0:00:26 > 0:00:30With breathtaking views as far as the eye can see,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33County Durham is a beautiful place.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40It's also the county I like to call home.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Now, I try to get up here to the Durham Dales whenever I can,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46but I'm back here this week for a very special reason.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I'm helping my mum out as the lambing season gets under way and
0:00:49 > 0:00:51this Mothering Sunday, well,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53I've got a nice little treat for her.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Come on, you lot! You're going to miss out.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Beyond our farm, Ellie's exploring one of Britain's
0:01:04 > 0:01:07great undiscovered secrets.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10These ghostly remains are all that's left
0:01:10 > 0:01:12of a farming community
0:01:12 > 0:01:17that once worked this spectacular but inhospitable terrain.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20But what happened to the families that lived here?
0:01:20 > 0:01:22That's what I'll be finding out.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Tom's investigating the thefts of some of our favourite animals.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Working dogs like Megan are much more than pets.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Whether gun dogs or sheepdogs,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41they're a critical part of the business of the countryside.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43But, as I'll be finding out later,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46that value has made them the target of thieves
0:01:46 > 0:01:47and organised crime.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51And Adam's meeting an unusual double act.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Now, these two aren't your average farm animals.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57This is a cria, a baby alpaca,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59and this little lamb is a blacknose.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03And it's the first of its kind ever to be born in the UK.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Which makes you rather special, doesn't it?
0:02:05 > 0:02:06LAMB BLEATS
0:02:13 > 0:02:17The infinite beauty of County Durham.
0:02:17 > 0:02:23Uninterrupted, but for a handful of isolated farmsteads.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25To the west of the county, the land becomes rugged,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29as rolling pasture on the outskirts of Durham gives way to the
0:02:29 > 0:02:32open moorland of the Durham Dales.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Silent, desolate, invigorating.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41A landscape that I grew up in.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Now, I absolutely love this place, but, to be honest with you,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48I didn't really appreciate the Durham Dales until I left.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53And I find they're like a magnet that just keeps drawing me back.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Mum and Dad moved here from the former mining town of Easington
0:02:56 > 0:02:58when I was a young lad.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00And it's somewhere I escape to whenever I can with my kids,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03so they can experience the natural wonders that
0:03:03 > 0:03:05I had on my doorstep as a youngster.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11'But, today, that's not why I'm here.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15'I'm going to give my mum the day off.'
0:03:15 > 0:03:17- Aww!- This is your Mother's Day breakfast.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19- Oh, my word.- There we are.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Now, that's a small butty, isn't it, sweetheart?
0:03:21 > 0:03:24I know. Let me just grab me cup of tea.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- Aww, that's really nice, thank you. - That's all right.- That's all right.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30'Mothering Sunday was traditionally a day when children returned
0:03:30 > 0:03:32'to their home church,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34'a visit that reunited them with their mothers.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37'Today, though, it's a day when we show our mums
0:03:37 > 0:03:39'how much they mean to us.'
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Right, if you need anything just holler.
0:03:42 > 0:03:43- I will.- As usual.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45SHE LAUGHS
0:03:48 > 0:03:52It's not just my mum that's getting some extra attention today.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55There's a whole load of expectant mums
0:03:55 > 0:03:59down in the lambing shed that need a little bit of extra TLC.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04We keep one of the most northerly flocks
0:04:04 > 0:04:07of Hampshire Downs in the country.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09The young male tups are out in the pastures at the moment,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13as all of the focus is on the ewes.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16So all these girls in here, they're first-time lambers,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19and they've been put to a young tup, so it's a very exciting
0:04:19 > 0:04:22time for us to see what the offspring's going to look like.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24And, speaking of which, this little fellow here
0:04:24 > 0:04:26was born first thing this morning
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and you can see already her instinct is kicking in.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31She's stamping her foot.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34She just wants us to keep our distance, which we will, my darling.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36I was just giving you a bit of breakfast.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38There we are.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45'Since these girls are inside, ready to lamb,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48'they get spoiled with a mixture of hard feed
0:04:48 > 0:04:50'and home-grown hay.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:51There's a lot of goodness in that.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Would you like some?
0:04:53 > 0:04:54Of course you would.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57I'll shove it in the top there.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59'Because this is a pedigree flock,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'the newborn females will stay on the farm for breeding,
0:05:02 > 0:05:04'joining the rest of the Baker clan -
0:05:04 > 0:05:06'a flock of Hebrideans,
0:05:06 > 0:05:07'our Cairn terriers,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09'Beano the pony,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11'our Border collie Monty,
0:05:11 > 0:05:12'Riffraff the farm cat...'
0:05:12 > 0:05:16And this lot. My mum's pride and joy.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Say hello to Augustine, to Winifred.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21There you are, my dear.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24I'll carry on going along here, because, hopefully,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27you'll be able to meet little Luna and Sofia.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29These are all miniature donkeys.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32And welcome to the miniature stable yard.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Where the stable doors are only knee-high.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36HE LAUGHS
0:05:36 > 0:05:39'Today, the miniature donkeys have an appointment
0:05:39 > 0:05:41'with the local farrier.'
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Come on, Winifred. Come on, my dear.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Right, Winifred is off to see the jack very shortly,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50so hopefully she'll be having a foal around this time next year.
0:05:50 > 0:05:51So, she has to look her best.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54And, Tom, you're going to do Winnie, aren't you?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56It's quite an interesting part of
0:05:56 > 0:05:58your apprenticeship, I guess, doing this?
0:05:58 > 0:05:59Yes, it is, you get to see
0:05:59 > 0:06:02all different types, all different sizes of things.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03So, essentially there, Tom,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05you're just filing down,
0:06:05 > 0:06:06almost like cutting fingernails.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09But would you ever be in the situation where you'd
0:06:09 > 0:06:11think about putting a tiny little shoe on there?
0:06:11 > 0:06:12Not on a little donkey like this,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14cos its rate of growth is normally
0:06:14 > 0:06:17greater than its rate of wear.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19But a donkey in other countries when they're getting rode
0:06:19 > 0:06:22and doing a lot of miles on the roads,
0:06:22 > 0:06:26- then you might have to put a shoe on just for protection.- Yeah.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28There's a queue here now, look.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34It's like a nail bar.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36'To complete Winifred's pedicure,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38'some nail varnish to keep her
0:06:38 > 0:06:40'hooves in tiptop condition.'
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Well, there we are, my dear, I think you're done.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45- What do you think, Mum?- Delighted.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49- Yes?- Absolutely. Well done, Tom. Thank you very much.- No bother.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56'Now, on many farms, working dogs are worth their weight in gold,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58'but as our Tom's been finding out,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01'that's making them a target for thieves.'
0:07:05 > 0:07:07MAN WHISTLES AND CALLS TO DOG
0:07:10 > 0:07:13'For any farmer, a dog is a loyal companion
0:07:13 > 0:07:17'and an indispensable part of everyday working life.'
0:07:19 > 0:07:22To be this good, working dogs like Dan here have had months,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25sometimes years of costly training.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29On top of that, they tend to come from pricey pedigree stock
0:07:29 > 0:07:32and, when you put all those things together,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35they are extremely valuable animals.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38But, across the countryside, there are increasing reports of dogs
0:07:38 > 0:07:42going missing, and, it seems, many are being stolen.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45- They're already looking excited. - Yes.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48These are all champion stud dogs of ours.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52'Will and Sue Clulee are gun dog trainers and breeders.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56'A couple of years ago, nine cocker and springer spaniel puppies
0:07:56 > 0:07:59'were taken from their premises in Worcestershire.'
0:07:59 > 0:08:01So who have we got here?
0:08:01 > 0:08:04That's Murphy, he won the championships last year.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07And who have you got in your arms here? Future champion?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Hope so, that would be lovely.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Well, they are beautiful dogs and I'm sure they're very well trained,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14as well, for the job in mind.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16But tell me what happened here a few years back.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Sue was out working, I went out picking up some dog food.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22When we got back,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26the puppy kennels, which are just behind us,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28the locks was all broken off
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and two litters of puppies were stolen.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34And what was the first thing you thought when you heard about this?
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Really, just sheer shock,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39cos it's our livelihood, there's a lot of work that goes into
0:08:39 > 0:08:42these puppies and rearing them and caring for them every day,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44seven days a week.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Do you think the police took it seriously?
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Um...
0:08:47 > 0:08:51It took them a day to come out.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53And really, never did a lot,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55just gave us a crime number, really,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58and they had a bit of a look round, but nothing major.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I know this isn't just about the business,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02but you do run a business here.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Could you put a figure on what was lost?
0:09:04 > 0:09:07It was a few thousand, quite a few thousand.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- Five or ten?- Ten.- Really?
0:09:10 > 0:09:12- That's a lot of money.- Yeah.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15What's your personal belief as to what happened to them?
0:09:15 > 0:09:19I think ours was a proper set for the gun dog world.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23We've got some of the top breeding lines in the country
0:09:23 > 0:09:25and I think that's what they was targeted for.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29To protect these champion spaniels and their precious puppies,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Will and Sue have now added locks, alarms,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36and even installed CCTV cameras on the premises.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40The Clulees felt that help from the police was limited,
0:09:40 > 0:09:44but swiftly discovered a number of organisations, charities
0:09:44 > 0:09:47and businesses which are set up to help find your dog.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50So, how do they work?
0:09:51 > 0:09:54'Well, some do their work for free,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56'offering advice and support and
0:09:56 > 0:09:58'publicising the loss of your dog,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00'both locally and nationally.'
0:10:00 > 0:10:01Good dog.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05'But, for a price, you can get an even more personal service.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10'Stephanie Kent-Nye is a kind of Sherlock Holmes of the dog world,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12'running a business that tries to reunite
0:10:12 > 0:10:16'lost or stolen dogs with their owners.'
0:10:16 > 0:10:18- That's another one up. - Yes, all done.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22- How effective do you think the posters are?- It can vary, really.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25It depends on whether an animal's disappeared
0:10:25 > 0:10:27and has just strayed or whether it's been stolen.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30How widespread do you think this crime is?
0:10:30 > 0:10:34It's certainly, in our experience, happening daily.
0:10:34 > 0:10:35Really? That often?
0:10:35 > 0:10:39So, beyond posters, what do you do to actually get dogs back?
0:10:39 > 0:10:41SHE LAUGHS
0:10:41 > 0:10:45If only I could tell you all of it. There's a lot we do.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49We actually have a website where we inform all the authorities
0:10:49 > 0:10:52through whose hands a dog could appear.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Vets, rescue centres, dog wardens.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58And then we do further investigative work.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Quite often, because people are less worried about speaking to us
0:11:02 > 0:11:05than they maybe would be to the police,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08we can pick up information and we are then able to act on that
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and then work very closely with the police with what we're doing.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- Do you ever give up on them? - No, we never give up on them.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Because, for a lot of people, dogs are one down from their children.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22There's a massive emotional investment in your dog.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24They're family.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26And that's how most people see them.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29'There are as many as ten million working
0:11:29 > 0:11:31'and pet dogs across the UK.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34'One in three homes have at least one.'
0:11:34 > 0:11:37No official figures exist for the number of stolen dogs,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40but one national organisation, DogLost,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44said they had 12,000 reported to them as lost last year
0:11:44 > 0:11:46and they reckon, out of those,
0:11:46 > 0:11:493,000 or so were stolen.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51This is just their best estimate.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54But DogLost say they are seeing a substantial
0:11:54 > 0:11:56increase in rural dog thefts.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58WHISTLE BLOWS
0:11:58 > 0:11:59Good boy.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01'Tim Bonner of the Countryside Alliance
0:12:01 > 0:12:03'believes that, in rural communities,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05'a broad range of dogs are at risk -
0:12:05 > 0:12:08'not just gun dogs, but sheepdogs,
0:12:08 > 0:12:10'terriers and lurchers too.'
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Why is it you think dogs like Otter
0:12:13 > 0:12:16are so liable to be stolen at the moment?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Well, the shooting industry has grown really significantly
0:12:19 > 0:12:22over the last few decades and there's a lot of people
0:12:22 > 0:12:24involved in this, a lot of money involved, frankly.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And I'm afraid that whilst most of us see a dog as a pet,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30they've also become a commodity, they're really valuable,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32they're worth thousands and thousands of pounds,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34because of the effort that goes in to train one
0:12:34 > 0:12:35to get it to that standard.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37What evidence do you have that it is worsening?
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Is it anecdotal or are there actual figures?
0:12:40 > 0:12:41It's largely anecdotal, I think.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43You're seeing, if you look at the shooting media,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45if you're talking to people in the field,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47especially in certain parts of the country,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50south-east of England, there's been particular issues,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52where it is being reported very regularly now.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55And when a Labrador will go for £3,000, £4,000
0:12:55 > 0:12:58when it's fully trained, I suppose you can unfortunately see
0:12:58 > 0:13:01why the temptation's there for people.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05'So, with working dogs commanding such high prices,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08'it seems that some people want to bypass the time,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12'cost and expertise involved in their training.'
0:13:12 > 0:13:14MAN CALLS AND WHISTLES TO DOG
0:13:18 > 0:13:22I find this level of command and understanding between a handler
0:13:22 > 0:13:25and a working dog truly impressive.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29But it's that level of training which people are prepared to pay for,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33steal for, and, as I'll be finding out later,
0:13:33 > 0:13:38some people will go to extraordinary lengths to get their dog back.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50'I'm exploring the spectacular scenery of Weardale.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'Stretching eastwards from the North Pennines,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00'it's a rural heartland that still bears the imprint
0:14:00 > 0:14:01'of its industrial past.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06'In the 19th century,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10'Weardale was at the forefront of County Durham's lead mining boom.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13'At its peak, more than 30 mines operated here,
0:14:13 > 0:14:17'employing thousands of men.'
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Walking through these fells with just these sheep
0:14:19 > 0:14:22and a few lapwings for company,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24it's really hard to imagine that this was once
0:14:24 > 0:14:26a thriving hub of industry,
0:14:26 > 0:14:30filled with miners and their families.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33But, as you roam this dramatic landscape,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36you begin to notice haunting relics of the past.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47'Scattered across Weardale's steep slopes are the melancholy
0:14:47 > 0:14:51'remains of dozens of abandoned farmhouses.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56'Local author Chris Ruskin has researched their history.'
0:14:56 > 0:14:59I call them farms, but they're really smallholdings,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02because most of the people couldn't make ends meet on
0:15:02 > 0:15:06a small farm like this and so they always had another job.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09So, they were lead miner farmers.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11During the sort of 1880s,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14the price of lead fell tremendously
0:15:14 > 0:15:16and the lead mines closed.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20And so you had all these empty houses.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22And no tenants, because nobody is going to move up here
0:15:22 > 0:15:24if there are no jobs.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26And they've just started falling down.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Is it not prime real estate, these lovely old buildings?
0:15:29 > 0:15:30Could they not be developed?
0:15:30 > 0:15:32It's very difficult to get planning permission.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Then, once you've got through that hurdle,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37it's extremely expensive to do them up, because you've got to
0:15:37 > 0:15:39bring electricity, you've got to bring the roads.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41You've got to bring water.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Because there are no facilities.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52'You had to be made of stern stuff to live in these remote farms.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55'Mary Bell's family were quarrymen farmers.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59'They lived at Low Allers until the 1950s.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03'At 83, she's spent her life in these fells.'
0:16:03 > 0:16:05So, Mary, tell me, what was life like,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07growing up down in Low Allers there?
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- It must have been chilly. - Oh, it was very tough, very tough.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Wintertime was the worst.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Me brother and me dad,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18they had the army coats on to go up on the fell.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21And, of course, when they came back and took the coats off,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23the coats just stood up.
0:16:23 > 0:16:24They were frozen stiff.
0:16:24 > 0:16:25Were there any luxuries?
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Did you have any flushing loos, anything like that?
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Oh, no, no! No flush toilet.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Just an earth closet with two holes in, different sizes.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37And one was for a child,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39one was for the mother and father.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44- And the hole just went out into the river?- Not all of it.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46But, when the water was in flood,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49it used to funnel up the hole,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and you could feel it splashing your bottom!
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- Who needs a bidet, when you've got the river!- Exactly!
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Wowzers. Do you miss life down there?
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Well, I do, really, cos I just love it down there. You know?
0:17:02 > 0:17:03You've got the river.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05It's a lovely spot, really.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Nestled at the bottom of the slope,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15under the watchful eye of Mary, Low Allers has fared better than
0:17:15 > 0:17:18many of the isolated farms in these fells.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22But now a remarkable scheme is under way to preserve
0:17:22 > 0:17:24this part of Weardale's evocative heritage
0:17:24 > 0:17:28and give one of these forsaken homes a new life.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32A team of conservationists plan to dismantle these
0:17:32 > 0:17:34farm buildings stone by stone and rebuild them
0:17:34 > 0:17:39at a new site at the Beamish Open Air Museum near Durham.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Leading the project is Clara Woolford.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Why have you chosen this one?
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Because it's a typical example of a Weardale farm.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It's because it's quite ordinary that we thought it was special.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Also, that it's got its roof largely intact,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58so the interiors are pretty well protected from the elements.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00So, that means we have something to work with
0:18:00 > 0:18:02when we come to recreate it back at Beamish.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05How do you go about replicating it? How do you move a building?
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It's a very long process.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10We start off by recording it, so we do architectural drawings.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12We've done a 3-D survey,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15so that gives us a 3-D computerised image to work with.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18And then we start to dismantle it.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21So it won't just resemble it, it will actually be the same building?
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Yes, hopefully, that's the idea.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25We'll retain not just the building and how it looks,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27but its character, as well.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29- Can we take a look inside? - Of course. Yes.- I'll follow you.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Oh, wow. So we need these hard hats in here, don't we?
0:18:35 > 0:18:37There's a few obstacles and dangers.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40- So, what would have gone on in this room?- This was the back kitchen.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42This is where they did all their cooking and their washing.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46So, all the cooking happened on this range here, even in the 1950s.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48There was no electricity here.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50They had pylons running through their land, but they weren't
0:18:50 > 0:18:53connected to the National Grid, cos that was too expensive.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55How incredible. So there's another room through there?
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- Yes.- Will you lead me on?
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Crumbs. What about this room? What happened in here?
0:19:03 > 0:19:06This would have been the main living room, where the family would
0:19:06 > 0:19:08have done the eating and dining in here.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10And this is lino, is it?
0:19:10 > 0:19:12This is the original lino.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14It's a nice pattern, isn't it? How old is it?
0:19:14 > 0:19:16It's lovely. We've got layers of it.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19So, we think that the earliest could be 1930s
0:19:19 > 0:19:22and then there's more 1950s-style things.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24So what about all this earth?
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- What have you got to do with all this?- This isn't actually earth.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- It's sheep poo. - All this is sheep poo?
0:19:29 > 0:19:30This is sheep poo.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33This is about 60 years' worth of sheep poo.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36So, after the farm was fully abandoned,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39the sheep moved in and within all of the poo, we are
0:19:39 > 0:19:41finding objects that have been left behind
0:19:41 > 0:19:43by the family that used to live here.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45So, what sort of things have you found here, then?
0:19:45 > 0:19:48This is a boot that we found. It's been really well loved.
0:19:48 > 0:19:49How old is it, do you think?
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- Possibly made between 1930, 1950 by Barbour.- Wow.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57One of my favourite things that we keep finding are hair curlers.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01I really like the idea that she's busy doing her hair,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03even though it's really windy and horrible up here.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07- She's still got her hair curlers in. - Still looking fabulous. I love that.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10You guys have been working up here, presumably, in all weathers.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- How have you found things? It's tough?- It's very windy.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16We've got all kinds of problems with sheeting the roof,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18getting scaffolding down here.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20It is a challenge.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27When the Beamish project is complete,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29this farm will find a new home at the museum -
0:20:29 > 0:20:33a fitting testament to generations of Weardale families
0:20:33 > 0:20:36who defied the elements and harsh terrain
0:20:36 > 0:20:40to make a life in this stunning but unyielding landscape.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48From the remote uplands of County Durham
0:20:48 > 0:20:51to the Worcestershire countryside where, a few months back,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Jules caught up with a group of enthusiasts
0:20:53 > 0:20:56indulging in their passion for steam.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03It's a heart-warming sight -
0:21:03 > 0:21:07a steam train chuffing through the lush green landscape.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10A puff of nostalgia from a bygone era.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14But, the axing of branch lines in 1963 by the infamous
0:21:14 > 0:21:18Dr Beeching spelt disaster for many of our railways.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20But, even as the axe fell,
0:21:20 > 0:21:25people here at the Severn Valley were working hard to keep the line open,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28as a private railway, safe for future generations.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31And that means that, for the last 50 years,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34volunteers have been working tirelessly, not only to save
0:21:34 > 0:21:36the line from relative obscurity,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38but, in so doing, to transform it
0:21:38 > 0:21:42into one of the best heritage railways anywhere in the country.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50The original 40 miles of track were built between 1858 and 1862,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53primarily to transport agricultural cargo
0:21:53 > 0:21:55and coal from the neighbouring collieries.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00Nowadays, the 16 miles of preserved line run from Kidderminster to
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Bridgnorth in Shropshire, with a cargo of tourists.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05For the first few weeks of the year,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07the railway is closed to the public,
0:22:07 > 0:22:08so it's all hands to the pumps
0:22:08 > 0:22:11to get the essential winter maintenance work complete.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13This means a lot of hard graft
0:22:13 > 0:22:17for the man in charge of the tracks, Chris Bond.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20You can see how the elements are taking their toll.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- The vegetation must be a real headache.- It is.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26It's not only the vegetation on the structures that causes
0:22:26 > 0:22:29problems, but we have 32 miles of lineside to maintain
0:22:29 > 0:22:34and that is, in the main, done with volunteer labour. It is a big task.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38And what's your anticipated spend on this viaduct?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41We're anticipating in the area of half a million pounds.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- That's a lot of visitors, isn't it? - It is. It's a lot of tickets.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46- It's a good job I'm volunteering for you.- Well done.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48You can have it for free.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52'To get a viaduct like this checked over takes some daredevil techniques.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54'I'm hanging out with Bob Smith,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57'who's assessing what work needs to be done here
0:22:57 > 0:23:00'at Falling Sands Viaduct.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03'Let's hope that's the only thing that's falling.'
0:23:03 > 0:23:06There are many ways to enjoy an historic monument...
0:23:06 > 0:23:10I think abseiling down one has to be one of the finest.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15With 13 services a day carrying up to 4,000 people at the height
0:23:15 > 0:23:21of the season, keeping these historic structures in good nick is crucial.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Let's swing round.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Whee, there we are.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28This is where we find most of our problems.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31There's some holes already visible.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Yeah, this is where the mortar's been damaged by ivy
0:23:34 > 0:23:37and the water's doing quite a lot of damage.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40It just needs a bit of TLC, and I've got just the guys for that.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42THEY LAUGH
0:23:44 > 0:23:48As well as the track to maintain, there are 28 steam locomotives
0:23:48 > 0:23:51and around 60 passenger coaches to consider.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Here in the goods shed,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57the volunteers work tirelessly to get things looking shipshape.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04'They are currently working on an original 1936 buffet car.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07'It's made from teak from Burma,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10'and this one's got one rather unusual feature.'
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- There it is, look.- That's it!
0:24:13 > 0:24:17'The Burmese would often shoot at the trees, damaging the product,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'in order to deprive the government of export taxes.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23'Hugh McQuade is showing me the bullet hole to prove it.'
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- So, that was shot in Burma. - That's right.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29And they found the bullet and hole.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32They only ordered one tree, and, having planked the tree up,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34it was too late to order another one.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38So, we filled the hole up and carried on using it.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Each carriage gets renovated every seven years or so.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45James here is using an original fitting as a template to make
0:24:45 > 0:24:47new bull's-eye lamps.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51The seats are being reupholstered in a Festival of Britain fabric
0:24:51 > 0:24:54that was widely used on the coaches in the 1940s.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58But these traditional skills are hard to come by.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01The railway currently has 1,200 volunteers
0:25:01 > 0:25:05and around 18 paid staff and they're looking for new recruits.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08You've got to be able to do carpentry, plumbing, glazing,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12signwriting, painting, electrical work, upholstery.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15But you're 65 when you start working for me
0:25:15 > 0:25:19and I work you until you are too old to work.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21But we're trying to develop apprentices,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24so we can teach these skills to younger people.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29'They're advertising now for apprentice positions in September,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32'so check our website for details.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36'Out in the carriage shed, you get a real sense of the nostalgia
0:25:36 > 0:25:39'this bunch work so hard to preserve.'
0:25:39 > 0:25:45This is a Great Western third-class coach from 1916.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Go on in.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50It's a real slice of Agatha Christie, isn't it?
0:25:53 > 0:25:57'But, if you were stinking rich, you could hire the whole coach
0:25:57 > 0:26:00'and treat it as your own limousine.'
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Now, this I wasn't actually expecting.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05This is extraordinary, isn't it?
0:26:05 > 0:26:06When was this originally built?
0:26:06 > 0:26:08This one was built in 1912.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- So, it's the year of the Titanic going down?- Yes.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14You might have travelled from Paddington to catch
0:26:14 > 0:26:15Titanic in this coach.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22The Severn Valley is a testament to the history of the railways.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25When it was built, its lifespan was uncertain.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29But the volunteers here are doing a first-class job to preserve
0:26:29 > 0:26:31the golden age of steam for ever.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43I'm back on home turf in the stunning county of Durham,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45home to arresting landscapes,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48a lost world of industry...
0:26:48 > 0:26:50And not forgetting my mum.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Now, it's fair to say that, up on our farm, my mum rules the roost.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57But, thankfully, she's given me a bit of time off so I can come over
0:26:57 > 0:27:01to this East Durham village where mums are most definitely in charge.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06At 65 years young, the Wheatley Hill Mother's Club
0:27:06 > 0:27:08has been faithfully serving the local community
0:27:08 > 0:27:14since it was founded on the advice of a health visitor in 1949.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Their aim was, and still is,
0:27:16 > 0:27:20to promote people's enjoyment of the area, and protect its green spaces,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23something for which they've developed a fearsome reputation.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25WOMAN LAUGHS
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Is it fair to say, in the nicest possible way,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31you are a bit of a Mums Mafia?
0:27:31 > 0:27:32Yes.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Actually, funnily enough, funnily enough,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39- that's what me brother-in-law calls us.- Right!
0:27:39 > 0:27:40LAUGHTER
0:27:40 > 0:27:44- He says that I'm the Godfather and these are capos.- Well...
0:27:44 > 0:27:46LAUGHTER
0:27:46 > 0:27:49I can see where he's coming from. I think it fits perfectly.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- But if you look at the beautiful countryside...- Oh, it's gorgeous.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Now, actually, they wanted to build a landfill site on there
0:27:56 > 0:28:00and we protested and we walked round and stopped them,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05because we thought, come on, we've had pit sites for years
0:28:05 > 0:28:08and we're just getting the place nice,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10so let's keep it like this.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Since the pit closed,
0:28:12 > 0:28:17we've been the driving force behind trying to keep this village going.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19- Just keep the community strong.- Yes.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23So, obviously... You have to be a mother, then, to be part of this?
0:28:23 > 0:28:24- No, no.- Oh, hang...
0:28:24 > 0:28:27In 1980, we changed that rule,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30purely because we had ladies in...
0:28:30 > 0:28:32They were lonely and they didn't have any family.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34And so we changed the rule.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37So now, you just have to be a woman.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42And do you see... There's obviously a mix of ages here as well.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45- How old are you?- 28. - You're 28, right.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47I guess it must be nice for you to socialise
0:28:47 > 0:28:50- with the more experienced members.- Yes!
0:28:50 > 0:28:52'89-year-old Vera was one of the
0:28:52 > 0:28:54'founding 12 who formed the club.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56'More than half a century later,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59'she never misses a Wednesday night social.'
0:28:59 > 0:29:01I guess, whatever you're going through in your life,
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Vera, you've been there, you've done it.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07- I've been there, I've got the jumper. - Good for you.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10While other mothers' clubs have come and gone here,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Wheatley Hill's has grown in strength,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15and I'm helping today's members plant a tree
0:29:15 > 0:29:20to celebrate 65 years of their club's indomitable community spirit.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22It has been an inspiration to meet you all.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25And a very happy Mother's Day to all of you.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Now, earlier we heard about the rise in thefts of both pets
0:29:36 > 0:29:38and working dogs in the countryside.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42But what's being done to retrieve them? Tom's been finding out.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44WHISTLE
0:29:44 > 0:29:47With the rise in popularity of field sports,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51gun dogs in particular have become a valuable commodity.
0:29:51 > 0:29:56And as the thieves get ever bolder, this is a crime that pulls not
0:29:56 > 0:30:00just on the purse strings, but the heartstrings, too.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03I've come to the West Country to meet Jess Ward
0:30:03 > 0:30:05and her springer and cocker spaniels.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08- Do they have different strengths, these dogs?- Definitely all different.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12- They have different jobs. - What are their different talents?
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Four months ago, Jess and her partner Tim came home to find these dogs
0:30:16 > 0:30:18had been stolen.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20A few weeks later they received a demand.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22We had a phone call from someone
0:30:22 > 0:30:27saying they had our two springer spaniels, asking for £2,000.
0:30:27 > 0:30:32This wasn't a reward - their dogs were being held for ransom.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Tim had the call and he asked them to find our other two dogs
0:30:35 > 0:30:40- and then we would talk about money. - What were you thinking and feeling?
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Knowing that they didn't actually find them loose,
0:30:43 > 0:30:47I knew they'd stolen them, just very angry that they could
0:30:47 > 0:30:50ask for so much money, and they're our dogs.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52We shouldn't be paying for them to get them back.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Fortunately, with the help of the police, a few months later
0:30:57 > 0:31:01they were reunited with all four dogs.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05So overall, how's this whole episode over the last four months,
0:31:05 > 0:31:07how's it left you feeling?
0:31:07 > 0:31:09Still angry that someone could steal our dogs,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11but we're so happy to have them back.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14We didn't think we'd see any of them again.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Jess and Tim were lucky. But dog-napping, with animals
0:31:18 > 0:31:20held to ransom, is an increasing problem
0:31:20 > 0:31:23for people like Stephanie Kent-Nye,
0:31:23 > 0:31:25who runs a business tracking down stolen animals.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29We had a case a while ago, we had a group of dogs,
0:31:29 > 0:31:34a ransom got paid on one, the others got back for nothing.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36But it happens.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39In cases like these, Stephanie can find herself
0:31:39 > 0:31:42negotiating for the return of the stolen animal.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45It's a controversial area, where there's a fine line
0:31:45 > 0:31:49between offering a reward and paying a ransom.
0:31:49 > 0:31:54Rewards are an unfortunate reality of dog theft.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57We totally disagree with paying them because it just highlights
0:31:57 > 0:32:00the problem for people to go and steal more dogs.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03If we can recover a dog without paying a reward, that is
0:32:03 > 0:32:08the ultimate goal, but on occasion it does happen.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10And it happens that you have to get involved?
0:32:10 > 0:32:13- Absolutely.- But do you not feel in that case that you
0:32:13 > 0:32:17are encouraging and providing a sort of financial incentive for theft?
0:32:17 > 0:32:20As you say, don't you become part of the problem?
0:32:20 > 0:32:24No, it's something we'll discuss with each individual case,
0:32:24 > 0:32:28with each individual owner and we will give them advice according
0:32:28 > 0:32:32to their actual situation, because no two dog thefts are the same.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36It's something that has to be handled with great tact and care
0:32:36 > 0:32:39because it's just going to exacerbate the problem.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Certainly, for the police,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45handing money over to dog thieves encourages the crime.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49Sergeant Simon Clemett is from Gloucestershire Constabulary.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51What do you think about the payment of ransoms?
0:32:51 > 0:32:54From a police point of view I would say do not pay ransoms
0:32:54 > 0:32:56to get your dogs back.
0:32:56 > 0:32:57Can I understand why people do that?
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Yes, I can. However, contact the police,
0:33:00 > 0:33:03give them all the information you can and we will work to arrest
0:33:03 > 0:33:06the people involved in stealing that animal in the first place.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09If we start arresting people, if we start prosecuting them,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11taking them to court
0:33:11 > 0:33:14and hopefully jailing them, the message will soon go out,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17you do not steal dogs and demand ransoms to get them back.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23But some dog owners clearly feel that handing over cash
0:33:23 > 0:33:26is still the best way of getting their dogs back.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28So should the police be doing more?
0:33:28 > 0:33:32How do the police treat the theft of working dogs?
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Well, obviously the theft of a working dog is treated in the same
0:33:35 > 0:33:36way as any other theft.
0:33:36 > 0:33:41Having said that, the difference here is that working dogs,
0:33:41 > 0:33:45dogs in general, are probably the most expensive
0:33:45 > 0:33:49piece of property people have, and very often members of the public
0:33:49 > 0:33:52don't see that - they don't see that the financial value
0:33:52 > 0:33:55of the dog on top of the emotional value makes that
0:33:55 > 0:33:58a very important piece of property.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01People have said to us the police don't treat it seriously enough.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04- Are you taking it seriously enough? - Yes, I think... I think there is
0:34:04 > 0:34:06certainly an element of that...um...
0:34:06 > 0:34:09So you agree that the police could do a little bit more?
0:34:09 > 0:34:12I think so. I think we need to recognise that the impact
0:34:12 > 0:34:15on the individual or a family or even a business
0:34:15 > 0:34:18when a dog is stolen is absolutely massive.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Dog theft is not only a difficult crime to solve - it's also hard
0:34:22 > 0:34:27to identify which dogs are stolen and which have simply gone missing.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32That said, the most senior wildlife crime officer in the country
0:34:32 > 0:34:36was keen to reassure us that allegations of dog theft will be
0:34:36 > 0:34:40taken seriously, but says that owners also have a vital role
0:34:40 > 0:34:44to play in keeping their pets safe and secure.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47It seems at last the fight-back is on,
0:34:47 > 0:34:51giving these prized and much-loved animals
0:34:51 > 0:34:54the protection they truly deserve.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09The Cornish countryside has some of the UK's best farmland,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12with many different breeds of livestock thriving here.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Nestled in the heart of Bodmin Moor,
0:35:16 > 0:35:20an alpaca farm has introduced some new foreign visitors.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22They're the first of their kind in the UK
0:35:22 > 0:35:25and it's a breed Adam's extremely pleased to see.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30These sheep are really special to me because I saw them for the first
0:35:30 > 0:35:34time about 18 months ago in the Swiss Alps in the Valais region.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38And they left a lasting impression on me because, well, just look at them!
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Their amazing faces and horns.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43And where they live in Switzerland is just incredible.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47And now, they have made this little Cornish farm their home.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49These wonderful blacknose sheep
0:35:49 > 0:35:52have arrived in the UK for the very first time.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58I am particularly proud to see them because it was a journey that
0:35:58 > 0:36:01I made that inspired a couple to bring this flock to Britain.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05In August 2012, I saw some pretty extreme farming,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07high in the Alps in Switzerland.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Thousands of blacknose sheep
0:36:09 > 0:36:12returned from the mountains in Valais before the onset of winter.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17I thought farming sheep in the Cotswolds was quite hard work,
0:36:17 > 0:36:18but take a look at this!
0:36:18 > 0:36:22They are bringing 1,200 sheep off the side of this mountain,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24down this path and over the ravine.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26It is just absolutely remarkable.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31It was an unforgettable trip that I was lucky to share with
0:36:31 > 0:36:33the Countryfile viewers.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34And I'm glad I did,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37because Cornish alpaca farmers Emma and Stuart Collison
0:36:37 > 0:36:40fell in love with this breed the minute they saw them.
0:36:43 > 0:36:48- Hi, Emma.- Hi.- Hi, Stuart. Good to see you.- Nice to meet you.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51- Oh, aren't they lovely!- They are. - It's incredible to see them.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54In fact, with this view, it is almost like the Swiss Alps, isn't it?
0:36:54 > 0:36:56It's not far off. We could do with a bit of snow
0:36:56 > 0:36:58on the mountains in the background,
0:36:58 > 0:37:02- but apart from that, we are not bad. - So how long have you had them now?
0:37:02 > 0:37:05We have had them about five weeks.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07- And was it tricky getting them out here?- A complete nightmare.
0:37:07 > 0:37:12It has taken us over 18 months to organise it and get them here.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14But I am so relieved they are here now.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16- So, did you see them on the programme?- Yes.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19When we saw them on Countryfile, I fell in love with them.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23And then I got to go out in October last year and see them face-to-face.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27And there was no way I was going to not have them.
0:37:27 > 0:37:28They are just fantastic.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30That experience in Switzerland
0:37:30 > 0:37:33certainly won me over, too. How do you find them to work with, Stuart?
0:37:33 > 0:37:34They seem very tame.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36They are very tame, they are very friendly.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39But they are not always so sure about their horns.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42You occasionally get bruised legs when you get between
0:37:42 > 0:37:45- them and the food. - So, how many did you import?
0:37:45 > 0:37:48We brought 25 ewes over, and two rams.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50And when will you all start lambing?
0:37:50 > 0:37:52We have one ewe that has lambed,
0:37:52 > 0:37:57- so we have the first lamb to be born in the UK.- Goodness me!
0:37:57 > 0:37:59- We have got to look at that, haven't we?- Yes,
0:37:59 > 0:38:00- shall we go and have a look?- Yes.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- How old is the lamb? - She is four days old now.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Oh, my word! Just look at that.
0:38:19 > 0:38:24- Isn't it gorgeous? - She is so cute, isn't she?
0:38:24 > 0:38:27- Just silky, the wool, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29I was surprised how silky it was when it came out,
0:38:29 > 0:38:32because I thought it would be coarse. It isn't at all.
0:38:32 > 0:38:37And your big black ears. Do you know anything about their history?
0:38:37 > 0:38:40We know that they have been around since about 1400
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and we know they became an official breed in 1962.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Apart from that, we don't know very much about them.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49My dad was telling me that in about the 1870s, it is
0:38:49 > 0:38:53thought that they took Cotswold lambs over to the Valais region
0:38:53 > 0:38:56to cross with the blacknose to improve their wool.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58- So there might be some Cotswold in there.- Yeah!
0:38:58 > 0:39:02- Well, that would be brilliant!- Yes, it would. That is a connection.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04How cute is that?
0:39:04 > 0:39:07- Aren't you lovely!- She is perfect.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09She has all the right markings and everything, as well.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13So they should have black knees at the front and the back,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17- and then the ewe lambs have a little black bum...- Oh, I see, yeah.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19- ..as well. So the ram lambs don't have that.- Oh, really?
0:39:19 > 0:39:22- That is how you can tell the ewes from the rams.- Amazing.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Without having to pick them up and have a look.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- So does she need to go out in the field?- Yes, we can put her out today.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30I would like to do that. We will take her out and see
0:39:30 > 0:39:32if she will follow you. Are you a good mummy?
0:39:32 > 0:39:34There is your little baby, look. Come on, then.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Will she be all right with the alpacas?
0:39:40 > 0:39:42Yeah, the alpacas are good for protection.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44So we put them in with the lambs and we use them
0:39:44 > 0:39:45- with the chickens as well.- OK.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48- We'll have a look at those later, shall we?- Yeah.
0:39:48 > 0:39:49Let's just take her down here.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55- There we go. - First time out in the countryside.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59- First time on Cornish grass.- Yeah.
0:39:59 > 0:40:00She is off!
0:40:01 > 0:40:04- The alpacas do seem very inquisitive. - Yeah.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08They are always interested in what is going on and the sheep has
0:40:08 > 0:40:12never seen an alpaca before, so this is quite an interesting interaction.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14It is the alpacas' curiosity that makes them
0:40:14 > 0:40:16good livestock protectors.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19So when we have the lambs out in the field, or even with the chickens,
0:40:19 > 0:40:21some predator like a fox
0:40:21 > 0:40:24comes onto site, rather than being scared of the fox,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28or vice versa, they will go and have a look and say, what is that?
0:40:28 > 0:40:30And these big legs and this long neck coming over
0:40:30 > 0:40:33and the foxes turn tail and leave. as a result.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35- So they will help look after the livestock on the farm?- Yes.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38So we have the alpacas in with the ewes after lambing
0:40:38 > 0:40:41and we use them for protection for our chickens as well.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46While the blacknose lamb and her mother settle into their new home,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49I am keen to find out more about the alpacas.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Oh, look at these. They are lovely.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59Oh, there we are. So what does the ears back mean?
0:40:59 > 0:41:03The ears are how...part of how they communicate with each other.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06So the ears back and nose forward is to tell
0:41:06 > 0:41:08the rest of the alpacas, I am looking at something,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11I don't know if it is a threat or not, but I want you to pay
0:41:11 > 0:41:14attention to it as well. Ears forward tells the rest of the herd
0:41:14 > 0:41:18there is something of interest you need to look at, usually food!
0:41:18 > 0:41:22If the tail is up, that means they feel safe.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25And the humming noise that you might be able to hear is a call
0:41:25 > 0:41:28and response. It is about knowing that you are part of the herd.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32So one will make a noise and wait for somebody else to respond,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35which is one of the reasons that they are never kept alone.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38Because if they call and respond and nobody responds, they think
0:41:38 > 0:41:41they have been rejected by the herd and then they get depressed.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44- Amazing.- And then they sit on the ground and they don't eat.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47- And they die of loneliness. - No! How awful.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51- And a baby alpaca is a cria?- A baby alpaca is a cria,
0:41:51 > 0:41:56- so let's call one. This is Caramel.- Hello, Caramel.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00- Goodness me!- And you can feel how soft the fleece is.- So lovely.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03- So you use the fleece, the hair? - Yeah, we use the fleece.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06We make baby clothes and socks and all kinds of things.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08But we actually specialise in doing bedding.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11We make duvets and pillows - so you can sleep under an alpaca!
0:42:15 > 0:42:19But Emma and Stuart don't just farm them for their fleeces.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21They have also found a market for their meat.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25And I'm curious to try some of their alpaca sausages.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33They are sizzling away nicely now. A nice smell.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38- This is a first for me.- Shall we try?
0:42:39 > 0:42:42Mmm... I am trying to compare it to something.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43It may be a little bit like venison.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Yeah. And it has got the health benefits of venison as well.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49It is very lean and very low in cholesterol.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51So it is perfect meat, really.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54And what do people think about eating alpacas?
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Most people are OK about it and see the benefits of it.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Obviously, there are other people who don't agree,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03who think, "How can you eat those cute, cuddly animals?"
0:43:03 > 0:43:07But it's no different to eating lambs or pigs
0:43:07 > 0:43:09or any other animal that we farm.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11They are all cute and cuddly when they are born.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Well, you have got a unique business here.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19Alpaca meat, the first blacknose sheep in the country with a little
0:43:19 > 0:43:22- lamb skipping around in the field. So best of luck to you!- Thanks, Adam.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24- All the best. Goodbye.- Thank you. Goodbye.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36The River Wear, the graceful artery that winds eastwards through
0:43:36 > 0:43:38the heart of County Durham.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41One of the many sparkling streams that feed the Wear is
0:43:41 > 0:43:43the River Deerness.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48It may look a picture of health today,
0:43:48 > 0:43:51but that has not always been the case.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53The River Deerness, along with Durham's other rivers,
0:43:53 > 0:43:56was once a casualty of industrial pollution.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03But over the past three decades, work has been done
0:44:03 > 0:44:06to clean up the rivers, transforming them into
0:44:06 > 0:44:08thriving habitats for fish.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12But there is still a problem.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15The fish that swim in these rivers face a different challenge
0:44:15 > 0:44:18to their survival, from obstructions like these.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23Fish naturally migrate up and down our waterways,
0:44:23 > 0:44:27but it's estimated that throughout our river networks there are more
0:44:27 > 0:44:30than 20,000 man-made obstructions -
0:44:30 > 0:44:33things like bridges, weirs and culverts.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37And it's structures like these which are causing the problems,
0:44:37 > 0:44:41hampering the free flow of fish up and down the rivers
0:44:41 > 0:44:44and preventing them reaching their spawning grounds.
0:44:47 > 0:44:51'Steve Hudson from the Wear Rivers Trust has been investigating
0:44:51 > 0:44:54'this fishy problem here on the Deerness.'
0:44:55 > 0:44:58We actually trained up a load of volunteers to go out
0:44:58 > 0:45:00and do some surveys for us.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02They walked the whole of the River Deerness,
0:45:02 > 0:45:06- and they actually found a series of barriers to fish migration.- Right.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09And what these barriers do, they stop adult trout getting
0:45:09 > 0:45:11up to the spawning habitat, to have their young.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15And also, they stop the smaller fish coming down to grow bigger,
0:45:15 > 0:45:16in the actual river itself.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19So, talk me through what you're doing about it with this.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21Well, with this weir, ideally, we would have removed it
0:45:21 > 0:45:24and just let the river completely naturalise itself.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28But the presence of a gas main under the river here, we couldn't do that.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31So, we wanted to retain the structure
0:45:31 > 0:45:35and also get as many fish past as we could,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38so, a bypass tunnel was the best solution for this.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41And this one allows them to go all the way up, every single species,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44and also, they've got easy access all the way down through, as well.
0:45:44 > 0:45:45Fantastic.
0:45:46 > 0:45:51'Once the fish passes are in place, they need to be monitored.
0:45:51 > 0:45:52'Today, volunteers from the Trust
0:45:52 > 0:45:55'are shoring up the bank to keep the waters flowing freely.
0:45:55 > 0:46:00'They're using the traditional method of willow spiling.'
0:46:00 > 0:46:03The idea is, if it goes in the ground, it will carry on growing?
0:46:03 > 0:46:05Yeah. We get the end of the stick in there,
0:46:05 > 0:46:08then just work your way through.
0:46:08 > 0:46:09This is the nice bit, isn't it?
0:46:09 > 0:46:13'Willow stakes are pushed into the ground and woven together
0:46:13 > 0:46:15'to form a natural, living fence.
0:46:15 > 0:46:20'Over time the willow takes root, helping to reinforce the river bank,
0:46:20 > 0:46:22'preventing erosion.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25'Aptly named Lizzie Willows and Jim Wood
0:46:25 > 0:46:27'are regular volunteers for the project.'
0:46:27 > 0:46:32- So, Jim, why do you do this?- Well, actually, I am a passionate angler.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35So, for the last five years, I've just gradually become
0:46:35 > 0:46:36more and more involved.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39But my passion is the river, it's just something I've done
0:46:39 > 0:46:42since I was a young lad of 12, fishing,
0:46:42 > 0:46:46always been on the river banks and just totally enjoy the river life.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50'With the fence complete, it's time to open the sluice gate.'
0:46:51 > 0:46:54ELLIE SINGS A FANFARE
0:46:54 > 0:46:58- Well done, there we go!- That looks much better, doesn't it?- Oh, yeah!
0:46:58 > 0:47:00Let those fishes run free!
0:47:05 > 0:47:07It's one thing to build these fish passes,
0:47:07 > 0:47:10but how do we know whether they are actually working?
0:47:10 > 0:47:14'That's where Dr Martyn Lucas from Durham University comes in.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18'He's joined forces with the Trust in a pioneering scientific study
0:47:18 > 0:47:21'that's helping to find the answers.'
0:47:21 > 0:47:25What we've got here are a bunch of small trouts,
0:47:25 > 0:47:28and small fish that live in these streams,
0:47:28 > 0:47:30and we are tagging some of them
0:47:30 > 0:47:34so that we can understand about their movement and their ability to
0:47:34 > 0:47:36use the fish pass to get upstream,
0:47:36 > 0:47:38- or downstream, as the case may be. - Right.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41'Once the fish have been caught,
0:47:41 > 0:47:44'Martyn anaesthetises them in a liquid solution.'
0:47:44 > 0:47:47Already starting to feel woozy.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50- And that's so that it doesn't feel too much distress?- Of course.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53'When anaesthetised, the fish is injected
0:47:53 > 0:47:57'with a microchip as small as a grain of rice.
0:47:57 > 0:48:00'To record the data, fish are caught upstream
0:48:00 > 0:48:02'and scanned to see if they carry a tag,
0:48:02 > 0:48:05'or their movement is electronically logged as they pass through
0:48:05 > 0:48:08'detection gates sited along the river.'
0:48:08 > 0:48:11Is it just the small species you are focusing on, or anything?
0:48:11 > 0:48:15It is mainly the small fish that are the bread-and-butter
0:48:15 > 0:48:18of the fish community in these streams.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21That's what your kingfishers, your otters,
0:48:21 > 0:48:24your grey heron are feeding on most of the year.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27So, we are interested in these little 'uns.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29So, the results that you find will end up informing
0:48:29 > 0:48:32the type of structures that get built around the obstacles?
0:48:32 > 0:48:36If we actually understand what methods work where
0:48:36 > 0:48:38and for what species,
0:48:38 > 0:48:41then we can put in place the best solutions,
0:48:41 > 0:48:45the most appropriate solutions. So, for example, here,
0:48:45 > 0:48:48the nature-like bypass that's been put in, little ripples,
0:48:48 > 0:48:52little crevices by the stones, where the flow is that bit slower,
0:48:52 > 0:48:56so these trout can sneak through in those areas.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00Unlike the big salmon, that are going to go charging up there.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04- They are using a rather different strategy.- Indeed, indeed.
0:49:04 > 0:49:09'Once tagged, the fish is placed in oxygenated water to recover
0:49:09 > 0:49:11'before being released back into the river.'
0:49:11 > 0:49:15Let's do it. Hopefully, you'll see them on the other side of the weir.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18Some of them should be able to be get through that fish pass,
0:49:18 > 0:49:22- and in a few months' time, we'll know for sure.- Here's hoping.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25So, I reckon here's a pretty good spot.
0:49:29 > 0:49:31See you later.
0:49:31 > 0:49:33Upstream, I hope.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50The striking valleys and remote pastures of the Durham Dales
0:49:50 > 0:49:53are part of the world I know well.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57It's the place I grew up, and where my folks live and farm today.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02I've come home for Mother's Day, to lend a hand with lambing,
0:50:02 > 0:50:05and to spend some quality time with my mum.
0:50:05 > 0:50:09My parents have always exercised something of an open-house policy
0:50:09 > 0:50:11when it comes to wildlife.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14My mum joined a countryside stewardship scheme that meant
0:50:14 > 0:50:18she got a small grant to make the farm more wildlife-friendly -
0:50:18 > 0:50:20with hedges and permanent meadows.
0:50:20 > 0:50:21And since I flew the nest,
0:50:21 > 0:50:25we've seen plenty of exciting new arrivals.
0:50:25 > 0:50:29Last year, we had - was it just a couple of the redpolls?
0:50:29 > 0:50:31Of the redpolls. Now, they're common, aren't they, for us?
0:50:31 > 0:50:34Yeah, well...yeah, yeah. Like the lapwing. That was another one.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37That was another one that there's more this time. And the curlew.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40- He was here quite a few years ago, wasn't he?- Yeah.
0:50:40 > 0:50:44'And not one to do things by halves, Mum's gone and dug a pond as well.'
0:50:44 > 0:50:47Really, the whole pond thing started, didn't it,
0:50:47 > 0:50:51- because Mum found a newt in a dog bowl?- I did, that's right!
0:50:51 > 0:50:53You were quite concerned about the fact that the newt
0:50:53 > 0:50:57- didn't have anywhere to live.- That's right! That's exactly right, yeah.
0:50:57 > 0:50:58It's great to see now, when you look at it,
0:50:58 > 0:51:01- it looks like it's always been there.- Yeah, it does.
0:51:01 > 0:51:03And I mean, we've got loads of frogspawn,
0:51:03 > 0:51:06as you know, and I think we've seen signs of water vole as well now
0:51:06 > 0:51:09down there, so you see, what something brings...
0:51:09 > 0:51:12It's amazing what happens when you get your spade out.
0:51:12 > 0:51:17But you've always had this ethos, and growing up, I always remember
0:51:17 > 0:51:20- you saying, "Everything's got to live somewhere!"- Yeah.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23You like everything to have a home and feel welcome,
0:51:23 > 0:51:26- and at the end of the day, you're just custodians, aren't you?- Yes.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28We're all here just for a very minuscule amount of time,
0:51:28 > 0:51:31and you just hope you can leave it a little better
0:51:31 > 0:51:33than the way you found it, really.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37The biggest job has been working out what to do with the farm's
0:51:37 > 0:51:41ancient woodland, and for this, we called in some extra muscle.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50- Anne, I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see you.- Hi, Matt!
0:51:50 > 0:51:53Honestly...can you imagine how long it would take me with a saw,
0:51:53 > 0:51:56to go through this for my mum?
0:51:56 > 0:51:57Yes, it would be a long time.
0:51:57 > 0:52:02'The Wildlife Trusts' Heart of Durham project has been working
0:52:02 > 0:52:05'with us and other local farmers to help wildlife thrive in the area.'
0:52:05 > 0:52:08We're like the superheroes.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10We come in and we help out.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13We just connect areas of land throughout the countryside,
0:52:13 > 0:52:18and the idea is that animals and insects that had a very slow
0:52:18 > 0:52:22and low dispersal rate, like adders, like some butterflies,
0:52:22 > 0:52:24that helps them to move through.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26So what are you concentrating on here?
0:52:26 > 0:52:29Well, today, we're clearing back the vegetation,
0:52:29 > 0:52:31which is mostly overgrown holly,
0:52:31 > 0:52:36to try and increase the light that will come down to the forest floor.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40By increasing that, we encourage more wildflowers to come,
0:52:40 > 0:52:43we encourage more insects to come, and more butterflies.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47- And that section is done?- Yes. - And they all walk up there...
0:52:47 > 0:52:49And they're onto the next bit.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52'Elsewhere in the woods, the fruits of the Heart of Durham's
0:52:52 > 0:52:55'labours are already beginning to show.'
0:52:55 > 0:52:57- Look at this, man!- Good, isn't it?
0:52:57 > 0:53:00- It's a carpet of bluebells, isn't it?- Yeah, that's the plan.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03You can just see a little green haze where they're going to be.
0:53:03 > 0:53:04Oh, my word!
0:53:04 > 0:53:07- And it comes down.- It comes all the way... Look at this, man!
0:53:08 > 0:53:10'The opening up of the canopy
0:53:10 > 0:53:14'has encouraged the spread of wild bluebells into this new glade.'
0:53:14 > 0:53:17This started, what, two years ago now?
0:53:17 > 0:53:19Yeah, and they weren't here last year.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22It is super, isn't it, how you set out with this plan
0:53:22 > 0:53:25and you know that, actually, over time, it's working?
0:53:25 > 0:53:28It is, gradually. You've got to have patience.
0:53:28 > 0:53:32If anything...that any wildlife and farming's taught me, it's patience.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40Well, Mum, the volunteers from the Heart of Durham aren't the only ones
0:53:40 > 0:53:43getting stuck in in the woods today, cos look who's here - Ellie!
0:53:43 > 0:53:49- Hello!- So, Mum, this is your Mother's Day present, OK?
0:53:49 > 0:53:51Here are lots of...
0:53:51 > 0:53:53These, right, these are spring gentian.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56They only grow in this part of the Dales, even though
0:53:56 > 0:53:58they're really, really rare, and on the west coast of Ireland,
0:53:58 > 0:54:00so we thought that we'd introduce them
0:54:00 > 0:54:02into the woodland here in this rocky section.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06- That's why Ellie's been there. - Beavering away for you.- Wow!
0:54:06 > 0:54:09And also, it doesn't end there, because look at this.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13- There's an array of woodland plants here...- Ah!
0:54:13 > 0:54:15..that I'm going to litter all the way along this side.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17I'm delighted, absolutely delighted. Thank you.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20I thought they'd last a bit longer than a bunch of flowers.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23- They certainly will. - Well, that is it for this week.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26Next week, we're going to be in Gloucestershire on my smallholding.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28It's something of a work in progress.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30I'm starting with a wildflower meadow.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33We've also got details of hundreds of thousands of wildflower seeds
0:54:33 > 0:54:36- that we're giving away. - This'll be good practice, then!
0:54:36 > 0:54:37- Yes, it will!- Won't it, indeed?
0:54:37 > 0:54:40And Tom will be with Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal
0:54:40 > 0:54:44on the Gatcombe Estate, finding out about her views on horses,
0:54:44 > 0:54:46farming and the future of the countryside.
0:54:46 > 0:54:50- Hope you can join us then. Do you like these?- Yeah. I'm delighted.