0:00:24 > 0:00:27Sometimes, to appreciate things fully,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30you need to change your perspective.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34To see a landscape at its best,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37you have to rise above it and look down
0:00:37 > 0:00:42to reveal our glorious countryside on a grand scale.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Welcome to a bird's-eye view edition of Countryfile,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50where we'll be looking at the countryside...
0:00:50 > 0:00:52from above!
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Today, we're looking back at some of the best stories
0:00:59 > 0:01:01we've featured on the programme
0:01:01 > 0:01:05where we've been given a unique view on what's happening below.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Like when Julia flew over the orchards of Herefordshire...
0:01:09 > 0:01:10- There's some sheep!- That's right.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13And that's quite normal for a traditional orchard,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16- to have cattle and sheep grazing amongst the orchard?- Yes.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20..Matt descended into a cave in the Wye Valley...
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Whoo! Oh, my goodness me!
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Oh, yes.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32..and Helen discovered if military technology
0:01:32 > 0:01:33can help Lakeland farmers.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Can you send a camera over our heads?
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Yeah, that's very easy to do. There we are.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44'As for me, I'm in Gloucestershire, finding all sorts of ways
0:01:44 > 0:01:46'to get a spectacular view from above.'
0:01:48 > 0:01:51You can see the world from a distance.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Everything looks absolutely pristine.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01The Gloucestershire countryside -
0:02:01 > 0:02:04rolling Cotswold Hills, fertile river valleys
0:02:04 > 0:02:08and overflowing fields of crops as far as the eye can see.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13The rural town of Berkeley sits in the centre
0:02:13 > 0:02:16of the Vale of the same name on thousands of acres of flat land
0:02:16 > 0:02:19stretching along the east bank of the river Severn.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25For such a small place, the town has a rich history,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28including royal murder, warfare,
0:02:28 > 0:02:32and scientific discoveries that changed the world forever.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35These days, it's a more tranquil sort of place.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38It's the sort of village where, once you move in,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40you don't want to move away.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Perhaps that explains why one family who live here
0:02:43 > 0:02:47haven't had to call in the removal men for nearly 900 years.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Mind you, if you lived in Berkeley Castle, would you want to move out?
0:02:51 > 0:02:55The Berkeley family have lived in the castle continuously since the 12th century.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00Charles Berkeley is the 27th consecutive generation to live here
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and he stands to inherit it. Owning and running a castle in 2012
0:03:04 > 0:03:10presents very different challenges to those of his ancestors,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13but, like in any household, the chores need doing.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Mind you, the spectacular views from the castle roof
0:03:17 > 0:03:19make even the weeding uplifting.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Jobs like this have to be done every year.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23There's always, with the stone here,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25you get so many things growing out of the stone
0:03:25 > 0:03:26and we all have to muck in and do jobs.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29I guess, in which case, I shall muck in, too.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Great view, though, while you're weeding. It's not too bad.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34It's amazing, isn't it? Not a bad place to be.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And a wonderful roof area here with incredible views.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39What was it like growing up in a castle?
0:03:39 > 0:03:42It was fantastic, Ellie. It was just every little child's dream.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45I had a brother, we had 11 months between us,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47and every day we would come up to the roof,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50we would go into certain rooms, which were our favourite rooms,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and just explore the castle and my parents were very good at saying, you know,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56you're very lucky to be custodians of this castle, but respect it.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59It's a wonderful old building.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03I suppose on the outside, it seems like such a privileged position that you're in,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06but do you ever find it a bit of a burden?
0:04:06 > 0:04:07It is a burden, Ellie,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10it's really something that you don't take lightly
0:04:10 > 0:04:13because it's a huge responsibility and challenge.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15The main thing for me is thinking, you know,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18financially, how are we going to keep on top of everything?
0:04:18 > 0:04:20And keeping it in the family must be important
0:04:20 > 0:04:23with such a track record - what, 900 years of the Berkeleys here?
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- Yeah.- You've got to try and make sure that continues downwards.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31Well, you read about the ancestors and what they did, you know,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33200, 300 years ago and you think, "God, I'm, whatever,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36"the 27th generation to be here at the castle,"
0:04:36 > 0:04:39or will be, and it's 27 generations and you think,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42"I want to be able to see that I keep this place going
0:04:42 > 0:04:47"and have some good ideas that will benefit the castle in years to come."
0:04:47 > 0:04:49- Yeah.- But it does put pressure on you a bit!
0:04:49 > 0:04:54Yeah, you don't want to break the chain, do you? It's been a lucky run so far.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Despite being hundreds of years old,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02this castle isn't the oldest building in Berkeley,
0:05:02 > 0:05:04as I'll be finding out later.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08From up here I get a supreme view of Gloucestershire,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11but if I could see a little bit further that way
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I'd get a glimpse of one of its neighbouring counties,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18famous for its fruit trees. But our traditional orchards are in decline,
0:05:18 > 0:05:22so last year Julia took to the skies above Herefordshire
0:05:22 > 0:05:24to get a unique view of what was going on.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Protected by the Malvern Hills,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33the mild climate and rich soil of the three counties
0:05:33 > 0:05:36make this one of the great fruit-growing regions of Britain.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Both Worcestershire and Gloucestershire
0:05:44 > 0:05:48have a centuries-old tradition of growing plums, pears and apples.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51But I'm starting my journey in the orchards of Herefordshire
0:05:51 > 0:05:54at the village of Colwall.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59It's difficult to believe
0:05:59 > 0:06:02that these beautiful blossoms are in trouble, but they are.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Natural England have conducted a five-year investigation
0:06:04 > 0:06:07and they've found that nearly half the traditional orchards
0:06:07 > 0:06:10in this country are under serious threat.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12Action is needed.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21We've had exclusive access to this study of fruit-growing in England.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24It shows that 45% of traditional orchards
0:06:24 > 0:06:26are now neglected or abandoned.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28In Colwall, they're doing their bit
0:06:28 > 0:06:30to try and stop that getting any worse.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35We're going to do a little bit of judicious pruning
0:06:35 > 0:06:39on this side of the tree and we're going to take some mistletoe out...
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Tim Dixon organises local volunteers
0:06:41 > 0:06:44who tend the traditional orchards that ring the village.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49"Judicious pruning", I like that. I don't think I've ever done anything judiciously in my life.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Now, why do you do this, Tim? You're not the farmer - you're not getting paid to do it.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01It's because everyone in the Colwall Orchard Group loves orchards.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04They're an integral part of the social history of the village.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08There are 43 traditional orchards in Colwall,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11none of them really in commercial production any more,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15and a lot of the traditional management skills in orchards
0:07:15 > 0:07:18have gone because the financial imperatives have gone,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21the skills have been lost alongside that,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24and so, really, we're the only people around who can do it now.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26- So it's love?- It is love, yeah.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28I mean, they're just wonderful, aren't they?
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Despite dire warnings about our traditional orchards,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41fruit-growing is in rude health - for a simple reason.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Most commercial fruit-growing in this country
0:07:43 > 0:07:45doesn't happen in places like this.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50It happens in places like this.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56This is a bush orchard.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58It's a fruit-growing factory.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01All of the produce from this one will go into cider production.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04The trees are very tightly packed in straight rows,
0:08:04 > 0:08:09which makes it easy for the machinery to get through and to get at the fruit.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13You'll also notice there's no grass at the base of the trees
0:08:13 > 0:08:15competing for resources.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19It's all about maximum yield in the minimum of space.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29But why should we worry about our traditional orchards?
0:08:31 > 0:08:34They're such rich habitats,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38they were made a high priority in the UK's biodiversity action plan.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45It's why the People's Trust for Endangered Species joined forces
0:08:45 > 0:08:49with Natural England to create an inventory of traditional orchards.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55The first step in this huge undertaking was to get an overview.
0:09:00 > 0:09:07The five-year study began by examining detailed aerial photographs of 51 counties.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09So to see if I can spot a traditional orchard
0:09:09 > 0:09:13from 500 feet up, I've taken to the air with Anita Borough.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18We've got here an intensively-managed orchard
0:09:18 > 0:09:23and the critical thing is the herbicide strip
0:09:23 > 0:09:25that you can see beneath the trees,
0:09:25 > 0:09:30and because of the herbicide and the chemical application,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Bush orchards in this intensively-managed system
0:09:33 > 0:09:36is less valuable for our wildlife.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41We can see here a traditionally-managed site.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46Much bigger trees, they're spaced much further apart.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51You can see gaps and often you can see the livestock grazing.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53- Yes, some sheep!- That's right, there's sheep in that one.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56And that's quite normal for a traditional orchard,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58to have cattle and sheep grazing amongst the orchard?
0:09:58 > 0:10:03Yes, the grass is managed usually through grazing.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08It's only possible to get a true picture of their condition on the ground
0:10:08 > 0:10:10and three years ago, the Colwall orchard
0:10:10 > 0:10:12was found to be in a bad way.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17- The condition was assessed as being poor.- And where are we today?
0:10:17 > 0:10:20This orchard is now what we would consider to be excellent.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23So that's great news, in the three years.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Yeah, and that's the hard work of the volunteers.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30But really and truly, it doesn't have any commercial value, does it?
0:10:30 > 0:10:35No, and that's the problem that we're facing,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38but everybody loves orchards.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41They seem to evoke happy memories in people.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- It's not all about money. - No, definitely not.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Today, it's volunteers like this
0:10:50 > 0:10:52that help keep the orchards full of life.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57But there's no formal protection for our traditional orchards,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00nor is there much incentive for farmers to keep them going.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03But it's all for love, isn't it?
0:11:03 > 0:11:05I mean, you don't even get the fruit.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Well, I think that the social value of this is as important.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Natural England hope traditional orchards
0:11:13 > 0:11:16can now be seen as vital wildlife habitats
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and an important part of our social history - worth holding on to.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24As Julia saw in the skies above Herefordshire,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27getting into the air gives a new perspective on the lie of the land.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31But to get an overview of our history,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33your feet don't need to leave the ground -
0:11:33 > 0:11:35you just need to get muddy.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Just a stone's throw from Berkeley Castle,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42this archaeological dig is uncovering the village's Saxon roots.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45I'm meeting Dr Stuart Prior, the lead archaeologist.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48This is good weather for a dig, then, Stuart.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Not so much this morning, is it?
0:11:50 > 0:11:52- It's a bit claggy and muddy in here this morning.- It is.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55So, what's this that we're seeing here, then?
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Believe it or not, this is actually an 8th-century building.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00It's an Anglo-Saxon building.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03We're stood in the middle of the minster enclosure of Berkeley,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06so this is the period at which the Anglo-Saxons
0:12:06 > 0:12:09convert to Christianity - late 7th, early 8th century -
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and they build themselves a big enclosure
0:12:12 > 0:12:16in which they put churches, their houses, their workshops,
0:12:16 > 0:12:17and so you've got monks and nuns -
0:12:17 > 0:12:20cos we think this is what they called a double-house minster -
0:12:20 > 0:12:23so we've got a religious community living together
0:12:23 > 0:12:25and celebrating this new faith
0:12:25 > 0:12:27inside the walls of this big enclosure.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32We were really lucky here because this trench has got multi-period features.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35We've got, down in the bottom corner, we've got a Tudor building,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38which is shown on a Henry VIII map from 1544,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40it's mentioned in a rate survey -
0:12:40 > 0:12:43tax records always survive, no matter what the period -
0:12:43 > 0:12:45so we've got a Tudor building in the corner there,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47a Saxon building in the middle,
0:12:47 > 0:12:49- Medieval pits at the back.- Wow.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52We actually had an English Civil War ditch from the 17th century
0:12:52 > 0:12:56right at the back, and we've got a mysterious feature - we've got another ditch
0:12:56 > 0:12:58just below that bank there,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01which is looking, at the moment, 12th century.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04But the most important feature is our Saxon building, cos these things are so rare.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07OK, so there's a real good pick and mix here for all your students.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09These are young guys learning the craft, are they?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Yes, so they're all from the University Of Bristol,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15first, second and third-year undergraduates, and they come out every year with us
0:13:15 > 0:13:18after we finish teaching in a classroom
0:13:18 > 0:13:21and they're putting their skills into practice.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Why did you guys choose archaeology as your degrees?
0:13:29 > 0:13:32I've always loved history, but I thought
0:13:32 > 0:13:34rather than just sitting in a classroom being boring,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38I'd get deep down on the ground and actually find it myself,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40rather than just sit there and learn about it.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42So by doing this, I've seen bones and iron nails
0:13:42 > 0:13:44rather than just being told about them.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- So what happens to this site now? - We'll keep going until we run out of archaeology,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55because under the Saxon, we may well find Roman,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and under the Roman we may well find prehistoric periods.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00I know this is such a basic question -
0:14:00 > 0:14:02you've got to forgive me for asking it -
0:14:02 > 0:14:05but how can you tell what it is? It's just a wall to me!
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Well, this is the thing - it's the finds that we get.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11We study the pottery, we study the metal finds -
0:14:11 > 0:14:13of which there have been numerous, actually.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17There have been some wonderful metal artefacts that have come from the trench.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Pete's a mature student and the team treasurer.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23- Hi, Pete.- Hello. - What are you admiring here?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Well, this is a medieval candlestick
0:14:26 > 0:14:29that we've discovered at the excavation here at Berkeley.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Wow, that must have been a real bingo day getting this.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35It was fantastic and we detected it with a metal detector on-site
0:14:35 > 0:14:38so it gave a huge signal.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41- So what else have you got there? Have you got any other trinkets? - We've got...
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Nice little cut silver penny here,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46either King John or Henry III, so the early 1300s.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Loads of detail on it. So, you just found it as a half?
0:14:50 > 0:14:54Yes, and they would in those days, they'd cut down pennies into halves
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- and quarters for small change. - No way.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00And that's where we get our ha'penny from and we get our farthing from.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- I did not know that. - When they're cut into quarters.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06'You cannot put a price on our history,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10'but to get a fresh perspective, you can't ignore what's even deeper beneath our feet.'
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Earlier in the year, Matt also went below the ground
0:15:13 > 0:15:17to get a view from above when he went for a walk in the Wye Valley.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25The serenity of the Wye Valley.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Straddling the river here is Symonds Yat.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37It's home to some of Herefordshire's most beautiful countryside.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47The Wye has cut a deep gorge into the limestone here,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51exposing the stunning cliff faces that make this place so special.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58And what better way to experience it than a winter walk to blow away the cobwebs.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Nothing too strenuous, just nice and gentle.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03That is, unless you're going with this bloke.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Sven, how are you doing? All right?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09'Sven Hassall is trying to make people more aware of the countryside here
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'by guiding them on walks with a bit of a difference.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16'I'm joining him on a stretch of the Wye that requires nerves of steel
0:16:16 > 0:16:18'if I'm going to discover its real hidden gems.'
0:16:18 > 0:16:20All these ropes would suggest
0:16:20 > 0:16:23that this is pretty extreme walking, Sven. What's going on here?
0:16:23 > 0:16:26We're going to go for a walk, but we're going to go for a walk down here.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- What, down there, are we? - Which is a route called The Trip.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33- It's about 100 feet. - Unbelievable.- Happy with that?
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Do you know what? I'll give it a go. I'm happy to try it.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38'I'm not sure what I've signed up for here,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40'so before I throw myself off a cliff,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44'Sven's quite literally showing me the ropes.'
0:16:44 > 0:16:47We've got a carabina, an abseil device or a belay device
0:16:47 > 0:16:49depending on what we're using it for.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51We call this end the "dead end".
0:16:51 > 0:16:54And there's a bit of a clue in the name -
0:16:54 > 0:16:58- if you let go of it, guess what's going to happen?- Great(!)
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Let's just run through that briefing one more time.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03THEY LAUGH
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Why is it at this stage you always need to pee?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09THEY LAUGH
0:17:09 > 0:17:12- Which brings me nicely into rule one of rock climbing.- Go on.- All right?
0:17:12 > 0:17:17- Always look cool.- OK.- Rule two.- Got to be something to do with safety.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- If you can't tie a knot, tie a lot. - OK, good.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- And safety third.- Safety third, OK.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25As long as we're looking cool, that's the main thing.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28'On a serious note, everything is safe as houses.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31'I think Sven's just trying to put me at ease.'
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Now that is a canny drop.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37'I can honestly say, a walk has never made my blood pump as much as this.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40'The only way is down, as they say.'
0:17:40 > 0:17:43OK, right. And this is the dead end, yeah?
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- Perfect, yeah. - So both hands on the dead end.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Put your bum back in a comedy fashion, shoulders back,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51and let yourself over slowly.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55- Perfect.- Over the edge now. - THEY LAUGH
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- So remember rule number one. - Yeah.- Always look cool.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- Yeah, I'm doing my best. - Nice and wide apart.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05I tell you what, why don't you just stop there for a minute there - I'll hold you on the safety.
0:18:05 > 0:18:10It's worth taking a look around, you know. It's a pretty unique environment here.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13I lived climbing, actually, about 12 years ago
0:18:13 > 0:18:15and ended up in the Himalayas, Africa, Canada,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18and this is the place I always kept coming back to.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22- I'm not surprised. It is absolutely breathtaking.- It's amazing.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26And I've got about 100 feet of cliff-walking to enjoy the view.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- It takes a bit to look up and look around you, but...- And to look down.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Yeah, but it's definitely worth it.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35As lovely as it is, I am just concentrating on the rope.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Don't look down. OK.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42There is quite a sense of loneliness, isn't there?
0:18:42 > 0:18:46To be this high up above the treetops.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49And just gently lowering yourself down.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Here comes the overhang. Whoa, lovely.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Nearly got a face plant on the rock there!
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Just hanging in space.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Oh, that's lovely. Nearly there now.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07And there's the ground.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10That's a beauty. That's it, Sven.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Sven the mountain goat makes it look like a walk in the park.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Very invigorating, and my feet were technically
0:19:20 > 0:19:24still in contact with the ground, so officially I'm still walking.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Sven's larder here.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Good one. That's an absolute belter that, isn't it?
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Oh, and you've got breakfast as well.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39This is the crag that keeps on giving.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- Right, what have you got there? - You know, one of the great things I like about rock climbing
0:19:43 > 0:19:47is you start to notice things that previously you would have completely ignored.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49One of the things I really like here is the edible flora,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51of which there's stacks in the Valley.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53You can literally munch your way around the Symonds Yat Valley.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57But there's this thing - it's called navelwort,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00and you can just about see it looks a little bit like a belly button.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02So that's the "navel" bit,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04and the "wort" is an old English name for leaf.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07I'll have that one, because that one's been in my mouth,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10but have a taste.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12- I'm getting runner beans. - No-one's said that before,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- but you're right. - You can really taste it, yeah.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16I always thought it was like a strong cucumber.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Yeah, cucumber. That's an interesting taste.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21It's not just about the edible flora or the adventure sports.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23There's so much here, you know, so much detail,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and we've got a good example of that here.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27This is a thing called Map Maker's lichen,
0:20:27 > 0:20:30otherwise known as Matt Baker's lichen, if you like.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34But this is a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an algae
0:20:34 > 0:20:38and what's really interesting about this one is it grows at a very measurable rate,
0:20:38 > 0:20:40so you can measure the size of it, you can do the maths,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43and that gives an indication of how long they've been uncovered for.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Commonly used in studies of glaciation. You know, as the glacier retreats,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49these are the first things that spring up on the rock.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52But here, very useful to give us an indication
0:20:52 > 0:20:54of when the activity stopped on the cliffs.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01There are hundreds of walks for all abilities around the Wye Valley,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04but most don't involve throwing yourself off a cliff.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09This one continues for another four and a half miles of slightly easier terrain,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11but there are more challenges to come.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14You don't want to slip here, do you? Look at that.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- Right, so the "walk" continues. - MATT LAUGHS
0:21:20 > 0:21:24- I lied, actually. There's no walking on this one.- Oh, right. OK.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- So this one isn't an abseil, I'm going to lower you on this one.- OK.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33I have to say, this is probably
0:21:33 > 0:21:36the most memorable walk that I've ever been on.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38OK, Matt. When you're ready, come on down.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47Cool, so just pop under there for me.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53Oh, my word! Are you lowering me into there, are you?
0:21:53 > 0:21:56That is a drop and a half. How far is that, down there?
0:21:56 > 0:21:58So you've got about 20 foot of squeeze chimney
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and then at some point your feet are going to dangle into space
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- and you're going to have about another 20 feet and then you're OK. - OK.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08- This is the ultimate in trust, then. - Yeah.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12There is obviously a limit to the people that you can actually get in this bit.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14It depends how much you like your cake!
0:22:14 > 0:22:18I think there's a view down there, but I've never really looked.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I was about to say, I'd love to look down, but I can't quite tilt my neck.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- OK, mate.- I've got a nice view of the rock, anyway.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28My feet are, my knees are...
0:22:28 > 0:22:31So just let me know when you're on the floor.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33And... Whoo!
0:22:33 > 0:22:34Oh, my goodness me!
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Oh, yes!
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Look at this.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46That is incredible. Look at this place.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49OK, so it wasn't walking, but it's pretty cool, isn't it?
0:22:49 > 0:22:54- It's some place, isn't it, this? - What do you reckon?- God.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57- So this is Pancake Caves, then, is it?- Yeah, this is the Pancake Caves.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59And why is it called Pancake Caves?
0:22:59 > 0:23:03- No idea!- No? OK!- But it's pretty special, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07I mean, there's gorgeous scenery outside, but you saved the best till last.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19From the depths of the Wye Valley to the remoteness of the Scottish Coast.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23Scotland has 90% of the UK's grey seal population,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27but keeping track of them takes time, effort and wings,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29as Jules found out.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Now, Dundee airport may seem like an unlikely place
0:23:39 > 0:23:42to start any search for seals, but there is method in the madness
0:23:42 > 0:23:44because for this hunt we need to be in the air.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Although seals are a great barometer of the state of marine life,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51their behaviour has always been difficult to monitor
0:23:51 > 0:23:53as they spend most of their time in the open water.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55But they do come ashore,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and thanks to a dedicated band of researchers and scientists,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02we are at last beginning to uncover some of their secrets.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Callan Duck has spent 20 years patiently and meticulously
0:24:06 > 0:24:09tracking Scotland's seals from the air
0:24:09 > 0:24:11as part of a monitoring programme for the government.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14- Callan.- How are you doing? Good to see you.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Good to see you, how are you, mate? Nice, fresh day for this.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Oh, you pulled the weather right. It was miserable yesterday.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21- So this is good?- This is a good day.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25It's going to be bumpy, but we'll take some pictures. Yeah, we'll get a survey done.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27So where are we going to be flying over exactly?
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Today we'll be going to the Firth Of Forth into the Isle Of May,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33which is a special area of conservation,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36national nature reserve, grey seal heaven.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38We'll see quite a lot. I've got some pictures here.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Yeah, let's have a look. Oh, in the locker here, brilliant.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Female grey seals just have one pup every year.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48They come ashore at very specific breeding colonies
0:24:48 > 0:24:52to have their pup and they'll go to the same place year after year.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54They'll also go to the place where they were born
0:24:54 > 0:24:56- to have their pups.- Brilliant.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Now, you're teasing us here with a picture that you clearly
0:24:58 > 0:25:01haven't taken from the air, Callan, of this gorgeous seal and pup.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03I mean, this is the classic view
0:25:03 > 0:25:05that the public have of these animals,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08of being very cute and cuddly, but you're going to tell me they're not.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11No, they do have a very sharp end and a very smelly end
0:25:11 > 0:25:13and you do want to stay away from both!
0:25:13 > 0:25:15But in terms of surveying it from the air, you know,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19how much information are you able to gather that you wouldn't on the ground?
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Lots. We can find out how many pups are born at each colony.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27Here's a picture of the Isle Of May itself from the air
0:25:27 > 0:25:30and you can see that there are lots and lots of pups,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34and in this part of the island the density has reduced quite considerably,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37but they've moved to other ends of the island.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39So your aerial photographic survey allows you to monitor
0:25:39 > 0:25:42the ups and downs in the population, not just on the Isle Of May
0:25:42 > 0:25:44but around the coast of Scotland as a whole.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Exactly, that's why we do it.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50- Right, let's get in the air, shall we? See some for real. - Yeah, let's go.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Yeah, OK. Seatbelt.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04'This plane is specially adapted for the purpose of taking aerial photos...
0:26:04 > 0:26:06What a view, though.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10'..hence the great big hole just in front of me.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13'We're really lucky today as this is the last flight of the season for Callan,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16'although his work has already revealed
0:26:16 > 0:26:19'the numbers of grey seals giving birth are stable.'
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- Well, I can see some seals down there now, actually.- Yeah.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49'Over the years, Callan has discovered
0:26:49 > 0:26:53'that half of the seal pups on the island will survive.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56'No-one knows why, but with this detailed survey,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59'scientists can get a much better understanding of the plight of these creatures.'
0:27:02 > 0:27:06- Well, nicely done, Gordon. Thank you very much.- You're welcome.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09I don't know about you guys, I thought it was a bit bumpy.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12I'm really pleased to see the tarmac through that hole!
0:27:14 > 0:27:17My next port of call on my mission to find out more
0:27:17 > 0:27:19about Scottish seals is just south of Dundee.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Here at Tentsmuir, the huge expanse of coastline
0:27:24 > 0:27:25is home to many seals.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29And seal researcher Bernie McConnell
0:27:29 > 0:27:31has been concentrating on the animals' behaviour at sea.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34How have you gone about trying to figure out
0:27:34 > 0:27:37- where they go and what they do? - Well, one of the techniques we have
0:27:37 > 0:27:40is these tags that we've actually developed ourselves.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44We stick this on the back of the neck of the seal.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48You stick it on its fur on the back of its head?
0:27:48 > 0:27:51That's right, and that will fall off when the animal moults
0:27:51 > 0:27:55in February or March time, but until then, it is gathering data.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57It will record GPS - so where the animal's swimming -
0:27:57 > 0:28:00the pressure transducer will tell us at what depth they are swimming -
0:28:00 > 0:28:04are they feeding on the sea bed or are they feeding in the mid-water -
0:28:04 > 0:28:06and that information is stored in a tiny memory chip,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and when the animal comes near shore
0:28:08 > 0:28:11there's a tiny mobile phone inside of here that will activate
0:28:11 > 0:28:14and it will stream the data stored in the memory card
0:28:14 > 0:28:18back to us in St Andrews, and we can reconstruct the lives of the seals with these tags on.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20But the crucial thing is, what kind of a picture
0:28:20 > 0:28:23are you now getting of seal behaviour out there at sea?
0:28:23 > 0:28:25The grey seals that you have seen flying with Callan
0:28:25 > 0:28:28that produce these pups, they will have been feeding over the previous
0:28:28 > 0:28:3211 months as far away as Orkney, perhaps as far as Denmark.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34They're using the whole of the North Sea.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Every one's got a different patch in which they forage,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39every one's an individual.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Well, it's a fascinating story and a fascinating approach to it. I love it.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Who'd have thought a seal would be subject to Big Brother
0:28:47 > 0:28:50- stuck on the back of its head? - I know! Seals phone home!
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Well, I have to say I feel extremely privileged
0:28:56 > 0:28:58to have had such a detailed look
0:28:58 > 0:29:00at the work that's being done up here in Scotland
0:29:00 > 0:29:03to monitor our seal population, both in the air and, of course,
0:29:03 > 0:29:07down here on the ground, and there is no doubt in my mind
0:29:07 > 0:29:11that this work is absolutely vital in increasing our understanding
0:29:11 > 0:29:13of how these amazing animals fare in the wild.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28This week, I'm in Gloucestershire enjoying the view from above.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35This is the Tyndale Monument
0:29:35 > 0:29:38that sits just above the village of North Nibley.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Built in 1866, it stands proud over the gorgeous
0:29:41 > 0:29:44surrounding Gloucestershire country side.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49The monument commemorates the life of William Tyndale,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52born near here in 1492.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Tyndale might not be a name that you recognise,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06but the chances are, you are familiar with his work.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08He was one of the first people to translate the Bible
0:30:08 > 0:30:10into the English language.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13And, amazingly, much of that translation is still in use today.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16So, if you're familiar with phrases like, "The powers that be,"
0:30:16 > 0:30:18"Let there be light," or "The salt of the earth,"
0:30:18 > 0:30:20then you are familiar with his work.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Nowadays, the monument and the surrounding land
0:30:25 > 0:30:29are used by local people as places to relax and unwind.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32But last year when some of the land came up for sale,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36villagers feared a new owner would seal the area off from the public.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Robert Maxwell and Ken Brown weren't going to stand for that.
0:30:42 > 0:30:47They managed to raise over £45,000 to buy it for the common good.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50People really dug deep then, cos it's a lot of money to raise
0:30:50 > 0:30:52- for a small community. - Yes it is, it is.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55I think this site is so enjoyed by everyone
0:30:55 > 0:30:58that it wasn't too hard an effort
0:30:58 > 0:31:01to get the response. Everybody loves this area.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04I think we're very lucky that we've got the Tyndale Monument
0:31:04 > 0:31:07in our village, so I think this is where the passion came in.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- Everyone wanted to support it. - I'd say, anybody who's
0:31:11 > 0:31:14got something like this, which they think the community
0:31:14 > 0:31:18should have access to, then I think they would get
0:31:18 > 0:31:22- something like the same response. - It's such an important site
0:31:22 > 0:31:26and now that the site is owned completely by the public
0:31:26 > 0:31:29we've secured it forever and that gives us a lovely feeling.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Since I'm here, I can't resist climbing the tower
0:31:35 > 0:31:37and seeing the view for myself.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Whilst I get to the top, here's what's still to come
0:31:40 > 0:31:42on tonight's Countryfile.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49'My world is turned upside down in a vintage biplane.'
0:31:49 > 0:31:50That's insane!
0:31:50 > 0:31:51Oh, man!
0:31:52 > 0:31:55'And you won't want to miss the Countryfile forecast
0:31:55 > 0:31:56'for the week ahead.'
0:31:58 > 0:31:59I've made it to the top.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01I can feel the burn.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05It's 120 steps, but the view... Oh, wow! ..is amazing.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09There's the River Severn over there.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13See the Severn Bridge over to Wales and there's a kestrel just there.
0:32:13 > 0:32:14Oh, man.
0:32:15 > 0:32:16Wow.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18Now, sheep farming in the Lakeland Fells
0:32:18 > 0:32:21is a way of life dating back generations.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25But could state-of-the-art military technology help modernise it?
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Last Autumn, Helen Skelton went to Cumbria to find out more.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35I'm on my way to meet some hill farmers.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39Not these guys - they wouldn't know one end of a sheep from another,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42but what they're doing could make a real difference
0:32:42 > 0:32:44to the way hill farmers work.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47These guys aren't playing around with a kid's toy.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52This is £30,000 worth of military technology
0:32:52 > 0:32:54that's been adapted for civilian use.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57We're going to find out more about that a bit later on.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Meg, that'll do.
0:33:00 > 0:33:01Good lass.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05Here are a couple of farmers who stand to benefit.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Father and son, Chris and Richard Harrison.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11Unlike our men in black, they know all about sheep
0:33:11 > 0:33:15and when I caught up with them, the sun was actually shining.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20I'm here to help bring these Swaledales down off the Fells.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24It's the time of year when the lambs are weaned off their tired mums
0:33:24 > 0:33:27and we couldn't do it without the help of a good working dog.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Chris, I'm in awe of your dog. How easy was she to train?
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Meg, she was a natural, really.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38She more or less trained herself.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42Erm, from about eight months old, she used to run
0:33:42 > 0:33:47left, right, sit, stop and you just had to add commands to it.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49So, "get away" is go right?
0:33:49 > 0:33:52- "Get away" is go to the right, "get by" is go to the left.- OK.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56I'm doing well if I can get my dog to sit in one place for 30 seconds.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59If I can get this dog to go right... Meg, get away!
0:33:59 > 0:34:01- She's not moving.- Try again.
0:34:01 > 0:34:02Meg! Get away.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Oh, she... You haven't got the right tone of voice, I don't think.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10She looking, but she just listens to me, really.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Meg, get away, Meg.
0:34:12 > 0:34:13Get away, Meg.
0:34:13 > 0:34:14Get away!
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Oh, I thought she was just out of range, but you're right, it is me.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Well, Meg doesn't listen to a word I say, so I'm hoping Jack
0:34:27 > 0:34:28is going to pay more attention.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31I doubt it very much. He doesn't listen to me very much!
0:34:31 > 0:34:32Thank you.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34How old is Jack?
0:34:34 > 0:34:37- He's just turned two. - So he's a bit more mischievous?
0:34:37 > 0:34:38He is a little bit, yeah.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40He's just a young dog, still learning, just as I am.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45By! By!
0:34:46 > 0:34:48- Say his name.- Jack, by!
0:34:48 > 0:34:51By! Go on, they're looking.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53By, Jack.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58'Well, Richard's bound to do better, he's had more practice than me!'
0:34:59 > 0:35:01'But I am trying.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04'Maybe I'll be more use down on the farm.'
0:35:08 > 0:35:11'Things can get tricky when you stand in the wrong place.'
0:35:11 > 0:35:13That was my own fault. I knew that.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15'And noisy.!
0:35:15 > 0:35:16BLEETING
0:35:16 > 0:35:19'Remember, though, this is the first time
0:35:19 > 0:35:21'these lambs will have been without Mum.'
0:35:23 > 0:35:25They really sound like they're saying, "Mum."
0:35:25 > 0:35:27You're going to be fine.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29You're going to love it out there.
0:35:29 > 0:35:30BLEETING
0:35:30 > 0:35:33These lambs will stay on low ground grazing and growing up.
0:35:33 > 0:35:38Their mums are back off up the Fells to winter on high ground.
0:35:38 > 0:35:39BLEETS
0:35:40 > 0:35:44And I mean high ground - near 2,000 feet.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47And with the kinds of winters they get round these parts,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49that's harsh.
0:35:52 > 0:35:53Remember these two?
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Well, they reckon their fancy flying machine could be the answer
0:35:57 > 0:35:59to our hill farmer's prayers.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04When the snow gets deep and the tractors won't budge,
0:36:04 > 0:36:06then this bit of kit comes into its own.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13It's designed to fly over hard-to-get-to terrain.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Just the job when your sheep are thousands of feet up.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19A special camera underneath streams live video pictures
0:36:19 > 0:36:22back to a laptop, but the cute bit is,
0:36:22 > 0:36:26you can tell this flying shepherd exactly where to go.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28- Can you get it to fly from A to B? - I can indeed.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31I can demonstrate that now. I can set some waypoints up here.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35And what it will do, if I set this waypoint active, what it will do now
0:36:35 > 0:36:39is it will fly between three waypoints that I've set.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41As you can now see on the camera,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43the vehicle is now turning to the right.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48The craft flies right over Chris the farmer's flock.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51The tiny whit dots you can just about see
0:36:51 > 0:36:53are his sheep.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55Can you send the camera over our heads?
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Yeah, that's very easy to do.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59I'll just grab the centre of the orbit we're currently on,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- set it active and...there we are. - Oh!
0:37:06 > 0:37:08We're quite small, aren't we?
0:37:08 > 0:37:10We are. With this current camera that's on board,
0:37:10 > 0:37:14we will look very small. We can see there are people there.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18The technology was developed to be used in warzones like Afghanistan.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21So a Cumbrian hillside shouldn't be a problem,
0:37:21 > 0:37:23but what does our farmer Chris think of it?
0:37:24 > 0:37:27The cost of this is probably out of the way for the hill farmer,
0:37:27 > 0:37:31but maybe a contractor who has one of these, erm...
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Say there's the commons or the Lakeland Fells
0:37:34 > 0:37:37where there's vast open spaces where you can't get to with a quad bike
0:37:37 > 0:37:40maybe the commoners could get together on a day
0:37:40 > 0:37:43when they're gonna gather the commons and get the contractor in,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46send him out to have a look to see where the sheep are at,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49with this out there they could save time by going to the certain areas
0:37:49 > 0:37:50on the moor or on the commons.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52- So just hire one? - Just hire one for the day.
0:37:52 > 0:37:57After about 20 minute aloft, the craft is ready to land...
0:37:57 > 0:37:59all by itself.
0:38:02 > 0:38:03Ouch!
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Quite a robust little thing, isn't it?
0:38:07 > 0:38:08Heavy landing.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11So, I think we all agree it's got a future,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14but does that mean the end of the working dog?
0:38:14 > 0:38:15I don't think so.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18I don't think Meg should worry about early retirement just yet.
0:38:18 > 0:38:19You're all right, Meg.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Nowadays, we take for granted the ability to predict the weather
0:38:30 > 0:38:33and we complain if the forecasters get it wrong.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35To find out more about weather forecasting
0:38:35 > 0:38:40past and present, Katie recruited the Army's Air Corps in Salisbury.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Troops, tanks and helicopters are all a bit of fixture
0:38:49 > 0:38:52on Salisbury plane. And while they may seem a bit impervious
0:38:52 > 0:38:55to the weather, our army helicopter pilots might never
0:38:55 > 0:38:58get off the ground if it wasn't for the Met Office.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01So, where better to come for a lesson in weather forecasting?
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Middle Wallop is the Army Air Corps base where pilots complete
0:39:07 > 0:39:09advanced training before they're deployed
0:39:09 > 0:39:11to fly frontline helicopters.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Tucked away in a small room underneath the control tower,
0:39:16 > 0:39:20two meteorologists are on duty almost round the clock.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23It's their job to provide an accurate weather forecast
0:39:23 > 0:39:25to everyone who needs it on this base.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27Lives depend on it.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32The Met Office and meteorologists around the world
0:39:32 > 0:39:35are indebted to a man called Francis Galton.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39Galton was an explorer and a statistician,
0:39:39 > 0:39:43but he's perhaps most famous for his work as a meteorologist
0:39:43 > 0:39:47and an idea that's so simple, you probably wonder what we did before.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48The weather map.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Galton's weather map was first published in the Times
0:39:52 > 0:39:54on April 1st 1875
0:39:54 > 0:39:58and detailed the previous day's weather.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01It's now a standard feature of weather forecasting around the globe.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05In newspapers, the internet, mobile phones and from the first
0:40:05 > 0:40:09TV broadcasts to Countryfile's very own five-day forecast.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Hard to imagine a forecast without it.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Galton's idea with the weather map was really
0:40:15 > 0:40:19how you could visualise lots and lots of data.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24Instead of having rows and columns of figures and raw data,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26he put it into a visual form.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30So what was people's reaction to this weather map when it came out?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32People were very mystified.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37It wasn't helped by the fact that it came out on the 1st April 1875.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40There was a lot of press coverage about this.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Punch started issuing spoofs that showed things like
0:40:43 > 0:40:47catarrh headaches. It was very accurately done.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51- Yeah.- But it laid the foundations very soon after.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Only four years later they started issuing weather forecasts
0:40:55 > 0:40:58in the newspapers using Galton's map.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01And it's extraordinary, I think, that Galton's map is
0:41:01 > 0:41:04largely unchanged today.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09At ten to the hour, every hour, at thousands of locations
0:41:09 > 0:41:12all over the globe, readings are taken that build up an accurate
0:41:12 > 0:41:15picture of the weather and help predict what's going to happen
0:41:15 > 0:41:17in the hours and days ahead.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20When forecasters combine their readings,
0:41:20 > 0:41:22the first chart they produce owes a lot to Galton
0:41:22 > 0:41:25and his concept of the isobar.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29So this is a synoptic chart. So every hour, the observer
0:41:29 > 0:41:31will go outside and do an observation
0:41:31 > 0:41:34and we get information on all kinds of weather parameters.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38And these come to us on the hour in this sort of form.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Form here we can draw up a chart very similar to this one
0:41:41 > 0:41:42that they've drawn.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44'The isobar is a line drawn on a map that connects
0:41:44 > 0:41:46'points of equal pressure.'
0:41:46 > 0:41:49That has to be below it or above it?
0:41:49 > 0:41:50That one's above...
0:41:50 > 0:41:53Tell you what, this is actually quite difficult.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Once drawn, the isobars also show wind direction and speed.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01Knowing that, with your back to the wind, low pressure's on the left.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03- We know that the wind is going this way.- OK.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05- So I can do that on all these?- Yep.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08'The closer together the isobars, the windier it is.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10'Low pressures mean wet and windy weather.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13'Today's higher pressures give us dry, sunny weather.'
0:42:14 > 0:42:17It's like join the dots, but far harder.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Every morning a briefing is delivered in person to each
0:42:20 > 0:42:22of the four training squadrons around the base.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Catherine's doing the first one, but I'll be heading across the base
0:42:26 > 0:42:27to brief the Lynx team next.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30A large area of high pressure centred across the UK today.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33That's bringing us a light, northeasterly flow across the area.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Sometimes we need bad weather, cos we need to train
0:42:35 > 0:42:38in these conditions so that when we actually come to operations,
0:42:38 > 0:42:39we know how to fly,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42what sort of conditions to expect, whereas good weather days
0:42:42 > 0:42:45can be good for carrying out other things such as general handling
0:42:45 > 0:42:47and general exercises.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50I can't believe they're letting me do their weather briefing.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56Good morning, everyone.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58ALL: Good morning.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01So, here we have our synoptic chart...
0:43:01 > 0:43:04'This is my debut as a forecaster.'
0:43:04 > 0:43:06Generally a very nice day. If you're going out flying,
0:43:06 > 0:43:08temperature's going to be about 24,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11so you might think about having a nice lunch and some water to drink
0:43:11 > 0:43:14so you don't get dehydrated up in the air.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16I think Katie was fantastic today.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18She's definitely got a future career as a forecaster.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20She was better than most of the forecasters we get
0:43:20 > 0:43:22on a day-to-day basis.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25So, yeah - hats off to her, she did a very good job.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27There you are!
0:43:27 > 0:43:28LAUGHTER
0:43:28 > 0:43:30- How much...- You owe me, big time!
0:43:32 > 0:43:35'There's only one way to see how important
0:43:35 > 0:43:38'these forecasts are to the pilots.'
0:43:39 > 0:43:40Ready.
0:43:40 > 0:43:44'And that's to get up amongst the clouds myself.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47'I'm going up in the Lynx helicopter. For all our sakes, I hope
0:43:47 > 0:43:49'that forecast was right.'
0:43:54 > 0:43:56This is incredible.
0:43:56 > 0:43:57You can see little things on the ground,
0:43:57 > 0:44:01dogs running around. You realise just how close to the ground you are
0:44:01 > 0:44:03and how you really are in amongst the clouds.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Passenger aircraft are usually flying at around 35,000 feet,
0:44:06 > 0:44:10well above the clouds and all the weather that we experience on the ground.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13This helicopter and others like it fly at around
0:44:13 > 0:44:202,000-3,000 feet, so they are right in that weather zone, so the Met Office forecasting is critical.
0:44:22 > 0:44:27Francis Galton's legacy is felt today by us all.
0:44:27 > 0:44:31I've seen first-hand how his pioneering weather map is key to
0:44:31 > 0:44:34the safety of our pilots in the Armed Forces.
0:44:36 > 0:44:40This common spotted orchid would make a great subject for this year's
0:44:40 > 0:44:42Countryfile photographic competition,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45with its theme, a walk on the wild side.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48We've had loads of entries so far, but we want even more.
0:44:48 > 0:44:52We're after wild landscapes, wildlife or even wild weather,
0:44:52 > 0:44:55but how you interpret the theme is down to you.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58The best 12 will be put together for next year's calendar
0:44:58 > 0:45:00sold in aid of Children In Need.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Here's John with a reminder of how to enter.
0:45:11 > 0:45:16Our competition isn't open to professionals, and entries must not have won any other competitions,
0:45:16 > 0:45:19because what we're looking for is original work.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23You can enter up to four photos,
0:45:23 > 0:45:25which must have been taken in the UK.
0:45:25 > 0:45:30Please write your name, address and a daytime and evening phone number
0:45:30 > 0:45:33on the back of each photo with a note of where it was taken.
0:45:33 > 0:45:37And then all you have to do is send your entries to:
0:45:46 > 0:45:50Whoever takes the winning photo as voted for by Countryfile viewers,
0:45:50 > 0:45:56can choose from a range of the latest photographic equipment to the value of £1,000.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59The person who takes the picture the judges like best
0:45:59 > 0:46:04gets to pick equipment to the value of £500.
0:46:04 > 0:46:08The full terms and conditions are on our website, where you will also
0:46:08 > 0:46:11find details of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14The closing date is July 22, and I'm sorry,
0:46:14 > 0:46:16but we can't return any entries.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18So, best of luck.
0:46:20 > 0:46:26This week, I'm in Gloucestershire, a beautiful historic county where mediaeval battles were once fought.
0:46:28 > 0:46:33Surprisingly, this area is also famous for its aeronautical history.
0:46:33 > 0:46:38Hidden amongst the fields and farms is an airfield that was
0:46:38 > 0:46:43once a centre of innovation when war was perilously close to our shores.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49Staverton Airport, now Gloucestershire Airport,
0:46:49 > 0:46:53is situated midway between Cheltenham and Gloucester.
0:46:53 > 0:46:59It was originally opened in 1936 and served as a training base for aircrew during the Second World War.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06It was during the war in an airfield just a few miles from here
0:47:06 > 0:47:09that the test flight of Britain's very first jet aircraft took place.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17It is no wonder that plans for a museum celebrating local aviation achievements
0:47:17 > 0:47:19are about to get off the ground.
0:47:19 > 0:47:22The centrepiece will be this full-scale replica
0:47:22 > 0:47:27of the Gloucester E28, the first Allied jet aircraft
0:47:27 > 0:47:30powered by Frank Whittle's famous jet engine.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32This Gloucestershire Meteor will also be on display,
0:47:32 > 0:47:36so long as this team of volunteers restore it in time.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40It was the first jet-powered fighter to enter RAF service.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44In a moment, I'll be taking to the skies in a vintage biplane
0:47:44 > 0:47:47to get the view from above for myself,
0:47:47 > 0:47:50but first, here's the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:49:49 > 0:49:56.
0:50:06 > 0:50:12This week I'm in Gloucestershire delving back into the Countryfile archives to revisit some
0:50:12 > 0:50:17of the extraordinary times we've been able to look at the view from above.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23At Long Mynd in Shropshire,
0:50:23 > 0:50:27the hillsides provide the perfect runway for thrill-seekers like Matt,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30who wanted to get a view of the landscape from up high.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Around a quarter of a million of us
0:50:32 > 0:50:36visit Long Mynd every year to explore this breathtaking landscape.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41But there are those who prefer to jump off the beaten track
0:50:41 > 0:50:44on a wing and a prayer for a more thrilling view from the sky,
0:50:44 > 0:50:50and I am told that Long Mynd is the pathway to paragliding heaven.
0:50:51 > 0:50:57'Mark Dan is a paragliding expert who is hopefully going to take me for a tandem flight over Long Mynd.'
0:50:57 > 0:50:59- I've got a delivery for you! - Fantastic!
0:50:59 > 0:51:03I tell you what, you have directed me to a phenomenal spot.
0:51:03 > 0:51:05Paragliding here, when the conditions are good,
0:51:05 > 0:51:07there is nowhere in the world any better.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10And we get some really good air currents.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13Also, in springtime when it is warmer, you can have thermals
0:51:13 > 0:51:16and you can actually take off and you can climb like birds of prey.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20We have a buzzard here that's just hanging, literally behind us.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23We get fantastic birds up here that fly with us.
0:51:23 > 0:51:25Showing how it should be done!
0:51:25 > 0:51:30To fly safely, the wind speed needs to be monitored very closely.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34We need less than around 17mph, you can just see we're right on the limits,
0:51:34 > 0:51:37but also you need it smooth.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40The great thing about Paragliding is
0:51:40 > 0:51:43all the kit fits in a rucksack.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46Mark always does a thorough safety check before takeoff.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49It's still too windy to fly, but ever the optimist,
0:51:49 > 0:51:52I've got Mark to get me suited and booted in case we get a reprieve.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54And it just clips straight on.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58As simple as that and you're in a nice sitting position when you're flying.
0:51:58 > 0:51:59Like a baby bouncer.
0:51:59 > 0:52:04It's the strangest feeling, knowing that you're about to launch yourself that way and just hang.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06I don't know if I want the wind to drop or not!
0:52:08 > 0:52:10'The wind's blowing a gale, but suddenly,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13'just as it looks like the sun will set in the sky
0:52:13 > 0:52:18'without me flying in it, the wind drops and with a little assistance from paraglider Chris...
0:52:18 > 0:52:19'We're off!'
0:52:22 > 0:52:24Are we there? And we're off!
0:52:24 > 0:52:26Oh, my goodness me!
0:52:26 > 0:52:30I tell you what, it doesn't take long, doesn't?
0:52:30 > 0:52:35It is the most beautiful feeling, to be hanging. Just drifting.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39- Just like that bird we saw earlier. - Exactly.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41Do you want a go of the controls, Matt?
0:52:41 > 0:52:45- There you go.- Oh my word. - You're steering it.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47- How good is that? - Beautiful.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49Absolutely sensational.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52Hey! This is something else!
0:52:57 > 0:53:01Matt, taking to the skies to enjoy the view above Shropshire.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05Earlier, I was finding out about Gloucestershire airport -
0:53:05 > 0:53:08once a training centre for the RAF in World War II.
0:53:08 > 0:53:12Now, I've been given the opportunity to experience for myself what
0:53:12 > 0:53:16flying was like in the days before commercial flights became so common.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19Jack Nichol is my pilot.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23He's been flying all his life, which sounds reassuring
0:53:23 > 0:53:25until I tell you he's 22 years old!
0:53:25 > 0:53:28- Hi, how you doing?- How you doing? - Good, thanks.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31- This is a very handsome aeroplane. - Yes, it's a nice-looking aeroplane.
0:53:31 > 0:53:37- Talk me through, what is it?- It's a Stomp SV4, a 1930s primary trainer,
0:53:37 > 0:53:40this would be the first thing that young airman in the '30s
0:53:40 > 0:53:44and '40s would have flown when they got their licences for the Air Force.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47It seems so strange, you're so young to be flying such an old plane.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50Back in the '40s, there would have been guys my age flying them
0:53:50 > 0:53:52when they were learning to fly.
0:53:52 > 0:53:56- True enough. I'm in the right gear, now.- You look the part, yes.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00I've heard something about acrobatics which is making me slightly anxious.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03It's very nice. Nice, gentle aeroplane, this.
0:54:03 > 0:54:04- Nice and smooth, trust me.- Really?
0:54:04 > 0:54:10- You'll be sat in the front.- OK. - Left foot first and then your left hand on there.
0:54:10 > 0:54:14- Pull yourself up to start.- Up here? - And use the handles on top of the wing.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18- Got it.- Stand on the seat.
0:54:18 > 0:54:24- Then just walk yourself forwards. - It's a bit snug.- Keeps you warm!
0:54:24 > 0:54:26Snugger than ever.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28Right.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31Make sure it's a nice fit on your ears.
0:54:31 > 0:54:35- Needs to be strapped down, doesn't it?- Yes. Oh, yes!
0:54:37 > 0:54:42Once I'm safely strapped in, it's chocks away and off we go.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50Bit bumpy!
0:54:59 > 0:55:04- That was quick!- It gets off the ground very quickly.- Really quickly.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08Oh, wow!
0:55:20 > 0:55:23Do you know what I love about flying?
0:55:23 > 0:55:26You can see the world from a distance
0:55:26 > 0:55:29and it's almost like when you see it in a cartoon, or covered in snow.
0:55:29 > 0:55:32Everything looks absolutely pristine - there's no wheelie bins,
0:55:32 > 0:55:34no barbed wire up here.
0:55:34 > 0:55:39It's just a county that I'm from and I feel so proud of. I love it.
0:55:39 > 0:55:46- Yes, it is a nice place to fly. - It's gorgeous.- I would say to everyone...- There is the cathedral!
0:55:46 > 0:55:50You don't really appreciate the patchwork farms
0:55:50 > 0:55:53that spread across here unless you see it from the air.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57It is wonderful to look down on the scenery.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01But now Jack wants to turn everything upside down.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03- Are you ready?- Yes.
0:56:03 > 0:56:09What I'm going to do is, I'm just going to get the nose down, build up some speed up to 100 knots.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13Up to 100 and around we go.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16Oh, my God. Oh, my God! You can feel the G-force!
0:56:16 > 0:56:21Oh, my word! That's insane!
0:56:21 > 0:56:25Oh, man! The horizon was in the wrong place.
0:56:25 > 0:56:27Hello!
0:56:27 > 0:56:29We made it, we made it!
0:56:29 > 0:56:31I can't feel my legs, of course.
0:56:31 > 0:56:34Whoah!
0:56:34 > 0:56:38That's it from this special edition of Countryfile from the air.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41Next week, the programme will be on the Isle of Mann
0:56:41 > 0:56:46where Julia will be in search of one of our elusive fish, the basking shark.
0:56:46 > 0:56:50John will be exploring the island on a vintage bike.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52Hope you can join us then, bye-bye!
0:57:14 > 0:57:16Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd