0:00:28 > 0:00:31It's some of our most spectacular countryside.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36Wooded hills and rolling fields stretched on into the distance.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Where the North Downs rise up to create the Surrey Hills,
0:00:39 > 0:00:41the views are simply stunning.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48And soon the world will be beating a path here.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Box Hill has been chosen as the venue
0:00:51 > 0:00:53for the London 2012 Olympics cycle road race,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56so I'm out for a bike ride with none other
0:00:56 > 0:00:59than Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman. Good to see you, Chris.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- Morning.- But what happens when all of the spectators turn up?
0:01:02 > 0:01:05How do you protect a delicate landscape like this?
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Well, I'll be finding it. Race you to the top!
0:01:08 > 0:01:12While I'm in the saddle, Julia's in Surrey's Bushy Park,
0:01:12 > 0:01:16with some tips for the Countryfile photographic competition.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I don't know about you, but I'm one of those photographers
0:01:19 > 0:01:21that basically just points the camera and aims.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26I don't really know what all buttons do. Today, that is going to change.
0:01:27 > 0:01:28Come here, deer!
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And John's in Europe to find out
0:01:31 > 0:01:33if our neighbours are greener than we are.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37This small town in Germany and all the surrounding villages aim
0:01:37 > 0:01:41to be running on 100% renewable energy in two years' time.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Already, they're halfway there.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46But can we ever match such a thing back home?
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Especially now that some of the cash incentives have been cut.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52I'll be investigating. And also on Countryfile tonight...
0:01:52 > 0:01:57Adam's got his work cut out when he rescues a lost lamb.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01If they've got the will to suckle, then they've got the will to live.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08And Matt's got the arduous job of wine tasting.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11- It smells a little bit chocolaty. - No.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13CHEERING
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It's an idyllic piece of English countryside.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30And one of our earliest tourist attractions.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Since the 1600s, Box Hill on Surrey's North Downs
0:02:32 > 0:02:35was being written about as THE place to go
0:02:35 > 0:02:40for unparalleled views and walks. Since then, little has changed.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43But in just over a year's time, all of this will be
0:02:43 > 0:02:49transformed into the venue for the 2012 Olympic cycling road race.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58Believe it or not, this is Britain's answer to the Great Wall of China.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02That's where the cycle route took riders in the last Olympics.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05It may not quite look as impressive as the Great Wall of China,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09but I'm guessing once you've cycled up and down this hill nine times,
0:03:09 > 0:03:10it'll feel quite similar.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Nine circuits of the Box Hill loop is what male competitors will face
0:03:17 > 0:03:21after a gruelling 70-mile cycle from The Mall in Central London
0:03:21 > 0:03:23and back again.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26In a moment, I'll be putting the course and myself to the test,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29but first I want to see why this event is
0:03:29 > 0:03:31causing organisers a headache of a different sort.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37The London 2012 Olympics have billed themselves as our greenest ever.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40But keeping this countryside pristine when the crowds descend
0:03:40 > 0:03:44is going to be an Olympian task in itself.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Box Hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51one of the most important areas of chalk grassland in the country.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54And it's down to Andrew Wright from The National Trust
0:03:54 > 0:03:58to make sure that the Olympics and the wildlife can work in harmony.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01How precious is the habitat here?
0:04:01 > 0:04:04This is hallowed turf we're walking on. This is the ultimate.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08If you were to look down and take a metre square, you could
0:04:08 > 0:04:12probably find 200 different species in such a tiny area.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15With well over 50,000 pairs of feet expected to descend on
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Box Hill for the race, the challenge is protecting those species.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22What were your thoughts when you heard that the Olympics
0:04:22 > 0:04:26and the cyclists were going to be coming up and down this hill?
0:04:26 > 0:04:28How can you fail to be excited by that?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31That's going to be such an amazing spectacle.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33We are absolutely behind it,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35but these habitats have to be protected.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37How can you do that then, realistically?
0:04:37 > 0:04:39It's going to involve some kind of
0:04:39 > 0:04:42managed areas for spectators to stand.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46I don't think we can just let people walk where they want.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50If you imagine the grass stems as the trees of the rainforest,
0:04:50 > 0:04:54if you flattened all the trees, the rainforest would still be there,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56but everything in the trees would be compromised.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59It's the same with nature conservation on the Chalk Downland.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Certain insects roost in the grass tops.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05So the trick will be to host an amazing race
0:05:05 > 0:05:09- whilst protecting these habitats. - For most of the spectators,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13that will mean keeping their feet firmly on the road.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17- Have you cycled the route yourself? - I don't think I could make it!
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Come on, you've seriously got to get yourself on a bike, man!
0:05:20 > 0:05:24I break into a sweat driving it. MATT LAUGHS
0:05:27 > 0:05:29- Well, before- I- work up that sweat,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32let's find out what's lurking amongst the undergrowth.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34National Trust naturalist Matthew Oates
0:05:34 > 0:05:38has managed to track down one of Box Hill's where inhabitants.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43- Right, Matthew. Have you located the little beauty?- I have indeed.
0:05:43 > 0:05:49One of the best of the 50-odd rare plants that grow here on Box Hill.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51And that is a Man Orchid.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54If you look very closely, at the individual flowers,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58there's a tiny little man dangling from the bottom of each flower.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Isn't that incredible?
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Botanists get seriously worked up about this flower.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07And here we have another of our special orchids,
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- which is the Fragrant Orchid. - Isn't that a beauty?
0:06:11 > 0:06:13HE SNIFFS
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Oh, yeah. That's really strong, isn't it? Beautiful.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19But it's not just the flowers that are important here
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- when it comes to this precious habitat?- Absolutely.
0:06:22 > 0:06:28We've got something like 250 genuinely rare plants and animals
0:06:28 > 0:06:32that live here. And our own special snail.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- Here we go. Check that out. - Oh, my word!- These are empty shells.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Just look at the size of that - the Roman snail,
0:06:38 > 0:06:43which is a protected species. I can't handle a live one for you
0:06:43 > 0:06:46because I actually need a licence to touch them.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- You wouldn't want to tread on one of these.- No.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50What else have you got in your bucket?
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Well, I have a magic bucket full of moths.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Some of them are really spectacular. Check that fellow out.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Wow! That is some of the finest camouflage I've ever seen.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04Absolutely staggering. It's a hawk moth. There we go. Look at that.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08- Turn him head-on and look at his face.- Look at that.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12They are just staggering. So beautiful.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Well, they certainly look at home in this unspoilt habitat.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25The decision to run such a major sporting event through here
0:07:25 > 0:07:27wasn't taken lightly.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32So, Debbie, why have you chosen this site in particular?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35It's absolutely beautiful. But it is pretty sensitive.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37It is. We recognise that.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40When we were looking for a venue, we came out to Box Hill
0:07:40 > 0:07:42we thought this is an amazing opportunity
0:07:42 > 0:07:45to do something that is perfect for an Olympic sport,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48that is difficult technically and gives us the opportunity
0:07:48 > 0:07:50to profile the British countryside.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55Are you prepared for potentially 90,000 people?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58We're working with the National Trust and Natural England
0:07:58 > 0:08:01to ensure that we have specific roped-off areas.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04So when the public do come, we will ensure that
0:08:04 > 0:08:07we do control them and that we protect the countryside.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Well, exploring the wildlife is one thing,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18but you can't come to an Olympic race circuit
0:08:18 > 0:08:20without giving it a test run.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22And who better to show me the ropes
0:08:22 > 0:08:25than Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman?
0:08:25 > 0:08:29- We could have met on the downhill bit.- That wouldn't be very fun!
0:08:31 > 0:08:36How much of the challenge is the landscape in races like this?
0:08:36 > 0:08:38This is the course's main obstacle.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41But it's not the obstacle, it's what they do with it.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43- And the fact they tackle it nine times.- Right.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46There's a lot of twists and turns on the way out, but this circuit
0:08:46 > 0:08:50is the bit that's really going to make the difference in the race.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53If you were going for gold again and you were faced with this course,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- what would you think? - It's about positioning.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00You really need to stay in the first 20 to 30 riders all day.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02There's a lot of people going to want to attack
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and this is the best place to do it - on these slopes.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Where did all these cars come from?
0:09:10 > 0:09:14- Morning.- Morning.- We've been going at a pretty steady pace,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16even stopping for traffic that's coming by,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19but what speed will the riders be getting up to, going uphill?
0:09:19 > 0:09:24You can see we're in our absolute lowest gears, just pootling up here.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26The guys - say it take us nine minutes,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28it'll take them about three to cover this.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Even considering this is a five-and-a-half hour race,
0:09:32 > 0:09:36they'll come up here at a serious pace. A lot faster than us.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Unbelievable. Do you think this is a good example
0:09:39 > 0:09:42- of what British cycling has to offer?- It's a beautiful example
0:09:42 > 0:09:46of what we can offer of the British countryside.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49It's got a mix of everything. We've got bigger roads, technical,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52lovely little country roads like this, and it's...
0:09:52 > 0:09:58a fantastic battleground to sort out an Olympic gold medal.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Investors are having second thoughts about funding so-called solar parks
0:10:11 > 0:10:14in the British countryside after the Government have reduced
0:10:14 > 0:10:17the financial incentives for building them.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19John has been to investigate.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35When it comes to sources of renewable energy,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38the rugged landscape of Cornwall seems to have it all.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42It's got wind and waves and sunshine.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47But a recent and controversial change of Government policy
0:10:47 > 0:10:49could stop any surge in solar power here.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53The scheme in question is the Feed-In Tariff.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56It's basically cash for producing green electricity,
0:10:56 > 0:11:01such as wind, solar and hydro-electric. It guarantees a set rate,
0:11:01 > 0:11:05whether it's used by the producer or fed back into the grid.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Large-scale solar producers get more than 30p per kilowatt hour,
0:11:09 > 0:11:10but in two months' time,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14the Government is going to reduce that to less than 9p.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Here, in Cornwall,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18there's been something of a solar gold rush,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22with over 20 successful planning applications for solar farms.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25That's more than in any other county in the UK.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29But, they're going to have to be up and running by 1st August
0:11:29 > 0:11:32to qualify for the high-paying tariffs.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34And many of them just won't be ready in time.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39These fields might beat the deadline and soon be transformed
0:11:39 > 0:11:42into one of the country's first solar farms.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Even in weather like this, these panels will still produce power
0:11:45 > 0:11:49because they work on the strength of light, rather than sunshine.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52But, so far, there's only this demonstration panel.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57- Are you going to make it, then? - Yes, I think we are.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01We are progressing, nervously, and we will be connected
0:12:01 > 0:12:05and accredited in time for 31st July.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09What about all the other entrepreneurs who won't be up and ready in time?
0:12:09 > 0:12:12They've got recourse to say, "Excuse me, we took on board,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14"delivering what you wanted."
0:12:14 > 0:12:16"You've changed the goalposts, leaving us nowhere to go."
0:12:16 > 0:12:19So, for some of those entrepreneurs left, from what we're hearing,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21they're not going to be able to do it.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25And, with the biggest subsidies being slashed by more than 70%,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29potential entrepreneurs are being put off.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34But it's not just private investors who have been hoping
0:12:34 > 0:12:37to cash in on feed-in tarriffs. Cornwall Council have plans
0:12:37 > 0:12:41to build a solar farm big enough to power Newquay airport.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45But a cut in subsidies may well mean that this scheme
0:12:45 > 0:12:48and many others like it never take off.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55So, this is where the airport solar park would be.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Yeah, in these fields, we plan to build a five-megawatt solar park.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02We know we can't get it completed by the 1st August,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04the deadline they put in their review process,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08but we know we can get it completed by the end of this year.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11We have planning permission for this, and contractors in place.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Because the Government's had this change of heart,
0:13:13 > 0:13:15what impact has that had?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18It's been quite devastating, really, on the council's plans.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Not just on the council's plans for its own site here,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23but on the plans of many other people to build
0:13:23 > 0:13:27solar parks in Cornwall and, hence, on to our an economic plans.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Cornwall Council has already invested £250,000 in this project.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38If it doesn't go ahead, that's money down the drain.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42If the current tariff system is actually encouraging
0:13:42 > 0:13:45the development of solar power, why change it?
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Energy Minister Greg Barker says they simply can't afford
0:13:49 > 0:13:51to carry on with the current system.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54From the consultation that we undertook,
0:13:54 > 0:13:58it's clear that the demand for solar subsidy
0:13:58 > 0:14:03was massively outstripping the pot of money that we had secured.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05So, had you fixed the price too high? For these big timers?
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Absolutely.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11The scheme that we inherited from the last Labour government
0:14:11 > 0:14:16massively underestimated the scope and appetite
0:14:16 > 0:14:18for these big solar projects,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21so that they were not included in the model projections.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24What I've done is said, for this scheme, I'm going to have
0:14:24 > 0:14:29a very clear focus, and that is to support solar for people at home.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32This will be a great disappointment in Cornwall.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34They were hoping for a big boom in solar energy.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37They've had many applications for solar parks.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39They thought it would bring £1 billion or so into the economy
0:14:39 > 0:14:42and it looks as though you burst that bubble.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Well, you know, I regret the fact that we're having to make choices.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Ideally, I would like to be able to fund all the solar projects,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52but that's not the world we live in.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Of course, feed-in tariffs aren't the only way
0:14:56 > 0:15:00to support large-scale green energy developments.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04But many of our European neighbours have been successfully using tariffs
0:15:04 > 0:15:08to encourage solar schemes of all sizes.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13I've come to Germany, where they're really keen on energy from the sun.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17They've got more than 300 solar parks. This one is pretty typical.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20It's got 77,000 panels,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23producing enough electricity to power 1,500 homes.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28Germany's plans to stop using nuclear power
0:15:28 > 0:15:32have only hardened its resolve to harness natural, sustainable energy.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36But it had already made a long-term commitment to renewables.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Feed-in tariffs here have been in place for more than 20 years.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43At the moment, the Government in the UK is thinking
0:15:43 > 0:15:48of cutting back on its financial support for big schemes like this.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- What do you think of that? - I don't understand that.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54After Fukushima, we should go even faster forward
0:15:54 > 0:15:57towards 100% of renewable energy.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00This is something that we cannot avoid anyway.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Sooner or later, every society,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05every country, has to end up with 100%.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08So why not do it now when it's not expensive?
0:16:08 > 0:16:12This is also our vision and our mission,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15to come to 100% renewable energy.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18This solar park is regarded as medium-sized,
0:16:18 > 0:16:23similar to the ones that were being planned in the UK.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25But here in Germany, they're thinking really big.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28In fact, its largest project is so vast, it can generate
0:16:28 > 0:16:32as much solar energy as we do in the entire UK.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37There are many days without sunshine,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40so is it worth, with solar energy, such a huge investment?
0:16:40 > 0:16:44The solar conditions in Germany and the UK are almost the same.
0:16:44 > 0:16:50The same number of sunshine, about 1,000 hours each country,
0:16:50 > 0:16:52and that is all factored in.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54The feed-in tariff is made in a way
0:16:54 > 0:16:57to cover the costs within the period of 20, 25 years.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Large-scale solar development could really help Britain
0:17:00 > 0:17:04reach its renewable energy target of 15% by 2020.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07At the moment, we're not even halfway there.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Later I'll be asking if people in countries like Germany
0:17:10 > 0:17:14are simply more willing than we are to embrace the use of solar.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Well, a very big thank you for all the shots you've been sending in
0:17:19 > 0:17:21for our photographic competition.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23If you're desperate to get into our Countryfile calendar
0:17:23 > 0:17:26and raise some money for Children In Need,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Julia has been to one of our royal parks to get some top tips.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Watery worlds. Wonderful wildlife.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Even the weather's putting on a show.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Bushey Park in London's suburbs is a great place to take
0:17:43 > 0:17:45that winning photograph in our Countryfile competition.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50The park was established by Henry VIII, for deer-stalking,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54but under Queen Victoria, it was opened as a place of recreation for commoners like you and me.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58And that's the great thing about parks -
0:17:58 > 0:18:02they bring a bit of the countryside into the heart of even the biggest city.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06Today I'll brush up on the skills to capture wildlife and water at its best -
0:18:06 > 0:18:09two of the classes in our photographic competition.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Even if you're more suburbia than Serengeti,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14the park is the place to get snapping.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16With just over 1,000 acres of land,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Bushey is the second largest Royal Park in London.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Photographer Andy Hornsbury leads photographic safaris here,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27so who better to help me with those Countryfile competition classes
0:18:27 > 0:18:29of wildlife and watery worlds?
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Parks are a great place to get inspiration
0:18:32 > 0:18:36and, as these shots show, Bushey is brimming with life.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41By the look of those clouds, we may even get some shots for our all-weathers category.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48All right, Andy, think of me as a complete idiot. What are the basics?
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Well, with all cameras, you'll always find in your camera a set of scene modes,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54and what we're going to do is look at the camera,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and see what scene modes are available.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01As you can see we've got landscape, night scenes, night portraits,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04there's the sports one, very good for fast action.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07You can see it just goes on and on, really.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12So, we'll try and get some deer that are in a stationary position first,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14so which scene do we go for?
0:19:14 > 0:19:16The one were going to go for, funnily enough,
0:19:16 > 0:19:18we're going to go for portrait mode.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21That should give us nice portrait pictures of your deer
0:19:21 > 0:19:23with a nice, soft background as well.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29OK, so the first thing you do is check the background of your shot.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32You don't want park railings or the road spoiling the view.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Strike a pose, Bambi, it's time for your close-up.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38He looks quite dark, underneath the tree.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41But, if we half-press, the camera should compensate.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45At the moment, I've got a really nice shot of his bottom.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48It tends to be, when you first start off with animals,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52you tend to have a large collection of animal bottoms.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59That's not bad at all. He's walked into the sun.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02It's always best to leave a bit of room for cropping afterwards.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06See the way you've got the colour of the deer's coat?
0:20:06 > 0:20:08- Quite a nice picture, that. - OK, for a first snap.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12- Shall we try and get round them? - Yeah, we'll try and move closer.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17Andy's wildlife safari courses help people to get the best out of their cameras.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20And it seems I'm not the only one starting at the bottom.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24Hello, ladies, how we doing? I got some nice shots of a bottom, then.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28I've got some here, in the distance. I've got one now, look.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- Oh, that's a lovely bottom. - Yeah, very nice!
0:20:31 > 0:20:34OK, that's wildlife. What about water?
0:20:34 > 0:20:38To get a great shot of moving water, it helps to know a bit about shutter speed.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41And that's what we're tackling next.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Let's put our camera on a tripod. We're going to go for a slow shutter speed.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50If we half-press the shutter button, on all cameras, we can see our shutter speed,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52and in this case, it's five hundredths of a second.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- That's 1/500. - Yep, and it's very fast.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59If you take a shot at 500,
0:20:59 > 0:21:04we can see the water is frozen as individual droplets.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07We've got an individual stream of water, which is really nice.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Obviously, the look we like to go for
0:21:10 > 0:21:11is the lovely, milky waterfall look.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Unfortunately, the camera knows it's daytime,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17so, basically what we do is, we use a filter.
0:21:17 > 0:21:23This is a very big neutral density filter and all it is, really, it's just like sunglasses.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27If we put that in front of the lens, the camera thinks it's night time
0:21:27 > 0:21:30and then, if you half-press the shutter speed,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33you'll see that the shutter speed is a 40th of a second.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35So 1/40, as opposed to 1/500,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37so that's really slowed down.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40And if we take the shot, we can see we've got that nice,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44milky flow of water, just like we get on a waterfall.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Changes the whole look of the picture.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Such a simple trick to get a great result.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52This is my favourite tip so far from Andy.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55If you don't have any fancy filters, use your sunglasses.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58So, we've done Bambi's close-up in portrait.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01I've just about got my head around shutter speeds
0:22:01 > 0:22:04and, for our final assignment, action shots, using sport mode.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07The nice thing about sport mode is, it captures fast-moving action,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11so it'll freeze, and try and keep the shutter speed as fast as possible.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15- That's what it's doing - adjusting the shutter speed and making it faster?- Yeah.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18So, we're doing the opposite of using a filter to slow things down.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Yes, we're trying to freeze action, so, birds in flight,
0:22:21 > 0:22:25birds landing in the water, this is the mode, really, for us.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27And we've got a fantastic little scene,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30because we've got a lovely swan family here.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Cute little babies and everything!
0:22:32 > 0:22:36We've got the two little bambinos, two beautiful little cygnets together.
0:22:36 > 0:22:42Look, that could be a postcard. As ever, they're moving away.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Because that's what wildlife does.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48And, if you fancy your chances in our competition,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52then John will be along later with all the details of how to enter.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Later in the programme,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Adam's getting one of his ewes ready for the show ring.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01It's a bit like a rodeo really, they just have to learn that they can't get away.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Katie's caught a bug.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08- This is what we call the swollen thighed beetle.- What a great name.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12And we'll have the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Earlier, John was investigating whether or not
0:23:20 > 0:23:24any of the UK's large-scale solar projects would ever get built.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26But what about smaller domestic projects?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Is there any incentive for us to invest in solar energy?
0:23:38 > 0:23:41I've found that we're lagging behind our European neighbours
0:23:41 > 0:23:44when it comes to the large-scale use of renewable energy.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50I've been in Germany discovering that with support from their government, big firms are investing
0:23:50 > 0:23:52in massive solar farms to capture power from the sun.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56But what about the people themselves? Are Germans simply more open to the use
0:23:56 > 0:23:59of alternative energy than we are?
0:23:59 > 0:24:02This may seem like a typical leafy suburb,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06but take a closer look at many of the roofs
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and they tell a different story.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14In the Woerrstadt District of West Germany,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Markus Conrad is the mayor.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21It's home to 21,000 people, and they have ambitious plans to be running
0:24:21 > 0:24:24on 100% renewables within the next two years.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27When you achieve this target,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30it will certainly put Woerrstadt on the map, won't it?
0:24:30 > 0:24:34- You think many other towns might follow your lead?- Yes.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38I think we have in Germany, 100, 150 towns, villages,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42that have the same targets, the same opinion,
0:24:42 > 0:24:46the same enthusiasm to get such...
0:24:48 > 0:24:50..such, such a change.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54These days, Germany and the UK actually have very similar
0:24:54 > 0:24:57incentives for small scale solar power.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01But in Germany, they have 70 times more households with solar panels
0:25:01 > 0:25:05than we do. So is this down to a difference in attitude?
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Harald Schrauth lives with his wife and three children.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12The solar panels on his roof not only supply all their electricity,
0:25:12 > 0:25:17but also make money, because he can sell power back to the grid.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Lots of your neighbours have panels as well.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Why is this area so enthusiastic about solar energy?
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Because they do not like to use nuclear power,
0:25:29 > 0:25:34they want to have less CO2 in the air.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40And it's better for the world, I think,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43and they can earn money, after it's paid by itself.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46It's a good idea for everyone, I think.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52In Germany, there seems to be both the will and the incentives to go green.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57Back in the UK, adopting renewables has been a much slower process.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00But in Cornwall, Wadebridge is now aiming for the title
0:26:00 > 0:26:02of Britain's first solar-powered town.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Their target is rather lower than Vershtat in Germany -
0:26:06 > 0:26:10it's to be running on 30% renewable energy by 2015.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16So the family home now has its own solar panels, how are they working?
0:26:16 > 0:26:21Absolutely fantastic, it's so exciting to have them up there.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Knowing that we're generating our own electricity for the house,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27and just seeing the scale move backwards to say
0:26:27 > 0:26:29that we're generating more electricity than we're using,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31there's nothing more exciting than seeing that happen.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35- And what made you join in? - It's a win-win situation.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Why wouldn't we want to get involved?
0:26:37 > 0:26:41We're fortunate that we had a bob or two to invest in these,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45of course, we will be making back the money within eight years, so it will pay for itself.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48But knowing what we're doing is part of a community,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52we're all united in just generating more renewable energy for the town.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57The good news is that small projects,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00like individual homes, won't have their feed-in tariff reduced,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03but there's still a catch.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Some community schemes, like the one in Wadebridge,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08could become victims of their own success,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11because if they get too large, their tariffs will be cut.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15What we would like to do is to essentially put a large number
0:27:15 > 0:27:18of panels, which are essentially owned by people that don't
0:27:18 > 0:27:22want to have them on their own roofs, or cannot afford them, in one place,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26and sadly, the government doesn't seem to want to help us.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29So, do you think there should now be another review about how
0:27:29 > 0:27:34- communities can actually benefit from medium-sized solar schemes? - Most certainly.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38In fact, the government IS looking into the way renewable energy
0:27:38 > 0:27:40projects are supported.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43But will that help places like Wadebridge catch up
0:27:43 > 0:27:45with the communities I have seen in Germany?
0:27:45 > 0:27:47The Energy Minister thinks it will.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50There was no way of differentiating between the scheme
0:27:50 > 0:27:55that was owned by what sounds like a great community initiative
0:27:55 > 0:28:00in Wadebridge and solar park developed by some City speculators
0:28:00 > 0:28:03on a greenfield site. No way of differentiating at all.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07I hope as part of the comprehensive review of the solar industry,
0:28:07 > 0:28:11which will be taking place over the rest of the year
0:28:11 > 0:28:16and I will announce next April, will allow me to be more nuanced
0:28:16 > 0:28:18in the way that I can offer support to different groups.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20I do want to support community groups.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24The drastic cutback in tariffs for large solar schemes
0:28:24 > 0:28:28will be a setback for Britain's plans to get more green energy.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31It is bad news for investors and raises the question,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34will we ever catch up with countries like Germany?
0:28:34 > 0:28:38It's been tapping into solar power for years, with massive state
0:28:38 > 0:28:40and private investment.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Here, the sun is only just rising on such ambitions.
0:28:47 > 0:28:52To London now, where the 2012 Olympics aims to be the greenest ever.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56But just what does that mean for the plants and animals at the heart of the stadium?
0:28:56 > 0:29:02Katy has been given a rare look behind the scenes to check out its green credentials.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08Summer of 2005. It was the news the whole country wanted to hear.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11The 30th Olympiad in 2012...
0:29:13 > 0:29:16..awarded to the City of London.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:29:18 > 0:29:22London was to host the Olympic Games for an historic third time.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Since then, this little corner of the capital has been transformed.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Right now, everyone is busy planning that one event next year,
0:29:35 > 0:29:39when hundreds of thousands of people will come here to watch
0:29:39 > 0:29:41the 30th Olympiad.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44But what will happen to this landscape when the sportsmen
0:29:44 > 0:29:46and women are long gone?
0:29:46 > 0:29:50The idea is to leave behind a glorious swathe of countryside in the city.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53To find out how that can be done,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56I have come to a nature reserve in the Lee Valley Park.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01These reed beds once filtered water as part of the East London waterworks.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03They've been transformed into a haven for wildlife
0:30:03 > 0:30:08and it's here that some of the species disturbed by the building of the stadium have been re-homed.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Dawn, what is so special about this place?
0:30:11 > 0:30:14The site we're standing in used to be a waterworks
0:30:14 > 0:30:18providing clean water for London. As you can see, it's come a long way
0:30:18 > 0:30:20since its days as a waterworks,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23and there's a wealth of different habitats and wildlife here now.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Wonderful. You've given me this net, so I can have a dip here.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29What we're interested in finding today is smooth newts.
0:30:29 > 0:30:34We had over 300 smooth newts relocated here
0:30:34 > 0:30:38from the Olympic Park, along with over 300 common lizards
0:30:38 > 0:30:44and around 100 common toads. They were brought here while the construction is going on.
0:30:44 > 0:30:49- It's not suitable for them to be there. They needed a new home. - What's in here?
0:30:49 > 0:30:55- Lovely. A smooth newt, also known as a common newt.- I like that.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02The WaterWorks reserve shows just what can be done with the right planning.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09But even before construction started,
0:31:09 > 0:31:12the stadium site wasn't exactly a green oasis.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16I'll need to take a closer look behind the scenes.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22Time to see if the Olympic eco plans are shaping up.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26Rower James Cracknell is no stranger to the Olympics,
0:31:26 > 0:31:29having twice won gold.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31But this time, he's got a new role.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35So, James, you are a Sustainability Ambassador for these Olympics.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37A very fine title, what does it mean?
0:31:37 > 0:31:41You can't justify the Olympics and the Paralympics coming here
0:31:41 > 0:31:44for four weeks of amazing sport, it has to run deeper than that.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49The bigger effect has got to be what the games brings to society as a whole in this country,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53and it has to sort of inspire people to make a change,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56whether it be to live more healthily, to be more active
0:31:56 > 0:32:00or to change their diet, to think about the energy that they're using.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05What about the fact that these Olympics are meant to be the greenest Olympics ever?
0:32:05 > 0:32:09That started right from when the park was constructed.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13The soil on site, it was incredibly polluted from years of industry,
0:32:13 > 0:32:18it's been cleaned on site. That has cut down on road traffic.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Animals that were here, they have a much more landscaped area to come back to.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25- Great. You've got a big job to do!- Yes.
0:32:27 > 0:32:33One of the team who'll have to deliver that vision is Parklands Project Manager John Hopkins.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37It's his job to encourage nature into the park.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41What we're doing is creating perfect conditions, ideal conditions for newts and toads
0:32:41 > 0:32:45and frogs and things like that to come back into the park.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47This is a park for people and for wildlife.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51So, are you seeing any signs of life coming back here?
0:32:51 > 0:32:56We certainly are, already. If you look over there, there's a couple of stoops
0:32:56 > 0:32:58where cormorants have taken residence.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02There are fish that are coming up into the fish refuges.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04We have a pair of black caps that are already
0:33:04 > 0:33:08breeding in the wetlands that we have created.
0:33:08 > 0:33:13Rain stopped play for much of the wildlife today, but in amongst
0:33:13 > 0:33:16the wetlands, woodlands, bat boxes, bird boxes, Kingfisher banks,
0:33:16 > 0:33:21otter holes and frog ponds, there is plenty to draw in the wildlife.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27Nigel Dunnett has been painstakingly planning a wild flower meadow
0:33:27 > 0:33:33- to encircle the park's centrepiece. Hello, Nigel.- Hello.- Can I give you a hand?- Yes, yes.
0:33:33 > 0:33:38It's taken months of experimental planting in sites around the UK
0:33:38 > 0:33:43to make sure this meadow will flower on 27th July next year.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48- This year, he's sewing for a practice run.- We've thought hard about the colours, and in fact,
0:33:48 > 0:33:52we've made these as gold meadows. Olympic gold meadows...
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Olympic gold meadows. I like it. That's so good.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59These are designed to attract lots of insects, butterflies, bees.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03A lot of pollinators into these very dense urban areas
0:34:03 > 0:34:05where all the life is gone, really.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07And really increase the biodiversity on site.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11- Like coming to a beautiful meadow. - Yes, we want people's jaws to drop
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- when they come and see this.. - Oh, my goodness me!
0:34:16 > 0:34:20Along with all of its other goals, this Olympics is
0:34:20 > 0:34:23at the heart of a campaign to get the nation back to nature.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Meet The Species is an Olympic project that aims to get us
0:34:28 > 0:34:31out and about discovering the birds, butterflies,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33bugs and plants that make up our native flora and fauna.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37Just try to get really into those grass and plants
0:34:37 > 0:34:39and see what you can find.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43These volunteers are hard at work recording
0:34:43 > 0:34:46species on the WaterWorks Reserve.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49- So, what is the idea behind this project?- Meet the Species
0:34:49 > 0:34:51is all about trying to get people
0:34:51 > 0:34:55to get out and find as many species as they can.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59So, we've created a list of 2012 species to set the challenge.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Over the next year, we're hoping to tick all of those species off the list.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05I think you have got a little bit of a leaf hopper.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07THUNDER RUMBLES
0:35:07 > 0:35:11Listen to that weather, it's like we're in a tropical rainforest!
0:35:11 > 0:35:15We're not going to find too much more than insects on a day like today.
0:35:15 > 0:35:20You guys have all been out here for a few hours now, what have you found?
0:35:20 > 0:35:24What I'm excited about his we've ticked some off our list for 2012.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Have a look at this. This is
0:35:27 > 0:35:30what we call the Swollen-thighed Beetle.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33- What a great name. - It can be found in your back yard.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36As can this Blue-tailed Damselfly.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38The second one off the list today.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42Just goes to show whatever the weather, there's always something
0:35:42 > 0:35:48to find, a reminder to us all that there's precious life in all kinds of unlikely places.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Still to come on Countryfile...
0:35:53 > 0:35:59Will my taste buds be up to the challenge of tasting some fine Surrey wine?
0:35:59 > 0:36:01More elderflower.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Yeah. Hey, masterclass!
0:36:04 > 0:36:07And we'll have the Countryfile forecast.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17But first, on Adam's farm, the lambs are growing up fast,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21but there's still the odd one who needs an extra helping hand.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29The animals are all out and about on their summer pasture now.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33They're spread around the farm, so I have to keep a watchful eye on them.
0:36:33 > 0:36:39We check round all our livestock every day just to make sure there aren't any problems.
0:36:39 > 0:36:45We also need to check they've got plenty of grass to eat,
0:36:45 > 0:36:49that they've got water. In this field, there's a stream, so that's no problem.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54And check the perimeter fences, make sure nothing has got its head stuck, or is getting out.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58That's a lovely sight over there, a ewe with two good strong lambs
0:36:58 > 0:37:02nestled in right next to her, good mother.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11There's a lamb down there on its own. When you've a sheep, or lamb
0:37:11 > 0:37:16on its own, it's never a good sign, it doesn't look very healthy. Here!
0:37:16 > 0:37:17See if I can catch it.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21Hold up. Hold it up!
0:37:24 > 0:37:25That will do.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27Goodness me!
0:37:29 > 0:37:30Wet, soggy lamb now.
0:37:35 > 0:37:36It's really skinny.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40And it's got a problem with its eyes, which is why it jumped
0:37:40 > 0:37:45into the stream, it needs some antibiotics and some eye cream.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49It needs drying off, so I'll take it back to the farm and sort it out.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51It's so skinny, it must have lost its mum.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57When lambs are accidentally separated from their mothers,
0:37:57 > 0:38:04the ewe can forget about them, especially if she still has other lambs suckling from her.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07I've got some milk for it, see if it will take a bit of that.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Still reasonably lively.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Sometimes, when they've been suckling off a ewe,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16they will not take a rubber teat,
0:38:16 > 0:38:22but actually, this one is so hungry, he's taken to it straightaway.
0:38:22 > 0:38:23It's a really good sign.
0:38:23 > 0:38:29If they've got the will to suckle, then they've got the will to live.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34Hungry, aren't you? What you want is for a ewe
0:38:34 > 0:38:39to look after her lambs on her own, and they just survive out on grass.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42I've got an antibiotic injection for it.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46It'll stop any infections it's got and also help its eyes,
0:38:46 > 0:38:50and I'll give it 1ml for the next three or four days.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52I think you're a pet lamb now!
0:38:58 > 0:39:03With the rest of the lambs out in the fields, the barns where they were born are all empty.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06They need to be cleaned out, so we can store grain at harvest time.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.
0:39:09 > 0:39:15Nothing is wasted on the farm, all the farmyard manure is used as fertiliser on the fields,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19so I'm going to take this down and tip it on the muck heap where it will rot down.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35A lot of people would think of farmyard manure as just a heap of
0:39:35 > 0:39:41rubbishy old muck, but in fact, this stuff has real value to us.
0:39:41 > 0:39:46It's full of nutrients that we can spread on the field -
0:39:46 > 0:39:52phosphates, nitrogens, pot ashes that we would otherwise have to buy in in a bag form.
0:39:52 > 0:39:59So this stays here, rotting down for a little while, then after harvest, we spread it on the fields.
0:39:59 > 0:40:04You may look at this heap thinking there's a lot here, but actually, it won't go very far.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09I could really do with ten times more animals to have a lot more of this muck.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19There's a lot going on on the farm at this time of year.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24The sun is shining, so we've got contractors working the fields. They're making haylage,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28which is more moist than hay, and makes excellent horse feed.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32While the lads are hard at work in the fields, I've got rosettes on my mind.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39For a lot of farmers, summertime means show time, and they will have been thinking
0:40:39 > 0:40:45about it six, or eight months in advance, preparing cattle and sheep ready for the shows of the summer.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50And we've got a couple of little White Face Dartmoors in here which we think we might take to a show
0:40:50 > 0:40:55and sell maybe in July, August time, so I'm just going to sort them out and do a bit of training.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05I think I've got it right, I think they're all Dartmoors in there.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08Choosing stock for showing is pretty critical because you really
0:41:08 > 0:41:12want to use showing and selling as an advert for your flock.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14That's a lovely sheep.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18That's another lovely sheep. We'll probably keep those two,
0:41:18 > 0:41:23maybe something like that is a very nice Dartmoor,
0:41:23 > 0:41:27the judges will be checking teeth. She's got a good mouth.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31So what we have to do if they're going to be in the show ring is halter train them.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33So the halter goes on.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35Tighten it up.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Always leading...
0:41:37 > 0:41:40the animals from the left.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45They really don't like it to start with.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47They just have to learn that they can't get away.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51We'll do about 10 or 20 minutes of this every day for a week,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53then give her a fresher course closer to the time.
0:41:53 > 0:41:58Steady... Good girl. It's a bit like a rodeo really.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02They just have to learn that they can't get away. Steady, steady!
0:42:02 > 0:42:06In the show ring, they have to be wonderfully behaved,
0:42:06 > 0:42:12walk around nice and carefully in a circle for the judge
0:42:12 > 0:42:16to watch, then you have a head up, and all this head down,
0:42:16 > 0:42:20and stopping and starting won't show her off very well at all.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22You need to tame them.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26She's getting better already and she's only been on it about a minute.
0:42:27 > 0:42:28Good girl.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33I reckon we've got a winner in the making here.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Look at this! There's a good girl.
0:42:37 > 0:42:44'Leading sheep around on a halter is one thing, but a much bigger challenge awaits me.
0:42:44 > 0:42:52'I need to move our Highland bull Eric away from the cows, and he might not like the idea.'
0:42:52 > 0:42:55I've just caught Eric and his cows in this alleyway,
0:42:55 > 0:43:00one of the cows has calved and the other one is going to calve soon, and I don't want him mating
0:43:00 > 0:43:03with them yet because the gestation period of a cow is nine months.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06I want these cows calving in May, June time.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09So I'm going to take him out and put him with a couple of steers.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11First, I've got to catch him.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15Just let him get his nose in there.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19He likes his grub. The good thing about Eric is that he's been shown,
0:43:19 > 0:43:23so I should be able to get this halter on him and take him to the field where I've got the steers.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25But he might not want to leave his wives.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33It's not an easy task getting hold of a beast this size.
0:43:33 > 0:43:39I know Eric well, but bulls can be unpredictable, so I have to be careful.
0:43:39 > 0:43:40Right.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Got a halter on him.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47Bulls have rings in their noses, which is the brakes.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50I've just got to get hold of his nose.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54There's a good boy. Woah.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57There's a good fella.
0:43:57 > 0:43:58Woah!
0:44:01 > 0:44:03Right, I've got him.
0:44:06 > 0:44:12With a bull of this kind of size - he weighs somewhere in the region of 900 kilos and he's obviously
0:44:12 > 0:44:19far more powerful than I am - you need to train them from when they are calves to put a halter on them
0:44:19 > 0:44:24and have to have mutual respect for one another, so he would have been halter trained as a baby,
0:44:24 > 0:44:28I know he's been round the show circuit because I bought him
0:44:28 > 0:44:29at a show and sale
0:44:29 > 0:44:33where he came second in his class, so he's pretty well behaved.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36At the moment, anyway.
0:44:40 > 0:44:44Eric will join three steers - bulls that have been castrated,
0:44:44 > 0:44:46so he'll easily be the dominant male in his new home.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52I'm going to slip the halter off, he might shake his head around a bit
0:44:52 > 0:44:57but I'll hold on to his ring to control him, then he can go and meet his new mates.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Back to his wives in a couple of months.
0:44:59 > 0:45:00Loosen the halter off.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Away he goes. There's a good boy.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10What a lovely boy you are.
0:45:10 > 0:45:11There.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16That's it. Go and see your new friends.
0:45:16 > 0:45:22It's fantastic having a lovely quiet bull.
0:45:22 > 0:45:27He'll just assert his authority instantly because he's full of testosterone and they're not.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30They won't mess with him.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36Next time, I'm looking to buy some White Park cattle.
0:45:36 > 0:45:40Now that the farm is clear of TB, I want to start building up my herd again.
0:45:44 > 0:45:48If you fancy entering our Countryfile photographic competition,
0:45:48 > 0:45:51now is the time to grab yourself a pen and a piece of paper,
0:45:51 > 0:45:56because here's John with all the details of how to grab that title of Best In Show.
0:45:56 > 0:46:02Remember, the winning photos will feature in our Countryfile calendar sold in aid of Children In Need.
0:46:02 > 0:46:07There are 12 different classes you can enter photos in...
0:46:45 > 0:46:49The best photo in each class will be put to the viewers' vote.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52The person who takes the winning photo will be declared Best In Show,
0:46:52 > 0:46:58and gets to choose from a range of the latest photographic equipment to the value of £1,000.
0:46:58 > 0:47:05Whoever takes the judges' favourite photo will get to choose equipment to the value of £500.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08Our competition isn't open to professionals.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13Your entries mustn't have been offered for sale or won other competitions.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16That's because we want something original.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20You can enter up to four photos, which must be taken in the UK.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23Please write your name, address and daytime
0:47:23 > 0:47:26and evening phone number on the back of each photo,
0:47:26 > 0:47:30with a note of which class you want it to be judged in.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33Each photo can only be entered in one class.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37Then all you've to do is send your entries to...
0:47:46 > 0:47:48The full terms and conditions are on our website,
0:47:48 > 0:47:52as well as details of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56Please write to us enclosing a stamped-addressed envelope
0:47:56 > 0:47:58if you want a copy of the rules. The closing date
0:47:58 > 0:48:01isn't until Friday 12th August.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05And sorry, but we can't return any entries.
0:48:05 > 0:48:10Surrey has a tradition for producing wine that dates back to Roman times,
0:48:10 > 0:48:13and Julia has been finding out why these very English vineyards
0:48:13 > 0:48:15are now attracting the attention of the French.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19First, here's the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:50:50 > 0:50:57.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11With vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see,
0:51:11 > 0:51:14you could be forgiven for thinking
0:51:14 > 0:51:17I'm on the slopes of the Champagne region in France.
0:51:17 > 0:51:19Mais non, mon ami!
0:51:19 > 0:51:23I'm actually in Surrey, just over the way from Matt on Box Hill,
0:51:23 > 0:51:26exploring an English vineyard. Now there was a time when English wine
0:51:26 > 0:51:30struggled to make its mark, with a less than sparkling reputation,
0:51:30 > 0:51:32but that's no longer the case.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35Right now, I'm told our home-grown grapes can challenge
0:51:35 > 0:51:37some of the best of our continental cousins.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41At least when it comes to fizz. And this isn't the first time
0:51:41 > 0:51:43our vineyards have wowed the world.
0:51:43 > 0:51:47I'm at Painshill Park, where a restoration project has brought back
0:51:47 > 0:51:51to life one of the most successful vineyards of the 18th century.
0:51:51 > 0:51:55You don't expect to come across this off a roundabout on the A3.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59It was one of the best in the country in its heyday.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01The vineyard and the gardens that surround it
0:52:01 > 0:52:04were the vision of Charles Hamilton,
0:52:04 > 0:52:06a chap who, like many young aristocrats,
0:52:06 > 0:52:09spent time in his youth on a Grand Tour of Europe.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13And like many, he sampled his fair share of grape and grain
0:52:13 > 0:52:15on his travels. On his return,
0:52:15 > 0:52:18he created this rather grand meandering garden
0:52:18 > 0:52:21with the feature vineyard, inspired by his times abroad.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23It must have been one heck of a gap year.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27Mike Gove, of the Painshill Trust, reveals more.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31- Hamilton was truly inspired by his European travels, wasn't he?- Indeed.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34In 1738, when he bought Painshill,
0:52:34 > 0:52:37he started in 1740 planting has vineyard.
0:52:37 > 0:52:41In the early days, he wasn't too successful in his wine-growing,
0:52:41 > 0:52:43so he sought help from David Gineste, a Frenchman,
0:52:43 > 0:52:45and an experienced wine grower.
0:52:45 > 0:52:49- He was here for nine years, almost. - So he actually came?
0:52:49 > 0:52:50He came here, yes,
0:52:50 > 0:52:53to give advice and to help re-plant the vineyards in many respects.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57And eventually, he produced a product that was good enough
0:52:57 > 0:52:59- to fool the French, didn't he? - Yes, indeed.
0:52:59 > 0:53:03It's said that the French Ambassador thought that the wine he was tasting
0:53:03 > 0:53:07was champagne, and said it was one of the finest champagnes he'd tasted.
0:53:07 > 0:53:12Despite fooling a Frenchman into thinking his English wine was champagne,
0:53:12 > 0:53:14the fashion for home-grown fizz didn't catch on
0:53:14 > 0:53:17and Charles Hamilton's vision didn't last long.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20And that's when vineyards, the rest of the park
0:53:20 > 0:53:24and indeed the English wine industry fell to rack and ruin.
0:53:25 > 0:53:30After the Second World War in 1945, a couple of chaps called Hyams and Barrington Brock
0:53:30 > 0:53:33started experimenting with grape varieties
0:53:33 > 0:53:34in their own garden,
0:53:34 > 0:53:38and that sparked a revival in the British wine industry.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42A few decades later, and it's all a very different story.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46Now, English vineyards are producing wines that are recognised worldwide.
0:53:46 > 0:53:51That's my cue to leave one of England's oldest vineyards and go to one of our largest.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54Just a few weeks ago, an English rose
0:53:54 > 0:53:57beat wine rivals from across the globe to become the only pink wine
0:53:57 > 0:54:01to win a gold medal in the International Wine Challenge.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04And the grapes came from here.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09The English wine revival is in full swing,
0:54:09 > 0:54:12but why have we got it so right now?
0:54:12 > 0:54:18- Vineyard manager Sue Osgood spills the secrets. Sue, hello.- Hello.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21So, tell me, what's the secret of your great grapes?
0:54:21 > 0:54:23Award-winning grapes.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26I think picking them at the right time, enough sunshine to make them
0:54:26 > 0:54:29sweet enough to make good wine, and a good winemaker as well.
0:54:29 > 0:54:34If you had to define the difference between English sparkling wine
0:54:34 > 0:54:36and champagne... what would you say?
0:54:36 > 0:54:38The difference for us
0:54:38 > 0:54:41is I think there's more fruit flavours in our wine.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43There's less in champagne.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46They're very dry usually, slightly more acidic, I'd say, than ours.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49And it seems the French are developing a taste
0:54:49 > 0:54:51for our sparkling wine too.
0:54:51 > 0:54:54With land in the Champagne region becoming increasingly scarce,
0:54:54 > 0:54:58they're looking to vineyards like this in Surrey as an alternative.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01So what is it about this part of the country that lends itself
0:55:01 > 0:55:03to such a fruity drop of fizz?
0:55:03 > 0:55:06I'm off to meet a man for whom wine is a way of life.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09And there's nothing he doesn't know about posh plonk.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11We're just like Champagne here.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14Champagne vineyards, northern France.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17King of sparklers, let's be honest. But here,
0:55:17 > 0:55:20everything is very, very similar.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23You've got the same climate, look around us, chilly, northerly.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25OK, the soil's just the same.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29The famous chalk soils in Champagne dip under the Channel,
0:55:29 > 0:55:31emerge in the south of England, here we are,
0:55:31 > 0:55:34the White Cliffs of Dover, and the grapes are the same.
0:55:34 > 0:55:38Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier. Bingo.
0:55:38 > 0:55:40Same winemaking methods, so, yeah.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44For me, English sparkling wine is the ultimate champagne look-alike.
0:55:44 > 0:55:49After decades of trying, English winemakers have finally matched
0:55:49 > 0:55:52grape production to our climate. Look at this,
0:55:52 > 0:55:55a sniff of free booze and Baker is here like a flash.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57Time for John to educate our palates.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00But what flavours should we be looking for to appreciate
0:56:00 > 0:56:05- our fizz more? First up, the French champagne.- It's quite...
0:56:05 > 0:56:09- Go on, the first thing about it? - Melon.- OK, I'll go with that.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12- You're in the right sort of family. - Flowery.- With a little taste,
0:56:12 > 0:56:15a little smell above that, above the fruit.
0:56:15 > 0:56:20- Smells a little bit chocolatey. - No, nearly right.
0:56:20 > 0:56:25What it is, is can you find a yeasty overtone lying over it?
0:56:25 > 0:56:28Which comes from the way champagne is made
0:56:28 > 0:56:31- and English sparkling wine's made. - It hits you here, doesn't it?
0:56:31 > 0:56:36A lot of people get warm bread or a baker's oven.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39- That sort of feel to it. - I tell you what, honestly,
0:56:39 > 0:56:42once you're on that wavelength, you really enjoy it more.
0:56:42 > 0:56:46- Exactly.- 'Next, the English fizz.'
0:56:46 > 0:56:50- OK, taste that.- Shall I tell you what I can smell?- Yeah, the same.
0:56:50 > 0:56:54Ah, now, that's lighter, more... that's definitely more...
0:56:54 > 0:56:56An anorak in the making here.
0:56:56 > 0:56:59Can I say this to you without horrifying you? More elderflower.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03Yeah, exactly. Lemony, but in the same family.
0:57:03 > 0:57:05'With more and more British bubbles making their way onto
0:57:05 > 0:57:08'supermarket shelves, it seems English wine is finally on the map.'
0:57:08 > 0:57:13- Cheers, gents.- Fantastic. - I tell you what, put that on ice
0:57:13 > 0:57:15and you can have that in a few months.
0:57:15 > 0:57:18As long as I can do more than smell it. Very frustrating!
0:57:18 > 0:57:20Well, if that has tickled your taste buds,
0:57:20 > 0:57:22and you want to find out more about what you've seen,
0:57:22 > 0:57:26- log on to our website. - Next week, we'll be in Wiltshire,
0:57:26 > 0:57:30and I've been promised stirring tales of naked highwaymen.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33It's not you, is it? You're not playing dress-up again?
0:57:33 > 0:57:36- You'll have to find out next week. - Oh, no.- See you.- See you, bye-bye.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40Really?! How naked are we talking about?
0:57:51 > 0:57:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:55 > 0:57:58E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk