 0:36:18How close to a guide dog will he... will his training take him?
0:36:18 > 0:36:24Eventually I think that we could get him as good as a guide dog.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28Indoors, Digby has to wear special slippers but hold your horses,
0:36:28 > 0:36:32isn't it his back end we should be more worried about?
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Dare I ask, you know, house training?
0:36:35 > 0:36:38With the minis, they have something called thunder pants
0:36:38 > 0:36:39which is like a little bag
0:36:39 > 0:36:41that attaches to their tail,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44and when his tail goes up he poos into the bag
0:36:44 > 0:36:47and it is all very neat and tidy,
0:36:47 > 0:36:49nobody knows anything about it.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53But in the spring I will be bringing him in the house
0:36:53 > 0:36:57and giving him toilet training lessons.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Well, I'm glad that's cleared up.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03I would love to see how far you have got with his training, Katie.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08And give him a chance to get outside and let his hair down a bit.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10I think he's getting a bit bored, isn't he?
0:37:10 > 0:37:12I think he wants the biscuits.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15I'll tell you what, Digby, show us what you can do
0:37:15 > 0:37:17and there'll be more biscuits to come.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Sporting his rather fetching thunder pants, Digby goes shopping
0:37:26 > 0:37:30with Katie in Northallerton so he can get used to people and places.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34- He is a sociable little chap. - Morning.- Morning. Morning, Digby.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Come to have a look at your microwaves.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40The first time she came in, she said, "Do you mind
0:37:40 > 0:37:43"if I bring my horse in the shop?" A little bit of a strange request,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46but we said, "Yes, that's fine," then found out it was a guide horse.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Came round, great experience for the horse
0:37:48 > 0:37:50looking at different things, different noises and smells -
0:37:50 > 0:37:53and he was very well behaved, and he's welcome back.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Oh, I think it's amazing.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05As a society, I think this is where we need to move forward
0:38:05 > 0:38:09to support the more disadvantaged, the visually impaired,
0:38:09 > 0:38:10and if that benefits them,
0:38:10 > 0:38:14then I think we, as the able-bodied, should take that on board.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24It takes 20 months to train a guide dog,
0:38:24 > 0:38:28but for a horse it can take years -
0:38:28 > 0:38:29and, at just eight months old,
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Digby is but a puppy taking his first baby training steps.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36When he qualifies in about two years' time,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40his guide owner will be Mohammed Salim Patel,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43a journalist who has a degenerative eye condition.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Now then, this is quite a thing you are taking on.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49How did you first hear about Digby?
0:38:49 > 0:38:53I saw there were people in America that used guide horses,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55miniature horses, as their assistance animals -
0:38:55 > 0:38:58unfortunately for me, I've got a really big phobia of dogs
0:38:58 > 0:39:01and it is something I have tried to get over
0:39:01 > 0:39:05because of the benefits I see and know an assistance animal can bring.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08Hopefully Digby will be that opportunity for me to do that.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11And can you tell me a little more about your impairment,
0:39:11 > 0:39:15can you see me standing in front of you now, for example?
0:39:15 > 0:39:17I can just about make out your form,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21so I couldn't tell without hearing you if you're a man or woman,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23what your facial features are.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26I can just about make out your form -
0:39:26 > 0:39:29so, that will get to a stage where that will go, as well.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31So, he would, in many respects,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33give you a new-found sense of independence
0:39:33 > 0:39:36which hitherto you have not been able to achieve.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38He would honestly change my life,
0:39:38 > 0:39:44because of the reliance that he would remove on other human beings.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47At the minute I'm in a position where I'm needing to ask for help,
0:39:47 > 0:39:52I'm needing to wait for people to offer up their time and assistance.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Have you been able to map out the practicalities
0:39:55 > 0:39:57of incorporating Digby into your life -
0:39:57 > 0:39:59for example, at home or at work?
0:39:59 > 0:40:00It is funny you ask that,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03because every time I now come down the stairs
0:40:03 > 0:40:05or walk into a room, I think to myself,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07"Would Digby be behind me right now?
0:40:07 > 0:40:10"Where would Digby be, what would he be doing, would this work?"
0:40:10 > 0:40:13You know, "how is it going to work?"
0:40:13 > 0:40:16but we are going to work as a team and make this happen
0:40:16 > 0:40:19and I hope by me doing this I can open up that avenue
0:40:19 > 0:40:22for someone else to do it if they want to in the future.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Mohammed might have heard of Digby,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28but the two have never actually met before.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33So now, for the very first time, they will not only meet,
0:40:33 > 0:40:36but also have the chance to size each other up
0:40:36 > 0:40:38to see if they are fit.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Just come and take a step forward.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Put your arm out. There is his forehead.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47- He is very furry, isn't he? - Very furry, yes.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51And if you just walk forward and follow his neck down, you can
0:40:51 > 0:40:54feel the long hair of his mane.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- All the way down. - He is miniature, isn't he?
0:41:00 > 0:41:03We should probably let you two bond
0:41:03 > 0:41:06and have a little wander around the arena with Katie. Off you go.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10- Thank you.- Thank you. We say forward.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13OK. Forward. There we go.
0:41:14 > 0:41:19- And if we are going straight, we will say straight on.- Straight on.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26It has been an overwhelming day for Mohammed,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29but Digby seems to be taking it all in his little stride.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Now that you have had a chance to meet him,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37your excitement earlier was obvious -
0:41:37 > 0:41:40where are we on that scale now?
0:41:40 > 0:41:42I have been waiting so long to meet him,
0:41:42 > 0:41:45and now that I have, and I have seen his temperament,
0:41:45 > 0:41:46I'm just over the moon.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49It has been worth the wait, absolutely. Shall we give him a hug?
0:41:52 > 0:41:56- Good boy.- He likes his hugs.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00That is absolutely amazing.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04They've known each other... well, for, really, about an hour,
0:42:04 > 0:42:08and yet look how well Mohammed and Digby are getting on.
0:42:08 > 0:42:09That is the beginning
0:42:09 > 0:42:12of a long and, I hope, very beautiful relationship...
0:42:13 > 0:42:19..and the making of what might be Britain's first guide horse.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Well, I absolutely loved meeting Digby,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32so here's hoping for a bright future for him and Mohammed.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36We will be back tomorrow with more Countryfile Winter Diaries
0:42:36 > 0:42:40when Keeley investigates why rock pools are taking a battering
0:42:40 > 0:42:42to protect us from winter storms.
0:42:42 > 0:42:47We know these artificial structures are not very good quality habitats
0:42:47 > 0:42:49for marine plants and animals.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51It is a really big issue.
0:42:53 > 0:42:58Paul discovers his uncommon pigs could get rid of the common cold.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Thanks to a special scientific secret.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05What the peptide does is punctures holes in the virus
0:43:05 > 0:43:08so that makes it an incredibly effective molecule
0:43:08 > 0:43:10for killing viruses.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14And I'll be showing how UK superheroes are saving
0:43:14 > 0:43:17one of our Valentines favourites from the brink.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21So, until then, goodbye.