0:00:30 > 0:00:32There are highways.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36There are byways.
0:00:37 > 0:00:42And there's this, the Cleveland Way, more than 100 miles of paths,
0:00:42 > 0:00:44taking in some of our finest views.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47I'll be meeting some of the people
0:00:47 > 0:00:49who look after their very own stretch,
0:00:49 > 0:00:50and some who prefer to run it.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Come on, team!
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Sean is taking a trip back to discover what childhood
0:00:59 > 0:01:01was like here in the past.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03We've had some good fun, climbing round here.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06As you describe it, I can see the little boy in your eyes there.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Tom's got an exclusive look at the RSPB's latest bird report.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16It reveals that our bird behaviour is changing,
0:01:16 > 0:01:20and it also says that many of our rare breeding birds
0:01:20 > 0:01:22are at risk of extinction.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26And, Adam is meeting the young couple
0:01:26 > 0:01:28taking their first steps as farmers.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30- Test your skills.- OK.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Come on!
0:01:32 > 0:01:35I'm very impressed, they're coming straight down!
0:01:46 > 0:01:48For mile upon mile...
0:01:49 > 0:01:51..upon mile...
0:01:54 > 0:01:57..a vast, wild landscape,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01famed for its beauty, forged by nature,
0:02:01 > 0:02:03alive with history.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10And, sculpting a path right through it is this, the Cleveland Way,
0:02:10 > 0:02:11a national walking trail.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19You can start the Cleveland Way at Filey on the Yorkshire coast.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23The way then snakes northward, before cutting inland,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26where it skirts the edge of the North York Moors National Park
0:02:26 > 0:02:30to wind up, after 109 miles, at Helmsley.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40More than 350,000 ramblers and runners take to the Way each year.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43It's one of 15 national trails in England and Wales,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46so keeping it in tip-top condition is paramount.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53- The trail itself is in fantastic quality, isn't it?- It is, yes.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57We have got 75% of the funding from central government,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Natural England, and that helps to maintain such high quality.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Earlier this year, the Park authority had a brainwave.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08They broke the Way down into 26 sections,
0:03:08 > 0:03:13and invited people to come forward to adopt a stretch to look after.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18It was Tammy Andrews' job to find these new custodians.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Why did you decide to hand over bits of the trail for adoption?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Our National Trails Officer
0:03:24 > 0:03:28and our Maintenance Ranger do do an annual inspection once a year,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32so, by getting other groups out on the trail, carrying out patrols,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36it means that any issues that they spot we can react to a lot
0:03:36 > 0:03:40quicker and continue to maintain that high standard on the trail.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43The number of hours that they put in is fantastic.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45We couldn't manage without them.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48The scheme has been a roaring success.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51There's now a waiting list of families and local groups
0:03:51 > 0:03:55who want to adopt their very own slice of the Cleveland Way.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57And it's hardly surprising,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59when the route takes in landscape like this.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09The 1st Marston Moor Scouts became one of the first to
0:04:09 > 0:04:14adopt a section of the Way, a three mile stretch here at Sutton Bank,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17regarded by some as having England's finest view.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Now, as sections of the trail go, I think you've hit the jackpot.
0:04:23 > 0:04:24This view is spectacular!
0:04:24 > 0:04:28It's absolutely stunning, isn't it? We've got the Gormire Lake there.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Hood Hill, and there's great footpaths
0:04:30 > 0:04:32and walking along there as well,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35so you can come up and down onto different bits of the Cleveland Way.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Andrea Clayton is the Scout leader.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40How often do you bring the guys up here?
0:04:40 > 0:04:44About three times a year for looking after the Cleveland Way.
0:04:44 > 0:04:45We walk along it one way,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48and as we come back, we do any jobs we've spotted.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51You must be quite proud to see them taking an active responsibility.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52Yes, yes, immensely proud.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55From the very first project we did, they always work really hard.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57They have good fun, they have a good laugh,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and it's good skills for them later in life.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Owen, I'm sorry to interrupt.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09You do look busy, but I'm just going to grab a quick word.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Talk me through what's happening here today.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12What are you guys doing?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Well, we're trying to shear back the trees so they don't overgrow on
0:05:15 > 0:05:19the path, and people can still walk past undeterred by trees in the way.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Has it made you feel differently when you're out and about
0:05:31 > 0:05:33in the countryside, enjoying other trails and walks?
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Yes, it makes me think, who's done that?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38How have they helped us? And they've helped us really well.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44What do you think the guys get out of doing this work?
0:05:44 > 0:05:47It's just a real sense of, like, achievement, that they
0:05:47 > 0:05:51have done something that'll help a lot more people, and not just them.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58And, because you have worked here, and spent a bit of time here,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00can you see yourself coming back year after year?
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Yes, I really enjoy it here, so yes, I quite like helping the
0:06:04 > 0:06:08environment, so I'll probably be coming back for years to come, yes.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Thanks to the Scouts, and all of the other adopters,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16the Cleveland Way has never looked better.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Later, I'll be exploring more of this national trail, and meeting
0:06:20 > 0:06:23a group who don't just tend their own sections,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25they like to run the whole lot, too.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Now, this is a perfect time of year for bird spotting,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38but what if your winter favourites just stop turning up?
0:06:38 > 0:06:39Here's Tom.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47It may not feel like it on this winter's morning,
0:06:47 > 0:06:52but things are getting warmer, and scientists think we are to blame.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56But, while not quite everyone agrees that climate change
0:06:56 > 0:06:59is a man-made problem, one thing is certain -
0:06:59 > 0:07:02these rising temperatures are affecting our birds.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Countryfile has been given exclusive access to the
0:07:07 > 0:07:12State of UK Birds report 2017, which is released on Tuesday.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15It reveals that our bird behaviour is changing
0:07:15 > 0:07:19in a way that is "consistent with a warming climate".
0:07:19 > 0:07:22It also says that many of our
0:07:22 > 0:07:25"rare breeding birds are at risk of extinction".
0:07:25 > 0:07:28So, what does the future hold for our birds?
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Well, a good place to start is here, at the
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Centre at Welney in Norfolk.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Dr Dafila Scott knows birds.
0:07:38 > 0:07:43She's a wildlife artist, as was her father, Sir Peter Scott.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46I decided to concentrate on studying and painting,
0:07:46 > 0:07:52and if possible, helping to conserve these marvellous birds.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55A legendary conservation figure, who founded the Wildfowl
0:07:55 > 0:07:59and Wetland Trust, as well as painting birds, both Dafila
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and her father kept detailed notes for years...
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- Well, what about Myrtle? - That's a good name.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08..monitoring the UK population of Bewick swans.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Five decades later, Dafila still takes a keen interest in swans,
0:08:14 > 0:08:19but the results from the study here at Welney are causing concern.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22So, what are they actually up to in the background here?
0:08:22 > 0:08:25They're just counting the swans, the whooper swans.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28The whoopers have been roosting here overnight
0:08:28 > 0:08:31because it's a safe place for them, and now they're going to be
0:08:31 > 0:08:34flying out to feed on the agricultural land around here.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37I gather you spent quite a lot of your life
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- working in this area a few years back?- I did.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I studied Bewick swans, which are the smallest of the three
0:08:42 > 0:08:45migratory swans that come to this country in the winter.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Nowadays, the Bewick swans don't come this far.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Because it's not so cold because of climate change,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53they mostly stay in the Netherlands or Germany.
0:08:53 > 0:08:5610, 20 years ago, there would have been 5,000
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Bewick swans on the Ouse Washes in the winter.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03- Last year, I think there were maybe 1,000 of them.- A big change.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05It's a big change in the numbers, yes.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07So, climate change is affecting their migration.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Is it also affecting their success,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11compared to other swans like the whoopers?
0:09:11 > 0:09:13It looks rather as if it is.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16This year, for example, was a really late spring
0:09:16 > 0:09:20and they've got only 4% young with them, which is very small.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Sometimes it's up to 25%, so it's really bad.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26How does that make you feel, given your personal
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- and family connection to these birds?- Worried.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Worried that we shall see some favourite species disappearing.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36But, of course, there are a lot of other pressures on birds
0:09:36 > 0:09:39at the moment as well, so I think a lot of birds are in trouble.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I no longer spot flycatchers nesting in our garden,
0:09:43 > 0:09:47and I no longer hear turtledoves calling at the bottom of our garden.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49So there are a lot of changes,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53and I think people need to be aware of these changes and
0:09:53 > 0:09:57we need to try to do something for the benefit of the natural world.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Welney is a haven for many thousands of birds,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and it's alarming to think they are noticing significant changes,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11even in protected places like this.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15So, do we have to prepare ourselves for the loss of species
0:10:15 > 0:10:16like the Bewick swan?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Dr Daniel Hayhow is a conservation scientist,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26trying to work out what the future holds for our birds.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30He is the lead author of this report, which
0:10:30 > 0:10:34looks at the effects of climate change on our birds, and combines
0:10:34 > 0:10:39the expertise of the RSPB, the British Trust for Ornithology,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42and the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, with that of the Government.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45It's a fantastic spectacle,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48but you are worried about what lies behind this image.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51That's right. Sites like this that are, obviously as you can see,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54massively important for wintering wildfowl, ducks,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58swans, and geese that are coming down from the Arctic, are places
0:10:58 > 0:11:01where we're beginning to see signs of the impacts of climate change.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04We're seeing birds moving northwards up the country.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Their distribution is spreading, so things like goldfinch
0:11:07 > 0:11:10and nuthatch are breeding further north up into Scotland
0:11:10 > 0:11:12than they did 20, 30 years ago.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14As quite a northerly country,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17are we going to benefit from species coming up from the south?
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Certainly, we are in a position where birds are moving up
0:11:21 > 0:11:22into the UK from the continent.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25We're getting increasing numbers of some larger breeding wading
0:11:25 > 0:11:27birds that we hadn't seen previously here,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30such as night herons and great white egrets,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33and things like that, which is a wonderful spectacle for us to see.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36The downside of that is that we're also losing species off the top,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39and you just need to look at the globe to see that, above the UK,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42there's not much more land. So, what is happening to those species
0:11:42 > 0:11:44that are getting squeezed out?
0:11:44 > 0:11:48While climate change will enable these species to move into the UK,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50do we have the habitat to support them?
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Are they going to be constrained by other factors that mean they
0:11:53 > 0:11:56can't actually take advantage of those improved conditions?
0:11:56 > 0:11:59In nature, it's always been about the survival of the fittest.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Aren't we just seeing a continuation of that?
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Survival of the fittest relies on changes that happen over
0:12:04 > 0:12:06millennia, and this is a change that's happening within the last
0:12:06 > 0:12:09century, and these birds just simply haven't got the scope
0:12:09 > 0:12:12to adapt to the change that's happening.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26So, it is accepted that big changes are happening,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28but does that mean we should be just sitting back
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and waiting to see what happens, and indeed who comes out on top?
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Or, should we be managing our reserves with the future in mind?
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I'll be getting the full scoop later.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53The Cleveland Way cuts a swathe through the beautiful
0:12:53 > 0:12:55North Yorkshire landscape.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06It's no wonder that some people want to capture it on camera.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Glenn Kilpatrick has been a photographer
0:13:16 > 0:13:17for the past three years.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20For more than two decades, he worked as a community support
0:13:20 > 0:13:24worker in mental health, travelling over hill and dale for his job.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29On his journeys, he became captivated by the animals
0:13:29 > 0:13:30and wildlife he saw.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35And now, that roadside interest has become his full-time occupation.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Today, Glenn's going to show me one of his favourite
0:13:43 > 0:13:46and lesser-known sites for photography.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50But I actually met Glenn before, in completely different conditions.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55These conditions are awful!
0:13:55 > 0:13:56This is as harsh as it gets.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59As long as the sea is rough, we like to be out in this
0:13:59 > 0:14:02sort of weather, this is when the fish come in to feed.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08Yes, that winter, Glenn took me shore fishing in gale force winds.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10He's definitely a man who likes a challenge.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Today, I'm hoping for gentler conditions,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19and it looks like we've come to the perfect spot.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25This is the River Esk, the best river for salmon
0:14:25 > 0:14:27and sea trout in Yorkshire.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Glenn. Good to see you.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- Hi, Sean!- Last time I saw you,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36you took me to what felt like the coldest place on earth.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37This is a bit better, isn't it?
0:14:37 > 0:14:40I think it probably was the coldest place on earth that day!
0:14:40 > 0:14:41This is far better, isn't it?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44So, what brings us here to this beautiful river bank?
0:14:44 > 0:14:47This is the River Esk, flows through Eskdale down into Whitby,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50and we're here to photograph salmon and sea trout.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52OK, so you're promising me fish again, but this time we're
0:14:52 > 0:14:55going to get them on the camera, rather than on the end of a hook.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57There seem to be rather a lot of fish jumping today.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59This is a prime time to be here.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Late autumn, going into early winter,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03all the fish have come here to spawn.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08At this time of year, mature salmon and sea trout
0:15:08 > 0:15:11return to the very same place where they hatched.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Their whole life at sea has been about this moment.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Everything in their life is about reproducing, so they have been
0:15:18 > 0:15:21out there, they have eaten well, they've swum for miles and miles.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24They are as fit as a fish can possibly be,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26and here they are, coming back to reproduce.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28I just saw one.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30- That jumped really high, didn't it?- Yes.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33It was up in the air about a metre high.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Still nowhere near the top of the waterfalls.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37That was a really big fish, that one.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41- It's like a highly tuned athlete, isn't it?- I think they are, yes.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- They're in prime condition when they come back here.- Oh!
0:15:44 > 0:15:47- He was a big one as well, wasn't he?- He was brilliant.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49I couldn't have missed him as well.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53- Oh!- I just missed him as well.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54- Did you?- Yes.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57You can guarantee that if you move to the right,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59they'll all start jumping in that corner.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- Oh!- I didn't press!
0:16:03 > 0:16:07- You didn't press?- No.- Glenn! Don't talk to me, don't talk to me.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- I'm distracting you. - There's a huge one in that corner
0:16:10 > 0:16:11now where we just left it.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15What I like to do is focus right in and try to get a salmon or
0:16:15 > 0:16:17a sea trout in full frame shot.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20You're looking for an area of the dam where there's
0:16:20 > 0:16:23a lot of fish hanging about, and then you'll focus right
0:16:23 > 0:16:27tight into that area, and then it's basically just sit and wait.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I still miss more than you see.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Taking the perfect photo requires more than just patience
0:16:36 > 0:16:37and skill, though.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39You need to know where to go, too.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44So, Glenn, how do you find the best places to look for wildlife?
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Certainly for the salmon and sea trout,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50this is a place we used to come as children and swim.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53I put a lot of my photographs online in social media,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and through that I've got a lot of people getting in touch
0:16:56 > 0:16:59and saying, "Hey, we've got a barn owl on our farm",
0:16:59 > 0:17:03or "We've got a tawny owl here". I get invited to quite a lot of farms.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06You've got this amazing countryside contacts book.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Yes, and the list grows.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13That inside information has been invaluable in Glenn's quest
0:17:13 > 0:17:14to photograph wildlife.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18I would never call myself a wildlife photographer.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I think so many other people have so many better photographs
0:17:21 > 0:17:25than myself, but I just like to document what's about.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29But there's no guarantee that there'll be any wildlife about,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33and that means there's a lot of hanging around, waiting.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36So, how long would you spend here, taking photographs?
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I was down here a couple of weeks ago, Sean,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and I think I sat maybe four or five hours that day.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44It becomes almost an obsession at times.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47You just want to capture that one perfect photograph.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50These fish will only run this river on certain days
0:17:50 > 0:17:51under certain conditions.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53The river has to be in spate,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56which means it has to have rained further up the valley.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Obviously, when there's too little,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01it can be so shallow they just can't pass.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04I can see a few of them poking their heads up.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07- Jump.- Oh!
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Oh! He had two goes at it, didn't he? Did you see that one?
0:18:10 > 0:18:13- I missed that one. - Did you miss it?! Glenn!
0:18:14 > 0:18:18It's not easy capturing salmon and sea trout leaping at full tilt.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20But the Esk is the best place for it.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23It's one of the few rivers in Yorkshire where they spawn.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28The fish need clean waters and a clear route to sea,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31plus gravel beds that are vital for laying their eggs.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36To see them leap is to see just one small part
0:18:36 > 0:18:37of their incredible journey.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42Ohhh!
0:18:42 > 0:18:46That was a good one. There he is. It's the money shot.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- It's not so clear, but it's a good one.- Looks good enough!
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Glenn, you're too hard on yourself. That's brilliant.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- A big fish, isn't he?- Yes, that looks quite a decent fish, actually.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Quite pleased with that.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00And it's an amazing place to spend your days.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03I think there's nowhere better to spend your days, really.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I mean, it's really, really good for the soul,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and it's good for your mental health.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11There can be days when you're sat in and not feeling too happy,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15and you just venture out, and you can forget it all in an instant.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Many of these fish will die once they've spawned,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22but the strongest will survive and return to the sea,
0:19:22 > 0:19:27perhaps to have their picture taken again in two or three years' time.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36From spectacular moorland in the west...
0:19:37 > 0:19:39..to rugged coastline in the east...
0:19:41 > 0:19:44..the Cleveland Way offers the best of both worlds
0:19:44 > 0:19:46to those in search of inspiration.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Having grown up near the coastal village of Sandsend, Katie Ventress
0:19:54 > 0:19:58fuses the beauty of the natural world around her with her metalwork.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07After an apprenticeship and six years of training,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Katie recently decided to go it alone,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and forge ahead as an artist blacksmith in her own right.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Now, her work is starting to make waves.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34The great thing about being on the coast is that it changes every day.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Every morning you come down, it could be completely different.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45With the winter comes rougher seas, there's more dramatic scenery.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48It's perfect to come down and sort of have a root around,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50see what's been washed up.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55My work is very natural.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00It can be anything from almost exact replicas of pieces of nature,
0:21:00 > 0:21:05whether it's an actual sculpture of a lobster, or other fish,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09but also I like to just create movement from the ocean.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I love these beds of ammonites, where hundreds of them
0:21:16 > 0:21:19have sort of died, settled on the bottom,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and been fossilised over millions of years.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23It works perfectly, taking inspiration from the coast
0:21:23 > 0:21:26when it comes to metalwork because a lot of natural forms,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30I've found, look like they're already made out of ironwork.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32So, things like bladderwrack
0:21:32 > 0:21:36perfectly lend themselves to forming shapes with iron.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41You can wrap them around a candle holder, or something similar,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43or use these limpets, anything like this as a backdrop
0:21:43 > 0:21:46could work perfectly for a future piece of artwork.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Although iron is a very rigid, raw material,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55once you start to manipulate it, you can give it dramatic shapes,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57and it just suddenly brings it to life.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Or a little twist here, or a big fold there, and all of a sudden
0:22:01 > 0:22:03it looks like you've just pulled it out of the sea.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06I found a crab.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09It's a little dogger.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I was born in West Barnby, which is just outside of Sandsend.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32It's perfectly in the middle of the coastline.
0:22:33 > 0:22:34It's backed by the woodlands,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38and then you've also got, you know, the agricultural farmland around it,
0:22:38 > 0:22:39and there's no other environment
0:22:39 > 0:22:42I would want to be for inspiration than here.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51This is Mulgrave Estate.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55We've visited this area all my life, for as long as I can remember.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59It is the perfect place to have grown up.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03No matter what mood you were in that day, or what the weather was like,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05there as always somewhere that you wanted to be out playing in.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10I have always been the type of person to get my hands dirty,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13being able to sort of forage things, gather things,
0:23:13 > 0:23:14find out how things work.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19This is a lovely cluster of mushrooms there.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21But I was always told never to touch them
0:23:21 > 0:23:23if you're not actually sure what they are.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27I never would have put myself as a blacksmith.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31When I started to move towards creating 3-D pieces,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35I knew that I loved metalwork, but I didn't know the name to put to it.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39I used to like trying to make things out of scrap material.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42We'd root around through skips, that sort of thing,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and collect up things that could make a great sculpture.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47But it wasn't until after university,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51when I was looking for any kind of employment where I would be
0:23:51 > 0:23:55able to make things creatively, that I found the opportunity
0:23:55 > 0:23:57to take on an apprenticeship with a blacksmith,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01and I thought I'll give it a go, and it just merged perfectly.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24I only really started up around two months ago on my own, full-time.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27You think of the facts, like new businesses fail within
0:24:27 > 0:24:31the first two years, so that's always in the back of my mind.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34But again, it's just a risk you've got to take.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37You weigh up how you feel going to work for somebody else every
0:24:37 > 0:24:39day, and think, "Is it worth risking it?".
0:24:39 > 0:24:41At least then I know I've tried.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52For a female of my size, I'm fairly strong. Fairly.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55It's not necessarily about your strength.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Yes, it might take me a little bit longer, but you've just got to
0:24:58 > 0:25:00use your head, and use something like a wrench to give you
0:25:00 > 0:25:03a bit of leverage, or stand on something to give yourself
0:25:03 > 0:25:05some height to bear down on something.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08But it's more about stamina and just perseverance.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32So, I think I'm done.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36One tree branch with some nice, heavy texture.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42Ammonite.
0:25:45 > 0:25:46And a leaf.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Earlier, we heard how climate change is affecting our bird populations.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02But, is sitting back and watching the effects all we can do?
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Here's Tom.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10The latest "State of the UK's Birds Report" has revealed
0:26:10 > 0:26:13exclusively to Countryfile that climate change could
0:26:13 > 0:26:16push some of our rarer bird species to extinction.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20These birds just simply haven't got the scope to adapt to the
0:26:20 > 0:26:21change that's happening.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26But, there will be winners, as well as losers, and we may well be
0:26:26 > 0:26:29gaining some new feathered friends as others disappear.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34That's why I'm looking into a success story, and finding out
0:26:34 > 0:26:38what more we can do to help our birds, both present and future.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Author and bird expert Steve Piotrowski is a big
0:26:43 > 0:26:48fan of the bird I'm hoping to catch sight of today
0:26:48 > 0:26:52here on Sutton and Horsley Heath in Suffolk, the Dartford warbler.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54It sounds quintessentially English,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58but has a Mediterranean temperament and struggles in the cold.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02But now, it's starting to thrive in the UK's warmer temperatures.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03A beautiful bit of heath here,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06but what are the chances of seeing a Dartford warbler?
0:27:06 > 0:27:08It's difficult because they don't stay out very long.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10They'll get to the top of the heather
0:27:10 > 0:27:13- and then dive back down again quickly.- Where it's cosy?
0:27:13 > 0:27:15- That's right, yeah.- So, what do they like about heather?
0:27:15 > 0:27:17There's a lot of food underneath the heather,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19so they can forage there and find food.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21They particularly like spiders' cocoons,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25- so perhaps we can go in and see if we can find some. - Yes, see if we can find some.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29So, if we just have a little hunt around here. There we go.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Oh, yeah, there's one there, look. Just here.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35- That little white spot there. - Oh, right.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- You've been coming here a long time.- I have.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- You didn't used to see Dartford warblers in the past.- No.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43- Tell me about their story.- They were lost in the early war years,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46and then we had three successive poor winters,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49very severe winters, and they disappeared altogether.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51They didn't come back until the early '90s,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54when they first started coming back as migrants.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56And then they colonised the heath late 1999,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59and they've been breeding ever since.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01How do you feel about the fact that they're back?
0:28:01 > 0:28:04I'm very excited. It's amazing to see them come back.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05I didn't think I'd see it in my lifetime.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09How certain are you that climate change is driving this change?
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Without doubt. We really haven't had any really bad winters since 1963.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19The Dartford warbler is moving northward.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22It's been seen as far up as Yorkshire,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25and is now surviving at higher altitudes.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28But, in south-west Europe, where most of the population is found,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31this little songbird is declining fast.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35So, will we be able to accommodate all these climate refugees?
0:28:35 > 0:28:36Absolutely not.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40There's not enough habitat, and we are unable to create enough habitat.
0:28:40 > 0:28:45We have a shortage of space, places like this are unique, really,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47so we're not going to be able to support them, no.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51What's clear is that we are gaining new species,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53and if we want them to stay, we are
0:28:53 > 0:28:57going to need to do more to provide the conditions that they need.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03I'm here at Wallasea Island in Essex, one of the UK's newest
0:29:03 > 0:29:06nature reserves, where they're engineering habitats that will
0:29:06 > 0:29:12withstand changing conditions - in effect, climate proofing in action.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15I'm going to be lending a hand, and it looks like the first job
0:29:15 > 0:29:17could be getting this boat off the mud.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- Hi, Rachel, how are you doing? - Hello.- Where are we off to?
0:29:20 > 0:29:22- We're off to that island over there.- Oh, so not far!
0:29:22 > 0:29:24Oh, hello. We're going!
0:29:29 > 0:29:33This is one of the shortest ferry crossings I've ever had in my life!
0:29:33 > 0:29:36The RSPB Wallasea reserve was created on farmland
0:29:36 > 0:29:39under threat from sea-level rise.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42A remarkable three million tons of earth
0:29:42 > 0:29:45excavated from London's Crossrail project was shipped in
0:29:45 > 0:29:47to raise the ground height.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50It was sculpted into a range of islands and lagoons
0:29:50 > 0:29:54to attract nesting birds, while providing a local flood defence.
0:29:54 > 0:29:59And, this is where I am being put to work by reserve warden Rachel Fancy.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03So, what's the purpose of the weed raking, Rachel?
0:30:03 > 0:30:06We need to clear the islands for breeding birds for next year,
0:30:06 > 0:30:10so birds such as redshank might come and nest here,
0:30:10 > 0:30:12- and they like the grass to be short...- Right.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15..so they can see any incoming predators.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17What happens to the brash we're collecting here?
0:30:17 > 0:30:19So, because it's a new lagoon,
0:30:19 > 0:30:21it hasn't got much food in it at the moment.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23We can put these nutrients into the water,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26and it should provide good new nutrients for some invertebrates
0:30:26 > 0:30:30to live on, and that will be some food for the birds in the future.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35What's the guiding principle behind the design here?
0:30:35 > 0:30:38One of the things the ecologists thought about when they designed it
0:30:38 > 0:30:41was future-proofing it for climate change and sea-level rise,
0:30:41 > 0:30:43and making sure that the habitats here
0:30:43 > 0:30:46not only helped those that might potentially be at risk from
0:30:46 > 0:30:49climate change, but also provided habitat for future colonists.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52So, it is about helping what's already in here
0:30:52 > 0:30:55- and in trouble, as well as new arrivals?- It certainly is.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59The redshank, which breeds on salt marshes, their nests could
0:30:59 > 0:31:02potentially get drowned out in the future as sea levels rise,
0:31:02 > 0:31:06and we've provided shallow slopes down from the sea walls in order
0:31:06 > 0:31:09for that salt marsh to be able to creep up and still have that height.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14As well as building in the capacity to cope with a rising sea,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17they've also created islands here that will appeal to
0:31:17 > 0:31:20species like common terns, which could be vulnerable.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24And, it's working for new arrivals, too.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26Black-winged stilts have been spotted here
0:31:26 > 0:31:28for the first time this year.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31This is a great example of adaptation,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34but I guess this kind of work can only go so far.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37That's true, there's only so much land that we can create these
0:31:37 > 0:31:40habitats in, and obviously some of the species might well move
0:31:40 > 0:31:43north and disappear from this country altogether.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45Well, we'd better do a little bit more weed raking, I think,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47get some of this stuff in the water.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56The careful planning at Wallasea may provide a vital lifeline
0:31:56 > 0:31:58for our birds, but is it enough?
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Projects like this do help to soften the blow of climate change,
0:32:03 > 0:32:08but, in a steadily warming world, birds, and indeed all wildlife,
0:32:08 > 0:32:10face a perilous future.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29Wow.
0:33:16 > 0:33:17Right, well, I enjoyed the view.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20And a cup of tea. You need one on a day like today.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Now it's time to tell you about the Countryfile calendar.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25If you've got yours, thank you very much for all of your support.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27If you still want one, here's how.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34It costs £9.50, including UK delivery.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39You can go to our website, where you will find a link to the order page.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Or you can phone the order line:
0:33:46 > 0:33:51Standard geographic charges will apply to both landlines and mobiles.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54If you prefer to order by post,
0:33:54 > 0:33:57then send your name, address, and a cheque to:
0:34:10 > 0:34:14A minimum of £4.50 from the sale of each calendar
0:34:14 > 0:34:17will be donated to BBC Children In Need.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26With agricultural land prices averaging around £9,000 an acre,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29buying a farm is an expensive business.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32In Cumbria, Adam's meeting one couple who found a way
0:34:32 > 0:34:36to break into agriculture without breaking the bank.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40When it came to becoming a farmer, I was very lucky
0:34:40 > 0:34:45because my father had taken on a farm tenancy and, in my early 30s,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47I was fortunate enough to succeed the tenancy from him.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50But, for new entrants without family ties,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53starting to farm can be quite tricky.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55But it's not impossible.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01David and Bekka Corrie-Close don't come from a farming background,
0:35:01 > 0:35:05but they've found a clever way of getting a foot on to the farming ladder,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07and it's all about the growing demand
0:35:07 > 0:35:10for grazing cattle in conservation areas.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Hi, guys. Have I come at a crucial moment?
0:35:14 > 0:35:16- You have. - ADAM LAUGHS
0:35:16 > 0:35:18There we go.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20- I'll just hold his chin up.- Yeah.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Well, I have to say, you took some finding.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24- It's quite remote here, isn't it?- It is.- It is.
0:35:24 > 0:35:25It's a lovely site, though.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Plenty of shade for the cattle in this woodland.
0:35:28 > 0:35:29And what are you up to?
0:35:29 > 0:35:32We're just bringing these three Belted Galloways onto a new site
0:35:32 > 0:35:34here at Arnsite, it's National Trust land.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Before we let them out, we've got a tag to put into this one,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40who's managed to pull it out at the last site he was on.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44- I'll give you a hand to put the tag in and we'll turn him out. - Great. Fantastic.- Yeah.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51- Very good.- Good boy, good boy. So he's good to go.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55- Let him go?- Yes, please.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Good lad.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00The others can follow. Come on, boys. Freedom!
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Come on, lads.
0:36:05 > 0:36:06Come on, boys.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08And off they go.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11With no land of their own, they graze their cattle
0:36:11 > 0:36:14on land belonging to various landlords,
0:36:14 > 0:36:18including the RSPB, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the National Trust.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Come on, then, boys. They're going along nicely, aren't they?
0:36:23 > 0:36:26They are, yes. They're following David with a treat, though.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28- THEY LAUGH - Come on, boys!
0:36:28 > 0:36:31What made you decide to become farmers?
0:36:31 > 0:36:35My background is in ecology and I have a passion for being outdoors
0:36:35 > 0:36:38and working with animals, so this works really well together.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42- So, sort of farming with nature? - It is, it's farming with nature.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44And how big is the site here and what have you got?
0:36:44 > 0:36:46This is about 40 acres.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49It's a mixture of woodland and limestone grassland.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52A mixture of lots of different species. It's a very beautiful site.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55We've got about ten animals on here at the moment.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57- Very different to your normal farmer's field, isn't it?- It is.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- Looks like they might be making a break into the woods. Let's get around them.- OK.
0:37:02 > 0:37:03Come on, boys.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Well, it's lovely that they've found all their mates.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15I must say, I was very impressed how you led us down the path to get to the other cattle.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16How did you know where they were?
0:37:16 > 0:37:19I've got an app on my phone and that'll produce a map
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and tell me where the red belty with the collar on,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25- the GPS collar on, is on this site. - Brilliant!
0:37:25 > 0:37:27- It's very good, isn't it? - Saves us a lot of time.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30If we didn't have that, it could take upwards of an hour
0:37:30 > 0:37:33just to find them with all this scrub and the trees.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36And is it because these areas were available that gave you
0:37:36 > 0:37:39- the opportunity to get into farming?- In a way, yes.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43But to be honest, this is just the kind of land that we want to be managing.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45So, Bekka, if you were offered more productive grazing,
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- like you've got over the wall here, would you take it?- Not really, no.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52We have a passion for farming with nature
0:37:52 > 0:37:53and that is farming ground like this.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56- It's a very different way of thinking, isn't it?- It is, yes.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01This is a way of farming that's allowed the couple to develop
0:38:01 > 0:38:03their herd of cattle across environmentally-sensitive
0:38:03 > 0:38:06sites in and around the Lake District.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11But farming extensively over a wide area isn't without its challenges.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15Roaming from site to site,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18everything they use has to be mobile.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20They have to bring the farm to the cows.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26But with some ingenious kit and the right attitude,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28David and Bekka have found a way to make it work.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32It's quite unusual for farmers to be travelling
0:38:32 > 0:38:36to see all their different groups of cattle, like this. How many sites have you got?
0:38:36 > 0:38:40We've got about 15 different sites with about 80 herd of cattle at the moment,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42and each site needs managing very differently,
0:38:42 > 0:38:44with different numbers of cattle.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47So we've just been to Arnside Knott, which is our southernmost point,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50and now we're heading up to Tebay, which is our most northern.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52And that's about 25 miles away,
0:38:52 > 0:38:54but it can take about 45 minutes to get there.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56I notice how the weather's turned a bit.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59- We've got a bit of rain coming in now.- Mm. Not very nice, is it?
0:39:05 > 0:39:08As we leave the coast and climb into the hills, the heavens open.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15And with the unforgiving winters you get up here,
0:39:15 > 0:39:20it just goes to show that it's not just 4x4 cars you need
0:39:20 > 0:39:22it's 4x4 cattle.
0:39:29 > 0:39:30Right.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33- Perfect!- That's lined up. Great. - This is looking really good.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37So, can we find these cattle on your GPS collars now?
0:39:37 > 0:39:38Er...not quite.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41So today, we're catching them up to fit a GPS collar,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43so that's going to make it easier to find these animals
0:39:43 > 0:39:45when we come to look for them next time.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47So, where are they this time? THEY LAUGH
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- Good question. - Even bigger site here, I'm afraid.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53This is about 100 acres that we're looking for the cattle on today.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- Right.- But hopefully, the terrain is a bit more open,
0:39:56 > 0:39:58so we should be able to spy them in the distance.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00Fingers crossed. Let's go.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04None of the sites David and Bekka manage offer shelter,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07and with no farmstead to house the cows over the winter,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10they have to be hardy to survive the elements.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- It'll keep you fit, farming here. - Yeah.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18Luckily, even without David's GPS locator,
0:40:18 > 0:40:21the cattle don't prove too hard to find.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23- Well, there they are.- Yeah.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Do we need to get up behind them to bring them down?
0:40:25 > 0:40:28They should come to a call. I've got some treats.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30If I shout them, they should follow us down.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34They're Shetland cattle. They're a rare breed. They're a native breed.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36And they're fantastic for this type of landscape.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39We used to own some Shetlands at home. Lovely little cattle.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42So native breeds are what you're using, is it?
0:40:42 > 0:40:46Yep. So they're really well suited to tricky terrain.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49They're great at eating off rank grass in the winter
0:40:49 > 0:40:51and turning that into energy.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- Go on, then, David, see if you can call them down. Test your skills. - OK.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Come on!
0:40:56 > 0:40:57CATTLE LOW
0:40:57 > 0:40:59DAVID RATTLES FEED
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Come on!
0:41:01 > 0:41:03DAVID RATTLES FEED
0:41:03 > 0:41:05- Oh, they're moving.- That's it! - They'll come.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07I've very impressed! They're coming straight down!
0:41:07 > 0:41:09This is easy, this lark, isn't it?
0:41:09 > 0:41:11It's all in the training.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13- Shall we get ahead of them, then?- All right, yeah, beautiful.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16Come on, girls! There we are, look. Come on, then!
0:41:19 > 0:41:23Grazing cattle in these isolated areas has focused David and Bekka
0:41:23 > 0:41:26on the quality of their product, rather than the quantity.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Come on. Come on, come on! They're quite well behaved.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31- ADAM LAUGHS - Are yours as good?- No.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34There's a lot more running around with my cattle, I can tell you.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36THEY CHUCKLE
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Come on. Come on, come on, come on.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Farming their herd in this way is also strengthening their rural credentials.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Which is all-important in an industry that
0:41:46 > 0:41:48desperately needs new blood.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50OK, so here's the collar that we're going to put on.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53This is one of the quietest ones of our herd.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56Brilliant that technology is helping this lovely old-fashioned
0:41:56 > 0:41:57way of farming, really.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00This herd should be a lot easier to find now you've got that on.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01Yeah, they really should.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04I've been very impressed by what you've achieved so far
0:42:04 > 0:42:06in such a short period of time as first-time farmers.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09What's the goal? Where do you see the future?
0:42:09 > 0:42:12We really need a tenancy on a farm somewhere locally.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15That will allow our business to go to the next level, really.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17- So that's what we're looking for. - A base?- Yeah.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Yeah. Having a base and having somewhere that we can perhaps
0:42:20 > 0:42:22house our calves in the first winter.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25But you still want to keep farming these sort of remote areas?
0:42:25 > 0:42:27This is the landscape that we want to be part of
0:42:27 > 0:42:30and want to be involved with managing, so absolutely, yeah.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32Well, I think you've got every chance of success
0:42:32 > 0:42:35and I'm very impressed by the way you've got your foot on the farming ladder.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38- Right, shall we let this lady out? - Yes. She's been very well behaved.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41That's it. Good lass.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50What a wonderful way to farm.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01We spent all our childhood outside.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04It was wonderful.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08There was lots of different birds then.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10BIRDSONG
0:43:11 > 0:43:14We used to go looking for birds' nests in the spring.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Well, the best thing about being outside was being outside.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24Everything seemed so free. We didn't have any money.
0:43:24 > 0:43:25We didn't need money.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31For the last two years, hundreds of childhood memories have been
0:43:31 > 0:43:33collected from people in East Cleveland.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Well, the meadows then, there was that many flowers,
0:43:38 > 0:43:40every kind you could imagine.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43That's why there were so many butterflies.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47And the smell was absolutely gorgeous.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49It was just like the Garden of Eden.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53Depending on the time of year,
0:43:53 > 0:43:56there was always something to go and see.
0:43:56 > 0:44:01We never had any fear or, you know, nothing seemed to bother us.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04We just roamed as far as we could as long as we were back for tea.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09These recordings are part of an ambitious project
0:44:09 > 0:44:11for Teesside Wildlife Trust.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14But far from being a collection of random stories,
0:44:14 > 0:44:17these memories are revealing new insights into the history
0:44:17 > 0:44:22of wildlife, farming and childhood in this stunning landscape.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30Well, as a child, we used to see chaffinch, bullfinch,
0:44:30 > 0:44:33linnets, goldfinch.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36We did see red squirrels.
0:44:36 > 0:44:40We'd see fox, badgers, the hares.
0:44:40 > 0:44:44Down here on the seashore, the rocks, up on the moors.
0:44:44 > 0:44:48Red clover and white clover and meadowsweet.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50All sorts of different flowers.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54All the mice, the moles, the shrews.
0:44:54 > 0:44:58Yellowhammers. Now, they're a bonny little bird, is the yellowhammer.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02The project is called Where the Wild Things Were,
0:45:02 > 0:45:05and Kate Bartram is in charge.
0:45:06 > 0:45:08Kate, why is the project important?
0:45:08 > 0:45:12In our area in East Cleveland, we have very few biological records.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15Particularly anything before the 1990s.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18And when I was going around visiting community groups,
0:45:18 > 0:45:21I'd meet older people who would tell me stories.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24And they would be talking about animals that we don't think
0:45:24 > 0:45:25we have in the landscape any longer,
0:45:25 > 0:45:28like the water voles or the dormice, or red squirrels.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30And somehow, the landscape's changed.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32You need to now link the past to the future.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35So by utilising everybody's memories,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38we get this collective voice about change across our landscape.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40And what have you found?
0:45:40 > 0:45:43These children would get up in the morning and they'd be out all day.
0:45:43 > 0:45:44You know, as eight, nine, ten year olds,
0:45:44 > 0:45:47they would quite happily spend a whole day walking five miles
0:45:47 > 0:45:49following the becks from the sea here,
0:45:49 > 0:45:51all the way up to the moors across there.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53They knew all the bends in the river.
0:45:53 > 0:45:56They can tell us about changes they've seen in fishing streams.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58Just the pure abundance of birds.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01A lot of people talk about how they just used to sit and watch things.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04They would watch where the birds went and where they nested.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07And that whole connectedness with nature has really changed.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12Kate has gathered nearly 40 hours of memories,
0:46:12 > 0:46:16a rich tapestry of information from people who grew up in
0:46:16 > 0:46:20small towns near the coast, the woods, the fields and moors.
0:46:25 > 0:46:30My name is Rita Beckham and I am 81.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32Different days were different things,
0:46:32 > 0:46:35but we always seemed to end up in the beck.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38When we were younger, there appeared to be much more wildlife
0:46:38 > 0:46:40than what there is now.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47Every memory provides vital information about wildlife
0:46:47 > 0:46:51distribution in the past, where certain species could be found
0:46:51 > 0:46:54and how common they were.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57But this collection of memories is also creating a powerful
0:46:57 > 0:47:00social record of a bygone time.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04My name is Eileen Found,
0:47:04 > 0:47:06I am 79 years old.
0:47:06 > 0:47:10Everyone knew about nature in those days
0:47:10 > 0:47:13and it was just complete freedom.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16There was two very large ponds
0:47:16 > 0:47:18and it was full of newts,
0:47:18 > 0:47:23newts with the combs down their backs with orange on their chests.
0:47:23 > 0:47:25I don't know what they were called.
0:47:25 > 0:47:30Boys used to go and collect them, maybe catch up to 50 and put them
0:47:30 > 0:47:34in a bucket and then at the end of the time, put them all back again.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37It was just something to do.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42Since that time, the rules have changed on collecting newts
0:47:42 > 0:47:43and other wildlife,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46but the stories will allow Teesside Wildlife Trust
0:47:46 > 0:47:50to focus their conservation efforts on particular areas in the future.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58Another local contributor to the archive is Don Agar.
0:47:58 > 0:48:02The main thing I would say about my childhood is the freedom
0:48:02 > 0:48:04and ability to just roam.
0:48:07 > 0:48:11Don's free time was spent in the woodland building dens
0:48:11 > 0:48:15and making campfires and he had a special way of getting them lit.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20King Alfred's cakes, or cramp fungus as it is also known,
0:48:20 > 0:48:24grows in these woodlands and makes the perfect fire-lighter,
0:48:24 > 0:48:26as long as you know what you're doing.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32- So you're actually lighting the fire with fungus you've picked from the forest?- Yeah.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35That's a good spark you've got there.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38It's got going, I can see it's red.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40You can see that is just a tiny spark but...
0:48:41 > 0:48:44- It's like a piece of charcoal. - It is, very much the same.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48I use it to cook on so if you are going to go further on to light a fire, you can carry that with you
0:48:48 > 0:48:50and blow on it and you've got a fire going again.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52- It's really warm, isn't it?- Yes.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56I know spots I can go straight to and collect it.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59Got to know loads of things like that, you just know a specific area
0:48:59 > 0:49:03for cramp fungus or crab apples or whatever.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06As you describe it, I can see the little boy in your eyes there.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10- Take you back.- Yes, we had some good fun climbing round here and...
0:49:10 > 0:49:13And we knew the woods, we knew every inch of the woods.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15The way we were at that time,
0:49:15 > 0:49:17we were born to be in the woods I think.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23It's childhood experiences like these that forged a lifelong
0:49:23 > 0:49:26love of the outdoors in Don and the others.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30And their knowledge is invaluable to this oral history project.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33So far, 50 people have contributed their memories.
0:49:35 > 0:49:41My name is John Robert Craggs and I am 82 years old.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44My childhood, it was lovely really.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46Things seemed to be more beautiful.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49Whether it was because I was young, I don't know.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52This is where we used to catch the frogs.
0:49:52 > 0:49:53I took a frog over
0:49:53 > 0:49:58and put it on the edge of the waterfall just to make it jump off.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02I lifted my leg up just to give it a nudge and next thing
0:50:02 > 0:50:06I was flying through the air and down into the stream below.
0:50:06 > 0:50:11I landed flat on my back so I had no bruises or anything.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13The frog was still sat on the top.
0:50:15 > 0:50:18Laughing, probably.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23These stories are a powerful pointer as to how much
0:50:23 > 0:50:25this landscape has changed.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32But they offer something else - a window on childhoods past,
0:50:32 > 0:50:34before they are forgotten forever.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40Now it's time to see what the weather has in store
0:50:40 > 0:50:43for the week ahead, with the Countryfile forecast.
0:52:12 > 0:52:16Sean and I have been exploring the Cleveland Way near the border
0:52:16 > 0:52:18of North Yorkshire and Cleveland.
0:52:18 > 0:52:23It's a 109-mile footpath that takes in the wild North York Moors
0:52:23 > 0:52:26and the beauty of the Yorkshire coast.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32The official guidebook recommends nine days to walk the whole route,
0:52:32 > 0:52:35allowing plenty of time to take in the many impressive
0:52:35 > 0:52:37places along the way.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44But there are some who think nothing of doing the whole thing,
0:52:44 > 0:52:47end-to-end, in one go,
0:52:47 > 0:52:51and give themselves just 36 hours to do it.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57Yes, that's right, some people choose to do the entire
0:52:57 > 0:53:01109-mile trail nonstop through day and night. Wait for me!
0:53:02 > 0:53:06The Hardmoors race series was set up by fitness fanatic Jon Steele
0:53:06 > 0:53:10as the ultimate endurance challenge along the Cleveland Way.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13Today Jon has promised to be gentle with me.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15Thankfully for Poppy the dog and me,
0:53:15 > 0:53:19he is only putting us through a so-called light training session.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25Talk me through the Hardmoors series then - where did it start?
0:53:25 > 0:53:26Why do people do it?
0:53:26 > 0:53:29It started in 2008.
0:53:29 > 0:53:33The first race, we had about 15 runners.
0:53:33 > 0:53:37And people take part in it really purely for the challenge.
0:53:39 > 0:53:40- It's a challenge.- Yes...
0:53:40 > 0:53:42And how many people do it now, the 110?
0:53:42 > 0:53:46We had over 130 runners.
0:53:46 > 0:53:50- BREATHLESSLY: - It's quadrupled in size.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53What is it about this type of event that you love?
0:53:53 > 0:53:54Why do you do it?
0:53:54 > 0:53:57Something about the 110 -
0:53:57 > 0:53:59it's 24 to 36 hours,
0:53:59 > 0:54:04and it's almost living a lifetime in a day, the amount of emotions you go
0:54:04 > 0:54:09through, the highs and lows - as you know - and then the highs again.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12What is it like running this route in the dark?
0:54:12 > 0:54:14Quite spectacular.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18When you look to one side you can see the lights of Middlesbrough
0:54:18 > 0:54:23and civilisation, and on the other side you have miles and miles
0:54:23 > 0:54:28of desolate moorland, so it is quite a cosy feeling.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31- Cosy is an interesting word.- Yes.
0:54:32 > 0:54:36This area where we are running at the moment is one of my favourites
0:54:36 > 0:54:41and not so far away from here is where I actually got married.
0:54:45 > 0:54:49And we also held a seven-mile running race the next day
0:54:49 > 0:54:52over these very hills.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54All dressed up in wedding gear.
0:54:54 > 0:54:56You're dedicated. HE LAUGHS
0:54:58 > 0:55:02It's fair to say this route holds a very special place in Jon's heart.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05The Hardmoor runners have adopted their own three sections
0:55:05 > 0:55:08of the Cleveland Way to do their bit for its upkeep.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11I would love to stay and help, but I've got a date to keep.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14How far is it to the coast?
0:55:14 > 0:55:15About 20 miles.
0:55:17 > 0:55:1820 miles?
0:55:18 > 0:55:20Right, I'd better pick up the pace if I am going to meet Sean
0:55:20 > 0:55:23there by the end of the programme.
0:55:23 > 0:55:24Come on, team.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33Well, so much for Helen.
0:55:33 > 0:55:35At least I've made it on time.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41- What are you doing just hanging around?- You finally made it!
0:55:41 > 0:55:43Have you come from far?
0:55:43 > 0:55:44All the way from the car park.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46I was going to lie and say I did the 20 miles
0:55:46 > 0:55:48but I couldn't do it to you.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50That's so Helen. All over.
0:55:50 > 0:55:52Efficient, I think I'd like to say.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55Yes, that's it for today's programme. Next week, Ellie and Matt
0:55:55 > 0:55:57are going to be in the Brecklands of Suffolk and Norfolk.
0:55:57 > 0:55:58Yes, they will be looking at
0:55:58 > 0:56:01a major push to save some of our rarest species
0:56:01 > 0:56:04and finding out why the Brecks are surprisingly good for farming.
0:56:04 > 0:56:06I was saving my energy for the final race of the day.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08- Go!- Agh!