0:00:27 > 0:00:30The North Cornwall coast -
0:00:30 > 0:00:35dramatic, imposing, and majestic - but look a little closer,
0:00:35 > 0:00:40and you'll find mystical legendary qualities like nowhere else.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Legends don't come much bigger or more magical than King Arthur,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47said to be born right here at Tintagel Castle.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50But this is a fortress whose past had to be re-examined
0:00:50 > 0:00:53after a huge fire exposed a lot of secrets.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58And I'll be finding out about the truth behind this historic place.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02James is in Cornwall too,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05putting his life in the hands of a cliff rescue team.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07How are you with heights?
0:01:07 > 0:01:09I'm rubbish with heights. I'm good with plants,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12- very little else.- You're good with plants, not heights.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Julia's in East Sussex,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19on a farm with an unusual approach to agriculture.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26I think this looks like a rather magnificent cow-dung ice cream cone.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Meanwhile, Tom's heading to the Orkney Islands.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35In our search for clean energy, we've looked to the sun and the wind,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37but what about the sea?
0:01:37 > 0:01:41It's been claimed that we could get a fifth of Britain's electricity
0:01:41 > 0:01:43from tidal power, using machines like this.
0:01:43 > 0:01:48But as the price for harnessing it too high? I'll be finding out.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And on his farm, Adam is planning a bit of DIY.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55These are all my rare-breed rams.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00And this one here is a Manx Loaghtan from the Isle of Man,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04with a wonderful head on him, but he's got a few problems.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06I have to sort him out with my saw.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21North Cornwall, situated on Britain's Atlantic coast -
0:02:21 > 0:02:25a landscape of dramatic shorelines, spectacular cliffs -
0:02:25 > 0:02:27a Mecca for British holidaymakers.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Journey further inland and you'll discover
0:02:34 > 0:02:37the wild and rugged terrain of Bodmin Moor.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42There's a lot more to Cornwall than just ice creams,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45tasty pasties and cream teas.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I'm going to be exploring its secret glens and historical ruins
0:02:49 > 0:02:53on my own quest into Cornwall's ancient mythological past.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Steeped in legend and folklore,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05it's a land where granite formations
0:03:05 > 0:03:07are thought to be the work of giants.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11And ancient stone circles are really Cornish people turn to stone.
0:03:12 > 0:03:18This is said to be the birthplace of the legendary King Arthur.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Stories of Merlin and Arthur's gallant knights
0:03:20 > 0:03:23have been told around firesides for centuries.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25And where better to start my quest
0:03:25 > 0:03:29than in one of Cornwall's most sacred places?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32This is St Nectan's Glen, and legend has it
0:03:32 > 0:03:35that King Arthur's knights were blessed here,
0:03:35 > 0:03:36probably in this very spot,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39before setting out on their search for the Holy Grail.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Throughout the ages, it's been a sacred site of worship.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And here in the depths of the forest,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54it really does feel like we're in a magical place.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58'I'm meeting the custodian, who goes by the name of Loz.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02'I want to find out from him where fact meets fiction.'
0:04:02 > 0:04:07So, Loz, did King Arthur's knights come here? For real?
0:04:07 > 0:04:08Well, why not?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11To quest the Grail, you have to be pure.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15So they came here to be purified in the waters of the waterfall.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17St Nectan is a very intriguing name. Who was he?
0:04:17 > 0:04:21St Nectan was a gentleman that lived here in the sixth century.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24He built a chapel up at the top of the waterfall
0:04:24 > 0:04:26where people could come and worship.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30He would take his silver bell and walk down the river every evening,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and ring it to warn shipping off the rocks
0:04:33 > 0:04:37at Rocky Valley, where many, many shipwrecks had occurred.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40And he surely saved thousands of lives.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43These days, it's widened out a lot from the Christian community.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48Certainly has. We get pagans, Buddhists, Muslims.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- All to purify themselves? - All to purify.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Man has been drawn to places like this for purification reasons
0:04:55 > 0:04:58for thousands and thousands of years.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01'And purification for Loz means having a proper dip.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03'He tells me he swims here most days.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06'It looks a little bit cold for my liking!'
0:05:12 > 0:05:17The magic and mystery of the glen has provided creative inspiration
0:05:17 > 0:05:21for artists and writers like Thomas Hardy and Lord Alfred Tennyson.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Internationally renowned fantasy artist Peter Pracownik
0:05:25 > 0:05:29has designed album covers for Hawkwind and Fairport Convention.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Today, it's the mysteries of the glen that inspire Peter's work.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38It's the perfect place to fire the imagination
0:05:38 > 0:05:43for the greatest fantasy quest of all - The Hobbit.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47It's very Hobbit-like here. It's very Middle Earth.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53It's shut off from reality, the hustle and bustle of daily life.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57And what is it about this style of art with the unicorns,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00with the fairies, that does it for you?
0:06:00 > 0:06:03It's your innermost fantasy, it's your dream world.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08Man will always create image from nature, whatever form it is.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11And this place has something so special.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Peter, you're incredibly successful with this.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Just give us an idea of what your latest project is.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19I've been working on The Hobbit.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I did an oracle, or some would say a tarot deck,
0:06:22 > 0:06:23but basically it's an oracle.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Very intrigued by the world of tarot cards.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I mean, I don't really understand them,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31so you'll have to just talk me through what the idea is.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34OK, well, the Queen of Cups.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37This is about the energy of the light upon the water.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Being at one with the world.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44This next one, it's Balin, Balin out of The Hobbit.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46This card, it means challenge.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50This third one is Gollum and Bilbo having a conversation.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51In a rock pool.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54And this one is called the Wheel of Fortune.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58So we've got being at one with nature, we've got a challenge,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02and we've got two people having a conversation in a rock pool.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04I'm sensing one of them is me, and one of them is Loz.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06And I'm about to go and take a dip.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10I think you should, I think you should, definitely. Good one. Yes.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Get in, Loz!
0:07:19 > 0:07:20Yes!
0:07:22 > 0:07:26My word. Well, I tell you what, I've certainly got purified calves.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28My word! Good lad!
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Fully purified.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35While we're experiencing the healing powers
0:07:35 > 0:07:37of the waters down here in Cornwall,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Tom is right at the other end of the country,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43finding out if tidal power really can satisfy our needs
0:07:43 > 0:07:45when it comes to renewable energy.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Right! I'm getting out.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59The awesome force of the sea has both threatened
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and protected Britain for centuries.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08We are an island nation, which once claimed to rule the waves.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Now rather than power OVER the ocean,
0:08:10 > 0:08:14we're interested in power FROM the ocean.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16And when you look at the energy in the seas,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18that seems like a no-brainer.
0:08:24 > 0:08:30We get just over 5% of our electricity from the wind and sun.
0:08:30 > 0:08:36But at the moment, only a thousandth of a percent comes from the sea.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39But a new report from the National Oceanography Centre
0:08:39 > 0:08:42says our tides alone could generate 20%, that's one fifth,
0:08:42 > 0:08:46of the electricity that Britain needs.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50And here, in a far-flung corner of our islands,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53they're taking the steps to make that happen.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58This bay is a lab bench for marine energy.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Because when it comes to getting power from our seas,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04you have to test them against the elements.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08And those elements rarely come tougher than here in Orkney.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13What are we actually overlooking here?
0:09:13 > 0:09:14We are here at the wave test site.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17'At Orkney's European Marine Energy Centre,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19'companies from across the world
0:09:19 > 0:09:22'are trialling weird and wonderful inventions
0:09:22 > 0:09:25'aimed at harnessing Scotland's wild seas.'
0:09:25 > 0:09:29In terms of tidal, why Orkney?
0:09:29 > 0:09:31There are some excellent tidal resources here in Orkney.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Very strong tidal races.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37We see the tide flowing at a peak of about four metres per second
0:09:37 > 0:09:38on our tidal test site,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42so that's the equivalent of driving a car at about ten miles an hour.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44And that means that it's really putting these machines
0:09:44 > 0:09:45through their paces.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48And if they can get them to work here in Orkney,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50then they should work anywhere in the world.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53There is no mistaking the power of the sea here,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57but what's really exciting engineers is not just the waves themselves,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00but the tides that lie beneath.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03The great thing about tidal power is that it is predictable.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08This table here gives me the high and low tides throughout 2013,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12and they could make one today for 3013.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18So the energy is always there for the taking,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21and the simplest way to do that is to stick a propeller
0:10:21 > 0:10:23beneath the waves and let the tide do the work.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27The race is on to design the best tidal turbine.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32And everyone from ScottishPower to Kawasaki is getting in on the act.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35The work that's going on here in Orkney right now is cutting edge.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37It's incredibly exciting,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41and we're really leading the world in terms of this industry.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45'But it's not just the big guns who can see the potential
0:10:45 > 0:10:47'in this fledging industry.' Morning.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50'Local Orkney boy Barry Johnston has been road-testing
0:10:50 > 0:10:53'a series of prototypes of a floating,
0:10:53 > 0:10:57'slightly James Bond-esque tidal turbine.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59'Today, it's being hauled out to sea,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03'so it's my chance to take a closer look.'
0:11:03 > 0:11:05It's obviously being towed at the moment, but the physics
0:11:05 > 0:11:09are just the same as if we were sitting in a six-knot current.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14You get a real feeling of the power there is available from the water.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20It looks a bit like a sort of gently moving bomb submarine.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22This is actually a prototype machine,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24so this is only a 250 kW prototype.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Our larger scale commercial one will be 2,000 kW.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30So much bigger, much more powerful machine.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33And 2,000 kW will power about how many homes?
0:11:33 > 0:11:34Roughly about maybe 1,800.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- That's not bad.- Yeah, it's not bad.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39And the idea is that we have it in large farms,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41so we have multiple devices in one area.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Why tidal rather than wind or solar?
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Tidal, obviously it's predictable, that's the main thing.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51So we can predict years in advance when we're going to produce energy.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52So energy companies like that.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Unlike wind, it's variable, but tidal we can predict it.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Orkney's docks are creaking under the weight of new designs.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07But in energy terms, the power that single turbines like this
0:12:07 > 0:12:11will provide is still just a drop in the ocean.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14We would need around 20,000 of the 1 MW turbines
0:12:14 > 0:12:21currently on the market to supply 20% of the UK's electricity.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25That's not only incredibly expensive, it's also not very practical.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30The range and scale of technology being tested here is really exciting.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34But if tidal is going to satisfy big chunks of our energy demand,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37it's going to need to think even bigger than this.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Enter the barrage.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46There are a few tidal barrages on the continent,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49but over here, the debate over a similar scheme in the Severn Estuary
0:12:49 > 0:12:51has been raging for years.
0:12:55 > 0:13:01In simple terms, a barrage works by blocking the path of the tide,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03increasing the level on one side,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07which forces water through the turbines, generating power.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11If we want to get a fifth of our electricity from the tides
0:13:11 > 0:13:15then barrages will have to play a crucial role.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Nicholas Yates researched the National Oceanography Centre's
0:13:18 > 0:13:21report on the potential of tidal power.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25How important are barrages, these fixed structures,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28if you like, in reaching that 20% of electricity?
0:13:28 > 0:13:34Well, the 20% figure in the paper is based on 15% from tidal range,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37which is based on six estuaries,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40plus 5% from a tidal stream estimate,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43which is where we make use of the velocity of the water
0:13:43 > 0:13:46in places like the Pentland Firth to drive a turbine.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48So a lot of the things that we've seen,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51including the ones up in Orkney, are good, their tidal stream.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54But if we want to take this big chunk out of our electricity demand,
0:13:54 > 0:13:59we've got to be thinking of these barrages or lagoons?
0:13:59 > 0:14:00Well, that's correct.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05That could mean barrages or similar schemes not just here on the Severn,
0:14:05 > 0:14:10but in up to six estuaries, giving us clean power from the sea.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13But it's not quite that simple.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18That means big structures in the sea visible from the land.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23And that always sets the sparks flying, as I'll be finding out later.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34While Matt's embarked on his mystical quest,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37I've been exploring the wild and windswept landscape of Bodmin Moor.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Its craggy outcrops, bottomless bogs and dense mists
0:14:46 > 0:14:51have inspired the tales of Wilkie Collins and Daphne du Maurier.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54And according to some, the Bodmin Beast could be lurking close by.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06I stopped off at one of its most amazing geological formations,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08the Cheesewring.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Legend has it that the Cheesewring
0:15:15 > 0:15:18is the result of a rock-throwing contest
0:15:18 > 0:15:21between the saints and some Cornish giants.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Christianity had only just arrived in Cornwall,
0:15:27 > 0:15:32and the local giants weren't best pleased. They proposed a contest.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34If they were to win, the saints would have to leave,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36but if the Saints were to win,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39the giants would have to convert to Christianity.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46Legend being legend, of course, the saints did win,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49and Christianity looked set to stay.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56It's a great story, but what I'm most intrigued by is not a giant at all.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00In fact, it's tiny. And it lives right over there.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Cornwall's rich mining history has earned it World Heritage status,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13putting it on a par with the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16It was a story of boom and bust.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19The explosion of the copper mining industry
0:16:19 > 0:16:22brought work for local people, but it also brought noise,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26mining contamination and pollution.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30The mining industry left behind it
0:16:30 > 0:16:34thousands of tonnes of waste rock and slag.
0:16:34 > 0:16:40And there's something very tiny that I've come to see that lives in it.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45This derelict mine is full of poisonous heavy metal deposits.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47It might sound pretty dangerous,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51but it provides the perfect habitat for one of Britain's rarest mosses.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57In fact, it's one of the only places on the planet
0:16:57 > 0:16:59that you can find Cornish path moss.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02And OK, that may not sound very rock 'n' roll.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04But if you are a geeky botanist like me,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07it is like all your Christmases coming at once.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15I've come to meet a man who is an even bigger geek about moss than me!
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Des Callaghan has a PhD in brylogy.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20That's mosses, to you and me.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22He is a consultant on sites like this.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25He's one of Britain's only Cornish path moss experts.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32So, Des, what's so special about Cornish path moss?
0:17:32 > 0:17:36All plants only need a tiny amount of copper to survive.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39When it gets too high, it becomes toxic to plants,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41as it becomes toxic to humans.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44But a small number of species have evolved an ability
0:17:44 > 0:17:47to live on very high copper deposits.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50So the amount of copper in the soil in your back garden
0:17:50 > 0:17:54would be roundabout 100 parts per million, something like that.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Here, it's about 7,000 parts per million.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59It thrives on toxic waste?
0:17:59 > 0:18:03- That's right.- That makes it like the extremophiles, those algae that
0:18:03 > 0:18:06live inside the craters of live volcanoes and stuff like that.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Exactly, yes, that's right. - In the Cornish countryside!
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Exactly, yes, yes. And that's what makes it so special.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14So I'm really looking forward to this. Where can we find it?
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- It's over this way. - OK, shall we head on down?
0:18:26 > 0:18:29So this penned-off area here is a likely spot for moss hunting.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32This is one of the few areas where the moss is known from.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35But we're talking about something 2mm high,
0:18:35 > 0:18:40and unfortunately today we have a covering of snow of 5cm.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42What are our chances today?
0:18:42 > 0:18:45- They're very slim.- OK. - But we can give it a go.
0:18:49 > 0:18:50Thanks, Des!
0:19:01 > 0:19:05It is totally crazy. It's like going to Mars.
0:19:15 > 0:19:21Ah! This looks like it, maybe.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24We'll need to take a closer look at this particular spot here.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27What particular spot?! There's nothing there!
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Well, that looks rather like the thing we're after,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33- just at the end of my fingertip. - Wow, that's small.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39So I'm going to stick my eye right into it, magnify 10 times.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42What am I supposed to see? What's the distinguishing characteristics?
0:19:42 > 0:19:45You'll see it has a spiky appearance to it.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48The tiny leaves are held slightly away from the stems.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52- Kind of like lots of pineapple tops? - That's a good description of it.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56- This is it!- Let me take a look, just to confirm it.- No! It's mine!
0:19:56 > 0:19:58Go on, you tell me, you tell me.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Yes, that's definitely the one.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05That is truly amazing.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Whoever discovered this deserves a Nobel Prize.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11THEY LAUGH
0:20:17 > 0:20:20I can't believe we were actually able to find it.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24That Des guy is like some kind of moss-finding superhero.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27You know, we may grumble about our climate in the UK,
0:20:27 > 0:20:30but we've got brilliant weather if you are a moss or a liverwort,
0:20:30 > 0:20:35and all you need to explore this fascinating alternate universe
0:20:35 > 0:20:36is a hand lens like this.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Whilst Matt and I are exploring the delights of North Cornwall
0:20:42 > 0:20:45in the bitterly cold winter, back in the autumn Julia was
0:20:45 > 0:20:49in East Sussex, finding out more about a very unusual way of farming.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Welcome to Tablehurst Community Farm,
0:20:54 > 0:20:58where the dung delivered regularly by these beautiful ladies
0:20:58 > 0:20:59is highly prized.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Here, it's all about biodynamics,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06a type of spiritual farming that works in harmony with the Earth.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10This enigmatic landscape has inspired poets
0:21:10 > 0:21:12and artists for centuries, but there is something else
0:21:12 > 0:21:15in the air here that arouses a desire to work closely
0:21:15 > 0:21:17with Mother Nature.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Perhaps not quite this closely.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Biodynamic farmers don't use artificial fertilisers.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Instead, they make their own concoctions,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34mixed using natural substances to their own recipe.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36'Intriguing.'
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Why are you collecting your lovely cow dung?
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Well, because we're a biodynamic farm, and at this time of year
0:21:44 > 0:21:47we need to collect it because we do various things with it.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51All right. Biodynamic farm, explain the concept.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55The concept of a biodynamic farm is that one's not just working with
0:21:55 > 0:21:58everyday physical substance, but also the forces working in nature.
0:21:58 > 0:22:04That sounds a bit cuckoo perhaps, but if you think of a compass
0:22:04 > 0:22:09and why it points north, if you start looking inside that needle
0:22:09 > 0:22:11to understand it, you're never going to understand,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14it's only when you realise that there's a magnetic field
0:22:14 > 0:22:17round the whole Earth that you can understand why it points north.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21And to understand a plant or animal, actually you can't just look inside
0:22:21 > 0:22:23that with a microscope either,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26you have to take into account that there's a whole cosmos out there
0:22:26 > 0:22:29with the sun and the moon and the planets and the stars and the zodiac.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33So you're working very closely with Mother Nature
0:22:33 > 0:22:37- and you believe strongly in the forces of Mother Nature.- We do, yes.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39And those forces are in our food, if it's good food,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43- and not if it's done the wrong way. - Ah...
0:22:43 > 0:22:45And how much of this stuff do you need?
0:22:45 > 0:22:50- For this farm, about two buckets like that.- Two buckets.- Mm.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Well, I'd better get my shovel and keep helping you, then, hadn't I?
0:22:53 > 0:22:55As compared to trailer loads.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57That's not bad.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03This spiritual science might sound a bit New Age,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05but it all began in 1924,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08when farmers asked philosopher Rudolf Steiner to find out
0:23:08 > 0:23:11if chemical fertilisers were adversely affecting
0:23:11 > 0:23:14their soil conditions and health of their livestock.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16He thought they were.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22That meant no to chemicals and yes to biodynamic farming.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Which is where the cow dung comes back in again.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- Right, bucket of cow horns and a bucket of cow dung.- Yes.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33So, we're going to fill these up with manure.
0:23:33 > 0:23:39- Uh-huh.- And then the horn will be left in the ground over winter
0:23:39 > 0:23:43and when you dig it up in the spring, this manure will have a completely
0:23:43 > 0:23:47different consistency. But it's not just that, there's more to it.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51I think the fact that it's in the earth over winter means
0:23:51 > 0:23:54it's had those forces that I was telling you about from the cosmos
0:23:54 > 0:23:56and everything, which go into the earth
0:23:56 > 0:24:00and are concentrated here in these horns, in the manure.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Which will make this manure a very special substance.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08I think this looks like a rather magnificent cow-dung ice cream cone.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12'With the cow horns filled to the brim with the lovely,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'wholesome poo, the next job is to bury them.'
0:24:15 > 0:24:19- So this is the burial mound.- Yes.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23You can see them here, how they've been laid in.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24I mean, if you put it like this,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28the water will get in and it will go soggy and putrid
0:24:28 > 0:24:31instead of going to beautiful hummus,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33so we actually put them down like this.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- The water doesn't collect in them. - OK.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41And how many of these horns full of dung are you going to bury?
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Well, we'll actually do about...
0:24:43 > 0:24:45We're about a 500-acre farm
0:24:45 > 0:24:50and we give some to some local people as well, so we do about 400.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53- That's quite a lot.- It's quite a lot.- It's a lot of work.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55It's taken us ages to do this many.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58It's not really that much work.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01When you consider what it does for the farm,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03we spray the whole farm twice a year with this.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06'The horns have to stay in the ground for six months
0:25:06 > 0:25:08'for the cosmic magic to happen
0:25:08 > 0:25:11'and turn it into something far more sweet-smelling.'
0:25:11 > 0:25:13And next year,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16- this is what you're going to get. - Yes.- The finished product.
0:25:16 > 0:25:22You can see it's very different. It's black, it's hummus-like.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24- It smells...- Smells earthy and beautiful.- Wonderful, doesn't it?
0:25:24 > 0:25:29- Yeah. That's what all the hard work was for.- That's what it's all for.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32'Just when I thought the hard work was over, I was wrong.'
0:25:32 > 0:25:37So that ball of manure is going in this bucket full of water.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41- It is, yes.- That's not a lot. - It's not a lot.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Because it's not just the substance that we're dealing with,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47it's the forces in the substance. We are going to stir this for an hour.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51- Well, you might be!- There's a specific way that we do it.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53- Shall I show you?- Yes, please do.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55So, we start at the outside
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and what you have to do is get a vortex in there.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02It starts getting a kind of order in there and then,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06when you have got a lovely vortex like that, you change the direction.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10And there you can see it creates a kind of confusion in there,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12which will get all the oxygen in.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Also, I think it somehow imprints the memory into the water
0:26:15 > 0:26:19of the substance, so that when you spray it over the fields...
0:26:20 > 0:26:22..it's effective.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24There will be some people watching at home now
0:26:24 > 0:26:27and they're going to say, "He's just a bit bonkers."
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Maybe.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I mean, I'm not going to try and argue with everybody.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36One has to do what one sees works and what one feels is right.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39Well, you've got...
0:26:39 > 0:26:4158 minutes to go!
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Whether or not you think this is nuts,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48this farm has been biodynamically run for the last 40 years.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51And it doesn't seem to be doing too badly on it.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Tintagel Castle, perched on the cliff tops
0:27:05 > 0:27:08of North Cornwall's fabulous 60-mile Atlantic coast.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12The castle is a spectacular sight
0:27:12 > 0:27:16and provides a mystic home to knights, romance and legends.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Anyone for a spot of magic?
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Well, apparently this is where Merlin used to live,
0:27:24 > 0:27:25in this very cave.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29It's a bit blustery, but there's a nice view out the kitchen window.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32I'm determined to get to the bottom of the legend of King Arthur
0:27:32 > 0:27:36so I've come to the perfect area, his supposed birthplace.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44'Matt Ward from English Heritage is the man I need to talk to.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46'He's the manager here
0:27:46 > 0:27:49'and his greatest passion is the history of the castle.'
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- What a place to work! - It's not a bad view from our office.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54That's what we always think.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57- Legend has it that King Arthur was born here.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Obviously you're going to go along with this.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02The legend saying he was born here came from Geoffrey of Monmouth.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05He was writing a book in 1136 called The History Of The Kings Of Britain -
0:28:05 > 0:28:08what he was trying to do was piece together
0:28:08 > 0:28:10early accounts of British monarchy that didn't exist,
0:28:10 > 0:28:11so the legend of King Arthur,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14he was always said to have been born on a fortress, on a headland
0:28:14 > 0:28:17with a narrow entrance, and in Geoffrey's wisdom,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20in 1136 he came here and said, "God, he must have been born here."
0:28:20 > 0:28:23But there's a question over the original purpose of this spot.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27Up until the '80s, archaeologists believed that the castle was built
0:28:27 > 0:28:29on the site of an ancient monastery.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32It took an act of nature to reveal that it was actually
0:28:32 > 0:28:35the setting for something much more surprising.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40What happened in 1983, it was a dry summer and somehow a fire started,
0:28:40 > 0:28:41burned for months and months.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44It uncovered another 100 buildings they didn't know were there
0:28:44 > 0:28:47and more bits of pottery than anywhere in England put together,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49so at that period of history, the Dark Ages,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51you're talking about 5th, 6th, 7th century,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55it's the busiest trading port with the Mediterranean in the country,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58so all of a sudden, overnight, the site couldn't have been a monastery.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03'So, it turned out it was a trading port, not a monastery at all.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06'The fire might have uncovered this amazing secret, but Matt
0:29:06 > 0:29:09'and his team are determined to be ready if it ever happens again.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12'They've got an ingenious fire-prevention strategy.'
0:29:12 > 0:29:16- Should be running for a sense of urgency, lads.- Let's go!- Here we go.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21- So, Tango's in charge of the pump. - Yeah.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25- I'll be in charge of the hose. - You've got this well here.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28The well here, it's medieval so it's...
0:29:28 > 0:29:29We're using medieval water.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35- That all right?- Yeah.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- Right, we need to go over here, Matt, quick.- Quick!
0:29:42 > 0:29:45The castle's on fire, run!
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Watch your footing.
0:29:49 > 0:29:50Here we go.
0:29:52 > 0:29:53Here it comes.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Standing b... Oh, yes! Whoo-hoo!
0:30:03 > 0:30:04There's some power in that.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06I'm getting height, look.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09There it goes. That's good.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17They say that the water and electricity don't mix,
0:30:17 > 0:30:21but soon our oceans could be powering our homes.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25I've already experienced the tides on one potential source of power,
0:30:25 > 0:30:27the Severn Estuary.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Unbelievable! Wow!
0:30:29 > 0:30:33Now, Tom's gone back there to find out more.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35We've had plenty of tasters on Countryfile
0:30:35 > 0:30:39of the thrilling power of the Severn Estuary.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42The energy that creates this tidal surge
0:30:42 > 0:30:45could one day be put to a more practical use,
0:30:45 > 0:30:50with a barrage generating 5% of the UK's electricity.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55That's if it ever gets built. It's highly controversial and very costly.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01Such a big project requires a lot of modelling and testing.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05And that's where these engineering labs at the University of Cardiff
0:31:05 > 0:31:10played a key part. After all, with a cost in excess of 25 billion
0:31:10 > 0:31:12and a huge environmental impact,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15you don't really want to get it wrong.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Bettina Bockelmann-Evans and her colleagues have been modelling
0:31:19 > 0:31:22the latest barrage proposal from Hafren Power.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25What am I looking at here, Bettina?
0:31:25 > 0:31:28A physical model of the Severn Estuary.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33This is Cardiff western line for the ideal barrage location.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35I can see as it goes up and down,
0:31:35 > 0:31:39you can see the force of water coming through the holes there.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Yes, that's the simulation of the turbines.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46There would be 1,026 going across, they are two-way turbines.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49So they would produce energy with the incoming tide
0:31:49 > 0:31:51and the outgoing tide.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53How much energy is that?
0:31:53 > 0:31:57The same as three to four nuclear power plants would produce.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00The government has already rejected one barrage scheme here
0:32:00 > 0:32:04back in 2010, and opposition is still fierce.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08This gives you a clue about why it's such a hot topic.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11The Severn Estuary, a mud larder for birds.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14And all these species...
0:32:14 > 0:32:16come here to dine.
0:32:18 > 0:32:23The RSPB is one of the organisations currently backing the anti-campaign.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26You can't really see the far side there,
0:32:26 > 0:32:28England's away in the distance in the mist.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31But what you'd see is 10 miles of concrete steel across...
0:32:31 > 0:32:36As head of conservation for Wales, Sean Christian has been vetting the plans.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38What's the kind of wildlife that thrives here?
0:32:38 > 0:32:41This is a highly designated protected area
0:32:41 > 0:32:44for whole range of bird species.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48There are eight species that are here in internationally important numbers.
0:32:48 > 0:32:54Why does a barrage actually affect the birds that use this estuary?
0:32:54 > 0:32:56A barrage holds back a head of water,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58then releases it through the turbine,
0:32:58 > 0:33:03but that head of water increases the levels of water upstream of the barrage.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07All that lovely mudflat that you see out there where the birds feed,
0:33:07 > 0:33:08that will be submerged.
0:33:08 > 0:33:13Is there a way to do barrage which doesn't give you this problem?
0:33:13 > 0:33:15That's what we'd like to know.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20The critical thing is the RSPB is aware that climate change is
0:33:20 > 0:33:24the biggest problem that we face as human beings and also for nature.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28So we absolutely have to back proposals for renewable energy.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32The RSPB is not against any proposal per se,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34but you have to be able to do it without destroying
0:33:34 > 0:33:37wonderful places like that, without trashing the estuary.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40The concerns aren't just over birds.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Other bodies fear the turbines will kill fish
0:33:43 > 0:33:46and that changing the flow of the river
0:33:46 > 0:33:49will affect sediments crucial to the whole ecosystem.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52So planners have gone back to the drawing board
0:33:52 > 0:33:55and come up with a more environmentally friendly scheme.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58That's what they're testing here in Cardiff.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03Do you believe this model will have less impact on the environment
0:34:03 > 0:34:05than the previous design?
0:34:05 > 0:34:07It will definitely have a lot less impact.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11There will be less change to the inter-tidal mudflat areas.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15So the wading birds will still have more area to feed on.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17The velocities are much less with the turbines.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20The fish are less likely to get hit by the blades?
0:34:20 > 0:34:23The blades turn much slower
0:34:23 > 0:34:25and because it's lower,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29they have more chance to get through those turbines.
0:34:29 > 0:34:35It is a unique opportunity for the UK to use this energy resource.
0:34:35 > 0:34:40Hafren Power claims its new design will address the environmental concerns,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42including the issue of flooding.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45But those keeping a close eye on the proposals,
0:34:45 > 0:34:48including the RSPB and the government,
0:34:48 > 0:34:53want to know more before deciding whether to back the project.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55But it's not just about the environment,
0:34:55 > 0:34:57it's also about the cash.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Money is starting to flow in the direction of tidal power.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04Both the EU and the Crown Estate have pledged many millions of pounds
0:35:04 > 0:35:07towards UK tidal projects.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10A big chunk of that work is happening here in Orkney.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14This new pier is being built specifically to service
0:35:14 > 0:35:17the needs of the marine energy business.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20But even when tidal power is up and running, it is operating
0:35:20 > 0:35:23in some of the toughest environments in the sea.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25That's always going to be pricey.
0:35:25 > 0:35:30For now, that means more cash up front than for most other renewables.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34And investors need to take a greater gamble on their return -
0:35:34 > 0:35:37a tall order in today's financial climate.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41The water will be up here in a few hours.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46Tidal power is a green energy you can set your watch by.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50But when it comes to big projects, it has problems in common with
0:35:50 > 0:35:55other renewable sources - high cost and local environmental impact.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58When it comes to our clean energy future,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01there are very few easy answers.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Rare-breed livestock have been taking refuge on Adam's farm
0:36:10 > 0:36:15since the '70s. His collection of unusual rams are his pride and joy.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19But one of his favourites is having a few problems.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31These are all my rams. There's about 50 of them.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34They are rare and traditional breeds we've got on the farm here.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38They suit the different climates and areas of the British Isles.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42So whether it's down in the warm valleys or up in the cold mountains,
0:36:42 > 0:36:43there's a breed to suit.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47So if you look at them, there's a little North Ronaldsay here,
0:36:47 > 0:36:49the Soay, small primitive breeds
0:36:49 > 0:36:51that are ancient and very hardy
0:36:51 > 0:36:57that would survive on the Scottish Highlands and Islands around the country.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01Then the Jacob here, an amazing-looking sheep.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04There is one with magnificent horns over here.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Look at this.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08These were the parkland sheep of the UK,
0:37:08 > 0:37:12and people could look from the grand houses out onto the parkland
0:37:12 > 0:37:14at these fantastic-looking sheep.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18Not only do they look lovely, the lamb, the meat, tastes great.
0:37:18 > 0:37:23Then we've got the hill breeds, the White-faced Dartmoor here,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26and then the hardiest British breed there is, the Herdwick.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30The Herdwick is the only breed... Whoa, he's strong!
0:37:30 > 0:37:33..that will survive on top of the Lakeland fells.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36It's amazing fleece. If I can tip him up...
0:37:36 > 0:37:38There we are, mate.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41This fleece is thick and coarse.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44And really, the Lakeland fells look the way they do
0:37:44 > 0:37:47because they are grazed by these sheep.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50People have managed landscapes for centuries.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52It's thanks to the grazing animals
0:37:52 > 0:37:56that this countryside looks as beautiful as it does.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00Another of my favourite rare breeds is a Manx Loaghtan.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03They are known for the rich brown wool and impressive horns.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05But one of mine is having problems with his,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08so I need to catch him to get a closer look.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11The horns of the Manx Loaghtan,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14there are either two, four, or sometimes six horns,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17and on these four-horn sheep, they're very strong, upright ones,
0:38:17 > 0:38:22very good at protecting themselves against dogs and wolves, by using them like a sword
0:38:22 > 0:38:25and then the side horns are slightly weaker
0:38:25 > 0:38:31and this one has been broken in the first six months of its life.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36It's started to grow into his face, so I've got to cut that off.
0:38:36 > 0:38:37I'm going to hold him still.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41The horn is alive and full of blood and nerve endings at the base,
0:38:41 > 0:38:45but then is cold and dead at the top end here.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48So hopefully, I can this just saw this off
0:38:48 > 0:38:53without causing him too much discomfort.
0:38:53 > 0:38:54There we go.
0:38:55 > 0:39:00So that's the tip of his horn. That'll sort him out nicely.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04I also farm lambs for the table
0:39:04 > 0:39:08and I'm hoping the remainder of last year's are ready for market.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13I'm just weighing these lambs...
0:39:13 > 0:39:15in the scales here.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20I want them to be around 40 to 42 kilos,
0:39:20 > 0:39:25as an ideal weight for lamb for the table, with a good covering of meat.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29But this lamb is only around 35 kilos, he's still a bit lean,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32so he's got a few weeks to go.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37Over the last 10 years, sheep farming has had a pretty tough time of it.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41But my lambs that were born in 2011, I was selling some of them
0:39:41 > 0:39:44this time last year and the price was very good.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49Last February, I sold over 180 lambs at Cirencester market.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54This is my first pen of lambs. There's quite a lot of interest.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58The price is rocketing up, it's quite good.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00I'm hoping for 75 quid.
0:40:00 > 0:40:01At 76, they go.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Well, they've gone for 76 quid per lamb.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Trade was even better than I'd hoped for and profit was good too.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11I really felt sheep farming was back on track.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16But disappointingly, this year's prices have dropped again and I'm not sure why.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20So I've arranged to meet up with Alan Jones, a marketing coordinator.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24He helps some of us farmers in the Cotswolds get a premium price for our lambs.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26So he should have all the answers.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28- Hi, Alan.- Good morning, Adam.
0:40:28 > 0:40:29- Thanks for coming out. - Good to see you.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32How many lambs are you dealing with a year?
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Approximately 35,000 prime lambs.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Goodness me! The price has dropped quite significantly.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42Last year I was getting between £70 and £80. Now, where's the price?
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Approximately £60.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46- So we're a long way off where we were this time last year.- We are.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Why's that?
0:40:48 > 0:40:52I think predominantly the lambs had a bad season.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56They've had rain on the backs 75% of their life,
0:40:56 > 0:41:01they've not really grown. Lambs that should have come out in August and July
0:41:01 > 0:41:05are now moved up the year and they're all coming into a bottleneck
0:41:05 > 0:41:08and there's a flood of lambs available in and around the months
0:41:08 > 0:41:11that you don't really want a flood of lambs available
0:41:11 > 0:41:13because there are other markets taking into account
0:41:13 > 0:41:18- with Christmas in the middle of all that.- So a glut of lamb, reduced retail trade,
0:41:18 > 0:41:20- prices dropped 20%?- Yes.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24- Crikey!- We've got a way to go before we see the other side of it.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26That's a worry.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32Life as a farmer is a busy one and you never know what's around the corner.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36My Gloucestershire old spot boar is having problems.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41So here he is.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44This is my Gloucestershire old spot stock boar,
0:41:44 > 0:41:49so he's the one that mates with the females to produce all the piglets.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52He's a bit grumpy and a bit sore.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54If I just stand you up, mate.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Go on, stand up. Up you get.
0:41:56 > 0:41:57Up you get!
0:41:59 > 0:42:03As you can see, he's taking all the weight on his front feet.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07His back, or his back legs, are hurting.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11It's really quite sore, he spends a lot of his time lying down.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15I've had the vet, we've treated him with anti-inflammatories to try
0:42:15 > 0:42:18and reduce any swelling to see if that's helped. It helped a bit.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20But what I need now is another approach.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23And I've got a friend who might be able to help me out.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28I've called in Sarah Stafford. She's an animal physiotherapist.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32Her treatment has worked magic on my animals in the past.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Here he is, Sarah.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38I don't know how he's looking in comparison to when you last saw him.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- How long ago was that? - It was about 10 days ago,
0:42:41 > 0:42:44and he was very humped in his back.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48It is looking a lot leveller, it's not right,
0:42:48 > 0:42:52but the other day, this was up another two or three inches higher.
0:42:52 > 0:42:53So he's still a bit arched.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56He's carrying the weight on his front feet, not his back legs.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59The front end is pulling himself along and you can see
0:42:59 > 0:43:03just every so often when he moves, the right hind isn't right.
0:43:03 > 0:43:08There's two places in his back where I found a lot of spasm in there,
0:43:08 > 0:43:10and on the diagonal a lot of spasm,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13so I worked one side from one and one the other.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17I think that's what happened, he must have had a real twist.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Can you feel it?
0:43:19 > 0:43:25Yes, you can feel there is a block there, and a block there, in the muscle.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27I am pleased, it is coming better.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30We're beginning to get things moving again,
0:43:30 > 0:43:32which is the only way he's got to do.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34He has got to build those muscles by working,
0:43:34 > 0:43:38- but if he's in spasm, he can't. - Thanks very much, Sarah.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41- I've got a dodgy back. Do you do people?- No, I gave them up.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44I'll give you a ring in 10 days and let you know how he's getting on.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46- That's lovely. - I'll leave you to it. Thank you.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12Magical and mystical it may be,
0:44:12 > 0:44:17but the North Cornwall coastline can be a dangerous place.
0:44:20 > 0:44:25Each year, the Coastguard deals with more than 23,000 incidents.
0:44:25 > 0:44:30Last year, there were more than 335 call-outs in North Cornwall alone.
0:44:36 > 0:44:41But it's not just people that come a cropper along this stretch of coastline,
0:44:41 > 0:44:44as one hairy visitor found out last summer.
0:44:44 > 0:44:46In the peak holiday season,
0:44:46 > 0:44:49lots of Cornish beaches are no-go zones for dogs.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53But the coastal path makes perfect dog-walking territory.
0:44:53 > 0:44:57The only problem is when the pooch doesn't know when to pause.
0:44:59 > 0:45:04Meet Ted, 11 stones of shaggy, bounding energy,
0:45:04 > 0:45:09with absolutely no sense of danger when it comes to cliffs.
0:45:09 > 0:45:14So, Lee, this is Ted. Absolutely adorable. Is he in Newfoundland?
0:45:14 > 0:45:18- He is, yes.- They're famous for rescuing people.- Yes.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20- But in this case, he needed rescuing.- Yes.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22So what happened?
0:45:22 > 0:45:25Well, we were away in Bude in August,
0:45:25 > 0:45:27- just doing a cliff walk, weren't we? - Yeah.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31The last day of the holiday. I don't know whether he'd seen something,
0:45:31 > 0:45:34but, yes, straight over the edge of a cliff.
0:45:34 > 0:45:35Tell me what happened to Ted.
0:45:35 > 0:45:40Dad didn't know, but Ted just took one more step and he just ran.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42Oh, no! What happened when he went over the edge?
0:45:42 > 0:45:45Did you know how steep the cliff was?
0:45:45 > 0:45:49No, because he was able to land on a bit of the cliff.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51On a little ledge?
0:45:51 > 0:45:56Ted actually fell 150 feet, but apart from a bloody nose,
0:45:56 > 0:45:58he was unscathed.
0:45:58 > 0:46:00We panicked first, didn't we?
0:46:00 > 0:46:03But then Mum ran up to the coffee shop and got them
0:46:03 > 0:46:07to ring the Coastguard and then they came out.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10I think there were about 14 of them that had to go down and rescue him
0:46:10 > 0:46:12and stick him in a big bag.
0:46:12 > 0:46:17Two actually did the abseiling and the rest were on the pulley system.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21As they came to pulling him up the cliff with the other two guys,
0:46:21 > 0:46:24it took all the men to pull him up.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28- You don't know how much you need these guys until you need them.- Yes.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30He may as well have been human from way they treated him,
0:46:30 > 0:46:33- it was absolutely fantastic. - Has he learned his lesson?
0:46:33 > 0:46:37Yes, I think so. Because he's grown up a bit now.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40I think he thought he was a flying duck.
0:46:42 > 0:46:46Ted had a very lucky escape, but what's even more amazing is
0:46:46 > 0:46:49the lads who rescued him are all volunteers.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51Dotted around the great British coastline
0:46:51 > 0:46:54are more than 3,500 volunteer coastguards.
0:46:56 > 0:47:01Here in north Cornwall, there are five coastguard rescue teams.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05Even on a brisk winter's day - and this is definitely one of those -
0:47:05 > 0:47:08they don't need much encouragement to come out and start practising.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11And I got special permission to make that call.
0:47:13 > 0:47:14Hello, Coastguard, please.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20All the volunteers also have full-time jobs.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22Everything from lawyers and mechanics
0:47:22 > 0:47:24to sail makers and sculptors.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26But when they get that call, they down tools
0:47:26 > 0:47:28and quite literally come to the rescue.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34Of course, if they're going to do a practice rescue,
0:47:34 > 0:47:36they need a willing victim.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40I knew I was going to get roped into something today,
0:47:40 > 0:47:43and when I say roped in, I'm not kidding.
0:47:43 > 0:47:47The cliffs and coves of Cornwall attract nearly 5,000,000 tourists
0:47:47 > 0:47:50every year, and that keeps the Coastguard very busy.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53Call-outs range from broken limbs
0:47:53 > 0:47:56and lost dogs to getting stranded on the beach.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59That's what we're practising today. And guess who's stranded.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03Now, I'm actually terrified of heights.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06But with the tide coming in, the only way is up.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09How are you going to rescue me from a certain fate of drowning?
0:48:09 > 0:48:14- That harness down there, that's what we'll be using.- Which end is up?
0:48:14 > 0:48:15This end up.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19- And you would step into those. - OK, I see that.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22- You just step into it like you would...- Like a pair of trousers.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25- And I guess it clips on halfway around?- Yes.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28One straight into there, like so.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33Lucky for me, Tommy Cleave and his crew know what they're doing.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36- How are you with heights? - I am rubbish with heights.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40- I'm good with plants, little else. - Good with plants, not with heights.
0:48:41 > 0:48:45I feel very like an uncoordinated version of Mission Impossible here.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48- Cliff-top have control, up. - Up.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50Whoa!
0:48:52 > 0:48:55It takes a bit of getting used to, but once I realised I'm not
0:48:55 > 0:48:59going to drop to my doom, I've even got time for a quick pun.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02There's an awful lot of hanging around on Countryfile shoots.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Yes, I didn't say it was going to be a good one.
0:49:06 > 0:49:08How often do get called out on stuff like this?
0:49:08 > 0:49:11We get called out about 20 times a year.
0:49:11 > 0:49:15Across North Cornwall, there were 335 shouts last year.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18Gosh, so it's a real service that is in high demand.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21- It's really important. - Yes, it's quite a busy sector,
0:49:21 > 0:49:24with all the holiday traffic, etc.
0:49:24 > 0:49:29- What makes you want to come out here and do this?- Look at it, it's great.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33We're just here to help someone out who's having a bad day.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35There's a lot of training involved,
0:49:35 > 0:49:39- but what else do you get to do this with?- So how was saving Ted?
0:49:39 > 0:49:43- Ted was a bit of a different rescue because of the size of the dog.- Yes.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47- But we had to have two cliff men. - He's enormous.- Yes.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49- Look at this.- There we go.
0:49:49 > 0:49:53Who would think it would take that many people to winch us up? Oh!
0:49:53 > 0:49:59I'm alive! Glad to be up on two feet and holding myself up.
0:49:59 > 0:50:04I can tell you what - it feels like that cliff is a lot taller
0:50:04 > 0:50:07when you're hanging off the side than when you're down the bottom.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09Take me away!
0:50:13 > 0:50:16Any advice for dog walkers on cliffs?
0:50:16 > 0:50:20Yeah - basically, keep dogs on leads, away from cliffs! Correct footwear.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22I mean, we enjoy doing this,
0:50:22 > 0:50:25but we don't want to be out every day of the year.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28'Good advice for Ted and his kind. But he's not daft.
0:50:28 > 0:50:31'Look who found the steps from the beach!' You slackers!
0:50:31 > 0:50:36- You took the easy way up! - Absolutely.- I feel your pain, Ted.
0:50:36 > 0:50:40- We're rescue survivors together. Let go and get a cream tea.- Absolutely.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53Well, it's a good thing that they rescued James from that cliff,
0:50:53 > 0:50:55cos very shortly I'm going to need a wrestling partner.
0:50:55 > 0:50:58First, let's see what the weather is going to be throwing at us
0:50:58 > 0:51:00in the week ahead with the Countryfile forecast.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11We're exploring North Cornwall.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15I'm in Tintagel, situated high above the rugged cliffs
0:53:15 > 0:53:19and crashing waves. It's a glimpse of ancient historic Britain.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Go on, go on, go on. Ooh! Goodness me. Right.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25It's time for a spot of wrestling.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28Or "rasslin'", as it's known around these parts.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31And these lads certainly look like they mean business. He's gone!
0:53:37 > 0:53:41It's Cornwall's national sport. It's bred champions for decades.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45There's even historic international rivalry, with matches
0:53:45 > 0:53:47between Bretons and Britons.
0:53:47 > 0:53:49- COMMENTATOR:- Into the recreation ground at Newquay
0:53:49 > 0:53:52march six of the strongest men in Cornwall.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55In their hands may hang the reputation of the Duchy.
0:53:55 > 0:53:59The cream of Cornish wrestlers, they were to meet a team from Brittany,
0:53:59 > 0:54:02who had come to Newquay, complete with traditional costumes.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06There are tournaments held all over Cornwall,
0:54:06 > 0:54:09and these are two of the champions, John and Richard.
0:54:10 > 0:54:14Mike Cawley is a stalwart of the Cornish wrestling fraternity.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16In fact, he's founded a dynasty.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20Because he's the dad of these two chaps.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22What is the history behind the sport?
0:54:22 > 0:54:25The history of wrestling was Celtic war practice.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28We're here at Tintagel Castle today.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30When Arthur was born here, his father would have sent out
0:54:30 > 0:54:34messengers out all over the county, maybe up into Devon as well,
0:54:34 > 0:54:36and there would have been a big tournament here.
0:54:36 > 0:54:40- Prize money maybe of a year's wages. - Just to celebrate the birth?
0:54:40 > 0:54:43To celebrate the birth. Cos there was nothing else.
0:54:43 > 0:54:45No other sports. And when I say a purse,
0:54:45 > 0:54:47it would have been a big purse of gold.
0:54:47 > 0:54:49Wrestlers could earn big money then, right throughout history?
0:54:49 > 0:54:52It was just like pop stars now, and football stars.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55- Was that the case back in your day, Mike?- Not quite!
0:54:57 > 0:55:00'Well, there's no putting it off. It's time for me to have a go.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03'But first, I need to get kitted up.'
0:55:03 > 0:55:06- COMMENTATOR:- The main essential is the wearing of a loose canvas jacket
0:55:06 > 0:55:09by which the wrestlers catch each other.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12So long as it's caught anywhere above the waist, it's fair.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14But a throw does not become a fall
0:55:14 > 0:55:17until both shoulders and one hip touch the ground.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21- First move we're going to do on you is a fore hip.- Fore hip?- Right.
0:55:21 > 0:55:23So you shake hands with Richard.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26Take his jacket round his neck like he's doing with you. Round the neck.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29- Turn in.- Into there?- Across.
0:55:32 > 0:55:37- Yeah. There's...- That's the sky! - Slight disorientation there.
0:55:37 > 0:55:41Yeah, the sky is still where it was. Right, you do that to him.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44So shake hands, get the jacket.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46- Drop that to there, yeah.- Across.
0:55:47 > 0:55:48Beautiful.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58Oh, there's the body slam!
0:55:58 > 0:56:00HE LAUGHS
0:56:00 > 0:56:02- It's actually called an "under heave".- Is it?
0:56:02 > 0:56:05'And just as I'm getting to grips with some of the moves,
0:56:05 > 0:56:09'my Countryfile opponent arrives. Perfect timing.'
0:56:09 > 0:56:10Look who's here! James!
0:56:10 > 0:56:14- This all looks way too manly. What's going on here?- How was your rescue?
0:56:14 > 0:56:18- All right?- Yeah, a lot of fun. A lot of fun.- James, just try that.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22- What have you been up to?- I've been rescued from the top of a cliff.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24It doesn't help that this is actually sail material,
0:56:24 > 0:56:26so the chances are you may...
0:56:26 > 0:56:28- So it's not very flexible. - ..blow away.
0:56:28 > 0:56:30Just imagine you're in the harness.
0:56:30 > 0:56:32- Grab hold of that there.- OK. - And then just...
0:56:32 > 0:56:36- And over he goes! - That is a dirty, dirty trick.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38It's known as a back, that, James.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41- There we are!- Which basically means that you've lost the match.
0:56:41 > 0:56:45- Thanks very much. Thanks for giving m e a chance, as well.- It's all over.
0:56:45 > 0:56:47That's all we've got time for for this week.
0:56:47 > 0:56:48Next week, Adam turns all foodie,
0:56:48 > 0:56:52as he sources all the ingredients that are round about his house
0:56:52 > 0:56:55and he's going to try and make a pizza for the whole family.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58So whatever you do, don't miss that. Bye-bye.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd