0:00:02 > 0:00:04The days may be some of the shortest in the year,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06and the hours are the darkest...
0:00:07 > 0:00:09..but winter casts its own special spell.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15A time to embrace the magic of our wonderful, British landscape.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Be captivated by our wildlife.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24And enjoy the bracing great outdoors.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32The season may be beautiful, but winter's not without its problems.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37All week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- Little sieves make perfect feeders. - Brilliant!
0:00:42 > 0:00:44And do you know what? My 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 would 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.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12And here's what we've got for you on today's programme.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Paul discovers his pigs have a special surprise.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19What you might not know, Paul,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23is that pigs could hold the cure for the common cold inside them.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Keeley learns why our rock pools need saving.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30The rock pools are a very important part of that cycle, and without them
0:01:30 > 0:01:34who knows whether we would maintain the fish within the oceans?
0:01:34 > 0:01:36And I'll be showing how UK superheroes
0:01:36 > 0:01:39are saving one of our Valentine's favourites from the brink.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52We've spent all week here in Anglesey,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56just a stone's throw from the Welsh mainland, and Snowdonia,
0:01:56 > 0:01:57in all its majesty.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And talking of majestic, how about that?
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Telford Suspension Bridge over the Menai Strait.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Now, the waters here may look narrow enough,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09but they are amongst some of the most treacherous in the UK.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Particularly the stretch between Telford's bridge
0:02:13 > 0:02:17and the later Britannia Bridge, known locally as The Swellies.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Whether you're plying the straits or just out for a walk
0:02:20 > 0:02:21the winds here can be pretty bracing,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24but there's nothing wrong with a blast of cold air.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It can help boost your immune system.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30And let's face it - if there's one thing we all want to avoid every year,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32it's the common cold.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36So far, a cure has eluded scientists - until now.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40And as Paul discovers, it may lie in the most uprising of places.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Now, back in the autumn, we welcomed these two to our smallholding.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51I remember the day they arrived,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53they were that big! They were so cute.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Everybody was so excited.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56Now look at the size of them!
0:02:56 > 0:03:01They're Kunekunes, which in Maori literally means "fat and round".
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Well, they're certainly living up to their names.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Now, I thought their primary use was confined to being utterly delicious,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10but apparently, they hold a very special secret.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Top immunologist Dr Peter Barlow
0:03:16 > 0:03:19has come all the way from Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland
0:03:19 > 0:03:21to reveal all.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25So, thank you for coming down and making the trip.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28This is Toffee and Fudge. What is so special about them?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Well, what you might not know, Paul,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34is that pigs could hold the cure for the common cold inside them.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Wow! Really?
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Yeah, absolutely. So,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40pigs have incredibly well developed immune systems
0:03:40 > 0:03:43that are very similar to the immune system of humans.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44So, enter pigs!
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Both humans and pigs have molecules called peptides.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52And those peptides are incredibly good at killing viruses.
0:03:52 > 0:03:57So we can use the information that we've learned from studying pigs,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01and apply that to design new drugs for killing human viruses.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Scientists are constantly working on cures for different types of cancers
0:04:05 > 0:04:07and there's been some amazing breakthroughs, but up until now,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10has the common cold evaded them?
0:04:10 > 0:04:12It has, because there's over
0:04:12 > 0:04:15100 different types of cold virus,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18and it's an incredibly difficult scientific problem to solve.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21So, what we're trying to do is create a drug
0:04:21 > 0:04:25that will target and kill each one of those cold viruses,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29so we can develop a new treatment for curing the common cold.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30That's amazing, isn't it?
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Rhinovirus is the name
0:04:34 > 0:04:37given to the malady that's making us miserable.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42It's this group of viruses that cause colds in humans.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47Finally identified in 1956, by the UK's Common Cold Unit,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49they desperately hoped to discover a cure.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51But after 40 years with no success,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54in 1989, its doors were closed.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58So, almost three decades later,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01are we about to go where no man has gone before?
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Peter has constructed a temporary lab in my kitchen, for a science lesson,
0:05:06 > 0:05:11to show me how tantalisingly close his team is to cracking it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15It seems it's all to do with this tiny thing called a peptide.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19So, what we have here is a graphical representation
0:05:19 > 0:05:22of what a peptide looks like in real life.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- And it looks like a coiled spring. - It is, isn't it?
0:05:25 > 0:05:27And what the peptide does,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29when it interacts with a virus,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33is it punches holes in the virus very, very quickly,
0:05:33 > 0:05:34and kills it within minutes.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38So how are you designing the peptide so it's geared towards humans?
0:05:38 > 0:05:40So, what we do is we grow the virus
0:05:40 > 0:05:42in a container like this,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45and then we infect human lung cells
0:05:45 > 0:05:48and study how the virus actually acts on those cells.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52So, what we're looking at here is a before and after shot.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56The blue dots that you see here are lung cells,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58and the ones that are stained with green
0:05:58 > 0:06:00are the ones that have been infected with the virus
0:06:00 > 0:06:02that causes the common cold.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04So, this is the before shot...
0:06:04 > 0:06:06..and then, two hours later,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10after we've treated those cells with the peptide from the pig,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13we find that all the green staining, or the virus,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15has disappeared.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18And that tells us that the peptide
0:06:18 > 0:06:21is killing the virus inside the lung cells.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23So, instead of waiting for three or four days
0:06:23 > 0:06:25for your cold to resolve,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28we would hopefully just be waiting just a few hours.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Where's this research going to take you?
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Well, now that we've discovered that these peptides
0:06:33 > 0:06:35can kill the cold virus,
0:06:35 > 0:06:36we want to look and see
0:06:36 > 0:06:40what peptides from other animals can do to this virus.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Because it's been found that peptides can also kill other viruses
0:06:44 > 0:06:47like HIV and influenza,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50which makes them really exciting for developing new drugs.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52That is revolutionary, isn't it?
0:06:52 > 0:06:54It is. It's going to take a long time
0:06:54 > 0:06:57before we have a pill that we can give to people with the common cold,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59but that's what we're going to be doing
0:06:59 > 0:07:01over the next five to ten years.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Peter's research could have an enormous impact on global health -
0:07:05 > 0:07:10particularly those living with respiratory diseases, like asthma.
0:07:11 > 0:07:18Worldwide, it's estimated that 300 million people suffer from asthma,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20with 250,000 deaths every year.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23But until that cure lands on our shelves,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27what can we do to fend off the sniffles in the meantime?
0:07:27 > 0:07:30We've set up some traditional home remedies
0:07:30 > 0:07:33for local community pharmacist Zoe Pierce to ponder.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36It's quite amazing how many
0:07:36 > 0:07:37different rescue remedies are out there -
0:07:37 > 0:07:39we've got a few examples here,
0:07:39 > 0:07:40and of course every family has their own,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and my mum swore by hot honey and lemon.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45- Absolutely.- A good combination.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Indeed. One of my personal favourites.
0:07:47 > 0:07:48Honey is a very old-fashioned remedy,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50it's what we call a de-muculent
0:07:50 > 0:07:53so it actually coats the throat and soothes sore throats.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55It's got lots of other properties as well,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57which help us heal when we're poorly.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59And also lemon, as well as making it taste nice,
0:07:59 > 0:08:04contains lots of vitamin C which is important when we are coming down with a cold, to help us heal.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Yeah, it kind of feels like it revitalises you,
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- makes you feel good as well. - Absolutely.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Garlic... I expect you're wondering
0:08:10 > 0:08:11what this odd sock is for.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- Mm.- Yeah?
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Some people actually say,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17if you warm the garlic up - crush it down,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19stick it with some oil, warm it up -
0:08:19 > 0:08:22paste it around a sock and then put the sock on your foot...
0:08:22 > 0:08:24- Right.- ..that's good for you.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26I'm not particularly familiar with that,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29but certainly wearing socks in bed would help keep you nice and warm
0:08:29 > 0:08:31so that might help you heal quicker.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34That's probably what it was all about, it's gone wrong somewhere.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Someone's added garlic, you know what it's like!
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Who would want to do that, your feet would stink!
0:08:38 > 0:08:41So, there's a lot of old folklore around crushed garlic
0:08:41 > 0:08:42releasing a chemical called allicin,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45which has got very good anti-oxidative properties,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49which again helps to bolster our immune system when we're coming down with a cold.
0:08:49 > 0:08:50What about chicken soup?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Quite often chicken bones are boiled up, and the cartilage
0:08:53 > 0:08:56that sticks to the bones is broken down,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58releasing lots of minerals like calcium,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02magnesium contained in bones, which can help our immune system again.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05What about this one, look? Onion tea, never heard of that.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Certainly my father, when I was growing up, used to swear by
0:09:08 > 0:09:10eating a raw onion when he was suffering from a cold.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13I don't know if it CURED him, but it certainly prevented him
0:09:13 > 0:09:17from passing it on to anyone, as everyone stayed well away from him.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I like that! That's a good story.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21- I love hot chilli, as you know... - Me too.
0:09:21 > 0:09:22Hot foods like chilli
0:09:22 > 0:09:26can actually make our eyes water and make our mucus be secreted.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28And I suppose that applies to hot curries as well.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Things like this will make us sweat, which is a way of cooling down -
0:09:31 > 0:09:35which again will help flush out any germs in our body.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Dr Peter and the team in Edinburgh are on the verge of
0:09:37 > 0:09:41cracking the cure for the common cold. It could be the eureka moment.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44What impact will that have on the pharmaceutical market?
0:09:44 > 0:09:48It sounds like an absolute ground-breaking opportunity at the moment,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51and I think anything that we, as a medical profession,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54can do to help our patients can't be a bad thing.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57Of course the best advice
0:09:57 > 0:10:00is to avoid catching a cold in the first place,
0:10:00 > 0:10:05so here are some tips to keep your immune system in tip-top condition.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Wash hands regularly, especially before eating.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Drink plenty of water and get lots of rest.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20A good night's sleep works miracles.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24We'll have to wait and see where research
0:10:24 > 0:10:27leads Peter and his team in Edinburgh, but I'll tell you what,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30I have a new-found and total respect for these two.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Who would've thought they'd hold such a very special secret?
0:10:34 > 0:10:35Well done, girls.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Well, they're clever animals, those pigs,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48so make sure you wrap up warm and avoid those germs at all costs.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Now, what do you think is three times more popular than cycling,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58twice as popular as swimming
0:10:58 > 0:11:01and definitely a bigger draw than going to the gym?
0:11:01 > 0:11:02The answer is walking.
0:11:02 > 0:11:08It's our favourite national pastime, but it's not without its dangers.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09Latest figures have revealed
0:11:09 > 0:11:13there are over 3,500 SOS distress calls every year,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16many of them from nearby Mount Snowdon.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Here on Anglesey, the lowland search and rescue team are training hard,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24ready to jump to the rescue and I volunteered to help them.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25All right, lads?
0:11:25 > 0:11:27You OK with that?
0:11:32 > 0:11:34- Jules, how are you doing? - Really good, I'm in good hands.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37OK, we're just going to get you strapped in, get you nice and secure
0:11:37 > 0:11:41- and then we're going to move you over to the stretcher.- Fantastic.
0:11:41 > 0:11:42Brace. Lift.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Ooh, I feel as snug as a bug in a rug!
0:11:51 > 0:11:54I am now safely taken care of, but on a more serious note,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57during the winter months, we do need to take extra care
0:11:57 > 0:12:01and having a few survival tips to hand can come in pretty useful,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04as I set off to find out in the Forest of Dean
0:12:04 > 0:12:06with my trusty companion Teddy.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Now, like many of us, there's nothing that Teddy and I like more
0:12:19 > 0:12:23than the chance to get out for a nice long winter's yomp,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25but it's easy to forget just how easy it can be
0:12:25 > 0:12:27to find yourself stranded,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31particularly on a cold, dark winter's day. Come on, Teddy.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37If there's one man who knows how to keep us safe and alive
0:12:37 > 0:12:39until help arrives, it's ex-military
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and leading survival expert Andy Wood.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Hello, Andy.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- How are you?- Good morning, mate. Nice to see you.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49With over 40 years' experience,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Andy has braved conditions in some of the world's most remote regions.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Now, Andy, you've worked in some of the most hostile of environments.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01My sense is that here in the UK,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04we really haven't got that much to worry about, surely?
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Unfortunately, people do tend to think that,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09but now we're not ten metres from the track, but people do get lost.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Whether it's up in the mountains or in forests like this,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14we don't plan on things going wrong.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17We go out for a walk with family, with the dog, what have you,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19but things distract us, you know,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21the kids might run off into the bottom of the forest there
0:13:21 > 0:13:22and injure an ankle.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24If you got lost in here now,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27this would be one of the hardest environments to survive in.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Cold and wet really is a killer.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33While we can't all be experts at survival,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35the key thing is to be better prepared.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37- Can we have a look at what you've got?- Yeah, sure. Yeah, yeah.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39I've got a few bits and bobs in here.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42I mean, just another layer really but it just happens to be a nice,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44bright colour which obviously is going to be quite helpful, isn't it?
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Yeah. A standard sort of signal in mountain rescue is three objects,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51three bright colours, so if you're on a hillside and you had that,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54you've got a very bright red T-shirt, if you had something else,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56if you lay them out,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58if there was a search party looking for you and they observed that,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00they'd know somebody's in danger there.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- Do you have a phone on you? - I do have a phone on me, yeah.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- Here's the phone.- Again, when you have no signal and you're trying
0:14:06 > 0:14:09to find somewhere where you can call for help, send yourself a text.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12When you do pick up a signal next, your text will be received
0:14:12 > 0:14:14so you know you're in a position with a signal.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Brilliant. That is a really useful tip.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19And then I've got a little bit of a snack, which as you can see,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Teddy is more than interested in.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24- Got his eyes on already. - Yeah, he absolutely has.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Right. With some fuel on board and a few extra layers,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31you're all kitted up. You set off through the woods, head down,
0:14:31 > 0:14:32then after a little while,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36you look up and suddenly find yourself utterly lost.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41What's the first step to take to ensure you stay safe?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44My advice to anybody is always listen to those alarm bells.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47As soon as you start doubting where you are, you start thinking,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49"Hang on, this isn't right," do not push on.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50Running around, panicking,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53you'll just get yourself more and more lost.
0:14:53 > 0:14:54Stop, think about it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56There are all kinds of acronyms and mnemonics.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58I'm sure you can tell me one.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Well, the one I know is itself STOP.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02Which stands for?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- I'll take your word for that. - Yeah?
0:15:08 > 0:15:10That sort of thing is fantastic to remember.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Invariably, going back the way you've come is the best way.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15In the tracking world, when we're following people,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18we're looking for things that we'd refer to as pointers,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21so as you drag your feet through the woods as you're walking through,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23I may take a piece of bush like that.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26- Yeah.- So that's now pointing in the direction I'm going.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29That's a slightly exaggerated example there, but in bracken,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31that's what happens. You also have colour change,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34you have the underside of the leaf showing now.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36These are all things out of the norm,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39so if you follow that logical procession back,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41you'll find your way out.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43That's just the sort of thing we don't think about -
0:15:43 > 0:15:46using pointers to backtrack through the scrub.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48But what about Teddy?
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Hasn't he got a nose for home?
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Dogs, of course, famously can smell on a spectrum
0:15:53 > 0:15:56that is light years away from anything we can do.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00If you are out there lost, having somebody else to be responsible for,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02you know, it's an animal rather than a person,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04but it gives you that comfort factor.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06If you've walked this route many times before...
0:16:06 > 0:16:08- If he knows it, yeah. - ..there's every chance
0:16:08 > 0:16:10he will know his way home.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Some valuable tracking tips there,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17but if backtracking proves too difficult,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19there can be another exit route to hand.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23The river gives you something to follow,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26it gives you a hand rail to know where you're going
0:16:26 > 0:16:28- and know if you have to come back. - You say handrail,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31it's a really useful term that and I think describes it perfectly.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Water is a really good tool in terms of navigating our way
0:16:35 > 0:16:38to some sort of civilisation, to some sort of help.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Especially here in the UK, if you head downstream,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45it won't take long to find signs of life.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49So, you see, there's quite a bit you can do to help your predicament.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51But one thing is totally out of our control.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53HE WHISTLES Come on.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56You know, on a day like this, Andy,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00it's easy to get lulled into a false sense of security that, you know,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02nothing is going to go wrong, but of course,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05the weather can change just like that, can't it?
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Invariably it's the weather that catches most people out, Jules.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Whether it's up in the mountains or in forests like this,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14you cannot book nature. It will do whatever she wants to do.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17You can't book nature. That's a great way of putting it actually.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20So, looking around you here, what are the resources
0:17:20 > 0:17:24that have caught your eye that we might make use of to keep us warm?
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Because it's that sense of warmth
0:17:26 > 0:17:28that I guess is key to keeping you alive.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31If all this leaf litter was completely dry...
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- Which today...- ..which it's not. - ..unappealingly it isn't, yeah.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36If that was bone dry and you could throw it in the air,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38and it'd just float off with the breeze,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40you could tuck some of that into your jacket,
0:17:40 > 0:17:41up your sleeves and that
0:17:41 > 0:17:44to give you that sort of down jacket, air trapping layer.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48What a simple idea.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51But remember, only use it if the leaves are dry.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55And if all else fails and you find yourself stuck here for the night,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59it's vital to find shelter before the light begins to fade.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01If you look behind us down here, that low-lying ground,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04you're not going to build something down there, are you?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06- Wet, boggy...- It's wet and boggy. When we came out this morning,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09you had all that mist sitting in the low-lying ground.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- That is just going to be misery. - It's just a cold pocket, isn't it?
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Just a cold pocket, it's just going to hold it there.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16You know, up on top of a windswept hill,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19you don't want to be there either, so it's finding that happy medium.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24Around here, we have the leaf litter, we have already lying trees,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27so we've got a lot of the resources there ready for us.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Well, Teddy is going to be no real use in helping us build,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33but may come into his own little bit later on,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35once we get this shelter up.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Come on, let's go and build something. Come on.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43First, choose a fallen tree that's good and strong
0:18:43 > 0:18:45and acts as a natural windbreak.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Next, forage for long, straight sticks on the forest floor.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54I used to love building dens out in the woods.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Why should that stop just because you've grown up?
0:19:01 > 0:19:03After constructing a basic framework...
0:19:05 > 0:19:07..make a compact layer of leaf litter.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Finally, our house of sticks is complete
0:19:11 > 0:19:14and this is where Teddy really comes into his own.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16So, I'm going to crawl in
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and you are going to come and keep me warm, Teddy Bear,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23if you think this is going to be cosy enough.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27Right. In you come, come on. In you come.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30So after an hour's work, Andy and I have created, I think,
0:19:30 > 0:19:31a really good shelter.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32Now, if I'd done it on my own,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35it might have taken me a couple of hours, but let's face it,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39it's not a huge amount of time when you consider that it could keep me
0:19:39 > 0:19:41safe and dry for at least 24 hours -
0:19:41 > 0:19:45time enough, I would hope, for help to come and find us.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49As it is, I'm dry, I'm warm, I've got Teddy for company,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51what more could I want?
0:19:52 > 0:19:53Steak and chips?
0:19:59 > 0:20:00Rather like building dens,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04something else we all loved to do as kids is go rock pooling.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Whatever the weather and especially in winter,
0:20:07 > 0:20:08no trip to the beach is complete
0:20:08 > 0:20:11without seeing what fantastic creatures you can discover.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17But with rising sea levels, many sections of our coastline
0:20:17 > 0:20:20are now having to have extra defences put upon them.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23But those self-same barriers run the risk of endangering
0:20:23 > 0:20:26the very delicate balance of ecosystems and marine life
0:20:26 > 0:20:28that call places like this home.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30So what can be done about it?
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Well, Keeley is on the case.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39As winter storms gnaw away at our coastlines,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41sea levels continue to rise.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45More than £2 billion will be spent over the next two years
0:20:45 > 0:20:48trying to hold the sea back.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51I'm talking, of course, about sea defences and breakwaters.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Miles of concrete,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56man-made walls designed to protect us from the waves
0:20:56 > 0:21:00and hundreds of our homes from falling into the sea.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01And while they're a guardian for us,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05they're a home wrecker for the little tidal paradises.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09These tidal dwellings are rock pools -
0:21:09 > 0:21:13the pools of sea water left behind when the tide goes out,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17providing shelter for a rich variety of marine life.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21At almost 1,700 miles long,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24the rocky Welsh coastline is full of them.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29On a blustery winter beach just a few miles from Aberystwyth,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33I'm meeting intertidal ecologist Paul Brazier
0:21:33 > 0:21:36to find out just what threat they're facing.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38It's so dramatic here.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40You really are exposed, aren't you?
0:21:40 > 0:21:43There's a lot of wind coming off the Irish Sea this morning
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and it's rolling those waves up the beach today, yes.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48And with you being on the West Coast,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50you get the weather often first, don't you?
0:21:50 > 0:21:52You really can be at the brunt of the weather.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Yeah, definitely. The storms come in good and hard in here
0:21:55 > 0:21:56and even when it's not stormy,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59there's often a strong wind that's producing a lot of wave action.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02And I would have thought that would have created
0:22:02 > 0:22:04an inhospitable environment,
0:22:04 > 0:22:05but that's not the case, is it?
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Well, no. The animals here are all adapted to deal
0:22:08 > 0:22:11with that very difficult situation.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Because of the changing tides,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17you can find a wide variety of sea life
0:22:17 > 0:22:19in this narrow stretch of shoreline.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23From high tide areas where flora and fauna have to survive
0:22:23 > 0:22:27battering waves and currents, to the riches of the low tide areas,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30which are more abundant in food
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and rock pools are another world in between.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35I suppose you think about rock pooling,
0:22:35 > 0:22:36you think about summer holidays,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39but there's plenty to see at this time of year as well, isn't there?
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Well, yes. The life within the rock pools keeps going.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43All sorts of different sorts of animals.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45We've got urchins and starfish, mussels,
0:22:45 > 0:22:49we've got the winkles that are sort of grazing within the rock pools
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and again, we've got a lot more seaweeds
0:22:51 > 0:22:54which are protected by being in the rock pool.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56They remain wet and so carry on living
0:22:56 > 0:22:58and feeding there when the tide goes out.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00It's like a little adventure really that's a sort of
0:23:00 > 0:23:02miniature wilderness within the rock pool,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05because you're never quite sure what you're going to find.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07And why are the rock pools so important?
0:23:07 > 0:23:08Why do we need to look after them?
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Well, the rock pools are part of a much bigger system,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13so that the animals and plants that are feeding there
0:23:13 > 0:23:16and are feeding on the prawns and the shrimps and worms
0:23:16 > 0:23:18that are living within the rock pool,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21and then those fish will grow up and move out to the greater ocean
0:23:21 > 0:23:23where they'll feed bigger fish
0:23:23 > 0:23:25and so the food chain continues that way.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29They are a very important part of that cycle and without them,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31who knows whether we would maintain the fish within the oceans.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36The scientists are predicting stronger storms
0:23:36 > 0:23:38and more weather extremes
0:23:38 > 0:23:42and over 1,000 miles of the English and Welsh coastline
0:23:42 > 0:23:45is under threat from coastal erosion.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48To protect homes and vital coastal infrastructure
0:23:48 > 0:23:50simply falling into the sea,
0:23:50 > 0:23:55nearly 1,500 miles of the coast has artificial protection.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59But this could spell disaster for creatures that need rock pools
0:23:59 > 0:24:01to survive and thrive.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06With a coastal defence, if it's smooth concrete or smooth rock,
0:24:06 > 0:24:07it's a very clean surface
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and it's very difficult for a community to become established.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Here on wintry Tywyn Beach, you can see miles and miles
0:24:16 > 0:24:20of those smooth man-made concrete breakwaters.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25Unlike rough, craggy rock pools where wildlife can attach itself
0:24:25 > 0:24:26and shelter from the tides,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30these smooth walls offer little lodging and scant protection.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34The situation looks bleak.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39But rock pool saviour Dr Ally Evans of Aberystwyth University
0:24:39 > 0:24:41might just have the solution.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43This is the artificial breakwater.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46What have you done to create natural environments in this?
0:24:46 > 0:24:48We've got a project here
0:24:48 > 0:24:51where we've drilled 40 artificial rock pools
0:24:51 > 0:24:56into some of the rock units on the seaward side of the breakwater.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58These are really simple designs,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01they're just holes about the size of a tin of paint
0:25:01 > 0:25:05and we wanted to see if they would act like rock pools.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08So why are you doing it? Why are you making the rock pools?
0:25:08 > 0:25:11The marine environment is changing quite drastically.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15We're seeing lots of development along coastlines and offshore
0:25:15 > 0:25:17for all sorts of different reasons,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20including sea defence like this breakwater,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22and we know that construction activities like this
0:25:22 > 0:25:25can cause a lot of damage to the natural environment
0:25:25 > 0:25:28and we also know that these artificial structures
0:25:28 > 0:25:32are not very good quality habitats for marine plants and animals.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35So it's certainly important to prioritise
0:25:35 > 0:25:38looking after the natural habitats that we have already,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42but in places where hard artificial structures like this breakwater
0:25:42 > 0:25:45are necessary, this is just one, simple,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49effective way of providing an additional habitat for marine life.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Ally started the project three and half years ago,
0:25:53 > 0:25:57but in that short time, she's definitely seen results.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59They worked really well.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03I've seen all sorts of different things using them as a home,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07lots of different seaweeds, snails, fish, crabs, anemones,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09anything that you'd find in a normal rock pool
0:26:09 > 0:26:11have been using these rock pools.
0:26:11 > 0:26:12Really? Just from drilling a hole in the rock,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15- you've found all those things?- Yes.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18How important is it that we look after the rock pools that we've got?
0:26:18 > 0:26:21It's really important, especially with the scale of these things.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25One structure in one place might not be that much of an issue,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28but when you consider how many of these things are being built
0:26:28 > 0:26:31all around our coastlines and on the seabeds,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33some of it we don't see, so,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36it's a really big issue and we need to do anything we can
0:26:36 > 0:26:39to try to make them slightly better.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42As small as these little sea worlds are,
0:26:42 > 0:26:47rock pools play a dynamic part in our coastal ecosystem
0:26:47 > 0:26:49and provide millions of holiday-makers
0:26:49 > 0:26:51hours of beach time fun.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55It would be a tragedy if we lost any more of them.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Sea defences are crucial in protecting our coastline
0:26:58 > 0:27:00and, of course, our homes as well,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03but thank goodness for people like Ally who are making sure
0:27:03 > 0:27:07our wildlife's homes are just as safe and secure.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Well, Keeley clearly had a chilly expedition,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23but what a great idea to give nature a helping hand.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Keeley, of course, was in Aberystwyth
0:27:27 > 0:27:30which sits on the glorious Welsh coastline,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33one of our favourite coastal stretches in the UK
0:27:33 > 0:27:35for you to enjoy in winter.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Here you'll find cliffs that plunge into the sea,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44hidden coves, beaches and farmland edging the shore.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46You're spoiled for choice.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51And here's a rundown of some other spectacular shorelines.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Across in Northumberland, you'll find 30 miles of sandy beaches.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58A particular favourite of mine
0:27:58 > 0:28:00is Bamburgh in the shadow of the castle,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03once the seat of the kings of Northumbria.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08Walking or riding, this beach will blow away any winter cobwebs.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14But for those of you who like something really wild and dramatic,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17there are the Outer Hebrides right on the edge of Europe.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22200 islands pop out of the ocean.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28Only a few are inhabited and there is mile upon mile of white sand.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36And for something really different, try exploring Norfolk's reedbeds.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Nearly 2,000 hectares teeming with winter bird life.
0:28:43 > 0:28:49Once a huge swamp, the reeds and sedge here are used for thatching
0:28:49 > 0:28:51and the beds are a natural flood defence.
0:29:02 > 0:29:03Now, since the 18th century,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06if you wanted to sell your livestock at market,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09it was common practice to walk them all the way to town.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Well, before the bridges were built linking Anglesey to the mainland,
0:29:13 > 0:29:17farmers on the island faced the challenge of getting their livestock
0:29:17 > 0:29:18from one side to the other
0:29:18 > 0:29:22and back then, the solution was fairly simple - sink or swim.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26It's thought they would drive their herds and flocks across at low tide,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29but I wonder how the animals felt about that?
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Can you even begin to get into the mind of a farm animal?
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Well, Adam met an animal behaviourist
0:29:35 > 0:29:37to learn to think like a sheep.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41If a shepherd's going to look after his flock successfully,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44he needs to know what makes them tick,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47so I've invited animal behaviourist Cathy Dwyer to my farm
0:29:47 > 0:29:50to help me see the world through the eyes of a sheep.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55So, Cathy, why do you want to sneak up on this flock of sheep, then?
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Well, what we want to look at is just their undisturbed behaviour,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00so although it looks like they're just little woolly blobs
0:30:00 > 0:30:02on the field doing not very much,
0:30:02 > 0:30:05actually what you're looking at is a sheep society, if you like.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Animals will choose to graze with each other,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10so we have a little group of animals over here
0:30:10 > 0:30:13who maybe are related to each other or they're friends,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15they're grazing buddies, if you like.
0:30:15 > 0:30:16They've just spotted us.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18- They have.- And they're running now.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Sheep are prey animals.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27They've evolved keen instincts to spot predators like wolves
0:30:27 > 0:30:29and, of course, us humans.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33A field of sheep means lots of pairs of eyes on the lookout for trouble.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36When one raises the alarm, they start to flock together.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38As we all know, there's safety in numbers.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42For an approaching predator,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45the key to success lies in picking out a weakness,
0:30:45 > 0:30:47like a sheep that's old or one that's sick.
0:30:47 > 0:30:52But the flock seems to know this and so sacrifices its weaker members.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Within the group of animals, you'll have animals that are dominant,
0:30:57 > 0:30:59so those are the animals that are most important in the flock,
0:30:59 > 0:31:02and there'll be animals that are much more subordinates.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04- Will the dominant ones be safe in the middle of them?- That's right.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07So the more subordinate animals are probably still
0:31:07 > 0:31:09around the outside and the dominants will be tucking themselves
0:31:09 > 0:31:12into the safest position here, so that when they really run,
0:31:12 > 0:31:14they're going to be in the middle of that group.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16When sheep flock together in numbers,
0:31:16 > 0:31:18getting hold of one is a tricky business.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22If I go in and see if I can catch one, if you hang on here,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25let's see what I can do. What I'm trying to do here now is get...
0:31:28 > 0:31:29..behind one.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Not a hope.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39I'll never be able to catch one like that.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41TAPE REWINDS
0:31:41 > 0:31:44As I launch my attack, the flock scatter,
0:31:44 > 0:31:47making it difficult to target any one sheep.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51I spotted one that was running away,
0:31:51 > 0:31:53so I reckoned I could get up behind it,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55but the other ones were looking at me, so they were warning it really.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57That's right. I mean, they work together
0:31:57 > 0:32:00as quite a corporative group. That's what keeps them safe,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02is being in this social group together and keeping an eye out
0:32:02 > 0:32:05- for each other.- Yeah. They are all looking at me now, laughing.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15I know one way to a sheep's heart which will get me closer.
0:32:15 > 0:32:16Sheep food.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21It's highly nutritious and irresistible if you're a sheep.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24So they recognise the bag instantly, you know,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26just a shake of the bag.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28And before, these sheep that were running away from me...
0:32:30 > 0:32:32Still little bit nervous.
0:32:32 > 0:32:33Put down a bit of food.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40And...
0:32:40 > 0:32:41..one sheep.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45There's a good girl.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48That wild instinct, I suppose, is taken away because
0:32:48 > 0:32:49I'm feeding them, I've tamed them in a way.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52That's right, you've trained them to know what this is
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and it's so delicious, they'll let their guard down a little bit
0:32:54 > 0:32:57so you can get round behind them and get in the blind spot.
0:32:57 > 0:32:58So tell me about their eyes, then.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01- Can they see as well as we can? - They have different vision to us.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05So if you look at the pupil, you can see that it's horizontal,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07so that helps them see much better in the periphery,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09but they don't see as well top and bottom.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12If something jumped out of a tree, they wouldn't see that so well.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14As long as the predator's coming along the ground towards them,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16then they're going to spot that really well.
0:33:16 > 0:33:17And how far can they see?
0:33:17 > 0:33:19There's reports they can see up to a mile away,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21but they're particularly good at seeing movement,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24that's what their eyes are designed to do, to spot movement.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28One of the sheep's natural predators, the wolf,
0:33:28 > 0:33:29has forward pointing eyes
0:33:29 > 0:33:32giving them what's known as binocular vision.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35This enables them to judge distance accurately
0:33:35 > 0:33:37so hunt and bring down prey.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Sheep's eyes on the other hand are found on the sides of their head,
0:33:43 > 0:33:45so while they're unable to judge distance well,
0:33:45 > 0:33:49it gives them a remarkable 270 degree field of vision.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52This still leaves a blind spot directly behind them.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55On their own, this would make them vulnerable, but in a flock,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57they can all watch each other's backs.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03It's fantastic for them, the way it's evolved, I suppose,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05over thousands of years.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07That's right. I mean, it's an arms race between predator and prey,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09so as they develop one tactic,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12then another one evolves in the prey animals.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14They're just trying to stay one step ahead
0:34:14 > 0:34:17of whatever tricks the wolf has up its sleeve to catch them.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Right, let her go. Go on, then, missus. Go back to your breakfast.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24And today, we use the domesticated version of the wolf
0:34:24 > 0:34:25to round up the sheep.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27We're going to attempt a simple experiment
0:34:27 > 0:34:29to see whether the sheep's herding instinct
0:34:29 > 0:34:32is stronger than their appetite for their favourite food.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Right, I'll just get a subject.
0:34:34 > 0:34:35Here we are, you'll do.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39By taking one greedy sheep away from the safety of the flock,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42we'll force her to make a snap decision.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Will she run to her friends or the food?
0:34:46 > 0:34:49If you grab the bag of food and stand down there, and I'll...
0:34:52 > 0:34:54..I'll give her the option and then she can decide
0:34:54 > 0:34:57whether to come to you for food or go to her mates.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59- That's right.- OK. You ready?
0:35:02 > 0:35:04There's some food. You've seen it.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11She has a look at the food, thinks about it for half a second,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14before the wild flock instinct takes over.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16OK, it might not be completely scientific,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19but she chooses her friends first time.
0:35:19 > 0:35:20Nature wins over nurture.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24Well, it just demonstrates how strong that flock instinct is
0:35:24 > 0:35:26and how important it is to the sheep,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29that they would choose the flock over anything else when they're stressed.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31They'll choose the social group and it really demonstrates
0:35:31 > 0:35:34how stressful it is for these sheep to be on their own.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41So, remember, when you next pass a flock of sheep,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44they're not just a bunch of animals standing around -
0:35:44 > 0:35:50each individual has their role to play and sticking together keeps them safe.
0:35:50 > 0:35:51SHEEP BLEAT
0:36:00 > 0:36:06This is the island of Llanddwyn, known locally as the Welsh island of love.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Literally translated, it means the church of Dwynwen,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12the Welsh patron saint of lovers.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20Now, we love a bit of romance here in the UK and it's thought that we
0:36:20 > 0:36:25spend over £1 billion every year on Valentine's Day, and let's face it,
0:36:25 > 0:36:30chocolate is right up there as the perfect way into anyone's heart.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35But there's a chocolate crisis looming on the horizon as cocoa crops
0:36:35 > 0:36:37around the world are being decimated,
0:36:37 > 0:36:41but salvation is at hand right here in the UK.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Margherita is mad about chocolate
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and she couldn't wait to find out more.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55Now, I'm a self-confessed chocoholic and I could pretend
0:36:55 > 0:36:59that these lovely little green artichokes and the mini cauliflowers
0:36:59 > 0:37:01here are part of my five-a-day,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04but they're actually made totally of chocolate.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08And it just goes to show how sophisticated our tastes and demands
0:37:08 > 0:37:10for chocolate have become here in the UK.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14I can't imagine a world without this delicious little treat,
0:37:14 > 0:37:17although that could all too easily come to pass.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Hopefully not before I've sampled one or two more trays.
0:37:25 > 0:37:30For a nation that spends more on chocolate than even fish and chips,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32the worrying news is that every year,
0:37:32 > 0:37:3830% of cocoa crops across the world are destroyed by pests and disease,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42all at a time when demand is growing even faster than supply.
0:37:44 > 0:37:49In the UK alone, we each eat around 12 kilos of chocolate every year.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55But fear not, fellow chocolate lovers,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58because the answer lies with two people.
0:37:58 > 0:38:03A chocolate rescue squad based not in some far-flung corner of the world,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06but right here in the outskirts of Reading.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11The International Cocoa Quarantine Centre
0:38:11 > 0:38:13is the only one of its kind in the world.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17It's been safeguarding our chocolate for 30 years
0:38:17 > 0:38:20in acres of these polytunnels.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Dr Daymond is the boss.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27And this is what it's all about.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29So, this is a cocoa pod.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31- Wow.- So, these are the beans here.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33You can see they're covered with a pulp
0:38:33 > 0:38:35which is actually quite sweet-tasting
0:38:35 > 0:38:39and it's the beans here which are used to make chocolate.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44This place acts as a huge gene bank for cocoa plants,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47supplying growers and research institutes
0:38:47 > 0:38:50with varieties of the crop from around the world.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Why is the research here so important?
0:38:54 > 0:38:59It's important that breeders and researchers have access to different
0:38:59 > 0:39:02types of cocoa for their breeding programmes,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05to produce new varieties ultimately to supply to farmers.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07And why is the work based here in Reading?
0:39:07 > 0:39:09I thought it would be somewhere hot and tropical.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14So, the fact that we're located in a cold country is actually important
0:39:14 > 0:39:19in that there is no danger then that any endemic pests or diseases
0:39:19 > 0:39:22of cocoa enter the facility from outside.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27So, what threats do our cocoa crops face?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29It differs around the world.
0:39:29 > 0:39:30In South America,
0:39:30 > 0:39:36it's fungal diseases known as witches' broom and frosty pod rot that are causing major problems.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40In West Africa, as well as damage from pests,
0:39:40 > 0:39:46a virus which causes the shoots to swell is killing entire trees.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50And in south-east Asia, it's a moth called the cocoa pod borer.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57They're incredibly destructive but they're no match for the chocolate rescue squad.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03It's technician Stella Poole's job to grow disease-defying plants,
0:40:03 > 0:40:07which in my book makes her Robin to Dr Andrew's Batman.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11So, Stella, do you have to have a sweet tooth to work here?
0:40:11 > 0:40:15It's probably a good thing not to have one in a way,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18because if you're thinking about chocolate all day... But, no, they're just plants.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20How does the process start?
0:40:20 > 0:40:25Well, we receive budwood, these are budwood sticks or twigs,
0:40:25 > 0:40:31and these arrive from the US Department of Agriculture in Miami.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36We can potentially get a plant from each bud you see there.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41Stella cuts out individual buds from the budwood samples to transplant
0:40:41 > 0:40:44onto already established cocoa plants.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47If successful, the new combination of genes
0:40:47 > 0:40:50will hopefully make the plants more disease-resistant.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52So, what's the next stage in the process?
0:40:52 > 0:40:56We can now attach this to a strong rootstock,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59so essentially ending up with two plants which will become one plant
0:40:59 > 0:41:01and they live together happily.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04The budwood is carefully grafted onto a host plant
0:41:04 > 0:41:09and tightly wrapped to coax it into creating a healthy cocoa plant.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13This is all about hopefully creating virus-free stock
0:41:13 > 0:41:15or as close as we we'll ever get to that.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19So, what does success look like once you grafted and it's begun to take?
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Sure. There's a couple we had earlier this year.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27This one, which came from Costa Rica in June.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Same process, this is the graft just there.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35And as you can see, that's completely taken, really healthy,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38then grow to be a beautiful plant in a year or two.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44Stella tends her plants for two years, but then they need another two years
0:41:44 > 0:41:48in quarantine before they're nearly ready to go back into the big wide world.
0:41:48 > 0:41:54They need to get used to the hot and humid conditions which mimic the tropics.
0:41:54 > 0:41:5720 degrees at night, 25 by day.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Lovely for me, I have to say, on a cold winter's day.
0:42:01 > 0:42:07There's not a hint of disease in the 400 varieties under tender loving care here.
0:42:07 > 0:42:13And they'll soon be on their way to help farmers in 200 countries -
0:42:13 > 0:42:16super plants ready to do their fabulous thing.
0:42:18 > 0:42:19With Valentine's Day on the way,
0:42:19 > 0:42:23it's good to know that our favourite sweet treat really is in safe hands.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36Well, thank goodness for Dr Andrew and Stella.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39I don't know about you, but I could not imagine a world without chocolate.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45Sadly, that is the last of our Countryfile Winter Diaries reports,
0:42:45 > 0:42:49but don't forget Countryfile this Sunday at 6.30pm, when Ellie will be
0:42:49 > 0:42:52in Cambridgeshire looking at the secret life of truffles,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56ably abetted by Lucy the truffle hound.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00Countryfile Diaries will be back in three months' time when we'll be
0:43:00 > 0:43:03bringing you the very best spring stories that matter to you.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05So, until then, goodbye.