0:00:26 > 0:00:30An English vista of low, rolling hills and green fields
0:00:30 > 0:00:32stretching into the distance.
0:00:32 > 0:00:39This week, we're exploring the rural tranquillity of Bedfordshire.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42I'm at Woburn Abbey, discovering how an aristocratic
0:00:42 > 0:00:45passion for collecting rare animals helped save
0:00:45 > 0:00:49one of the world's most endangered species of deer from extinction,
0:00:49 > 0:00:53and why it pays to have some of the fanciest antlers around.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55With the hay fever season
0:00:55 > 0:00:58in full swing, Tom's investigating allergies.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Why is it we in the UK suffer more from allergies
0:01:01 > 0:01:04than any other European nation?
0:01:04 > 0:01:08And can anything be done to stop the problem getting worse
0:01:08 > 0:01:11for future generations? I'll be finding out.
0:01:11 > 0:01:16And also on Countryfile, Adam's had his fair share of problems
0:01:16 > 0:01:20with bovine TB down on the farm, but he's not the only one.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Not a good result, that one.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27I've now got to tell my daughter she's lost one of her cows.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Katie discovers how the Bedfordshire countryside
0:01:32 > 0:01:36inspired John Bunyan to pen Pilgrim's Progress.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I thought it was just going to be you and me, but this is fantastic.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- I brought a few friends along. - It's going to be a true pilgrimage.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48And ever wondered why Luton Town FC is nicknamed The Hatters?
0:01:48 > 0:01:53We'll reveal all when we reconnect the players to their rural roots.
0:01:53 > 0:01:59ALL: Over one, under two, pull it tight and that'll do.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09This week, we're in Bedfordshire,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13and I've come to one of the biggest estates in the county, Woburn.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Stretching across more than 10,000 acres,
0:02:18 > 0:02:23it's been in the family of the Dukes of Bedford for over 300 years.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24And during that time,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28it's also sheltered some more unusual inhabitants.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32200 years ago, one of the Dukes decided to build himself
0:02:32 > 0:02:36a bit of an ark, and he collected animals from all the world.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39That passion was handed down over the generations.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44More recently, when family fortunes fell on hard times, the grandfather
0:02:44 > 0:02:48of the present Duke decided to raise money by opening a safari park.
0:02:50 > 0:02:58Today you'll find creatures like lions, tigers, elephants and rhinos,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02as well as, in the vast deer park, 9 species from all over the world.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08It's just as well the Dukes had a taste for exotic wildlife
0:03:08 > 0:03:11because this particular species of deer, the Pere David,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14became extinct in their native China.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16And, a quarter of a century ago,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Woburn was able to send some of its stock to Beijing,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23and now hundreds of Pere David are roaming the parks there once again.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Nowadays, the estate makes a pretty penny
0:03:27 > 0:03:29from sales of deer meat - venison.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33'And their success has attracted a farmer in the area, Andrew Lloyd.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38'He's looking to expand and thinks venison could be the way to go.'
0:03:38 > 0:03:40A fine Bedfordshire view there.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43- And some good looking cattle. How many have you got?- Thank you.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45There's about 500 in this farm altogether,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47split across half-a-dozen fields or so.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50And now you're thinking of breeding deer as well. Why's that?
0:03:50 > 0:03:54We have two butcher's shops where we retail our own beef and lamb.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59And game, venison in particular, seems to be a growth market,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01so it makes sense to offer our own venison as well.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Do you know much about deer, about how to look after them?
0:04:05 > 0:04:10Um, no, I know more about selling them than about rearing the deer.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12I think I know somebody who can help you,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- if we could get to our car! - HE LAUGHS
0:04:15 > 0:04:16Out of the way, boys!
0:04:21 > 0:04:25We're heading across to Woburn to help Andrew find out
0:04:25 > 0:04:27whether deer farming is for him.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31These fine animals are world famous for their pedigree,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33dating back hundreds of years.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35'Who better to ask about rearing them
0:04:35 > 0:04:38'than deer manager Calum Thomson?'
0:04:38 > 0:04:42I would suggest that we bring these animals into the handling system
0:04:42 > 0:04:45and get right up next to them. Then we can explain what to look for.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49'But that's not quite as straightforward as it might sound.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55'These yearlings, well, they're acting more like tearaway teenagers,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57'so they don't always do as they're told to do.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00'In fact, they're pretty feisty.' Off they go.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07- Off they go again.- Hey, hey, hey! - Steady, steady, steady, steady.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Come on, in you go.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11Good.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16- They look quite dangerous when they were running towards us.- They do.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19You can handle all that?
0:05:20 > 0:05:22- So far so good.- Good.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Here we go.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26There we are.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30What you're looking for is well-grown females, you know,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33healthy, bright eyes, good coat, in generally good condition.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38You're a stock farmer, so it's just the same as cattle.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And how important an indication are the antlers?
0:05:41 > 0:05:44They're important for us because the antlers can be valuable,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46and that's really what Woburn's famous for -
0:05:46 > 0:05:48its big-antlered stags.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51You know, we have stags up to 40, 50 points.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- That's huge.- Absolutely huge, yeah.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58But you can actually see some of the potential in these young stock.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01But you must never forget about the bodies.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04They've got to have that good platform to grow these antlers.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07How much would it cost Andrew to buy some of these?
0:06:07 > 0:06:11It's very much dependent on antler quality, but if you look at Y6,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14we'd be looking at about £1,500 to buy that one.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18And all the females, after mating, are £1,000 each.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22- But that's after they've been to the stag.- In calf?- Not guaranteed.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24- Not guaranteed?- Not guaranteed.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27But we'll put them to a stag of your choice.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29I just need to build some bigger fences as well?
0:06:29 > 0:06:33You need to build some bigger than stock fences, yeah.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34Up to probably six foot.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38While Andrew mulls things over, there's an extra thing
0:06:38 > 0:06:41he's got to bear in mind because, as well as selling the venison,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45there's a lot of money to be made from those lovely antlers.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50The deer shed them completely once a year in spring.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Here at Woburn, they're collected and sold,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55mainly for use in oriental medicine, where it's believed
0:06:55 > 0:06:59they promote virility and strengthen the immune system.
0:06:59 > 0:07:00But there's one man, Mo Ali,
0:07:00 > 0:07:05who puts them to a more artistic use - horn carving.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07What on earth can you do with something like this?!
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Well, something like this probably can go either into
0:07:11 > 0:07:14big chandeliers or made into furniture.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19- Big armchairs?- Yes, big armchairs. - If you're careful how you sit on it!
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Yes, absolutely! THEY LAUGH
0:07:21 > 0:07:26I suppose one of the most popular uses of antler is in walking sticks.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30- I've got one here, almost finished. - There's a stick without the antler.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35Without the antler. Now, this is a very valuable piece of antler.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37It's called a coronet,
0:07:37 > 0:07:42because this is where the antler sits on the deer head.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46- Right.- And it's always nice to have that on a stick. It looks very nice.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- Something to put your hand round. - Yeah, you can hold it
0:07:48 > 0:07:51that way or this way, whatever you like.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55What we're going to have to do is take this file
0:07:55 > 0:08:00- and just file it gently, as straight as you can.- Right, OK.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06'And gently does it, because too much of a heavy hand could ruin
0:08:06 > 0:08:09'Mo's careful craftsmanship and an expensive piece of antler.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12'I hope I'm getting it right.'
0:08:13 > 0:08:17- So let's see what kind of fit that is now, shall we?- Absolutely.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22- What do you think?- It's spot-on. - Can I try it out?- Of course you can.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- A fine walking stick.- Absolutely.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28'I'm sure the first Duke would have approved
0:08:28 > 0:08:32'of the way his passion for wildlife has developed here at Woburn.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36'He might even have liked my walking stick.'
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Any day now, the Government is expected to confirm
0:08:39 > 0:08:43whether it's going ahead with its pledge to cull badgers
0:08:43 > 0:08:46in an attempt to stop the spread of bovine TB.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50But just what is this disease and why is it so damaging? Over to Adam.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Like so many farmers in the UK, I've spent the past decade
0:08:56 > 0:08:59dealing with the curse of bovine TB.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Now, I love seeing badgers on the farm,
0:09:01 > 0:09:05so I understand the anger many would feel about a cull.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08But just why are we in this difficult situation?
0:09:09 > 0:09:13'It's all to do with the impact that bovine TB has on cattle.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15'We have to test ours regularly,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19'and, if they react to the test, they have to be slaughtered.'
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Aren't you beautiful?
0:09:26 > 0:09:28We've got TB on the farm again.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32- This animal is a cow in calf, is she, Mike?- Yep.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34I won't woo her, she's going to have her throat cut.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37'The disease is concentrated in a few areas of the UK
0:09:37 > 0:09:42'and Gloucestershire where I live is one of the hot spots.'
0:09:42 > 0:09:44This is a little White Park heifer calf,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48born this spring, part of our future breeding stock.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50It's got TB.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53'In the last decade,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56'we've had to cull more than 70 of our rare breed cattle.'
0:09:56 > 0:09:59We've lost our stock bull.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00'We get compensation,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'but it never makes up for the loss of our breeding stock.'
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Thankfully, we're clear of bovine TB at the moment.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11And I recently bought in some rare breed White Park heifers,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15all in calf, in an attempt to build up our herd again.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18When you lose five White Parks, like we did last winter,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22and the bull, that's a big percentage of that breed.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Yeah, It's more than half our herd, but actually it affects
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- the national herd, doesn't it? - Absolutely.- Yeah.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Yeah, well, let's hope we don't lose any more.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34No, you mustn't let it get you down.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37That's, that's so important. You've got to be...
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Stay positive and think to yourself, "It'll come right in the end."
0:10:43 > 0:10:47I just hope my dad's right. It's hard to stay optimistic.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Last year alone in the UK,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53almost 25,000 cattle were slaughtered due to bovine TB.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01I've arranged to meet a dairy farmer in South Gloucestershire
0:11:01 > 0:11:05who recently lost some of his best milking cows to the disease.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08David Morton's herd now have to be tested every 60 days
0:11:08 > 0:11:11until they're all clear. It's a real headache.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Today they'll find out if they've still got TB on the farm.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18I've been trying to reassure the guys that we could be OK,
0:11:18 > 0:11:20but not to put too much hope on it,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23because past experience suggests that,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25after a breakdown of 12 or so cows,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28we could well have another one or two today.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32- So...- Yeah. OK, let's get the vet and get 'em in.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Go on, then, missus.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- 1246.- 'Three days ago,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44'vet Brian Bowles injected all the cattle to test their immune system.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48- 'If their skin has reacted, it means they've got TB.'- 1427.
0:11:50 > 0:11:51Five.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56- Four.- 'Thankfully, these cows are all OK.'
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Go on, then, girls. Go on, then.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Two Jerseys?
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- My daughter's.- Are they?
0:12:04 > 0:12:07She had a Jersey cow from a pedigree herd when she was eight.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Your daughter's favourite. Well, let's hope they haven't got it.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13'It all seems to be going so smoothly,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16'but then, the vet spots a problem.'
0:12:17 > 0:12:18David...
0:12:20 > 0:12:22David?
0:12:23 > 0:12:24Reactor.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- You can see the lump, can't you, there?- Yeah.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32And it feels quite soft.
0:12:33 > 0:12:34OK. Now, that's a 10.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39So we got through a hell of a lot of cattle there and this is the first.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Not a good place to be.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45It sort of puts a dampener on the rest of the day.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47We've still got to finish what we're doing.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50And there's the chance we might find some more.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I've always wondered what would happen
0:12:53 > 0:12:56if you just left this cow in the herd and we did nothing about TB.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01If we left this, TB is a progressive, fatal disease,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05so it would eventually spread to organs, generally the lungs,
0:13:05 > 0:13:10then the udder, and the animal would have trouble breathing,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12and eventually it would die.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14A painful death as well.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Bovine TB can take years to affect a cow's health.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Thanks to pasteurisation, the milk is still safe to drink.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26But infected animals must be slaughtered
0:13:26 > 0:13:28to prevent the disease spreading.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31The cow that's just walked away, that's reacted to TB,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35doesn't look any different - a nice bloom in her coat, a healthy animal -
0:13:35 > 0:13:38so you can't spot it as a herdsman. It's hidden.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48I feel for them, you know. I go through this all the time.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51'Cows slaughtered for TB can still go into the food chain.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55'A post-mortem will determine how much the disease has developed.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00'If signs of the disease are minimal, it's deemed safe for consumption.'
0:14:00 > 0:14:03They have another bovine reaction here.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04Ten.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07- A reactor?- Reactor.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11- You can see there.- Yeah, yeah. Got a big lump there.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12- Yeah.- These cows are in calf.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15- They're not going through the parlour?- Dry cows,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18not going through the parlour. They're about to calve.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21So, she's got a newly, fully-formed calf inside her.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25- Foetus.- And she'll just go slaughtered like the other reactors.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29She'll have to go to slaughter and the foetus will not be born.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31'It's a crying shame,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34'but a new born calf would be at risk of infection from its mother.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37'The disease is indiscriminate, but the culling policy is strict,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40'and this cow will be slaughtered in just a few days' time.'
0:14:40 > 0:14:42We're starting to find a few now,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45this is the third one that they've found.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50There's plenty of cattle gone through without lumps, but three so far.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55'The news for David goes from bad to worse,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59'an in-calf Jersey has had a huge reaction.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:02That's enormous. Not a good result, that one.
0:15:02 > 0:15:08I have now got to tell my daughter she's lost one of her cows.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12A lot of the older ones, she will have on a halter around the yard...
0:15:12 > 0:15:15They're quite important to her.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23OK...
0:15:23 > 0:15:25- OK?- Right.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28'It's so frustrating. Despite our regular testing and culling,
0:15:28 > 0:15:33'government records show bovine TB has risen over the last 25 years.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36'When the test had finished,
0:15:36 > 0:15:40'I asked the vet why he thinks we're struggling with the disease.'
0:15:40 > 0:15:45If you go back to the '70s, we were on the point of eradicating TB,
0:15:45 > 0:15:50and then, they passed the Badger Act in 1973
0:15:50 > 0:15:54to protect badgers from badger baiting - nothing to do with TB.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57And TB climbed, and ever since the Badger Act was passed,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00the numbers have increased dramatically every year.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04But some argue the spread of this disease has more to do
0:16:04 > 0:16:09with cattle-to-cattle transmission than infection from badgers.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11However the disease is spread,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15it's horrible seeing cattle separated from the herd to go off to slaughter.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23I'm on way to meet Julia Evans in Herefordshire.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27She keeps pedigree beef shorthorns - a breed she's a real passion for.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36It's so lovely to walk amongst cattle like this that are so docile.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37At home, I can't be doing
0:16:37 > 0:16:40with animals charging around and going through fences.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43That's one of the attractions of the breed, I think. Yes.
0:16:43 > 0:16:44That's a lovely sight.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- Plenty of milk coming out of there! - Look at him.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- And a shorthorn lives a long time, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54They should have 15 years of healthy, productive life.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59So, to lose them in their former years to TB is pretty tricky.
0:16:59 > 0:17:05Well, it's very sad, really. That's not part of the plan.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08- And you know them all?- Yes. Yes. That's the lovely Jilly.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12- It's great you know all their names! - Yeah.- Lovely.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16'For farmers who rely solely on trading pedigree breeding stock,
0:17:16 > 0:17:20'Bovine TB can bring them to the brink of ruin.'
0:17:20 > 0:17:24LOUD MOOING, ADAM LAUGHS They're very vocal!
0:17:24 > 0:17:27'Julia's plan was to sell breeding cows,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29'but as she's got TB on the farm,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33'she's not allowed to sell live cattle, and it's hit her hard.'
0:17:33 > 0:17:37And when you first got it on the farm, what was it like?
0:17:37 > 0:17:41I couldn't believe it. I'd lost my first herd with foot and mouth.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Um, bought the herd in as a replacement.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48They'd been in six months, just got things organised and settled down
0:17:48 > 0:17:52and we had our first routine TB test. We'd never had TB here.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54Where the herd came from had no history of TB -
0:17:54 > 0:17:58I was very careful about that - and there were about eight reactors.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00And so I said to the vet,
0:18:00 > 0:18:04"That's a shame, what do we do? How do we treat them?"
0:18:04 > 0:18:08- He said, "No, we don't treat them, Mrs Evans, we kill them."- Oh, no.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12And I couldn't believe it. I was devastated. Heartbreaking.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16'Whilst farmers are compensated for their slaughtered animals,
0:18:16 > 0:18:18'it's little consolation for Julia.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21'Since their first outbreak of the disease nine years ago,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24'she's hardly been able to make any sales.'
0:18:24 > 0:18:28So I think, by now, I should have sold 80 or 90 breeding females,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31and I think we've sold five or something pathetic.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34- 80-90 for a couple of grand apiece. - Yeah.- Talking about £180,000 worth.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38- Not happened.- Not happened. - Oh, galling.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41If there was a vaccine for cattle, I'd do it tomorrow.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44But there isn't. And not likely to be one
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- for the foreseeable future. - Not for some time, I think.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50But for now, I've been waiting nine years,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53I need something to be done now, tomorrow,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56because TB is spreading out of control.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- And it isn't cattle versus wildlife, is it?- No.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01- It's a disease of the countryside...- Yes.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- ..that is frightening and costing us a lot of money.- Yeah.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09'It's estimated that Bovine TB in cattle
0:19:09 > 0:19:13'costs the tax payer around £80 million a year.'
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Opinions are divided over whether a badger cull
0:19:21 > 0:19:23would bring the disease under control.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27For many, it would be an unnecessary sacrifice of our precious wildlife.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35However you believe bovine TB should be controlled,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38it's clear that, at the moment, we're not winning the battle,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41and, for farmers like myself and Julia and David,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43well, we just can't carry on like this.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Millions of pounds of taxpayers' money
0:19:45 > 0:19:48and a huge amount of effort from all those concerned
0:19:48 > 0:19:50is going into controlling the disease,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53but we are still losing thousands of cattle,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and that's taking a toll on the British farmer.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Later on Countryfile, Katie is following in the footsteps
0:20:00 > 0:20:04of writer, John Bunyan, with modern-day pilgrims.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Is everybody ready for the hill of difficulty?
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- ALL: Yes! - Oh, that's nice.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12A sneak preview of some of the latest entries
0:20:12 > 0:20:16in our photographic competition, but is yours among them?
0:20:17 > 0:20:21And will the countryside look a picture in the week ahead?
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Stay with us for the Countryfile forecast.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Flitwick Moor in Bedfordshire.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39A pristine habitat fed by a natural spring
0:20:39 > 0:20:42and full of life, but all is not well here.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47James has been to find out what's upsetting the balance of nature.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53'This is one of the most prized wetlands in Southern Britain.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57'There are over 150 species of moss here alone
0:20:57 > 0:20:59'and that's just a small part of it.'
0:20:59 > 0:21:01But this magical moor is under threat.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06And it's this, Himalayan Balsam, that's causing the damage.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Victorian plant hunters fell in love with its pink flowers
0:21:10 > 0:21:14and brought it back to Britain over 150 years ago.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17It's been a feature of our gardens as an ornamental plant ever since.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19The problem is, in the UK,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22there are zero natural predators to keep it in check.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24So, once it takes hold,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28it grows at a phenomenal rate and just takes over completely.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30'I'm joining a group of volunteers
0:21:30 > 0:21:34'who are fighting to control this invasive plant.'
0:21:34 > 0:21:35What can I help you with?
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Come and join the line and pull whatever you can find.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- Seek and destroy?- Get a grip on it and it lifts right out.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- Wow, look at this one.- Wow.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50Oh, that's amazing. And look, there are no roots on that at all.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- And that's grown up since about April.- That's really quick to grow.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58This is the problem. It grows so vigorously, it out-competes natives.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01It'll out-shade them and we'll lose native plants from river banks.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04A real Triffid. What makes it so virulent?
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Each plant produces over 1,000 seeds.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10The seed pods are explosive. When they're ripe, they burst.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12The seed will spread maybe 6-7 metres.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15They're transported through people movement, animal movement.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18The seeds also get carried by the waterways.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20A lot of these wetlands are fragile habitats.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23If the river floods and brings the seeds in,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27we'll get the pink peril across the whole of Flitwick Moor.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30It's a shame we don't eat them. They eat the seeds in Asia.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32They make an edible oil out of them.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35You never know, it could be the next super food.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39- You wouldn't have any problems then. - That would be very handy for us!
0:22:39 > 0:22:42'Trying to keep it under control like this
0:22:42 > 0:22:46'is expensive and labour intensive. And it's not just here in Flitwick.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51'It's a national problem. Scientists are searching for the holy grail -
0:22:51 > 0:22:55- 'a natural way of keeping balsam at bay.'- We're looking into
0:22:55 > 0:22:59biological control using natural enemies from its native range.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03So, we went back to India and Pakistan,
0:23:03 > 0:23:07the foothills of the Himalayas, and we searched for both bugs
0:23:07 > 0:23:11and fungi that attacked the plant, and now we've got them back in
0:23:11 > 0:23:16our quarantine facilities, testing against closely-related species
0:23:16 > 0:23:20to make sure that they only attack Himalayan balsam and nothing else.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23That testing is vital to ensure that, if it gets released
0:23:23 > 0:23:28onto the British countryside, it doesn't affect other plants as well.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31The bugs didn't work, but there's a fungus that's looks promising.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33We found a pathogen in the Himalayas.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37We've tested against 60% of the test plants in our list,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39and it only attacks Himalayan balsam.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42- What would this look like if this got infected?- I have a picture here.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47This is exactly how it would lock with the leave stage of the spores.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51These fruiting bodies erupt out of the leaf and sprinkle the spores out.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54And they go on to infect the wider population.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59- How close are we to releasing this? - We've still got a lot of work to do.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03It could be anywhere in the next two to three years.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04If it does work,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08it would save conservationists up and down the country many man hours.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11But not everyone hates Himalayan balsam.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15There's a group of people who positively welcome it -
0:24:15 > 0:24:19beekeepers, like Graham Jackson. He keeps his hives
0:24:19 > 0:24:23close to the riverbank where the balsam flourishes.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27He's convinced that it makes his honey extra special.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Himalayan balsam comes out, it's very strong.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35It offers up to 47% more nectar than any other plant,
0:24:35 > 0:24:39so it's a tremendous source for the bees. Two years ago,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42I entered the Bedfordshire Bee Keeper's Association Honey Show,
0:24:42 > 0:24:47and I won three firsts. Apparently, the judge even went as far to say
0:24:47 > 0:24:49that she had never tasted honey quite like it.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52It was like a fig/toffee flavour, very unique.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56The bees can go anywhere, you can't control which flowers they feed on,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59so how would you know it's Balsam that made it so good?
0:24:59 > 0:25:02As they go in, looking at their pollen sacs,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06I can see different colour pollens, and I've got a chart I can refer to.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Himalayan balsam's like a greyish colour.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- That's what was going in.- So it's almost like the fingerprint?- Yeah.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15'Right the proof's in the pudding.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18'Time for me to taste some of that award-winning honey.'
0:25:18 > 0:25:22I'm pretty sure this is Himalayan balsam, as far as I can be.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27Look at that colour. Gosh. I'm going to turn into Winnie the Pooh!
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Wow, I really am! That's fantastic.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Sweet and honey-like, as you'd imagine, of course,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34but it's sort of medicinal tasting,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38like a Victorian cough sweetener, kind of spicy, camphoraceous.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- All the natural properties. - Yes, gosh!
0:25:41 > 0:25:43That's what we look for as beekeepers.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46So it's not all bad news for the balsam.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50As with most things in nature, it's all about balance,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52and, in future, it may well be
0:25:52 > 0:25:56that man can give nature a helping hand to keep Himalayan balsam at bay.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04More people suffer from allergies in the UK
0:26:04 > 0:26:07than in any other country in Europe.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Tom's been discovering why that is,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11and what can be done to make things better.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15'Britain is in the midst of an epidemic.'
0:26:15 > 0:26:18I have hay fever and asthma.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20I have hay fever and asthma.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23I've got hay fever, asthma
0:26:23 > 0:26:28and I'm allergic to kiwi, pineapple, cherries.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32'Blue Coat Primary School in Gloucestershire is a typical school,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35'where the pupils are struggling with allergies.'
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Sometimes, my throat closes up and I find it quite hard to breathe.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41It's quite hard to concentrate in class,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45because you can be sneezing or your eyes just start watering.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48'It's a problem that brings misery to millions.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51'But the causes may surprise you.'
0:26:51 > 0:26:55In the last 20 years, Britain has seen a huge increase in allergies
0:26:55 > 0:26:59and it's now got one of the worst rates in the developed world.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Two decades ago, on average,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07only 6 out of this group of 40 would've suffered from an allergy.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12Today it's almost half. And the biggest culprit?
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Hay fever, which affects a quarter of our children.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19Jamie has struggled with allergies since he was six months old.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23'Even with a high daily dose of antihistamines, he still suffers.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27'He wears sunglasses to help relieve some of the symptoms.'
0:27:27 > 0:27:33Well, it makes my nose really, really sneeze, really, hardly.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37and my eyes go a bit funny.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42Jamie's sneezing and itchy eyes are something 15 million of us in the UK
0:27:42 > 0:27:46might share some time during the year.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49But why are so many of us suffering?
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Hay fever is caused by an allergic reaction to pollen in the air,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56but where's that pollen coming from?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Many of you may think you already know.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01A few months ago, this field of oilseed rape
0:28:01 > 0:28:04would have been its full, vibrant yellow,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06prompting many people no doubt
0:28:06 > 0:28:09to point the finger of blame here for their hay fever.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12When it's in flower, it's laden with pollen,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14and a huge increase in oilseed rape
0:28:14 > 0:28:18seems to have coincided with the huge increase in allergies.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23So surely that explains why so many of us now suffer from hay fever.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Well, not according to Professor Jean Emberlin.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29She's been leading research into pollen-related allergies.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33Farmers seem very keen on this crop, we see a lot more acres of it.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Is it responsible for the rise in allergies?
0:28:35 > 0:28:40I don't think so in itself. In fact, very few people have an allergy
0:28:40 > 0:28:44- to oilseed rape.- So why do so many finger it as the guilty party?
0:28:44 > 0:28:48I think it's very obvious - its bright yellow when it's in flower,
0:28:48 > 0:28:50there's a lot of it in some areas.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53If you're close to it, a lot of people do feel uncomfortable.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57They start to feel a prickling in the nose and throat,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01a bit of wheezing or coughing, but that's not allergy for most people.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05It's a reaction to the natural chemicals that come off the crop.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07They act as irritants on the respiratory tract.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10So if it isn't this, what could it be?
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Most people who have hay fever, for example,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16are allergic to grass, flowering grasses, uncut grasses.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18And then, after that, it's birch trees
0:29:18 > 0:29:22and then it's oak and various weeds, like nettles and so on.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26So, if not caused by an increase in crops like oilseed rape,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29then why are allergies to pollen getting worse?
0:29:29 > 0:29:34There are a few ideas and a clue to one is a long way from the country.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37It may seem strange, but more people suffer from allergies
0:29:37 > 0:29:41here in the city than out in the countryside.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45And one theory is that all the pollution combines with pollen
0:29:45 > 0:29:48to create a much more potent mix.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51It's claimed that not only do city environments
0:29:51 > 0:29:56make pollen more powerful, but make us more susceptible to its effects.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58It's a complicated theory,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01but it boils down to the fact that, here in the city,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04we're just not as exposed to nature, to dirt,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07even to bacteria as we used to be.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09And that means our body's defences
0:30:09 > 0:30:13are reacting to things that they just shouldn't be.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15So when it comes to allergies,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18is there such a thing as being too clean?
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Dr Jonathan North is an allergy expert.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Jonathan, do you think our modern lifestyle makes us more allergic?
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Undoubtedly. We tend to be born with an allergic tendency,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32and the more exposed in our first years of life,
0:30:32 > 0:30:34the more we switch that tendency off.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36One of the things that will switch that off
0:30:36 > 0:30:39is dirt and bacteria that are present where we're brought up.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44One good example is in Berlin when the Wall came down.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46First, they saw a lot less allergy in the east,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49where things were supposedly a lot dirtier,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52certainly had a less efficient healthcare system.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55As their healthcare and social habits have changed to match ours,
0:30:55 > 0:30:57the allergy rate is matching ours.
0:30:57 > 0:30:58What can we do about this?
0:30:58 > 0:31:03Should we all be running around smearing ourselves in dirt as kids?
0:31:03 > 0:31:05In some respects, yes.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07We have infections to think of.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09Small, mild infections are very good,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11they help as far as allergy is concerned,
0:31:11 > 0:31:13but we don't want to go back to the days
0:31:13 > 0:31:16of children dying of cholera and smallpox and things like that.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19We need to tread a middle road on this, really.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24But in your view the old adage, a peck of dirt does you good, is true?
0:31:24 > 0:31:25Yes, absolutely.
0:31:25 > 0:31:30But this lack of exposure to nature and dirt isn't just a city problem.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33These days, many children in the countryside
0:31:33 > 0:31:35aren't being exposed to germs in the same way
0:31:35 > 0:31:37that their parents or grandparents were.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39And that goes a long way
0:31:39 > 0:31:42to explaining why hayfever is now such a huge problem.
0:31:45 > 0:31:46But it doesn't account
0:31:46 > 0:31:49for the rise of a more frightening set of allergies -
0:31:49 > 0:31:51the ones we have to food.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54It's the danger of children eating the wrong thing
0:31:54 > 0:31:56that really worries staff here.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59While hayfever and asthma can be serious,
0:31:59 > 0:32:03it's often food allergies which are life-threatening.
0:32:04 > 0:32:09That's something that Jamie and his family are all too familiar with.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13It's not just hayfever he has to put up with, he's also allergic to nuts,
0:32:13 > 0:32:15eggs, kiwi and sesame.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20Eating even a small trace of these could have serious consequences.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24The real danger for allergy sufferers is anaphylactic shock.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27That's when the throat swells up and can constrict the airways so much
0:32:27 > 0:32:29there's a danger of death.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32So a trip to the shops is never going to be
0:32:32 > 0:32:34a truly casual experience.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37Let's have a look, shall we?
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Go straight to the allergy advice.
0:32:39 > 0:32:43"Contains wheat, egg, milk, soya, may contain nuts."
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- What do we do with that one, then? - Put it back.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Jam tart, this might be OK.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50But it might not.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54- OK.- Allergy advice.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57"May contain..."
0:32:57 > 0:33:00"May contain nut traces," back it goes again on the shelf.
0:33:00 > 0:33:01No cake today, then, Jamie.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04When did it first appear?
0:33:04 > 0:33:08When he was six months old I gave him some scrambled egg to try.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11He really didn't even like the smell of it and probably only had a spoon.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14I didn't know what had happened, but he went to sleep,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16which I now know as anaphylaxis.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18He went to sleep straightaway, then was violently sick.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22When he was 18 months old, he just touched a peanut butter sandwich
0:33:22 > 0:33:27and his face swelled up, his eyes shut, he got hives by touching it.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30So straight to A&E. It went from there, really.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33One thing I was wondering is, after a while, does it become a routine
0:33:33 > 0:33:37and you can relax, or are you always on edge about what he's eating?
0:33:37 > 0:33:38You can't relax. Eating is a big thing.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41As a mum or a parent, you don't really relax
0:33:41 > 0:33:44until you've walked away and everyone is OK,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46because we've had some near misses.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50'Jamie is one of over three million people
0:33:50 > 0:33:52'who now suffer from food allergies.'
0:33:52 > 0:33:55So where has this new epidemic come from?
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Could there be something different about our food?
0:33:58 > 0:34:02Well, certainly a lot more of what we eat is imported,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04but that's not thought to be the reason.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08In fact, just like hayfever, food allergies can be caused
0:34:08 > 0:34:11by a lack of exposure to nature and to germs.
0:34:11 > 0:34:12But there's a twist...
0:34:12 > 0:34:13It's also suggested
0:34:13 > 0:34:17that eating too great a range of food when we are young
0:34:17 > 0:34:20and our immune systems are still developing
0:34:20 > 0:34:22can also trigger food allergies.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Full understanding is still a long way off.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27So, what can we do about it?
0:34:27 > 0:34:30One theory is, we should avoid anything
0:34:30 > 0:34:32that causes an allergic reaction.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35That means creating things like allergy-free bedding,
0:34:35 > 0:34:37anti-bacterial surfaces
0:34:37 > 0:34:39and even some day, perhaps, allergy-free crops.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43On this grass you can still see the little yellow and white pollen sacs
0:34:43 > 0:34:45hanging onto the stem.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47No doubt in a few years, there will be a demand
0:34:47 > 0:34:50to come up with hypoallergenic grass.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53But many experts say if we got rid of the current crop of things
0:34:53 > 0:34:57that make us sneeze and sniffle, our bodies will just react
0:34:57 > 0:34:59to a whole new bunch of chemicals.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02So there's real concern that too much avoidance
0:35:02 > 0:35:04will actually make the problem worse.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07But there are other potential solutions.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Jonathan North, who I met earlier,
0:35:09 > 0:35:13has been treating allergy sufferers for over 20 years.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Come on in.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Today, he is testing Siobhan,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20who is starting to show the symptoms of a fruit allergy
0:35:20 > 0:35:23that is actually linked to hayfever.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27And your mum mentioned that apples and pears cause you problems,
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- is that right?- Yeah.
0:35:29 > 0:35:34I think now it's time to do some skin testing if that's all right with you.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37What we do is just mark the skin.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39'In this case, making a diagnosis is as simple
0:35:39 > 0:35:42'as applying the substances she could be allergic to to her arm
0:35:42 > 0:35:46'and then pricking the skin to allow them into the bloodstream.'
0:35:46 > 0:35:50And here we can see a nice reaction to the apple coming up.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Siobhan is shifting in her seat.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55You look desperate to scratch your arm, am I right?
0:35:55 > 0:35:56I don't think Siobhan
0:35:56 > 0:35:59is going to have any severe reactions to apples,
0:35:59 > 0:36:01but I really think she shouldn't be eating the fresh form.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05'Avoidance isn't the only solution for allergies,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08'there are other treatments - like antihistamines, of course.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10'In emergencies there are adrenalin injections.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12'But none provide a permanent solution.'
0:36:12 > 0:36:16So, are you going to tell everyone about this tomorrow?
0:36:16 > 0:36:19'Jonathan is one of a handful of doctors
0:36:19 > 0:36:23'pioneering a new approach to allergy treatment - immunotherapy.
0:36:23 > 0:36:24'It cures the allergy
0:36:24 > 0:36:28'by administering the very thing you are allergic to,
0:36:28 > 0:36:30'much like many types of vaccine.'
0:36:30 > 0:36:32We don't want to trigger the allergy cells off
0:36:32 > 0:36:35by giving too big a dose in one go, so we start with a small amount.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40That allows the immune cells to recognise it.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42It's a like ringing the doorbell and running away -
0:36:42 > 0:36:44after you've done it a few times,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46people stop coming to the door to answer it.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Then you can increase the dosage a little bit,
0:36:49 > 0:36:51then get used to that dose.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54That's a very simple way of putting it, but essentially,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56provided you do it slowly and carefully
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and use nice, pure products, you can, through injection
0:36:59 > 0:37:02or drops in the mouth or tablets under the tongue,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05induce what we call tolerance, which is essentially a cure
0:37:05 > 0:37:07for the hayfever in a lot of people.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11But at the moment, building up tolerance is expensive,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14sometimes risky and not suitable for everyone.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17That means it won't help Siobhan
0:37:17 > 0:37:20or most other people with allergies to food.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24It's hoped that research into immunotherapy will one day lead
0:37:24 > 0:37:28to an effective treatment for severe allergy sufferers of all kinds.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30But until that day comes,
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Jamie and millions like him will continue to suffer.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38In the meantime, the price of good health is constant vigilance.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Still to come on Countryfile, we reconnect Luton Town Football Club
0:37:44 > 0:37:48with the origins of its nickname, the Hatters,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51when players try their hand at straw plaiting.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54That is good, isn't it?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Here's one I prepared earlier.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Is that your work or his work?
0:37:59 > 0:38:02I couldn't possibly say!
0:38:02 > 0:38:06And will it be straw-boater weather in the week ahead?
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Find out with the Countryfile forecast.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22Rural Bedfordshire is a fine sight,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25but these fields and hills have a particular claim to fame.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28As Katie has been finding out,
0:38:28 > 0:38:34this countryside helped conjure up a vision that's inspired generations.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37It's one of the most famous books in the world,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39it outsells everything except the Bible
0:38:39 > 0:38:42and it's been translated into over 200 languages.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46In fact, it's so famous, it's never been out of print.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Over 300 years ago,
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Bedfordshire-born John Bunyan wrote one of the greatest works
0:38:55 > 0:38:59of christian literature - the Pilgrim's Progress -
0:38:59 > 0:39:03a story about a christian's journey from this world to the next,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06leaving life's struggles behind.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Apart from his strong religious conviction,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11it's the countryside where he lived and worked
0:39:11 > 0:39:13that helped inspire this famous book.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Tinker's-son John had very little education
0:39:17 > 0:39:20and wasn't always so straitlaced.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23But in his 20s, he gave up his ungodly ways
0:39:23 > 0:39:25to become a student of scripture.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Years later, he became a popular preacher and a prolific writer
0:39:31 > 0:39:35who championed the use of plain language to spread the word of God.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38"And as I slept I dreamed a dream.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41"I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43"standing in a certain place,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45"with his face from his own house,
0:39:45 > 0:39:49"a book in his hand and a great burden upon his back."
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Like Bunyan, John Pestell grew up in Bedfordshire
0:39:52 > 0:39:54and was even named after the author.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57Until I was two, I lived in the cottage
0:39:57 > 0:40:00that's known as John Bunyan's cottage in Elstow.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04He was known to be quite a boisterous boy.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Even the village shopkeeper, who was a notorious swearer,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11said to him that he would foul the whole neighbourhood
0:40:11 > 0:40:13with his bad language and antics.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15'It was on this village green
0:40:15 > 0:40:18'that Bunyan claimed to have heard God's voice saying,'
0:40:18 > 0:40:21"Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven?"
0:40:21 > 0:40:22It was to change his life.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Bunyan defied religious and political convention,
0:40:26 > 0:40:29preaching a radical alternative to the Church of England.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31When Charles II regained the throne,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Bunyan was imprisoned for his dissent.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36And it was in Bedford jail that he wrote the Pilgrim's Progress.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43It became a bestseller because it was the story of everyday life,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46from destruction to something much better.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49So, who would you say is an inspirational character today
0:40:49 > 0:40:52that would be the same kind of figure
0:40:52 > 0:40:57that people would have thought of as Bunyan in his time?
0:40:57 > 0:40:59There may be several people,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02but certainly one that comes to mind is the Burmese Aung San Suu Kyi,
0:41:02 > 0:41:08who was arrested and imprisoned for, really, her beliefs.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12It was John Bunyan's belief that what he was doing was right.
0:41:12 > 0:41:13I'm on a bit of a pilgrimage of my own,
0:41:13 > 0:41:17I'm going to try and see some of the sights that inspired John Bunyan
0:41:17 > 0:41:18when he was writing this book.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Would you care to join me for the last leg?
0:41:21 > 0:41:23That would be great, thank you.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25- I can't promise you it will be a stroll though.- OK.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26See you later. Bye, John.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32On his release, Bunyan built a following here
0:41:32 > 0:41:35at the Meeting Free Church in Bedford.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Today its stained-glass windows tell the story of the Pilgrim's Progress,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41showing the central character, Christian,
0:41:41 > 0:41:45leaving the City Of Destruction on his journey to the Celestial City.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51Dissenters were banned until the 1670s.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55And in 1672, I think it was,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Bunyan got a licence to preach as an independent here
0:41:57 > 0:42:00in Mill Street, Bedford.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02- On this very site? - On this very site.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06The Church purchased the barn and converted the barn
0:42:06 > 0:42:09into a meeting house. Bunyan actually preached on this site.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13One of Christian's greatest trials in the book
0:42:13 > 0:42:16is getting through the Slough Of Despond.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19"Here therefore they wallowed for a time,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21"being grievously bedaubed with the dirt.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24"And Christian, because of the burden that was on his back,
0:42:24 > 0:42:26"began to sink in the mire."
0:42:31 > 0:42:34One of the sites that's thought to have inspired
0:42:34 > 0:42:38that daunting destination, Bunyan's Slough Of Despond, is Marston Vale,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42it's just a few miles from Bedford.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Today, it's a much more cheerful place
0:42:44 > 0:42:48and it's part of a conservation area, a real haven for wildlife.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52The reason we're here is because this area is meant to be the area
0:42:52 > 0:42:55that inspired Bunyan to write about this sludgy, swampy area -
0:42:55 > 0:42:57the Slough Of Despond,
0:42:57 > 0:43:00but it's not actually that depressing, is it?
0:43:00 > 0:43:02It's meant to be a dreadful place to get stuck in,
0:43:02 > 0:43:04but it's actually quite pretty.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06It is, and teeming with wildlife.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10It's not only dragonflies and water creatures that thrive here,
0:43:10 > 0:43:11but birds and mammals as well.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14It's a fantastic place from my point of view.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18And for the final leg of my journey,
0:43:18 > 0:43:21I'm going to tackle the Hill Of Difficulty -
0:43:21 > 0:43:25the steep climb which would challenge Christian on his journey.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28"They came to the foot of the hill, Difficulty,
0:43:28 > 0:43:31"at the bottom of which was a spring."
0:43:31 > 0:43:33This is interesting,
0:43:33 > 0:43:36I did ask John to join me, but clearly, word has spread.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39'Look at all these people.'
0:43:39 > 0:43:41- Hello, John. - SHE LAUGHS
0:43:41 > 0:43:45I thought it was just going to be you and me, but this is fantastic.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48- I've brought a few friends along. - It's going to be a true pilgrimage.
0:43:48 > 0:43:52Is everybody ready for the Hill Of Difficulty?
0:43:52 > 0:43:55- ALL:- Yes. - That's nice. Confirmation there.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58I'd better not lead, I don't know where we're going.
0:43:58 > 0:44:01- Let's go.- Let's follow John. - Up the hill.- Come on, then.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08'So onwards and upwards.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10'Men, women, children and animals -
0:44:10 > 0:44:16'we are all tackling the walk up Bunyan's Hill Of Difficulty.'
0:44:16 > 0:44:20Bunyan would have known this walk as he came up here
0:44:20 > 0:44:24with his anvil on his back and all the tools of his trade.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26Because he would have come up to this house
0:44:26 > 0:44:29to work in the house as a tinker -
0:44:29 > 0:44:32a mender of that kettles and metal pots and pans.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35I dare say, every time he came up here...
0:44:35 > 0:44:37It would have been hard work, quite difficult.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40That's right. It's hard enough for us without any tools.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45In the book, this old ruin on the hill is described as,
0:44:45 > 0:44:47"the House Beautiful."
0:44:47 > 0:44:50And it's where Christian spends a night early on in his journey.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54'The daily climb up to it was a challenge for young John Bunyan,
0:44:54 > 0:44:57'but how are my fellow pilgrims coping?' Are you OK?
0:44:57 > 0:45:00- ALL:- Fine.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02And they haven't even stopped for a rest!
0:45:02 > 0:45:05Almost four centuries after Bunyan was here,
0:45:05 > 0:45:08this hill has presented less of a challenge for us
0:45:08 > 0:45:11and we've all enjoyed our leisurely hike.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13We made it, well done, everybody.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16- That wasn't so bad, was it? - ALL:- No.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18This is so beautiful.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21It's funny to think that this beautiful house is now a ruin,
0:45:21 > 0:45:25but it actually inspired someone who was the son of a tinker...
0:45:25 > 0:45:27To him it was the beautiful house.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30- It still is beautiful, isn't it? - It is indeed.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41It's an incredible feeling standing here
0:45:41 > 0:45:44because this is a place where a young John Bunyan
0:45:44 > 0:45:46would have come almost 400 years ago.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Who knows, maybe this was the inspiration for his book.
0:45:53 > 0:45:58Our photographic competition this year has the theme of Best In Show
0:45:58 > 0:46:00and there are 12 different classes.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04One of them is landscape. And what could be more classic than that?
0:46:04 > 0:46:06The very best photos in all the different classes
0:46:06 > 0:46:09go into the Countryfile calendar for 2012,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11which are sold in aid of Children In Need.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14And if you haven't sent your entries in yet,
0:46:14 > 0:46:16here's a reminder of what to do...
0:46:17 > 0:46:20And just in case you need a bit of inspiration,
0:46:20 > 0:46:23here are some of the wonderful entries which we've received so far.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25Please keep them coming in.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02The best photo in each class will be put to the viewers' vote.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06The person who takes the winning photo will be declared Best In Show
0:47:06 > 0:47:09and gets to choose from a range of the latest photographic equipment
0:47:09 > 0:47:12to the value of £1,000.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Whoever takes the judges' favourite photo
0:47:15 > 0:47:18will get to choose equipment to the value of £500.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21Our competition isn't open to professionals,
0:47:21 > 0:47:23your entries mustn't have been offered for sale
0:47:23 > 0:47:25or won other competitions,
0:47:25 > 0:47:29that's because we want something original.
0:47:29 > 0:47:34You can enter up to four photos, which must be taken in the UK.
0:47:34 > 0:47:38Please write your name, address and daytime and evening phone number
0:47:38 > 0:47:40on the back of each photo,
0:47:40 > 0:47:43with a note of which class you want it to be judged in.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46Each photo can only be entered in one class.
0:47:46 > 0:47:52Then all you have to do is send your entries to...
0:47:59 > 0:48:02The full terms and conditions are on our website,
0:48:02 > 0:48:06as well as details of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09Please write to us enclosing a stamped addressed envelope
0:48:09 > 0:48:11if you want a copy of the rules.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15The closing date isn't until Friday 12th August.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19Sorry, but we can't return any entries.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22Now, what has straw and a traditional craft
0:48:22 > 0:48:26got to do with Luton Town Football Club? All will be revealed
0:48:26 > 0:48:29after the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.
0:50:50 > 0:50:57.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14Growing wheat has always been at the heart of British arable farming,
0:51:14 > 0:51:16but at one time in Bedfordshire,
0:51:16 > 0:51:20it was sought after for more than just its grain.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25These days a field of wheat doesn't grow very tall.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28But a couple of hundred years ago it would have been...
0:51:28 > 0:51:30Well, about this height.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33And what did they use those long stalks of straw for?
0:51:33 > 0:51:38Well, if you wanted to get ahead, you had to get a hat.
0:51:38 > 0:51:42Turning straw into headgear became an industry in Bedfordshire,
0:51:42 > 0:51:46one that attracted customers from all over the world.
0:51:46 > 0:51:50By the mid-1800s, the trade had completely dominated the countryside
0:51:50 > 0:51:54around the town of Luton, and every kind of straw hat was produced.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57This looks very elegant, a ladies hat, perhaps?
0:51:57 > 0:52:00- No, a policeman's helmet.- Never!
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Yes. Specially stiffened,
0:52:02 > 0:52:06so if a robber hit you over the head, you were protected.
0:52:06 > 0:52:07When does this date from?
0:52:07 > 0:52:10This one is really special, this is 1897
0:52:10 > 0:52:12and it's the last one we've got.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14It's beautifully plaited, is that the right word?
0:52:14 > 0:52:16That's right, plaited.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18It starts at the top, centre of the crown,
0:52:18 > 0:52:20that's called the button, and it spirals out.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22Imagine stitching all that together.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25Fancy a policeman wearing that!
0:52:25 > 0:52:27This is a lady's hat, obviously.
0:52:27 > 0:52:32Yes, this is a ladies cycling hat and it's from 1902.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35This is the early equivalent of a crash helmet.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39- What's this one? - This is the famous Luton boater.
0:52:39 > 0:52:43Absolutely top quality, still made in the town today.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45When you tap it...
0:52:45 > 0:52:48it sounds like a drum, it's that hard.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52It was supposed to take the weight of a man standing on it,
0:52:52 > 0:52:55but don't you even think about it!
0:52:55 > 0:52:57- I'll test that out.- No!
0:52:57 > 0:53:00And who used to work in the, I suppose, boating industry?
0:53:00 > 0:53:03No, inland, nowhere near the sea.
0:53:03 > 0:53:08All the little villages around Luton, thousands, tens of thousands,
0:53:08 > 0:53:11of men, women and children as young as four or five
0:53:11 > 0:53:15spending their working lives plaiting straw.
0:53:15 > 0:53:22By 1861, there were 30,000 plaiters around Luton. Huge numbers.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24Children went to plait school
0:53:24 > 0:53:26for eight or nine hours a day all year round.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29- They learned how to plait. - They were taught to plait,
0:53:29 > 0:53:31they just had to sit there on hard benches all day
0:53:31 > 0:53:33doing nothing but plaiting.
0:53:33 > 0:53:37And the threat of being hit with a big stick if they stopped plaiting.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43There was a time when anyone who was anyone
0:53:43 > 0:53:46wore a Luton hat and that included the local football team - Luton Town.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49That's how they got their nickname, the Hatters.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52But I wonder how much the present team knows
0:53:52 > 0:53:54about this intriguing past.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01Currently they are busy training, but with permission from the manager,
0:54:01 > 0:54:03some of the Hatters have agreed
0:54:03 > 0:54:06to take time out for a quick history lesson.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08'We are going to see if they can live up to their nickname.
0:54:08 > 0:54:12'Veronica has agreed to give them a lesson in straw plaiting.'
0:54:12 > 0:54:15- Here are your pupils.- Hello.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18How are you? OK, no pressure on you,
0:54:18 > 0:54:22you're doing a really simple plait with seven ends of straw.
0:54:22 > 0:54:26It's the sort of plait a four or five-year-old would have been doing.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29So, what we need is some straw.
0:54:29 > 0:54:35I'm going to take one straw, put it round, bend it up to make a V.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39Then put the other straw behind, bend it up to make a V.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42Then the last straw goes behind.
0:54:42 > 0:54:47The plaiting sequence is going to be over one, under two,
0:54:47 > 0:54:49pull it tight and that'll do.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51'Simple as that!
0:54:51 > 0:54:53'Or is it?'
0:54:53 > 0:54:56I'll come back later to find out how they're getting on.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00Plaiting, as such, no longer exists as an industry round here.
0:55:00 > 0:55:02But they do still make straw hats.
0:55:02 > 0:55:06I'm going to find out just what the demand is for them these days.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12A local family firm, Olney, has been making straw hats for generations,
0:55:12 > 0:55:15producing around 500 a week at one time.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18Today they are the only firm left in the UK
0:55:18 > 0:55:20making the traditional Luton boater.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23They are mainly used for promotional events.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26We've just seen Henley finish a couple of weeks ago.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30We also do them for schools, for the fee-paying schools -
0:55:30 > 0:55:33- Harrow...- Harrow, yes. - ..Eton, that sort of thing.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36But there's still quite a demand for them.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40They make around 4,000 boaters a year,
0:55:40 > 0:55:44producing the hats in exactly the same way as they did a century ago.
0:55:44 > 0:55:48John Leonard has worked here since he was 15.
0:55:48 > 0:55:52- Have you ever worn one? - I did once, yeah.- When was that?
0:55:52 > 0:55:56When Luton got to the Cup Final once.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00- Did they win?- They won, yeah. They beat Arsenal 3-2.
0:56:00 > 0:56:01And that was the only time
0:56:01 > 0:56:04you've ever worn one of these thousands of boaters you make?
0:56:04 > 0:56:09I might stick one on every now when I'm working, but not in public, no.
0:56:09 > 0:56:14- ALL:- Over one, under two, pull it tight and that'll do.
0:56:14 > 0:56:18'Talking of which, I wonder how the Hatters are doing
0:56:18 > 0:56:21'learning the age-old trade of straw plaiting
0:56:21 > 0:56:24'under the watchful eye of Veronica.'
0:56:24 > 0:56:27How's it going, boys - hard or easy?
0:56:27 > 0:56:30Pretty easy, to be honest, once you get used to it.
0:56:30 > 0:56:35- That is pretty good, actually. - It's not too bad.- Let's have a look.
0:56:37 > 0:56:38That is good, isn't it?
0:56:40 > 0:56:42Here's one I prepared earlier.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45Is that your work or his work?
0:56:45 > 0:56:48I couldn't possibly say!
0:56:48 > 0:56:50So, Veronica, what's your verdict,
0:56:50 > 0:56:54could these footballing Hatters ever be straw-plaiting Hatters?
0:56:54 > 0:56:56Actually, they're really good, they've done really well.
0:56:56 > 0:57:00What's interesting, they've all done well,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03but the two with Luton blood in them, natural born plaiters.
0:57:03 > 0:57:07- It's extraordinary.- So the skill is still alive round here.- Absolutely!
0:57:07 > 0:57:09Thank you very much indeed.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11That's all today from Bedfordshire.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13Next week, Matt will be in the Yorkshire Dales
0:57:13 > 0:57:16where an all too rare harvest is being gathered in
0:57:16 > 0:57:20and I'll be investigating the dangers posed by Chinese flying lanterns
0:57:20 > 0:57:24to people, property and animals in the countryside.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27Until then, goodbye.
0:57:34 > 0:57:37Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Email: subtitling@bbc.co.uk