0:00:23 > 0:00:29The South Pennines, where old rivals Yorkshire and Lancashire collide.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34A vast landscape of sweeping moorlands and rugged hills.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40It's also home, of course, to the Pennine Way,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44but I'm not going to be walking all 268 miles of it,
0:00:44 > 0:00:46I'm just going to be doing the bottom section,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50but I think that's work enough in itself. I haven't got a penny on me
0:00:50 > 0:00:52so I'm going to have to earn my keep.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56But walking isn't the only way to enjoy this part of the world.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I'm taking to two wheels for some extreme mountain biking
0:00:59 > 0:01:03so I might be doing a few endos, maybe a few wheelies,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06but I'm just a novice compared to this guy.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Wind turbines may be controversial, but like them or loathe them,
0:01:11 > 0:01:16they're key to meeting our EU obligations on green energy,
0:01:16 > 0:01:17as Tom's been finding out.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Those binding renewable energy targets mean we will be seeing
0:01:21 > 0:01:26a lot more turbines springing up across our landscape in the future.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28But where are they all going
0:01:28 > 0:01:31and what will this wind revolution do to our green and pleasant land?
0:01:31 > 0:01:34I'll be investigating.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38And Adam's farm is a hive of activity.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40When you're working with farm animals,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44you have to treat them with respect because they can be dangerous.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46But there's one creature that's about to arrive on the farm
0:01:46 > 0:01:48that I'm going to have to be very careful with.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05The Pennines, a mountainous landscape of uplands, valleys
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and brooding, wide, empty moors.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12It's often described as the rugged backbone of northern England.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16For years, this area has been a Mecca for hikers
0:02:16 > 0:02:18who travel here from far and wide
0:02:18 > 0:02:22to take on one of the most challenging walks in the world.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28The Pennine Way opened as an official walking route in 1965.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33268 miles long, it stretches from the top of the Peak District,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36through Yorkshire and into the Scottish border.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Today, I'm exploring the southern end of it
0:02:39 > 0:02:41which falls into picturesque Bronte country.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Few have managed to complete the whole walk.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48I'm not going to even attempt it, but one brave soul who did just that
0:02:48 > 0:02:52and wrote about it along the way was one of our national treasures,
0:02:52 > 0:02:53poet Simon Armitage.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Then it's back to the work
0:02:57 > 0:02:59To the acid acres
0:02:59 > 0:03:02To wade through water-logged peat
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Trawling the breeze Carding the air
0:03:05 > 0:03:06For threads of sheep wool
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Snagged on the breeze.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13In 2010, Simon set off on a journey that was a lifetime's ambition
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and would test the strength of local hospitality.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19It was a bit of a gamble. I set off without any money in my pocket.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24To find out how he got on with that journey, I've arranged to meet him
0:03:24 > 0:03:30here at Ickornshaw Moor and we're retracing some of his last steps.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31It's a really hard walk.
0:03:31 > 0:03:37It's not in any way a glamorous walk or one of these new boutique walks.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41It's a difficult slog across pretty tough terrain.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Why did you do it?
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Erm, well, the southern part of the Pennine Way goes through
0:03:47 > 0:03:50the village of Marsden where I was born and brought up.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53So it had always been part of my consciousness.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56There had always been this regular influx of hikers
0:03:56 > 0:03:59coming through the village as I was growing up.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01It was a bit odd cos when I showed my dad what I was taking,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03he said, "You don't need any of that stuff.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07"Just take a bin bag to pull over your head when it rains."
0:04:07 > 0:04:09- Strewth. That's optimistic! - Well, books.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13- Obviously, some water.- Some water. A good old-fashioned map. Very good.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17- A good old-fashioned map. - Excellent for orienteering.- Whistle.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- Did you need it?- I didn't, no.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22I did blow it a couple of times but only for fun.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26- A compass.- What else have we got in there?- Notebook.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28- Essential for a poet. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30- GPS unit.- Ah!
0:04:30 > 0:04:34I thought I wouldn't need this and it had to come out on day two.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36I got lost in the Cheviots.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39You were glad of it then, I suppose?
0:04:39 > 0:04:42If I hadn't had it, the whole thing would have gone pear-shaped.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47One of the images that inspired Simon's poetry
0:04:47 > 0:04:50were the black huts dotted along this stretch of the landscape.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53They're thought to be old shooting huts.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Above Ickornshaw, black huts
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Are raised against damp
0:04:58 > 0:05:00On footings of redbrick
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Landlocked chalets lashed to the bedrock
0:05:04 > 0:05:07With steel guy-ropes and telegraph wire
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Braced for Atlantic gales.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13It was poetry that financed Simon's 19-day journey
0:05:13 > 0:05:15along the Pennine Way.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Having left home without any cash,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19he offered recitals in return for bed and board.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24Every night, I gave a reading and passed the cap around
0:05:24 > 0:05:28and just said to people, "Put in whatever you think I was worth."
0:05:28 > 0:05:32And I made my way on that.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Just beneath us is the village of Cowling,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39where one particular couple remembers this weary,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42weather-beaten poet doing a reading in their sitting room.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43He'd done 20 miles from Malham
0:05:43 > 0:05:47and the last five miles was a lot of climbing
0:05:47 > 0:05:50and so he wasn't in the best condition at all.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52A bit sweaty.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Well, he's back here today with a bit more vigour, more poetry
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and an audience ready and waiting.
0:05:59 > 0:06:04Hand-maidens, humble courtiers
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Yes-men in silver wigs
0:06:07 > 0:06:09They stoop low at the path's edge
0:06:09 > 0:06:15Bow to the military parade of boot and stick.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I've got a feeling he's going to be there a bit longer
0:06:19 > 0:06:22than half-an-hour this time. But he has given me an idea
0:06:22 > 0:06:25of how I can pay my way through the landscape.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32I'm no poet, but I'm certainly no stranger to hard work.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Further southwards, up in the hilly terrain above Todmorden,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39is a half-acre vegetable farm run by anthropologist Ben Campbell.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Ben's spent more than 20 years studying rural communities in Nepal
0:06:43 > 0:06:47and has now introduced his own version of a Himalayan farm
0:06:47 > 0:06:49right here in the Pennines.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53I've offered to help him plant some potatoes in return for lunch.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56There's garlic, there's onions all around. Some of them from,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00in fact, the Himalayas, like these mustard greens that I grow.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03It makes a really lovely, tasty spinach.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05So, how is your Himalayan hill farm similar
0:07:05 > 0:07:08to one in the Himalayas and how is it different?
0:07:08 > 0:07:13I suppose what we're doing here they would call a "house garden".
0:07:13 > 0:07:16You can pop in and out for some veg, that sort of thing.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21The mountainside that they live on - my friends - it goes way up
0:07:21 > 0:07:24and they move with their animals up and down
0:07:24 > 0:07:29a much wider range of ecological diversity than what we have here.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Although it can't rival the extreme Himalayan alpine climate,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37there's definitely a chill in the air today.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41So now I've worked up an appetite, I'm grateful for Ben's hearty
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Himalayan nettle and potato soup.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Like Simon, I'm proud to say I've earned my keep along the way.
0:07:47 > 0:07:48How different!
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Now, like them or loathe them,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56there's likely to be a huge rise in the number of wind turbines
0:07:56 > 0:07:58in the British countryside over the next few years.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00But how many are we going to have
0:08:00 > 0:08:04and where are we going to put them all? Tom's been investigating.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10The power of the wind,
0:08:10 > 0:08:15a power that's being harnessed at an ever-increasing rate.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22About 70% of our wind farms are on-shore, like this one
0:08:22 > 0:08:25in the South Pennines, and there are more to come.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Over the next eight years, the amount of energy produced
0:08:29 > 0:08:31by wind power is set to triple.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34That's because we've agreed to EU targets
0:08:34 > 0:08:38saying 15% of all our energy has to come from renewable sources
0:08:38 > 0:08:40like wind by 2020.
0:08:42 > 0:08:48There are already more than 3,500 turbines in the UK.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Some of them, like here, say, in East Sussex,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53are just single developments.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57But others, like Scout Moor, say, here in Lancashire
0:08:57 > 0:09:02have 26 turbines already, making it the second-biggest in England.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04And guess what - they're planning more.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08For the big players, it's not all about being green.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11There's some serious money to be made, too.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14The profits from wind are encouraging huge investment.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17It's one reason why they want twice as many here.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21You've already got 26, why more here?
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Well, there's a number of reasons, actually.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27It's a very good high-wind location. We're stood here now...
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- I can feel it today. - ..with the breeze in our faces.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32There's a lot of excess space up here.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34If you put them all in the same place,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37you limit the need to proliferate a lot of smaller wind farms
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- around the landscape.- But for the people who live around here,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43they might say, "We're getting all the pain ourselves."
0:09:43 > 0:09:47There's no doubt, you can't develop a wind farm without having some level
0:09:47 > 0:09:50of impact on the communities that surround it.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53What's at the core of most people's unhappiness, do you think?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I think pretty much at the top of the list is the visual impact
0:09:56 > 0:10:00and a real split there. People either love them or hate them.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02So if people say, "We don't like the look of them,"
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- can you do anything about that? - It's very difficult.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07They have to have scale to capture the wind.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10The colour of them, you'll see from looking here today,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12they're an off-white colour.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Unfortunately, the UK sky on average
0:10:15 > 0:10:17is a little bit grey as a backdrop
0:10:17 > 0:10:19so they're probably as good as they could be.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22There's certainly no easy way to hide them.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27But to get a better idea of the visual impact, I need to go higher.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31I've been given exclusive access to the top of the turbine.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33And at 60 metres up, it's not for the fainthearted.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37That's it. I've got all my protective and safety gear on now.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40I'm about to go up. But it's pretty tight in there so only I can go.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43So that means I've got to do some of my own camera work.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45So, I'll be taking this camera.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49With a bit of luck, we should be able to see a shot of the crew.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Wave me goodbye and wish me luck. See you!
0:10:55 > 0:10:57I'm just going to squeeze in here with you.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00The engineers have turned this turbine off for our ascent,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04but with gusts today grazing 50mph
0:11:04 > 0:11:06I've a feeling it's going to be a bit breezy.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Good news for the turbines, though.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12At full whack, one of these can produce enough power
0:11:12 > 0:11:15for 230 million cups of tea every year.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18I've just come out of the top of the lift.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21This is the first time I've ever been in the business end
0:11:21 > 0:11:24of a turbine, the heart of the beast, if you like.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28It is an incredible view from up here.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31I can see for miles to many of the surrounding cities.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33But that's just the problem
0:11:33 > 0:11:36cos it means that people for miles around can see me.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40For those that don't like turbines, that's not a great prospect.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43It's also one of the big issues for the people who say yea or nay
0:11:43 > 0:11:47to wind farms being built. Just a few weeks ago,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51the government announced big changes to our planning rules.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56According to some, it's the biggest shake-up for decades,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58with a presumption in favour of sustainable development
0:11:58 > 0:12:01like wind farms.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06It's up to local planners like Adrian Smith to weigh up our need
0:12:06 > 0:12:10for electricity versus the impact on our green and pleasant land.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14The value of a view is one of the hardest points to gauge.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18It's difficult to measure because it's a personal perception.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20There are professional ways of looking at it,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22in terms of effects on the landscape,
0:12:22 > 0:12:27but ultimately it comes down to a matter of judgement.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30What about the fact that there are some there already?
0:12:30 > 0:12:34- How important is that becoming?- Once you've got an existing wind farm,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38you tend to get a cumulative effect when you get more and more of them.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42You start seeing the whole of the landscape in terms of wind turbines.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45I imagine people listening to this thinking,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49"Therefore, I've got to keep out the very first one
0:12:49 > 0:12:51"because after I've got the first turbines,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53"I'm then going to have many more to follow it."
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- Isn't that a risk?- It is a risk but we have to take into account
0:12:57 > 0:13:03that the visual impact is only one of the issues that has to be considered.
0:13:03 > 0:13:09The new planning regulations make it clear that renewable energy
0:13:09 > 0:13:12is a priority, it should be delivered,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16but we do need to take into account the wider impact
0:13:16 > 0:13:18before we come to a final decision.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24And it's not just the big boys who are feeding wind
0:13:24 > 0:13:29into the energy mix. Smaller scale projects are springing up too.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32According to recent surveys,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35local planners tend to lean in favour of smaller schemes.
0:13:35 > 0:13:41Farmer Andy Payton installed two turbines at his farm a year ago.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45It reduces our costs, fixes our electricity costs,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48and hopefully, in the course of time, will provide an income.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Obviously, they've got to be paid for first
0:13:51 > 0:13:52and it's a substantial investment.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55If you look around, people would say this is an unspoiled landscape.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57But then you look around and see
0:13:57 > 0:14:00an abundance of pylons, telephone masts.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Everybody forgets about them - they fade into the subconscious.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06As time progresses, people will forget about them
0:14:06 > 0:14:09the same way they do with electricity pylons.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13The government are obviously pushing wind turbines, and rightly so
0:14:13 > 0:14:16in my opinion, cos if we don't do something,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18there's a very real danger of lights being turned off
0:14:18 > 0:14:22- in the not too distant future. - To stop that happening,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24it looks like wind power will have to play its part.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27If we're to meet our renewable energy target,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30that's going to mean more than 600 new schemes
0:14:30 > 0:14:33appearing in our countryside over the next few years.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37So, how will we decide where they go
0:14:37 > 0:14:40and can we measure their real visual impact?
0:14:40 > 0:14:41I'll be finding out later.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52This part of the South Pennines is undeniably beautiful
0:14:52 > 0:14:54and I've taken to two wheels to explore it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56And now I'm on my way to a special little place
0:14:56 > 0:15:00that's kept the locals topped up with pints of tea
0:15:00 > 0:15:02for the last 100 years.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05If you lived in Lancashire more than a century ago,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08there's a good chance you'd have worked in a cotton mill.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12The hours were long and hard and the conditions pretty grim.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15The only respite came when the factories closed
0:15:15 > 0:15:18on Saturday lunchtime for the weekend.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21So, come the weekend, what better than getting out into the countryside
0:15:21 > 0:15:25on your bike with a few little pit stops along the way?
0:15:26 > 0:15:29In the shadow of Pendle Hill, nestled in a hidden valley,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32stands the Clarion House.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35This modest tearoom, once one of many,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38is a small monument to the spread of socialism.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41It was set up in 1912 for workers who wanted to escape the grime
0:15:41 > 0:15:44by getting on their bikes and out into the fresh air.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Can I have one of these pints of tea that I've heard so much about?
0:15:47 > 0:15:51- You can. I've just made a fresh brew.- Have you?! Perfect timing.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I'll take my gloves off cos I've been cycling.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- Right. I'll come round and grab me tea.- OK. Help yourself to sugar.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00- And it's proper tea as well! - It's proper tea. No teabags here!
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- That's lovely. Will you show me round?- I will. I'll come round.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10I like this banner that sums it all up. "Socialism, our hope."
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Well, that's what we're here for, really. It's an indication
0:16:13 > 0:16:16of the early socialist pioneers that thought about
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- building this place in such a beautiful spot.- Yeah.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21This is what their philosophy was.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Get out into the fresh air, fellowship
0:16:24 > 0:16:27and let's build a better world, really.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- And this is the last house? - There was a network of them
0:16:30 > 0:16:32all over Lancashire and Yorkshire
0:16:32 > 0:16:35and other parts of the North and this is the last one.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39A lot of them have been converted into residential houses
0:16:39 > 0:16:41or just fallen into disrepair.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- Is it right that there's a bus that comes up here?- There is.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47On a Sunday, from April till October,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51there's a bus that goes round all the Pendle villages
0:16:51 > 0:16:55and a lot of the older people who used to come as children,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57who can't manage the walking or biking any more,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59they come on the bus. They love it.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- How many pints of tea do they get through?- Oh, well...!
0:17:02 > 0:17:05- They're the big drinkers, when they come in.- That's right.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06THEY LAUGH
0:17:06 > 0:17:10And they were very specific about where they put these houses.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- Looking at this view...- Isn't this what they come for, really?
0:17:13 > 0:17:18People sit outside and enjoy this beautiful part of the country.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- These have seen some years, I imagine.- They're like me, really!
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Don't be daft, man!
0:17:27 > 0:17:30It's surprising how quickly you get through a pint, isn't it?
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- Good tea.- I'm going to be zipping into the bushes down the road!
0:17:34 > 0:17:35That's the trouble with cyclists.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- Anyway, thank you very much indeed. - OK. I'll just get your change.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- No, no. Don't worry. I'll pay for yours as well.- OK, thanks.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43- Come again!- See you later.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Earlier we heard that the energy produced from wind power
0:17:50 > 0:17:53is set to triple in the next decade, but is enough thought being put
0:17:53 > 0:17:57into the impact that that'll have on our countryside?
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Here's Tom.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05The wind of change is here
0:18:05 > 0:18:09and it's blowing in the direction of more wind power.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11To meet our EU target for renewable energy,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13we're going to see many more of these.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18But it'll come as no surprise that the look and location of turbines
0:18:18 > 0:18:22still stirs strong feelings in local communities.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23Here in the South Pennines,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26they have the second-biggest wind farm in England
0:18:26 > 0:18:30and plans are afoot to double the size of it.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Which isn't what everyone wants to hear or see
0:18:34 > 0:18:36in places like Scout Moor.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40When this wind farm was built four years ago,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Ann Metcalfe led the campaign against it.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48From her farm, she can see 24 of the 26 turbines.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Why did you feel so passionate about it yourself?
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Because I'm passionate about the place where I live.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58I'm passionate about the moorland, the habitats,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00the life that there is there
0:19:00 > 0:19:04and I'm passionate about keeping it as it is, not in aspic
0:19:04 > 0:19:07or anything like that, but for our future generations.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10You need to listen to the people that live there,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13the people it affects, the people that see it every day.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16And of course, it's like anything else,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19once they get the thin end of the wedge, they start,
0:19:19 > 0:19:20then somebody else comes
0:19:20 > 0:19:23and then the whole countryside is going to be covered in them.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25The passion is very much still with you on this.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Why did it affect you so much?
0:19:27 > 0:19:30The visual impact makes me churn up inside.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31That phrase - "churn up inside" -
0:19:31 > 0:19:34that's almost like a physical response.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38It is. I think I'm extreme... It just makes me feel ill.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40It makes me feel sick. I used to ride...
0:19:41 > 0:19:46I used to ride over the moor every day. I actually... Sorry.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49- That's OK.- I actually find it very difficult to do now.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Because it affects you so deeply?
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Yeah. Probably a very silly thing, but yes, it does.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01The emotions are still raw and powerful.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03But when considering objections,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06planners tend to focus on hard facts and figures.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10What if there was a way to put a value on a view?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Could it be used as part of the planning process?
0:20:13 > 0:20:17And how on earth would you measure something so subjective?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21At the University of Manchester, I'm going to meet Dr Deborah Talmi
0:20:21 > 0:20:23who's an expert in measuring
0:20:23 > 0:20:27- how we feel about what we see. - You have to match up
0:20:27 > 0:20:30what people say and how their body reacts in order to have
0:20:30 > 0:20:32a real understanding of how people feel.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35She's going to show me some photos of the countryside,
0:20:35 > 0:20:36some with turbines and some without.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39She wants me to say how they make me feel,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43using an emotion scale, which is where these little guys come in.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45The top goes from "bored" to "excited"
0:20:45 > 0:20:48and the bottom from "positive" to "negative".
0:20:49 > 0:20:53We've got a lovely rural scene here with a few hay bales.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56I quite like it but it's not the most exciting thing I've ever seen
0:20:56 > 0:21:00so I'll go for that. And as I say, feeling warm about it but not crazy.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04This is a more active picture.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07It looks like it's supposed to elicit a response.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09It feels like I'm flying through them
0:21:09 > 0:21:11which feels almost quite hazardous.
0:21:11 > 0:21:17So I'll go right at the top for the maximum shock response, if you like,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19and funnily enough,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22slightly less contented, probably in the middle,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25because there's something faintly alarming about that picture.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Deborah can also use physical response tests,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32like monitoring how much I sweat or my changing body temperature.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35It's the very early stages of research
0:21:35 > 0:21:40but measuring my responses this way could help put a value on a view.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43So how might you adapt this to something like the way
0:21:43 > 0:21:45we view wind turbines?
0:21:45 > 0:21:48I think we could show people images of wind turbines
0:21:48 > 0:21:51and show them control images of man-made structures.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54For example, radio towers or church towers.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59And measure a few different aspects of the physiological reaction.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02But we can also measure tiny little changes in their facial muscles
0:22:02 > 0:22:06to indicate whether they're happy or unhappy.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10So people produce tiny little smiles and tiny little frowns
0:22:10 > 0:22:14and we can try to pick up on how happy they are with the images.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22As we've found out, assessing the visual impact of all this alongside
0:22:22 > 0:22:25all the other considerations is a difficult balancing act.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27To triple the energy from wind,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30it's predicted we'll see double the number of turbines.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Renewable UK represent the wind power industry.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Even these wind champions admit there are some hard choices.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42So we're going to see at least twice as many turbines
0:22:42 > 0:22:45across Britain in the next decade or so.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49- Are you happy with that? - I don't think we're overfull yet.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51If you go to places like Denmark and Germany,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55if we had the same amount of development per square mile
0:22:55 > 0:22:58as they do, we would have three, four, even five times
0:22:58 > 0:23:02as much as we do now. So I think it's not intrinsically unacceptable.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05And those who find them ugly have just got to learn to love them?
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Well, it's a democratic process that says that, actually,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13it's a priority for this country to have onshore wind.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15It's a good part of our mix.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20To an extent, some people will find that's something they don't like.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- And it's tough? - I don't like to use the word "tough"
0:23:23 > 0:23:26but people will have to accept things that they don't like.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28But is that fair cos those people might think we're already doing
0:23:28 > 0:23:31our bit for climate change. "I don't mind a handful in my view,
0:23:31 > 0:23:36"but I don't want that to open the door to tens, twenties of turbines?"
0:23:36 > 0:23:39This is a balance that we've yet to fully bottom out
0:23:39 > 0:23:42in terms of what is the full acceptable cumulative impact,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45as we describe it, of multiple developments in an area.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48But I think that's a debate we want to have
0:23:48 > 0:23:51because the more we can do with onshore wind, it's the cheapest
0:23:51 > 0:23:54mass deployable renewable energy there is out there
0:23:54 > 0:23:58and obviously, it's something we'd do for the benefit of the country.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01So, it seems turbines often attract more turbines.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Whether you blow hot or cold for wind energy,
0:24:04 > 0:24:09expect some areas of the country to be increasingly dominated by it.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17The South Pennines have proved to be an inspiration
0:24:17 > 0:24:20for poets, writers and musicians.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23But these days, there's a certain extreme mountain biker
0:24:23 > 0:24:25who finds motivation here.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Chris Akrigg sees every boulder as a potential platform for a stunt.
0:24:29 > 0:24:3212 months ago, it all went terribly wrong.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Later, I'll be meeting Chris and hearing about his amazing rescue.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41Also coming up on Countryfile -
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Ellie discovers that memories of the infamous Pendle witch trial live on.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49Her mum says, "Kill John Robinson." And John Robinson went and died.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Adam's farm's buzzing to the sound of bees.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58- Oh!- Did you just get stung in a very sensitive place?- Very close.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03And is the weather going to be kind to us as well as the bees?
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Find out with the Countryfile five-day forecast.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20This week, we're exploring the South Pennines and Katie's here, too.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23She's looking at why we need to learn to love a particular weed
0:25:23 > 0:25:24that thrives here.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28They're often considered a pesky blight,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31an evil threat to well-manicured lawns across the land.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35But many would argue that the much-maligned dandelion
0:25:35 > 0:25:38has powerful properties way above its weed-like status.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44For a start, what you may consider to be the bane of your lawn's existence
0:25:44 > 0:25:48is actually a vital source of food for a very rare little bird
0:25:48 > 0:25:51that certainly packs a powerful punch here in the Pennines.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55The twite, otherwise known as the Pennine finch.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58But intensive farming practices
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and the loss of dandelion-rich hay meadows
0:26:01 > 0:26:04has made it more difficult for the birds to find their favourite food.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08But the RSPB is working on a project with Natural England
0:26:08 > 0:26:10to restore the meadows.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Charlotte Wakeman is preparing dinner here at Seed Central.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17So, what's on the menu?
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Well, this is a mixture of dandelion seeds,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22common sorrel,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26autumn hawkbit and also a tiny bit of yellow rattle
0:26:26 > 0:26:28because the bird only eats seeds
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and it absolutely loves dandelions.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32We might like croissants, but it loves dandelions.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35We have lost a lot of our meadows
0:26:35 > 0:26:39and this particular project not only helps the twite
0:26:39 > 0:26:43but it also helps butterflies, bees, pollinating insects and everything.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45So it's a win-win situation, really.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Twite used to breed in 12 counties in England,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54but in the past 14 years, their numbers have declined by 90%.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57These days, they only breed in the South Pennines,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00rich in the rough moorland and gorse that the birds love.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Farmers like Rachel are changing the way they farm to provide
0:27:04 > 0:27:08the essential seed supplies needed to help recover twite numbers.
0:27:08 > 0:27:09These are the hay meadows.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11They don't look much like hay meadows now,
0:27:11 > 0:27:17but the twite tend to nest just at the side of the moorland over there.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21They will feed off the seeds here. From the field point of view,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25our sheep will be lambing in here. They will then go to the moorland
0:27:25 > 0:27:27and we won't see them again until summer time.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30In the meantime, this field will be left alone to grow,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33for the various different seeds to be there for the twite.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35At the end of July, we'll be able to come in here
0:27:35 > 0:27:37with our tractors, mow the fields,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40allow the seed to regenerate back into the ground
0:27:40 > 0:27:43and then the cycle will begin again.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46The project has been running for two years and already
0:27:46 > 0:27:5069 football pitches' worth of meadow have been replanted in the area.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Let's hope the humble dandelion can restore the fortunes
0:27:53 > 0:27:55of the seed-eating twite.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00But it's not just wildlife that appreciate the nutritional value
0:28:00 > 0:28:03of this much-maligned plant.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06'The birds eat the seeds up on the moorland, but at ground level,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10'and in your own back garden, dandelions can be free food.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13'Wild food expert Chris Bax reckons the dandelion
0:28:13 > 0:28:17'could give any trendy expensive superfood a run for its money.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20'But you do need to know what you're doing.'
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- Hello, Chris.- Hi, how are you doing?
0:28:22 > 0:28:24- I'm fine.- Good. - What are you cooking up for us?
0:28:24 > 0:28:27I thought we'd make some dandelion flower bhajis.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Sounds very good.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33'Essentially, they're onion bhajis but with dandelions.'
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Here we go, then, Katie. Let's make some batter up for the bhajis.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Couldn't be simpler.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40'Chris uses chickpea flour,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43'bicarbonate of soda, a pinch of salt...'
0:28:43 > 0:28:44Always need a bit of salt.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47'..and cumin seeds to make the basic batter.'
0:28:47 > 0:28:51- How hot do you like it? - Oh, let's make it spicy.- OK.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55So we'll put a bit of chilli powder in.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59'A few onion seeds, a bit of water, and mix to a gloopy consistency,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02'then gently stir in the key ingredient.'
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Are dandelions actually going to be good for you?
0:29:05 > 0:29:08They've been used as a spring tonic for many years
0:29:08 > 0:29:12- cos they help flush out the system cos they're a diuretic.- Great.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14But they're also full of potassium
0:29:14 > 0:29:17so they actually replace the potassium that you lose.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19'As well as being high in potassium,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23'dandelions have been used to treat digestive disorders,
0:29:23 > 0:29:24'arthritis and eczema.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28'Serve with a wild garlic raita,
0:29:28 > 0:29:32'and this is one medicine I don't think I'll mind taking.'
0:29:32 > 0:29:34- The moment of truth. - I'm going to have one too.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38- Is it good? You can see the dandelion in there.- Mmm.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42- Mmm!- Gorgeous, eh?- Mmm!
0:29:42 > 0:29:45I've just eaten a dandelion! THEY LAUGH
0:29:46 > 0:29:50'OK, so the bhajis may be new to my palate, but I'm overwhelmed
0:29:50 > 0:29:54'with a wave of nostalgia as Chris brews up his next delight -
0:29:54 > 0:29:56'dandelion and burdock.'
0:29:56 > 0:29:59- What is this? - That's your pestle and mortar, OK?
0:29:59 > 0:30:01And we need to bash up our roots.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04'Place clean and chopped dandelion and burdock roots
0:30:04 > 0:30:05'in a pestle and mortar -
0:30:05 > 0:30:08'I don't think it has to be giant-sized -
0:30:08 > 0:30:10'and bash together with some ginger.'
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- These roots need to bubble away in the water for about 20 minutes.- OK.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16'And whilst my potion bubbles away,
0:30:16 > 0:30:21'I'm going to taste some that Chris has already brewed up and cooled.'
0:30:21 > 0:30:22It's not bad. It's not bad at all.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25I don't know what I was thinking it was going to taste like!
0:30:25 > 0:30:27It's actually quite nice.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31'Strain, and stir in some sugar until dissolved.'
0:30:31 > 0:30:34- Thank you very much, Chris.- It's a pleasure, an absolute pleasure.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37- I love the bhajis and I'm going to take this bottle with me.- Enjoy.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40- Thank you. A taste of childhood. - Bye.- Bye!
0:30:40 > 0:30:42We may remember it fondly as a childhood classic
0:30:42 > 0:30:46but dandelion and burdock has been taken as a tincture for many years.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49This stuff was a firm favourite
0:30:49 > 0:30:52in many of the temperance bars in the area.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56The bars were initially set up to stop the textile workers
0:30:56 > 0:30:58from drinking too much alcohol.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06'This place has been using the same secret dandelion and burdock recipe
0:31:06 > 0:31:08'for over 100 years,
0:31:08 > 0:31:10'developed as a tonic to purify the blood
0:31:10 > 0:31:13'and detoxify the waterworks.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15'But surely it's time for a change?' Good afternoon.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18'I wonder if I can market our foraged potion?'
0:31:18 > 0:31:19- Cheers.- The first attempt.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22First attempt. Let me know what you think.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31Well, that's very earthy. And it's pretty good for your first attempt.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33He thinks it's OK.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36So forget the bad press and spare a thought for the unassuming dandelion.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39They may be a blot on your landscape,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42but up in the Pennines, they embrace them.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Well, if you can't beat them, you may as well eat them.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52BLEATING
0:31:52 > 0:31:53At this time of year,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56there are plenty of exciting new arrivals on Adam's farm
0:31:56 > 0:32:00but he's about to receive a delivery that's really creating a buzz.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12The recent warm weather has been absolutely glorious
0:32:12 > 0:32:15but for my spring barley that was planted about three weeks ago,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17it's starting to suffer.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19What it needs is moisture.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21But one of my other crops
0:32:21 > 0:32:26that's had absolutely spectacular growth is my oilseed rape.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30Over the last month, it's grown about two foot.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33It's really romped away.
0:32:33 > 0:32:34And if we can get some rain on it,
0:32:34 > 0:32:37potentially this could be a bumper crop.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43It won't be long now before over a million acres of land
0:32:43 > 0:32:45right across the country will turn bright yellow,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47transforming the landscape.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53What we're after when we harvest this crop is lots of rapeseed.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56And those are little tiny black seeds that are then crushed
0:32:56 > 0:33:00and the oil is extracted to make margarine and cooking oil.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03Each of these flowers forms a pod
0:33:03 > 0:33:06and inside the pod are the little seeds that we're after.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10So the key to a high-yielding crop is good pollination.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15And to help, I've employed some workers. Thousands of them.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18'I've invited local beekeeper Chris
0:33:18 > 0:33:22'to put his bees on my farm for the next few weeks.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25'Hopefully, they'll help pollinate my oilseed rape.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27'I'm a bit apprehensive, though, cos whilst I like bees,
0:33:27 > 0:33:28'they don't like me.'
0:33:28 > 0:33:31- How are you?- Very well, Adam. - Good to see you.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34Are your bees nice and secure? Cos I'm very allergic to bee stings.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36Yes, at the moment you should be absolutely fine.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39- They're all locked away, no problem at all.- Great.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41- Is this a good spot for them? - It is a good spot for them.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44We're slightly down in a gully so it should miss the wind a little bit
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and we're south-facing, which the bees seem to like.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Oilseed rape needs insects to pollinate the flowers
0:33:49 > 0:33:53- and the bees will help with that, won't they?- They will indeed.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57What you'll be looking at is an 8% to 10% increase in your yield.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00What it will give you is a better seed set in each pod.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02It will give you a shorter flowering period,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05so when you actually come to crop, it'll all be ripe and ready to go.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Wonderful. And how many have you got with you today?
0:34:08 > 0:34:10I've got ten hives here at the moment.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13How many bees will that add up to?
0:34:13 > 0:34:17- You're looking at around about 15,000 to 20,000 in each hive.- Goodness me.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19So we're going to have 200,000 bees flying around?
0:34:19 > 0:34:22And slowly getting more and more by each week as well.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24By the time the oilseed rape is finished,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27I would think there would be something in the region
0:34:27 > 0:34:29- of about 50,000 to 60,000 in each box.- Goodness me.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30I'll let you unload them
0:34:30 > 0:34:33but I'll put on a bee suit and go and stand about a mile away!
0:34:33 > 0:34:34Yeah, no problem at all.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39I make a sharp exit
0:34:39 > 0:34:42whilst James gets to work setting up the beehives.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44It's a great deal for both of us.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48My crop gets well pollinated and James gets the honey.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54It's quite exciting having all these bees.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Despite being allergic to them, I'm not really scared of them,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01I just swell up if I get stung.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08You seem to be very brave, James, working with no gloves.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12I think, just over the years, I've just got used to it, you know?
0:35:12 > 0:35:14Tough hands, I suppose. JAMES STRAINS
0:35:14 > 0:35:16It sounds like they're quite heavy.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19I would usually come and get stuck in and give you a hand,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21but, obviously, with the bees, it's a bit dodgy.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24- JAMES LAUGHS - I love honey.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26HE STRAINS
0:35:28 > 0:35:33- Beautiful. All done.- Great. So what's the plan now, then?
0:35:33 > 0:35:35I think if we leave them for half an hour,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38just to settle down from being bumped around a bit on the journey up here,
0:35:38 > 0:35:42then it's let them out and start work, I think.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- OK. I'll meet you round the other side.- OK.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50- We going to have a bit of lunch and then come back.- No problem.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Half an hour later and the bees are more settled. Or so James says.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59Hopefully, we can go and release them.
0:35:59 > 0:36:00If you want to stay here -
0:36:00 > 0:36:02I'd say it's probably the best thing for you -
0:36:02 > 0:36:04I'll go down and open them up and see what comes.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06- I'll watch you at your work.- Thanks.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13- You ready, Adam?- Yeah. - The grand entrance.
0:36:13 > 0:36:14I hope they don't let us down.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Well, these are all the foraging bees coming out now.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21They'll orientate themselves to that hive...
0:36:22 > 0:36:26..and then give it sort of half an hour and they'll be off to work.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30- So when you open them up, do they get a bit angry?- Yeah, a little bit.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33I've got a few bees buzzing round me at the moment,
0:36:33 > 0:36:36but it's nothing too much, to be honest with you.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Did you just get stung in a very sensitive place?
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Very close to being stung in a sensitive place!
0:36:43 > 0:36:44On the inside of the leg.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47But it was through the jeans so it didn't hurt too much.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58So what have you got there?
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Just to let people know that there's bees working,
0:37:00 > 0:37:05and if anyone is allergic to them, it just gives them a heads-up
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- and probably tells them to move on a little bit.- Yeah.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10I reckon there's one last thing.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12- We need to taste a bit of honey, don't we?- Yeah, I think we do.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14- Have you got some?- Yeah.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16See if you like this.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20This is honey the bees made last year from oilseed rape.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23- See if you like it. There's a spoon here.- Yeah.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Mmm.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32- A very distinct flavour. - It is, yeah.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33You will get different flavours
0:37:33 > 0:37:36from different crops the bees have been feeding on.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38I like it. I do enjoy honey.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40How do you know whether the bees are doing a good job?
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Well, there's a couple of ways.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44One, you'll see my hives getting taller,
0:37:44 > 0:37:46where I keep adding supers to them.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49That means they keep filling them up and they're full of honey.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Another way is sort of comparing this crop of oilseed rape here
0:37:53 > 0:37:56to your crop a couple of miles away,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58and you can see which one has done better.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- Hopefully, they'll do their work. - Let's hope so.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Let's have another dip of that honey.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08It'll be fascinating to find out
0:38:08 > 0:38:12if the bees make a difference to my rapeseed.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15The bees aren't the only recent delivery on the farm.
0:38:15 > 0:38:16Lambing is in full flow.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18BLEATING
0:38:18 > 0:38:20These are my more primitive and hill breeds.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23They are very, very hardy and wonderful mothers.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26We let them lamb out in this little paddock
0:38:26 > 0:38:30but we keep an eye on them, come round them two or three times a day.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33They have tiny little lambs and hardly ever need any help.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36We've got the Herdwicks here with the white faces.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40And then these brown ones that look like deer are Castlemilk Moorits.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Looks like we've got some newborns in the corner here.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47That was born yesterday. This was yesterday's too.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49It's already been marked up. I'll see if I can catch it.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Come on, missus, let's get a little look at your lamb.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03The little Herdwick lambs are so sweet,
0:39:03 > 0:39:08and their wool is really wiry and thick.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12And so that's why this is the only breed that can really survive
0:39:12 > 0:39:15the harsh conditions of the Lakeland fells.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18A great mother, there.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26An amazing bond there between the ewe and the lamb.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29She sniffed it over to make sure it's OK
0:39:29 > 0:39:32and now she's walking it away from us to keep it safe.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35A really lovely sight.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38With the sheep tended to,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42it's time to turn my attention to a crop my livestock rely on.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Sometimes we take grass for granted, but not today.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50We think about our soil quite often with our arable crops,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52but less so, really, in our grass.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Cos there's grass growing on top of the soil all the time,
0:39:55 > 0:39:57unless you reseed, you don't really churn it up.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01And what's happened over the years in these permanent pasture fields
0:40:01 > 0:40:03is that the soil has become compacted.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05And so what we're doing with this sward slitter,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09it's spiking the ground and shattering the soil beneath it
0:40:09 > 0:40:11so the worms can get through the soil
0:40:11 > 0:40:14and the roots can then forage for nutrients
0:40:14 > 0:40:17and hopefully make the grass grow better.
0:40:17 > 0:40:22Just coming up to the end of the run here. Spin it round.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26These modern-day tractors have got amazing technology on board.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30It's got a computer and it's run by satellite navigation -
0:40:30 > 0:40:32it knows exactly where it is in the field.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36We've plugged into the computer the width of the machine we're towing
0:40:36 > 0:40:40and it works out the most efficient way of covering the whole field,
0:40:40 > 0:40:43without overlapping any, and without missing any.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47And it's self-steering as well. It's doing it on its own.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49And I just sit here, hands-free.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57And then, out of the blue, something that's heaven sent.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59RAIN PATTERS
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Well, the weather's turned and it's finally started raining,
0:41:03 > 0:41:07which isn't great for bees, but for my crops, it's great news,
0:41:07 > 0:41:09and not a moment too soon.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Next week, I'm off to meet a very famous neighbour...
0:41:13 > 0:41:15of the four-legged kind.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19CROW CAWS
0:41:22 > 0:41:26Evil, magic, and demonic rituals.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28The story of the Pendle witch trials here in the Pennines
0:41:28 > 0:41:31has the elements of a Hollywood blockbuster.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34But it isn't just fantasy,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37it's a harrowing account of real-life events
0:41:37 > 0:41:40that happened here exactly 400 years ago,
0:41:40 > 0:41:45in what would become the most famous witch trials in English history.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49John Bulcock.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Alice Nutter.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Anne Whittle, but Chattox is what they call me.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Jane Bulcock.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00Those are the names of some of the accused,
0:42:00 > 0:42:02all locals from Pendle,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05who were rounded up and charged with being witches.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13We may not believe in witches any more but what they represent
0:42:13 > 0:42:17still invokes a sense of fear in some of us.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22And 400 years ago, the kingdom was rife with suspicion about them.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29The year was 1612 and King James I was ruler of England and Ireland.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33A Protestant king, he had been raised with a fear of Catholicism
0:42:33 > 0:42:35and all those practising the old ways.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38There was a widespread fear of witchcraft,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42and in an effort to stamp it out, he had written Daemonologie,
0:42:42 > 0:42:43a bible for witch-hunters,
0:42:43 > 0:42:47which ordered the execution of any known witches.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50'To find out how a major witch-hunt came to happen in Pendle,
0:42:50 > 0:42:54'I'm meeting up with a man who knows all about the area's dark past.'
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Simon, we're sat underneath the brooding Pendle Hill
0:42:57 > 0:42:59that sets our scene.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02What was it about this area that attracted witch-hunting?
0:43:02 > 0:43:06Well, Lancashire at that period of time was a very isolated county
0:43:06 > 0:43:10and it was also a very, very strong Catholic county
0:43:10 > 0:43:13and viewed with some suspicion by the king himself.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15The actual witches really lived
0:43:15 > 0:43:20beneath the shadow of Pendle Hill in isolation, away from occupied areas.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Did he have some fear...?
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Was there a connection with Catholics and witches?
0:43:25 > 0:43:27Well, there was certainly a feeling
0:43:27 > 0:43:32towards Catholicism and witches being somehow connected,
0:43:32 > 0:43:34being feared, if you will, being feared.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36So what was it that led to the Pendle witch trials?
0:43:36 > 0:43:40Well, this all took place on the 18th March 1612,
0:43:40 > 0:43:44when young Alison Device had a walk along the foothills of Pendle
0:43:44 > 0:43:48and had the misfortune of meeting a peddler from Halifax called John Law.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51She begged, "Just a few pins, sir. Just a few pins."
0:43:51 > 0:43:52"Be away with you."
0:43:52 > 0:43:56All of a sudden, this large black dog came from nowhere
0:43:56 > 0:43:59and sat next to Alison and the dog talked.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01"Alison, shall I lame him for you?" "Lame him!"
0:44:01 > 0:44:04All of a sudden, Law fell to the floor and found, to his horror,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07he was completely paralysed on his left side.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09Left arm, left leg - completely useless.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12- So nowadays, that would be a stroke? - That's quite correct.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14But in those days, it was witchcraft.
0:44:15 > 0:44:16Full of contrition,
0:44:16 > 0:44:20Alison Device confessed to having cursed the peddler.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22The incident opened a can of worms
0:44:22 > 0:44:24which led to the arrest of all her family,
0:44:24 > 0:44:27who were also accused of being witches.
0:44:27 > 0:44:32Along with others, they were taken to the court at Lancaster Castle,
0:44:32 > 0:44:35which today still serves as a working court.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38It is amazing to think
0:44:38 > 0:44:42that those trials took place 400 years ago in this building,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45and it's in the court where things took a shocking turn.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48The accused were brought before the magistrate
0:44:48 > 0:44:51and charged with several counts of witchcraft.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53Some of them denied those charges,
0:44:53 > 0:44:56but it was when nine-year-old Jennet Device,
0:44:56 > 0:44:57Alison's younger sister,
0:44:57 > 0:44:59was brought into the court that their fates became sealed.
0:45:01 > 0:45:04It's said that young Jennet Device stood on a desk
0:45:04 > 0:45:06and calmly denounced her whole family
0:45:06 > 0:45:09and others that she knew to be witches.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13And it was this single testimony that led to ten convictions.
0:45:14 > 0:45:19The trial lasted just two days and led to a public execution,
0:45:19 > 0:45:22possibly with young Jennet Device watching from the crowd.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25The Pendle witch trials were significant
0:45:25 > 0:45:27because this was the first known case
0:45:27 > 0:45:29in which a child had been a star witness in court.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31'Today we can only wonder
0:45:31 > 0:45:34'what led young Jennet to turn in her whole family.'
0:45:34 > 0:45:38I think she was looked after by the local magistrates,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41given special privileges, and as a result,
0:45:41 > 0:45:45she incriminated her grandmother, her mother, her brother, and sister.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48She was essentially bribed, really.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51I think she was really well looked after by the local magistrates
0:45:51 > 0:45:53- who wanted to curry favour with the king.- Right, I see.
0:45:53 > 0:45:56And what sort of things were they accused of doing?
0:45:56 > 0:45:59Of making clay effigies of people,
0:45:59 > 0:46:02of crumbling them and people dying mysteriously.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06Also, items were taken from this very churchyard, such as human teeth.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10They didn't realise what they were doing was a state capital offence.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Coming from this part of the world, out in the wilderness
0:46:13 > 0:46:15and then being thrown into a court in Lancaster
0:46:15 > 0:46:17would have been like going to New York.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20'So was the outcome of the Pendle witch trials
0:46:20 > 0:46:23'one of the greatest miscarriages of justice?
0:46:24 > 0:46:27'Local playwright Richard MacSween certainly thinks so.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31'His recent production, Devilish Practices, is based on the trials.'
0:46:32 > 0:46:36Me Mam is a witch, because I've seen a brown dog, what she calls Ball,
0:46:36 > 0:46:39come to our house. And one time Ball asked me mam,
0:46:39 > 0:46:43he asked it even though he's a dog, what she wants doing.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47Mam says kill John Robinson and John Robinson went and died.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50'I've caught up with Richard and his cast during rehearsals.'
0:46:50 > 0:46:53Richard, how do you go about writing a play on this subject?
0:46:53 > 0:46:55What have you got to go on?
0:46:55 > 0:46:58You have to start, I think, with the account we have of the trial,
0:46:58 > 0:47:00which was produced by somebody called Thomas Potts.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02Thomas Potts was the clerk of the court
0:47:02 > 0:47:07and he wrote down his account of it, which is something we can use.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09The trouble with it is it's totally unreliable.
0:47:09 > 0:47:13He wrote it under the instructions of the judges of the trial
0:47:13 > 0:47:17in order to explain what a wonderful and fair justice system they had
0:47:17 > 0:47:19so it had its own agenda.
0:47:19 > 0:47:22- He heard what he wanted. - Thomas Potts.
0:47:22 > 0:47:26Stole our voices, made us say what he wanted us to say.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28And blackened our names.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31We've got pressure coming from two angles - from the local magistrate,
0:47:31 > 0:47:34and the other pressure is coming from neighbours,
0:47:34 > 0:47:37ordinary people who are under great economic pressure.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41People are very poor at this time, there's a lot of begging going on,
0:47:41 > 0:47:44people are really at subsistence level,
0:47:44 > 0:47:47and they are going round pestering their neighbours, perhaps,
0:47:47 > 0:47:51who are getting upset, who then start making allegations.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54My baby died. The second one.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57My child went sick. Was it them?
0:47:57 > 0:48:00Well, it must be. There's no other reason.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02ALL: Them.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04I think it's a mistake if people look back and just say,
0:48:04 > 0:48:07"Weren't they silly superstitious people back then?"
0:48:07 > 0:48:09There were superstitions then,
0:48:09 > 0:48:12there are still lots of illogical kinds of behaviour now,
0:48:12 > 0:48:14so, I mean, I hope we learn from it and move on.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23In a moment, Matt will be putting his balancing skills to the test
0:48:23 > 0:48:26when he has a go at extreme mountain biking,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28but if you're thinking of heading out on two wheels,
0:48:28 > 0:48:32you'll want to know the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:49:50 > 0:49:57.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14Brooding moors and impressive rocky outcrops -
0:50:14 > 0:50:17the Pennines landscape provide a challenging backdrop
0:50:17 > 0:50:19for any walker or cyclist.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22And I'm off to meet a guy who likes to embrace the landscape
0:50:22 > 0:50:25whatever the weather with full force.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32Extreme sports fans amongst you will recognise the name Chris Akrigg -
0:50:32 > 0:50:35a six-time National Bike Trial champion
0:50:35 > 0:50:36and all-round superhuman
0:50:36 > 0:50:39in the world of professional mountain biking.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41Yorkshire-born and bred,
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Chris likes nothing more than thrashing around at breakneck speed
0:50:44 > 0:50:47and generally white-knuckling his way around the Pennines.
0:50:49 > 0:50:51So, Chris, we're moving from the flatter land,
0:50:51 > 0:50:54something I'm very comfortable and confident with,
0:50:54 > 0:50:58to something that you're obviously very, very at home with.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00This gritstone crag, it looks unbelievable.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04This is where we want to be. A bit more fun. A little bit more exciting.
0:51:04 > 0:51:06And when you arrive somewhere like this,
0:51:06 > 0:51:09are you just constantly looking at it, analysing it,
0:51:09 > 0:51:10thinking, "What can I do here?"
0:51:10 > 0:51:13Yeah, I think it's just something that's been programmed into me.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16No matter where I am, if I'm out shopping, driving the car,
0:51:16 > 0:51:17out walking the dog past stuff like this,
0:51:17 > 0:51:20I'm just constantly looking for the next obstacle,
0:51:20 > 0:51:23- the next big thing, really.- Obviously now you're all over the internet
0:51:23 > 0:51:24doing this incredible stuff,
0:51:24 > 0:51:28you must be very proud to put Yorkshire on the world map?
0:51:28 > 0:51:31Absolutely. It's such a unique landscape.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34It does stand out against other videos.
0:51:34 > 0:51:35OK, well, I'm sure you can teach me
0:51:35 > 0:51:38a few little tricks over some of the easier stuff.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41We'll maybe start with the pebbles and then go over a few stones
0:51:41 > 0:51:43- and then see where we get to from there.- Excellent. Let's go.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56So what you want to do, you're trying to get your front wheel up
0:51:56 > 0:52:00and then transfer your weight from your back to your front.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02So you're almost like doing an endo.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06Oh, yeah, you're flying up.
0:52:08 > 0:52:09- Go on.- Oh, he's there!
0:52:11 > 0:52:15Go on, then, Chris, let's have a look and see how the expert does it.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22- Oh, look at that! - Just about made it.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27Madness. It didn't even look like you had an obstacle there.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30'Well, I've quite a way to go before I'm at Chris' level.
0:52:30 > 0:52:32'Yorkshire truly is his playground.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35'Every rock and crag has stunt potential.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39'But even a six-times champion takes a tumble sometimes.'
0:52:41 > 0:52:44- So this is the spot. The rock of doom.- Right.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47And what were you aiming to do here, then? And what happened?
0:52:47 > 0:52:50I was basically trying to jump from this rock there onto that one
0:52:50 > 0:52:53and then just ride round the back of it, out of shot.
0:52:53 > 0:52:56And obviously, with the backdrop, which you can't see today,
0:52:56 > 0:53:01it would have been an amazing end to a little video that we were making.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03- You've got the footage, then?- Yeah. - Let's have a look.
0:53:03 > 0:53:08- So I did have a couple of early attempts.- Yeah.
0:53:08 > 0:53:10You're checking it out there, then.
0:53:10 > 0:53:14- I'd been here, as well, a couple of times.- It's a massive jump.
0:53:14 > 0:53:18- Oh, my word!- There's plenty of grass, which I was lucky to land on.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22And this is the actual... This is the crash.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25Oh, my goodness me!
0:53:25 > 0:53:27- And then you just tumble all the way down.- Yeah.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29- < You all right, Chris? - Ambulance!
0:53:29 > 0:53:33Thankfully, Chris wasn't alone. His mate was with him filming.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37It's not good.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40I think this is going to be the start of a long...
0:53:44 > 0:53:46..painful road, but, you know...
0:53:48 > 0:53:49I reached a limit, I think.
0:53:52 > 0:53:53Done.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03The Yorkshire air ambulance was straight on to the rescue
0:54:03 > 0:54:07but this was one performance on camera Chris wasn't expecting.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09The BBC Helicopter Heroes show that follows the air ambulance
0:54:09 > 0:54:11captured his ordeal on their cameras.
0:54:12 > 0:54:13What happened?
0:54:13 > 0:54:17'It was immediately obvious that Chris' leg was not just broken.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19'His whole femur was shattered.'
0:54:19 > 0:54:22OK, mate, take a deep breath for me.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25- That give you any pain? Any pain here in your ribs?- No.
0:54:25 > 0:54:26No pain here in your chest?
0:54:26 > 0:54:28'Paramedic Daz feared segments of bone
0:54:28 > 0:54:31'could cause severe internal bleeding.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34'The swift actions of the air ambulance got Chris to hospital,
0:54:34 > 0:54:38'and after some heavy-duty pinning and some slow and steady physio,
0:54:38 > 0:54:41'Chris is well on the road to recovery.'
0:54:41 > 0:54:44How do you feel when you look back at that now?
0:54:44 > 0:54:45Initially, when I saw the footage -
0:54:45 > 0:54:48- obviously it's going to bring a little bit of emotion back.- Yeah.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52But now, you know, it's nearly a year ago now and I'm back on my bike
0:54:52 > 0:54:55and I don't feel anything for it.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57I'm not going to jump back on and try it again.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00- I've put that one to bed quite early, really.- Yeah.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03You don't fancy having a go, then? MATT LAUGHS
0:55:03 > 0:55:05I think that's just a little bit too wide,
0:55:05 > 0:55:08that gap, for me, at the moment.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18It's nearly a year to the day since these guys came to Chris' rescue.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20And since they're in the area on a training exercise,
0:55:20 > 0:55:23it's the perfect opportunity for a catch-up.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28- Daz, how are you doing? All right?- How are you?
0:55:28 > 0:55:30I've been up here with a mate of yours today
0:55:30 > 0:55:32and I'm sure you're going to be pleased
0:55:32 > 0:55:35to see him back on his feet, or even back on his bike.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37- Here he comes.- How are you doing?
0:55:37 > 0:55:39I recognise that face. And that leg.
0:55:39 > 0:55:44- How are you doing, you OK?- Amazing. - Better circumstances this time.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Yeah, you're stood up and riding your bike,
0:55:47 > 0:55:49which is amazing to see, really.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51- What do you remember of Daz? - Not so much, really.
0:55:51 > 0:55:56I remember him slipping down the bank to come and meet me at the bottom
0:55:56 > 0:55:59and all the way through, a really good sense of humour
0:55:59 > 0:56:02and kept morale pretty high all the way through, actually.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05I might have a bit of something for you, mate. Just hang on one second.
0:56:05 > 0:56:10- A do-it-yourself leg injury kit. - THEY LAUGH
0:56:10 > 0:56:12Don't use it all at once, will you?
0:56:12 > 0:56:16Brilliant. Chris, all the very best, mate. Good luck with the recovery.
0:56:16 > 0:56:19Hope it goes well. I'm sure it will. Cheers, lads.
0:56:19 > 0:56:20- Nice to meet you. - I'll leave you to catch up.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23Well, that's all we've got time for from the South Pennines.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Next week, Ellie will be in Hampshire,
0:56:25 > 0:56:27taking a trip down memory lane
0:56:27 > 0:56:31of some of our favourite Countryfile journeys. Hope you can join us then.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd