0:00:24 > 0:00:26The Brecon Beacons -
0:00:26 > 0:00:28towering mountains,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32serene valleys and vast stretches of open moorland.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36It's also home to one of the most scenic canal routes in Britain,
0:00:36 > 0:00:3935 miles of idyllic countryside.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42At this pace, you can just relax, enjoy it and take it all in.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45I'll be exploring the historic waterways
0:00:45 > 0:00:47and learning how to leg it.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50This is like the weirdest treadmill ever.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54The vast moorlands of this part of Wales
0:00:54 > 0:00:58provide the perfect training ground for the military.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01I'm embedded with some of the Army's elite soldiers,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04and today they're being tested to see if they've got what it takes
0:01:04 > 0:01:05to lead a section into battle.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Their aim is to take out that enemy position.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13And my aim is to make it through the day.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16John's investigating an alarming countryside crime.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Badger-baiting is a barbaric practice
0:01:19 > 0:01:22that's been banned in this country for almost 180 years.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Even so, reports of badgers being dragged from their setts
0:01:26 > 0:01:29and attacked and killed by dogs seem to be on the increase
0:01:29 > 0:01:31in the British countryside.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Tonight, we've got exclusive access
0:01:34 > 0:01:38as an RSPCA team tries to crack down on this cruel so-called sport.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43And Adam's got his hands full with some new arrivals.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46The Whiteface Dartmoor here is one of Britain's rare breeds of sheep,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49with less than 1,500 breeding ewes in the country,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52and I've got to say they're one of my favourites.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54So there couldn't be a better place
0:01:54 > 0:01:57than down here on Dartmoor during lambing time, helping out.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14The Brecon Beacons - 520 square miles of isolated moorland,
0:02:14 > 0:02:19foreboding peaks and valleys of fast-flowing rivers,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21all sandwiched between South and Mid-Wales.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Well, this is the way to enjoy this spectacular scenery,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28a 4mph cruise on a narrow boat
0:02:28 > 0:02:32on one of the most picturesque canals in Britain.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41The Monmouth and Brecon Canal
0:02:41 > 0:02:44runs for 35 miles between Brecon and Cwmbran
0:02:44 > 0:02:46but it originally continued on to Newport.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52And this year, the Mon & Brec, as it's affectionately known,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55is celebrating 200 years since it was completed.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58There are lots of events to mark the anniversary,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00but I found one with a bit of a difference.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05Local brewer Buster has created a beer to mark the occasion.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Suitably enough, he's decided to deliver the ale
0:03:08 > 0:03:10as they would have done when the canal first opened
0:03:10 > 0:03:12two centuries ago.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17- That one's obviously full. How many pints in here?- 72 pints.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21- I'll help you down with that one. - If you grab the end of that.- Yep.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23One, two, three. Lovely.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Sorry, I think we'll be here for some time, mate.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29HORSE NEIGHS LOUDLY
0:03:29 > 0:03:30LAUGHTER
0:03:30 > 0:03:31Let's take these down.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34We'll roll these down. We'll be back in a second.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37What gave you the idea of getting the horse and cart involved?
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Well, one of the main exports down the canal from Brecon was beer
0:03:41 > 0:03:43that was brewed in Brecon and then taken to the pubs
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- all the way down the canal, all the way as far as Newport.- Yeah.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47The original way of doing it...
0:03:47 > 0:03:50it would have been a horse-drawn dray down to the canal basin
0:03:50 > 0:03:54and then loaded onto a boat to go down the canal.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57The history of the Mon & Brec is a familiar tale -
0:03:57 > 0:04:01a short-lived heyday made redundant by the railways,
0:04:01 > 0:04:05decline, and thankfully, resurrection.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06It was originally two canals -
0:04:06 > 0:04:09the Brecknock in Abergavenny and the Monmouthshire.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11They were joined at Pontymoile
0:04:11 > 0:04:14to enable cargo to be transported from the Brecon Beacons
0:04:14 > 0:04:16all the way to the coast.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20It's very peaceful but I imagine back in the day, it was busy.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22It would have been busy.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27The canals were the motorways of their day,
0:04:27 > 0:04:32so there would have been boats on here carrying limestone, iron, coal,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34as well as agricultural produce.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39As well as the canal, this connected to 200 miles of tramway.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42So a lot of the ironworks would have had tramways that came to the wharfs.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44The wharfs would have been very busy.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46They would have been loading the iron
0:04:46 > 0:04:49and coal and taking agricultural produce up and down the canals.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53- So the whole thing would have just been alive.- Yeah.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58We're delivering beer all the way down the canal.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00The first stop is somewhere I know they like a drink.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07We have a delivery!
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Can't believe these rugby players.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Right, shall we just...?
0:05:13 > 0:05:16'They must be out training.' Put it in the shade.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Before the second stop further down the canal,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22I'm taking over the tiller from experienced helmsman Mark Prosser.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Delightful!
0:05:25 > 0:05:27- It's a speed limit of 5mph? - Yeah, it's quite slow.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30No point being in a rush on this canal. It's landlocked,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32so going from one end to the other is as much as you can do.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37It's very enjoyable. The scenery, because it's built up on a shelf,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40you can look down the valley, so it's quite unique.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Absolutely. Is this an aqueduct?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Yes. We're going to cross it now.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48More revs and I think you'll be there.
0:05:48 > 0:05:49ENGINE SPEEDS UP
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Look at this. This is the life!
0:05:51 > 0:05:53It's about taking these moments.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55That's what it's all about.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57And lessen it.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01People are coming on the canal. It's a slower pace of life
0:06:01 > 0:06:05and they can just relax and move at your own pace, really.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08Well, our next delivery
0:06:08 > 0:06:11is going to take a bit of effort. The pub we're heading to
0:06:11 > 0:06:12is half a mile from the canal,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15at the top of a hill.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18Right, we've got half a mile, Mark.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21Nice downhill section here.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23We should get the speed up down here.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25It's the last bit down for a while.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Quick! Get that van!
0:06:31 > 0:06:33This is it. Can we borrow your trailer?
0:06:33 > 0:06:38- You can borrow the rope if you like. - Oh, yeah, that's good.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39Now we're motoring.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42'I bet they didn't do this 200 years ago.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46'Surely we should have just got another horse involved.'
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- Is that where we're headed? - Keep going, Groesffordd.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51'Almost there, and this beer
0:06:51 > 0:06:53'had better be worth it'.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Downhill a bit!
0:06:55 > 0:06:56Why don't we just empty them a bit?
0:06:56 > 0:06:58LAUGHTER
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Watch your backs!
0:07:02 > 0:07:03Is that us?
0:07:03 > 0:07:06- That's us up there.- Yes! - Well done, mate.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Look, even the neighbours are out in force.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Here we go, boys. Cheers.
0:07:14 > 0:07:15Thanks very much.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17- Iechyd da.- Yes, iechyd da.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21'After that brief but much deserved refreshment stop,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25'I'm heading back on to the barge to continue with our deliveries,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28'with more leg power required in a few miles.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30'But first...'
0:07:30 > 0:07:33A cull of badgers may be causing controversy in the countryside
0:07:33 > 0:07:35at the moment, but killing them for sheer pleasure -
0:07:35 > 0:07:39well, that's universally condemned. John's been finding out
0:07:39 > 0:07:42what's being done to clamp down on this barbaric pastime.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45His investigation contains some upsetting scenes.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55A brutal pastime, banned in 1835,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59but still alive and thriving in our countryside today.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Badger-baiting is something that we've all heard of,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05but exactly how much do we know about it
0:08:05 > 0:08:09and about the people who commit this vicious crime?
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And why does it seem to be on the increase in modern-day Britain?
0:08:14 > 0:08:16This seemingly mindless act is carried out by gangs
0:08:16 > 0:08:19who search for badger setts, root out the badgers
0:08:19 > 0:08:23and throw them to powerful dogs,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27often betting on how long this fight to the death will take.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31It's a sport and they do it to wind down at the end of an evening.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Now, Countryfile has gained exclusive access
0:08:34 > 0:08:35to the latest attempt to crack down
0:08:35 > 0:08:39on this grisly crime right across the country.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41It makes the public aware
0:08:41 > 0:08:44that when they see a gang of men walking across a field
0:08:44 > 0:08:46on a Sunday morning with dogs,
0:08:46 > 0:08:47they're not out for an innocent stroll.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49There could be something more sinister to it.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56But I'm starting my investigation here in rural Staffordshire
0:08:56 > 0:08:58as dusk draws in,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01out with countryside campaigner Faye Burton.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03How often do you run these patrols?
0:09:03 > 0:09:05We come out most days.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09It's important that we do come and check all the badger setts.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14- This is a classic sett. - It's just a big badger sett here.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18'Faye's out today with the police and the RSPCA,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21'searching for signs of badger-baiting activity.'
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- Have you ever come across anybody at this sett?- Yes.
0:09:24 > 0:09:31There was a guy stood on the sett, and he'd got the Patterdale dogs
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and a couple of Jack Russells and a lurcher
0:09:34 > 0:09:35to see if it was a live sett.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39And how do they do the baiting?
0:09:39 > 0:09:43They enter the dog down the active hole.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45So a terrier goes down
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- and finds a badger and then what? - Yes.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53The guys will put one of these collars on the terrier.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55That'll be already on the terrier.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56- And this is a transmitter?- Right.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58The guys will have one of these locators
0:09:58 > 0:10:00where they'll scan the ground.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02It will pick up the noise.
0:10:02 > 0:10:03DEVICE CRACKLES
0:10:03 > 0:10:08So they know exactly where the terrier is and the badger.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10And then they start digging down?
0:10:10 > 0:10:12They climb down to it, yes,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and they'll get the badger and pull it out,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17chuck it on top of the ground,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and the bigger dogs set about the badger.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Faye, you come out at night to these lonely places,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26often on your own, looking for these badger baiters.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30- Do you ever get threatened? - Yes, I have had death threats.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33They ring up in the small hours of the evening,
0:10:33 > 0:10:37telling me what they're going to do to me when they get me
0:10:37 > 0:10:40- and that sort of thing. - And you still do it?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Yes. I'm really passionate about wildlife
0:10:43 > 0:10:45and I hate people breaking the law.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Well, I think you're a very brave lady.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51'There are new reports of badger-baiting every week.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53'In fact, during the last two years,
0:10:53 > 0:10:54'there have been more than 240,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58'and it's suspected this is just the tip of the iceberg.'
0:10:58 > 0:11:02- Well, no sign of any badger baiters on his patrol.- No.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04That must be the big problem,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07that it's difficult to actually catch them in the act?
0:11:07 > 0:11:10It is very difficult to catch people in the act.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13That's why we rely heavily on members of the public.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- Is it a kind of bloodlust, do you think?- Yes, it is.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Most of the people I've spoken to
0:11:18 > 0:11:22who have been arrested in relation to these sorts of crimes
0:11:22 > 0:11:25are the people that tell us they enjoy it.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27It's fun. They like killing things.
0:11:29 > 0:11:35'Tonight, we have one final sett to check, under the cover of darkness.'
0:11:35 > 0:11:40(We're going to the badger sett now, hoping to see some.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42(I don't normally wear anything like this,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45(but the white hair will put the badgers off, I'm told,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47(so I've got this on.)
0:11:49 > 0:11:54'But rather than spotting any badgers or badger baiters,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56'it seems that we've stumbled across a rat run.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01'One man who's had more luck than me at spotting these animals
0:12:01 > 0:12:04'in their natural habitat is wildlife artist Robert Fuller.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08'He's watched and painted badgers many times,
0:12:08 > 0:12:13'which makes what he saw one January afternoon all the more shocking.'
0:12:13 > 0:12:16As I got to the hedge here behind us,
0:12:16 > 0:12:17I looked up and I could see
0:12:17 > 0:12:20a group of men and large dogs,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22and the dogs were worrying a badger.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26I crept through the hedge here behind us with my camera.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29My first reaction was to photograph what was happening.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34I saw two big, large bull lurchers.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37They were picking this badger off the floor and shaking it.
0:12:37 > 0:12:42And a badger can weigh 15 to 18 kilos, so these are powerful dogs.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- And you kept on taking pictures? - I kept on taking pictures.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50But they spotted me and the attitude up there changed completely,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53so I decided it was time to go back downstream a few hundred yards.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56You look as though you're a useful kind of guy,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- but you didn't confront them? - No, I didn't confront them.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02There were eight of them, with big dogs and firearms.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04They had five shotguns that day.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08It's not the sort of thing you do, approaching these people.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Robert called the police,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14who were able to use his photos to identify the culprits.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Six men and a teenager were found guilty of their involvement,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20with sentences of up to 16 weeks in prison.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26But the truth is that many of the people committing these crimes
0:13:26 > 0:13:29simply never get caught.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33In a few minutes, I'll be asking why this is,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37and we've got exclusive access as the authorities change tactics,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40turning tables on the suspects and tracking them
0:13:40 > 0:13:42back to their own homes.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51A myriad of river valleys and gulleys shape the southern end of the Brecon Beacons.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Whether you're a walker on a tranquil stroll
0:13:54 > 0:13:57or a thrill-seeker looking for a new challenge,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00everyone can find something in this landscape for them and thousands do.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07But how do you preserve the environment and not destroy it
0:14:07 > 0:14:11when there are so many people trampling all over it?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14OK, Rich, if you can send a group of them, that'd be great.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17That's the challenge for national park ranger Helen Pye.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20She's had to come up with a pretty ingenious solution.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24- Hi, Helen.- Hi, how are you?
0:14:24 > 0:14:26This is a weird set-up to find in a national park.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- That's a very strange sound. - I know.- What's all this about?
0:14:29 > 0:14:34We've got bags coming down the chute. They're full of gravel.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38And we're using the gravel to surface the path over here.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42But it's been a bit of a mission getting all of it in.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45We're about a 35-40 minute walk from the road,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48so we've been having to bring it in on quad bikes
0:14:48 > 0:14:49to the top of the gorge.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53So we're throwing it down this rubble chute to the bottom.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Without the pipe, there'd be a steady stream of lorries loaded with gravel
0:14:57 > 0:14:58churning up the landscape.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02And without the gravel, there would be more damage
0:15:02 > 0:15:06from the 177,000 visitors that come to this spot each year.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Just along the path here, where we've been resurfacing,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14a whole huge area has been eroded and all the tree roots are exposed.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16It's an oak and ash woodland.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18There's some really important and rare species here.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23- You only get a few of these habitats in the whole of the UK.- Really? Wow.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26We like to call it our Celtic rainforest.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Path almost complete, Helen wants to show me where it will lead.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40All this hard work's worth it to give people access
0:15:40 > 0:15:42to one of nature's otherwise hidden gems.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46So this is what draws them in.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Yeah. You can understand why people want to come here.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Oh, here comes the spray already.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56- I know!- Oh, wow! Oh, my goodness!
0:15:59 > 0:16:00This is my cinematic moment.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Awesome.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07That's the first time I've ever done that, you know.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12Helen's team is helping visitors get to their tranquil destination
0:16:12 > 0:16:14without completely destroying the habitat.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18For others who use this landscape as their playground,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22it's ease of access that can minimise the impact on the surroundings.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Well, there we go. Right in front of us there, that's where we're going to be climbing.
0:16:25 > 0:16:26Just off the car park?
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Being so accessible, this is a heavily-used site.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35But there's surprisingly little impact on the environment.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37That's because this is a former quarry.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41So, when you're ready, look for obvious holds for hands and feet.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Have a look around. Not everything's where you want it to be.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47OK, well, that's a nice, easy start there.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48Thank you.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Drawing up slightly to the right there.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- Must get used a lot, though, does it? - It does. It's a really popular spot.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59This could have anything up to 100 people here on a busy day.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03But we're all here in a place where we're not doing any damage to the environment,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07rather than spreading out and actually damaging multiple sites that are more sensitive.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Fantastic. Attach the karabiner.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Ring the bell. Ding a ling!
0:17:12 > 0:17:15- That's how you know you've made it. - A ha!- Well done, you.- Made it!
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Getting to this point means I've reached the top of my climb.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22I'm rather proud of myself, you know.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27Well, that was hard enough, but Gary's got something even more testing in store for me.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32But this time, you don't need a head for heights. Quite the opposite.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Right, Gary, this kind of get up must mean we're going caving.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37We are indeed. This is Porth yr Ogof
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and that's where we're going to go and have a look around.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45This is a dangerous cave prone to flash flooding.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48It's claimed more lives than any other cave in Britain.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51But the challenging conditions draw a huge number of cavers.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56The trouble is, the underground environment is even more delicate than what's on the surface.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58One footstep or even fingerprint in the wrong place
0:17:58 > 0:18:00and you'll leave your mark forever.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04But with Gary to guide me, I think both me and the cave will be safe.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11So you're almost through and you can stand up. A bit bigger, isn't it?
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- Hey, yeah, this is great. Look, there's daylight.- Yeah.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16That's always good to see.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18This place is called Moonlight Chamber.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22This is where we bring people when they want a little challenge.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25And over here behind me is one of the squeezes we offer people.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28- Oh, my God. - This is called The Letterbox.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31- People go through that gap?- Yeah!
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Honestly, I mean, I'm game for things, I'm up for things.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37But there's something about squeezing through a gap in the ground
0:18:37 > 0:18:41that is the stuff of my nightmares. It's really narrow.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I'm just going to pop in, turn around, and pop back out again,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47just to show you, cos I'm a bit bigger than you. Here we go.
0:18:47 > 0:18:48And a lot more experienced!
0:18:48 > 0:18:49HE LAUGHS
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- There you go.- That's incredible. Incredible slithering.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08You'll fit through with ease. It's really about whether you're willing to give it a go.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10I honestly don't feel like I can.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Come on, come and have a look at least.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16It's not just me, is it, though? It's the stuff of nightmares.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20It's a challenge, and that's the whole idea of caving. All you do is turn your head sideways.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- Left?- Push your arms in front of you. - Oh, God.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25You're not even touching the roof.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29I'm not sure I can bear it. I'm pathetic. Honestly, I feel pathetic.
0:19:29 > 0:19:30It is a massive mental block.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35- I'm going to pick your legs up. - No, I don't think I'm going to do it. - You were nearly there then.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42- I'm going to grab you there. I'm not going to push.- OK. - If you want to go, you can go.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45OK, I'll go, I'll go.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47I'm the bravest woman alive, I'm telling you. Yes!
0:19:49 > 0:19:51- There you are.- Ah!
0:19:51 > 0:19:54What was it like? It wasn't that bad, was it, really?
0:19:54 > 0:19:57It wasn't. If I dream about it, I'm going to give you a ring.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Caving, climbing, or just walking...
0:19:59 > 0:20:03It is great we can all enjoy everything the Brecon Beacons has to offer
0:20:03 > 0:20:05without damaging the landscape.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12Earlier, we heard about rising reports of badger baiting in our countryside.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13As John has been finding out,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16there is now a major operation to tackle the problem.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20His investigation contains some upsetting scenes.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30It has been outlawed for more than 170 years,
0:20:30 > 0:20:36yet today, reports of badger baiting are on the rise.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40The truth is, it is impossible for the authorities to patrol vast areas
0:20:40 > 0:20:45of countryside night and day in the hope of catching baiters red-handed.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48That is why, out of hundreds of reported cases last year,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52hardly any resulted in successful prosecutions.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56'So now they have decided it is time to change tactics.'
0:20:56 > 0:20:59There is an ongoing investigation with regards to someone
0:20:59 > 0:21:04who has allegedly been involved in badger baiting.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08It is 6am and police and the RSPCA are preparing
0:21:08 > 0:21:12to head out on a raid as part of a crackdown on the crime.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Countryfile has exclusive access.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17If you park there, you can see him drive up
0:21:17 > 0:21:20and it gives you an idea when to do the knock.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27Leading the operation is RSPCA chief inspector Ian Briggs.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Where we're going, he is suspected of keeping dogs there
0:21:30 > 0:21:33specifically for badger-digging.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36It's a remote location.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39That's done deliberately to keep these dogs out of view.
0:21:39 > 0:21:46That is his place over there. I want to see if he is there.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53You see the white containers?
0:21:53 > 0:21:54That is his place.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Although he doesn't live here, the suspect uses a lock-up on the site.
0:21:58 > 0:22:04I need to have a look through the binoculars, one final shufty.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Ian's checking whether he's there.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Either way, he will be going in.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13He suspects there is evidence here of badger baiting
0:22:13 > 0:22:18and cruelty to an animal that is often overlooked in these cases.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23Badgers aren't the only targets of this brutal type of crime.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26The other, often almost forgotten victims,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30whose suffering also calls into question
0:22:30 > 0:22:33the morality of these culprits - the dogs.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37Kate the terrier came here a year ago after being seized from baiters.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40She had been used to pin the badgers down in their setts
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and got some horrific injuries in the process.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45The more closely you look at her,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48we can see it is her nose,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52above the eyes and the eye nearest you, it is all pink.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Clearly, she had injuries sustained
0:22:56 > 0:22:59when she was being put down badger setts.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Badgers are extremely strong and the damage they can do is amazing.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Kate's wounds have healed,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09but this RSPCA footage shows just how horrific
0:23:09 > 0:23:12the injuries sustained by these dogs can be.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17You can see the injury to the lower jaw.
0:23:18 > 0:23:25If an owner took a dog with those injuries to a vet, the vet would be suspicious.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Those types of people don't want vets being suspicious
0:23:28 > 0:23:30and perhaps contacting ourselves.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32They will either not treat them at all,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36or they will self-medicate in their own homes.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38But it's a happier ending for Kate.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40- She will find an owner, then? - Absolutely.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44We have already had several offers from people to give her a new home.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46People were very keen. She is such a friendly dog.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49If you think about what she has been put through, by humans.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53She still, as you can see, loves us.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56People love her as a result.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00It is exactly this type of cruelty that Ian Briggs
0:24:00 > 0:24:03and his colleagues aim to tackle during the crackdown.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04I'm going to go around the back.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07There is no sign of the suspect.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11But they have decided it is time to move in.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12He's got kennels.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15See that terrier at the end?
0:24:15 > 0:24:18The team spot a dog around the back of the enclosure
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and head in for a closer look.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24There is a terrier but, initially,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28no sign of the larger lurcher-type dogs that Ian was hoping to find.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33But then from one of the containers, there is the sound of barking.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39We've obviously got at least one dog in there.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42There is another one at the back. There are poultry.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47The police are trying to get access because this is all padlocked.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Whatever is in there,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53it seems the owner certainly wants it keeping under lock and key.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57But with vital evidence suspected to be inside,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59the police have come prepared.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Straight up.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03That's open.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10Inside are two larger dogs, that Ian thought might be kept there,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14and it's immediately obvious they've been involved in fighting.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16This is a lurcher cross.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18On the forelegs and underneath the muzzle,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22you get scarring there from badgers, from fighting with badgers.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25You see, it's inflamed, it's a pinky colour,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29it's got some scabs on the end of his nose, that's pink as well -
0:25:29 > 0:25:32they're all fairly fresh wounds.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35So we'll get him away, get a vet to look at him.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38To help piece together the case against their suspect,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42the team hope to match these dogs to images of badger baiting
0:25:42 > 0:25:45that they've already seized from his computer.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47It looks like we've got, erm,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51two dogs that we're looking for from photographs that we've got.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55This link could help bring charges against him.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59All the dogs will be taken to a safe location as the case continues.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02It's about highlighting the issue of badger digging
0:26:02 > 0:26:04and ramping up the pressure on these people.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Today has been a really good day.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11We've got some key pieces of evidence that we needed
0:26:11 > 0:26:15and I'm confident that we will get a prosecution out of it.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18The raid has been a success, just part of this crackdown
0:26:18 > 0:26:23in which another 90 addresses across the country will be checked out.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Although it's unrealistic to hope
0:26:28 > 0:26:31that after nearly 180 years of flouting the law,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34badger baiting will be wiped out by initiatives like this,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37they do seem to signal a major change
0:26:37 > 0:26:40in the fight against this crime.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42The hunters are becoming the hunted -
0:26:42 > 0:26:44could it at least be the beginning of the end
0:26:44 > 0:26:49of this disgraceful pastime, which taints our countryside?
0:26:58 > 0:26:59The Brecon and Monmouth canal
0:26:59 > 0:27:02is enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year
0:27:02 > 0:27:03and it's easy to see why -
0:27:03 > 0:27:07it passes through some of the most beautiful countryside
0:27:07 > 0:27:10in the National Park and it's very relaxing indeed.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12But things are about to get a bit more extreme
0:27:12 > 0:27:16because up ahead is a 300-metre tunnel, and I'll be using
0:27:16 > 0:27:20traditional methods to get through it - these legs.
0:27:20 > 0:27:21So, while I get warmed up,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24why don't you have a look at what is coming up
0:27:24 > 0:27:26on tonight's Countryfile?
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Easter is a time of new beginnings
0:27:28 > 0:27:33and down on Adam's farm, new life is arriving thick and fast.
0:27:33 > 0:27:34It's quite amazing
0:27:34 > 0:27:37that a little tiny pig like this
0:27:37 > 0:27:40will grow into a great big sow like this!
0:27:41 > 0:27:45Ellie's put through her paces by the Army's elite squaddies.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48I'm in pieces and in total admiration!
0:27:48 > 0:27:51And find out what the holiday weather will be like
0:27:51 > 0:27:54with the Countryfile five-day forecast.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Whilst Ellie and I are exploring the Brecon Beacons,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Jules has been to the Pennines in Lancashire, to find out about
0:28:08 > 0:28:11an entire community that was evicted 80 years ago.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Brinscall Moor.
0:28:15 > 0:28:21In the 1930s, this place was a thriving hilltop farming community.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25But, sadly, that isn't the case any more.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28The farmers and their families were forced to leave the homes
0:28:28 > 0:28:32they'd lived in for generations, but why?
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Local historian David Clayton has been researching the story.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41I'm meeting him at Ratten Clough farm.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45- David, nice to see you, sir. What a day, a typical Pennine day!- Oh, yes!
0:28:45 > 0:28:48- Am I seeing it at its best? - Yes, you are -
0:28:48 > 0:28:52- distinctive and characteristic, I'd say.- I suppose in some ways,
0:28:52 > 0:28:57it goes to the heart of the kind of lifestyle that was lived out here.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00I think we're almost 1,000ft high here,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04and in an area of about five square miles,
0:29:04 > 0:29:09which we call Brinscall Moor, there were something like 50 farms,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13and this was the normal way to live, I guess,
0:29:13 > 0:29:17up here, with sheep, of course, and your family here.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19But a pretty brutal life, at that.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24Well, it was very healthy, if I may persuade you, actually!
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Because you had plenty of pure water and pure fresh air,
0:29:28 > 0:29:31and exercise, so many of the people I found
0:29:31 > 0:29:34when I started to look them up on the census returns
0:29:34 > 0:29:37lived and farmed into their 70s and 80s.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41And I've even a lady standing here, thereabouts, in 1929,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44who was 90 years old, still feeding her poultry.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49But of course, up here now, nothing but, well, glorious ruins -
0:29:49 > 0:29:53- what happened to remove the community here?- There was a relationship
0:29:53 > 0:29:57between the farmers and the owners here,
0:29:57 > 0:30:01and the ownership changed. In 1902, there was a compulsory purchase
0:30:01 > 0:30:05by Liverpool Corporation Water Works,
0:30:05 > 0:30:10and Liverpool Corporation decided that for purity of water supplies
0:30:10 > 0:30:12after an outbreak of typhoid in Maidstone,
0:30:12 > 0:30:16to purchase and to persuade the farming community
0:30:16 > 0:30:17that it was time to leave,
0:30:17 > 0:30:22and they did that by subtle means. It wasn't a Highland Clearances.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26You begin to plant trees on what had been the pastureland
0:30:26 > 0:30:27and the meadowland -
0:30:27 > 0:30:31they couldn't feed their cattle either in summer or over winter -
0:30:31 > 0:30:32or the sheep or the poultry.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42The deliberate forestation of the moor that David described
0:30:42 > 0:30:46is what really put paid to these communities, and here it is -
0:30:46 > 0:30:49huge swathes of woodland now planted
0:30:49 > 0:30:52over the remains of the settlement here.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Vera Briggs was a child living on the moor at the time
0:31:00 > 0:31:03of the relocation, as were her friends Dorothy and Barbara.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07They've come together to remember their childhoods.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Vera, I believe I've just seen
0:31:10 > 0:31:14- a building that you used to know very well.- Yes, Ratten Clough.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18I remember what it were like when I were young,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21going in through the porch, big room on the right,
0:31:21 > 0:31:26er...always had geraniums in the window!
0:31:26 > 0:31:28I can remember the furniture.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32There was a horsehair sofa under the back window.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34Was it comfortable, do you think?
0:31:34 > 0:31:36No, I don't think so!
0:31:36 > 0:31:39- Grandad always had a rocking chair beside the fire.- Yeah!
0:31:39 > 0:31:44- I lived on the moors.- What was it like, Dorothy?- Brilliant!
0:31:44 > 0:31:48- See, we've been thinking it must have been grim...- No, it wasn't.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53I enjoyed it. Pleased myself, I could roam about.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55I used to get lost up the moors!
0:31:55 > 0:31:58My mum said I used to toddle off and get lost.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01I always found my way home.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05You'd walk on the moors, perhaps just your shoes on, some wellies -
0:32:05 > 0:32:09nothing, no walking boots, no special clothing, nothing.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Grandma, goodness knows how she brought six children up.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17- But they did!- With stone floors, no heating, no water,
0:32:17 > 0:32:21they had to carry the water from the brook.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23And peat, they cut peat for the fires.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26We had no water, running water.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30But my dad piped it, there was a stream down by the side,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- so he piped it. - You were modern, weren't you?!
0:32:33 > 0:32:36This is why Dorothy said she had such a great time,
0:32:36 > 0:32:41- because you had all mod cons! - Yeah! We didn't have electricity!
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Not much remains of the buildings on the moor
0:32:50 > 0:32:53but memories of people are harder to erase.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Harold Gomersall and his daughter Linda are keen to tell me
0:32:56 > 0:32:59what makes their family story so special -
0:32:59 > 0:33:03particularly the life of Harold's grandmother.
0:33:04 > 0:33:10- What was her name?- Elizabeth Jane Wyatt.- OK.- Beautiful name.
0:33:10 > 0:33:16And she was a governess for the owner of the farm's children.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19While she was there, she met Thomas Dixon,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21who was the foreman of the farm.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24So, this is an interesting match, Linda, isn't it?
0:33:24 > 0:33:27It's gorgeous, it's a love story,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30it's like a sort of Jane Eyre-ish thing about it.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32What do you know about day-to-day life?
0:33:32 > 0:33:35I know there's a journal in existence...
0:33:35 > 0:33:38- I have the journal right here. - This is the original?- It is,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41and I think it's probably the first time it's been back up here
0:33:41 > 0:33:44since Elizabeth Jane left.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48What sort of things are in it...? Have you looked at this, Linda?
0:33:48 > 0:33:52- I have, I've looked at it often. - This is in 1911, actually.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56It's fine day, baking, saw Aunt Kate off on the train at Chorley.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00So, every little detail of every day...
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Yes. "Father set the seeds in the garden."
0:34:03 > 0:34:05And then there was the Bible that Linda's got.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08I've got the family Bible and it's...all the children are listed.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10How many children were there?
0:34:10 > 0:34:14There was 14 all together, the first one was stillborn,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18and there was two boys killed in the war, which I'd been to see.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20The First World War, and she wrote a poem about them.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23It's called Two Graves Across The Sea.
0:34:23 > 0:34:28"There are two spots in France's eye That seem so near to me
0:34:28 > 0:34:30"And down beneath...
0:34:30 > 0:34:34"..And if I'd wings, I'd now fly
0:34:34 > 0:34:37"And by their graves would kneel.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39"They went away...
0:34:39 > 0:34:41"..At the last, we'll meet again
0:34:41 > 0:34:44"And grasp each other's hand
0:34:44 > 0:34:50"When we've crossed the flowing river To the bright and better land."
0:34:50 > 0:34:53I don't know about you two, but I get the distinct impression
0:34:53 > 0:34:57that we're not alone here at the moment.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59- Do you ever get that feeling? - Yeah!- Yes.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03I think she guided me through the woods there when I was coming back.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07- Really?- I tell you something, I think Elizabeth Jane's my guardian angel.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12Because we was so much... Can I say in love with each other?
0:35:12 > 0:35:16As a small child, I loved my grandmother.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18And this is where I came to...
0:35:18 > 0:35:23where she wanted me to play a mouth organ every night.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25And I had to learn off by heart with this thing -
0:35:25 > 0:35:28I'm not a musician - Home Sweet Home.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32Before she'd go to sleep of a night-time,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34I had to play this to her.
0:35:34 > 0:35:39- Brilliant. And it reminded her of being here.- Yes, I should think so.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43- Fabulous.- But she was a marvellous person. Absolutely marvellous.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Elizabeth's story is just one glimpse
0:35:47 > 0:35:51into the lives of the people of Brinscall Moor.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Gone, but never forgotten.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01In the Cotswolds, Adam's wrestling with dozens of newborns on the farm.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Lambing season is here and my ewes are giving birth round the clock.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14If that's not enough, my pigs are getting in on the action too.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18This is one of my Kunekune sows.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21They are a lovely friendly breed of pig.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24A lot of pigs chase you out of the pen and try and bite
0:36:24 > 0:36:29if you are sat next to her like this with freshly born piglets.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30These are just two days old.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34Aren't you lovely?
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Kunekune is a very small breed.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Good for the smallholder, they are good for pets,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42they are a New Zealand bush pig originally.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Kunekune is Maori for fat and round. They do get quite fat and round.
0:36:46 > 0:36:52It's quite amazing that a little tiny pig like this
0:36:52 > 0:36:56will grow into a great big sow like this.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02You are very sweet, aren't you? She's had a good-size litter too.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Unlike this old girl. This is one of my Gloucester Old Spot sows.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10Although the Kunekune has done well and had 11 piglets,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12this one has only had four which is disappointing.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15They're a couple of weeks old now.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16They love being outside.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20I am going to turn out onto the grass now the weather has warmed up. They should be fine.
0:37:23 > 0:37:24Go on.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Piglets make a fuss when you pick them up.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36They squeal, calling to their mum. She is not bothered at all.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Right, that's it.
0:37:49 > 0:37:56Now then, missus. Come on, babies, follow your mum. Come on. Yes.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10It's taken them no time at all to settle in out here.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14They are already digging up the soil and chewing on bits of turf.
0:38:14 > 0:38:15Very happy to be out.
0:38:15 > 0:38:20With the pigs enjoying the outdoors, I'm off to the lambing shed.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Lambing is well underway.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28There's a Cotswold just given birth to a single here.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32The lamb's only quarter of an hour old and it is already on its feet
0:38:32 > 0:38:36trying to suckle on the ewe which is a good sign.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38I've put a paint spray mark on the side of the ewes
0:38:38 > 0:38:41and the same number on her lambs.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43If it's written in red, we know she's only got one.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46If it's written in blue, we know she's got two.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49That Cotswold lamb is going to the wrong mother.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51It's leaving its own mother and going over to the Dartmoor.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55A ewe will only suckle her own lambs. She'll sniff them
0:38:55 > 0:38:59and if they smell like her own she'll let them feed. If they don't, she will nudge them away.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03That little Cotswold is being pushed to the side by the Dartmoor
0:39:03 > 0:39:06and now it is going back to its own mother.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08There we are. It's suckling now which is perfect.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13These are Whiteface Dartmoors - a really hardy, tough breed.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Traditionally they lamb out on Dartmoor and great survivors,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19tough as old boots.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23My Whiteface Dartmoors have the luxury of lambing in a lambing shed.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26But on Dartmoor traditionally they lamb them outdoors.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I'm heading down there to meet a farmer to show me how it's done.
0:39:35 > 0:39:36I love coming down here.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39It's not far from where I went to agricultural college.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41I know the area fairly well.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43There's wonderful farming country
0:39:43 > 0:39:46but it's a different landscape to where I come from in the Cotswolds.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49It is also home to the sheep that bears its name -
0:39:49 > 0:39:52the Whiteface Dartmoor.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55I bought my own flock here two years ago.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58The breed is still quite new to me. I'm keen to get to know them better.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03If one person should be able to help me out, it is Clyde Coaker.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06What a stunning place to work and live.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09How many generations have been farming here?
0:40:09 > 0:40:13I'm the sixth generation to be farming here.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15I've got two young children which will be the seventh.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20Lambing here is well underway with new arrivals daily.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Two lovely little wet sloppy lambs.
0:40:23 > 0:40:28Yes, just been born. 20 minutes ago the second one dropped.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32- They are lambing out here 24/7? Just looking after themselves?- Yes.
0:40:32 > 0:40:33We keep an eye on them
0:40:33 > 0:40:37and help when needed but it is better to lamb outdoors we feel.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39It's cleaner.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43When we bring them in the sheds we worry about bacteria and more human contact.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46It's more natural here to just let them get on with it
0:40:46 > 0:40:48and assist where necessary.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51- Is that little one all right?- Yes, fine. He is not on his feet yet.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- But he soon will be. - If the weather comes in horrible...
0:40:54 > 0:40:59- It's a beautiful day today but it does get rough at times?- It can...
0:40:59 > 0:41:03- How do they cope lambing in that? - They cope reasonably well.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05We try and lamb the sheep in a sheltered field
0:41:05 > 0:41:07if the weather's going to be rough.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11Sheep, being sheep, sometimes do lamb in a silly place,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15but the older ewes generally look after themselves and manage well.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- Shall I grab that other lamb?- Yes.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26Although born outside,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29the lambs will spend their first night in the shed -
0:41:29 > 0:41:31out of the cold and away from the foxes.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35It shows what a good mother she's had. She's following beautifully.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Isn't she lovely? They're wonderful, aren't they?
0:41:42 > 0:41:47- There we go. Nice warm spot. - How long will you keep her in for?
0:41:47 > 0:41:52We will leave this ewe and her lambs in certainly for tonight.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Maybe tomorrow night as well. We'll see how the lambs are doing,
0:41:55 > 0:41:58what the weather is like, but I will get her out as soon as I can.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02The shed is full of healthy young lambs. Like me, Clyde's been lucky.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05He has he has escaped the Schmallenberg Virus too -
0:42:05 > 0:42:08a disease that has been casting a shadow over lambing
0:42:08 > 0:42:10on so many other farms this year.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16This lady could give birth any time now. She's well on.
0:42:16 > 0:42:17Yeah. The water bag is there.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21She has been scanned already, so we know she's going to have twins.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25- If we bide our time we may see the birth of the lamb.- Yeah, great.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29When a ewe has started lambing like this would you keep a careful
0:42:29 > 0:42:32eye on her, or just leave her to get on with it?
0:42:32 > 0:42:36- We just let her get on with it. - That's exactly what we'll do.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Just enough time to go and look at some rams.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42I'm hoping Clyde can give me tips on what to look for.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46- They are very well behaved, aren't they?- Yes.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50- There you go. - They're smart-looking boys.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- These are just a year old? - That's right. 12 months old.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57I was told once they needed short, thick ears. What's that about?
0:42:57 > 0:42:59That's correct.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02It's a breed characteristic - the short, thick ear
0:43:02 > 0:43:05is supposed to suggest that it will be a tough animal
0:43:05 > 0:43:06and a true Dartmoor.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08Now, this one's got a lovely fleece.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Is the wool still very important in the Dartmoor?
0:43:10 > 0:43:12It is, it's very important,
0:43:12 > 0:43:14especially for the Whiteface Dartmoor,
0:43:14 > 0:43:17it's what the breed was bred to do, to produce top-quality wool.
0:43:17 > 0:43:18Which one would you choose?
0:43:18 > 0:43:22Well, they've all got strengths and weaknesses, like everything else.
0:43:22 > 0:43:23The ram you just pointed out
0:43:23 > 0:43:26has got a nice fleece, erm,
0:43:26 > 0:43:29and is probably my favourite of the three, I would say.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33- This one's got a little black spot on his ear. Does that matter? - Yes, a guinea spot.
0:43:33 > 0:43:34It doesn't matter at all.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38Some people think it's quite nice. Tradition says it adds a guinea to the value, so...
0:43:38 > 0:43:41- A pound and five pence, which in the old days would have been a lot of money.- Absolutely.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43He seems to be a lovely ram
0:43:43 > 0:43:46and it's great to get some tips on what to look for and breed for
0:43:46 > 0:43:49because I'm a complete novice and I don't need one this year
0:43:49 > 0:43:51but I'm going to come and see you next year.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54Yeah, if you're sure I can't persuade you to take this one back with you, Adam!
0:43:54 > 0:43:57I don't know - the trouble is, I couldn't afford it, could I?
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Well, we can come to a deal.
0:43:59 > 0:44:04'After all, rams like this cost around £500 each.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08'Meanwhile, back in the field, things are hotting up.'
0:44:08 > 0:44:11This ewe is having contractions now,
0:44:11 > 0:44:15you can see her tummy's rising as she pushes
0:44:15 > 0:44:16and as a shepherd,
0:44:16 > 0:44:22what you're looking for is the little nose and two feet to make sure it's correctly presented
0:44:22 > 0:44:25and at the moment, I can't see anything yet.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29'But a few minutes later, it's all happening
0:44:29 > 0:44:33'and with a helping hand from Clyde, a baby lamb is soon born.'
0:44:37 > 0:44:42She's given birth to the lamb but it's the first time she's lambed.
0:44:45 > 0:44:49And now she's just going over to start licking it.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53And she's licking it dry. It's wet and warm, she's got to lick it,
0:44:53 > 0:44:56get it dry and encourage it to get to its feet.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59Natural instinct. This ewe has never done this before.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05Ten minutes later,
0:45:05 > 0:45:07there's another one.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11It's the perfect end to my visit to Clyde's farm.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16Next week, I'll be welcoming some new workers to the farm -
0:45:16 > 0:45:20honeybees that'll be pollinating my crops.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25200 years ago, the Monmouth and Brecon Canal
0:45:25 > 0:45:28carried heavy cargo from the Brecon Beacons
0:45:28 > 0:45:30towards the Severn Estuary.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33These days, it carries a lighter load - visitors,
0:45:33 > 0:45:36looking for a tranquil way to explore the national park.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42Right, here comes the geography bit.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44The Monmouth and Brecon Canal is a contour canal,
0:45:44 > 0:45:48and that means that it follows the topography of the landscape
0:45:48 > 0:45:52so that its engineers, Thomas Dartford and his son Thomas Jr,
0:45:52 > 0:45:56could avoid costly engineering work such as tunnels and locks.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58In fact, this lock here is one of only six
0:45:58 > 0:46:01along the whole stretch of the canal.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04Is that all right, Mark?
0:46:04 > 0:46:05Good lad!
0:46:08 > 0:46:13The canal flows through the Usk Valley but actually runs above the River Usk,
0:46:13 > 0:46:15giving spectacular views
0:46:15 > 0:46:19at almost every twist and turn of its 35 miles.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23We're now approaching the Ashford Tunnel,
0:46:23 > 0:46:28which is the longest of two tunnels along the canal at 343m.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30Now, when the canal first opened,
0:46:30 > 0:46:32horses would tow the working barges along
0:46:32 > 0:46:34from the towpath.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37Thing is, there's no towpath inside the tunnel,
0:46:37 > 0:46:39so the horses would be disconnected at one end,
0:46:39 > 0:46:41they'd go up over the top
0:46:41 > 0:46:43and meet the boats at the other side,
0:46:43 > 0:46:45but you've lost your power, so you're left with a conundrum -
0:46:45 > 0:46:47how do you get through the tunnel?
0:46:47 > 0:46:49Legging it.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51The name given to the technique
0:46:51 > 0:46:54of pushing the barge through a tunnel using your feet
0:46:54 > 0:46:57and this tunnel is so tight, you have to lie on your back.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00- Side by side?- Yeah, and then pushing right in the middle there.
0:47:00 > 0:47:04- Oh, I see, yeah, keep it level. - Keep a steady pace.
0:47:06 > 0:47:07- Urgh!- Keep you fit!
0:47:07 > 0:47:10Yeah, as if we haven't done enough exercise today.
0:47:10 > 0:47:11I know, with those barrels.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15- I hope there's another barrel of beer at the end of it.- I do hope so.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19We're sort of climbing. We're not getting anywhere.
0:47:19 > 0:47:22There's the air vent, the halfway point!
0:47:22 > 0:47:24Let's not stop and dwell on it.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31This is like the weirdest treadmill ever.
0:47:32 > 0:47:36That's a good pace. Let's just step it out from there.
0:47:36 > 0:47:38It just feels like walking, doesn't it?
0:47:38 > 0:47:40My fitness is letting me down.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Doing good, man, you're doing good.
0:47:43 > 0:47:45Whoops! That's a bit of mortar.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49- I can see the daylight. - Sensing that change in the air.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54Get the arms up. Watch your head on this bit.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57Oh! Yes!
0:47:57 > 0:47:59Ah!
0:48:00 > 0:48:02We've done it, we've done it.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06It's so nice to see clouds as opposed to stone and your boots.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10Oh, my word. Wonderful stuff.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Well, shortly, Ellie will be getting all out of breath
0:48:13 > 0:48:15as she practices some manoeuvres with the Army,
0:48:15 > 0:48:18but first let's see what the weather has got in store for hours
0:48:18 > 0:48:20in the week ahead with the Countryfile forecast.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22Right, start that engine up!
0:50:50 > 0:50:57.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11This week, Matt and I are exploring the rolling, rugged landscape of the Brecon Beacons.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15But I'm about to enter a part of the national park
0:51:15 > 0:51:18none of its four million visitors will ever see.
0:51:18 > 0:51:23Sennybridge, a military training ground and certainly no playground.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26GUNFIRE
0:51:32 > 0:51:38Today it's the training ground for future commanders of the British Army,
0:51:38 > 0:51:41soldiers especially selected for their leadership potential
0:51:41 > 0:51:44are put through their paces in an intense 16 week training course
0:51:44 > 0:51:49to see if they've got what it takes to lead men into battle on the front line.
0:51:49 > 0:51:53Many of the top military personnel currently fighting in Afghanistan
0:51:53 > 0:51:56have had their mettle tested over this terrain.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00Even the SAS use the hills for their gruelling selection of recruits.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04Major Grant Hayward is in charge of their training.
0:52:05 > 0:52:10Why the Brecon Beacons? It doesn't really look like the terrain we see on TV in Afghanistan.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13What Brecons offers us literally on the doorstep is
0:52:13 > 0:52:17a terrain that is diverse in terms of very arduous for the soldiers,
0:52:17 > 0:52:21in terms of doing their training, but also climatically very challenging, as well,
0:52:21 > 0:52:25and it's easy to go from subzero temperatures to a very hot day,
0:52:25 > 0:52:28so really, I think, if they prepare themselves here for operations,
0:52:28 > 0:52:31they can be prepared to do operations anywhere in the world.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34And what does their training involve?
0:52:34 > 0:52:37My particular part of this course is to take them from a soldier
0:52:37 > 0:52:41with leadership potential to give them the training and education
0:52:41 > 0:52:45that ultimately will qualify them to be a section commander,
0:52:45 > 0:52:49that means in charge of, for the first time, 8 to 10 soldiers.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52The troops have been out for seven days and nights
0:52:52 > 0:52:55in this tough terrain already.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57I want to get a feel for the challenges they face,
0:52:57 > 0:52:59starting with the kit.
0:52:59 > 0:53:01This is the new body armour.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03Next, we have the webbing.
0:53:03 > 0:53:07OK, this carries the guys' water, food, ammunition.
0:53:07 > 0:53:08Next, we have the SA80 rifle.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11I can confirm I've never held one of these before.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15This is a typical, British-issued daysack.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19That's crazy-heavy! And you have to be running in this?!
0:53:20 > 0:53:22- The guys will be crawling in that, as well.- No?!
0:53:22 > 0:53:28It's one thing wearing all this gear, quite another moving in it.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35How do you feel? What's going through your mind now?
0:53:35 > 0:53:38I'm in pieces, I'm IN pieces and in total admiration! Oh, my God!
0:53:38 > 0:53:41This landscape is perfect for us with this equipment
0:53:41 > 0:53:44so we can blend in, use the folds in the ground.
0:53:44 > 0:53:45The guys use that to their advantage
0:53:45 > 0:53:48to get as close to the enemy position as possible.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51- It's a good training ground? - An excellent training ground.
0:53:51 > 0:53:55But the 75,000 acres aren't just for military training,
0:53:55 > 0:53:58they're managed for livestock and wildlife as well.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01In charge of that task is Commandant Eddie Mahony.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05We have 15,000 troops coming through here each month, would you believe?
0:54:05 > 0:54:07- Wow! Every month?!- Every month.- Wow!
0:54:07 > 0:54:10There's a company's worth of men in this area at the moment,
0:54:10 > 0:54:12lying up, but you don't realise cos it's quiet.
0:54:12 > 0:54:14That's quite spooky to think like that!
0:54:14 > 0:54:17But for that, we must make sure
0:54:17 > 0:54:19we've got a robust rural management plan in place.
0:54:19 > 0:54:24We've planted some 70 miles of hedges over the last ten years.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28Plantations - since 1970 we've planted a further 180
0:54:28 > 0:54:30and they're now mature enough,
0:54:30 > 0:54:31and what that allows us to do
0:54:31 > 0:54:34is assist with wildlife and at the same time,
0:54:34 > 0:54:37allow our troops to use them for harbour areas or manoeuvring.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40Yes, the priority is military training, but at the same time,
0:54:40 > 0:54:44we want to work in harmony with the military and conservation.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47Yeah, I've heard skylarks today and seen red kites all over,
0:54:47 > 0:54:50- so obviously a good habitat. - It's beautiful.
0:54:50 > 0:54:51It's a great success story
0:54:51 > 0:54:54and a privilege to be here working and see the place thrive
0:54:54 > 0:54:57both as a military perspective and a conservation perspective.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00So peaceful, isn't it?
0:55:00 > 0:55:02But not for long.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05The trainee commanders are about to start their mission for the day,
0:55:05 > 0:55:09storming an enemy holed up in an isolated Welsh farmhouse.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17This isn't training now.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21It's a test of their ability to lead a team and complete their objectives.
0:55:21 > 0:55:25As it can make or break careers, I'm only allowed to observe.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29Thankfully, not in the full kit, so hopefully I'll be able to keep up.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33They do this huge flanking manoeuvre down the hill.
0:55:33 > 0:55:35They're absolutely legging it!
0:55:35 > 0:55:39I haven't got any gear on but I still couldn't keep up!
0:55:40 > 0:55:43The Brecon Beacons are famous army training grounds
0:55:43 > 0:55:45and you can see why,
0:55:45 > 0:55:48they've got so many different features in the landscape that are useful.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50Down here, we've got this kind of divot.
0:55:50 > 0:55:52There's a stream system, all the trees.
0:55:52 > 0:55:56A lot of variation in one landscape, which is really useful.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04They're just making their final plans now to make the last assault...
0:56:04 > 0:56:05COMMANDER SHOUTS ORDERS
0:56:05 > 0:56:07..to attack the enemy position. Here we go!
0:56:09 > 0:56:13They're firing blanks but it sounds very real.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16You go in!
0:56:16 > 0:56:18Three, Section Commander.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21Forwards to me... Duffy!
0:56:21 > 0:56:23Remember, these are experienced soldiers.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26This is about finding future leaders
0:56:26 > 0:56:29and only the cream of the crop will make it.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33Can you imagine doing this for real with real fire?
0:56:33 > 0:56:35Real enemies who really hated you?
0:56:35 > 0:56:37Charlie, follow on.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39- SHOUTS:- Building clear!
0:56:40 > 0:56:41So how's it going?
0:56:41 > 0:56:44Your lads were the ones that just went into the building.
0:56:44 > 0:56:45Yeah, that's right.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49- From my perspective, the student actually did pretty well.- Oh, good!
0:56:49 > 0:56:52They got stuck in, used their grenades and weapon systems
0:56:52 > 0:56:55and in a relatively quick time,
0:56:55 > 0:56:57the building had been cleared and secured.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00- Great, so overall you're happy? - Overall, happy.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02Job done and in just five weeks from now,
0:57:02 > 0:57:05the troops that successfully complete this course
0:57:05 > 0:57:08could be leading on the front line.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11But wherever they are in the world and whatever environment,
0:57:11 > 0:57:14the landscape of the Brecon Beacons
0:57:14 > 0:57:17will have played a large part in getting them there.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23That's it from Countryfile this week.
0:57:23 > 0:57:25Next week, we'll be in the South Pennines,
0:57:25 > 0:57:29where Matt will be jumping off boulders on a mountain bike
0:57:29 > 0:57:31and I will be enjoying the hospitality of the Pennine Way
0:57:31 > 0:57:33with poet Simon Armitage.
0:57:33 > 0:57:34See you then.
0:57:55 > 0:57:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd