0:00:27 > 0:00:31The North Pennines. A wild expanse of open moorland.
0:00:31 > 0:00:37Dramatic dales, and tumbling waterfalls.
0:00:39 > 0:00:45And at almost 1,250 square miles, it's the second largest area
0:00:45 > 0:00:48of outstanding natural beauty in England and Wales.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53And today, I'm hitching a ride, so I can take it all in.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54It's a special place, remote,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57and just the place to let loose on one of these.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Three wheels, all of this, what a combination!
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Right, Mark, let's go.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09While I'm off biking, Claire's hiking, along the spine of England.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10The Pennine Way.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12But I'm not just taking in the sights,
0:01:12 > 0:01:16I'll be meeting the girls mixing guns, glamour and game.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I thought I would have a problem with shooting my first bird,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21but surprisingly I didn't.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Did that sound awful? I don't know.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26And with a badger cull across England
0:01:26 > 0:01:29looking more like a reality, I'll asking whether it will be
0:01:29 > 0:01:33an effective solution to the problem of TB in cattle.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39- Away!- And down on the farm, Adam's in need of a new sheep dog.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Maud! She's heard the away command and now she can't hear me.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46She's deaf as a post. She's doing it brilliantly. She just can't hear.
0:01:46 > 0:01:52Maud! Ten out of ten for effort, nought out of ten for hearing!
0:02:03 > 0:02:05The North Pennines.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The highest country in England outside of the Lake District.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12A wild border land between Cumbria, and County Durham.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15This unspoiled canvas is the reason people flock here,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18to take in the view. To see the wonder of this place.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20I'm travelling in style.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Now sightseeing vehicles don't come much better than this,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27and I've got the perfect tour guide underneath this helmet.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30- Mark, good to see you. How are you? All right?- Yes.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Right. What's the plan of action today then?
0:02:31 > 0:02:33We're going to have a tour of the North Pennines,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35some fantastic places to see.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37And we're going to start by heading over into Teesdale.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Excellent, sounds like a plan.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46This is fantastic.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48It's a cross between a car and motorbike,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and the great thing about travelling on a trike is that
0:02:51 > 0:02:55all of your senses get to appreciate this wonderful landscape.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Even on a grey day like this.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Right now, we're travelling through County Durham.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Woo! What a spot this is.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13- Good, isn't it.- Isn't it.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15So at this present moment in time,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18we are on the highest road, the highest point
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- and there's nobody higher on any road in England than us.- Than us.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Behind us we've got Weardale. In front of us we've got Teesdale.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27And I'd like to show you something else now.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30I tell you what, they're champion views, aren't they.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32They are absolutely spot on, aren't they?
0:03:32 > 0:03:34This is probably one of the quietest roads in Britain as well.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I think it's got to be. Yeah. And one of the windiest.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Yes, absolutely right. Let's keep going.
0:03:40 > 0:03:40Okey-doke.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Just beyond this point is Cow Green Reservoir.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00It's a place Mark remembers visiting as a young lad.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06My mum and dad used to fetch me up here when I was a kid, you know.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09I just loved the place. It's absolutely fantastic.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10And we're right on the border of County Durham here.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13We are. The border's actually running under the water.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Cumbria on one side and Durham on the other.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17- It's an incredible place, like. - It is.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22It was built in 1967 for the industries of Teesside, you know,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24but there was a lot of controversy about it at the time,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27because there were rare Arctic alpine plants up here
0:04:27 > 0:04:29and people didn't want them destroyed.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Anyway, as it was, there was only 10% of them were destroyed,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34and since then it was made into a National Nature Reserve,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36so it's all been protected, you know.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Yeah, and created something that is incredibly beautiful
0:04:39 > 0:04:40and lots of people do come here.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Absolutely, absolutely.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44The reservoir is two miles long, you know,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48holds 40 million litres of water. It's a big old site, you know.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52Two years ago, when we had the bad winter up here, it had
0:04:52 > 0:04:55frozen over solid and there were snow drifts going across the water.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58It was beautiful, but there was a set of footprints,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02starting from down here, continued all the way across to the other side.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03That's just unbelievable!
0:05:03 > 0:05:05It's incredible, isn't it.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Yeah. I mean, the weather you get up here is pretty bleak.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09We've got the wind blowing in our faces here.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11And look at the clouds rolling over the top of those hills.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12It is black, isn't it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15- Yeah. That's our cue to get on the trike.- Right, let's go.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Next, we're heading southwards to one of the area's best known
0:05:21 > 0:05:24geological wonders.
0:05:26 > 0:05:27In the meantime,
0:05:27 > 0:05:34Claire's exploring this landscape in a more leisurely fashion.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36This is fabulous walking country, and at its heart lies
0:05:36 > 0:05:41one of the most famous trails in the UK, the Pennine Way.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Covering more than 260 miles, it's one of the longest,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49and most spectacular trails too,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53weaving its way up England's spine, all the way from Yorkshire
0:05:53 > 0:05:54to Scotland.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58And there's plenty to discover.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00The Pennine Way certainly earns its reputation.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03It gives you the space to think, whether you're out in the open with
0:06:03 > 0:06:07the hill top views, or here with the full force of the River Tees.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09There is so much to enjoy.
0:06:11 > 0:06:17Unsurprisingly, the North Pennines is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:06:17 > 0:06:23Development officer Simon Wilson is proud of the huge opportunities for walkers.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Simon, I am big fan of the North Pennines and it is particularly popular with walkers, isn't it?
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Yes. All the protected landscapes like this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
0:06:31 > 0:06:36are really the places that people will come to get away from it all.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38To walk, ride a horse, ride a bike.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41And the North Pennines in particular, being so large, it has a huge amount
0:06:41 > 0:06:45of public rights of way and also a huge amount of open access.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51- In terms of maintaining it for the numbers of walkers that you get, it must be a full-time job?- Yes.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55If we take this stone on the surface.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59The job of getting this here, because this is a national nature reserve and important for conservation,
0:06:59 > 0:07:04we have had to fly this stone in by helicopter and then it has been laid by hand.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07So, the resource, the effort, the cost is very high.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11We had better make sure we get our money's worth, or I get your money's worth!
0:07:11 > 0:07:14But that won't be difficult.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Because the scenery around here is simply breathtaking.
0:07:17 > 0:07:23In a while, I'll be finding out why this landscape is special in other ways, too.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Now, with bovine TB in England at its highest level in decades,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33the Government is proposing a plan to cull badgers.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34But how would this work in practice?
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Tom has been investigating.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42And this report contains some images you may find distressing.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49It has been 30 years since the last widespread badger cull.
0:07:49 > 0:07:56Thousands of animals were killed by gassing in an effort to stop the spread of bovine TB.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57Since then, it has been illegal to kill them.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01They have been protected under European and UK law.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03They even have their own act.
0:08:03 > 0:08:09But if the Government get their way, badgers could soon find themselves on the wrong end of the barrel.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12I am strongly minded to allow controlled culling, carried out
0:08:12 > 0:08:16by groups of farmers and landowners
0:08:16 > 0:08:19as part of a science-led and carefully-managed
0:08:19 > 0:08:21policy of badger control.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Bovine TB may no longer be much of a threat to humans
0:08:26 > 0:08:27but it is devastating for the farming industry.
0:08:27 > 0:08:35Last year, we slaughtered 25,000 infected cattle, costing taxpayers around £100 million.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Opinion is divided over the importance of badgers and the spread of TB.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45But everyone agrees, with cases on the increase, something needs to be done.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50We know that unless we tackle the disease in badgers, we'll never be able to eradicate it in cattle.
0:08:50 > 0:08:56Now the Government is looking to sanction a cull in England. Trial culls into areas
0:08:56 > 0:09:00could begin as soon as May next year.
0:09:00 > 0:09:06But just how will it work? Farming Minister Jim Paice has fought for a cull since his days in opposition.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08The plan is, and it is at the moment a proposal, that a group of farmers
0:09:08 > 0:09:16would come together and they would carry out a cull in an area of about 150 square kilometres,
0:09:16 > 0:09:21although we believe they will actually be looking at bigger areas than that.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25They will have to kill at least 70% of the badgers within a six-week period.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29And they will have to repeat that exercise for four years.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31How is this cull going to work?
0:09:31 > 0:09:35They will have two options. One is to cage-trap a badger and then shoot it.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41And the other is to shoot it at a baited area. We envisage this is likely to be the majority.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44And there they can be shot by a marksman, who will have had to
0:09:44 > 0:09:48go through formal training and qualifications.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Now, the farmers are going to be footing most of the bill for this. Is it cost-effective for them?
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It is going to be expensive for farmers to do.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58But at the end of the day, it will be the farmers' decision.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02If they think it is too expensive for them, they won't do it and it won't happen.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05It is not the first time culling of badgers has been tested.
0:10:05 > 0:10:12The Government's plan is based on an experimental trial carried out by scientists in the 1990s.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15The problem is some leading scientists
0:10:15 > 0:10:21believe this trial was a failure due to an effect known as perturbation.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25What that refers to is the disturbance of the badger groups.
0:10:25 > 0:10:31So, say if you culled some of the family that lived in this sett, here, the others might scatter.
0:10:31 > 0:10:37And all that movement of badgers carries the risk of spreading the disease further.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40The Government's plans revolve around trying to reduce this effect.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42But not everyone is convinced.
0:10:42 > 0:10:48Badger ecologist Dr Chris Cheeseman was involved in the previous trial.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53Do you think the current plan is deliverable or even possible?
0:10:53 > 0:10:59No, I don't. Having such a huge area, 350 square kilometres,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02that is probably several thousand badgers.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05And they're talking about probably getting about 70%.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10I ask you, the practicalities of doing that are just enormous.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13What they are proposing is a recipe for perturbation.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19There are going to be winners and losers. Some farmers will be prevented from having TB.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23But there will be farmers who will get TB as a result of culling.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Are you not just saying that because, in the end, you love wildlife
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- and you hate the idea of them being killed?- Absolutely not.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32I have no trouble whatsoever with the killing of animals - and that is what
0:11:32 > 0:11:36it is, culling is killing - if there is a good reason.
0:11:36 > 0:11:42Chris is an experienced marksmen and knows the challenges involved in stalking and shooting.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46It is one of the things that really concerns him about the plans.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51especially as badgers are nocturnal, so it will have to be done at night.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54The idea is that they are attracted to a bait. Perhaps somewhere near the sett.
0:11:54 > 0:12:00So, in our set-up, that gate represents where the badgers would be feeding?
0:12:00 > 0:12:02You can take a shot up to 20 metres away.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Bang.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06You will kill one badger.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Any others will rapidly disappear.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12But I would say with certainty that some of them will be wounded.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17Now, if it is mortally wounded, it will probably die underground.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Now, the Government has talked about monitoring
0:12:20 > 0:12:23the welfare aspects of shooting.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25How on earth could you possibly monitor that?
0:12:25 > 0:12:31The rifle is a much more lethal instrument, which will kill at least at a mile.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33The biggest problem in a place like this is safety.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36There is a lane behind us. Hidden behind the hedge.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39You have a ridge that runs up the field.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44If you have a badger anywhere near that ridge, you couldn't fire.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Because of the risk of the bullet travelling on.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49And although the other side of the valley is a mile away,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53that is well within the lethal range of a weapon like that.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56But criticism of the Government's plan has left many farmers undeterred,
0:12:56 > 0:13:03including Bill Harper, whose cattle graze alongside a wood full of badgers.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05He heads a group of almost 1,500 farmers
0:13:05 > 0:13:12on the Devon-Cornwall border who have spent several years planning for the moment a cull is authorised.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17That would be a suitable site, down there. That would be a natural feeding ground for badgers.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21We would add peanuts to it. And then we would keep feeding until we have got the family group together.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24We would have two riflemen here. They would take the family group out.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Because the important thing to do is to take the family group out as a whole.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32And then you avoid any of the perturbation that can be involved from the family being disrupted.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38I guess the importance of this is, let's say if someone does miss, the bullet goes into the ground?
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Very much, safety is going to be very important.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Why do you prefer this method of free shooting or controlled shooting
0:13:43 > 0:13:45rather than actually having the badgers in a trap?
0:13:45 > 0:13:51The trapping option is a very, very expensive and difficult operation to do.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- Surely, in terms of animal welfare, it is kinder? - It does have some merit.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57But it is practically very difficult to manage the sort of skill that we'd need to be doing.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02Doesn't this method of shooting lend credence to the idea that farmers and their shooting mates
0:14:02 > 0:14:06- are basically just popping off at badgers? - That is certainly not the case.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11This needs to be done by qualified, licensed contractors who have these sort of skills.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And not many farmers have them. This is not sport.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18This is the business of dealing with a diseased species
0:14:18 > 0:14:22that need their numbers de-populating considerably over a quick time.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Farmers like Bill may be full of confidence but the Government
0:14:25 > 0:14:30is taking a more cautious approach in the face of opposition.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35Allowing farmers to shoot badgers outside a cage does risk injuring more badgers, doesn't it?
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Well, we don't believe it does.
0:14:37 > 0:14:43But that is, of course, why we're proposing just two trial areas to start with.
0:14:43 > 0:14:49We'll have an independent science committee who will study the whole process, to really establish
0:14:49 > 0:14:54whether it is firstly humane, whether it is effective in reducing the badger population significantly
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and, of course, whether it is safe for the public.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00If the practicalities aren't going as you had hoped, will you stop it?
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Of course, there has to be an option.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07If, during the course of those pilots, something is going
0:15:07 > 0:15:11badly awry, we can stop them at any one time.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Secondly, if, at the end of it, they have been completed but have
0:15:14 > 0:15:18not been as good as we had hoped, then, of course, we would not issue any further licence.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23There is still a long way to go before many farmers get their way.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27What if the proposed cull does go ahead as planned?
0:15:27 > 0:15:29How much difference will it make?
0:15:29 > 0:15:30I'll be finding out later.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37The North Pennines. It looks calm, tranquil.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42But look again and you'll see an altogether different side, as James has been finding out.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47GUNFIRE
0:15:54 > 0:15:58The English countryside. But not as we know it.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00All the land around me is MoD-owned.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03And despite the fact that it is used as a firing range,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06it is also a haven for wildlife.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13This training site lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:16:13 > 0:16:19Walcot is not just home to some of our most precious countryside but to a pilot project for the military
0:16:19 > 0:16:23is working hand-in-hand with environmentalists like the Woodland Trust.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It's a really unusual pilot. We're walking through
0:16:27 > 0:16:30a newly planted forest and each of these little tubes is a tree.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32There are shots going on in the background. Why partner with the MoD?
0:16:32 > 0:16:34They such a large landowner.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39We are planting here at Walcot 400 acres of woodland.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44And it is native woodland and it is mimicking areas of woodland that have already established in this area.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49Inside each of these little tubes, believable as it may be, there is a little tree.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54How long is it before that pops out and becomes a mature tree and this looks much more it woodland?
0:16:54 > 0:16:58We're looking at woodland in about 10 to 15 years.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02It will start to really establish and look like new, native woodland.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05And the woodland creation scheme here has many benefits.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08It is benefiting the military because of their training requirement
0:17:08 > 0:17:12but it also is benefiting the environment in the wider context.
0:17:12 > 0:17:18And particularly wildlife such as the iconic black grouse, which is native to this particular area.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23The fact that we have been able to put woodland creation and improve the habitat here for the long-term
0:17:23 > 0:17:25can only help species such as the black grouse.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34But why do the military need trees? The Defence Infrastructure Organisation, a part of the MoD,
0:17:34 > 0:17:39is responsible for training areas like this one.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41This is basically a field firing area.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46And we conduct live firing between about 30 men.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49There are 23 separate ranges on here.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Public access is restricted and the area has to be managed for livestock.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57It is a delicate balancing act.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02It is a very varied landscape.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05It is shaped for defence requirements, at the end of the day.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09But there are various sites on it of interest to many other people.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12What is interesting is there is a symbiotic relationship.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Not only are you helping conservationists by planting trees,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17but by having more trees, it benefits the military.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Most definitely. We do use woodland extensively with our training.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25It is used for cover, we establish patrol harbour bases in there.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29And men and women, through training, will actually live and operate out of woodland.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Training within the woodland involves learning how to construct these bivouacs.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41It is a way of preparing soldiers for warfare.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43This is where they live. Administer themselves.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47And basically live in the woods. That is why we select the treed areas
0:18:47 > 0:18:53to do all this from because it gives us good cover from both enemy and the elements.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55So, you bring part of the kit with you but a lot of it is actually
0:18:55 > 0:18:58gathered with materials that are just lying around?
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Yes. Everything we try and use is all found within the woodland.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10- Literally just string that around the tree.- String it round.
0:19:10 > 0:19:11- Put it on.- Hook up there? - Try and get it as tight as possible.
0:19:11 > 0:19:18So that any water that gets on the poncho will then run off, so we keep the area dry that is around it.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Surviving outdoors usually means living on rations.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24What's going on in there?
0:19:24 > 0:19:30- Just cooking some stuff.- I thought you army people were supposed to be like tearing apart local wildlife?
0:19:30 > 0:19:33That looks like boil-in-the-bag?
0:19:33 > 0:19:34- Mind if I try some?- Sure.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Presumably, you can pick this up and walk around
0:19:37 > 0:19:39and carry on eating it, and roll it up if you need to move?
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Yeah, keep it fresh.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Oh, that's... This doesn't look too bad. What have I got here?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- Mock ham and noodles. - Mock ham and noodles.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54It's better than the BBC canteen, I can tell you that.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58The military and conservationists may seem like unlikely bedfellows,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00but on this site at least,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04it's a relationship that appears to be working.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Later on Countryfile, Matt's working up a thirst
0:20:09 > 0:20:12harvesting a very special crop in the North Pennines.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17Over here, they're making wine, not from grapes, but from this.
0:20:17 > 0:20:18Beetroot.
0:20:18 > 0:20:24Adam's struggling to show a rooky sheepdog who's boss.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29And are we in for some tame weather in the week ahead?
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Stay with us for the Countryfile forecast.
0:20:41 > 0:20:47I'm exploring the North Pennines with the help of local trike enthusiast Mark Wilson.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49To get to one of its best-known natural wonders,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52I've got to travel on foot.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Now feast your eyes on this. Absolutely breathtaking.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Welcome to Low Force.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05Now, what you can see here was formed 295 million years ago.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Molten rock came up from the centre of the Earth,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11and settled between layers of limestone, sandstone and shale.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14As these top layers have eroded over time,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18you're left with this chunky, solid sill that you can see here
0:21:18 > 0:21:21for all of the water and the kayaks to tumble over.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Low Force waterfall is quite famous in these parts.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29It's the little sister of nearby High Force,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31England's largest waterfall.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35People come from all over the world to kayak here,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38but for this group of autistic youngsters,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40it's so much more than just a playground.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Having a young person stand on the edge of a cliff or paddling off a waterfall,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48they've got the same fears that you and I would be exposed to.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51What they sometimes don't connect with is the consequence.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55We teach them there is cause and consequence by using the environment.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00And then maybe take skills that they're learning here into their everyday life?
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Yes, and what we're looking for is independent skills,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07so fastening a zip or maybe putting on a wetsuit for the first time,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11it's an unpleasant experience for most of us, putting on a wetsuit,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14but for somebody with autism there may be sensory difficulties,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18where something touching the skin might seem irritating or a burning sensation.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Just using that as an experience, they can take that forward.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29Today, 17-year-old Jamie is going to kayak down the five-metre drop of the waterfall.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31It's his first time.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Off he goes!
0:22:40 > 0:22:41And he's done it.
0:22:45 > 0:22:51- How was that?- Excellent.- Excellent. How did it feel coming over the top there? I couldn't believe my eyes!
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I was a bit nervous at first, then I just, I just did it.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56It was like going straight off a cliff.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00As well as kayaking, the youngsters make use of the water in other ways,
0:23:00 > 0:23:04giving them a sense of independence and a taste of the real outdoors.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I saw you swimming down there today. What's the water like?
0:23:08 > 0:23:12- Is it cold?- Freezing.- Freezing? - You going to have a swim?
0:23:12 > 0:23:16- Do you know, I didn't bring my wetsuit today.- Ah.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20In a while, I'll be heading further afield to meet the couple
0:23:20 > 0:23:23producing an unusual type of red wine.
0:23:24 > 0:23:25But first...
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Earlier in the programme,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Tom was looking at the possibility of killing badgers in England
0:23:31 > 0:23:34to help stem the spreading of bovine TB,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37which is claiming the lives of thousands of cattle
0:23:37 > 0:23:40at a cost to us of around £100 million a year,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42but how effective would it be?
0:23:44 > 0:23:47We've already heard concerns about the practicalities
0:23:47 > 0:23:51and welfare issues of carrying out a badger cull in England.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Bang, you'll kill one badger,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57but I would say with certainty that some of them will be wounded.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00But many farmers are convinced it's the only option.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05This is not sport, this is business of dealing with a diseased species.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08But, if a cull does go ahead as planned,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11will the results be worth the effort and expense?
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Eileen and Adrian Palmer have run a dairy farm in Devon
0:24:15 > 0:24:19for over 20 years, and are no strangers to bovine TB.
0:24:19 > 0:24:25They've lost six cows this year, worth £1,500 each.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27One of those was our very best cow,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31so it's like the cow you would not want to lose.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34We couldn't believe it. We were very upset about that.
0:24:34 > 0:24:40The Government's plan is to cull 70% of badgers in each target area.
0:24:40 > 0:24:46They believe that that will reduce bovine TB in that area by 16% over nine years.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50For Eileen, that reduction would have meant that just one of the six cows
0:24:50 > 0:24:54she's lost in the last year would have been spared.
0:24:55 > 0:25:0016% is absolutely miniscule, so, you know,
0:25:00 > 0:25:05because it's so small, you wouldn't know whether that was going to happen naturally
0:25:05 > 0:25:07or whether it was because of the cull.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10In a way, it's good to have something positive,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14because when you're faced with this and there's nothing happening,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16you're just feeling that you're in a trap.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Something may be better than nothing for farmers,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23but are the badgers paying a high price for such a small gain?
0:25:23 > 0:25:2816%, is it really worth it, the death of all that wildlife?
0:25:28 > 0:25:33Don't forget, we're killing 25,000 cattle a year because of TB.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36People talk about wildlife and welfare,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39nobody talks about the welfare of the cattle that are being killed.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42But the point is, it's not on its own.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47What we announced a few weeks ago was a consultation on a range of measures.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52Badger culling is only one part, and all the others will be in place,
0:25:52 > 0:25:57and we believe that together, they will make a very dramatic reduction.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02But there is something else the Government needs to consider, too.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Public opinion.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08It's a potential stumbling block that could even prevent
0:26:08 > 0:26:10the cull from even getting off the ground.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15In a recent poll of around 1,000 people commissioned by the BBC,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19over 60% of those surveyed were against a cull.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23The Badger Trust have succeeded in stopping a similar cull in Wales.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27You will see on your right there, there's a badger path.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30And they come and go along those paths, probably for centuries.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34What would your reaction be if that cull goes ahead?
0:26:34 > 0:26:35It would be very disappointing.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39What can you actually do to try and stop it as an organisation?
0:26:39 > 0:26:43When the minister has finally made a decision, and the Government
0:26:43 > 0:26:44is set on having a cull,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48then we can challenge that decision in court.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- Nevertheless, you would agree that badgers do carry TB?- Oh, yes.
0:26:51 > 0:26:57The problem is, not that. The problem is, what do you do about it, without making the situation worse?
0:26:57 > 0:27:01And what's being proposed to be done about it at the moment
0:27:01 > 0:27:04is quite frankly, against every serious scientific study.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09- Aren't you saying we should just let the badgers go scot-free? - No, it's not scot-free.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11They've got a place in the scheme of things.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15If you kill them, that does spread the disease even further.
0:27:15 > 0:27:22The Badger Trust believe the solution lies in stricter movement controls to contain the disease amongst cattle,
0:27:22 > 0:27:27plus badger vaccination, still in its infancy.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Against such opposition, a cull is a bold but risky strategy.
0:27:31 > 0:27:37If you're the government seen to be responsible for killing these animals, is that tough politically?
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- It is. - You'll stick with it nonetheless?
0:27:39 > 0:27:43None of us want to make this decision, but we believe that it's the right way forward.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Governing is sometimes about tough decisions
0:27:46 > 0:27:49and we have to put the whole thing in context.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Badgers are not threatened, they are lovely,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55but they're not endangered species in our countryside,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and we believe we can do this and need to do this
0:27:58 > 0:28:02if we're to get rid of the biggest cattle disease we have in this country now.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Alongside the proposed cull,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07the Government is investing both its hopes and money
0:28:07 > 0:28:13in developing a TB vaccine for cattle, but this is still several years away,
0:28:13 > 0:28:17and some experts believe it won't be 100% effective.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20With so many unknowns, it's difficult to escape the conclusion
0:28:20 > 0:28:24that this is a bit of a gamble, not only for the future of our cattle,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26but also some of our favourite wildlife.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30With all that, the stakes could not be higher.
0:28:39 > 0:28:46As summer edges to a close, a new type of visitor is drawn to the wild moors of the North Pennines,
0:28:46 > 0:28:50because this is shooting country, home to the red grouse.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54The shooting season started a few weeks ago, and every weekend now,
0:28:54 > 0:28:59these moors embrace huge shooting parties who come from all over the world,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02and they pay handsomely for the privilege.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08But not all of them are your stereotypical country gent.
0:29:08 > 0:29:14Meet the Cover Girls, an all-female shooting club.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17People make a lot of assumptions that aren't correct with shooting.
0:29:17 > 0:29:18Things have changed.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21A lot of women become attracted to it,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24and they've realised that they can be equal to men doing it.
0:29:24 > 0:29:30It's not a physical encumbrance in any way. The UK's number one down-the-line shot is a woman.
0:29:30 > 0:29:37Claire and her friends are part of a growing trend of women taking up the sport.
0:29:37 > 0:29:42I'm going to find out why, but first, I have to get the right kit.
0:29:42 > 0:29:43I've been told that with shooting,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46it's as much about what you wear and how you look
0:29:46 > 0:29:50as it is about the gun you carry, and this just won't cut it.
0:29:50 > 0:29:55- Hi, James.- Nice to see you. How are you?- Yeah, good. Let's have a look at this.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00It's all tweed, and everything always has been tweed, hasn't it?
0:30:00 > 0:30:04It's been tweed, it started off with the aristocracy about 200 years ago,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07and developed from there. It used to hold a lot of water.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10They now develop it with Teflon-coated fibres,
0:30:10 > 0:30:11so it doesn't hold any water.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15- It used to smell as well, let's be honest. - It did when it got wetter and wetter.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19In terms of colour, I guess you're trying to camouflage yourself.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Yeah, you want to blend into your environment.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27- Do I have to wear trousers or shorts?- Breeks.- Breeks? - Breeks.- All right. (What are breeks?)
0:30:28 > 0:30:33Luckily, James has already picked out a few suggestions for me.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35See what this all looks like.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Well, it's not my normal look, but then, this isn't a normal day.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45High up on the moors, the team are ready and waiting.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48- Hi, there.- Hi, Clare. - Nice to meet you all.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51I won't shake hands, cos obviously your hands are full.
0:30:51 > 0:30:58- Now, you look glamorous. I don't look glamorous. But I'm warm.- And cosy.- I am. Which I'm pleased about.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06Shooting wild grouse takes skill, and I won't be trying it myself.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10As the women get to work under the beady eye of gamekeeper Alun Edwards,
0:31:10 > 0:31:11mine is a watching brief.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Keep moving forward, keep moving.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Key to the whole process are the dogs,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23who track down the grouse and flush them out.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26So they will sweep an area from left to right.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30It's literally air scent, they can pull onto birds a long way away.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Then they'll hold themselves?
0:31:32 > 0:31:36They'll point. The traditional point is a leg up.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41Fran's dogs actually set, which means they drop on their haunches.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43There is two different styles.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47You're using Gordon setters.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51They look almost jealous that it's not them out there working.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53It is. They can't wait for their turn, in fact.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59So Jane, what's happening now?
0:31:59 > 0:32:02She pointed on top of the hill, and she's just pulled forward
0:32:02 > 0:32:05so the guns are ready to shoot anything that comes up.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06There, there, there!
0:32:09 > 0:32:10It's a miss.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15These are fast, low-flying birds, and there are strict rules about safety.
0:32:15 > 0:32:16Too far.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22We've been on the go for about an hour and a half now.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25It was really hard work walking through the heather
0:32:25 > 0:32:28and the boggy patches and jumping over streams.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30Like a serious gym workout.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32The dogs have been working hard as well
0:32:32 > 0:32:35and they've been flushing out some grouse,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38but so far, no shots have been landed on target.
0:32:38 > 0:32:45It's not easy. So what attracts these women to the sport of shooting?
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Women like interior designer Tessa Ferguson.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49For me, it's about being outside.
0:32:49 > 0:32:54I'm very office-bound as a person. It's fantastic to get out in the countryside.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Generally, it's a very male sport. Do you feel unusual doing it?
0:32:58 > 0:33:03Um... I used to, but I quite like it in a way.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06It's nice to, I don't know, just be part of any group.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Have you got significantly better at shooting?
0:33:09 > 0:33:14It really is just about practice. I don't get an awful lot of practice.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16No, I wouldn't say I'm getting that much better.
0:33:16 > 0:33:21Something tells me that the women aren't as competitive as the men,
0:33:21 > 0:33:26and for businesswoman Helen Humphreys too, it's not all about the kill.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31I'm a townie. I'm not used to being in the countryside, particularly.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36It's a wonderful day out, and I mean, look at this, it's incredible.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40And it's surprising, there are lots of reasons why women don't shoot,
0:33:40 > 0:33:44but a lot of people would find it a bit bloodthirsty, but you don't?
0:33:44 > 0:33:46Um...
0:33:46 > 0:33:50No. I thought I would have a problem with shooting my first bird,
0:33:50 > 0:33:54but surprisingly, I didn't. Does that sound awful? I don't know.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57It's a good thing she's not squeamish,
0:33:57 > 0:34:02because the dogs found more grouse and Tessa is lining up.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10This time, she's right on target.
0:34:10 > 0:34:15This is one of roughly 600 grouse that will be shot on this moor this season,
0:34:15 > 0:34:20and gamekeeper Alun Edwards says it's absolutely necessary.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24Shooting is a very important part of the management of the grouse moor.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27You're taking off a harvestable surplus.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30Without that, the numbers would build up to a point where
0:34:30 > 0:34:32they would get disease, and they would die out.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36I understand the arguments completely about management,
0:34:36 > 0:34:42but do you have any dilemma at all about people shooting red grouse for sport? For the pleasure of it?
0:34:42 > 0:34:47No, I simply... I don't, frankly, for one very, very good reason.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50If we don't have the sport element to it,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53which brings in the economics, the finance, the money,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56to stand up and support the management,
0:34:56 > 0:35:02to support the rural communities, the people you have seen round you today,
0:35:02 > 0:35:07all require the finance to be able to live in these remote, rural communities, which do struggle.
0:35:07 > 0:35:13Another thing Alun's keen to point out is that every single bird shot is eaten,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16some sooner than others.
0:35:20 > 0:35:21Delicious.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26This isn't going to be every woman's idea of the perfect weekend in the country,
0:35:26 > 0:35:28but this is the modern face of shooting.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33The days when a woman's only role was carrying the bags are well and truly over.
0:35:37 > 0:35:43In a few moments, why Clare's walk-through the North Pennines left her awestruck.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45You look at that and you think,
0:35:45 > 0:35:48this is a landscape that was made for mammoths and dinosaurs.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51You want to be enormous, not for us,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55you just feel so tiny in it and so useless in a way.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58And if you're out and about in the week ahead,
0:35:58 > 0:36:00don't miss the Countryfile forecast.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Now Adam's got a lot of sheep on the farm,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13so it's vital he has the right dogs to work them.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16His girls are struggling with the farm duties,
0:36:16 > 0:36:18so he's decided to look for a new dog.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Will he find what he's looking for?
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Stay. Stay!
0:36:33 > 0:36:37One of the challenges of modern-day farming is making it pay,
0:36:37 > 0:36:42and often the key to that is getting jobs done efficiently and at the right time.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46We usually shear our sheep in May, June time.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Today, we've decided to get our ewe lamb flock in and shear them,
0:36:49 > 0:36:53and hopefully, they'll grow on better during the winter.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56What we're doing is an autumn shear, and it's no easy task.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59So I've brought in some of the best boys I can find.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Neighbouring farmer Eddie and his team.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04If anybody can do the job well, it's these guys.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07- How's it going, Eddie? - Not so bad, Adam, not so bad.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10We could have chosen a bit more of a shady spot for you.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14Well, you could, but these trees will keep the sun off us later, when we really get into it.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18- And how are they shearing? - They're sharing good. The heat is helping it.
0:37:18 > 0:37:23The lanolin is rising from the wool, making it soft. Tremendous wool. It's got everything going for it.
0:37:23 > 0:37:28This is only the second time we've tried this autumn shearing. You've been doing it for ages.
0:37:28 > 0:37:33Oh, yeah, works exceptionally well. It keeps the sheep happier in the hot days of autumn,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37and keeps them cleaner when it gets very wet, and snowy.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41They can move easier. They don't get clogged down with a wet, heavy fleece.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I'm thinking about it financially.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Now the price of wool's gone up, and I know you're doing this for free.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51- I should make a bit of money out of these fleeces! - You don't change, do you?!
0:37:51 > 0:37:57You'll get about £1 for this fleece, which will nearly cover the shearing, Adam, but not quite.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59That's a good job done.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Eddie here can shear a couple of hundred in a day,
0:38:07 > 0:38:11and then we've got a Kiwi over here, a New Zealander, he'll shear about 300 in a day.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14I remember when I first started how difficult it is,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17bending over, shearing away, learning the technique,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20and I can still only shear 80 in a day. I'm pretty slow.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24So it's much quicker to get these guys in and get it all done in one morning.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27They are shearing a sheep in about a minute, a minute and a half.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Just incredible speed. I'll go and gather up these lambs. I'll leave you to it.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36Right, time to get Pearl and Maude working.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Not that they always do what they're told these days.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Here, Pearl, Pearl. Pearl.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50HE WHISTLES Away.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54Maude! She's heard the away command, and now she can't hear me.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57She's deaf as a post. She's doing it brilliantly, she just can't hear.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Maude! WHISTLES
0:39:00 > 0:39:0410 out of 10 for effort! Nought out of 10 for hearing.
0:39:06 > 0:39:11'Oh, well, if you need a job doing, then do it yourself.'
0:39:11 > 0:39:12Come on!
0:39:12 > 0:39:15HE WHISTLES
0:39:15 > 0:39:17Here, here.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21This is Maud, she's 13 years old. She was very, very good in her day.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24And then this is her daughter, Pearl, who is eight years old.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27She hasn't quite got it, either. She is only sort of half-decent.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30I have Milly, as well, who Mike uses a lot.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35She's very good in the yards, but not so good in the field.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38So I think it's time I went sheepdog shopping. Come on, girls.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42Hello, Bully Boy. That will do, leave him alone. Here!
0:39:47 > 0:39:51Having a trusty, good-working sheepdog on the farm when you have
0:39:51 > 0:39:54a couple of thousand sheep, like I have, is absolutely essential.
0:39:54 > 0:39:59It's the best way of moving sheep from field to field and getting them into the pens to work on them.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03I need a new dog but I haven't got the time to train a young dog and bring it on,
0:40:03 > 0:40:05so I need a fully-trained dog.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09I'm off to meet professional sheepdog trainer Alison Smith, who thinks
0:40:09 > 0:40:12she might have just what I'm looking for.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16She knows exactly how to turn border collies into fully-trained working dogs.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19And she's got more than a few to look after.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Goodness me, Alison, how many dogs have you got here?
0:40:27 > 0:40:29There's about 18 or 19 out here at the moment.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34What a sight! I don't think I've seen so many collies in one place! What got you into doing this?
0:40:34 > 0:40:37I started training sheepdogs when I got to about nine.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41I'm a farmer's daughter, so I've grown up with sheep and dogs.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43It's great you've got such a large selection.
0:40:43 > 0:40:49I'm after another dog and I haven't got the time to take a puppy until it's 18 months old and fully trained,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52so I am looking for a part or fully-trained dog.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54I have got a fully-trained dog.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59- He's called... Do you want the name? - Has he got a funny name? - Stumpy.- Stumpy!
0:40:59 > 0:41:00- Call him over.- Stumpy!
0:41:00 > 0:41:04- I can see why he's called Stumpy. He's got no tail.- Yes!
0:41:06 > 0:41:08How did that happen?
0:41:08 > 0:41:11The breeder thinks that his mum chewed it off
0:41:11 > 0:41:14when he was born in a bit of over-zealous cleaning.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- Is he pretty good?- He's a very useful flock dog, useful farm dog as well.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21On the farm at home we've got all bitches, all females,
0:41:21 > 0:41:25so really a dog, I think, is going to stir it up a bit and cause problems.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29- Have you got any bitches available? - I do have a young bitch over there.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Bethan! Here!
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Bethan, come here, come here, darling. Good girl.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38She's sweet, isn't she?
0:41:38 > 0:41:42She's just 14 months now, fairly well into her training
0:41:42 > 0:41:45but still very green as regard to flock work.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Just needs time and bringing on, really.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52'Bethan isn't fully trained, but I'm keen to see her put through her paces.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55'But before that, Alison is going to show me
0:41:55 > 0:41:58'what one of her most experienced dogs can do.'
0:41:59 > 0:42:00This is Meg.
0:42:00 > 0:42:05- And how good is she?- She's really talented, especially for her age,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07- she not yet three years old. - Brilliant!
0:42:07 > 0:42:09I could do with that one. Can I buy her?
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Afraid she's not for sale!
0:42:11 > 0:42:14And you used fairly standard commands for sheepdogs,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17- away, to the right, to the left. - That's right.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20- What's your stop command? - Stop command is stand.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23- OK. And you transfer those to whistle?- That's right.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Yes, they're all on whistle as well as voice.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- OK. Well maybe we should see her go. - OK.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32- Away, out.- She's going pretty quick.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Get a little "out" there, that sends her right out.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39- Just to make sure she squares out properly.- She's going beautifully round behind them.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41SHE WHISTLES
0:42:41 > 0:42:43That's your stop command.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46- That's right. - That's walk on, I assume.- Yes.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50I wouldn't be able to get Pearl to do this, you know! She's very good.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55Lovely balance between the dog and the sheep because you don't want the sheep racing along too fast.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57That's right, keep the dog back.
0:42:57 > 0:42:58SHE WHISTLES
0:42:58 > 0:43:01That's round to the right. And a stop.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04What a good girl. Round to left.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Fantastic. And here we are.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Magic, sheep are back already.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11She's really tidy, isn't she?
0:43:11 > 0:43:13Really responsive to your whistles.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17Yes, she's very sharp and a really, really good listener.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Here, Meg.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22'Next up, Bethan.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25'I'm not sure she'll put on such a faultless performance.'
0:43:25 > 0:43:27What sort of commands can you give her?
0:43:27 > 0:43:30Mostly voice, still. We're just starting whistle commands
0:43:30 > 0:43:33so she's got a stop whistle and a walk on whistle.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36But no flank whistles as yet.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40- She knows her left and right, her away and come back.- She does, yes.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Away! Out!
0:43:44 > 0:43:47Away, away. Away.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49A nice little out run.
0:43:49 > 0:43:50SHE WHISTLES
0:43:50 > 0:43:53She steady there, that's nice.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57She's not flying in and biting the sheep or anything.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59That's the stop.
0:43:59 > 0:44:03Come by, keep, keep!
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Stand. Stand.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09With a lot of work, she could really
0:44:09 > 0:44:11come to something. She's still a bit young,
0:44:11 > 0:44:14- a bit inexperienced.- Out, out!
0:44:14 > 0:44:16SHE WHISTLES
0:44:16 > 0:44:18She's keen.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22Good girl.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24Well, that was very impressive.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26For a young dog, excellent.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29Do you think she might work for me?
0:44:29 > 0:44:31Let's give it a go and find out.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33OK!
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Let's see if she'll fetch those sheep. Stand.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39Stand. Away. Away.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43Bethan, Bethan. Bethan!
0:44:43 > 0:44:44Ha ha! Here.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47Here. Come here.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49'She's not taking a blind bit of notice.'
0:44:49 > 0:44:52It's not going to work at all!
0:44:52 > 0:44:57- And do you think she would come to me if I took her home and she bonded? - Yes, I'm sure she would.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00It's simply because I'm here, you're somebody new,
0:45:00 > 0:45:02she's not familiar with you.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05What I'm looking for is the whole deal,
0:45:05 > 0:45:10and she's still a little bit inexperienced so there's quite a lot of work still to be done on her.
0:45:10 > 0:45:15- That's right.- Ideally, I want a fully-trained dog that I can get to work fairly quickly.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17I'm quite interested in your other bitch.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20- She's not for sale, is she? - No, I'm afraid she's not, sorry!
0:45:20 > 0:45:25Oh well, never mind. I think I'll leave little Bethan with you.
0:45:25 > 0:45:26Come on, Beth.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29'So, my search for a new sheepdog goes on.'
0:45:36 > 0:45:39The dramatic sweep of the North Pennines belies a gentle side.
0:45:39 > 0:45:43Away from its craggy hills and exposed moors,
0:45:43 > 0:45:47one locally-grown crop is used to produce something rather unusual.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54Over here, they're making wine. Not from grapes, but from this.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56Beetroot.
0:45:56 > 0:46:01'And it's provided a welcome new market for beetroot grower Neil Hodgson.'
0:46:04 > 0:46:10It's been on the decline but maybe this beetroot wine might revive it.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12- Have you tried this wine, then? - No, I haven't.
0:46:12 > 0:46:17- Why not?- I'd have a go, but... - I'd have a go! As if it's some kind of challenge!
0:46:17 > 0:46:21- OK, well while I'm here, I'll give you a hand picking some.- Good idea.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24- How many kilos have you got so far this week?- Er...
0:46:24 > 0:46:26- This is the beginning. - This is the start!
0:46:26 > 0:46:28Oh, right! Look at that one.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31It's a beauty.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34'Just a couple more, then I'm taking these over to a man who makes
0:46:34 > 0:46:36'wine from fruit and veg.'
0:46:40 > 0:46:44I've got a delivery of Neil's winemaking beetroot for you.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46That's great. The first thing we have to do
0:46:46 > 0:46:49is to wash them thoroughly, get all the soil off.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52- So we can't use these, then. - We can't use those.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56- But we have some that we did earlier. - Excellent.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59These now go into the mill to be chopped.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03- Straight in?- Straight in.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05Oh, wow!
0:47:05 > 0:47:10- It's a powerful machine. - Yes, it chops them very finely.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13How long does this process take, then,
0:47:13 > 0:47:15to make a bottle of beetroot wine?
0:47:15 > 0:47:19It takes about a month fermenting and then
0:47:19 > 0:47:21about a month settling.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24And how many beetroot in one bottle of wine?
0:47:24 > 0:47:27- Probably about two or three beetroot.- OK.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29Just one more for luck.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36There we go. Right, come this way.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40Pour the beetroot in here.
0:47:40 > 0:47:41OK.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48- It splashes everywhere, doesn't it? - Yes. You don't want it on your clothes.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51Why did you think about making beetroot wine?
0:47:51 > 0:47:55Well, we realised from our own veg patch that beetroot grows
0:47:55 > 0:47:58easily up here so we thought, why not?
0:47:58 > 0:48:01It has a great colour, let's do something with it.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05'But does it taste as good as it looks?'
0:48:07 > 0:48:09It's lovely. That goes down very well.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12You could easily drink a large quantity of that!
0:48:12 > 0:48:16- Especially warmed up. - I'm thinking about it.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18- That's lovely, actually.- Good.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22But it is very earthy, it's quite thick,
0:48:22 > 0:48:25and I don't know whether Clare would go for the red or a white,
0:48:25 > 0:48:28so I might actually take some of that elderflower and apple.
0:48:28 > 0:48:33- OK?- That's fine.- Lovely. Thank you... I tell you what, I'll just have one last little...
0:48:33 > 0:48:38Mmm. Little sip. Anyway, to your health and all the very best with your wines.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40It's wonderful. Thank you so much indeed.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42And just one last little bit.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44That is that absolutely delightful.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47In a moment, Clare is going to be continuing her journey
0:48:47 > 0:48:51along the Pennine Way, but if you want a taste of the great outdoors,
0:48:51 > 0:48:55we have teamed up with a range of companies that offer activities all across the UK.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59All you have to do is log on to our website and click on "Things To Do."
0:48:59 > 0:49:01Shortly, I am going to meet up with Clare
0:49:01 > 0:49:03so she can taste this lovely wine.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07But first, here's the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09Right, Mark, helmet on, and we'll crack on.
0:50:49 > 0:50:57.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10'I'm walking along the Pennine Way in County Durham,
0:51:10 > 0:51:14through the hills on the banks of the River Tees.
0:51:14 > 0:51:18This is a unique landscape and I'm meeting its custodians.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22- You picked a grand day to come up. - It's lovely.- Couldn't be better.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25'Martin Furness and his team from Natural England are managing
0:51:25 > 0:51:28'a vast 20,000-acre nature reserve.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31'The lime-rich soil creates an ideal environment
0:51:31 > 0:51:33'for rare flora and fauna.'
0:51:34 > 0:51:38You see here, it's wet and flush with the lime-rich water coming out of the bank.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40You get these species growing here.
0:51:40 > 0:51:46We've got Alpine bartsia. We've got bird's-eye primrose, which is just about over now.
0:51:46 > 0:51:48It's best to come May-June time to see those.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50Lovely little pink flowers.
0:51:50 > 0:51:55We've got yellow mountain saxifrage here.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58And down here we've got some Grass-of-Parnassus,
0:51:58 > 0:52:00which isn't a grass, but it's a lovely little flower.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Isn't that so pretty?
0:52:02 > 0:52:07All those lines, sort of veins inside the petals, it's gorgeous.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10So this is sort of a crossroads
0:52:10 > 0:52:13for flora that you would find at the, sort of, extremes.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16Northern Arctic plants at their southern limit
0:52:16 > 0:52:20and southern continental plants are at their northern limit.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22So you get that crossover, so it's unique.
0:52:22 > 0:52:27You don't get this assemblage of plants anywhere else in the country, so it's unique.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29Not all the plants here are so welcome.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33If left unchecked, these thick rushes would take over,
0:52:33 > 0:52:35choking out the rare flowers.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38So Martin and the team have work to do.
0:52:38 > 0:52:42Martin, that is not like any mower I've ever seen.
0:52:42 > 0:52:46No, it's an Alpine tractor. The ground is that soft you couldn't get a conventional tractor on
0:52:46 > 0:52:49without marking up the ground.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51How much of this will you cut?
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Probably a couple of hectares overall,
0:52:53 > 0:52:56but right across this piece, we'll just cut out little areas
0:52:56 > 0:53:00and we'll get to every piece about once every three years.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04Hopefully that will be enough to allow the wild flowers to thrive.
0:53:04 > 0:53:08But they're not the only thing that Natural England is protecting here.
0:53:08 > 0:53:09Further down the valley,
0:53:09 > 0:53:15a fight is also on to save England's largest juniper woodland.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18- The black ones here. - The black ones are the ripe ones.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22- Just crush it between your fingers and give it a smell.- OK.
0:53:22 > 0:53:26Cor, that smells of really strong black pepper.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28Very distinct, isn't it?
0:53:28 > 0:53:31- Yes.- A bit of a hint of gin there, though.- A bit of gin.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34How come there are loads on here that look like they are
0:53:34 > 0:53:35a long way off being ripe?
0:53:35 > 0:53:38The green ones are this year's berries
0:53:38 > 0:53:40and the blue ones are last year's berries,
0:53:40 > 0:53:44so it is two years before the berries actually ripe to picking.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47You can see there's more green ones than blue ones
0:53:47 > 0:53:49because they're favoured by the birds.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53- Are they very difficult to manage? - Yes, they are.
0:53:53 > 0:53:57If you look all round here, the bushes are all old, mature bushes.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00There's no young, regenerating bushes coming through,
0:54:00 > 0:54:02due to mainly, on here, it's rabbits.
0:54:02 > 0:54:07Seedlings try to get established and the rabbits eat them, so they're a bit of a problem.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12Junipers are mostly found further north,
0:54:12 > 0:54:16so these 15,000 bushes are highly prized.
0:54:16 > 0:54:20Today, we're harvesting their berries to help them survive.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24They'll be grown in a nursery before being replanted again here,
0:54:24 > 0:54:27provided that the seeds are healthy.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31You can have a bush that's absolutely festooned with berries but not always
0:54:31 > 0:54:33the seeds are viable.
0:54:33 > 0:54:34Cut one through the equator,
0:54:34 > 0:54:37we should be able to see the seeds inside.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40What are we looking for?
0:54:40 > 0:54:43You just see the white inside there, on the point of the blade?
0:54:43 > 0:54:44And that's good.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46That is good, they are viable seeds.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52This rare woodland is my last stop on the Pennine Way.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55But my journey isn't quite finished.
0:54:55 > 0:55:00Before I hang up my boots, I'm heading for the hills.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03This is Hartside Top, where I've been promised
0:55:03 > 0:55:06some of the best views in the whole of the Pennines.
0:55:08 > 0:55:09As views go,
0:55:09 > 0:55:12this is immense, in every sense.
0:55:12 > 0:55:16We are 1,800 feet above sea level so you get blown by the wind a bit.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19But, my word, it's worth it for this. The panorama
0:55:19 > 0:55:22takes in the Lake District over there.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25Straight ahead, you go across the Eden Valley to the Solway Firth.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29And on the right you can see to Scotland. You can see for nearly 40 miles.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36You look at that and you think,
0:55:36 > 0:55:39"This is a landscape that was made for mammoths and dinosaurs."
0:55:39 > 0:55:44You want to be enormous. Not for us, just feel so tiny in it,
0:55:44 > 0:55:46and so useless in a way.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48It's incredible.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51'And all I need now, is someone to share it with.'
0:55:51 > 0:55:55- Clare, how are you doing?- I'm so glad you're here. Look at this.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57Isn't it absolutely beautiful?
0:55:57 > 0:56:00- It's gorgeous and the light's been amazing.- Perfect.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02I've been sampling breathtaking views all day,
0:56:02 > 0:56:05and these, look. I brought you a little present.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08- Are they for me?- Yes, they are. Not your unusual wines.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11This is elderflower and apple, and this one is beetroot.
0:56:11 > 0:56:15- Mulled wine, oh, that'll be nice and warming.- It is, absolutely gorgeous.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19That's all for this week. Next week we're going to be in Monmouthshire.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22I'm going to the agricultural show to see the best of country life.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24And we'll reveal the final 12 photos
0:56:24 > 0:56:27in this year's Countryfile photographic competition.
0:56:27 > 0:56:31There are some stunning photos in that, so please join us if you can.
0:56:31 > 0:56:34- Bye-bye for now. Right. - Just one thing.- Yes.
0:56:34 > 0:56:35You've been at this, haven't you?
0:56:35 > 0:56:39Well, it was their last bottle, and I did have to sample before I left.
0:56:39 > 0:56:43- So you drank half of it.- Well... We'll leave it there. See you.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:00 > 0:57:03E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk