0:00:25 > 0:00:27Bristol.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30Step away from the hustle and bustle of city life
0:00:30 > 0:00:32and there's beauty to be had.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35A green and pleasant land right on your doorstep.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39I'm going to be on the search for some of the rarest plants
0:00:39 > 0:00:42in Britain, but I'm not going to find them up here.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Basically, what I've got to do is...
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I tell you what, I'll leave that as a bit of a cliff-hanger.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53But you don't have to go to the extreme to find wildlife here.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I've got wind of some very exciting news.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Apparently, this place, Bristol Docks,
0:00:57 > 0:01:01has become home to one of our most elusive mammals, the otter.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03I've got myself a camera and I'm going to try
0:01:03 > 0:01:06and capture the evidence for myself. Fingers crossed.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Pigs are at the heart of Tom's investigation.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13These two sows look very contented. We've discovered that
0:01:13 > 0:01:19thousands of farms on the European mainland are ignoring new pig welfare laws.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22It raises questions with echoes of the horsemeat scandal.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27Could illegally produced meat be ending up in our shopping baskets?
0:01:27 > 0:01:28I'll be investigating.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33And Adam's in search of something special.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36These are Vaynols, a very rare breed of cattle.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40They can be quite nervous and jumpy so I can't go too close.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Around 20 years ago, they were virtually extinct.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46I've come to this farm in Leeds where they've been doing a huge
0:01:46 > 0:01:48amount of work to help preserve the breed.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06# Well if you ever plan to motor west... #
0:02:07 > 0:02:08Bristol.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Sandwiched between Gloucestershire and Somerset, just south
0:02:11 > 0:02:15of the mighty Severn Estuary, it's a city wrapped up in countryside.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20It took shape around the Avon, a river that carved the hilly landscape
0:02:20 > 0:02:24that makes for strong thighs and distant views.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32The water also carved out a corker of a chasm in this landscape.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36This side of the Clifton Suspension Bridge is a suburb of Bristol,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38the other is leafy countryside,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40but I'm here for the bit in between -
0:02:40 > 0:02:43the steep-sided abyss of the Avon Gorge.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53Nearly 300 feet high, the gorge stretches for one-and-a-half miles.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58I'm here in search of some of its rare inhabitants.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10These rock faces are the last remaining stronghold
0:03:10 > 0:03:16in the UK of some very rare species of plant, but even in this isolated place,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19they're being overpowered by an unstoppable force...
0:03:21 > 0:03:23..scrub.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Clearing it back is a perilous task that
0:03:25 > 0:03:29falls into the hands of a group of extreme gardeners,
0:03:29 > 0:03:30and later today, me.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35But while they are getting ready for my vertical descent,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I'm meeting Mandy Leivers to find out why these plants
0:03:38 > 0:03:41are worthy of all this attention.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43So, Mandy, what are these rare plants?
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Well, there are over 30 nationally rare and scarce plants
0:03:46 > 0:03:47growing here in the Avon Gorge,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50which makes it one of the top three sites for rare plants in England.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52The site itself is internationally important.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56It's what's known as a special area of conservation.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00'Mandy has brought along photos of some of the rarest flora.'
0:04:00 > 0:04:02We should really call it the round-headed leek,
0:04:02 > 0:04:03that's its proper name,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06but because it just grows here in the Avon Gorge and nowhere else
0:04:06 > 0:04:10in the rest of the country, it's known as the Bristol onion.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13And we've got another one which is called the Bristol rock cress,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17and again, that's just found here and nowhere else in the rest of the UK.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19But these plants are part of a community of limestone
0:04:19 > 0:04:23grassland plants that strive here on the rocky ledges below us.
0:04:23 > 0:04:29They're really well adapted to living in these harsh conditions.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33The small rare plants are at risk from big ones taking over the cliffs -
0:04:33 > 0:04:35brambles, weeds and vegetation
0:04:35 > 0:04:37that escape from the city's gardens.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Mandy is going to show me one of the rare ones she is trying to protect.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46- So, big drumroll. Here it is. - Oh, that's it there?- Yeah.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50- It's quite a titchy little thing. - It is, it's very sweet.- It is.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52So what is it, Mandy, about this gorge,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56that allows these plants to grow here and nowhere else?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58We think what happened is that after the last ice age,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02there was an ice sheet that came down as far as the M4 corridor.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05As the climate warmed, there was a land bridge between Britain
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and Europe, and these plants would have come over from
0:05:08 > 0:05:12southern Europe, and as the climate warmed, they would have covered
0:05:12 > 0:05:13the whole of southern Britain.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16As it got warmer still, trees would have come in behind them
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and the trees would have grown in the flat places
0:05:19 > 0:05:21and shaded out the grassland plants.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24The only places that these plants were left were in these rocky places
0:05:24 > 0:05:29like the Avon Gorge, so it's really the fact that we've got rocky ledges, thin soils,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33green slopes and constant rock falls which have allowed these plants
0:05:33 > 0:05:35to survive, really as little pockets of precious plants.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Apparently, I've got to go over the edge here today, and I noticed this
0:05:41 > 0:05:44sign as we passed it - "Warning, cliff edge, risk of serious injury".
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Well, it's a very long way down, it's about 90 metres.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51- Have you been over yourself? - I haven't personally, no.- Oh, right!
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- Well, I'll tell you all about it when I go over.- Thank you!
0:05:54 > 0:05:57- I've been too scared to go over there.- Have you? Oh, great(!)
0:05:59 > 0:06:02I'll also be finding out about some special agents who have been
0:06:02 > 0:06:04recruited to help digest the scrub.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Now, the scandal over horsemeat in our food has shocked us all,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18but as Tom has been finding out, it's not the only concern
0:06:18 > 0:06:21over illegally-produced meat being imported from Europe.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27With over 10,000 farms nationwide producing over nine million pigs
0:06:27 > 0:06:33each year, the British pig industry is a vitally important part of our agriculture.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Pork production isn't just vital to the farming economy,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44it's crucial to consumers, too.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Last year, we munched our way through around 200 tonnes of sausagemeat,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52making bangers the nation's favourite meat-based dinner.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56So, whether it's bacon, a joint of pork, sausages,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00or even a nice pork pie, it seems we have a love affair,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04in this country, with pork, in all its forms.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09Our farmers adhere to some of the highest welfare standards in the world.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13In 1999, that meant we banned the keeping of breeding sows
0:07:13 > 0:07:17in closely confined pens, known as sow stalls.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Since January 1st, Europe's animal welfare laws have moved
0:07:22 > 0:07:23more into line with our own,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27which should mean pigs spending more of their time in contented groups
0:07:27 > 0:07:33like this, rather than the majority of their lives in individual stalls.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Good news for pigs? Well, you might think so.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40But many countries are still not complying with the new law.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45For the British pig industry that swept away the sow stall system
0:07:45 > 0:07:4814 years ago, this is frustrating.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53For a start, it is more expensive to keep pigs in communal pens like these.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58Young gilts that aren't in pig, gilts on this side, you can see for yourself,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01they're a lot bigger. We like them in a really nice condition...
0:08:03 > 0:08:06'John Rowbottom has been a pig farmer in the heart of Yorkshire
0:08:06 > 0:08:08'all his life.'
0:08:08 > 0:08:11What do you feel about the way Europe is or is not enforcing
0:08:11 > 0:08:14- the new law?- Well, it's a bit of a disaster.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We've spent a lot of money putting in a system like this,
0:08:17 > 0:08:18taking out the old system.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23A large amount of money - 14 years ago, we made the investment.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27When we did it, the systems hadn't been tried and tested.
0:08:27 > 0:08:28We've proved the systems.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31We've spent all our money doing it, it's very simple for them
0:08:31 > 0:08:35to do it now. They can pick the systems off the shelves and do it.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40John converted his farm back in 1998, but he still has
0:08:40 > 0:08:44some of his old derelict sow stalls left, awaiting demolition.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47So, what am I looking at here?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50You're looking at sow stalls that were banned in this country
0:08:50 > 0:08:5314 years ago, and as you can see from the state of them,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- we haven't used them for 14 years. - How did they work?
0:08:56 > 0:09:00The sow went in there, board down the back,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04- and that was it, she's in there and can't get out.- For how long? - Four months.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07That's the whole of the gestation period, she'd be in there.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11So, four months...in a place like this.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13- Can't turn around?- No.
0:09:13 > 0:09:19- Eating that end. That feels very much like a cage, doesn't it?- It...
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Yeah, it does.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25In the rest of the EU, a third of member states still haven't
0:09:25 > 0:09:28fully complied with the new regulations.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31It means that many farms on the Continent are still rearing
0:09:31 > 0:09:35pigs illegally, caged in stalls like this,
0:09:35 > 0:09:39despite having had many years to convert to the new system.
0:09:39 > 0:09:44And this isn't the first time that mainland Europe has failed to
0:09:44 > 0:09:46enforce new welfare standards.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Last year, new legislation banning battery cages was introduced,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55but by the time the new law came into force, it was estimated
0:09:55 > 0:09:59that as many as 50 million hens were still housed unlawfully.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04The Prime Minister told Countryfile then that action had to be taken.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08With other European countries, what we ought to do is take them to
0:10:08 > 0:10:11court if they don't put in place the changes that they've signed up to.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14We all sit there at the Agriculture Council
0:10:14 > 0:10:16and we agree these rules on pig stalls
0:10:16 > 0:10:20and these rules on hen cages and the rest of it,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and if they don't put those in place, they are in breach of the rules.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26We should have no compunction in actually getting
0:10:26 > 0:10:29the European Commission to really target those countries.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32But a year on, history has repeated itself,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35with the issue of banned sow stalls replacing battery cages.
0:10:36 > 0:10:42Number 10 told us DEFRA ministers have now met with the EU Commissioner to stress
0:10:42 > 0:10:45the importance of other countries abiding by the law.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49For many British pig farmers, though, it's too little, too late.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53We've been waiting for years for Europe to comply with
0:10:53 > 0:10:56the same regulations that we have. We've spent a fortune.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59They're due to catch up with us and it's not happening.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03It was supposed to happen on January 1st, or be COMPLETED.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05It was supposed to be completed by January 1st,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08and it looks to me as if they are only just starting!
0:11:09 > 0:11:12So, with millions of pigs still being reared in illegal
0:11:12 > 0:11:16conditions, what are the authorities in Brussels doing about it?
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Frederic Vincent is from the European Commission.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24For us, the legal deadline for sow stalls was 1st January 2013.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27We've been putting pressure for some months now on the member states
0:11:27 > 0:11:29on the sow stalls issue.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33It means that one third of the EU member states will get
0:11:33 > 0:11:37a warning from the commission, saying, you have to comply,
0:11:37 > 0:11:42you have to tell your farmers to comply with the directive.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45But as these warnings are being issued,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49our farmers are still losing out, while many of their counterparts
0:11:49 > 0:11:52on the Continent continue to ignore the new welfare laws.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58So how can we be sure that their pigs aren't ending up
0:11:58 > 0:12:00in our sausages?
0:12:00 > 0:12:01That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11Bristol claims to have more green spaces than any other British city,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14so it stands to reason it should have a lot of wildlife.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17And it doesn't disappoint.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Peregrine falcons, badgers, lesser horseshoe bats, kingfishers,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24they all share a Bristol postcode.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32We're all aware of urban wildlife.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35Some people take a greater interest than others, but here
0:12:35 > 0:12:39on the Bristol Docks, there has been a genuine wildlife surprise.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Here's nine seconds of proof.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46It's an otter, right in the heart of the city.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Bristol City Council caught the footage completely by accident
0:12:49 > 0:12:53as part of a general survey of wildlife in the harbour.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56For a city centre-based ecologist like Becky Coffin,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00the chances of seeing an otter were very slim. Until now.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05So, they're right here, Becky, in your patch in Bristol.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- It's a bit weird, isn't it?- It is. It's really exciting, actually.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Otters have been my favourite animal since I was really young,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17so to even find out that they're here, it's really exciting.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19And how many are there and where do you think they've come from?
0:13:19 > 0:13:23We don't know entirely how they've come into the floating harbour area,
0:13:23 > 0:13:29but we expect that as the wider populations have expanded, that some
0:13:29 > 0:13:32of them have found their way in and now are fairly active in this area.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Otters are notoriously elusive -
0:13:35 > 0:13:38we're not likely to see one splashing around here, are we?
0:13:38 > 0:13:40No, they're actually nocturnal animals,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42so you're very unlikely to see them here during the daytime.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45What does their presence tell you about their habitat here?
0:13:45 > 0:13:47It tells us two things, really.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51First of all, the water quality is good enough to support fish,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- which is the main component of their diet.- So that's why they're here.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Yep. But it also tells us that there are
0:13:56 > 0:14:02features about the built fabric of the docks area that actually provides
0:14:02 > 0:14:06them with nooks and crannies where they can rest up during the day.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11- Do you suspect there's more than one otter?- It's very difficult to tell.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15The camera trap that we've got is only showing one otter.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20Um... You can make assumptions, from the amount of spraint we found,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23that there COULD be more than one otter.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28Growing numbers of otters in urban and rural areas is cause for celebration.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Pollution almost wiped them out in England in the '70s.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Now they're back, which means our rivers are much cleaner.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36But are they clean enough?
0:14:36 > 0:14:40Research by Cardiff University's Otter Project has highlighted
0:14:40 > 0:14:43serious concerns for the health of otters in the UK.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48'Rose Moorhouse-Gann carries out post-mortems on otters found dead
0:14:48 > 0:14:50'in England and Wales.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53'She's meeting me in Bristol to share the findings,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55'exclusively with Countryfile.'
0:14:55 > 0:14:58And what exactly are the issues?
0:14:58 > 0:15:01We have a new piece of research which suggests that there
0:15:01 > 0:15:06are reproductive abnormalities that are becoming more and more common.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10- Baculum weight has decreased with time.- What's the baculum?
0:15:10 > 0:15:13The baculum is the penis bone of a male otter.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18- I have one here to show you.- OK, so this is of a mature male otter?
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- That's from an adult male. - And these are getting smaller?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23They're getting lighter.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Presumably that might have an impact on the reproductive health of the otter?
0:15:26 > 0:15:30We can't say for sure what the consequences of this are,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34- but they are likely to be negative. - That's quite worrying.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37It is quite worrying. It is quite worrying.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43The exact cause of this change is a mystery, but studies point towards
0:15:43 > 0:15:47modern hormone-disrupting chemicals making their way into river systems.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53They're found in pesticides and chemical waste
0:15:53 > 0:15:57- and pharmaceuticals, as well. - So pretty prolific?- Yeah.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00What's next for the Otter Project? Where do you want research to go?
0:16:00 > 0:16:03We'd like to broaden the suite of chemicals that we
0:16:03 > 0:16:05test for in the otter tissues.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09It's really important that we keep on top of anything that might be
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- affecting our wildlife. - I'll let you have that back, Rose.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Thank you very much!
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Well, Rose's project is fascinating, but today,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20I'm more interested in live otters.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25I'm still amazed otters are here in the centre of Bristol.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27I'd love to catch a glimpse of one.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29So I've got hold of some BBC kit to help me.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35You may know that Bristol is home to the world-renowned
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Natural History Unit, so from the city that brings you Planet Earth,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Planet Earth Live and Africa, I'm going to attempt to film
0:16:43 > 0:16:46one of the world's most elusive mammals with this.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Small beginnings.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54Local skipper Ron Bygott is assisting in our otter experiment by
0:16:54 > 0:16:58letting us put a camera on his boat, bang in the middle of the harbour.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06- Where is she going?- Just here.- OK. And why have you picked this spot?
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Why do you reckon this is the right one?
0:17:09 > 0:17:14Well, the camera can be angled down towards the pontoon down there and
0:17:14 > 0:17:19it's possible that any otters in this area might come up to that pontoon.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24- If they get out onto it, you'll get a really good shot.- OK, there we go.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26She's fairly fixed on there.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29How valuable is video footage to you, Becky?
0:17:29 > 0:17:32The camera trap footage we've got from the survey
0:17:32 > 0:17:34we carried out was time-stamped,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38and that told us it was actually present quite early in the evening,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42which suggests that it's probably resting up somewhere very close by.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- So it's teaching you about patterns and behaviours?- Exactly.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48You're very secretive about where you put your cameras, aren't you?
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Yes, we are. Otters are a protected species and we need to protect them
0:17:52 > 0:17:53as much as possible.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56We also need to protect the equipment whilst it's out.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00- You'll look after our camera, won't you, Ron?- I certainly shall. - Thank you.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03I'll find out if it films anything later on.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09Meanwhile, as night falls, my search for urban wildlife continues.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Maybe I'll have more luck in the dark.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Some people dedicate hours and hours to the wildlife on their doorstep.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Not because they're being paid, but because they're passionate
0:18:19 > 0:18:21and a little bit kooky.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27Graphic designer by day, wildlife photographer by night.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28Meet Ian Wade.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31He crossed paths with a wild resident of Bristol
0:18:31 > 0:18:34during a stroll to his local curry house.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It was his first encounter with an animal that is adapted to
0:18:37 > 0:18:39city living as well as any human...
0:18:40 > 0:18:41..the urban fox.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46A lot of people think foxes are scary,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50a lot of people think they are a pest, they're dangerous.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52It depends on their experiences, really,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and what they read and what they believe.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Obviously, it's a wild animal, it needs to be treated with respect.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02You've identified certain foxes, you know certain foxes now.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Yes, definitely. The one I started with was called Freddie,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09I named him Freddie. That's the one I spent a year photographing.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11The one which is around tonight is called Charlie.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14What are the chances, do you think, tonight?
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Pretty good, I'd say really good.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I've smelt the scent marking from him. Here.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24- What have we got here?- Fox smell. - Is this the smell?
0:19:24 > 0:19:27- Yeah, if you come here, you can smell it.- Oh, yeah!
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- Oh-ho-ho! Oh! Whew! - SHE COUGHS
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- It stinks, doesn't it? - Oh, that really stinks!
0:19:33 > 0:19:37Yeah, that's fresh, so he's probably done that as he's come down here.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42Bristol used to have one of the largest fox populations in the world.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Mange disease killed 95% of them in the mid '90s,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48but numbers are now recovering.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51There's no denying that foxes are more controversial
0:19:51 > 0:19:52than ever at the moment.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56But for Ian, at least, they're endlessly fascinating.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Everybody says you see loads of urban foxes in Cotham,
0:19:59 > 0:20:04you're bound to catch one. Typical Countryfile luck - not a sausage.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Let's hope we've had more luck with our otter cam
0:20:11 > 0:20:15down at the harbour side. Here's the premiere.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19We all got very excited by that splash in the top right-hand corner.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Let's have another look.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Hm... I think it's a fish.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Oh, well, at least we know there ARE otters in the city.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30Hello!
0:20:36 > 0:20:38I've been exploring the Avon Gorge,
0:20:38 > 0:20:43home to rare plants that you won't find anywhere else in the UK.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Later, I'll be stepping over the edge to clear scrub that's
0:20:46 > 0:20:49pushing these small cliff dwellers from their home,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53but first, I'm off to meet some four-legged special agents
0:20:53 > 0:20:55who have been brought in to assist.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Only a tough, robust and adaptable animal could possibly handle
0:21:00 > 0:21:05this sheer terrain to consume this scrub. So, what have we got?
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Well, ponies, no - the sides are just too steep. Sheep?
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Well, it's the wrong food and they'd just get caught up in all of the brambles.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17No, no - there was just one animal fit enough for the job...
0:21:17 > 0:21:18the goat!
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Cashmere goats. Their mission - to graze this.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I'm joining the team on their daily check-up,
0:21:29 > 0:21:30to try and catch a glimpse of them.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34They tend to prefer up at this end where they've got further views
0:21:34 > 0:21:37and they don't feel so constrained with trees around them.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42In 2011, a ten-acre steep-sided gully was fenced off for them.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45The goats were brought in - code name, Operation Cashmere.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51Ben Skuse and Chris Westcott were the lads who helped them to move in.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56- There they are. - Oh, they're up there, are they? Some bonny lads amongst them.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59They are indeed, aren't they?
0:21:59 > 0:22:02So, how many goats have you got involved in Operation Cashmere,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04and where did they come from?
0:22:04 > 0:22:08There's six billy goats here, and we got them from another conservation
0:22:08 > 0:22:12project on the Great Orme, that's run by Conwy Council.
0:22:12 > 0:22:19Ben and I went up in June 2011 and we helped round up all their goats.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21In return for that, they gave us
0:22:21 > 0:22:24the six billy goats we've got here today.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26And are they doing a good job?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29How does their maintenance technique differ to what you'd be doing with power tools?
0:22:29 > 0:22:31They're doing a fantastic job.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Ten years ago, this area would have been entirely wooded,
0:22:34 > 0:22:39and we've been in and been cutting down the scrub,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43and it's been growing back and it's been a real management headache.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45We really needed a sustainable
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and more natural solution to dealing with this scrub.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53- That's where the goats came in. - And they kind of stunt the growth?
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Yeah, absolutely. You can cut something off at ground level
0:22:56 > 0:22:58and it will soon come back quite vigorously,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01but in the summer, any new leaves that will come on these stems
0:23:01 > 0:23:05and stalks, they'll come along and strip them and strip them and strip them.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Gradually, they're stunting the health and vigour
0:23:08 > 0:23:10of this scrubby stuff more and more and more,
0:23:10 > 0:23:15and just allowing the rare grassland to compete more.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19How does it work out that they're leaving the stuff that's really important to you at the moment?
0:23:19 > 0:23:22You never see them, head on the ground, like a sheep would,
0:23:22 > 0:23:24eating the grass, pulling the grass out,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27it's always off the ground, the leaves and the bark,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30and that's the kind of stuff we want gone.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- There's a bit of butting going on behind you.- Oh, yeah!
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Well, later on, I'll be doing my own impression of a mountain goat
0:23:42 > 0:23:45as I scramble down the side of the Avon Gorge.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48But first, here's what else is coming up on tonight's programme.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51'Adam's got his hands full of fancy fowl...'
0:23:51 > 0:23:54My little Pekins are really lovely.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Ornamental chicken, really.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59There's a cockerel and a hen.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05'..Julia challenges some hardy souls to brave the winter waters.
0:24:05 > 0:24:06'But will she follow suit?'
0:24:07 > 0:24:11I like that, gloves and a hat, that's the way I would do it.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16'And will it be any warmer in the week ahead?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19'We'll have the Countryfile five-day forecast.'
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Now, earlier we heard about the European pig producers
0:24:26 > 0:24:29ignoring legal requirements on welfare.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32So, given the currant scandal over horsemeat, how confident can we be
0:24:32 > 0:24:36that meat from these pigs won't be turning up on our shelves, too?
0:24:36 > 0:24:37Here's Tom.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45We used to think processed food with beef on the label contained,
0:24:45 > 0:24:50well, meat from a cow. Now, we can't be so sure.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54So, has confidence shifted in processed food?
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Do we now trust less things like processed meals and burgers?
0:24:58 > 0:25:02To find out, we've commissioned our own Countryfile consumer survey.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07We asked the British public...
0:25:17 > 0:25:19The results were pretty compelling.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25We found that 62% of the British public still had
0:25:25 > 0:25:29confidence in processed food from the UK, but that figure dropped to 28%
0:25:29 > 0:25:34when we asked about food from the rest of the European Union.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37That's still better than food from the rest of the world,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40where there was just 14% confidence in the safety,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43ingredients and welfare of the products.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48Whichever way you look at it, the level of trust in processed meat products isn't great,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51but what really surprised us was the lack of trust in food from
0:25:51 > 0:25:55the rest of Europe, a major source of meat for the British consumer.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58So, are we right to be worried,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02and how could we regain some of that consumer confidence?
0:26:02 > 0:26:06For a start, it would help to know exactly where our food comes from.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11We already know that the European supply chain has not
0:26:11 > 0:26:15done its job in stopping horse getting into the beef products, but
0:26:15 > 0:26:19I've discovered another problem with European food production -
0:26:19 > 0:26:23pigs being reared under illegal welfare standards.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28What is to stop meat from those animals ending up in the UK, as well?
0:26:28 > 0:26:31I'm on my way to ask one of Britain's major pork pie
0:26:31 > 0:26:34manufacturers if he is confident that the way
0:26:34 > 0:26:37he sources his meat is robust enough.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48This is where we do ale, one of the largest pies, yes.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53The company Vale of Mowbray makes more than a million pork pies
0:26:53 > 0:26:54every week.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56John Gatenby is the man in charge.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Roughly what proportion of what comes through here
0:26:59 > 0:27:00comes from the Continent?
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- About 70%.- About 70%.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Mostly from Holland and some from Germany.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10When it comes to Germany, I gather that 30% of their farms still
0:27:10 > 0:27:12use sow stalls. Does that trouble you?
0:27:12 > 0:27:15We obviously talk to the factories and they
0:27:15 > 0:27:21assured us that 100% of their pigs come from stall-free herds.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23We buy from these people every week and so
0:27:23 > 0:27:26if we had any doubt about them, we would not be buying from them.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33John is confident about the European producers who supply him,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36but is trust in your suppliers enough?
0:27:39 > 0:27:43With hundreds of thousands of tons of pig meat imported from the EU
0:27:43 > 0:27:47every year, can we really guarantee that nothing is getting through?
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Zoe Davies from the National Pig Association thinks not.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Do you think illegally reared pork could still be entering Britain?
0:27:55 > 0:27:59We import 60% of the pork that's eaten in the UK,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02so it is inevitable that some of that pork product
0:28:02 > 0:28:05coming in will come from illegal systems.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09We know that 25% of sows in Europe are still being reared in stalls.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12So, who is to blame for the fact that we could still be getting this
0:28:12 > 0:28:14illegally reared meat into the country?
0:28:14 > 0:28:18It is the responsibility of the entire food chain to make sure
0:28:18 > 0:28:24that only pork that comes from legal compliance systems enters the UK.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27The National Pig Association may not have faith in the supply chain,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30but the British Retail Consortium does.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34It told us that their retailers will only import meat from animals that
0:28:34 > 0:28:36have been raised to British welfare standards,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39and they have the documents to prove it.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Peter Loggie from the National Farmers Union in Scotland also
0:28:42 > 0:28:46had his doubts, so he challenged the supermarkets to verify
0:28:46 > 0:28:48the source of their fresh pork.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Tell me how you went about investigating
0:28:51 > 0:28:53the whole pork supply chain.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56What we were aiming to find out was whether the supermarkets could prove
0:28:56 > 0:29:00their claims that they were buying only pig meat from compliant
0:29:00 > 0:29:02farms in Europe.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05So we went to the supermarkets, bought some product,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08took them the labels and asked them to trace it.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10They all did provide us with information.
0:29:10 > 0:29:11It's complicated,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14there are some that are certainly better than others.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17In the case of the tracings that were going back to Denmark
0:29:17 > 0:29:19and to the Netherlands,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23there was a fairly robust trail that went back to quality-assured farms,
0:29:23 > 0:29:26farms that are members of schemes where they are checked.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29With the French material, that was not the case
0:29:29 > 0:29:32because they don't have a quality assurance scheme in France.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Overall, Peter was pleasantly surprised by the amount of evidence
0:29:36 > 0:29:38provided by the supermarkets,
0:29:38 > 0:29:42and according to the British Retail Consortium, they can all back that up
0:29:42 > 0:29:46with regular and comprehensive auditing on the pork supply chain.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50But as we all know, that type of thoroughness did not stop
0:29:50 > 0:29:53horse turning up in beef products.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Now we're having to resort to forensic science to find out
0:29:57 > 0:30:00what is in our processed food.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02We've got some samples of burgers here.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06What we can do with these is extract the DNA from them
0:30:06 > 0:30:10and find out what species are actually present in them.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12At Worcestershire Scientific Services,
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Paul Hancock and his team DNA-test everything from steak and kidney pies
0:30:16 > 0:30:18to beef burgers, and recently,
0:30:18 > 0:30:23they have been asked to take part in the nationwide screening for horse.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25It looks distinctly unattractive now, doesn't it?
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Have you actually found any horsemeat in this lab?
0:30:28 > 0:30:31We have had a couple of positive samples in the last week or so.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Obviously, we are doing our bit to reassure consumers
0:30:34 > 0:30:39and ensure that the meat going into the food chain is appropriate.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44But the very fact that we have to resort to forensic testing
0:30:44 > 0:30:47raises questions about the traceability of our food.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51What do you think about the fact that in order to be sure about what
0:30:51 > 0:30:54is in our food, we have to rely on science like this?
0:30:54 > 0:30:59Obviously, there are systems in place to ensure traceability of meat,
0:30:59 > 0:31:02but unfortunately there will always be people who will take advantage of
0:31:02 > 0:31:06that, so it then comes down to us as the enforcement laboratories
0:31:06 > 0:31:08to police it.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11Science can give us hard facts, but it's simply not practical to
0:31:11 > 0:31:14test every meat item on Britain's shelves.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19For us to have confidence in the system, we need to trust the law
0:31:19 > 0:31:23and be sure that it is being properly enforced at every stage.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28In the UK, that is being applied by the Food Standards Agency,
0:31:28 > 0:31:30but what about the rest of the EU?
0:31:33 > 0:31:36How can we be certain that our European neighbours aren't
0:31:36 > 0:31:39supplying us with horse dressed up as beef, or sending us
0:31:39 > 0:31:43meat from pigs reared under an illegal welfare standard?
0:31:43 > 0:31:47When it comes to food operators, it is up to the member states to check
0:31:47 > 0:31:51what is being done on the ground in the respective member states.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53We don't have a kind of EU army of inspectors
0:31:53 > 0:31:55going all over Europe to check.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59It is up to the member states with their respective food authorities,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01the FSA in the UK, for example, to check what the
0:32:01 > 0:32:04food operators are doing and if they are respecting the rules.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Whenever you have a problem at EU level,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09the European Commission intervenes and helps the member states
0:32:09 > 0:32:11to work together to try to solve the problem.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16But the big question is, are our European neighbours checking
0:32:16 > 0:32:20and policing food production in their own countries properly?
0:32:20 > 0:32:24The FSA told us that when it comes to the EU, it is...
0:32:31 > 0:32:34We must be careful not to get things out of proportion, though.
0:32:34 > 0:32:40There is no suggestion at all of any adulterated pork meat and also
0:32:40 > 0:32:44no evidence so far of illegally produced pigs entering Britain.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48And when it comes to the horsemeat contamination, it is
0:32:48 > 0:32:51only in a tiny fraction of beef products.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55But what we are seeing are European laws which are failing to
0:32:55 > 0:32:59deliver, and serious concerns about the effectiveness
0:32:59 > 0:33:02and complexity of the EU supply chain.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05Plus, of course, there is the issue of trust.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10Our survey shows there is greater confidence in meat produced
0:33:10 > 0:33:13and processed in the UK than that coming from Europe,
0:33:13 > 0:33:15or indeed the rest of the world.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19That may be good news for British farmers,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21but it is bad news for the retailers
0:33:21 > 0:33:26and food processors in the UK who rely so heavily on meat from Europe.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30If you want to know more, you can find the full
0:33:30 > 0:33:34results of our consumer confidence poll on our website.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43Preserving and conserving native rare breeds is Adam's real passion.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46This week, he is off to see a herd of cattle that is so rare,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49only a few years ago, they almost became extinct.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52But he's got his chickens to sort out first.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Just as the weather drifts through the seasons,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04so do the animals on my farm. At the moment, it is
0:34:04 > 0:34:07my chickens that are sensing spring is in the air.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09I've got a lot of my chickens in here.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13They are a mixture of lots of different breeds
0:34:13 > 0:34:17and we've got cocks and hens, males and females, mixed up together.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20At this time of year, the hens are starting to lay
0:34:20 > 0:34:23and the cockerels will be mating with the hens.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25What I want to do is to sort them out into their breeds,
0:34:25 > 0:34:30so that the chicks that hatch from the eggs are pure of that breed.
0:34:30 > 0:34:31I've just got to catch them.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42And my little Pekins are really lovely. Ornamental chickens, really.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45They come in all different colours. These ones are lavender.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48They lay a very small egg, although they are quite good mothers -
0:34:48 > 0:34:50they will sit on the eggs and incubate them themselves.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53So there is a cockerel and a hen.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03And this is the Indian Game cockerel. He is only a young one
0:35:03 > 0:35:05but his plumage is looking beautiful.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09It's really shiny, and at this time of year, in the spring,
0:35:09 > 0:35:11the cockerels are thinking about mating
0:35:11 > 0:35:13and they start crowing a lot,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16and they are warning off the other males, "This is my territory.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20"These are my ladies," as well as calling to the hens to attract them.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Just like you hear song birds singing in the spring,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26they are doing exactly the same thing.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Spring has sprung. Babies are on the way.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38This is the Buff Orpington cockerel.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42That's the spur that the cockerels use to fight each other with.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47You can see his spur is very long and thick and strong,
0:35:47 > 0:35:48and incredibly sharp.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Look at the way it's making a hole in my finger.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Amazing when they fight, how they can hurt each other,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58and he is a smart-looking fella.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18So there we are. These hens will start laying in the next
0:36:18 > 0:36:19couple of weeks, I hope.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22The cockerel will be mating with them, so the eggs will be fertile,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25and when we hatch out the chicks, they will be pure Indian Game.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31Some of the chickens I keep are quite rare,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34but there is another animal on the farm that's very rare.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37These are my Bagot goats.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40They are the rarest breed of goats in the country.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44They came from Blithfield Hall in Staffordshire,
0:36:44 > 0:36:50that was run by Lady Bagot, and she gave a handful of goats to my dad
0:36:50 > 0:36:53way back in the '70s, and we have had them ever since.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56But it is thought they may have originated from
0:36:56 > 0:37:00Richard the Lionheart's crusade and he brought them back from that.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04With only around 300 nannies left in the country,
0:37:04 > 0:37:08there are not very many people that keep them, and I have sold four
0:37:08 > 0:37:11up to a farm in Leeds, so I'm going to load them up now.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16And these are the ones I have selected.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18I have just got to catch them.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25It is really important
0:37:25 > 0:37:28when you are preserving rare breeds that they are spread
0:37:28 > 0:37:29around the country geographically,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32because if there is an outbreak of disease like foot and mouth,
0:37:32 > 0:37:36if they are all in the same district, they might get wiped out totally.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44My Bagots are off to Temple Newsam, near Leeds.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47It is a beautiful, Tudor Jacobean house that has had ties
0:37:47 > 0:37:52with Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scots and garden designer Capability Brown.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58When they arrive, they soon settle in nicely and as a bonus,
0:37:58 > 0:38:02all these goats are in kid, so, hopefully, a herd of Bagots
0:38:02 > 0:38:04will soon be established here.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08It is also home to many rare farm animals, but one breed of
0:38:08 > 0:38:12cattle in particular is so scarce, it is in danger of being lost for ever.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18I'm meeting farm manager David Bradley and one very special lady.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Goodness me, David. I never thought I'd seek a Vaynol on a halter.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24You don't see many of them and this is it.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28When they first came down to the farm at home,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30that was a long time ago. When was that?
0:38:30 > 0:38:34That would be 25 years ago with that. I'd gone down to
0:38:34 > 0:38:37buy a Gloucester bull off your dad and he showed me these on your
0:38:37 > 0:38:40farm there, and I just thought, "My heck! I don't want any of these!"
0:38:40 > 0:38:42They were wild, crazy.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45It has taken a good lot of years to get them quieter,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47then each generation of calves that comes on
0:38:47 > 0:38:50- gets that little bit better.- Lovely.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53This one is a black one but generally they are white, aren't they?
0:38:53 > 0:38:55Most of the herd, overall, is white
0:38:55 > 0:38:58with the exception of about four black ones in the herd.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02- How many Vaynols are there now? - About 35 altogether and that is it.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06- That is it?- That is it.- Goodness me! That's almost extinct!
0:39:08 > 0:39:12I thought my Bagots were rare but with just 35 Vaynols in existence,
0:39:12 > 0:39:17the team here are keen to do all they can to ensure their survival.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21Like my goats, they want to establish satellite herds across the UK
0:39:21 > 0:39:24but they also want to take part in the Rare Breed Survival Trust's
0:39:24 > 0:39:29embryo-flushing project in Scotland. It is a type of IVF for cows.
0:39:29 > 0:39:34Before they can do that, the vet has to carry out one important check.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Right. We have sorted out the Vaynols, a few other cattle have come
0:39:37 > 0:39:38with them but that doesn't matter,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41and now we have to get them into the cattle crush for the vet.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50These girls had been running with a bull, so a week ago,
0:39:50 > 0:39:53the vet examined them and two were given the equivalent
0:39:53 > 0:39:58of the morning-after pill to make sure they were not pregnant.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00The vet is back to make sure it's worked.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04When most farmers bring their cattle in to be
0:40:04 > 0:40:08pregnancy-tested by the vet, they want the cows to be in calf.
0:40:08 > 0:40:09But here, they want the opposite.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12They want these cows to be empty because they are going up to
0:40:12 > 0:40:16a farm in Scotland, where they will do a thing called embryo transfer.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19And what they're going to do is flush the cows,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22remove the eggs from them
0:40:22 > 0:40:26and then they will mix those eggs with sperm from Vaynol bulls,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30and they will take the fertilised embryos and put them into other
0:40:30 > 0:40:35cows from a different breed and use those cows as surrogate mothers.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Therefore, the calf that then is born is a pedigree Vaynol.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43A cow can only give birth to one calf a year, so this cow could
0:40:43 > 0:40:47only have one Vaynol calf every year, but by flushing her,
0:40:47 > 0:40:50they will be able to get half a dozen Vaynol calves
0:40:50 > 0:40:54and, therefore, accelerate the expansion of the breed much quicker.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- What is the result on this one, Sophie?- She's negative.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01She's not pregnant. So she can go to Scotland now.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Wonderful. Good news.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- So that one is OK, too?- Yes, she's fine, she is ready to go,
0:41:25 > 0:41:27- she is empty.- Wonderful.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29So that is number two ready to go to Scotland.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34This is quite a special cow.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36She was born to artificial insemination
0:41:36 > 0:41:40and from a bull that produced a semen 30 years ago.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44What's the situation with this one, Sophie?
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Well, the third one is in calf, actually.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50She's about 60 days in calf, so she will have to stay here.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Because the last cow is pregnant, she will calve on the farm here
0:41:54 > 0:41:56and join the other two next spring.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00So two out of the three cows can go to Scotland,
0:42:00 > 0:42:01but they can't go yet.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Because I bought the Bagot goats on to the farm,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06because of movement restrictions and quarantine,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09they can't move any animals off the farm for six clear days.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12So they will be going up in a week or so's time.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Hopefully, next time I catch up with these ladies,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18they will be part of a much bigger national herd of Vaynols.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22Next week, I'll be finding out how science is helping to protect
0:42:22 > 0:42:24and preserve another special breed -
0:42:24 > 0:42:26the Hackney horse.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Just on the edge of Bristol, I've been exploring the Avon Gorge,
0:42:33 > 0:42:37an internationally important conservation site.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Home to 30 rare species of plant.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44For some, it's their only habitat in the whole of the UK.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47Despite the vertical cliff faces, the rare plants here
0:42:47 > 0:42:50are under threat from rapidly encroaching scrub
0:42:50 > 0:42:54stealing their food and sunlight. It could kill them off.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56To aid them in their fight for survival,
0:42:56 > 0:43:01I'm taking to the ropes under the watchful eye of Angus Tillotson.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03He's a rock-climbing gardener.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Right then, Angus, so what is the plan here?
0:43:07 > 0:43:13What we are going to do, Matt, is drop down on the ropes a bit
0:43:13 > 0:43:17and just clear a bit of vegetation off and try to open up some of
0:43:17 > 0:43:21the little ledges so that the tiny, little plants which are native here
0:43:21 > 0:43:24don't get shaded out by more competitive species.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27It seems like you go to quite an effort to help out those
0:43:27 > 0:43:29tiny, little plants.
0:43:29 > 0:43:30It seems ridiculous sometimes,
0:43:30 > 0:43:34but they are all small cogs in a big machine.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37It's like that scene in Karate Kid
0:43:37 > 0:43:39where they are looking for that lone bonsai.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52Now, glad to see you are keen with the loppers.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55There are a couple of things to think about
0:43:55 > 0:43:56before we start doing that.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00The second most important thing you have to be careful of is
0:44:00 > 0:44:02- cutting these two ropes.- Yes!
0:44:02 > 0:44:05The most important thing you've got to be careful of is cutting
0:44:05 > 0:44:08- these two ropes. - MATT LAUGHS
0:44:08 > 0:44:11- OK.- So when we are working,
0:44:11 > 0:44:16- we tend to try and work to the side of us.- I see.- OK?- Yeah.
0:44:16 > 0:44:20- Once you get a handful of ivy, do you just let it drop?- Yes.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23Phwoar! This is the way to enjoy this gorge.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25It is nice enough in a car to come through it
0:44:25 > 0:44:28and I'm sure everybody who drives along are constantly looking up,
0:44:28 > 0:44:31but to see from a bird's eye view is pretty special.
0:44:37 > 0:44:41No time to hang around, though. We have a job to do.
0:44:41 > 0:44:45Let's drop down another level. Just be careful where you are treading.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47You don't want to be doing any damage with your feet.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49Yes, you've got to be careful
0:44:49 > 0:44:53- when some of these plants are the size of a 5p piece.- Yes.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55Ding-ding! This is unwanted shrubbery.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00This is looking a little bit more interesting down here.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Matt, we've got a bit of a bigger ledge and a bit more soil
0:45:03 > 0:45:06and there's some rock rose just in there, looking
0:45:06 > 0:45:08a little bit sad for itself.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11Rock rose is one of the plants we are here to protect.
0:45:11 > 0:45:16You can see all the leaves that have been dropped on top of it.
0:45:16 > 0:45:17A case for clearing out, then.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23Sometimes, it's just a case of brushing away
0:45:23 > 0:45:25some of the leaves that build up.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30I'm sensing the start of a new business here.
0:45:30 > 0:45:34Weeding hanging baskets. What do you reckon? Extreme ones.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36- It could be a goer.- Giant hanging baskets. Coming across!
0:45:42 > 0:45:45- Careful now. - What was that?- Are you OK?
0:45:45 > 0:45:49- Must have just twanged a bit of the rope up there.- Quite exciting.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54- What a difference.- That is great and that has really opened it up.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57Considering we are only using these, there is quite a lot to do
0:45:57 > 0:46:02- when you look along there.- It is a long-term project I think, yeah.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05- Patience.- That is right. Persistence.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07It is an enormous task,
0:46:07 > 0:46:10part of a five-year plan. From autumn to spring each year,
0:46:10 > 0:46:14a team of five climbers work the cliffs, trying to
0:46:14 > 0:46:16save the special plants that live here.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18Do you ever garden at home?
0:46:22 > 0:46:29- Not very much, really.- So this is your garden?- Yes. That's right, yes.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32I would like my wife to appreciate that point,
0:46:32 > 0:46:33that I do some gardening.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36I think that's a great job on the ledge,
0:46:36 > 0:46:39and the face below is all quite clear so...
0:46:39 > 0:46:43- A tidy up job now, is it? - Yes, I'm afraid so.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46Let's drop down and tidy up at the bottom, shall we?
0:46:47 > 0:46:51- It is gorgeous now, isn't it? It really is.- Really lovely.
0:46:51 > 0:46:55I feel the need almost just to hang here and have a gin and tonic,
0:46:55 > 0:46:58- or something.- Yes. That would be great, wouldn't it?
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Seems like Rob, our cameraman, has already had one.
0:47:04 > 0:47:08Even though that whole exercise was quite a bit of effort,
0:47:08 > 0:47:11it does feel good to give those special plants that are still
0:47:11 > 0:47:17clinging on there, just that extra chance of survival. Right.
0:47:17 > 0:47:18Let the clean up operation begin.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25In a moment, Julia will be finding out how a bunch of hardy
0:47:25 > 0:47:28locals found a new use for a disused quarry,
0:47:28 > 0:47:31but it feels like rain here, and speaking of which,
0:47:31 > 0:47:33let's find out what the weather has got in store for the week
0:47:33 > 0:47:35ahead with the Countryfile forecast.
0:52:50 > 0:52:57.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Just three miles outside Bristol City Centre
0:53:11 > 0:53:13lies a disused limestone quarry.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20In 1912, the same year the Titanic sank,
0:53:20 > 0:53:23the quarry closed and was left to fill up with water.
0:53:26 > 0:53:27The sides of the lake are steep,
0:53:27 > 0:53:32plunging to six metres at the deepest point
0:53:32 > 0:53:37The old quarry holds up to 11 million gallons of water.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40I'm going to do a little temperature check now.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42I don't think it's going to be very balmy.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Let's have a look.
0:53:46 > 0:53:47Oh, yes. Lovely.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50So that is just over five degrees centigrade,
0:53:50 > 0:53:54which is about 41, 42 degrees Fahrenheit.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57Back in 1919, someone took a look at all of this and went,
0:53:57 > 0:53:59"That's a great place to swim."
0:53:59 > 0:54:02Might want to reconsider that today.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08It was the beginning of the Henleaze Swimming Club.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10Since 1919, thousands of swimmers
0:54:10 > 0:54:13have been for a dip or a dive in the lake.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18The club is still going strong with nearly 1,800 members
0:54:18 > 0:54:22and another 720 names on the waiting list.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28The lake's only open for wild swimming between May and September.
0:54:28 > 0:54:32It's February now, but don't worry. By the end of the programme,
0:54:32 > 0:54:37there will be some brave, or should I say foolish, bodies in that water.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39MOUTHS: Not me.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42'First, I want to find out
0:54:42 > 0:54:46'how the swimming club has kept going for 94 years.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49'Long-serving members Derek Klemperer and Janet Cocks
0:54:49 > 0:54:50'are going to fill me in,
0:54:50 > 0:54:54'and where better than inside the club's most historic building?'
0:54:54 > 0:54:56Hello, hello!
0:54:56 > 0:54:57- Good morning.- Hello, good morning.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01It is very, very cold in here, and this is the ladies' changing room.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03- It is.- You must be made of stern stuff.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06- Yeah, but it's winter at the moment. - This is true.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09But of course, it hasn't always been a changing room, has it?
0:55:09 > 0:55:12No, it was a First World War troop billet,
0:55:12 > 0:55:14and also a first aid centre,
0:55:14 > 0:55:17which the club managed to buy in the early '20s,
0:55:17 > 0:55:18so it is a historic building.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21- Very much so.- And it should really be Grade II listed.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24- Incredible history that goes with it, doesn't it?- Oh, yes.
0:55:24 > 0:55:29And you've been involved since, actually before day dot, for you?
0:55:29 > 0:55:33My parents actually were founder members of Henleaze Swimming Club,
0:55:33 > 0:55:35and this is where they met.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38My childhood memories are, that's all we ever did,
0:55:38 > 0:55:41came here everyday, we didn't do anything else, I don't think.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43Derek, when was the last time you took a dip?
0:55:43 > 0:55:45Oh, he always goes in every summer, don't you?
0:55:45 > 0:55:47I'm a great summer swimmer,
0:55:47 > 0:55:49but I don't go much for the cold water in winter.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52Now, talking about expert swimmers
0:55:52 > 0:55:54and lovely-looking people all around,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57who's this handsome fellow here?
0:55:57 > 0:55:59This is David Prowse, isn't it? Dave Prowse is...
0:55:59 > 0:56:02- Isn't he the Green Cross Man? - He is the Green Cross Man.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05- He's Darth Vader! - Darth Vader as well.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07He was a local lad, you see.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10Who would think that underneath all those black cloaks
0:56:10 > 0:56:13- was that gorgeous body?- He's a lot older now, of course.- Yes, yes.
0:56:13 > 0:56:17But that is a lovely picture of Dave Prowse, who used to come down here.
0:56:17 > 0:56:19- He was one of our superintendents. - So he worked here?
0:56:19 > 0:56:23- The girls loved it.- Darth Vader...
0:56:23 > 0:56:26HEAVY-BREATHING GROWL: Move to the side of the lake.
0:56:30 > 0:56:32Do the breaststroke now.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36That's fantastic!
0:56:50 > 0:56:53The lake's closed for swimming over the winter
0:56:53 > 0:56:56but we've found some crazy - sorry, willing - volunteers
0:56:56 > 0:57:00who want to break the rules and brave the water out of season.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02Let's meet them.
0:57:02 > 0:57:04- Luke.- Jackie.
0:57:04 > 0:57:05Jenny.
0:57:05 > 0:57:06Ellie.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08Alan.
0:57:08 > 0:57:09David.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11Mark.
0:57:11 > 0:57:15Julia. And I couldn't let our volunteers get into the water
0:57:15 > 0:57:17without some expert advice.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20George Cselco and Robin Hunter-Coddington
0:57:20 > 0:57:23laugh in the face of cold water.
0:57:23 > 0:57:27They swim in the Serpentine Lake in London's Hyde Park all year round.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30Yes, even when it snows.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32Good day, isn't it?
0:57:32 > 0:57:35- Lovely day for it.- Oh, the sun's come out. How lovely. Good.
0:57:35 > 0:57:38- Robin, George, welcome.- Hello.- Hello.
0:57:38 > 0:57:42I'd like to introduce you to our volunteer swimmers for the day.
0:57:42 > 0:57:45So Robin and George are winter water babies.
0:57:45 > 0:57:47This is what they do all year round,
0:57:47 > 0:57:50so I thought they might be able to offer some useful tips and advice.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52Mark, why don't you swim all year round here?
0:57:52 > 0:57:56Well, historically, we have had people who swam through the winter
0:57:56 > 0:57:58but we are looking at reintroducing it,
0:57:58 > 0:58:01and it would be really good to hear your tips on how we should do it.
0:58:01 > 0:58:05- Start in the summer!- And keep going.
0:58:05 > 0:58:07Every day and you'll get used to it, eventually,
0:58:07 > 0:58:09after about three years.
0:58:09 > 0:58:12George, what's your tip for keeping my hands and my feet warm
0:58:12 > 0:58:14because, unfortunately, I can't swim with my boots,
0:58:14 > 0:58:17but that's my part that always freezes immediately!
0:58:17 > 0:58:20Well, I'd suggest, just wriggle your toes and fingers.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23I'd recommend double-hatting.
0:58:23 > 0:58:26- Really?- Yeah. Most of the heat comes from the head.
0:58:26 > 0:58:27Well, we've got towels and tea.
0:58:27 > 0:58:29We're going to keep you warm when you do get out.
0:58:29 > 0:58:33- I look forward to that. - Best of luck!
0:58:34 > 0:58:37Our winter swimming expert is in!
0:58:37 > 0:58:39A nice, steady motion down the stairs.
0:58:39 > 0:58:42I like that, gloves and a hat. That's the way I would do it.
0:58:45 > 0:58:47Whoo!
0:58:49 > 0:58:50GASPS
0:59:00 > 0:59:02JULIA: Oh!
0:59:07 > 0:59:08How was it?
0:59:08 > 0:59:11Cold! Very cold, but lovely.
0:59:11 > 0:59:13Lovely? Is that the coldest you've ever been in?
0:59:13 > 0:59:16I think it's the coldest I've ever been in, yes.
0:59:16 > 0:59:19The temperature is...
0:59:19 > 0:59:22according to my watch, 5.8 degrees.
0:59:24 > 0:59:26Very vigorous stroke there.
0:59:26 > 0:59:29Wow! This man looks like he's planning on spending
0:59:29 > 0:59:32- quite a bit of time in there. - Mr Baker, you are just in time.
0:59:32 > 0:59:35- Am I?- Yeah.- What's going on?
0:59:35 > 0:59:37Get yourself a towel.
0:59:38 > 0:59:41There we are. I'm not going to use these. These are just for people
0:59:41 > 0:59:43- when they come out?- No, these are their towels.- Oh, right.
0:59:43 > 0:59:46- Are you coming out, sir?- I think that will probably do, won't it?
0:59:46 > 0:59:48Yes, sir. Come on out, come on out.
0:59:48 > 0:59:51That's it from a very nippy Bristol, a very beautiful lake.
0:59:51 > 0:59:53Next week, we're in Northumberland
0:59:53 > 0:59:56and I'm discovering the origins of your accent, actually.
0:59:56 > 0:59:58Hol', man. What you talking about, like?
0:59:58 > 0:59:59- Yeah, that one.- OK.
0:59:59 > 1:00:02Come on, sir. Very good, sir. And I'm going to be finding out
1:00:02 > 1:00:07about the first country pile that was powered by hydro-electricity.
1:00:07 > 1:00:09- You could do with a bit of warming up, couldn't you?- I know.
1:00:09 > 1:00:12He's powered by hydro-electricity! Come on, luvvie!
1:00:12 > 1:00:15- Thank you.- Very good. - Good work! Well done!
1:00:15 > 1:00:17- Let me shake you by the hand. - Thank you.- That was lovely.
1:00:17 > 1:00:20- I enjoyed it too. - Your hands are surprisingly warm!
1:00:20 > 1:00:22Well, yours are cold. That's why!
1:00:22 > 1:00:26- That's what you call a hardy perennial.- There you go.
1:00:26 > 1:00:27- See you next week!- Good.
1:00:48 > 1:00:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd