0:00:26 > 0:00:27'Wild,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'dramatic,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32'adventurous.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:37'Lochaber in the West Highlands of Scotland,
0:00:37 > 0:00:39'home to the UK's highest mountain,'
0:00:42 > 0:00:44'desolate moorland
0:00:44 > 0:00:49'and near-deserted glens that simply take your breath away.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:54And what better way to enjoy it than on board this beautiful steam train?
0:00:54 > 0:00:57I am taking a journey on what's been described
0:00:57 > 0:00:59as one of the best in the world.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04'While Matt's all aboard the train, I'm being tested to the limit.'
0:01:04 > 0:01:07For early female mountaineers,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10taking on these peaks without men wasn't easy.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13But a group of intrepid Victorian ladies
0:01:13 > 0:01:17did just that and changed the face of female climbing for ever.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Damn skirt!
0:01:19 > 0:01:23'Tom is in Plymouth, remembering the good old days.'
0:01:23 > 0:01:24When I was a child,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I was pretty free to explore the wild.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29The sea, the coast, the woods maybe.
0:01:29 > 0:01:34But many children today seem to lead a much more sheltered life.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37So, how can we encourage kids to really engage
0:01:37 > 0:01:40with the natural world and explore the great outdoors?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And he's going to be investigating.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47'And why has Adam got his head in the clouds?'
0:01:47 > 0:01:49I've come to the Swiss Alps
0:01:49 > 0:01:52to see these famous Blacknose sheep
0:01:52 > 0:01:54and to witness a spectacular event
0:01:54 > 0:01:57that takes place in these ancient handling pens.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10'A spectacular coastline...'
0:02:12 > 0:02:16'..coupled with jaw-dropping mountains and valleys.'
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I'm going to be exploring this stunning countryside
0:02:24 > 0:02:27in the most civilised manner - powered by steam.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31'The West Highland line snakes its way through
0:02:31 > 0:02:34'some of Scotland's most dramatic scenery.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38'Under steam it runs from Fort William along the coastline
0:02:38 > 0:02:40'to the fishing port of Mallaig.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44'I'm travelling as far as Glenfinnan with a short stop at Banavie.'
0:02:45 > 0:02:48'First, though, I'm meeting the man in the driving seat.'
0:02:48 > 0:02:51- Alec. Very good morning. - Good morning.- How are you doing?
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'Alec MacDonald keeps the Jacobite steam train on track.'
0:02:55 > 0:02:59- Is it still reliable today?- Still reliable today. In good order today.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01What is she like to drive? Can I come up and have a look?
0:03:01 > 0:03:03- Yes. Certainly. By all means. - Brilliant.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07- Have a look.- Oh, it's nice and warm up here, isn't it?- Yeah.- Gosh.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10It can be too warm at times. Especially in hot weather.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13In summertime it's very, very warm.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16How long have you been travelling this "road to the Isles"?
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Road to the Isles. Well, it's a long while.
0:03:19 > 0:03:241957, I began my career on the railway and it was all steam.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28So altogether, probably about 55 years.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32- Wow. And you're still going and they can't get rid of you.- Still going.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36This is what I started on so I'm finishing on it too.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39'Before I go, there is one thing, I just can't resist.'
0:03:39 > 0:03:42WHISTLE BLARES
0:03:42 > 0:03:44That was a crowd-pleaser.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46WHISTLE BLARES
0:03:46 > 0:03:49The West Highland line was built in several sections
0:03:49 > 0:03:55through this rugged landscape and it was eventually opened in 1894.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01The whole idea was to connect those living from Glasgow
0:04:01 > 0:04:04all the way out to the West Coast of Scotland.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07'And it's been running ever since.'
0:04:10 > 0:04:12'The hope was that the railway would bring jobs,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14'establish a trade route
0:04:14 > 0:04:16'and open up remote areas to the rest of Britain.'
0:04:18 > 0:04:21'There is one chap who knows this line, and the train
0:04:21 > 0:04:23'for that matter, better than most.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26'Neil McLeod has done everything from working in the buffet car
0:04:26 > 0:04:28'to collecting tickets.'
0:04:28 > 0:04:30This is a pretty spectacular section
0:04:30 > 0:04:32that we're just whizzing through, here.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35It's just wonderful. It's nice to sit down and relax.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39And they say, don't they, that this is
0:04:39 > 0:04:42one of the best train journeys in the world?
0:04:42 > 0:04:43Now, why do they say that?
0:04:43 > 0:04:46It's one of the best train journeys in the world
0:04:46 > 0:04:49because you start off at the sea and you end up at the sea
0:04:49 > 0:04:52and you do this, I do this every day and every day is different.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55But the views are just wonderful. You've got rivers,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58you've got waterfalls, you've got lochs, you've got trees.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01- Everything is here for you. - And the drama in the hills as well.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03You just get lost in it, don't you?
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Looking out the window, you know, it's just incredible.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09It is. And there is one man who lives in Glenfinnan,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12where we are going towards just at the moment, who says that,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14"in every hill and every wee corrie there's a story
0:05:14 > 0:05:17"in every single place and until you know every single story
0:05:17 > 0:05:19"you can't be considered a local."
0:05:20 > 0:05:23'I'll be catching up with Neil a little bit later,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27'but before that they're making a special stop just for me.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29'I'm hoping to get the chance to experience
0:05:29 > 0:05:31'another great engineering feat.'
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Well, of course, a steam train makes the perfect day out for children,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39but it's not something that you can do everyday.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41So what is the best way of ditching the games consoles
0:05:41 > 0:05:45and the televisions and getting out to enjoy the great outdoors?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Tom has been finding out.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51'Remember being a child?
0:05:51 > 0:05:54'All those endless summers playing outside with friends.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56'For many grown-ups, spending time outdoors
0:05:56 > 0:05:59'is ingrained in our memories.'
0:06:01 > 0:06:03But, these days, it seems those pastimes
0:06:03 > 0:06:06are becoming just that - memories.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Our 21st-century children are spending much less time outdoors,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12whether that's in their own backyard,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15in the woods or out in the open fields.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20'In fact, less than a quarter of all our children
0:06:20 > 0:06:23'make use of their local green spaces.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26'To find out why, I've come to visit a family in Plymouth.'
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Hi, everybody.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32You are all busy out in the garden on a nice day.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33'Meet the Carringtons.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38'Mum Caroline, Dad Carl, 18-year-old Tristan,
0:06:38 > 0:06:43Ben, nine, Sam, eight, Ellie, six, Ruby, five and Jack, who's three.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- Catching bugs. - You're catching bugs? Fantastic.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50- You actually seeing any today?- Yeah.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54'Like so many children across Britain, the Carringtons
0:06:54 > 0:06:57'enjoy the natural world from the safety of their own garden.'
0:06:57 > 0:07:03Two black spots, even, and the legs are furry.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05How do you think the outdoor life that they have compares with that
0:07:05 > 0:07:07that you had when you were kids?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10It's restricted, cos I was allowed out till dark.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12My parents never asked where I was going.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- No, you just went off on your own. - You just went off.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17- What about you? - We just went off to play on our own.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Disappeared for the day, didn't you? And come back at teatime.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Does it feel quite difficult, then, having to give them outside space
0:07:24 > 0:07:26but only in what is a fairly small garden?
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Basically, we have to restrict them to in here.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30A big, black spider.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33'Carl and Caroline are frightened to let their children go out
0:07:33 > 0:07:35'and play on their own.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39'Cars and so-called stranger danger are the two main reasons.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44'But could protecting their kids be doing more harm than good?'
0:07:46 > 0:07:50'That's something the National Trust wants us all to think about.'
0:07:50 > 0:07:55So, Jim, what is the real problem that you're seeking to address?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58We are finding, increasingly, that kids, the area in which
0:07:58 > 0:08:02they can roam - their sort of free range - is decreasing massively.
0:08:02 > 0:08:0690% over the last couple of decades.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10And there's a whole raft of issues that that brings about.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13From not learning cause and effect, not having those adventures
0:08:13 > 0:08:16that we probably had when we were youngsters.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Those opportunities just aren't there for them at the moment.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21So they just need to get out more, in your view?
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Yeah, I mean, there are so many issues that it addresses.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26There's health, there's that responsibility,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29there's that gaining a passion for something.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31All of those things, actually,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33the outdoors is a pretty good catalyst for.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37'The National Trust wants to change all that.
0:08:37 > 0:08:38'They've already released a report
0:08:38 > 0:08:41'on the benefits of connecting children with nature
0:08:41 > 0:08:44'and this week they're holding a summit in London
0:08:44 > 0:08:48'to start thrashing out a plan to make that happen.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50'But they can't do it on their own.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53'To really make a difference, they'll need the support of everyone,
0:08:53 > 0:08:54'from politicians to parents.'
0:08:54 > 0:08:57The National Trust is the latest in a long line of organisations
0:08:57 > 0:09:01trying to make children connect more with the natural world.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04How are you getting on with that welly? Have you got them both on?
0:09:04 > 0:09:08They want people like the Carringtons to get outside more -
0:09:08 > 0:09:11with their families, with schools, and with other groups.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- So, just about ready to go? - Yeah.- One more boot.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16I can stamp it in.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Stamp it in. Right, let's go.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24'So, apart from the obvious lure of the telly and video games,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28'what's stopping children enjoying the great outdoors?'
0:09:29 > 0:09:33'To find out, we're taking the Carringtons down to the local woods.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35'It's just a few minutes' walk from their house
0:09:35 > 0:09:38'and the perfect place to connect with nature.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40'But at the moment, Carl and Caroline
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'would never let their kids play out here without them.'
0:09:45 > 0:09:47It's not my boys I don't trust
0:09:47 > 0:09:50in a place like this, it's other people.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I know they'd be safe, they'd play for hours.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57It's whether they'd be safe in that environment to be able to do that.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01The statistics show it is no more dangerous today, overall,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03so I'm just wondering why it is
0:10:03 > 0:10:06we don't give our kids that freedom anymore.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08Paranoia.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Yeah, a lot of coverage on the telly
0:10:10 > 0:10:12about children going missing and accidents.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17- There's more coverage nowadays. - It does make you paranoid.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19What about the roads around here? What are they like?
0:10:19 > 0:10:21The roads can be pretty dangerous.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Down this bit, now, they've got the rocks and things
0:10:24 > 0:10:28and it stops cars getting down here and they can't dump the cars,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30but any main roads, it's a nightmare.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33There's a lot more cars on the roads these days.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34There's too many cars, to be honest.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40'The family have had a great afternoon playing in the woods
0:10:40 > 0:10:44'but if parents are too scared to let their children out of their sight,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47'where does that leave the National Trust's hopes of helping them
0:10:47 > 0:10:50'enjoy the great outdoors?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52'Well, there are other ways.'
0:10:52 > 0:10:56In a short while we'll be trying some new activities - some which this lot
0:10:56 > 0:11:01know and love, others which they've never tried before - in an effort
0:11:01 > 0:11:04to see if we can find more ways of connecting this lot with nature.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Yay!
0:11:09 > 0:11:13These imposing mountains attract thousands of walkers
0:11:13 > 0:11:15to Glencoe in Lochaber every year.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19The landscape here is wild and untamed.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Its awe-inspiring ranges have rules of their own.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25The weather can turn in an instant
0:11:25 > 0:11:29and shelter for wayward walkers is few and far between.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33But refuge can be found if you know where to look.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Down there is a bothy, no loo, no leccy, but on a wild
0:11:37 > 0:11:41and wet day like today, a very welcome sight for a walker.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45'Bothies aren't uncommon in these parts
0:11:45 > 0:11:49'and they're best suited to those travelling alone or in pairs.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53'But in weather like this, there's always room for a little one.'
0:11:53 > 0:11:56They're mostly abandoned farm buildings.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Shepherds would have taken shelter in them when things got nasty,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02which is exactly what I'm going to do now.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04'Today, John Arnott of the Mountain Bothy Association
0:12:04 > 0:12:08'is going to give me a crash course in using one.'
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- What a very welcome sight. - Nice to see you.- Nice to see you.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15And just as you would expect a bothy to be, nice and cosy.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17But no major mod cons. It ain't the Ritz.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21I know, that's right. You don't know what to expect when you arrive.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25- Every one is different. - What's bothy etiquette?
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Who can use bothies and what should they do?
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Anybody can use them. There is no booking system.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35And you leave it as you would hope to find it. It's just a shelter.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38The big question, are you going to make me a cup of tea?
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- If you would like a cup of tea, the kettle has just boiled.- Lovely.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46And people leave a little note, little diary notes behind.
0:12:46 > 0:12:52Yeah, people write in the book. Some people write in the bothy book.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56Robert and Gordon here have left candles, lighters and kindling,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59and this new book and a pen, enjoy, and please leave a message.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03- That's sweet, isn't it?- One of the issues is that it's a handy source
0:13:03 > 0:13:06of kindling paper to light the fire.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09So you can't always guarantee the book stays here.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14- Oh, look at that. Sheet rain. - Yeah, miserable. Look at it.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17- Nice to be able to go inside on a day like this.- Very grim.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22It might be keeping me out of the elements, but in the past,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26many of these bothies were homes, shepherds' or crofters' dwellings.
0:13:26 > 0:13:32A croft is a small plot of tenanted or owner-occupied agricultural land,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34like a small farm.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Traditionally, a crofter kept a cow or two, some chickens and sheep.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42They would have worked the land to grow potatoes and cut peat.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46It's always been a precarious way of life, and historically
0:13:46 > 0:13:51a crofter would have held down two jobs to help ends meet.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53And it's no different today.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Ian Mactaggart is from a long line of crofters and like most,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59he's got more than one job.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Lorry driver by day, crofter by night.
0:14:04 > 0:14:10- Good healthy smell in here.- Yeah. All this is part of the croft.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14I'll get in my pen then. What used to live in here?
0:14:14 > 0:14:19In days gone by, there were horses. Great-grandparents had horses.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23- And that's how far crofting goes back in your family.- Yes.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26They were there and they used to go down to Ballachulish
0:14:26 > 0:14:29and meet the train and they would have a cart
0:14:29 > 0:14:33and take bread off the train and take it up to Glencoe and deliver it.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38And also they used to milk cows and deliver milk.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40- So bread, horses... - Milk.- Milk.- Cows.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Was it important to you to carry on the family tradition,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48to keep crofting somehow in your family?
0:14:48 > 0:14:53When my father passed away, there was only ourselves
0:14:53 > 0:14:56and another lady in the village that had cattle.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Between myself and my sister, we thought,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01if we don't keep it going, it might die.
0:15:03 > 0:15:08Like his grandparents, Ian now keeps a small herd of beef cattle.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11It's tricky juggling this with the day job so he has an apprentice.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Seymour MacLeod is desperate for a croft of his own. But it's not easy.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19In the meantime, he is helping Ian out with his.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- Julia, this is Seymour. - Hi, Seymour. How are you doing?
0:15:22 > 0:15:26- Where are these beasties I've heard all about?- Let's go and see them.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33- Come on, girls.- Come on, the girls. - Come on, girls.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36- They are good herd, Seymour? - They are.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39They're enjoyable to be about. They are like extended family, almost.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43- Is it something you would like to do?- I would love to do it.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44Here they come.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Lovely.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52- This is what you do it all for. - Yes, it is.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56I mean, they're just lovely animals. They're inquisitive.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00- Look at your big grin, Ian.- This is what makes me happy. Up here.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05'For people like Seymour, getting a croft is tough.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08'It's not always viable and land is limited.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10'But things are looking brighter.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14'Karen McRae from the Scottish Crofting Federation fills me in.'
0:16:14 > 0:16:18If I wanted to take up crofting today, what would I need to do?
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Well, I think your starting point would be actually getting out
0:16:22 > 0:16:26and trying out crofting to see if you enjoy it. It is hard work.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30And the other thing is that the Scottish Crofting Federation,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34we have a register of interest, which helps marry available crofts
0:16:34 > 0:16:37with people who are looking for crofts.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39It is trying to make things easier.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43- Like a dating easy agency for crofters.- Yeah, we have said that.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Is there still a place in modern communities for crofting?
0:16:47 > 0:16:50I would definitely say so. It does have a very strong heritage.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55But I think that is what makes crofting what it is.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Everyone has a sense of connection to the land.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03'This fragile way of life, so much a part of this incredible landscape.'
0:17:06 > 0:17:10'Let's hope with increasing awareness and new blood like Seymour,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12'it will continue to thrive.'
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Just north of Julia, and cutting through some of the most remote
0:17:19 > 0:17:23yet stunning Scottish landscape is the West Highland Line.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27It weaves its way from Fort William to Mallaig.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Building this railway was an almighty challenge,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33especially when it had to navigate the Great Caledonian Canal.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37And this is it.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40It starts here in Corpach, down in the south-west,
0:17:40 > 0:17:41with access to the North Atlantic.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44It runs all the way up to the north-east, to Inverness,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46leading to the North Sea.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49It was built for the Napoleonic wars so that ships wouldn't have to
0:17:49 > 0:17:54sail all the way round the top of Scotland in choppy waters.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58The waterway is 60 miles long and connects natural lochs
0:17:58 > 0:18:03by 22 miles of canals, so only about a third of it is man-made.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Back then, it would have been teeming with boats,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13shifting things like coal and timber.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16These days, it's only used by fishing vessels
0:18:16 > 0:18:18and the odd pleasure cruiser like this one,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22but for anybody that wants to navigate this stretch,
0:18:22 > 0:18:27they have to go through this, an impressive engineering feat.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30This is Neptune's Staircase.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37It's a system of eight locks that climb a ladder of 64 feet,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40over a distance of 500 yards.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Lock-keeper Toni Sutherland is my welcoming party today.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55- Toni, how are you doing?- How are you?- I'm very good. Nice to see you.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58I tell you what, that is surprisingly quick,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- how fast the water level goes up. - Yes. It goes up really quickly.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Have you any idea how much water is actually gushing through there?
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Approximately three-quarters of a million gallons.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13- It took me all night to count that bucket by bucket.- I bet it did!
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Let's take a wander and you can show us the gubbins up here.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Toni's partner in crime is Tom Colbert.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25He's been working here for 37 years and is showing me the ropes.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- OK, what does what in here? - This is our control box.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33This is the near gate, far gate.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38We just lift them up until they're fully open.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42- That's it. You can just let go. - Happy with that?- Yes.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Where does it get its name from?
0:19:44 > 0:19:50It was nicknamed the Neptune Staircase after the god of the sea.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55And as you can see, it is a staircase going up.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- It is such a good name.- It is. A grand name. It is a good name.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02It's done. I've got to go and do some work now, haven't I?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05I worked out how it works now. You stay here with the levers
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and the hydraulics while Toni does all the work.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Yes!
0:20:14 > 0:20:17You can see who does all the work along here, can't you?
0:20:17 > 0:20:21It's the one at the back that's pushing it along, I suppose.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27- Back to the cupboard. Are you going to do it?- Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34I genuinely feel awful because I haven't enough time to help you
0:20:34 > 0:20:38get to the top of these locks because I've got the train to catch.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42- I'll do it. Don't worry.- I'll do one more.- You can continue flooding it.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Now, the National Trust is the latest in a long line
0:20:49 > 0:20:52of organisations trying to reconnect children with nature,
0:20:52 > 0:20:57but is that easier said than done? Tom's been finding out.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Hi, everybody.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06'Earlier in the programme, we met the Carrington family from Plymouth.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10'Mum Caroline and dad Carl would love their kids to have the freedom
0:21:10 > 0:21:12'they had when they were children but they're too scared to let them
0:21:12 > 0:21:15'go out and play on their own.'
0:21:15 > 0:21:18It's a big adventure.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20- But it's hard. - It's hard for them.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24'So today they're going to try something new,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28'a natural experience with expert supervision.'
0:21:36 > 0:21:39'This is Devil's Point on the Plymouth seafront.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43'It's just a stone's throw from the city centre itself.'
0:21:43 > 0:21:46And this tidal pool is ideal for beginners,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49when you're doing something a bit scary you maybe haven't done before.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Today's activity is snorkelling.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- Have you ever done anything like this before?- No.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59I don't even know if I can swim.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02The Blue Sound Project has been running for a couple of years.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06It gives people a chance to dip their toes in seaside activities
0:22:06 > 0:22:11and thanks to Natural England and the local council, it's all free.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15For the eldest son, 18-year-old Tristan,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17it's taking a bit of getting used to.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21While he discovers snorkelling,
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Mum's taken the youngsters down to the beach.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29- Jack's thrown his wellies in the water.- You naughty boy.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Playing by the sea isn't something young children can do without
0:22:33 > 0:22:34an adult watching over them,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37but it is a wonderful way of enjoying nature.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Show me what they are.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44This whole film is about the importance of children engaging
0:22:44 > 0:22:46with the outdoors, re-engaging,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49in a way you and I had more freedom to, when we were young.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51How important do you think that is?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I think it's really important for your sense of space.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Sometimes in Plymouth it's called the city with its back to the sea.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01It's very important to feel rooted in your local space in nature -
0:23:01 > 0:23:03whether you've got sea or not,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06some sense of being connected with nature is really important.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11After a couple of hours' practice, Tristan is starting to make
0:23:11 > 0:23:16that connection in the pool, but how will he get on in the sea?
0:23:28 > 0:23:32He is 18 years old, never seen it before, he's done me proud.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37- He really took to it.- He did. I'm really proud of him. Yeah.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42That was amazing.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44A bit strange how you go from...
0:23:44 > 0:23:49being pretty much scared of any water,
0:23:49 > 0:23:54and I still don't think I can swim, but being in the pool,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57I just wanted to do it. I don't know if I will get to do it again,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01so I thought it would be best to give it a bash.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06'Today's adventure is the perfect example of one of the things
0:24:06 > 0:24:08'the National Trust is trying to encourage -
0:24:08 > 0:24:11'organised events where kids can safely enjoy
0:24:11 > 0:24:14'the delights of nature, whether in a forest or by the sea.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16'And the good news for them
0:24:16 > 0:24:20'and the Carringtons is that you can now do that in school.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'The Carringtons' children are lucky enough to attend
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'one of a growing number of British schools that go out of their way
0:24:27 > 0:24:30'to reconnect kids with the natural world.'
0:24:30 > 0:24:33What are you hoping to do when you get down to the woods?
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Play in the river and splash about.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37This is called a forest school,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41a Danish idea which is starting to catch on over here.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44It gives children a safe and supervised chance
0:24:44 > 0:24:46to learn about nature.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Green. Quite a bright green.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54- Right. Good luck, guys, on your hunt.- OK.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58You put it next to some things you think you look a bit green.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02'But this woodland classroom, just like the snorkelling, takes money.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06'If its campaign is going to be a success, the National Trust
0:25:06 > 0:25:09'needs more organisations to fund schemes like this.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13'On top of that, they'll need to solve the issue of kids not going out
0:25:13 > 0:25:15'to play on their own.'
0:25:15 > 0:25:18This is a huge challenge and it's been an issue for a few years.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22How optimistic are you that we can get it right now?
0:25:22 > 0:25:24I think we've got to look at it, it's clearly a long game
0:25:24 > 0:25:27but it's something that needs to be solved.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29When we start looking at the younger generations today
0:25:29 > 0:25:32and the health issues that are going to come,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34we need to do something about this.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38To say I'm optimistic of immediate success would be stretching it,
0:25:38 > 0:25:44but any success is good and we can build on that over time.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47To get the ball rolling,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50the National Trust is holding a major summit this week
0:25:50 > 0:25:54where they hope to start drumming up official support and thrash out
0:25:54 > 0:25:58concrete plans to reconnect children with the natural world.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02It won't be easy, but if the Carringtons' experience
0:26:02 > 0:26:05is anything to go by, it will be worth it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10There is a lot out there. You don't think about it until you get shown.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Would you say you've got a bit of a new-found determination
0:26:13 > 0:26:15to sort of use nature a bit more?
0:26:15 > 0:26:19- Yeah.- Definitely. - Try some new things.- We live in it.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25'We would like your views on the best ways of connecting children
0:26:25 > 0:26:27'with nature and why that is so important.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31'Details of how to do that are on our webpage.'
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Lochaber on the west coast of Scotland
0:26:37 > 0:26:42boasts both stunning countryside and a spectacular coastline,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44as Jules has been finding out.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49This is the Sound of Arisaig,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52a marine special area of conservation
0:26:52 > 0:26:57and it stretches from the peninsula behind me to that one over there.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00And it is absolutely teeming with life.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08'And what better way to take it all in than from the water?'
0:27:10 > 0:27:12'Steve MacFarlane's a wildlife guide.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15'He's built up a special relationship with this coastline.'
0:27:15 > 0:27:18What is it about these waters that have made them
0:27:18 > 0:27:23such a haven for this wide range of wildlife?
0:27:23 > 0:27:26I think it's a mixture of being near the islands where the water
0:27:26 > 0:27:29moves quite quickly and this bay here, the Sound of Arisaig,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31which is quite sheltered.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Then, of course, you've got all the skerries everywhere.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37What is a skerry? For anybody not in the know.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39A skerry is a rock which
0:27:39 > 0:27:43at high tide is covered or almost covered and at low tide uncovered.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47So, you've got this fascinating... They're islands at one moment
0:27:47 > 0:27:49and then six hours later there's nothing there.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53The reason why it is a good place for all the things
0:27:53 > 0:27:57that feed off fish in the sea and plankton in the sea is because
0:27:57 > 0:28:02the area is volcanic and you've got lots of volcanoes on the sea bottom.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05When the water hits those it actually comes up,
0:28:05 > 0:28:06it forces the food up.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12'It sustains all sorts of animals like seals,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14'sea otters and plenty of birds.'
0:28:16 > 0:28:19'But the secret of its success lies beneath the waves
0:28:19 > 0:28:22'although you'll also find evidence on the shore.'
0:28:23 > 0:28:28Now, this may look like an ordinary sandy beach but, in fact,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32this stuff is seaweed.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36'I'm heading back out to sea
0:28:36 > 0:28:40'with Jane Dodd from Scottish Natural Heritage to discover more.'
0:28:44 > 0:28:47So, Jane, sand is seaweed.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49You've just revolutionised my entire understanding
0:28:49 > 0:28:52of what the coast is all about. What's going on?
0:28:52 > 0:28:56Well, what we've got in this area is this thing called maerl
0:28:56 > 0:29:00which is a seaweed which forms a chalk skeleton.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04It looks like a coral, but that's probably the wrong term.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07It's referred to as a coralline algae, so you're not far wrong.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10OK. But this is then crushed up, presumably,
0:29:10 > 0:29:11by the action of the waves
0:29:11 > 0:29:15to produce what I saw on the beach itself.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18- Yeah, the white sand.- And it's peculiar to this part of the cost.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Well, we have it on the west coast of Scotland
0:29:20 > 0:29:21in quite a lot of places
0:29:21 > 0:29:24but there is a lot of it here in the Sound of Arisaig.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26It's a Special Area of Conservation for this habitat.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31So what would this look like in its natural environment?
0:29:31 > 0:29:33When it is alive, the algae is pink.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36It's the same algae you see in rock pools on the coast
0:29:36 > 0:29:38but this grows as a free-living structure on the seabed and, if you
0:29:38 > 0:29:43can imagine, when it's piled up, it forms quite a complicated matrix
0:29:43 > 0:29:46for lots of other animals to live in and the flow-through of water
0:29:46 > 0:29:49that the maerl needs to keep it clear of any sediment
0:29:49 > 0:29:52also brings in lots of food for those other animals as well.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56'Jane's on a mission to survey the seabed
0:29:56 > 0:29:59'and it involves some rather nifty kit...'
0:29:59 > 0:30:02The rear thrusters, forward.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06'..in the shape of this remote operated vehicle or ROV.'
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Right then, let's go and see if we can see some pictures.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12'It's going to be our eyes underwater.'
0:30:13 > 0:30:16There are go. Wow.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18If Aaron can get...
0:30:18 > 0:30:19That's it, look down a bit closer.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22You can see, start to see some of these red algaes
0:30:22 > 0:30:24- attached to the seabed.- Yes.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27And if you were able to look even closer you'd start to see
0:30:27 > 0:30:31anemones and sponges and stuff in amongst the maerl there.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35So this business of surveying is a painstaking process, isn't it?
0:30:35 > 0:30:40It is quite difficult to get a decent map of where the maerl is.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43'Previous surveys using this equipment and divers
0:30:43 > 0:30:45'have captured some cracking images.'
0:30:45 > 0:30:48I was told that some of the maerl
0:30:48 > 0:30:51that's ended up on the beaches here is 8,000 years old
0:30:51 > 0:30:53- so it has been around long, long time.- Yeah.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58'However, not everyone is happy with the voluntary ban
0:30:58 > 0:31:00'on dredging in these waters.
0:31:00 > 0:31:05'But that comes with it being a Special Area of Marine Conservation.'
0:31:07 > 0:31:11But, I suppose, the critics amongst the fishing lobby would say,
0:31:11 > 0:31:13"Because we're not fishing areas like this,
0:31:13 > 0:31:16"we're perhaps overfishing others."
0:31:16 > 0:31:19I would argue that the seabed needs to be zoned.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Fishing should be allowed in some places
0:31:21 > 0:31:24but not in others and maerl is a habitat that we should protect.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26I mean, it is important to protect maerl
0:31:26 > 0:31:29because it is so special but also because it's beneficial
0:31:29 > 0:31:33to the fishery because the juvenile scallops live here and they'll move
0:31:33 > 0:31:35into other areas and be available to the fishermen.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37It's like the land. We manage the land for different uses.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40We plant crops and we plant forests and, you know,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42the sea can be used in the same way
0:31:42 > 0:31:44but we do need to manage it carefully.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50The fact that this area is unquestionably stunning
0:31:50 > 0:31:52really speaks for itself
0:31:52 > 0:31:55but there's a lot more to it than just wild and rugged beauty.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59As we've seen, this entire area is alive in ways that, frankly,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02I could never have imagined.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06Who'd have thought we'd learn so much from something so simple?
0:32:17 > 0:32:19Last week Adam was in Switzerland
0:32:19 > 0:32:23witnessing some extreme sheep farming high up in the Alps.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25This week he's continuing his journey.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38'Farming in the Alps presents its challenges
0:32:38 > 0:32:43'and last week I witnessed the start of a remarkable farming tradition
0:32:43 > 0:32:45'that happens in the Swiss mountains in Valais.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48'Thousands of sheep live high in the Alps and the farmers
0:32:48 > 0:32:53'who own them need to retrieve them before the onset of winter.'
0:32:53 > 0:32:54Take a look at this.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57They're bringing 1,200 sheep off the side of this mountain,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00down this path and over the ravine.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02It's just absolutely remarkable.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05'After making that amazing descent, the sheep were still
0:33:05 > 0:33:09'a long way from home, with a lot of difficult terrain to cross.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12'The four most handsome sheep were decorated with ribbons
0:33:12 > 0:33:16'to celebrate the homecoming and the sheep were on their way once again.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19'We are now on the last leg of the journey.'
0:33:21 > 0:33:23They say when you're working with sheep
0:33:23 > 0:33:26they prefer to go uphill than downhill.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29But this is to the extreme. It's absolutely ridiculous.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31I've never seen anything like it.
0:33:31 > 0:33:37They're just zigzagging slowly up the mountain. Incredible.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40This area, these steps, is called the Stiegl
0:33:40 > 0:33:43and there's dry stone walls built to support the rock
0:33:43 > 0:33:48that goes up and it's been cut into the cliff face by people
0:33:48 > 0:33:50and it's been there for hundreds of years.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54Goes way back through traditions of bringing livestock off the mountains.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59You can hear the shepherds shouting and whistling,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03the bells ringing, but above all, the sheep bleating.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05And they're calling to each other.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08These are all ewes with lambs at foot.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10When they get in this long stream like this,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13often they'll get separated and they're calling to one another
0:34:13 > 0:34:16but they won't get to meet up again, a lot of them,
0:34:16 > 0:34:17until they get to the top.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21'At the top of the Stiegl,
0:34:21 > 0:34:25'the crowds have gathered to welcome the flock of tired sheep.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27'They've travelled more than four miles
0:34:27 > 0:34:30'across some of the most difficult terrain
0:34:30 > 0:34:33'and everyone's come to celebrate the homecoming.'
0:34:39 > 0:34:44YODELLING
0:34:47 > 0:34:50'The Swiss yodellers start the festival with a traditional song
0:34:50 > 0:34:53'while everyone involved takes a welcome rest.'
0:34:53 > 0:34:55Cheers.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58'For the shepherds, it's time to celebrate
0:34:58 > 0:35:00'and reward themselves for a job well done.'
0:35:02 > 0:35:06'After a well-deserved rest, we are up and on the move again.'
0:35:14 > 0:35:18The farmers are just gathering the sheep together now.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21They've been in this small field and now they're going to take them
0:35:21 > 0:35:23down the road to the collecting pens for the night.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26But the celebration of the coming home of the Blacknose sheep
0:35:26 > 0:35:29isn't just about a hardy breed of sheep that can survive
0:35:29 > 0:35:33up here in the Alps. It's more about the tradition
0:35:33 > 0:35:36and that these sheep can bring the farmers an income so they can
0:35:36 > 0:35:39stay living up here. And for me, personally,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41I think it's so important - these wonderful traditional breeds
0:35:41 > 0:35:44that have looked after people for centuries, really,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46all over the world.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52'From here, the flock are driven a short distance up the track
0:35:52 > 0:35:55'to some stone fences called Pfarracker
0:35:55 > 0:35:57'where they can graze on fresh foliage.'
0:36:01 > 0:36:04'The old stone enclosure is used to contain the sheep for one night
0:36:04 > 0:36:08'before the farmers come to claim their sheep in the morning.'
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Well, the shepherds are all down there in their traditional
0:36:13 > 0:36:18checked shirts and hats with flowers in and they must be so delighted.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21It's amazing, this construction,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25all made out of dry stone walling with huge slabs on the top.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Very different to my wooden or aluminium pens I use back home.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32And what an incredible spot for a sheep handling-pen system.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Look at the view looking down into the town below.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38It's just extraordinary.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41Then, tomorrow morning, what they're going to do is sort out
0:36:41 > 0:36:43all these sheep because they're all owned by different farmers.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46So they bring them into these pens around the outside
0:36:46 > 0:36:50and I understand there's all sorts of other exciting things going on.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52So I'll be back in the morning, early.
0:36:58 > 0:37:04'As the sun rises over the valley, the atmosphere is very tranquil.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06'But it's not going to last for long.'
0:37:06 > 0:37:10It's early in the morning and I'm on my way to the sheep pens
0:37:10 > 0:37:12but this valley is just incredible
0:37:12 > 0:37:15with the clouds and the changing weather.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17You wouldn't know that the deep valley is there
0:37:17 > 0:37:20when the clouds are covering it all and then suddenly it opens up
0:37:20 > 0:37:24and you can see the forest and the mountains in the distance
0:37:24 > 0:37:27and the sun shines through. It's absolutely stunning.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Then it'll close up again and open up in another area
0:37:30 > 0:37:33and you can see the houses down in the bottom. Just extraordinary.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35But I suppose it's something that the sheep
0:37:35 > 0:37:40and the people that live and work up here just get used to.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45'Slowly, the crowd start to gather.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49'The day starts with an offering of a very special local soup
0:37:49 > 0:37:52'that gets handed out to all the spectators.'
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Danke schon.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58So this is sheep soup made from one of the Blacknose sheep
0:37:58 > 0:38:01and it's tradition that anybody who turns up this morning
0:38:01 > 0:38:05for the sorting of the sheep gets a free mug of soup.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12And that's great. That is full of flavour. Delicious.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14What a way to start the morning.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18'With a belly full of sheep soup, I need to get into place.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21'Local man Thomas Schmidt has kindly offered to explain to me
0:38:21 > 0:38:23'about today's events.'
0:38:23 > 0:38:25So, what's about to happen?
0:38:25 > 0:38:32Now, at nine o'clock we start first with a little pray
0:38:32 > 0:38:38and then I start to take each sheep to the owner.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42- So it'll all go a bit crazy, will it? - It's like a rodeo.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49'All of a sudden it's a free-for-all.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52'The farmers work their way through the crowded flock,
0:38:52 > 0:38:54'trying to find and catch their own sheep.'
0:38:56 > 0:38:59'The smaller stone enclosures around the outside are used
0:38:59 > 0:39:01'to divide and contain the sheep.'
0:39:01 > 0:39:04'Well, that's what they're supposed to do.'
0:39:04 > 0:39:07She's gone over.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14- It's really wet. It's... - Slippery.- Slippery, yeah.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20- The sheep with the horn is easier to take.- Yeah.- Definitely.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23He's grabbing two at once. Two handlebars.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28It all seems a bit chaotic, and the less sheep there are to grab,
0:39:28 > 0:39:29the more they can run around.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32There are some people who are very proficient at it and are quite
0:39:32 > 0:39:36good at grabbing sheep and others that are obviously beginners.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39Some are grabbing them by hand and other people are using crooks.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42You put it round the hock of the back leg
0:39:42 > 0:39:45then you can lift one of the legs off the ground and pull them backwards.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47It basically takes the sheep out of four-wheel drive
0:39:47 > 0:39:48and makes them easier to move.
0:39:48 > 0:39:53'I've done enough spectating. I've been dying to get in amongst these sheep.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55'I'm hoping to catch my first Blacknose.'
0:39:55 > 0:39:58It's starting to thin out a bit now, so the sheep have got
0:39:58 > 0:40:00more room to manoeuvre and run around,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03making it slightly more difficult to catch them.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08BLEATING AND BELLS RINGING
0:40:11 > 0:40:18This is the famous traditional Blacknose sheep.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20And you can see why.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25They've got this wonderful black nose. With a big strong forehead.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Wonderful curly horns on the ewes.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32And they've got black knees and then white wool all over.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36And then they have a black hock as well at the back.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41The black bit here. And black feet. And they're quite a long sheep.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45In comparison to my sheep back home, they've got a very long body
0:40:45 > 0:40:47and they're very strong.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51They look like they're quite fat but actually under here they're lean.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55They've been living off very little up in the mountains
0:40:55 > 0:40:57and their wool is absolutely wonderful.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01As a breed, I've really never seen anything like it.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04And as a sheep farmer, you know,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06although it may seem a little bit sad,
0:41:06 > 0:41:10it's really exciting to be here and see these magnificent,
0:41:10 > 0:41:16famous Blacknose sheep and be part of the festival of the homecoming.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21You're lovely, aren't you? I'd like to take some of you back home.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23'Finally, all the sheep are claimed
0:41:23 > 0:41:26'and all that is left in the main stone enclosure
0:41:26 > 0:41:28'are the four most beautiful sheep
0:41:28 > 0:41:32'that were decorated with ribbons as part of this tradition.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33'A mass is celebrated
0:41:33 > 0:41:37'and the shepherds and their sheep are blessed.'
0:41:39 > 0:41:41Well, the sheep are all sorted now
0:41:41 > 0:41:44and the farmers are taking their own flocks
0:41:44 > 0:41:48away down the mountains
0:41:48 > 0:41:50to their farms in the valleys.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53There, the sheep will be on good pasture.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56They'll be able to put on a bit of meat, a bit of condition.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58The ewes will go back to the rams in the autumn
0:41:58 > 0:42:00then give birth in the spring.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03And then once the snow has melted off the Alps,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06these ewes and their lambs will go back up there
0:42:06 > 0:42:08and it happens all over again.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11It's been a real privilege for me to come to Switzerland
0:42:11 > 0:42:14and to be part of this ancient tradition.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16And for the Swiss farmers who live and work here,
0:42:16 > 0:42:20it's wonderful that they're keeping the sheep on the mountains
0:42:20 > 0:42:23and keeping this tradition alive and, really, I take my hat off to them.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27'Next week, I'll have my hands full with more sheep
0:42:27 > 0:42:30'as I show, judge, buy and sell at the Traditional Breeds Show.'
0:42:37 > 0:42:39'From one stunning landscape to another.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43'I'm north of the border on the West Highland steam railway
0:42:43 > 0:42:45'heading for Glenfinnan.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47'I'm catching up with Neil MacLeod.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50'He's been helping out on the train line for over ten years.'
0:42:50 > 0:42:53There's a certain magic for younger passengers with the whole
0:42:53 > 0:42:57Harry Potter thing cos this is the route of the Hogwarts Express.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59It is the route of the Hogwarts Express.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01The seats we're sitting in are similar to the style of carriages
0:43:01 > 0:43:05that Harry used to sit in himself so, yes, there's close connections.
0:43:05 > 0:43:06But the viaduct, I mean,
0:43:06 > 0:43:08that's a real spectacular part of the journey.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12The viaduct is a spectacular part but even before Harry Potter came up
0:43:12 > 0:43:15it was well-known throughout the world.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18It was the first bridge that used the construction
0:43:18 > 0:43:20of mass concrete in the construction of it.
0:43:20 > 0:43:26It cost £19,000 and it is unique in its own wee way.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29It just adds to the magic, doesn't it? Under steam power.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31You know, if you were on an electric train,
0:43:31 > 0:43:33it wouldn't have the same impact.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35And also, the fact we're going by steam,
0:43:35 > 0:43:38we can only go a certain speed and so, therefore,
0:43:38 > 0:43:42you go back to that relaxing sound, relaxing movement.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44It's just great.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02'Sadly, my journey on this magnificent locomotive
0:44:02 > 0:44:05'is nearly over.'
0:44:05 > 0:44:10BAGPIPES PLAY
0:44:12 > 0:44:15Wow. What a welcome.
0:44:17 > 0:44:21She is now going to continue off for another about 25 miles
0:44:21 > 0:44:25out to the coast but this is where my journey ends, in Glenfinnan,
0:44:25 > 0:44:27as I'm travelling off into the hills.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36'Near to the railway line
0:44:36 > 0:44:39'and running for several miles is this ancient native pine forest.
0:44:39 > 0:44:40'It's where I've been told to meet
0:44:40 > 0:44:43'Henry Dobson from the Forestry Commission.'
0:44:49 > 0:44:51Up here, Matt.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55Oh. He's up the tree.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59So, I'm not quite at the meeting point yet, Henry?
0:44:59 > 0:45:01- No, you need to come a bit higher yet, Matt.- OK.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03Are there less midges up there than there are down here?
0:45:03 > 0:45:08There are indeed. There's a beautiful breeze up here. It's the place to be.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14'All clipped in and ready to go.'
0:45:14 > 0:45:15Woo-hoo!
0:45:15 > 0:45:20'But there's no time to hang around. I've got to get up to meet Henry.'
0:45:20 > 0:45:23What am I doing up here, Henry?
0:45:23 > 0:45:26- We are collecting pine cones. Fresh pine cones.- Right.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28You can't just collect them off the floor?
0:45:28 > 0:45:30No, we have to collect them from the tree
0:45:30 > 0:45:33cos the ones that fall have generally fallen too early,
0:45:33 > 0:45:36they're not ripe or they're too old and they're getting a bit rotten and
0:45:36 > 0:45:38they're not going to hatch out into nice little pine trees later on.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44'In the past three years, 20,000 Scots Pine trees have been planted.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47'The aim is to plant a quarter of a million trees a year
0:45:47 > 0:45:50'and that means harvesting a lot more seeds.'
0:45:50 > 0:45:54So this is what we are looking for. This is one at just the right stage.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57The seeds in there should be ready
0:45:57 > 0:45:59but the bracts haven't yet opened out.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02If we open them out ourselves,
0:46:02 > 0:46:07we should be able to see a couple of little seeds under each one.
0:46:07 > 0:46:12You can maybe just make out that lighter colour in there
0:46:12 > 0:46:14which is the two tiny little wings.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17They really are quite small, little seeds.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21Yeah. Where do they go from here?
0:46:21 > 0:46:23They will get sent to one of our nurseries.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25Our nurseries will dry them out,
0:46:25 > 0:46:27collect the seeds out of the cones
0:46:27 > 0:46:29and grow them on for two or three years.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33'But our work here isn't done.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36'While these native pines will contribute to the Lochaber
0:46:36 > 0:46:39'tree canopy, they'll also benefit the native wildlife of Scotland.'
0:46:39 > 0:46:42Well, having climbed to the top of the canopy,
0:46:42 > 0:46:44I'm now going up through the roof.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46You look like a little bird perched there, Henry.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48Well, funnily enough, that is the idea.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51We think this would be a great spot for raptors to come in and nest
0:46:51 > 0:46:53so we're going to give them a helping hand.
0:46:53 > 0:46:55This is probably the best spot for ospreys -
0:46:55 > 0:46:58right at the top of quite a prominent tree.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02'So, to make an osprey's nest
0:47:02 > 0:47:04'you'll need some sticks,
0:47:04 > 0:47:06'and some moss.'
0:47:09 > 0:47:10Yeah.
0:47:10 > 0:47:14That's not very sturdy. It could fall. So we need to lay them on top.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17- That's it, yeah.- Looking good.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23So why is this a great spot then, Henry?
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Well, you've got a big loch to one side of us, a river to another
0:47:26 > 0:47:29and the coast is only just behind us
0:47:29 > 0:47:33so that is fantastic fishing grounds for ospreys which are specialists -
0:47:33 > 0:47:34all they eat is fish.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37And you've got a nice tall tree with a good viewpoint.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40Right, well, I've got my head stuck up in the clouds.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Let's find out what the weather's got in store for the week ahead
0:47:43 > 0:47:44with the Countryfile forecast.
0:49:50 > 0:49:57.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13'Matt and I have been exploring
0:50:13 > 0:50:16'Lochaber in the West Highlands of Scotland.'
0:50:19 > 0:50:21'While Matt's been putting his feet up,
0:50:21 > 0:50:24'I've been hiking through the region's history.'
0:50:25 > 0:50:28'For centuries, the mountainous landscape dictated
0:50:28 > 0:50:30'how people live here and it still does.'
0:50:32 > 0:50:36'Glencoe is one of Scotland's most popular climbing playgrounds.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39'Thousands take to its hills.'
0:50:39 > 0:50:41And I'm not the first woman
0:50:41 > 0:50:44to have been seduced by this craggy paradise.
0:50:46 > 0:50:50'In the early 1900s, many women were accomplished mountaineers,
0:50:50 > 0:50:52'but they had to climb with men.
0:50:52 > 0:50:56'They weren't allowed to join the Scottish Mountaineering Club -
0:50:56 > 0:51:00'the most prestigious and renowned climbing club of its day.'
0:51:00 > 0:51:03You can imagine how a small group of determined women climbers
0:51:03 > 0:51:05reacted to that.
0:51:05 > 0:51:08So they decided to do something about it.
0:51:08 > 0:51:09'On 18 April 1908,
0:51:09 > 0:51:14'Jane Inglis Clark, her daughter Mabel and Lucy Smith
0:51:14 > 0:51:19'conceived the idea of a climbing club of their own - for women only.'
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Imagine that.
0:51:21 > 0:51:23And so, by a boulder a bit bigger than this one,
0:51:23 > 0:51:27the three appointed themselves president, secretary and treasurer.
0:51:27 > 0:51:31The Ladies Scottish Climbing Club was born.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35'And the club is still going strong.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38'I'm heading to Blackrock, their Highland headquarters,
0:51:38 > 0:51:41'to meet members Alison Higham and Rhona Weir.'
0:51:41 > 0:51:43My teacher was, of course, at that time,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46the president of the Ladies Scottish Climbing Club
0:51:46 > 0:51:50and I had lived in Cornwall and I came to Glasgow and she realised
0:51:50 > 0:51:53that I was missing the outdoors and took me climbing.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56I loved it. I had never seen a hill until she took me climbing.
0:51:56 > 0:52:01- A real mountain. - How old were you then?- 15.- 15.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03And, rude to ask a lady's age, I know,
0:52:03 > 0:52:05but please tell us how old you are.
0:52:05 > 0:52:09- I'm now 92.- Incredible. And still active in the outdoors.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11- Still active.- Climbing?
0:52:11 > 0:52:14Not climbing, but I walk. I go uphill but not climbing.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16Let's go back to the title of the club -
0:52:16 > 0:52:19the Ladies Scottish Climbing Club.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22And they were indeed ladies, weren't they?
0:52:22 > 0:52:24They were ladies - they didn't work.
0:52:24 > 0:52:28For instance, the Inglis Clarks had one of the first cars in Edinburgh.
0:52:28 > 0:52:33A large Bentley which Mr Inglis Clark lent us for meets.
0:52:33 > 0:52:35The car came with a chauffeur.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38How fantastic. Being chauffeur-driven to your walk.
0:52:38 > 0:52:42The chauffeur would meet us at the bottom at the end of the day.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45Look how many women are on that transport.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47And look what they're wearing.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50Why do they have to wear hats? Was that just...?
0:52:50 > 0:52:52Just a tradition, suppose.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56'The wild and adventurous spirit of these pioneering woman
0:52:56 > 0:52:59'is reflected in the landscape they embraced.
0:52:59 > 0:53:00'It's untamed and unspoilt.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04'Now owned by the National Trust for Scotland,
0:53:04 > 0:53:07'they go to great lengths to ensure it stays that way.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10'Which is exactly what our lady climbers love.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13'Time to turn back the clock and take to the hills.'
0:53:15 > 0:53:18- Right.- Don't forget your hat. - No, I won't forget my hat.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21So, here we are, women against the elements.
0:53:21 > 0:53:22Or should I say women against tweed?
0:53:22 > 0:53:26It's going to be interesting walking in this garb.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29You wouldn't have dared leave your town or village wearing trousers.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32You might have had trousers underneath.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36Once you got away from the village,
0:53:36 > 0:53:38you may well have taken your skirt off
0:53:38 > 0:53:43and hidden it behind a boulder to pick up later.
0:53:43 > 0:53:48I'm the next era. I'm being bold, I'm wearing breeches.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50Where are we heading, Alison?
0:53:50 > 0:53:53We're heading up to Coire na Tulaich on Buachaille Etive Mor
0:53:53 > 0:53:56to do some scrambling in the old style.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58Are you going to sit this one out, Rhona, or are you coming with us?
0:53:58 > 0:54:01I think I've gone far enough. I think I'll just go back now.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05- Have a lovely climb.- Thank you. - I'll see you another time.- Bye-bye.
0:54:07 > 0:54:11I don't know about you, Julia, but I'm finding this really hot -
0:54:11 > 0:54:13these tweeds. How about you?
0:54:13 > 0:54:15The skirt is a nightmare. It clings to your legs
0:54:15 > 0:54:18and every time you take a step, you trip over it.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20So I'm hauling this extra weight.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23And now the midges are getting me.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26'Don't laugh. This get-up was all the rage
0:54:26 > 0:54:28'with women climbers in 1908.'
0:54:28 > 0:54:30It is about 20% harder in a skirt.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33Do you think we look glamorous?
0:54:36 > 0:54:40'They must have been hardy, climbing in heavy tweeds with no harnesses,
0:54:40 > 0:54:43'no helmets and just a line of rope attached to the lead climber.'
0:54:45 > 0:54:49'Today I'm getting a taste of what it was like back then so I'm opting
0:54:49 > 0:54:52'not to wear a helmet but only because we're scrambling
0:54:52 > 0:54:54'and I'm under strict supervision from Alison.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57'Do not try this at home, ladies.'
0:54:57 > 0:55:00And that's it. All I wanted was a nice gentle stroll.
0:55:00 > 0:55:02- We are going scrambling.- Yeah.
0:55:02 > 0:55:07It's a different technique from what it is these days.
0:55:07 > 0:55:09They sound good.
0:55:09 > 0:55:10Making easy work of it.
0:55:10 > 0:55:14Right, Julia, I've found a good stance
0:55:14 > 0:55:16and I'll be taking the rope in
0:55:16 > 0:55:19and then you can try after me.
0:55:19 > 0:55:20Thank you.
0:55:20 > 0:55:26Now, of course, women could not climb without a hat.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29So I'm about to do one of the stupidest things I've ever done -
0:55:29 > 0:55:32scrambling in a skirt,
0:55:32 > 0:55:34wearing this bonnet.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41Oh! Rope knocking my hat.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44Standing on the skirt.
0:55:46 > 0:55:47Blimey.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51It wasn't easy being a woman in 1908.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55- Oh!- Oh, you didn't hang on to your hat.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57Well, of course I didn't hold onto my hat!
0:55:57 > 0:55:59I'm more interested in holding onto the rock.
0:55:59 > 0:56:03- Ladies used to have to hang on to their hats as well.- How ridiculous.
0:56:05 > 0:56:09Take your time and come round to my right.
0:56:09 > 0:56:11Sorry, I'm going to come and sit here.
0:56:11 > 0:56:15- Oh, there we go.- There we are. Well done.- Lovely.- Well done.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18I take my hat off to those ladies.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21Not that I have to, because it's blown away in the wind.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24But this makes it at least 30% more difficult.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27Yeah. I give those ladies top marks.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29- They were amazing, huh? - Very impressive.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31- And this is beautiful. - Isn't it beautiful?
0:56:31 > 0:56:34'Climbing has come on leaps and bounds
0:56:34 > 0:56:37'since the days of Jane Inglis Clark and Lucy Smith
0:56:37 > 0:56:40'but I'm glad to say the pioneering spirit
0:56:40 > 0:56:42'continues to thrive in these majestic mountains.
0:56:42 > 0:56:44'Just up the road in Glen Nevis,
0:56:44 > 0:56:47'a new breed of climbers are training hard
0:56:47 > 0:56:49'to get climbing into the Olympics in 2020.'
0:56:51 > 0:56:55'It's now firmly a sport for all - boys and girls.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58'And I'm pleased to say there's not a skirt in sight.'
0:56:58 > 0:57:00Well, that's it from the Highlands.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04Next week I'll be in the Usk Valley facing yet another fear of mine.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07I'll be helping to release 20,000 eels
0:57:07 > 0:57:09as part of a huge conservation programme
0:57:09 > 0:57:11to get more of them back into our rivers.
0:57:11 > 0:57:12See you then. Bye-bye.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd