0:00:26 > 0:00:30The rural Oxfordshire. Picturesque villages, rolling countryside.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35But it just wouldn't be England without a country house
0:00:35 > 0:00:38complete with a rather eccentric garden.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Every mansion has its impressive gardens
0:00:44 > 0:00:47and the ultimate in Jacobean design is topiary.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50That's a squirrel, and, believe it or not,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53that is a goblin, even though his head's fallen off.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Later on I'm going to be let loose on them with a pair of these.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04There's all kinds of winged wonders living here, too.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07I'm taking a walk on the wild side to see some of the beasties
0:01:07 > 0:01:09that call the Oxfordshire countryside their home
0:01:09 > 0:01:13like the solitary bee, but to see them up close
0:01:13 > 0:01:15I'm going to need...a Frisbee...
0:01:17 > 0:01:19..and some washing-up liquid.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20Intriguing.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24And wild Britain's provided the inspiration
0:01:24 > 0:01:27for our photographic competition. You sent him some super images
0:01:27 > 0:01:29and now it's up to Chris Packham, Jo Brand
0:01:29 > 0:01:32and our very own John Craven to choose the 12 that will feature
0:01:32 > 0:01:36in our calendar, sold in aid of Children In Need.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41The theme of this year's competition is A Walk On The Wild Side,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43and we've come here to Eltham Palace near Greenwich
0:01:43 > 0:01:46to select the final 12 photos.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51And remember - it's up to you to vote for the overall winner.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55I'll be telling you how later, but meanwhile, Jo, Chris -
0:01:55 > 0:01:57let's get down to business.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And in North Wales, Tom's investigating
0:02:00 > 0:02:04the rise in sea temperatures around our shores.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08It's going to have a huge impact on the animals that live out there
0:02:08 > 0:02:11and the people who depend on catching them for a living
0:02:11 > 0:02:15so as our sea gets warmer, who'll be the winners or losers?
0:02:15 > 0:02:17I'll be finding out.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Oxfordshire is one of the most visited counties of England
0:02:32 > 0:02:36and, to coin an American phrase, it's located south central.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41It's a popular destination because here you get an historic city centre
0:02:41 > 0:02:44surrounded by miles of serene countryside.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48In honour of our Countryfile photographic competition theme,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51today I'm going on a walk on the wild side
0:02:51 > 0:02:53throughout this fair county and going in search
0:02:53 > 0:02:57of some of the animals and beasties that live here right under our noses.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01But without expert help, you'd never even know that they were there.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06'Hugh Warwick is a hedgehog-loving ecologist, but he's worried.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10'Research says our spiny little friends are in trouble.'
0:03:10 > 0:03:12What's happening to the numbers here?
0:03:12 > 0:03:14We found that conservatively now,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16there's been a 25% decline in hedgehogs
0:03:16 > 0:03:19in this country in the last ten years alone
0:03:19 > 0:03:21and that actually the figure could be far, far worse.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23In some parts of the country, it may be up to 50%.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25And why, then?
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Were in Bagley woods, just outside Oxford,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31and to our right we got the A34.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34It's a fantastic way of getting through Oxfordshire as quickly as possible,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37but that means hedgehogs cannot cross in that direction.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40And then on our other side, we've got suburbia.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45Now, suburbia is in many ways absolutely perfect hedgehog habitat.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48It is this amazing mosaic of different sorts of environment.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51You've got people making efforts for having wildlife-friendly gardens,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55they'll probably be trying to attract birds into them,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57but inadvertently they'll attract loads of other things,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00including hedgehogs. But the problem suburbia faces
0:04:00 > 0:04:04is it, too, has become increasingly fragmented.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08'But there are things we can do to help hedgehogs in our own back gardens
0:04:08 > 0:04:12'and Hugh's got some great tips for those willing to make a few changes.'
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Hello, Tracey. Well, listen - this garden feels very welcoming for me,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17but obviously this is all about the hedgehogs,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19so, Tracey, have you seen any evidence?
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Yes, well, actually I saw a hedgehog over there
0:04:22 > 0:04:24while we were having a barbecue
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and I've never seen a hedgehog before
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and when I went to go and have a look,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31this little thing with little spikes, eyes hardly open,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35was sort of looking up at me and it got me really excited.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Good, how about on that side of the fence,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40cos you live over there, don't you? So have you seen any evidence, Mum?
0:04:40 > 0:04:43We did a few months ago, didn't we? We found one had wandered
0:04:43 > 0:04:46into a cage we had in the garden, but we haven't seen one since.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Right, good. Well, it's a good job we brought Hugh
0:04:49 > 0:04:51because he's here to help, so, Hugh, this is kind of...
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Well, it's a lovely garden so let's start from here
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and work our way around and what's good and what's bad.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59The first and most obvious thing here, which is fantastic,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01is that this fence has got gaps underneath
0:05:01 > 0:05:04it because you look at this big fence and you go, "Oh, my gosh - impenetrable,"
0:05:04 > 0:05:08But hedgehogs will be able to make their way underneath the fence
0:05:08 > 0:05:10and you start moving around here.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13You've got wood which starts to rot, providing shelter, but as it rots
0:05:13 > 0:05:16the fungi attracts lots of insects and the insects larvae is hedgehog food.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19It would improve things for the hedgehog
0:05:19 > 0:05:24if it could move between your garden and all the way through.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27I'm leaving the gang to it. I need to check
0:05:27 > 0:05:30a motion sensitive camera we set up last night on the off chance
0:05:30 > 0:05:33we might have captured a passing hedgehog on film.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37We set these nightvision cameras
0:05:37 > 0:05:40but unfortunately we've not got a hedgehog.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43But look at that. Doesn't that look like a hedgehog? It's it all.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48- Are you sure?- But we've been through all 2055 frames.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50- There's nothing on there. - You can improve your chances.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53You can bait the garden with good hedgehog food.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57The best thing is meaty pet food, cat food - not bread and milk
0:05:57 > 0:05:59even though they'll eat it.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03The best thing to do is just the whole idea of communicating
0:06:03 > 0:06:07with your neighbours and The People's Trust For Endangered species
0:06:07 > 0:06:10and British Hedgehog Preservation Society set up the Hedgehog Street project.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13We're trying to get as many people as possible to talk
0:06:13 > 0:06:16to their neighbours, start working with their neighbours,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19start doing amazing stuff that Tracey is doing,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22getting people to start making their garden hedgehog friendly
0:06:22 > 0:06:23and porous so they can move through.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26The more people sign up the better.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29If you'd like more details about becoming a hedgehog champion
0:06:29 > 0:06:31just go to our website.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Sadly I've not seen any wildlife yet but thousands of you have.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38You've been using it to show off your camera skills for this year's
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Countryfile photographic competition themed Walk On The Wild Side.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Last year thanks to you and our Countryfile calendar, we raised
0:06:48 > 0:06:52more than £1.2 million for Children In Need.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55It's never easy choosing the winning 12 photos
0:06:55 > 0:06:59and that's why we're asking for your help as one or two of you
0:06:59 > 0:07:01know exactly what it's like to be winners.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07With 50,000 entries this year for our photographic competition
0:07:07 > 0:07:11there'll be no shortage of strong contenders for the next
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Countryfile calendar with its theme of a Walk On The Wild Side.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18We've been asking for photos of wildlife,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21wild landscapes and even wild weather.
0:07:21 > 0:07:22Where do we start?
0:07:22 > 0:07:26These previous winners definitely have the eye for it
0:07:26 > 0:07:29and they're taking on the gargantuan task of whittling down the list
0:07:29 > 0:07:30to just 3,000.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Wow! I think we're going to have our work cut out here.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Then they'll pass on the baton to the final judges.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42The teams are working in pairs to go through the images.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47Our first team of experts is Michael Mutimer, finalist two years ago
0:07:47 > 0:07:50and Mark Blake, one of last year's chosen 12.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55The standard is absolutely fantastic.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Take a lot of wildlife images myself and upload them,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03search through them on the computer.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Now and again you get that one where you go, "Yes!"
0:08:07 > 0:08:10That's what I'm looking for today.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13If you open the computer and that's what you've taken, it hits you.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- Wow factor.- Absolutely. - You're going to use that.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18It's absolutely beautiful.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Team two is 2008 finalist Terry Heath
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and last year's overall winner Sarah Williams.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27That is a walk on the wild side.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29They've ditched their shoes and gone into the waves.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- You can't get any better than that, can you?- No, not at all.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35But it looks like some people have taken this year's theme
0:08:35 > 0:08:37to the extreme.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Some quite extraordinary ones which probably won't make it through
0:08:40 > 0:08:42are some dinosaurs!
0:08:43 > 0:08:45It's certainly wild!
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Pen Rashbass won the competition back in 2010 and today she's working
0:08:49 > 0:08:53with 2009 finalist Tony Lovell.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56There's been a variety of things
0:08:56 > 0:09:01from jellyfish through to fungi and there are nice stags here.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04And landscapes.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08It's a nice wide range and it's a lot of fun to look at.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I'm really looking for something which I had taken
0:09:11 > 0:09:14and if I think, "God I wish I was there and I wish I could see
0:09:14 > 0:09:17"that picture" or "I wish I had my camera and was taking that",
0:09:17 > 0:09:19then that's a definite yes.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24Our last team is 2005 winner Rosie Burke and Geoffrey Hill
0:09:24 > 0:09:252009 finalist.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29We've really got a group that will that nothing slip through the net.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33This is one of my favourite ones here
0:09:33 > 0:09:37because although the top is cropped we've got this amazing wild head.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40We've got an eye and a biting mouth here
0:09:40 > 0:09:45and the manes are standing up on end so there's movement.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50Plus excitement, so that to me, really represents something wild.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54I'm amazed at the quality and quantity of the entries.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57I know what it's like to capture wildlife.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00You've to spend hours and hours to get a shot.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04I can look at all these and say right whoever has taken this has
0:10:04 > 0:10:08really put their heart and soul into getting the shot.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Our thanks to everyone who took time to enter and has made
0:10:11 > 0:10:13the competition such a success.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16I think that's it, Geoff.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19- How are we doing? - That's the last two yeses'.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22I think we've earned a drink, Rosie.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Our huge thanks to
0:10:24 > 0:10:27the team who brought the colossal amount of photos
0:10:27 > 0:10:29down to a more manageable level.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33And now it's time to pick the winners.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37The final 12 photographs that make up the next Countryfile calendar
0:10:37 > 0:10:41and those pictures are somewhere in these boxes.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44And this is where we're going to be making the big decision
0:10:44 > 0:10:47in the magnificent setting of Eltham Palace not far
0:10:47 > 0:10:49from the River Thames near Greenwich.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Accompanying me on the hunt for the chosen dozen are fellow judges
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Jo Brand and Chris Packham.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59So join us later when we get cracking.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Matt and I are exploring the rolling hills and gentle valleys
0:11:08 > 0:11:10of Oxfordshire.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Tucked away in a quiet corner of this stunning landscape
0:11:14 > 0:11:16sits Chastleton House -
0:11:16 > 0:11:19a majestic memory of times gone by.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22At first glance, a wealthy stately pile,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26but on closer inspection, it's much, much more.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31This sprawling manor was built in the 17th century by Walter Jones
0:11:31 > 0:11:35the grandson of a wealthy wool merchant.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37The wool trade in the Cotswolds was booming,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41and this grand house stood as testament to that wealth and power
0:11:41 > 0:11:43but it wasn't to last.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46After backing the wrong side in the English Civil War
0:11:46 > 0:11:50and the collapse of the wool trade, almost 30 years after the house was built
0:11:50 > 0:11:52the family found themselves penniless.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Remarkably, the property stayed in the same family.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00But unable to afford any further improvements,
0:12:00 > 0:12:05the house remained largely unchanged for almost 400 years.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08The family owned the house until 1991.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Now it's run by the National Trust
0:12:10 > 0:12:15and this 400 year old time capsule is open for everybody to see.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19'I'm meeting Sarah Jewell,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21'grand-daughter of Barbara Clutton-Brock,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25'the last member of the family to live at Chastleton.'
0:12:26 > 0:12:29What an absolutely beautiful room.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32There's detail everywhere, isn't there?
0:12:32 > 0:12:37So this is the Long Gallery and it's what I think
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and most people think is the most beautiful room in the house.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42It is 72 foot long
0:12:42 > 0:12:45and was built for exercise.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Did you ever actually live here?
0:12:47 > 0:12:51No, my grandfather inherited the house, Alan Clutton-Brock.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54My mother lived here as a child for periods
0:12:54 > 0:12:57but I used to visit with my sisters
0:12:57 > 0:13:00and come for tea at weekends
0:13:00 > 0:13:03and just roam around the house playing
0:13:03 > 0:13:06and having great fun exploring
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and finding out all the secrets of the house.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12If houses could talk this place has a lot to say, doesn't it?
0:13:12 > 0:13:15For instance in this room there's the long hobbyhorse
0:13:15 > 0:13:19that me and my two sisters would run up and down on
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and the exercise horse at the end we would bounce on.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25As you wander round, it's very lived-in
0:13:25 > 0:13:28and isn't dusted intentionally is it?
0:13:28 > 0:13:33The family saying was, "Built in 1610, never dusted since"
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and certainly that was a nice thing as a child because you could come
0:13:36 > 0:13:39and play and it wasn't all pristine.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44When the National Trust took over the property they faced a dilemma.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Restore it to a former glory it never really had,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52or leave the house in its charming state of gentle decay.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55In the end, they decided to keep it as they found it.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Preservation not restoration has been the focus here -
0:13:59 > 0:14:01dusting only once a year!
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Wow! What an amazing room. What was this room?
0:14:05 > 0:14:08This is the Great Hall and when I was married
0:14:08 > 0:14:14this is where we had my wedding party and reception.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15- Brilliant!- A huge fire burning
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and it was wonderful - everyone dancing and eating
0:14:18 > 0:14:22and this is the stag, which is actually reindeer antlers.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25No-one knows the origination of it
0:14:25 > 0:14:27but part of the family history.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33There are juxtapositions of old and new all around -
0:14:33 > 0:14:37signs of generation upon generation of one family
0:14:37 > 0:14:40who lived at Chastleton for 400 years,
0:14:40 > 0:14:45whose descendants simply remember it as a great family home.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48Later, I'll be exploring the gardens.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51They've certainly seen change over the years.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57But it's change in our seas that Tom's investigating.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00The sea temperature around Britain is rising.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05So, what impact are our warmer waters having on life beneath the waves?
0:15:09 > 0:15:12'You can't tell just by looking at the surface
0:15:12 > 0:15:16'but a dramatic change is starting to take place in the seas'
0:15:16 > 0:15:18around Britain.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Some of the marine life we know and love is in decline
0:15:22 > 0:15:26while other more exotic species are turning up off our shores.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30So what's behind this upheaval in an underwater world?
0:15:30 > 0:15:35Changes in our climate are warming up the oceans. Here in Britain
0:15:35 > 0:15:38the sea temperature has increased by more than half a degree
0:15:38 > 0:15:42in the last two decades and the speed of that change is getting faster.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45So, our seas are getting warmer
0:15:45 > 0:15:49and it's causing big changes to life beneath the waves.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53But what does it mean for those who make their living from the sea?
0:15:53 > 0:15:58To find out, I'm going to have to get out and get my waders on!
0:16:00 > 0:16:02So where are we off to James?
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- Follow me.- OK.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10'James Wilson runs a mussel farming business in north-west Wales.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14'He's taking me out to some mussel beds in the mud flats on the Menai Strait.'
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Getting quite heavy going.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19- It's a bit sticky. - On the squelchy side.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24'James regularly checks these beds for invaders from warmer shores.'
0:16:24 > 0:16:27There's a species we're concerned about at the moment -
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Didemnum vexillum. It's a sort of brown gelatinous seaweed
0:16:31 > 0:16:35and if that settles on the mussels that would cause high mortality
0:16:35 > 0:16:36or make them unmarketable.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39I gather that invasive species is quite close to hear
0:16:39 > 0:16:41at Holyhead already.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45At Holyhead it was the first finding of this species in mainland UK.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48It's a species that tends to like warmer waters?
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Yeah, it's originally from the Pacific
0:16:51 > 0:16:55so it's natural tolerances are associated with its original habitat.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57If water temperatures warm over here
0:16:57 > 0:17:00there is an increased likelihood of it becoming more established.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05If this rusty coloured seaweed makes the short trip from Holyhead
0:17:05 > 0:17:07these mussels could be devastated.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10But foreign invaders muscling in aren't the only concern.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Warmer water brings threats of its own.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Our big concern with rapid climate change is that
0:17:17 > 0:17:19the mussels don't have enough time to adapt
0:17:19 > 0:17:22to any rapid change in temperature.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25That could cause expiration of the species
0:17:25 > 0:17:27in a local area very rapidly.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Warmer seas don't just affect mussel beds.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Stocks of fish like cod and haddock could decline too
0:17:33 > 0:17:36and they are likely to head north in search of cooler water.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40For today though, James has got more pressing problems.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45One thing I noticed since we talked is you're getting lower!
0:17:45 > 0:17:46You're actually sinking!
0:17:46 > 0:17:49I know, I know. It's one of the perils of the job!
0:17:50 > 0:17:53But while some creatures could be vanishing,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57climate change means we are seeing more of others.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Exotic species, like ocean sunfish, trigger fish and blue fin tuna,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03are already being spotted off the south coast
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and here in Wales, you've now got a better chance
0:18:06 > 0:18:08of seeing some family favourites.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14We're heading out into the Irish Sea with marine scientist Peter Evans
0:18:14 > 0:18:17to search for signs of these new arrivals.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20His research has revealed huge changes
0:18:20 > 0:18:23in both our whale and dolphin populations.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26The British Isles is blessed with having a third of the world's
0:18:26 > 0:18:28whales and dolphin species.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31It has 29 species in Britain and Ireland
0:18:31 > 0:18:36and of those we have had four new species just in the last 25 years.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Those are all warm water species -
0:18:38 > 0:18:41species from the tropics or sub-tropics.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44And it's not just these totally new ones you're seeing?
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Some of the rarer visitors are becoming much more frequent now?
0:18:48 > 0:18:51That's right. Striped dolphins are regular now
0:18:51 > 0:18:54in fact you get them regularly off the coast of Scotland
0:18:54 > 0:18:56which you couldn't do over 20 years ago
0:18:56 > 0:19:00and then common dolphins have extended their range
0:19:00 > 0:19:02right up into the North Sea.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06But warmer waters aren't the only reason
0:19:06 > 0:19:10life beneath the waves is changing. We've had a hand in it too.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I'm meeting Mike Kaiser,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15a marine biologist who's spent more than 25 years
0:19:15 > 0:19:17studying the life in our seas.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19- Would you be Mike? - I am. Welcome aboard.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24- Thank you. The Prince Madog. - It certainly is.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Climate change certainly has a major impact
0:19:27 > 0:19:29but of course fishing activities
0:19:29 > 0:19:31have been one of the biggest impact on the marine environment
0:19:31 > 0:19:34and currently we are taking about
0:19:34 > 0:19:3790 million tons per annum from the world's oceans.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It must quite difficult to disentangle the impacts of climate change
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and the impact we are having through fishing?
0:19:43 > 0:19:48It's extremely difficult and a real conundrum, very often.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51But we can actually do it and we know that sometimes
0:19:51 > 0:19:55the effects of climate change and fishing have worked together
0:19:55 > 0:19:57to produce some fairly negative outcomes.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02Cod would be a particularly good example because they were very heavily exploited
0:20:02 > 0:20:04to very low levels when everybody said, "Wow, stop,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06"we need to introduce some management",
0:20:06 > 0:20:08but of course at that point
0:20:08 > 0:20:11it was too late because the environmental conditions had changed
0:20:11 > 0:20:13such that the environment
0:20:13 > 0:20:15was not particularly favourable for cod larvae.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20We still see cod in the shops, but it mostly comes from abroad.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23That's not helping our fishing industry.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26It's struggled in the last few decades
0:20:26 > 0:20:29because of strict quotas and declining stocks,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31so could climate change be the final straw?
0:20:31 > 0:20:34'Well, not necessarily.'
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- Hi there, Shaun.- Hiya.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Got a very attractive-looking display here, but what am I looking at?
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Today in, we've got some rock salmons,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45we've got rock lings, we've got plaice, scallops, oysters...
0:20:45 > 0:20:49'Shaun Mitchell's been a fishmonger in Northwest Wales for 12 years.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52'He's certainly seen a change in the catch.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55'Local fishermen are now supplying him with new species
0:20:55 > 0:20:59'such as black bream, as well as another striking delicacy.'
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Something in the back of the van!
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Wow!
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Those look pretty fearsome.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11Should I be worried?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Uh, no, just don't put your hands anywhere near the pincers.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16Look at that.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19That is tremendous. What is it?
0:21:19 > 0:21:21It's a spider crab.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Amazing! And these are now found in these waters?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Yeah, literally from within a few miles of here.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Wow. And are you seeing many more of these come into your shop?
0:21:30 > 0:21:32- Yeah, a lot more.- Yeah?
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Tell me how often, how many,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37give me a feeling of how often the fishermen are bringing them in.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41All the time. Whereas it used to be a fairly regular thing,
0:21:41 > 0:21:42now they bring them all the time.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'Shaun's not the only one seeing more spider crabs.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49'They're traditionally found in large numbers
0:21:49 > 0:21:52'off the coast of France and northern Spain
0:21:52 > 0:21:54'but nearby, in Cardigan Bay,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57'hauls have increased more than tenfold in seven years.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01'Last year, around 120 tonnes were landed.'
0:22:01 > 0:22:02Can you sell them?
0:22:02 > 0:22:05We sell a few of these to local people
0:22:05 > 0:22:08but most of these will go to the hotels and restaurants,
0:22:08 > 0:22:13and then whatever surplus is left will go much further afield.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15They are a beautiful and amazing creature.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18I'm treating them rather gingerly here!
0:22:18 > 0:22:20'Spider crabs may look challenging
0:22:20 > 0:22:22'but apparently, they taste pretty good.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25'They could represent a serious business opportunity
0:22:25 > 0:22:29'for people like Shaun, and there's more where that came from.'
0:22:29 > 0:22:31On the south coast of England,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35fishermen are bringing in more John Dory and Red Mullet
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and in the future, it's predicted
0:22:37 > 0:22:40they'll be catching more anchovies and sea bass -
0:22:40 > 0:22:45all fish which you associate more with sun-drenched holidays in the Med
0:22:45 > 0:22:51or southern Europe, rather than our own rather grey and cloudy shores.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Our changing marine life offers new opportunities for those
0:22:56 > 0:22:58who make their living from the sea,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02but with our underwater ecosystem shifting,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04can we make the most of them?
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Just as what lives in the sea
0:23:06 > 0:23:09is being forced to adapt to warmer waters,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11so will those who make a living from it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15And if we want to carry on eating fresh, locally-caught fish,
0:23:15 > 0:23:19we're going to have to evolve our appetite too.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29I'm walking on the wild side in Oxfordshire,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31a county part rural, part urban,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33with a centre that boasts a skyline
0:23:33 > 0:23:36once described as a city dreaming of spires.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42But travel a few miles east of the city, and the bustle is gone.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44The sky is empty, apart from the odd bird,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47and if you look close enough, the bees.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53It's these insects that lure Ivan Wright to Shotover Park.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55He's an amateur entomologist
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and spends hours studying lonesome creatures
0:23:58 > 0:24:00called solitary bees and wasps.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Well, Ivan, you've got an incredible display of bees down here.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08I recognise the bumbles on this side. Now, these ones,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- these are solitary bees? - These are all solitary bees, yes.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14The principal difference is they have a much more simple lifestyle.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18The female operates quite solitarily in building a nest,
0:24:18 > 0:24:19very simple nest, not a colony.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24'And they seem to like it here, thanks to its sandy soil.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'It's the perfect habitat to call home.'
0:24:27 > 0:24:32Sandy soils are unusual in Oxfordshire. It's a clayey county
0:24:32 > 0:24:37but the easy digging in the sands and the good flowers here
0:24:37 > 0:24:40suits this particular group of insects very, very well indeed.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And it's these holes, then, that we're looking at.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47Yes, you can see small holes, large holes, there's a large one there.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- There's one in there, look! - Is there one in there?- Yeah.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53- That will be... - It's popping its little head up!
0:24:53 > 0:24:58- That'll be the ornate-tailed digger wasp.- Right.- Very yellow face.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Down that hole, there will be a little chamber
0:25:01 > 0:25:04that she will dig for each of her eggs that she lays.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08She'll put food in each of those chambers, seal them up
0:25:08 > 0:25:11and then that is ready for the next year.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13They don't see their offspring,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15the offspring develop into adults in the hole
0:25:15 > 0:25:18and dig their way out the following year.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20- That is...- It is unbelievable.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23They come out, they know where to get their food,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26they know how to build a nest, they know how to defend themselves.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29It is absolutely extraordinary.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31The complex life biology of these insects
0:25:31 > 0:25:34is passed on simply in the genetics.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Ivan's spent the last three years carrying out research
0:25:39 > 0:25:43on this site of special scientific interest, or Triple-S-I.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46And he uses some rather unusual equipment.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49It all sounds very intriguing, this, Ivan.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Research using a Frisbee and some washing up liquid.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54What's the idea here?
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Well, here's the Frisbee.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58It imitates a yellow flower
0:25:58 > 0:26:01so the bees and wasps are attracted to it.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Without the washing up liquid, you would have surface tension
0:26:05 > 0:26:09and the smaller bees and wasps would stand on the water and walk out.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12The washing-up liquid just breaks that surface tension
0:26:12 > 0:26:14so as soon as they arrive on the water,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16they go under and they're sampled.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19The whole objective is to understand the site
0:26:19 > 0:26:23and get the site protected for particular types of insects,
0:26:23 > 0:26:27- so it's a case of sacrificing a few...- Yes.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29..but for the much greater good of the site
0:26:29 > 0:26:31and the species and the countryside.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34What are you finding out from doing this?
0:26:34 > 0:26:35What we're finding
0:26:35 > 0:26:41is that the small bees are not able to travel as far as we thought,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43and so what it means is,
0:26:43 > 0:26:48the smaller bees need their flowers inside the Triple-S-I here,
0:26:48 > 0:26:53whereas the larger bees are able to use the hay meadows
0:26:53 > 0:26:56that are beyond the Triple-S-I,
0:26:56 > 0:27:00so it gives you a much better understanding
0:27:00 > 0:27:03of how to manage these different habitats.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Now, our judges - Chris Packham, Jo Brand, as well as John -
0:27:13 > 0:27:16are poised and ready to choose the final 12 photographs
0:27:16 > 0:27:19that will make it into our Countryfile calendar.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21But first, here's how it all started.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Back in May, we launched our annual photographic competition,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29a highlight of the Countryfile year,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31with the help of Chris Packham
0:27:31 > 0:27:35and someone who you don't readily associate with the countryside,
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- Jeremy Clarkson.- Ooh, yes!
0:27:37 > 0:27:41But he's got a farm in Oxfordshire, and among other things,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Chris pointed out to him an aspect of the wildlife there.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46This is fascinating, a little pellet like this.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- You say pallet, but I've got another word in my head.- No!
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- This comes out through the mouth. - Like vomit?
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- This is the regurgitated... - Vomited mouse.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Why don't we take a picture of this?
0:27:56 > 0:28:00I think it would go very well as the July page of the calendar.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03'Well, I think we can do a little bit better than that.'
0:28:03 > 0:28:05This year's theme is "A Walk on the Wild Side"
0:28:05 > 0:28:08and you've sent in around 50,000 images.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10With the help of a panel of past winners,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13we now have a shortlist of 3,000
0:28:13 > 0:28:15and it's time to choose the final 12.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20And this is where we'll be revealing our winners,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23in the mediaeval great hall of Eltham Palace,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26once the childhood home of King Henry VIII.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29I'll be discovering more about this wonderful building later
0:28:29 > 0:28:32but first, let's get started on that shortlist.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35'And to do that, we're going to need
0:28:35 > 0:28:38'some strong personal opinions from our regular judging team
0:28:38 > 0:28:40'of Chris Packham and Jo Brand.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43'I'll be putting my tuppenceworth in as well.'
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Chris is a fantastic photographer in his own right
0:28:46 > 0:28:49and when it comes to appreciating the wild,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51his credentials go way back.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55That's enough of the trailers, let's get on with the main feature. Dee!
0:28:55 > 0:28:57AUDIENCE GASPS
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Jo is no stranger to photography herself
0:28:59 > 0:29:02and she's always got her own unique view.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Who's more attractive?
0:29:05 > 0:29:07Yeah, all right, it's that, all right!
0:29:07 > 0:29:09So, without further ado,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11let's get started.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15What we're looking for are a dozen truly stunning pictures
0:29:15 > 0:29:16featuring the theme of
0:29:16 > 0:29:19"a walk on the wild side through the British countryside"
0:29:19 > 0:29:22so Chris, what will you be looking for?
0:29:22 > 0:29:25I'm looking for something quirky, original, for sure,
0:29:25 > 0:29:27unique, something I've never seen before,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29but definitely with an artistic component.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33I need it to look nice as well as be interesting.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Jo, what do you think will catch your eye?
0:29:35 > 0:29:39Well, as the theme is "A Walk on the Wild Side," I'm looking for
0:29:39 > 0:29:42a picture of Lou Reed on a Shetland pony with a clown suit on
0:29:42 > 0:29:44and if I don't find that...
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It's got to have something artistic about it,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49it's got to be framed in a particular way
0:29:49 > 0:29:52that just kind of hits you between the eyes.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Well, I'm sure we'll find them. Let's get going.
0:30:03 > 0:30:08'First impressions are that the standard is very high indeed.'
0:30:08 > 0:30:11How about a nice octopus for 30 days, John?
0:30:13 > 0:30:17I think it would take me 28 days to work out it was an octopus.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21One thing that people like doing is having animals by a sign
0:30:21 > 0:30:25that says "Keep Off" or "No Fishing"
0:30:25 > 0:30:28or "Don't stand here if you're an animal."
0:30:28 > 0:30:29It's always quite a good one.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Do you think that's natural?
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Do you think they might have been placed in that heart shape?
0:30:38 > 0:30:42- I don't think so, no. May I examine the molluscular integrity?- You may.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44They're all living. It would be very difficult
0:30:44 > 0:30:48to get all of these animals in this position.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50There must be something underlying where they are,
0:30:50 > 0:30:52which they can attach to.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55What, like peanut butter or something?
0:30:55 > 0:30:56JOHN LAUGHS
0:30:56 > 0:30:59Mussels, yeah, they really go for peanut butter(!)
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Look, marvellous.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06An albino grey squirrel -
0:31:06 > 0:31:08intrinsically, a very beautiful animal
0:31:08 > 0:31:10but look, it's got a muddy nose!
0:31:10 > 0:31:13A lot of people would find that rather appealing.
0:31:13 > 0:31:14What, the dirty nose?
0:31:14 > 0:31:17A white squirrel with a little bit of mud on its nose.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21- Jo?- Not me.- No?
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Unless they've got clean noses, I don't want to know squirrels.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28'Well, we're about halfway through now
0:31:28 > 0:31:31'and while we give our eyes a rest for five minutes or so,
0:31:31 > 0:31:35'it's a good opportunity for me to find out more about our location,
0:31:35 > 0:31:36'Eltham Palace.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Historian Jeremy Ashbee is going to give me an insight.'
0:31:40 > 0:31:42The Royals came here repeatedly
0:31:42 > 0:31:45for several hundred years. This is one of their favourite properties.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49- And a fantastic roof in there. - Absolutely amazing roof,
0:31:49 > 0:31:52very elegant, sophisticated of its time, the late 15th century,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55but also very sturdy, and it needed to be,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57because in 1940, during the Battle of Britain,
0:31:57 > 0:32:00an incendiary bomb landed on this end of it
0:32:00 > 0:32:02and burned its way through the covering
0:32:02 > 0:32:03but the whole roof survived.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06Then, sort of tacked onto the mediaeval building,
0:32:06 > 0:32:10you've got this very large, very 1930s stately home.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Um, yes, that's a slightly weird combination
0:32:12 > 0:32:15that you wouldn't expect to see, but I think it's actually
0:32:15 > 0:32:17perfectly in keeping with the history of the site.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21It was built between 1934 and 1936 by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25Very, very rich, very leading figures in society,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28and they built it as a luxurious home for themselves
0:32:28 > 0:32:29and to entertain their friends.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31They were really able to let themselves go
0:32:31 > 0:32:35with every sophisticated device for comfortable and luxurious living.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39And there's a reason this place is an appropriate venue for our theme,
0:32:39 > 0:32:43"A Walk on the Wild Side." Jo's going to tell us more.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45The thing I like about this place
0:32:45 > 0:32:47is that instead of a mangy old moggy
0:32:47 > 0:32:51or a faithful old pooch that broke wind every five minutes,
0:32:51 > 0:32:55they actually gave a wild animal the run of the place.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57The Courtaulds had a family pet -
0:32:57 > 0:32:59a wild lemur called Jongy.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Now, he had his own room on the upper floor of the house,
0:33:02 > 0:33:07complete with a hatch down to the flower room, whatever that is.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Jongy was a little bit of a cantankerous old devil, though,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13and if he didn't like people, he'd bite them.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Well, I can identify with that attitude.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22'So, back to the judging, and Chris is already hard at it.'
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Well, no lemurs allowed here, Jo.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26- Indeed not.- British wildlife only.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28- How's it going, Chris? - Very well, thank you.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Only 1,000 or so to go now.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37'And there's always the ones that surprise us.'
0:33:37 > 0:33:41I think that man is going to be thinking...
0:33:41 > 0:33:44- He put it in the wrong envelope. - "What happened to my passport photos?
0:33:44 > 0:33:47"Why have I got this stunning photo of the English countryside?"
0:33:47 > 0:33:51- The passport office are going, "Oh, we've got a sheep..."- A swan.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- "..that wants a passport." - It's not even a good passport photo.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56THEY LAUGH
0:33:56 > 0:33:57It's hopeless.
0:33:57 > 0:34:02So if this is you and you want your passport photos,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04tough.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09'Not a serious contender, but there are plenty of photos that are.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13'Join us in a little while, when we'll be fine-tuning our decisions
0:34:13 > 0:34:16'and from this lot, picking our final 12.'
0:34:20 > 0:34:24Nestling in a quiet corner of North Oxfordshire is Chastleton House.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28It's the epitome of shabby chic. A Jacobean mansion
0:34:28 > 0:34:30that once oozed majesty
0:34:30 > 0:34:34is now a picture of gentle decline.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36When the National Trust took over in 1991,
0:34:36 > 0:34:39rather than renovate it, they decided to preserve
0:34:39 > 0:34:42the lived-in look and feel of the 400-year-old house.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46It's an idea they extended to the garden as well.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50Over the centuries, family members have come and gone
0:34:50 > 0:34:54and at times, the gardens have taken on a life of their own,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57as gardener Anna Derrett found out when she took over.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Anna, what was this place like when the National Trust took over?
0:35:00 > 0:35:01It was quite neglected.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04It had gone through a period of considerable neglect
0:35:04 > 0:35:08and you can see here, this is what one part of the garden looked like
0:35:08 > 0:35:10so it was very overgrown,
0:35:10 > 0:35:14with a lot of wild trees and cherry trees growing in it,
0:35:14 > 0:35:19but the ethos here is to represent periods of decline with the gentry,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22so what we're trying to do is show romantic neglect
0:35:22 > 0:35:25but keep the health and welfare of the garden.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29So what makes a Jacobean garden so distinctive?
0:35:29 > 0:35:31The Jacobean garden was distinctive
0:35:31 > 0:35:34because you only entered certain parts of the garden,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36depending on your social status in the house.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40So this is the best garden, and it would have been entered by the best,
0:35:40 > 0:35:43by the master and his guests from the best room in the house.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- Are we privileged enough to go in it now?- Yes, yes.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Classed as the best guests?
0:35:48 > 0:35:49This is amazing.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54Yes, this is topiary, and topiary is very traditional to Jacobean gardens.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Quite often in Jacobean times, you came in and you read your garden,
0:35:58 > 0:36:00so they had themes to their topiary,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03like the stars and planets or myths and legends,
0:36:03 > 0:36:07but over the years, things have morphed into different shapes.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11I'm annoyed that my imagination isn't that good. What was this?
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Have a go at guessing what you think it was.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16That looks like a helter-skelter.
0:36:16 > 0:36:21- Yeah, that's right.- Is that right? Yes!- Yes, it's right!
0:36:21 > 0:36:25- That looks like a teapot, this one over here.- This is a teapot,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27this is a ship in sail,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30and you've got a squirrel here.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32That's not a squirrel!
0:36:32 > 0:36:36'They may look like blobs, but it's intentional,
0:36:36 > 0:36:38'all part of the image of romantic neglect
0:36:38 > 0:36:40'that the house and gardens represent.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43'But they still need a trim from time to time.'
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- This is the peacock. - This is the peacock?
0:36:45 > 0:36:50Yep. You're taking off the nice new growth to get a nice smooth finish
0:36:50 > 0:36:51on his round front belly.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Are you ever tempted to just take them back to how they were?
0:36:57 > 0:36:59You know, recreate the peacock?
0:36:59 > 0:37:01If I was to manicure it back to its heyday,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04it wouldn't fit in with the philosophy of the garden.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09ANNA LAUGHS
0:37:09 > 0:37:11I'm not supposed to be going for it quite so much, am I?
0:37:11 > 0:37:15- No, that's fine!- It's not going to be a peacock by the end of the day.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16It'll be a tiny little robin!
0:37:20 > 0:37:23As well as the Jacobean tradition of topiary,
0:37:23 > 0:37:2717th-century houses also tended to be self-sufficient,
0:37:27 > 0:37:31having kitchen gardens to grow produce for the house.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35I'm meeting volunteer John Pool, to find out what's been thriving here.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38There's a lot of fruit in this garden
0:37:38 > 0:37:42and the Jacobeans, we know, liked to show off what they had.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43Was fruit another example of that?
0:37:43 > 0:37:46Some of the fruits here are quite exotic, aren't they?
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Well, yes, that's right,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51and the advantage they had is this marvellous wall,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54this wall which faces south-west,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57warm, cosy, supportive,
0:37:57 > 0:38:01and therefore, we can grow on it things that are a bit special
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- like peaches.- I can see a lot of peaches on that tree,
0:38:04 > 0:38:09which is surprising, bearing in mind the wet summer we've had, isn't it?
0:38:09 > 0:38:15Well, this is where I claim, um... success with these peaches.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19The problem is that the bees didn't come out of the hive
0:38:19 > 0:38:22so the pollination was dreadful
0:38:22 > 0:38:26but with the peaches, because they are such a special crop,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29I hand-pollinated them,
0:38:29 > 0:38:33I took a paintbrush and went from flower to flower,
0:38:33 > 0:38:38flitting along like a bee, pollinating the peaches.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42The annoying thing is that they're rotting before they're fully ripe
0:38:42 > 0:38:45and the other annoying thing is that
0:38:45 > 0:38:48they're attracting bluebottles, wasps,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51so do we pick them or don't we?
0:38:51 > 0:38:53That one's quite hard, but that one does feel soft
0:38:53 > 0:38:56- so am I all right...? - Yes, yes, give it a go.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58We certainly could do with picking...
0:38:58 > 0:39:01It's kind of now or never, I guess?
0:39:01 > 0:39:05- I think that's right.- Those ones feel rock hard, though!- Yes.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08Now, why don't you try that?
0:39:08 > 0:39:10That's delicious.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- That's all right, is it? - Very juicy, very ripe.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16I know it's early, but to me, that is absolutely perfect.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18Yes, well, you couldn't have said a better word.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23Delicious. Cheers, John.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25It's almost time to find out who the finalists are
0:39:25 > 0:39:28in the Countryfile photographic competition,
0:39:28 > 0:39:32but which ones will the judges pick and which will be your favourites?
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Let's find out what John, Jo and Chris are up to.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41We're at Eltham Palace, and after many hours of debating,
0:39:41 > 0:39:45'the original 50,000 entries have been whittled down to about 100.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48'Now we have to agree on that final 12.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52'I've been looking at landscapes and the weather.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:56- I like that one myself.- Do you, yeah? The composition is good on this one.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Nice colours in this one, isn't there? And again in that one.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04'Jo's been picking some flowers. This year, they're as popular as ever.'
0:40:04 > 0:40:08- I know which one's my favourite. - I'm very conscious that we had
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- a flower meadow in last year's calendar.- We did.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13That one's got the bumblebee in
0:40:13 > 0:40:16and it's beautifully sharp, and it's so simple.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18- My favourite's actually those poppies.- This one?
0:40:18 > 0:40:21- Yeah.- There's a dead poppy here in the foreground.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23- That one there. - Outrageous! Dead poppy!
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Wilted petals, that's not happy, I'm not happy with that.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30And Chris has found some fantastic wildlife photos.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34I'll finish up this little flurry with a fabulous picture,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- what I think is a fabulous picture of a badger.- That's wonderful.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40How often do you see anything like that in broad daylight?
0:40:40 > 0:40:42A badger trotting down a country lane.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45And the badger's taking his own walk on the wild side.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47- I tell you what, it's a fine spread, isn't it?- Isn't it?
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Final 24 or so, and we need 12.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55'The current calendar raised over £1.2 million for Children In Need,
0:40:55 > 0:41:01'so the pressure's on to find another set of winning images for 2013.'
0:41:01 > 0:41:05I like Peeping Seal in this envelope of light.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07This one up here is one of my favourites.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09It's the one I think looks like
0:41:09 > 0:41:12a Victorian painting, rather than a photograph.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Does it need a subject? That's my only thought there. Does it need...
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- A giraffe? - If there was something just there,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22if there was an alien or anything...
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- An alien?- Well, I don't know.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27This is a bit of a comedy one.
0:41:27 > 0:41:32It's a puffin, but it also seems to be, like, surfing on the water.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35This is comedy as well, but it's just got a lot of action in it
0:41:35 > 0:41:39cos this guy has obviously just got soaked. You can tell
0:41:39 > 0:41:43cos he's standing like that, and his mate's getting soaked.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45This one, for me... It takes the biscuit.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47It's an Arctic Tern. You've the sun
0:41:47 > 0:41:50bleeding through its translucent wings, and that beautiful cloud,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53it's perfectly placed between the cloud here and here,
0:41:53 > 0:41:56and then wrapping up with this Barn Owl flying over a reed bed
0:41:56 > 0:41:59and it's the reeds complementing the colour of the owl.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02- To me, that's a definite. - It's a definite.- That's a definite.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06- That for me would be a definite as well.- Yeah, right.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08- Let's have February.- What about...?
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- Yeah.- February, the mussels? - Undoubtedly.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14I think most people would prefer that.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18- Prefer the simplicity of that one? - I'm not saying a word.- Oh, go on.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- Which word?- All right, that one. - Let's get rid of this.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25- One more to go.- So I think, take that one out and put those in.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29- Perfect.- This is our final 12 for the calendar.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32Many thanks, as always, Jo and Chris,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34for all your help in picking our winners.
0:42:34 > 0:42:39And now, it's up to you at home to select the overall winner.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43Whoever that is will receive £1,000 worth of photographic equipment
0:42:43 > 0:42:45and it's almost time to pick your favourite.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48In a minute, I'll give you the phone numbers to vote for.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Calls cost 10p from a BT landline.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55Other operators may vary, and calls from mobiles may cost more.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Don't vote yet, because you may be charged
0:42:58 > 0:43:00and your vote won't be registered.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02I'll tell you when you can start to vote.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05So, here again are those final 12 photos
0:43:05 > 0:43:08with their all-important numbers.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10If Winter Wanderers is your favourite...
0:43:16 > 0:43:20For Love on the Rocks, dial the same number with 02 at the end.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36Right, those lines are now open, and you can start voting.
0:44:36 > 0:44:41They'll stay open until midnight next Sunday, that's the 9th of September.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43But just a warning - if you phone after then,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46your vote won't be counted and you may be charged.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50You'll find all the details of the phone vote on our website,
0:44:50 > 0:44:53along with information about the BBC's code of conduct
0:44:53 > 0:44:55for competitions and voting.
0:44:59 > 0:45:01There'll be another chance to see our finalists
0:45:01 > 0:45:04at the end of the programme. and we'll be revealing
0:45:04 > 0:45:07which one of them is the overall winner, thanks to your votes,
0:45:07 > 0:45:11and which one is the judges' favourite, on October the 7th.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20I've been taking my own walk on the wild side in Oxfordshire,
0:45:20 > 0:45:24to find out more about the wildlife that calls this county home,
0:45:24 > 0:45:25and my hunt is warming up.
0:45:25 > 0:45:29Well, I've hunted for hedgehogs and I've searched for solitary bees,
0:45:29 > 0:45:32but the last leg of my journey is set to get even wilder
0:45:32 > 0:45:34because believe it or not,
0:45:34 > 0:45:38Oxfordshire is home to the UK's largest population of...
0:45:38 > 0:45:40crocodiles!
0:45:40 > 0:45:42And a few alligators.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44But don't worry, they're not swimming in the rivers.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49They belong to Shaun Foggett.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51He has a passion for this fearsome predator,
0:45:51 > 0:45:54usually found in more tropical climates.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57Well, Shaun, I never, ever thought
0:45:57 > 0:46:00I'd be stood in Oxfordshire holding a crocodile!
0:46:00 > 0:46:04- No.- It's quite something. How old are these two?
0:46:04 > 0:46:06These guys are West African dwarf crocodiles.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09We have a two-year-old and a one-year-old.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11So how did it all start, this?
0:46:11 > 0:46:13I always had a fascination with crocodiles.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15I remember watching the David Attenborough shows
0:46:15 > 0:46:18where the crocodiles get so close to their prey without being detected
0:46:18 > 0:46:20and that made me want to learn more,
0:46:20 > 0:46:25and I started keeping the first crocodile after two years of research
0:46:25 > 0:46:28about the captive husbandry, and the licensing requirements
0:46:28 > 0:46:30that go with it in this country, when I was 21.
0:46:31 > 0:46:35We've got 12 of the 23 existing crocodile species,
0:46:35 > 0:46:38and we have 83 crocodiles here in total
0:46:38 > 0:46:40and we also have 17 eggs in the incubator.
0:46:41 > 0:46:43What is the ultimate goal with this?
0:46:43 > 0:46:46The ultimate goal, really, is to educate people about crocodiles
0:46:46 > 0:46:49and their conservation needs. They're very endangered.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52There are several species where there's under 500 in the wild,
0:46:52 > 0:46:54one in particular with under 100.
0:46:54 > 0:46:55They're not cute and cuddly,
0:46:55 > 0:46:57so people don't really give them the time of day
0:46:57 > 0:46:59when it comes to the conservation race
0:46:59 > 0:47:04but they do need a lot of help where they are in the wild.
0:47:06 > 0:47:10Shaun's long-term dream is to get some of these Jurassic beasts
0:47:10 > 0:47:13released back into the wild in their native countries.
0:47:13 > 0:47:18Until then, they're staying right here, in the heart of Oxfordshire.
0:47:18 > 0:47:19Well, if you've been mulling over
0:47:19 > 0:47:23which of the "Walk on the Wild Side" photo competition finalists
0:47:23 > 0:47:26to vote for, we'll have a reminder at the end of the programme.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28And what a shame there isn't a shot of a crocodile in there
0:47:28 > 0:47:32but let's find out if things are going to warm up weather-wise,
0:47:32 > 0:47:33with the Countryfile forecast.
0:49:50 > 0:49:57.
0:50:10 > 0:50:14While Matt's been taking a walk on the wild side in Oxfordshire,
0:50:14 > 0:50:18I've been exploring one of its hidden Jacobean gems - Chastleton House.
0:50:18 > 0:50:22Its history is described as remarkably uneventful,
0:50:22 > 0:50:26with nothing of historical moment ever happening here.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28But that's not strictly true.
0:50:28 > 0:50:33One momentous thing for lovers of lawn sports happened here, in 1866.
0:50:33 > 0:50:37Walter Whitmore-Jones made sense of the game of croquet.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43A direct descendent of the man who built Chastleton House,
0:50:43 > 0:50:45Whitmore-Jones was a croquet lover,
0:50:45 > 0:50:48and an eccentric fellow, to say the very least.
0:50:48 > 0:50:52In the 1860s, no high-society tea party was complete
0:50:52 > 0:50:54without a game of croquet.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57It was being played on manicured lawns across the land,
0:50:57 > 0:51:01but one problem persisted - there were no universal rules.
0:51:01 > 0:51:03How hard can it be?!
0:51:03 > 0:51:09I'm meeting the manager of the Croquet Association, Liz Larsson, to find out.
0:51:09 > 0:51:13- Liz, hello!- Hi.- I've brought my mallet so that I can join in.- Good!
0:51:13 > 0:51:17But first, tell me a bit about the rules. How complicated are they?
0:51:17 > 0:51:18They can be a bit complex.
0:51:18 > 0:51:24Back in the 1860s, the rules that you'd play to depended on who'd made your croquet set,
0:51:24 > 0:51:27because all the manufacturers had different rules,
0:51:27 > 0:51:30so there was no consistency, and Walter Whitmore-Jones,
0:51:30 > 0:51:33who lived here and wrote a set of rules,
0:51:33 > 0:51:35he wrote the set that became accepted.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37So, where do we start?
0:51:37 > 0:51:39I think the first thing is to read the rules.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42I was a bit eager with this, wasn't I? I'll be back, Liz.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48With a croquet stroke, the roqueted ball is known as the croquet ball,
0:51:48 > 0:51:50and the striker's ball is said to take croquet from it.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54Interferences with play are irregularities other than errors, and are dealt with...
0:51:54 > 0:51:57..a fault is committed if, during the striker's period...
0:51:57 > 0:52:00..subject to law 53G...
0:52:00 > 0:52:02..the striker is said to take croquet.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06There is a lot more to this game than meets the eye.
0:52:06 > 0:52:10The aim of the game is for one team to get both their balls
0:52:10 > 0:52:14through all six hoops and back again before hitting the winning peg.
0:52:14 > 0:52:18- At least that's what I think! - The first thing is, yellow is going to be your ball.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21- You're playing with yellow.- OK. - You want to get through this hoop.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24You want to use blue to help you get through the hoop.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27So, you want to hit yellow onto blue, and try and get blue
0:52:27 > 0:52:30- close to the hoop. - I want to hit him there.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33So then, what you do now is, you want to hit it reasonably hard
0:52:33 > 0:52:36so that yellow gets in front of the hoop
0:52:36 > 0:52:38and blue gets on the other side.
0:52:38 > 0:52:43- OK.- Pfff! What can I say?
0:52:43 > 0:52:45There aren't that many sports
0:52:45 > 0:52:48in which men and women compete on the same level, are there?
0:52:48 > 0:52:50In this, you're equal.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52Absolutely. And they always have been,
0:52:52 > 0:52:54which was why croquet was so popular
0:52:54 > 0:52:55and it really took off.
0:52:57 > 0:52:58Yes!
0:53:02 > 0:53:06'Croquet may be perceived as an elitist game,
0:53:06 > 0:53:09'but it's not all jolly hockey sticks and Pimm's on the lawn.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12'It takes skill...
0:53:12 > 0:53:13'co-ordination...'
0:53:13 > 0:53:15Aw, that was terrible.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19'..and sometimes, just a bit of brute force.'
0:53:19 > 0:53:20Yes!
0:53:20 > 0:53:26Someone else who knows all about smashing balls around the croquet lawn is Rachel Rowe.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28She's been playing since she was 16.
0:53:28 > 0:53:33Now 23, she's the youngest ever women's world champion at golf croquet.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35I've got my head around the rules. I've had a practice.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Is there any other terminology or etiquette that I need to know?
0:53:39 > 0:53:42You'll hear croquet players use quite a few other words,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45that make it sound a bit like a different language at times.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47Common ones are roquet, croquet,
0:53:47 > 0:53:50and then you've got things to describe your shots,
0:53:50 > 0:53:52so a roll shot, a stop shot, a rush.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Or just whack it!
0:54:01 > 0:54:03Yes!
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Does that count, or not?
0:54:08 > 0:54:10- That was very close!- Oh! - How are you doing?
0:54:10 > 0:54:12- All right?- Look at you!
0:54:12 > 0:54:16- I thought you two would be a little bit more, you know...- No, no.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19- Come on. In for a penny, in for a pound.- I've brought you this.
0:54:19 > 0:54:23- Hang on, are you allowed high heels on this pitch?- Oh, all right.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26- Thanks a lot(!)- You do that and I'll get some practice in.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Steady with the practice.- Looks good!
0:54:34 > 0:54:36- Sudden death?- Yeah?
0:54:36 > 0:54:40- Rachel and myself versus you and Liz. - Hang on - you've got the world champion.
0:54:40 > 0:54:44- I didn't think you knew that! - No, I found that out already.
0:54:44 > 0:54:49Look at this! My mallet's getting caught in the skirt.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52That was miles away.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55You need at least to go back about 20 metres.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00- Yes!- It's that one, Liz. Yes!
0:55:00 > 0:55:03- Right, it's all on me, then. - Back to you, partner.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06- Yes!- Oh, what?
0:55:06 > 0:55:10- I blame this skirt. I need another shot.- OK, right.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12- We'll give you another go.- Come on!
0:55:12 > 0:55:15Speaking of winners, for all those people that are eager
0:55:15 > 0:55:17to vote for the winner of this year's photographic competition,
0:55:17 > 0:55:20- here's a reminder of the 12 finalists...- Yes!- Very good.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23..and the all-important numbers for you to vote for your favourite.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26If Winter Wanderers is your favourite, call...
0:55:30 > 0:55:35For Love On The Rocks, dial the same number with 02 at the end.
0:55:37 > 0:55:41For Diamonds At Dawn, add an 03.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49For Feed Me!, the last digits are 04.
0:55:52 > 0:55:56To vote for On The Move, add 05.
0:55:58 > 0:56:02For Lone Stoat, it's 06.
0:56:05 > 0:56:10To opt for High Flyer, you need to dial 07.
0:56:12 > 0:56:16If your choice is Poppy Pit Stop, then it's 08.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24To vote for Owl On The Prowl, add 09.
0:56:26 > 0:56:31For Rainbow's End, it's a 10.
0:56:33 > 0:56:38If Storm Force takes your fancy, then it's 11.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44And for Highland Flurry, add 12.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52And you can see those photos again
0:56:52 > 0:56:54by pressing the red button.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57I think we should have another go, because we're even now.
0:56:57 > 0:57:01- The game's over.- Oh, convenient. - Go on, you can have one more try.
0:57:01 > 0:57:02Ready...
0:57:02 > 0:57:07Oh, you didn't even touch the sides. Now, that was impressive.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09OK. Well, that is all we've got time for.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12Next week, we're going to be on the Furness Peninsula in West Cumbria,
0:57:12 > 0:57:15where I'll be taking to the water on board the Hearts of Oak,
0:57:15 > 0:57:18the last sailboat to be built in Ulverston, 100 years ago.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21But that is now it. I'm not going to have another go.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24- You're drawing a line under the game. Bye-bye.- See you next week.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd