0:00:29 > 0:00:32Shropshire - a mostly rural county.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36A surprising landscape full of all things to discover.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39A feast for the mind and the body.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Think of this place as one big outdoor gym.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Well, that's what William Penny Brookes did.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47This far-sighted Victorian
0:00:47 > 0:00:50thought that more people should get out and about to get fit,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and it was an idea that gave rise to the biggest show on earth -
0:00:53 > 0:00:55the Olympics.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58But you don't have to be an athlete
0:00:58 > 0:01:01to get something out of this landscape.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Artists and authors have too.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Like Penny Brookes, Malcolm Saville, the children's author,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08encouraged children to seek out
0:01:08 > 0:01:11wild adventures in the Shropshire landscape,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14which is exactly what I'll be doing later.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Well, a wet landscape, anyway.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21And Adam's looking at how state-of-the-art technology
0:01:21 > 0:01:26is proving fruitful for one Lancashire dairy farmer.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30These are robots, and behind there, they're milking cows 24/7.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34But this kind of technology doesn't come cheap. I'll be finding out more.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Shropshire.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Secret, silent, splendid.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53A little-known part of Britain
0:01:53 > 0:01:55tucked away on the English-Welsh border.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02A quiet county that's got loads to shout about, whatever the weather.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Including this little fella.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Wenlock, one of the mascots for London 2012,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09because, believe it or not,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11this sleepy little town in Shropshire
0:02:11 > 0:02:14is where the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games was ignited.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15Welcome...
0:02:15 > 0:02:17to Much Wenlock.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22It was the brainchild of a local doctor
0:02:22 > 0:02:25that laid the foundation for what would become
0:02:25 > 0:02:27the biggest sporting event on the planet.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31CROWD CHEERS
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Well, there's only a few days to go until the opening ceremony,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43and it really is quite something to be stood outside of the house
0:02:43 > 0:02:46of the man who had this vision that the whole world
0:02:46 > 0:02:49is going to be gripped by over the next few weeks.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58William Penny Brookes was a local GP, who lived,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00worked and died in Much Wenlock.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07'The dream was to promote the moral, physical and intellectual improvement
0:03:07 > 0:03:12'of the inhabitants of the town, and especially the working classes.'
0:03:13 > 0:03:16And he did that by establishing the Wenlock Olympian Games
0:03:16 > 0:03:18more than 160 years ago,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21a legacy which continues in the town today.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26He was a real Mr Motivator of his time,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29pushing the masses to a better quality of life.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Brookes also campaigned throughout his life
0:03:33 > 0:03:37to make sure physical exercise became part of kids' education,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39something that some will thank him for,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and others might not appreciate so much.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45One man who knows all about William Penny Brookes
0:03:45 > 0:03:49is Chris Cannon, archivist to the Wenlock Olympian Society,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52who happens to dress for the part too.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55He had this vision.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Others didn't have the vision of the world getting together
0:03:57 > 0:04:00for a great sporting festival like we're seeing in London.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03He knew what he wanted. He campaigned throughout his life
0:04:03 > 0:04:05to get a national games in this country.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08He started a London Olympics in 1866.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12He then wanted to promote a world games, and so he contacted Athens.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15In 1859, he sent a £10 prize to Greece
0:04:15 > 0:04:19to promote their Olympian Games, and then finally, in 1890,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21a man called Baron Pierre de Coubertin
0:04:21 > 0:04:24came to Much Wenlock, and that was the start of the Olympic dream.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27He took the glory! Because everybody always talks about him, don't they?
0:04:27 > 0:04:29They do, they do. But the inspiration,
0:04:29 > 0:04:30the torch, if you like,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32was passed from Brookes to Coubertin.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Is this an Olympian's medal?
0:04:34 > 0:04:36This is a Wenlock Olympian Society medal,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- presented by the society for the pentathlon.- Right.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43And it's got on it there Nike, who is the goddess of victory,
0:04:43 > 0:04:47standing on the world, and that appears on the London 2012 medals.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49But what kind of individual events were there?
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Well, obviously, in 1850, when the first Games were held here,
0:04:53 > 0:04:54the Games were quite simple.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57There were quaint titles of "Running high leap", "Running long leap".
0:04:57 > 0:05:00But he also included events like knitting, sewing,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03that would bring the whole community, cos his thing was
0:05:03 > 0:05:07everybody should take part - the old, the young, the rich, the poor.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09His phrase was,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12"I want every grade of man to take part in my Olympian Games."
0:05:12 > 0:05:15OK, you say "every grade of man" - what about every grade of woman?
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Well, you did have events for women.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20We only ever had one event for women in the early days
0:05:20 > 0:05:24and that was an old ladies race for £1 a team.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Mind you... Be careful, because old ladies were only 45 in those days.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- Right. And did they get a medal like that?- No, they didn't.- Just the tea?
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Yes!
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Tea or no tea, women didn't actually compete in the Olympic Games
0:05:39 > 0:05:41until 1928.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45These days though, there are plenty of women bucking the trend.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50None more so than Shropshire girl Alison Williamson.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53She won bronze at Athens 2004, making her the only person
0:05:53 > 0:05:58to have won medals at both the Wenlock Olympian Games and the Olympics.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06While she's busy preparing for London 2012, there are lots
0:06:06 > 0:06:09of other young archers hoping to follow in her footsteps.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Alice Cotton is a Wenlock competitor with her eye on the target.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Come rain or shine, she practises every day
0:06:24 > 0:06:26with the Shropshire countryside as a backdrop.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32On sunny days, she's out on the field. But when the weather turns...
0:06:36 > 0:06:38..the indoor range is the only option.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41'Especially for a beginner like me.'
0:06:41 > 0:06:45Can I have a bow and have a crack at this? I'm chomping at the bit here.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47I think they'll get me a little plastic one,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49with a sucker on the end of the arrow.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52'Archery coach, Amanda Slack, is also here,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54'just to make sure that my arrows don't do any damage.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:59- How long have you been firing a bow for?- Six years now.- Have you?
0:06:59 > 0:07:04This is your finger guard. It goes like that, OK?
0:07:04 > 0:07:06That's a beauty, isn't it?
0:07:06 > 0:07:11- Oh, I haven't got a sight on mine, have I?- No. You're going to shoot... - Hang on! How come you get sights?
0:07:17 > 0:07:22- Absolutely straight in the yellow, there. Or gold.- Gold.- Gold.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27'At the tender age of 16, Alice is on her way to Olympic stardom.'
0:07:30 > 0:07:32And what level of competition are you at now?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I'm a member of the Archery GB Performance Academy,
0:07:35 > 0:07:40so they're training us to go to the Olympics in eight, 12 years' time.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- Wow, so you're aiming for... - 2020.- 2020? OK.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45Let's go and have a look.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- Hey, we're a good team.- Yes!
0:07:50 > 0:07:51This is all right.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55- Quite good for a beginner.- You've got the makings of a good archer.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58- Yes.- Can I have a go at the 70 metres? Please, coach?
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- OK!- Yes!
0:08:01 > 0:08:04MUSIC: "Eye Of The Tiger" by Survivor
0:08:04 > 0:08:09- It's a long, long way. This is the Olympic distance.- It is, yes.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Look at the suspense on the balcony above!
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- ARROW CLATTERS ON FLOOR - It's a bit short.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Oooh! I've hit the roof! I've hit the roof! Sorry.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26I've hit the roof...
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Hang on, did you hear Alice, just in my ear there, go "A bit higher".
0:08:33 > 0:08:35- No, too far left. - ARROW CLATTERS
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Only just.
0:08:40 > 0:08:46Well... I'm obviously not going to make the...the GB team here, but...
0:08:46 > 0:08:48- I'm sure they'll do us proud.- Yes.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51- And I'm sure in 2020, we'll be watching you.- I hope so.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53- I've thoroughly enjoyed that. - Lovely. Very good.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Right, has anyone got a number for the roofer?
0:08:56 > 0:08:59THEY LAUGH
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Just a few miles from Matt,
0:09:07 > 0:09:11the River Clun snakes its way down through the Shropshire hills.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15A bright and beautiful river, beloved of anglers and poets alike.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19But I'm not here for sport or literature.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22I'm here to find out what's happening to one of our rarest
0:09:22 > 0:09:26and most endangered creatures - the freshwater pearl mussel.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Freshwater pearl mussels are cousins of the kind
0:09:31 > 0:09:33you find at the seashore.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36They're one of the key species for indicating fresh water quality.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Get it right for them, and everything else benefits.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Any kind of water pollution is bad news.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47It's one of the key reasons their numbers are in serious decline,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50but here on the River Clun, they're hanging on in there...
0:09:50 > 0:09:51but only just.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55They were once common on this river.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Now they're confined to just a couple of short stretches.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02This Environment Agency team are scouring the riverbed
0:10:02 > 0:10:05as part of the latest population survey.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07- Afternoon, ladies.- Hello.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11That's looking promising, you're crouched down in a positive way.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13- Have you got one?- Yes, we have indeed.- Fantastic.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- Would you like me to take him out? - Yes, please.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20- I'm dying to see one. - That's a freshwater pearl mussel.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Thanks, Julie - come on up here. Wow.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Now, I've been in search of these before and I know how elusive
0:10:27 > 0:10:29they are and how tricky they are to find,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31so this is a very good sign, isn't it?
0:10:31 > 0:10:36Yes, it is. They're an extremely rare animal. It's endangered.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38It has the same status as the panda.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Yep.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43We've lost 90% of European populations.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46'It's OK for me to handle this one, because Julia is supervising
0:10:46 > 0:10:48'and she has a special licence.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53'Disturbing mussels without one is a criminal offence.'
0:10:53 > 0:10:58They're called the pearl mussel, because there is a pearl in there?
0:10:58 > 0:11:01That's a very, very rare occurrence.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04The pearl itself... You can have thousands of pearl mussels
0:11:04 > 0:11:06with just one pearl in it.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07They're not really...
0:11:07 > 0:11:12The value isn't in the pearl, it's in this very rare, endangered creature.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13How old is this one?
0:11:13 > 0:11:18They live to about 120 years old and they grow to about 15 centimetres.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22That's roughly 15 centimetres, so just as a rough gauge,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24if we do that, we can see
0:11:24 > 0:11:26it's approximately 60, 70 years old.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29This one's 60 or 70 years old, what about the juveniles? Where are they?
0:11:29 > 0:11:34Right. This is the problem with populations within Europe
0:11:34 > 0:11:35and within the Clun itself -
0:11:35 > 0:11:40unfortunately we've not found any juvenile pearl mussels at all.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42There's been extensive surveys.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45We're very, very well aware that they're breeding.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49The males and females are releasing their sperm and their eggs.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51- The eggs are getting into the water...- They are somewhere.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54They are somewhere. Whether they're surviving...
0:11:54 > 0:11:58They're being released into the water, but whether they're actually surviving
0:11:58 > 0:12:00once they're in the riverbed, is another matter.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06Part of the problem is the larva are too small to see in the river.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09But there is a way of checking that they're here.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11These tiny larva, called glochidia
0:12:11 > 0:12:14snap shut on the gills of an unsuspecting fish -
0:12:14 > 0:12:19a salmon, or a trout - and there they stay for the next ten months.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25These little white spots are what we're looking for - mussel larva.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Fish's gills are rich in oxygen, which is just what they need.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32It's a vital relationship - without it,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34the young mussels wouldn't survive.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36So it's important that the river has a good,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40healthy trout and salmon population.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Finding that out involves electro-fishing.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46It doesn't hurt the fish, but it certainly does catch them.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50How does it actually work, Martin?
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Well, what happens is,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55the electricity we're delivering
0:12:55 > 0:12:57from the anode here
0:12:57 > 0:12:59attracts the fish.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01It causes a muscular response
0:13:01 > 0:13:04and they swim towards that ring.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- There was one, just going down by Pete's leg, there.- Go on, Pete...
0:13:10 > 0:13:14- Yes!- And that's about the right age that we're looking for.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Taking a close look at these trout
0:13:16 > 0:13:19gives us lots of information about their health and numbers.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Plenty of healthy fish improves chances for the pearl mussels.
0:13:23 > 0:13:29All the trout that we caught there are of good size, the largest one
0:13:29 > 0:13:33is probably a three-year-old trout, from the size of it.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Quite slow-growing, but as you can see, a fine specimen.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Not damaged at all by the electric fishing.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43This one looks in pretty good shape,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45but exacting measurements have to be taken.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48First of all, we will measure the fork length.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Bring the nose up to the point and then from here,
0:13:51 > 0:13:56we can see that this fish is roughly 207 millimetres in length.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01So the next thing we need to do is to take a scale from the fish.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03If you press your thumb down there,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07they'll be in the scale packet and the scale information will give us
0:14:07 > 0:14:12an idea of how old that fish was, but also how quickly it's growing.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16This is a good idea then to see how well the population is
0:14:16 > 0:14:20and whether it's viable for the pearl mussel.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23The fish here appear to be healthy and in good numbers,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27which is great news, but it's not all about the fish.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Water quality is key to the pearl mussel's life-cycle.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Getting THAT right is tricky.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Unless you get yourself one of these -
0:14:35 > 0:14:38it's a solar-powered water pump.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Adam, what on earth has it got to do with molluscs?
0:14:40 > 0:14:44This is part of our new demonstration farm here at Purslow farm.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46It's a solar-powered cattle drinker.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47Right...
0:14:47 > 0:14:50How it works is the solar panel powers a pump,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54which pumps water up from the river into the tank and into the trough.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57So you don't want the cows going down to the river.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00No, because they're going to cause siltation and they'll drop
0:15:00 > 0:15:03their waste into the river, cause pollution and cause those molluscs,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06those freshwater pearl mussels, loads of problems.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09The cow hooves churn up the river banks.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12This creates the silt which can smother young mussels,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14starving them of oxygen and killing them.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It could explain why we're only seeing older,
0:15:17 > 0:15:19bigger mussels in the river.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24There's this big gap, isn't there, in the freshwater mussels.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29They are found on the gills of the juvenile fish.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34There are adult, 60, 70-year-old fresh mussels in this river.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36What's happened in between? Where are they?
0:15:36 > 0:15:39We don't know for sure, but there's three reasons, probably.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41One of them is water quality.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44After the war there was intensification of farming
0:15:44 > 0:15:47and there was an increase in agro-chemical use.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Secondly, the unknown factor is metaldehyde use in this area,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54which is a molluscicide and can kill slugs,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57but it can also affect the freshwater pearl mussel.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Thirdly, and most importantly, is siltation.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04Keep the cows out of the river
0:16:04 > 0:16:07and the silt should stop being a problem.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Fence off the river and they'll have no option
0:16:10 > 0:16:14but to drink from the solar-powered trough.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Work like this is a start,
0:16:16 > 0:16:20but it's going to require a continued effort to save the river mussels.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22And time may be running out.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25What's the outlook, Julie?
0:16:25 > 0:16:29It's not good, unfortunately, for the Clun freshwater pearl mussel.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33They're at a critical stage now. It's just a matter of time, really.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- We're talking of maybe 15 years... - Before they're extinct?
0:16:35 > 0:16:39- Extinct within the Clun. - That's very sad.- Yes.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Desperate situation for them, really.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Hopefully, it won't come to that.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Julie and her team will keep looking for those elusive juveniles
0:16:49 > 0:16:53and they'll do their best to make sure the river is ready for their return.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59From the river to the sea.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Here's Ellie in Cornwall, finding out about a very special crab.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10The oceans and rivers of planet Earth -
0:17:10 > 0:17:13home to some of the most aggressive creatures in the world.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20The shark.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26And then there's the piranha.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Don't fancy a dip with that, either.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Or the stingray, for that matter.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37But there are some fierce little fellows much closer to home
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and they can be found...
0:17:40 > 0:17:42..in there.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Don't get me wrong - they don't pose a major danger to us,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46but to each other...
0:17:46 > 0:17:48They like a bit of a scrap.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Dr Mark has been studying the personalities and aggressive traits of hermit crabs
0:17:54 > 0:17:58in the rock pools around Looe Harbour in Cornwall for more than 15 years.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02- You all right there, Mark?- Hiya.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- How're you doing? - Good, thanks.- Good.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06So there's a bit of aggro behaviour in our rock pools, is there?
0:18:06 > 0:18:08That's right, yes.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11This is a snail called Littorina littorea,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14and hermit crabs use empty Littorina littorea shells
0:18:14 > 0:18:17instead of making their own shells.
0:18:17 > 0:18:18This is what they fight over.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21So if you want to spot a hermit crab, basically the easiest way to get
0:18:21 > 0:18:27your eye in is to watch for snails that are moving too quickly to be a snail.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30You'll see them walking about, often along the edges
0:18:30 > 0:18:32and the fringes of the seaweed.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Incredibly easily missed, unless you know what you're looking for.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38It's one of those things, once you've seen it once, you keep seeing it.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Until you've seen it for the first time, you don't notice them, exactly.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47'Right. Time to find some of these fiery fellas.'
0:18:57 > 0:19:00- Ah, found one over here already. - Oh, you've got one.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02A couple, yes - here we go.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05They tend to be quite aggregated in their distribution.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08So when you find one, you'll usually find a couple.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12So can you see this guy just walking about here?
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Kind of climbing over some little stones,
0:19:15 > 0:19:20flicking his antennae away to feel around his immediate environment.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21We can pick them up and have a look.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25They tend to hide inside their shells when you pick them up.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29- Oh yes, he's just gone in. You can just see the little claws there, sticking out.- That's right.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33- Can you see how one claw is bigger than the other claw?- Yeah...
0:19:33 > 0:19:36If you take them out of their shell, you can see not only
0:19:36 > 0:19:37are their claws lopsided,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39but their abdomen kind of twists around to one side,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41to fit into the shell, exactly.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42Isn't that amazing?
0:19:42 > 0:19:47So they're really well adapted for using this resource of an empty snail shell,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50which means they don't have to grow their own shell -
0:19:50 > 0:19:53it's a clever evolutionary strategy.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Mark's findings on the hermits
0:19:57 > 0:20:00helped to give us a better understanding of the evolution
0:20:00 > 0:20:02of these incredible invertebrates.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05So now he's taking me back to the lab to see a couple of them
0:20:05 > 0:20:07in battle.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11- All right.- Oooh...
0:20:11 > 0:20:16- Wow.- So, this is our behaviour room.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Stephen here is observing a fight between two hermit crabs
0:20:20 > 0:20:23that we've set up earlier.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27These are crabs taken from the site we visited this morning at Hannafore
0:20:27 > 0:20:30and we have a large crab and a small crab
0:20:30 > 0:20:33and we've put the large crab into a shell that's too small
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and the small crab into a shell
0:20:35 > 0:20:37that's just right for the larger crab.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41- So you staged the fight?- Exactly. - I see, OK. Look, here we go.
0:20:41 > 0:20:42FAINT TINGING
0:20:42 > 0:20:44So what's that ting-ting-ting sound?
0:20:44 > 0:20:47That's something called shell rapping.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52The attacking crab is whacking his shell against the surface
0:20:52 > 0:20:56of the defending crab's shell and we've been studying this for ages.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59We think it's a kind of signal.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02It's one of these examples of aggressive behaviour that you see
0:21:02 > 0:21:05right the way through the animal kingdom, where the fight's settled
0:21:05 > 0:21:07not by the animals trying to injure each other,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10but through the use of communication.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13We think the signal is telling the defending crab
0:21:13 > 0:21:16something about the attacking crab's ability to fight.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19So it's kind of like a signal of stamina.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22I'm guessing that this crab is about to be successful
0:21:22 > 0:21:26and I think the defender is about to come out of its shell.
0:21:26 > 0:21:27See - there we go.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31That's an eviction and now the attacking crab has won that shell.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- In one seamless move, he just hopped straight across.- Yes.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37And there's still a bit of a battle.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Well, the attacking crab hasn't quite decided whether the shell
0:21:41 > 0:21:44that it's just vacated... Whether it's a good idea to do that or not.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47It wants to try to keep the defending crab out of it -
0:21:47 > 0:21:51not successfully this time - before it completely gives it up.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Now both crabs have a shell, but the attacking crab has won the big shell.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- They both went straight into a shell. Is that because they're vulnerable without it?- Yes.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01It's really bad if you're a hermit crab to be without a shell,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04because if you saw their abdomen, it's really soft -
0:22:04 > 0:22:07is not protected by a hardened exoskeleton.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10If you hang around for too long without a shell, you could easily
0:22:10 > 0:22:15become dinner for another marine organism in the rock pool.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Amazing.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23I find the research Mark and his team are up to truly remarkable.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27All that's left to do now is take the hermits home...
0:22:27 > 0:22:30to the rock pools of the Cornish coast.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32There you go. Free at last.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Back in Shropshire, I'm exploring the county's lush countryside
0:22:45 > 0:22:46and rumpled hills.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51And what better way to see it than from the air...without an engine.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01The graceful art of gliding has a long history in Shropshire.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04It's home to the Midlands Gliding Club,
0:23:04 > 0:23:06one of the oldest in the country.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08And believe it or not,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11it almost became an Olympic sport in its own right.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17More than 75 years ago,
0:23:17 > 0:23:21there were serious moves to get gliding accepted
0:23:21 > 0:23:23as an official event at the Olympic Games,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25but it never took off.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29So Bruce, gliding very nearly became an Olympic sport.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Tell us how and why.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35It actually made its Olympic debut in 1936 at the Winter Games and
0:23:35 > 0:23:39then it was an official demonstration sport in the 1936 summer games.
0:23:39 > 0:23:45In 1940, when the Games were with the Japanese at Tokyo, they provisionally
0:23:45 > 0:23:48accepted it and of course by the time the Second World War started...
0:23:48 > 0:23:51of course, the 1940 Games sadly didn't happen.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52But all is not lost,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55because gliding has been part of the Wenlock Olympian Games.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59- It is, yes.- This is its first year, yes?- It is indeed.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03And how do you compete, then, in gliding?
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Basically, in gliding it's obviously weather dependent.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10So if we've got wet weather, etc, it causes us a real problem,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13but any good summer's day with little puffy clouds in the sky -
0:24:13 > 0:24:16that's what glider pilots are looking for.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18We use thermals to basically get us from point A to point B.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25And what is it then, that really does it for you with this sport?
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Just being able to disconnect yourself from all the worries
0:24:28 > 0:24:30on the ground, normal pressures in life.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33There's nothing better than gliding along
0:24:33 > 0:24:36and seeing a big red kite on your wing tip. It's special.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Go back to the 1930s and gliders were being specially built
0:24:42 > 0:24:46to a standard spec, in preparation for their Olympic debut.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49And fittingly, they were called the Olympia.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Although they never met their Olympic destiny,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55many models are still being lovingly restored.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01And they would be flown today, too, if the English weather
0:25:01 > 0:25:06hadn't descended on us in all of its damp fury.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11Ideal conditions(!) Perfect visibility, ideal day for gliding.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- Roger, what have you done with the weather?- Is terrible, isn't it?
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- Should've been here yesterday. - Indeed. Well, we're all together,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23cos we're going to do a bit of rigging. Nice to see you, lads.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I understand you've got a lovely surprise in here.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Well, this is the Olympia glider,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30which is the same design as the one that was used
0:25:30 > 0:25:33in the original 1936 Olympics.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Really? Brilliant. Let's get her out.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Roger and his gliding pals share the ownership of the Olympia.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45It's a bit like a flat-pack toy and in less than half an hour,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47it's almost ready to fly.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50It's very light.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54- It's mostly fresh air.- Yeah. - Otherwise it wouldn't fly.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57- Are you going round there, then? - That's it.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01You can see those two pins.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05We've just got to make sure that we get it engaged in that, so...
0:26:05 > 0:26:10- That's getting closer now.- Yes. - Back a bit more.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12That's pretty good. There it is.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16Well, you've done a beautiful job with this restoration project. What have you had to do?
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Well, in the past, I've removed all of the covering from the wings
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and the tailplane.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Obviously, that exposes all of the structure inside,
0:26:27 > 0:26:28so you can check it all out.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31I'm judging by your nails here that the red paint
0:26:31 > 0:26:35- is quite a new addition. - That's it. Yesterday!
0:26:35 > 0:26:39I'd better do a good job helping Roger assemble this glider,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43because we seem to have some rather harsh critics watching the proceedings.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45How long do you think they're going to take to finish, then?
0:26:45 > 0:26:47At this rate, never, I think.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52They missed a bit, anyway. I've got this bit here, they've forgotten.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Won't fly without that.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59What was it like, the moment when you got into this 1936 spec
0:26:59 > 0:27:03and thought... Right, here we go - let's take her up into the air!
0:27:03 > 0:27:04Well, it is quite interesting to fly
0:27:04 > 0:27:09- in something that's older than yourself.- Just a bit.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13You have to trust the designer and you have to trust the guy
0:27:13 > 0:27:17who looks at it to make sure it's all right. Unfortunately, that's me!
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Yes!
0:27:19 > 0:27:24Being a ripe old age is no hindrance to these vintage Olympia gliders,
0:27:24 > 0:27:29flying with all the grace and charm of more modern designs.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32And luckily for me, today I'm getting a special treat,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34despite the weather.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38These guys are letting me experience the Olympia for myself.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Well, what a privilege to be sat here, in the cockpit,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44up in the clouds.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45Whoo!
0:27:45 > 0:27:49It's just a shame we haven't left the ground. Cheers, lads.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52On a day like today, I think this is as good as it's going to get.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Anyway, here's what else is coming up on tonight's programme.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00- CHEERING - We put on our own Olympic Games with a green twist.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Ready, steady, go!
0:28:02 > 0:28:06- Wooo!- And the weather's not dampening our Olympic spirit.
0:28:06 > 0:28:14But will there be sunshine in the week ahead? Find out with the Countryfile forecast.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17OINKING
0:28:23 > 0:28:26In the Cotswolds, it's an early start for Adam.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29He's responsible for all sorts of wonderful animals on his farm.
0:28:29 > 0:28:30HE BELLOWS
0:28:30 > 0:28:32But it's Eric the bull
0:28:32 > 0:28:37and some of his rare breed rams that are in need of his attention.
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Come on, Pearl.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Heel. (Good girl.)
0:28:48 > 0:28:49Here, come on.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53I've got a group of my rare breed rams in here.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56We've got Norfolk Horns and a Castlemilk Moorit
0:28:56 > 0:28:58and I'm preparing them for a show and sale.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00In the show ring, they need to be well-behaved
0:29:00 > 0:29:03so that hopefully they'll pick up a rosette
0:29:03 > 0:29:06and if they get Breed Champion, we'll then get a premium price.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09So what I'll do is give them a few nuts there...
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Just slip a halter on this ram...
0:29:13 > 0:29:15This is the first day. We haven't started this yet,
0:29:15 > 0:29:19so they could be a bit lively when you first put a halter on them. Ooh, don't fight over it.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Come on, then.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24Got to get it round the back of his horns.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26There. Come on, then.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Right... Look out, dog. Out.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32Right then, fella.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34There's a good boy.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36So, to start off with,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39he's just got to learn that he can't get away from the halter.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Out, Pearl. There's a good girl.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47It's all about patience. Just slowly, slowly with them. That's it.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49Whoop! Steady.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52With the rams, they do tend to be a little bit more stroppy
0:29:52 > 0:29:56because they're big, tough boys, full of attitude.
0:29:57 > 0:29:58Aren't you, mate?
0:29:58 > 0:30:03Oops, dropped him - oopsy! Never mind, disaster!
0:30:03 > 0:30:06Whoa now, fella. Whoa, whoa.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Oopsy. That'll do, Pearl. That'll do.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14No, Pearl - out, out, out.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18Bit of rodeo! I dropped the halter!
0:30:18 > 0:30:21'Despite my blunder, he's making good progress.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25'Hopefully, he'll catch the eye of the judges in the show ring and perhaps win a rosette or two.'
0:30:25 > 0:30:27It's no good pulling them.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31If you pull from the front, all they do is pull back.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35So you've really got to walk from behind and just knee him along a bit.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Go on. Encourage them to walk forward.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44Tell you what, let's give you a little good boy, a little titbit.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47There you are. Look... Here we are.
0:30:47 > 0:30:48There.
0:30:48 > 0:30:53It's quite good to give them a bit of a reward so they don't hate this.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55They think of it as something nice
0:30:55 > 0:30:59and a good way to an animal's heart is through its stomach.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02There we are, mate. Enjoyed that, didn't you?
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Right. That's enough for him today. I'll pop him back.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06Come on, then. Come back in with your mates.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09'Not all my animals are in such good health.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12'Eric, my Highland bull has been having problems with his feet,
0:31:12 > 0:31:16'so I've called in a specialist to take a closer look.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19'Eric Samson has been a foot trimmer all his life,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23and takes great pride in his pedicures.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29- Hi, Eric.- Adam.- With your namesake! - Absolutely!
0:31:29 > 0:31:30I think he's better looking, though.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34So what do you think might be the problem,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37cos he was lame for a few days, then he got better again,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40- but his feet do seem quite long. - They are long.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42Far too long for a Highland.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44They should be a lot shorter, a lot stubbier.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48- He's started to go back on his heel quite a lot.- Get out, get out!
0:31:48 > 0:31:50Hello!
0:31:50 > 0:31:54- Hello!- Let's get her out of the way! Get out, go on!
0:31:54 > 0:31:56This is brilliant, this contraption.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59I mean, he's the best part of a ton of bull and you've got him
0:31:59 > 0:32:02completely contained and he seems to be fine.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06Absolutely. Normally, the bigger they are, the quieter they are.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09- And I've had bulls in here nearly two ton.- Really?- Yep.- Crikey.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13- Because the Highland cattle are quite a small breed, aren't they?- They are.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16I mean, I've got Dexters to do tomorrow, those are smaller still.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19But that's a bit like foot-trimming Labradors!
0:32:19 > 0:32:23It's the easiest way of actually foot-trimming cows.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26It reduces the stress and you can get all the foot.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Give him two or three days, he'll be absolutely fine.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33- Sometimes when he was walking around he was a bit tender.- Yeah.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35That could carry on for a few days.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38Given a bit of motivation he'll be absolutely fine.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Bit more towards you, that's it.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46'It's time to turn Eric back into the field.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49'But it's always best to be wary of those horns,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52'particularly if he's feeling sore.'
0:32:52 > 0:32:53Turn round. There's a good fellow.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56'Hopefully in a few days he'll be as right as rain.'
0:33:00 > 0:33:02With our sheep and cattle at home it's very hands-on,
0:33:02 > 0:33:06but if you don't move with the times you can get left behind,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09and often technology can be the key to success.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13But in dairy farming it's renowned for long hours and hard work,
0:33:13 > 0:33:16having to get up early to milk the cows.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20That is, unless you've got some robots to help you out.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23'And that's what a farmer in Lancashire has done.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27'David Talbot has a herd of 180 cows.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32'He's recently invested in some of the latest technology.'
0:33:32 > 0:33:36- David, hi.- Hi, Adam.- Good to see you.
0:33:36 > 0:33:41- So this is your amazing robotic milking parlour.- This is it.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45Goodness me, it's coming at me, this robot! So what's going on here, then?
0:33:45 > 0:33:46How does it all work?
0:33:46 > 0:33:50Well, basically the cows queue up to be milked by their own free will
0:33:50 > 0:33:54and they come into this box, they get fed in this box,
0:33:54 > 0:33:57but while they're getting fed, they're also getting milked.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00So, what, the brushes are cleaning the teats?
0:34:00 > 0:34:04Yeah, the iodine brushes there, they're disinfecting the teats.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07The brushes swing out of the way,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11a laser comes on and scans where the teats are on each cow
0:34:11 > 0:34:14and then it finds each teat, puts it on individually.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17It might not get it first time but it will get it.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19You've just to be patient.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25'This equipment doesn't come cheap.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27'One robot can cost in excess of 60 grand
0:34:27 > 0:34:30'and is capable of milking 50 cows.'
0:34:30 > 0:34:33Amazing, isn't it? I mean, the technology is just extraordinary.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36- Yeah, yeah. - What inspired you to get into this?
0:34:36 > 0:34:39Originally we were a traditional milking parlour,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42where it was going eight hours a day.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44We milked three times a day, and it was quite tiring.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48We had to manage a lot of relief milkers and things.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52And we thought this was a better way of life, for the cows and for us.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56- And how have the cows taken to it? - Well, it's took a while.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00- We're still learning, but they learn faster than humans, really. - ADAM LAUGHS
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Incredible. I've never seen anything like it. Extraordinary.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09- Shall we go around and have a look at the cows?- Yeah, yeah.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14So this is the collection yard where they queue to go in?
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Yeah, this is where they queue to go in and that's just entered
0:35:17 > 0:35:19and that one's waiting.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21And how does the robot know who's who?
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Well, on each ankle of each cow is what we call a pedometer,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28which records quite a bit of information about the cow,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32what it's been doing in the day, how many steps it's done.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35If it's a high number of steps, it could be on heat,
0:35:35 > 0:35:40if it's a low number it could be lame or...not quite up to the mark.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47- So there's still one man doing a bit of manual work?- Yeah, this is me father. We have to keep him busy!
0:35:47 > 0:35:53- Hi, good to see you. I'm Adam.- Hi.- So what do you reckon to these robots? - I think they're great.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56I could sit and watch them all day.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00To think that when I was going to school I was milking a cow by hand,
0:36:00 > 0:36:07and in March of 2011 we went into robots.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10So you've seen it all,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13from milking cows by hand right through to robots doing it for you.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15- What an extraordinary change.- Yeah.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18And what do you think about your son taking on this technology?
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Oh, I think he's been very brave.
0:36:20 > 0:36:25'Good stockmanship and keeping the cows happy is vital to the farm's success
0:36:25 > 0:36:28'and things are good for David at the moment.'
0:36:28 > 0:36:29They look well, your cows.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31'The dairy industry as a whole, though,
0:36:31 > 0:36:33'is going through a tough time.
0:36:33 > 0:36:38'The recent cuts in the milk price farmers get has put pressure on an already hard-pressed industry.'
0:36:38 > 0:36:40A lot of farmers are really struggling.
0:36:40 > 0:36:46We're fortunate to be on a contract which pays your costs plus a bit of reinvestment income as well,
0:36:46 > 0:36:51but many farmers don't get nowhere near that, and there's a real difference at the moment,
0:36:51 > 0:36:53and farmers will go out of business.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56So you're fortunate to have struck a good contract
0:36:56 > 0:37:00with the supermarket, but many won't be making any money at all, will they?
0:37:00 > 0:37:03No, they're not, and they've no money to reinvest, no money to, you know...
0:37:03 > 0:37:07They're just about scraping a living but it will only last so long.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11'I feel for the industry.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15'I hope dairy farmers will be able to pull through and prosper like David.'
0:37:15 > 0:37:19So how many acres of grazing have you got for them out here?
0:37:19 > 0:37:23- About 40 acres. - So they can choose to be in or out?
0:37:23 > 0:37:25Yeah, in, out, wherever they want to be.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28So, come rain or shine, I suppose they make those choices.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Yes, when it's raining they'll all shoot back in, really.
0:37:31 > 0:37:37Well, it's been incredible to see the farm. I think technology seems to be key in modern-day farming.
0:37:37 > 0:37:43We've got it in all our arable systems, but to see it in a dairy unit is mind blowing, incredible.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47- You're doing an amazing job. - Thank you.- Yeah, good to see you.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50'Now, if you know a farmer that deserves recognition
0:37:50 > 0:37:53'for the way they do their job, you can nominate them
0:37:53 > 0:37:57'as Farmer of the Year in the BBC's Food and Farming Awards.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00'For details, go to our website.'
0:38:00 > 0:38:02COW MOOS
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Like Matt a bit earlier, I'm struggling with the weather, too.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13But even here, through this thick mist,
0:38:13 > 0:38:17you get tantalising glimpses of the Shropshire hills.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21I'm about 1,000 feet up on Long Mynd,
0:38:21 > 0:38:23one of Shropshire's highest hills.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26On a clear day you can see for miles from here,
0:38:26 > 0:38:30and actually today in the rain the view's not bad either.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36On a sunny day it's a landscape of high hills, shaded valleys
0:38:36 > 0:38:41and tinkling streams, revealed in all its glory.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46Even on a drizzly day, it's still a landscape to fire the imagination.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50And fire up the imagination it did of one Malcolm Saville.
0:38:50 > 0:38:55He was a well-loved children's author who used this setting for many of his most famous books.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59Malcolm Saville was a contemporary of Enid Blyton,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02but he hasn't enjoyed quite the same celebrity.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04He was prolific, though,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07writing more than 90 books in a 40-year career.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09'On the Long Mynd, where you are going,
0:39:09 > 0:39:14'there are hidden valleys with wild ponies in the bracken and heather,
0:39:14 > 0:39:18'and little dark brooks which you can follow up to their source.'
0:39:18 > 0:39:21- He wasn't a born and bred Shropshire lad, though, was he?- He wasn't.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23He was actually born in Sussex.
0:39:23 > 0:39:28But he first came to Shropshire on a family holiday in 1936 and fell in love with it.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31And he made allusions to very specific places and things
0:39:31 > 0:39:34all the time in his books, didn't he?
0:39:34 > 0:39:38He did. One of the good things about his stories was that he set them
0:39:38 > 0:39:39against real landscape,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42which he encouraged readers to explore for themselves.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47- If you wanted to find specific places, he set up quite cryptic clues, didn't he?- He did, yes.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Because in the preface to each of his stories he said,
0:39:50 > 0:39:53"You can go to Shropshire, you can find a place like this,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56"but you won't find the actual house that I've written about."
0:39:56 > 0:40:00But of course in reality if you'd walk the land you could actually find it!
0:40:02 > 0:40:03'Like this place.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06'It's a farm called Prior's Holt, but readers of Saville's books
0:40:06 > 0:40:09'will know it by another name.'
0:40:09 > 0:40:11This is Witchend.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Malcolm Saville first knew it in 1936, when he first came up here.
0:40:14 > 0:40:19At the time the house was actually used as a riding stable and the barn
0:40:19 > 0:40:23that we see on the side there was actually where they kept the horses,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26and you could rent out a horse by the half-day or the day, apparently.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30He really did love the house. How has it changed over the years?
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Well, it's certainly the location that he loved.
0:40:33 > 0:40:38He never actually lived in the house himself but the location always meant a great deal to him.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41'Saville's stories may have been all about adventure,
0:40:41 > 0:40:45'but he was just as keen to get kids reading
0:40:45 > 0:40:47'and to buy books for themselves.'
0:40:47 > 0:40:53SAVILLE: Paperbacks for children are a terrific revolution in juvenile publishing,
0:40:53 > 0:40:58and these are books that children choose themselves, and do not rely on
0:40:58 > 0:41:05the advice of a... Well, sometimes, of course, a parent, or of adults.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10Saville's own children were evacuated to this house during the war.
0:41:10 > 0:41:16He stayed near London, but sent them chapters of what would become his first book.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18His daughter, Rosemary, is 81 now,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22and this is only the second time she's been back here.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24- Is it as you remember it? - Yes, it is.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27It is slightly smaller, I think,
0:41:27 > 0:41:31- but then we were quite small, so... - Indeed you were!
0:41:31 > 0:41:36He also corresponded with you regularly and sent you chapters of books that he was working on.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40What was it like receiving those letters in the post, those words?
0:41:40 > 0:41:42Very exciting.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46We used to get very excited about it and my mother used to tear open
0:41:46 > 0:41:49the envelope and we used to sit around in this room
0:41:49 > 0:41:53and listen to what Dad had been writing.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55What was it like to read them for the first time,
0:41:55 > 0:41:58and did you then go out and follow his words?
0:41:58 > 0:42:00Yes, I think we did.
0:42:00 > 0:42:05Particularly the first one, which was written about this area.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08I think my mother sometimes used to correct little bits of them.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- I used to see her scribbling. - She was his editor.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Yes, she slightly did the editing on everything.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17I think he obviously wanted our reaction, and we told him,
0:42:17 > 0:42:19we loved it and we were really waiting for the second chapter.
0:42:19 > 0:42:24He loved his readers and he was passionate about writing to them,
0:42:24 > 0:42:29and when he received their fan mail, he used to put aside time
0:42:29 > 0:42:33to answer these letters, and he enclosed a photograph,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35a signed photograph of himself.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39You must be very proud that his books have reached so many people and continue to do so.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Yes, we are, very proud.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43We are actually very amazed, as well,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46and I think he would have been absolutely amazed as well.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53It's 30 years since Malcolm Saville died.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Not much has changed in his beloved Shropshire.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59The places he wrote about are still here.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Misty or not,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04it's still very much the landscape that fired his imagination.
0:43:04 > 0:43:09You might want to do something more adventurous than reading this week, and get out into the great outdoors,
0:43:09 > 0:43:12in which case you might want to know what the weather's got in store.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15I hope it's better than this. Here's the forecast.
0:44:49 > 0:44:56.
0:45:10 > 0:45:11Just look at this.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16Shropshire - a hidden jewel of a county.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20Matt and I have taken to its unexpected hills,
0:45:20 > 0:45:23steep-sided valleys,
0:45:23 > 0:45:27lazy, meandering rivers, and on days like this,
0:45:27 > 0:45:31its almighty, thundering downpours.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38It's been an inspiration to authors.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40Perspiration to outdoor types.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44This is the landscape to suit everyone, and now,
0:45:44 > 0:45:46for the very first time on television,
0:45:46 > 0:45:47anywhere in the world,
0:45:47 > 0:45:51Countryfile is proud to present... the Eco Olympics!
0:45:51 > 0:45:53CHILDREN CHEER, THUNDER RUMBLES
0:45:54 > 0:45:58'Kind of like the regular Olympics, with a green twist.
0:45:58 > 0:46:00'All these games use natural stuff -
0:46:00 > 0:46:03'whatever's found in the woods.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07'There are games throwing pine cones and homemade bow and arrows.
0:46:07 > 0:46:12'They're the brainchild of Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Bryony Carter.'
0:46:12 > 0:46:13What are the Eco Olympics all about?
0:46:13 > 0:46:17Well, as you can see from first impressions,
0:46:17 > 0:46:18it's all about having fun.
0:46:18 > 0:46:19It's all about being outside
0:46:19 > 0:46:22and enjoying this fantastic weather that we have here(!)
0:46:22 > 0:46:25But just, basically, getting kids and people
0:46:25 > 0:46:27out into their local green space and enjoying it,
0:46:27 > 0:46:31doing unusual and different things that you've never done before.
0:46:31 > 0:46:32And really trying to get the kids
0:46:32 > 0:46:35to engage with the adults, even in the wet. It doesn't matter!
0:46:35 > 0:46:36Even in the wet, in the rain.
0:46:36 > 0:46:40Did you read any Malcolm Saville books when you were growing up?
0:46:40 > 0:46:43- I did, yes.- Excellent!- Bit of an inspiration for me, if I'm honest.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47- There you go.- Yes.- So it's all making sense today. How strange!
0:46:47 > 0:46:50'If only we could do something about the weather.
0:46:50 > 0:46:55'Never mind! It isn't getting our Eco Olympians down.'
0:46:55 > 0:46:57Hello, hello! Is everyone nice and dry?
0:46:57 > 0:46:58CHORUS OF "YES" AND "NO"
0:46:58 > 0:47:00Very quickly, I want you to look into the camera,
0:47:00 > 0:47:02give me a little wave and shout your name.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04- Rosie!- Daniel!
0:47:04 > 0:47:06- Ena!- Toby!
0:47:06 > 0:47:08- Lauren!- Luke!
0:47:08 > 0:47:11- Caitlin!- Erin!
0:47:11 > 0:47:14- Olly!- I'm a very wet Phoebe!
0:47:14 > 0:47:17Yes! OK. What's first, Bryony?
0:47:17 > 0:47:20First of all, we need to pick up the pine cones. Off you go.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22So, tell me about the first event?
0:47:22 > 0:47:25- The first event is the pine cone throw.- Yep.
0:47:25 > 0:47:28And how this works is, we have the coloured hoops on the floor.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31Red means more points,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35blue ten points, yellow five points.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37Ready, steady go!
0:47:37 > 0:47:42'Call us old-fashioned - it's boy V girl. This first game is tricky.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45'Hard enough at the best of times,
0:47:45 > 0:47:48'but the weather today is playing havoc. Anything could happen.'
0:47:49 > 0:47:53- I think that was a win for the girls there!- OK!
0:47:53 > 0:47:58'A chance now for the lads to level it.'
0:47:58 > 0:48:02'This event's a toughie - the tree leap.'
0:48:02 > 0:48:06'It's all about making a chalk mark as high up a tree as you can.'
0:48:06 > 0:48:09BOYS CHEER
0:48:09 > 0:48:10'Looks like a victory for the lads,
0:48:10 > 0:48:12'so we're all even.'
0:48:13 > 0:48:16They're enjoying it but there's a serious side as well.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18There is, definitely.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21What we're finding is so many people are not getting out
0:48:21 > 0:48:24with their children and coming and playing in these places -
0:48:24 > 0:48:26taking risks, climbing trees,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28collecting bugs, picking blackberries -
0:48:28 > 0:48:33all the things that lots of our parents used to do as children and even ourselves.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36We're finding children are staying at home, on their games consoles,
0:48:36 > 0:48:40and they're not exploring what's out there, which is this amazing place.
0:48:43 > 0:48:47'Time now for the last event - the bow and arrows.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50'Everything to play for.'
0:48:53 > 0:48:57'What's this? The lads appear to have brought along a ringer.'
0:48:58 > 0:49:03- Right, come on, lads. I hear you're a man down.- Yes.- You ready?- Yes.
0:49:03 > 0:49:05- What's the record so far?- Um...far.
0:49:07 > 0:49:13'Ooh! Not far enough. Can Phoebe steal it for the girls' team?'
0:49:13 > 0:49:17Here we go. There's a time limit as well. Oh!
0:49:17 > 0:49:19LAUGHTER
0:49:19 > 0:49:23Well, it was a very good effort but it just wasn't to be.
0:49:23 > 0:49:24- Oh, hello!- Baker!
0:49:24 > 0:49:26You can't just come in here
0:49:26 > 0:49:29and have a go and pretend you're part of the boys' team.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33- You're not ten years old. Well...- Yes, exactly.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35I've got the results for you.
0:49:35 > 0:49:37You're all winners. It's equal.
0:49:37 > 0:49:39THEY ALL CHEER
0:49:39 > 0:49:42We love a draw. That's it.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46That is it from the soggiest Shropshire I've ever experienced.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50- It certainly is the raining champion!- Oh!- But that is it.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53We are now off air for a couple of weeks because of the Olympics.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55The real Olympics. You're taking part in the archery!
0:49:55 > 0:49:57Yes, I'll be there.
0:49:57 > 0:49:58We'll see you on August 12th,
0:49:58 > 0:50:01where we'll be coming to you from the north coast of Norfolk.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04Cn't believe you came all that way to tell that dreadful joke!
0:50:04 > 0:50:08- Well done, everyone. Give yourselves another cheer.- Cheerio, bye-bye!
0:50:17 > 0:50:18ALL: Bye!
0:50:29 > 0:50:33Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd