Abergavenny Countryfile


Abergavenny

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Where echoes of former industry can still be heard in the valleys...

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because the coal mines here in South Wales are long gone.

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that where the mines have scarred this land,

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And where the coalfields end, the green hills begin.

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a town famous for its market and its food.

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And their giant vegetables made of cotton.

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I've got to get this big boy up there.

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While we are exploring Wales, Tom is investigating rural crime

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but the so-called sport of using dogs to chase and kill hares

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still goes on, bringing with it trespass,

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So, what is being done to stop it? I'll be investigating.

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Helen is meeting the handlers representing Scotland

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No, I'm not going there just to make up the numbers.

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That's for sure. You're going there to win it? Yes, always.

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And John's in Essex to launch the Countryfile calendar.

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And reveal the photographer whose picture you chose

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I've come here today to meet the winner, but, as yet,

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The rich natural beauty of the valleys of South Wales,

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where steep green and heather-clad hills rub up against

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a starker landscape, one whose turbulent past

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The green hills around Abergavenny give way to a different

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landscape near the town of Blaenavon...

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..one shaped by an industry that changed the world.

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I'm talking coal, but all that remains is the odd mineshaft

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but everything that you can see here was changed by coal.

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Blaenavon is a World Heritage site, because back in the 18th century,

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it was home to a gold rush - black gold.

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They mined coal in vast quantities,

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and it brought about a change on a scale not seen before.

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And these hills bore the brunt

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of mankind's insatiable drive for progress.

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There's very little of what you can see here

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There's a little bit of the skyline there,

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but coming in front of that, that has all been worked.

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That's all been turned over for coal and for iron ore,

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which really only represent about 5% of the rock sequence.

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really, only about 2% is workable coal seams.

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So there's a lot of waste for them to get through,

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and it's the sort of sandstones and mudstones that are associated

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with the coal seam that you have got to dump on the hillsides

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The English industrialists who came here in the late 18th century

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They snapped up all the mineral-rich land they could get their hands on.

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Those little square blocks coming off - that is a bit of coal seam.

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So this is one of just a thin seam, but it is one of many,

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No, the great thing is that you've got all the ingredients you need

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You have got the coal, which you use as a fuel,

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you've got iron ore itself... It's heavy, that, isn't it? Yes, it is.

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It is much heavier than you'd expect for its weight.

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Then you've got limestone, that you use as a flux,

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and that takes out the impurities from the iron ore.

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And you have got water here for powering your machinery too.

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So, all the ingredients that you need for getting the Industrial Revolution

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kick-started are here, on the edge of the South Wales coalfield.

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In 1789, the first major coal-fired furnace was built in Blaenavon.

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It wasn't long before the Welsh sky blazed red.

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Smelting went on day and night to meet the huge demand for iron

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from international railway construction and a war-hungry Navy.

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But the quality of the coal here meant it would go on

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to overtake iron as the focus of production.

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Welsh steam coal would help turn Blaenavon into a boom town.

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By 1921, 13,000 people were living here,

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all attracted by the chance of working underground.

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Des Harris followed in their footsteps.

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I was 15 years of age when I first came down the mine. Were you, really?

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15 years of age. What, did your father work or...?

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My father worked underground, my grandfather worked underground,

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The only work around when I left school was down the mines,

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and started work in the mine on Monday.

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Very hard, dangerous, dirty, dusty work, but it was OK.

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Thousands of tons of coal were extracted from Blaenavon's

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making South Wales one of the major coal producing regions on Earth.

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the men at the coalface were poorly paid.

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Their rewards were found in a sense of community.

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I used to enjoy working down the mine.

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You were with your friends, what have you, and then you went back up.

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And you just got on with the job. It was very enjoyable.

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It may sound mad, but if I had my chance over again,

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I would do it all over again. Would you, really? Oh, yes.

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36 years underground, and I would do it all over again.

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With increased competition from abroad and new fuels like oil

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and gas, the Welsh coal industry went into decline.

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By the 1980s, mines all over had closed.

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The village I come from, I could name everybody in that village.

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You are talking 1,000 people. I knew them all.

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Go there now, I don't even know anybody now. All gone.

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Blaenavon's pit closures meant the death of the town.

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When the work stopped, spoil heaps were just left as they were.

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Things went quiet, and new life began to stir in this landscape.

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I have actually got some specimens in a pot here. Very good.

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In true ecology style. Let's have a closer look, then.

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The mottled grasshopper. It's quite variable in its colours.

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Colliery spoil is black or grey. The darker ones will blend in.

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They have adapted well to that sort of darker environment.

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The difference in the colour is quite something.

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Look at that vivid green and then you have got that very coaly black.

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Absolutely. We have seen quite a few butterflies flying around.

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The Grayling butterfly is principally a coastal butterfly.

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Inland, it is found in these areas of colliery spoil,

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where it is dry and provides similar conditions to the sandy

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environments you find round the coast, such as sand dunes.

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Perhaps those species might not even have been here

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if it wasn't for the mining that took place. Absolutely.

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If we're after variety, bare spoil is the bees' knees

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in terms of habitats, and for people walking in the landscape,

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there's nothing better than seeing the variety of wildlife around you.

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The mines may have gone, but the spoil heaps remain.

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And this land, laid to waste by industry,

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Now, hare coursing has been banned in the British countryside

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that hasn't put a stop to this illegal sport.

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The East of England's expansive flatlands, home to brown hares.

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Something has been through here. There's just a little path.

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British hare numbers have fallen by 80% in the past 100 years,

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But in some places, they're still common, like here in Lincolnshire.

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Not that that makes them easy to find.

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There, there, there. There he goes. Wow! Great.

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There he goes, down the line. Fantastic.

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are at the centre of a major illegal blood sport

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The traditional pastime of hare coursing

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Dogs are pitted against a hare in a contest of speed and agility.

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but the Hunting Act of 2004 banned the sport in the UK.

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Today, the only way to hare course legally this with one of these.

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Simulated hare coursing events are run by Paddy Weaver.

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The same in principle as traditional coursing,

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but with a plastic lure on a zigzag track, mimicking the twists

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One dog will wear a white collar, and one dog will wear a red collar.

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And the one that runs the truest course wins. But I'm the judge.

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So I gather you used to do it when it was legal? Yes, I did, yes. Why?

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I were brought up with it. It was in the family.

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Didn't you think it was cruel in any way?

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No, because when the dog catches a hare, it's dead.

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If you go and shoot it, you might only wound it.

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So this is a way of keeping it all alive for you? We're trying, yes.

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The 2004 Hunting Act may have banned hare coursing,

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While some remained happy with these simulated chases,

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others were determined to pursue real hares, regardless of the law.

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some people are still illegally setting hounds against hares.

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In places like Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, there are

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hundreds of calls a year with 30 or 40 vehicles at a time, sometimes.

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'Alan Roberts is with the Police National Wildlife Crime unit.

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'He's concerned about the type of people hare coursing attracts.'

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Very often, the people that are involved in coursing have got

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other criminal records. Sometimes quite scary people?

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There are plenty of reports of incidents where

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they have literally confronted the farmer, threatened them,

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beaten them, attacked their vehicles, this sort of thing.

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They travel all over the place to commit the crime.

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They travel all over the place to go coursing.

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This hobby that they have is like the glue

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that joins these people together.

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It seems hare coursing is bringing some serious criminals

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to the countryside, and woe betide anyone who gets in their way.

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I have been out here on some days and middle of the day, and I have

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seen six, seven vehicles driving across the middle of the field.

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'This Lincolnshire farmer says he regularly has hare coursers

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'on his farm, and that led to one particularly perilous confrontation.

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The vehicle that was on the corner here, to our right,

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I got out of the buggy and approached the vehicle.

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They started the vehicle up and just drove straight for me.

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They ended up hitting me hard on the side of the leg

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of the front of the bumper of the pick-up.

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And so I was left in a heap on the floor,

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just up the field margin here, and I had to pull my legs

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out the way, otherwise the rear axle of the vehicle

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'Despite his injury, Andy drove after the vehicle.

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'Then it tried to ram him off the road.'

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The third time, they tried to reverse and knock us into the dyke.

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They just then sped off into the distance.

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Like other farmers, Andy still suffers threats

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and intimidation from these criminals.

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It's clear that hare coursing has come a long way

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from its roots as a traditional countryside sport.

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So, gangs are going to great lengths to keep this sport alive,

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risking imprisonment for them and injury to others.

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So what's being done to tackle them? I'll be finding out later.

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Monmouthshire, a borderland county known as the gateway to Wales.

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Good, fertile land for growing and for grazing. Come by!

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He also founded the internationally renowned

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You know what you're doing. You've done that before.

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I think I have - a few times. How long?

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I think you've definitely got the measure of it now.

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What prompted the idea to come up with a food festival?

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As you say, 15 years ago was the time of BSE, followed by foot and mouth.

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fires at night, burning of the carcasses round here.

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a lot of people lost animals so it was a pretty depressing time.

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The idea for the food festival came from wanting to celebrate -

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to do something positive about farming in this area,

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and celebrate the good food that is produced.

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It's not all about the food though is it? No, it isn't.

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I've got something to show you. Lead the way. Yeah.

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Well, that, would you believe, is a sheep? I know it's a sheep.

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But what's it doing up there and what's it made of?

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Rag rug made of bits of cloth put together.

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The story behind that sheep... That is my sheep.

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there's something a bit funny with him, apart from its mournful look.

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Yes, a mournful face. A full-on view. One, two, three legs!

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Yeah, that is a bit odd. Only one back leg.

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Yes, what you think we call that? Peggy.

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So, that's based on your sheep - Tripod -

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and it was made for the festival? Absolutely.

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And this marriage between the art and the food

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is an important part of the festival.

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to look at the decorations in the Market Hall.

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She's quite lovely. Yeah, absolutely. Unique but lovely. Yeah.

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'Just down the road in the heart of Abergavenny is the old Market Hall,

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'normally busy with shoppers and stallholders,

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'but today is the day the big arts get hung.'

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Well, it's pretty obvious what this year's theme is -

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'And coming up with the new one is a big challenge for

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Bet? Um, the nuts there, on the table behind me.

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'This year's theme is Garden of Plenty -

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'And it's the community spirit that brings it to life.

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'Turn back the clock four weeks, and 60 volunteers of all ages

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'and abilities were beavering away to realise Bettina's vision.'

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Ooh, ooh, let me help. Let me help. Let me help.

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One of your beans is loose. Thank you

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Well, that's what happens when you have giant vegetables.

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I know. They've got a mind of their own. Look at this monster here.

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Bettina, that is a magnificent pumpkin. How do you start?

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I always think about it a year in advance.

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I mean, it takes about a year to think,

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"Because everyone loved the birds and the hares last year.

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"I think I don't know how to top that one."

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And you just think, "Are vegetables going to be quite as exciting?"

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But I think they will be. I think they will be.

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You've certainly got the scale. Most of the fabrics

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are hand-dyed. It's all sort of calico,

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silk, velvet that has been specially dyed or painted.

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It doesn't always go to plan, does it?

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No. We hoisted the giant turkey last year,

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Oh, no. And his tail feathers broke. Poor turkey. I know.

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'The Cinderella-style pumpkin is going to need all hands on veg

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'if we are going to get it to the rafters.

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'But first it needs a few finishing touches.'

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and she's going to be laughing at you letting ME do the sewing.

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'Luckily, once this beauty is hanging from the ceiling,

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'no-one will notice the dreadful Bradbury stitch.

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'All we've got to do is get it up there.

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'Cue the cherry picker. Or should that be the pumpkin picker?'

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All this for a pumpkin. Who'd have thought it?

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MUSIC: "Also Sprach Zarathustra" Richard Strauss

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This is Bradders and the giant pumpkin.

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And another hanging vegetable. Yeah. Yes. Brilliant.

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'So, how do you follow aerial vegetables?

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'With underground cheese, of course!'

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I'm in the changing rooms of the Big Pit - Blaenavon's last coal mine.

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The colliers finally hung up their boots in here

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it's been preserved as a World Heritage site

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and a museum. But something is still brought up from the bottom

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Sue, how and why are you maturing Cheddar at the bottom of the mine?

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We are maturing it, Matt, in a big stainless steel caskets...

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Right. ..300 feet below ground in a safety shaft.

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And what do you put this flavour down to?

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and that's all it needs to change the cheese

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from a very great cheese to an absolutely brilliant cheese.

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Had you heard that mines were a good environment?

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Yes, there was a lot of historic data

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about what miners ate in their sandwiches.

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That was known as miners' wedding cake.

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How important is it for you to be using the mine

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that has been the lifeblood of this community?

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Having the cheese bringing a new, different kind of life

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into the area, it's giving something for the community to be proud of.

:21:28.:21:34.

This year, Countryfile is teaming up

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with the institution that is One Man And His Dog.

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Adam was in Wales catching up with competitors here.

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She's in Scotland meeting a couple more hopefuls.

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dramatic mountains loom over barren uplands,

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and glorious glens carve their way through rural lowlands.

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who, along with the help of their trusty sheepdogs,

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can whip a field full of sheep into shape in no time.

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One of them is young, fresh-faced and keen.

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The other is an old hand, defending champion no less,

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they're hoping to bring a title back to Scotland in One Man And His Dog.

:22:32.:22:40.

First out of the pen, Rory Marshall and his working dog, Tess.

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This 15-year-old will be competing in the under-18s class.

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You could say he was destined to take up trialling.

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Growing up on a farm with 800 blackface sheep,

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was going to pick up a few nifty herding skills.

:22:54.:23:03.

'And as for five-year-old Tess, she's from champion stock.

:23:04.:23:14.

'Her grandmother, Fly, was a One Man And His Dog winner in 2004.

:23:14.:23:18.

'So, how's Rory feeling about this year's competition?'

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but ever since, I've gotten a lot better.

:23:23.:23:28.

What made you want to get involved in competitions?

:23:28.:23:30.

It just really interested me and it looked really fun, so...

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Because, I mean... Well, Tess is certainly having fun. Tess.

:23:37.:23:43.

How often do you and Tess train? Most nights when I can.

:23:43.:23:48.

Obviously I've got schoolwork to do as well.

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Do you work harder on your schoolwork

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I'd have to say harder on my training.

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I think people probably underestimate you, Rory,

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because you are a novice, but you work with hill sheep.

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These are very stubborn wild sheep, aren't they? Yes, very.

:24:02.:24:09.

'Rory's been trialling for less than 12 months.

:24:09.:24:13.

'His first was a small local trial at the end of last year

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'and now look at him go. He's really got Tess under control.'

:24:17.:24:20.

'It's great to see a youngster like Rory

:24:20.:24:24.

'keeping this traditional skill alive.

:24:24.:24:27.

'But, of course, more farmers these days

:24:27.:24:29.

'are swapping four legs for four wheels.'

:24:29.:24:32.

I thought a 15-year-old lad like Rory would prefer petrol power

:24:32.:24:37.

'I wonder if me and my machine can be any help to the light-footed Tess?'

:24:37.:24:48.

'Thank goodness for Tess. I think I'd better leave it to the expert.'

:24:48.:25:12.

I'm not sure if I helped or not there, Rory.

:25:12.:25:15.

Why do you prefer working with dogs to the quads?

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I find them reliable, and they're much more fun than quads -

:25:20.:25:25.

'is definitely making a promising young partnership.'

:25:25.:25:31.

'In fact, Team Scotland is shaping up to be quite the double threat.

:25:32.:25:38.

'Joining Rory is a man who really knows how to work a field -

:25:38.:25:42.

'He is the current singles champion and definitely one to watch.'

:25:42.:25:52.

'He's been trialling since he was 11 and when it comes to form,

:25:52.:25:55.

'Ian's spoilt for choice with his two champion dogs, Mo and Gus.

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'Not only that, he's got a shed load of youngsters

:26:02.:26:04.

Now, Ian, you have form, don't you? You are a supreme champion.

:26:04.:26:11.

Gus has performed well for you. Mo has performed well for you. Yes.

:26:11.:26:15.

Who are you going to take to this competition?

:26:15.:26:17.

Gus injured himself about six or eight weeks ago,

:26:17.:26:22.

He's almost there, but we'll see in the time of the competition.

:26:22.:26:27.

Look at them. They're both so loyal, aren't they?

:26:27.:26:33.

Undivided attention focused on you, Ian. Yeah.

:26:33.:26:36.

So, when will you decide which one is going to go?

:26:36.:26:38.

Probably the day of the competition. Really?

:26:38.:26:41.

Just see how he is, and we'll go from there.

:26:41.:26:43.

I'm kind of spoiled for choice, to be fair.

:26:43.:26:45.

That's not a bad position to be in. How many dogs have you actually got?

:26:45.:26:49.

Seven. Seven? Yeah. And at what age do you start training them?

:26:49.:26:52.

Maybe six, seven months old. Just depends.

:26:52.:26:55.

They'll start chasing sheep or looking to work at different stages.

:26:55.:26:58.

So, if you want, we can have a look at Tess.

:26:58.:27:01.

Yeah, let's get Tess out. She's just starting chasing sheep.

:27:01.:27:05.

So, what do you do then, at this early age, to kind of...

:27:05.:27:12.

Oh, she's not that keen to come out. A bit camera shy. Tess. Tess.

:27:12.:27:14.

Come on, Tessy. What are you doing with them at this stage?

:27:14.:27:19.

She just goes round the sheep, it's just what's natural at this stage.

:27:19.:27:25.

OK. And then I'm kind of assessing what I need to do.

:27:25.:27:30.

What things I need to sort and what things to leave alone.

:27:30.:27:32.

Let's take them to the farm and see them in action.

:27:33.:27:35.

No problem. This isn't about you yet. Next time. Tess. Tess.

:27:35.:27:39.

HE WHISTLES So, Gus will rest his ligaments,

:27:39.:27:44.

and I'm sure Mo, over the next half hour, will try to convince you

:27:44.:27:47.

that you should use her in the competition. Yes.

:27:47.:27:49.

Your dogs are obviously great what they do, but Border collies

:27:49.:27:53.

in general are good at rounding up cattle and sheep, aren't they?

:27:53.:27:56.

It's been bred into them over hundreds of years.

:27:56.:27:59.

I suppose they've selected the best herding dogs. Is it that simple?

:27:59.:28:02.

We had Border collies, and they were rubbish at rounding up sheep.

:28:02.:28:06.

There's a lot of training goes into it as well.

:28:06.:28:08.

It takes a lot of time to train them.

:28:08.:28:11.

But generally it's the instinct. You want to breed with the best dogs.

:28:11.:28:15.

I know we keep referring back to the competition,

:28:15.:28:17.

but competition aside, how useful are they day-to-day on the farm?

:28:17.:28:21.

You couldn't do without them on a sheep farm.

:28:21.:28:23.

I always think a good dog's worth about five men

:28:23.:28:26.

'It's easy to see why Ian's dogs are so prized.

:28:26.:28:33.

'When you've got a flock of more than 600 sheep,

:28:33.:28:36.

'you'd be in big trouble without them.'

:28:36.:28:39.

'But now it's time to see how much natural talent youngster Tess has.

:28:39.:28:51.

'Ian's leaving her lead on just in case she gets a bit too close.'

:28:51.:28:55.

Tess is having a field day here, isn't she? She is.

:28:55.:29:05.

Yeah, but when they're pups - she's only five months old -

:29:05.:29:08.

you've got to let them play. It's just like kids.

:29:08.:29:11.

all the little bits - the good bits and the bad bits.

:29:11.:29:16.

I'll start actually to put some command on her.

:29:16.:29:21.

Tess! That'll do, Tess. That'll do, Tess. Attagirl. Good girl.

:29:21.:29:25.

'Ian puts all his success down to the dogs.

:29:25.:29:27.

'But is this modest Scot holding back?'

:29:27.:29:31.

You're the one to watch in this competition.

:29:31.:29:33.

But no, we try our best and see what happens.

:29:33.:29:36.

If anybody enters any competition, you want to win it.

:29:36.:29:41.

I can't tell of this is your game face and underneath you're like,

:29:41.:29:45.

No, I'm not going there just to make up the numbers anyway,

:29:45.:29:49.

that's for sure. You're there to win it? Yeah, always.

:29:49.:29:54.

'Next time, I'll be meeting Team England,

:29:54.:29:58.

'while Adam's getting the low-down on the Irish competitors.'

:29:58.:30:08.

MATT: Now, earlier, we heard how hare coursing

:30:08.:30:11.

has changed from a countryside tradition

:30:11.:30:13.

So, what's being done to stamp it out?

:30:13.:30:19.

'The centuries-old sport of hare coursing,

:30:19.:30:25.

'where swift hounds pursue an agile hare,

:30:25.:30:28.

'was outlawed by the 2004 Hunting Act.

:30:28.:30:31.

'Since then, this sport has been pushed into the shadows.'

:30:31.:30:35.

still very much alive in Britain's countryside.

:30:35.:30:42.

Big, sometimes violent, gangs trespass on farmland,

:30:42.:30:46.

and in their wake comes a lot of other criminal activity.

:30:46.:30:50.

'Recently harvested fields, together with level landscapes,

:30:50.:30:56.

So, what are the police doing to control the sport

:30:56.:31:02.

and the criminal behaviour that comes with it?

:31:02.:31:07.

'I'm joining the Lincolnshire Wildlife Crime Team.

:31:07.:31:10.

'They're part of Operation Galileo - a collaboration between

:31:10.:31:13.

'Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk forces

:31:13.:31:15.

'to crack down on hare coursing across the counties.

:31:15.:31:19.

'Nick Willey is heading out on patrol.'

:31:19.:31:21.

So, what is it you're really looking for today, Nick?

:31:21.:31:24.

We're looking for people travelling into the county

:31:24.:31:27.

poaching activity, running dogs on land, illegally chasing hares.

:31:27.:31:36.

The team will respond to calls for service from members of the public,

:31:36.:31:40.

from landowners, farmers, gamekeepers.

:31:40.:31:43.

Is it easy to police? No, it's not easy to police at all.

:31:43.:31:48.

Prior to last season, our incidents went up to over 1,000 incidents.

:31:48.:31:53.

Really? It was quite clearly... Yeah. Wow.

:31:53.:31:55.

Quite clearly, although we try to combat it, it's very hard to police.

:31:55.:32:05.

'The sport may be rife, but the incidents are spread over

:32:05.:32:08.

'a vast area, and the officers involved in Operation Galileo

:32:08.:32:12.

'So farmers like Andy, who we met earlier,

:32:12.:32:18.

'often take their own steps to protect their land.'

:32:18.:32:21.

Because we haven't got any metal gates here,

:32:22.:32:26.

we put these big bales that weigh about half a tonne apiece

:32:26.:32:28.

across the gateway, and it stops them coming in.

:32:28.:32:30.

What you think about the law and the police today?

:32:30.:32:33.

Is there enough deterrent to put people off?

:32:33.:32:35.

It's frustrating from our point of view as a farmer,

:32:35.:32:38.

in that we have our property here that we're trying to protect,

:32:38.:32:40.

and we get these coursers coming all over the fields

:32:40.:32:43.

We'll phone the police to come and help us,

:32:43.:32:49.

and you might get a police vehicle here in 20 minutes,

:32:49.:32:52.

it might be five hours, it might be two days.

:32:52.:32:55.

And, you know, a lot of times we complain

:32:55.:32:57.

to the police about the response is not quick enough,

:32:57.:33:00.

and these guys are doing the job as well as they can,

:33:00.:33:02.

but the problem is higher up in the police that they're so undermanned.

:33:02.:33:05.

What about the law? Is that fit for purpose on this?

:33:05.:33:08.

I think in this situation, it is very difficult to prioritise

:33:08.:33:12.

where hare coursing comes in the crime league, if you like.

:33:12.:33:16.

And if there's other more serious incidents,

:33:16.:33:19.

But when it endangers public life and endangers human life -

:33:19.:33:24.

then, yes, that is a lot more serious offence.

:33:25.:33:28.

'This isn't just an issue of resourcing or priorities -

:33:28.:33:32.

'getting the evidence needed to convict someone of hare coursing

:33:32.:33:36.

'were actually prosecuted for running him over.'

:33:36.:33:42.

It sounds like a slightly odd question,

:33:42.:33:44.

do you think you would have been able to charge them

:33:44.:33:48.

for a coursing-related offence, or would it have been

:33:48.:33:50.

a lot harder to get the attention of the legal system?

:33:50.:33:53.

It would definitely have been a lot harder,

:33:53.:33:55.

'Working in some of the remotest parts of the countryside,

:33:55.:34:00.

'is a problem the police come up against time and time again.'

:34:00.:34:05.

and really gathering that evidence is very, very tricky.

:34:05.:34:10.

But that is one of the aims of Operation Galileo.

:34:10.:34:16.

'the police are doing their best to catch the coursers red-handed.

:34:16.:34:20.

'Another team has intercepted two suspicious cars

:34:20.:34:23.

'in a service station just outside the Lincolnshire border.'

:34:23.:34:28.

Tom from Countryfile here. How many dogs did they have and what kind?

:34:28.:34:33.

POLICEMAN ON RADIO: 'I think they had three

:34:33.:34:35.

'And they were both what we would refer to as lurchers.

:34:35.:34:44.

'They were just visiting friends, apparently.'

:34:44.:34:46.

And I gather one of them had an ASBO preventing them

:34:46.:34:49.

from entering Lincolnshire, and so I guess that's a pretty

:34:49.:34:54.

serious business if he does cross the border?

:34:54.:34:57.

'Yes, his ASBO prohibited him from entering Lincolnshire

:34:57.:35:01.

'with a dog, and that's valid for two years.

:35:01.:35:05.

'he's about 100 metres into Cambridgeshire...'

:35:05.:35:10.

Yeah. Smart lad! Thanks very much indeed for your help.

:35:10.:35:15.

Sorry we weren't there to see it ourselves,

:35:15.:35:17.

'when there's direct evidence of hare coursing -

:35:17.:35:23.

'But as we've heard, that evidence is difficult to gather,

:35:23.:35:29.

'so the police also do as much as they can

:35:29.:35:32.

'using everything from trespass to driving offences.'

:35:32.:35:37.

We look at every other offence that we can, whether it's people

:35:37.:35:40.

that have had tickets for no seat belt, for using a mobile phone.

:35:40.:35:44.

committing the offence of hare coursing,

:35:44.:35:49.

cos we give them a ticket and we're on their case, then so be it.

:35:49.:35:52.

'Tackling criminals for crimes they CAN prove

:35:52.:35:55.

'rather than for hare coursing is paying off.'

:35:55.:35:58.

We're just two weeks into it, but, I mean,

:35:59.:36:01.

last season's Operation Galileo was, without a doubt, a success.

:36:01.:36:05.

And we've had 186 prosecutions at court.

:36:05.:36:14.

'Using direct evidence and disruption,

:36:14.:36:16.

'the police believe they are already deterring criminals.

:36:16.:36:19.

'And working together across their boundaries,

:36:19.:36:22.

'forces are hoping to crack down the activity altogether,

:36:22.:36:25.

'rather than simply pushing it elsewhere.'

:36:25.:36:29.

Operation Galileo isn't going to end hare coursing,

:36:29.:36:33.

making it much harder to pursue such a damaging crime.

:36:33.:36:44.

'Autumn is coming, and subtle changes are taking place.

:36:44.:36:48.

'There are fading colours, different smells,

:36:48.:36:51.

'Two centuries ago, it would have been much different.

:36:51.:36:58.

'Back then, heavy industry filled the air.

:36:58.:37:01.

'There are still those if you know what to look for.'

:37:01.:37:04.

South Wales was a global superpower when it came to iron production,

:37:04.:37:08.

and to make iron, you need iron itself, lime and coal.

:37:08.:37:11.

And all those were in plentiful supply from up there in Blaenavon,

:37:11.:37:14.

But the question is, how did they get these precious resources

:37:14.:37:20.

that fuelled an Industrial Revolution

:37:20.:37:22.

and changed the world from up there...

:37:22.:37:25.

'The solution was nothing short of incredible.

:37:25.:37:31.

'A network of tram railways spun out across the landscape,

:37:31.:37:35.

'like a spider's web from the mines and forges.'

:37:35.:37:38.

The most terrific and terrifying route -

:37:38.:37:47.

'at a gradient that seems almost impossible.

:37:47.:37:54.

'It was this tram road that helped make Blaenavon the most important

:37:54.:37:58.

'through this woodland has been captured

:37:58.:38:06.

'on canvas by local artist Michael Blackmore,

:38:06.:38:08.

'who also knows a thing or two about the trams.'

:38:08.:38:12.

Fancy seeing you on a tram road like this! How are you? I'm very well.

:38:12.:38:17.

Pleased to meet you. How exactly did the trams work?

:38:17.:38:20.

Quite simply, the laden ones going down would pull the empties back up.

:38:20.:38:25.

And of course, up there, you'd have had a brakeman. What's a brakeman?

:38:25.:38:29.

He would hold the brake. He would watch the trams coming down, OK?

:38:29.:38:34.

Right, he'd watch the trams coming down, make sure they were all OK.

:38:34.:38:38.

It's difficult to imagine the scene now, isn't it?

:38:38.:38:40.

This is such a beautiful, scenic route.

:38:40.:38:43.

But back then, it would have been dirty and noisy and smelly.

:38:43.:38:47.

I don't know about smelly! It would've been dirty and noisy.

:38:47.:38:50.

Coal and lime... But I know what you're saying.

:38:50.:38:52.

It would have been a totally different environment

:38:53.:38:55.

Everything was here - the minerals were here,

:38:55.:38:58.

limestone for fluxing in the furnaces.

:38:58.:39:02.

The only thing that was opposed to them

:39:02.:39:06.

was the fact that they had to get it up.

:39:06.:39:10.

'The system was well worth the time and investment,

:39:11.:39:13.

'But the tram road was only half the story.

:39:13.:39:18.

'The network had to connect in Newport,

:39:18.:39:21.

'a gateway to a changing world.

:39:21.:39:23.

'So the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal was built.

:39:23.:39:28.

'Enterprising mine owners could now shift tons

:39:28.:39:32.

'Llanfoist Wharf is where the trams unloaded their cargo.'

:39:32.:39:41.

This is one of the oldest railway warehouses in the world,

:39:41.:39:44.

And the trams would come right here, through the pillars.

:39:45.:39:50.

And then the iron, the coal and the lime would get loaded onto boats,

:39:50.:39:53.

25 tons' worth, which would get towed to Newport docks by horse.

:39:53.:39:58.

'The wharf would have been constantly busy.

:39:58.:40:04.

'There would have been hundreds of workers unloading trams

:40:04.:40:07.

We might be right next to a canal, but look high up we are.

:40:07.:40:14.

There were these massive, massive barges,

:40:14.:40:17.

laden with precious materials, tons and tons of materials.

:40:17.:40:21.

And they had to get down from here. Cue a stroke of engineering genius.

:40:21.:40:28.

'make it easy to descend the hilly terrain.

:40:28.:40:36.

'The route is still here, but these days, it's a bit blocked.'

:40:36.:40:42.

It's a good job this lot are on the case, then.

:40:42.:40:46.

'The stretch of canal just needs a bit of TLC.

:40:46.:40:49.

'And these are just some of the 300 local volunteers lending a hand.

:40:49.:40:54.

'The Waterworks project started in January,

:40:54.:40:57.

'and since then, they've completed hundreds of metres of pointing,

:40:57.:41:01.

'to get this part of the canal looking shipshape.

:41:01.:41:08.

'Steve Price is head stonemason on-site

:41:08.:41:11.

'and he's got some special stones to lay in this lock wall.'

:41:11.:41:15.

I can see a nice little gap for these. Yes. I hope they fit.

:41:15.:41:20.

You're the head stonemason, so... it's all your responsibility. OK.

:41:20.:41:25.

Right, do you want to grab this end of the stone? Yeah.

:41:25.:41:33.

Looks like a good fit on that one. Yeah. Perfect!

:41:33.:41:41.

So apart from this magnificent bit of work here,

:41:41.:41:47.

The grand plan is to open up the bottom stretch

:41:47.:41:51.

to get it back and navigable. So we've got eight locks in total...

:41:51.:41:58.

on this bottom section. And we've got two bridges to lift.

:41:58.:42:02.

So eight locks and two bridges? Yeah. That's quite a lot.

:42:02.:42:04.

It's not much, is it(?) I don't know, it sounds like a lot to me!

:42:04.:42:07.

'Work's going to continue for the next two years

:42:07.:42:10.

'and it could keep this canal going for another 200.'

:42:10.:42:15.

The votes are in, and a winner has been chosen.

:42:15.:42:18.

Here's John with the nail-biting finale

:42:19.:42:20.

of the Countryfile Photographic Competition.

:42:20.:42:29.

'The Countryfile Photographic Competition

:42:29.:42:32.

'is one of the highlights of my year.

:42:32.:42:34.

'with had a truly inspiring selection of pictures

:42:34.:42:38.

'And today's the day we reveal the results of all your endeavours.'

:42:38.:42:44.

I've come to Langdon Hills Country Park in Essex

:42:44.:42:47.

there's a very good reason for being here.

:42:47.:42:55.

Now, as always, the calendar is the culmination of months

:42:55.:42:59.

'The 12 pictures for the calendar are chosen from the entries

:42:59.:43:10.

I keep forgetting what the theme for this is. It's Our Living Landscape.

:43:10.:43:17.

'And judging regulars Chris Packham and Jo Brand

:43:17.:43:23.

'kicked off the process with a sort of masterclass in the New Forest.'

:43:23.:43:28.

How have you got on? Well, I'm just...I'm on number 47

:43:28.:43:32.

And, as yet, I've not been wowed. How about you?

:43:32.:43:37.

Eight photographs? Yeah! You've taken eight photographs?

:43:37.:43:43.

No, actually, that's all I can find at the moment. Right.

:43:43.:43:46.

'Once Jo and Chris had provided their unique brand

:43:46.:43:53.

'of inspiration, it was down to you. And you didn't disappoint.'

:43:53.:43:59.

The challenge of taking the perfect photograph

:43:59.:44:01.

of Our Living Landscape certainly struck a chord.

:44:01.:44:06.

You sent us more than 55,000 pictures.

:44:06.:44:19.

'The entries were whittled down with the help of a talented

:44:19.:44:22.

I want to robin doing something a bit different, but...!

:44:22.:44:28.

'it was up to Chris, Jo and me to find the standout gems.'

:44:28.:44:39.

Does that qualify? The tree's living, isn't it?

:44:39.:44:44.

All the photographer needed to do here was kneel or crouch down,

:44:44.:44:47.

include the feet, lift them a little bit against the backdrop of that,

:44:48.:44:51.

'The subjects spanned from the coast to the countryside,

:44:51.:44:57.

'from flora to fauna, from sunshine to snow.

:44:57.:45:00.

'And finding just 12 for our calendar was incredibly tough.'

:45:00.:45:05.

We don't have one here which is yelling out

:45:05.:45:08.

that first flush of growth of the year.

:45:08.:45:10.

We have got flowers a-go-go, I suppose.

:45:10.:45:13.

And I love this one... I love this one. ..that you chose.

:45:13.:45:16.

'But eventually, we did find our winning dozen, and one of them,

:45:17.:45:21.

It's a fantastic photograph, isn't it? It is. It ticks every box.

:45:21.:45:28.

All the panels, all of the colour, the people silhouetted here.

:45:28.:45:31.

You've got the birds behind, it's got the sunset.

:45:31.:45:33.

And then this structure across the front of it framing at all.

:45:33.:45:36.

Yeah, it's joyful, it's very bold, and I mean,

:45:36.:45:42.

I love shots of the sea and I just think it looks wonderful.

:45:42.:45:46.

So congratulations to Tim Clifton for taking the picture

:45:46.:45:51.

Tim Clifton wins £500 worth of photographic equipment,

:45:51.:45:59.

But it was up to you at home to choose the overall winner.

:45:59.:46:07.

And you did just that, in record numbers.

:46:07.:46:09.

And I've come here today to meet the winner,

:46:09.:46:12.

but as yet, he doesn't know that he's won.

:46:12.:46:18.

'An amateur snapper with an eye for composition,

:46:18.:46:21.

'Bill Robinson spent his working life

:46:21.:46:23.

'as a car mechanic and a caretaker.

:46:23.:46:26.

'Now retired, his real passion is photography.'

:46:26.:46:31.

So is this place one of your favourite spots, Bill?

:46:31.:46:35.

Yeah, it's a favourite of mine. I come here about twice a week.

:46:35.:46:38.

And yeah, just to photograph the trees and the undergrowth.

:46:38.:46:43.

So you always bring your camera? Oh, yes.

:46:43.:46:45.

Just in case you spot something really good.

:46:45.:46:48.

And this, Bill, is your now famous dell,

:46:48.:46:56.

looking rather different, isn't it? It certainly is.

:46:56.:46:59.

Back in May, it was just a flush of bluebells. And it was glorious.

:46:59.:47:03.

But at the time, I nearly walked past.

:47:03.:47:05.

And you had second thoughts? I had second thoughts

:47:05.:47:08.

For me, it's a privilege to come here

:47:08.:47:14.

and see this wonderful woodland that gave you your inspiration.

:47:14.:47:17.

Thank you very much. But it's not the only reason why I'm here.

:47:17.:47:20.

Because Countryfile viewers really liked your photograph.

:47:20.:47:24.

Oh, right. In fact, they voted you and the dell

:47:24.:47:32.

of the Countryfile Photographic Competition.

:47:32.:47:37.

Well, I'll be blowed! So, many, many congratulations!

:47:37.:47:41.

Well done, well done. Thank you very much. How about that?

:47:41.:47:45.

Well, how many thousand was there, that entered? 55,000-plus. 55!

:47:45.:47:52.

And you're top of the heap. Well, what can I say?

:47:52.:47:54.

And hot off the presses is the Countryfile calendar for 2014,

:47:54.:48:02.

with your wonderful picture on the cover.

:48:02.:48:05.

Isn't that fantastic? Yeah. I'm overwhelmed.

:48:05.:48:09.

No, I'm really overwhelmed. I feel quite humbled, really.

:48:09.:48:14.

Never, never had anything like that before. First time ever, that is.

:48:14.:48:21.

'have pride of place on this year's calendar,

:48:21.:48:26.

'he also gets to choose £1,000 worth of photographic equipment

:48:26.:48:30.

'so he can take more fantastic photos like the dell.'

:48:30.:48:35.

Whether you sent in photos or just voted for your favourite,

:48:35.:48:43.

we'd like to say thank you to everyone who's contributed

:48:43.:48:46.

to this year's competition and to the final calendar.

:48:46.:48:51.

To order by post, send your name, address and cheque to...

:48:51.:49:25.

Please make your cheques payable to "BBC Countryfile Calendar".

:49:25.:49:30.

It costs £9, including free UK deliver.

:49:30.:49:34.

A minimum of £4 from the sale of each one

:49:34.:49:36.

will be donated to the BBC Children In Need appeal.

:49:36.:49:41.

The calendar for 2013 was a record-breaker.

:49:41.:49:44.

It raised £1.3 million for Children In Need,

:49:44.:49:48.

and let's hope this one for 2014 does even better

:49:48.:49:52.

and helps make a difference to the lives of even more children.

:49:52.:49:57.

Well, a huge congratulations to the winners

:49:57.:50:02.

and a very big thank-you to everybody who took part.

:50:02.:50:04.

Now, in a moment, I'm going to be getting up some speed

:50:05.:50:07.

what the weather has got in store for us in the week ahead

:50:07.:50:13.

Good evening. Nice conditions for many people today, but changes

:50:13.:50:42.

coming ahead. It was an unremarkable month, but we're seeing above

:50:42.:50:55.

average rainfall. You can see this mix of a high pressure in the East

:50:55.:51:00.

stand the low pressure in the West. We have still got south-westerly

:51:00.:51:06.

wind withers, which will keep it mailed over western areas. It will

:51:06.:51:11.

bring strong wind to North West Scotland. There will be some patchy

:51:11.:51:20.

missed and fog in the south-east as we start tomorrow morning. A bit of

:51:20.:51:27.

drizzle in the West, but the most significant rain in the north of

:51:27.:51:32.

Scotland. Crucially, temperatures above what they would be for this

:51:32.:51:38.

time of year, between 16 and 19 Celsius. Then choose the, some

:51:38.:51:45.

showers overnight coming in from the west once again. The worst of these

:51:45.:51:55.

probably in Wales. Ideal start to Tuesday. The cold front that is

:51:55.:52:03.

withers will bring a fresh feel, but Tuesday. The cold front that is

:52:03.:52:09.

nothing too significant. A bit of rain and mist and hillfort in the

:52:09.:52:14.

south-west. Brighter in the North and East of Great Britain.

:52:14.:52:20.

Temperatures still above-average, about 16 to 19 Celsius. But we will

:52:21.:52:28.

see more of a change on Wednesday, courtesy of this high pressure

:52:28.:52:34.

pushing from the North Atlantic. There is a cold front behind this

:52:34.:52:44.

coming in from the south-east. A big temperature drop in the second half

:52:44.:52:49.

of the week for all of us. Northerly winds will play the part across

:52:49.:52:50.

easterly areas. But still some sun winds will play the part across

:52:51.:52:56.

in the forecast, particularly for the South and East of England.

:52:56.:53:02.

Longer spells of rain across northern Scotland. There could be

:53:02.:53:07.

the odd bit of snow across higher ground. On Thursday, the wind gets

:53:07.:53:12.

stronger down the east coast and it will get considerably colder. Still

:53:12.:53:18.

pleasant enough for some sunshine and dry weather and frosted,

:53:18.:53:23.

particularly in the west of the country. Some of the wind could be

:53:23.:53:26.

deal force at times, particularly in country. Some of the wind could be

:53:26.:53:34.

the south-east of the country. The wind will stay strong into Friday.

:53:34.:53:39.

Bit of uncertainty of whether we will see more spells of rain

:53:39.:53:43.

returning to those parts. The north and west in the centre of the

:53:43.:53:48.

high-pressure, so temperatures will recover during the day on Friday.

:53:48.:54:00.

We're in the once-industrial heartlands of South Wales,

:54:00.:54:03.

a landscape shaped by coal and iron ore.

:54:03.:54:07.

The World Heritage town of Blaenavon was built on them.

:54:07.:54:11.

piles of debris left aside after the coal and iron ore was dug.

:54:11.:54:19.

The pits have gone, the spoil heaps just a reminder,

:54:19.:54:23.

but you'd be wrong for thinking that they had no purpose any more.

:54:23.:54:38.

the Camel's Back BMX track is part of a project

:54:38.:54:44.

to regenerate Blaenavon's industrial wasteland for wildlife, visitors

:54:44.:54:48.

When did you take the stabilisers off your bike? Four. Four.

:54:48.:54:57.

And what do you think of this track? It's cool.

:54:57.:55:02.

How does it feel to ride this course?

:55:02.:55:04.

It feels a bit... It feels a bit nice on the jumps.

:55:04.:55:09.

Who have you got over there from your family? Erm...

:55:09.:55:12.

my auntie, my nan and my mum, and my dad's over there. And my brother.

:55:12.:55:16.

Your dad looks like he's quite sporty. What about your mum?

:55:16.:55:19.

SHE LAUGHS No, I can't, no!

:55:19.:55:23.

The whole of this landscape is a World Heritage site,

:55:23.:55:28.

but off-road motorbiking has been a big problem.

:55:28.:55:31.

to encourage people to whizz round using nothing more than leg power.

:55:31.:55:38.

and, of course, there's a lot of erosion

:55:38.:55:42.

And this does tend to get the young people off the motorbikes

:55:42.:55:47.

onto something which will probably harm them less

:55:47.:55:50.

and giving them the same opportunities to use those skills

:55:50.:55:53.

And they're certainly making the most of it.

:55:53.:56:05.

'it's been a while since I've ridden a BMX,

:56:05.:56:09.

'so I'm having a refresher, with course designer Jason Carpenter.'

:56:09.:56:12.

Nice and steady. If you want to put your feet down, put your feet down.

:56:12.:56:20.

Now let it go a bit, let it go a bit, that's it. Whoo!

:56:20.:56:28.

Now, you're going to need a bit more speed than that.

:56:28.:56:36.

'Well, thanks to the local BMX-ers' advice,

:56:36.:56:38.

'I'm getting back into the swing of it,

:56:38.:56:40.

I tell you what, if there's one way of spinning back the years,

:56:41.:56:49.

So we've got some times for you to beat. Oh, my word.

:56:49.:56:57.

Jason, 24.2 seconds. He designed the course, I've seen him.

:56:57.:57:01.

I don't think you've got a chance. Let's not even go there.

:57:01.:57:03.

I'm thinking maybe the six- or the eight-year-old...

:57:03.:57:06.

Come on! I just hit me pedal on the ground! Come on! Come on! Come on!

:57:06.:57:32.

I can't believe I'm in anticipation with a six- and an eight-year-old.

:57:32.:57:45.

30, yeah. I'm over the moon with that! I'm happy with that.

:57:45.:57:53.

Is it really 32?! 32.6. Well done! You are a star.

:57:53.:58:00.

Listen, lads, it was down to you two that I got that time.

:58:00.:58:03.

Cheers. I think if you'd had one of those helmets... I know.

:58:03.:58:05.

That's it. Next week, John is in sumptuous Somerset

:58:05.:58:10.

looking back at some of the best bets.

:58:10.:58:11.

And he will be witnessing a natural spectacle

:58:11.:58:13.

If you want to get your hands on a calendar, check out the website.

:58:13.:58:18.

Which, of course, is sold in aid of Children In Need.

:58:18.:58:20.

Right, on your bike. Yeah, I will do.

:58:20.:58:22.

To be honest with you, it's getting dark, I better go.

:58:22.:58:25.

My mum will be worried. I bet she will! See you!

:58:25.:58:27.

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