Compilation - The Countryfile Calendar Year Countryfile


Compilation - The Countryfile Calendar Year

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Devon at first light - a picture of serenity.

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The calm after the hectic rush of Christmas.

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Wintry fields softly carpet the rolling landscape,

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the bare bones of trees, silhouetted against the low winter sun.

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The 12 days of Christmas are over tonight,

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but here, at Killerton House,

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the days ahead are going to be pretty busy.

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There's plenty of preparation to be done to keep the house

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and the surrounding estate ticking over as the new year unfolds.

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Today, I'll be going behind the scenes to see what

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it takes to get a country estate like this ready for all

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the visitors in the year ahead.

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And whilst they're looking forward at Killerton,

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we'll be looking back through our archives at our own

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Countryfile calendar year, revisiting seasonal scenes

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as inspired by some of our winning photographs.

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Matt blows away the cobwebs with a bracing dip.

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It's so challenging.

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It's like swimming up massive hills all the time.

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Julia goes on a wildlife hunt in the Kielder Forest.

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Oh, look, they're so fluffy!

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Hello. Oh, gosh, so gorgeous.

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And the weather causes havoc down on Adam's Farm.

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Farming in the snow like this just takes up so much time

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and is such a big effort.

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I could really do with it going away.

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Today, I'm in the grounds and surrounds of Killerton House.

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With 15 working farms, extensive gardens

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and over 60 miles of pathways, there's plenty to be done to

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'get the place shipshape for the upcoming year.'

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Lying a few miles north of Exeter, the Killerton estate takes up quite

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a chunk of mid-Devon, stretching to a whopping ten square miles.

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In fact, that's about the same size as Exeter.

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Killerton House was built in 1779 for one of Devon's

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oldest families, the Aclands.

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It was their home for over three centuries

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until Sir Richard Acland inherited it in 1939.

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He was a strong believer in common ownership

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and gave away the estate to the National Trust

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so that the general public could visit and enjoy it.

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Area ranger Ed Nicholson

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is the man charged with getting the place ready for

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the forthcoming year and he's got a very long to-do list.

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What a fantastic gift this was from Sir Richard to the nation

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and, obviously, a round-the-year job keeping it looking

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-good for the public.

-Yeah, it is.

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We've got a great team here that work very hard year-round and we have

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jobs that keep us busy from January right through to the end of December.

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-And everything feeds back, does it?

-Yeah, that's right.

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We try and produce as much from the estate as we can to go back in.

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So, we make our own cider from the orchards,

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harvest our own venison from the forests.

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All of those sort of things just help to keep the estate the way

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-it should be.

-So, what's the first job today, then?

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First job today - light the charcoal kiln.

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We're going to make some charcoal through our woodland management.

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-I'll catch up with you later, then.

-No problem.

-Bye.

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The gardens here were stocked with varieties

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brought back by great plant hunters in the 1800s.

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'And with 18 acres to tend, for the gardening team, there is

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'little time for idle chat.'

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-Can I stop you, Kate? You're the head gardener, aren't you?

-I am.

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-A job for all seasons here.

-Absolutely.

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Yes, people have this weird conception that we do

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nothing in the winter except sit around and drink coffee.

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That would be nice. But, in fact, it's the busiest time of year.

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It's a really physical time of year

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when we actually get the big jobs done.

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So, what's going on at the moment?

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Here, we are clearing out an area that's been slightly neglected.

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So, a lot of brambles to come out,

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a lot of tired, older shrubs to come out.

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Then we will regenerate the area and replant.

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What else is on your to-do list today, then?

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I need to go and have a look at the Bear's Hut,

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-which needs some restoration.

-The Bear's Hut?

-The Bear's Hut.

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-A hut for bears?

-It was, yes.

-Really?

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Kate tells me that one of the house's former owners

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used to keep a pet bear cub called Tom in the Bear Hut.

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GROWLING

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A gift brought back from Canada in the 1860s.

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So, this is it. I was expecting a cage.

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It is very rustic but it was built as a rustic summerhouse

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in about 1808, when the garden was originally laid out.

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It was built as a wedding present for the lady of the house

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as a sort of tea hut.

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-What is it like inside?

-Have a look.

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-This is very rustic, isn't it?

-It is.

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-The floor is made of sort of cuts of timber. Very nicely designed.

-It is.

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What have we got through here?

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Through here, this is the room that used to be described as quite macabre

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-and it was in decidedly bad taste.

-It looks like a coconut mat to me.

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-It is deer knuckle bones.

-Never!

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Deer knuckle bones cut in half, so you get two knuckles for each bone,

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and set down into this pattern.

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I have never seen anything like that before.

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And then, on the ceiling, you've got a deerskin.

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-A very elaborate home for a bear cub.

-Very. Indeed.

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And being so rustic,

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you do wonder how much survived with a bear cub living in here.

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-Yes. A wonderful place.

-It is. And loved by children.

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They come rushing up to try and find the bear cub up here.

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Nobody's found him yet. But you never know when he might appear.

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Well, I doubt we'll see Tom the bear today -

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he'll be hibernating away from this cold weather.

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GROWLING

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What was that?

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It may be a bit grey here

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but many of you will be starting your new year basking in the glow

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from your wall of January's image in our Countryfile calendar.

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Well, Matt blew away the cobwebs under Brighton Pier

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a few years ago when he went for a bracing dip.

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The Brighton Outdoor Swimming Club is the oldest swimming club in Britain.

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Its members swim every day, all year round, in all weathers.

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It's 7.30 in the morning and while most are struggling to get

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out of bed, this intrepid bunch are about to set off for their daily dip.

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-Well, a very good morning, team. How are we? ALL:

-Good.

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I have to say, I feel completely overdressed.

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-Is this a good morning for it?

-It's good. Not too rough.

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Prefer it to be a bit flatter, but it's OK.

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Of all the things that you could choose as a form of exercise,

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why do you want to go for, you know, the "swimming in the sea" option?

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It's free. It's just a really lovely sense of sort of being in touch

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-with nature, really.

-The sea, the coldness, makes my body tingle.

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And it lasts for most of the day. It's a lovely feeling.

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Right. Time to take to the water.

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I'll tell you what, it's really, really nippy in there.

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At this time of year, the sea's at its coldest -

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only five degrees above freezing, which means

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they can only stay in there for ten minutes without risking hypothermia.

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-Good.

-Yeah? Feeling OK?

-Yeah, feels good now.

-Invigorating?

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-Less cold now than I was before I got in.

-Really?

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Yes. I'll get cold in about five minutes' time, though.

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-Well, you'd better head up there, then.

-I will.

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-Was that one all right for you?

-Yeah. Invigorating.

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But there's more to it than simply kick-starting your day,

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as anaesthetist Dr Mark Harper knows.

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Mark.

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-How is it this morning? Fresh?

-"Fresh", I think is what you'd say.

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Give us an idea of the health benefits of the sea.

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Quite a lot, actually.

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The main one, really, is probably on the immune system.

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It has been shown that improves the function of your white blood cells.

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People who swim in the sea all year round, all through winter,

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get less chest infections than people who don't.

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It also has strong effect on the hormonal system.

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Things like more adrenaline, which is a bit like...adrenaline -

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it really gives you a buzz. This kind of buzz lasts all day.

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When I first started swimming in the sea, this is what I really noticed.

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God, I'm just buzzing all day.

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'It's sounding more and more enticing

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'but, before I take the plunge, I'm off to get inspiration

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'from Channel swimmer Fiona Southwell,

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'who became the oldest woman to swim the Channel at the age of 50.'

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I put on a stone and a half for my Channel swim.

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You know, you do need that fat.

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It took me 20 hours to swim the Channel.

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I was burning 6,000 calories an hour

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but being fed 10,000 calories an hour by my feeds

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and I still lost half a stone.

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There's a section in the middle that's particularly...

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The separation zone, yes. It's between the English and French

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shipping lanes and that's quite a difficult stretch of water.

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25mph winds and huge white-horse waves.

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But, you know, I loved that. I just rose to that.

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Because I'd trained here for years in quite rough seas,

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so it didn't vex me, whereas it did vex quite a lot of other swimmers.

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Yeah, cos there was a few out that day.

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Five other swimmers, I think, that day attempting it

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and I was the only one to get across on that day.

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For all those people that would be sat watching this,

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thinking that you are absolutely mad to go in and swim in the sea,

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-what would you say to them?

-Oh, you know, it's the most uplifting,

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exhilarating experience and feeling of well-being afterwards.

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Having said that, I do fall asleep in the afternoon.

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In these temperatures.

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It is a huge shock to the system.

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I've got a little surprise organised for them

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a little bit later on but, in order to experience this

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sea swimming for myself, there's just one thing for it -

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I'm going to have to get into the water.

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Well, I'm not that stupid.

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Paul, in all seriousness, it is

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pretty dangerous getting in the water at this time of year, in the sea?

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Absolutely. There are swimmers that swim all year round without

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wet suits but they are swimming every single day of the year

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and they're gradually acclimatising their bodies.

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If you haven't done that and you're just taking a dip,

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a wet suit, two swimming hats, a pair of gloves - essential.

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I'll tell you what, there's some big'uns coming in here.

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But it's time to goggle up and get out there.

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'The cold, I was ready for. But not the rough conditions.'

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The wind kicks up an enormous amount of chop. There's one.

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It's so challenging.

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It's like swimming up massive hills all the time

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and to maintain the front crawl is difficult.

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'We're heading to a pontoon,

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'where I've got a treat in store for my fellow swimmers.'

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Oh, yes. Made it to the pontoon.

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I'll tell you what, that is exhausting.

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Well, back in 1880s, an eccentric member of the swimming club

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set up tea parties on pontoons just like this one -

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a welcome break for everybody.

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Now, it's a little bit choppy today, but we're catching cups

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and we've got a flask full of tea. So, let's celebrate!

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And up we go, lovely. There's...

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THEY CHEER

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-There's one. Cheers, everyone. ALL:

-Cheers.

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Can I have mine black, please?

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From the Victorian bathing huts of yesteryear

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to the Channel swimmers of today, the wonderfully eccentric

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adventures of the Brighton Swimming Club look set to continue.

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'Back on dry land at Killerton, spring has sprung early.

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'I'm on the estate's oldest tenant farm, which is

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'welcoming its newest arrivals.

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'Arthur Salter runs the farm.'

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How old do you reckon this farm is, Arthur?

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They think it's about 15th century.

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-And how long have your family been here?

-We've...

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The family have been here very nearly 150 years.

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I bet a lot of people would be surprised to see

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-lambs at this time of year.

-There are a few early lambs about.

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It just happens to fit in with the system at the farm.

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The lambs are bred in the winter whilst

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the workload on the farm is quiet.

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It means they'll then be ready to savour the first shoots of spring.

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Once the lambs are sold, the pasture can recover and then

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the cattle will go out to graze,

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making the best use of the farming year.

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-Feeding time, Mark, is it?

-Yeah.

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'But before they get out to pasture,

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'some of the lambs need a helping hand from shepherd Mark Hodgson.'

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Here's a thirsty one.

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This must be a really busy time of year for you, Mark.

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How many lambs will you have all together?

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Probably about 150-200.

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And will they eventually get out and graze?

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Obviously, we'll start letting them out now

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in the next couple of weeks, probably.

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-Well, these seem pretty fit, pretty hungry.

-Fit lambs at the moment.

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Getting through the whole bottle very quickly.

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Three times a day, they all drink a bottle.

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'Of course, most of our lambs don't appear until springtime,

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'when this striking calendar image could be gracing your wall.'

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A couple of years ago,

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Ellie got her own glimpse of some rare birds of prey on Exmoor,

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birds that once would have been a common sight

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in the British countryside.

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These days, getting a glimpse of one of these magnificent

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creatures in the wild is a rare treat.

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What precious few remain risk being targeted

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by those who see birds of prey as competition.

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This is a picture of a rare goshawk found dead near Exeter.

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It was deliberately poisoned, along with three other goshawks.

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But with only 20 breeding pairs left in the whole county,

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it represents a really significant loss.

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'Josh Marshall is a wildlife crime officer.

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'It's his job to try and catch people attacking birds of prey.'

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Who are these people, then, doing all this?

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With birds of prey,

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the national picture would suggest that, with goshawks,

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you've got gamekeepers or people you'd associate with

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the shooting fraternity that may want to poison the birds.

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Not saying that they all do.

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There are some really reputable shoots out there as well.

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What can you do to combat the problem?

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We've got these motion-activated covert cameras now,

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which we've placed on certain nest sites within Devon,

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hopefully to catch these people

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who are thinking about committing these sort of dreadful acts.

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'Today, at a secret location,

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'Josh is checking a goshawk nest and a camera.'

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-Got your ladder.

-Yeah. Yeah.

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Ellie, goshawks are really sensitive and prone to disturbance

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-so we need to keep that to a minimum on the visit.

-OK.

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So, I'm going to leave you here while I go up

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-and service the batteries on the camera.

-Oh, OK.

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-I'll wait for you, then.

-OK, then.

-See you in a bit.

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We've actually had to have special permission just to get this far,

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let alone going up to the nest, so I'll leave Josh to that one.

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It a pretty cold day today so he's going to have to be really quick.

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He's got to be in there, service the camera and back out again because we

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don't want the eggs, or the chicks, if they've hatched already,

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-to get cold.

-It's gone.

-I think something's wrong.

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-What's up?

-Well, unfortunately, the camera's gone.

-You're kidding.

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The good news is that the birds are still there.

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The female was there when I was there so...

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And it doesn't appear that there's

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been any attempt on the nest or anything.

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Some of the cameras are wireless

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so they'll e-mail the images back

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to computers back at the police station.

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So, potentially, we could have the image of them taking

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-the camera there.

-So, technology, actually, is a step ahead?

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-Yeah.

-You can't take the camera and get away with it.

-That's right, yeah.

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-You'll get done for theft as well.

-Well, there you go.

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'With the help of technology and policemen like Josh,

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'perhaps one day rare birds of prey

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'can prosper just as they did centuries ago.'

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In medieval times, the sport of falconry was big business.

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A bird of prey was a status symbol that said "power and wealth".

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So, today, where we might have a flashy watch or

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piece of jewellery, back then, it was all about the bird.

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Oh.

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The wide-open space of Putsborough Sands provides the perfect arena

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to meet Jonathan Marshall, a falconer who's keeping

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the tradition alive... and going one step further.

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Wow, what handsome-looking animals you have here. Who's this?

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This is Quinn, who is a peregrine falcon. A little male peregrine.

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-Beautiful.

-He's a cracker. He's a beautiful bird.

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I bred him myself so...

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And the hood's just to keep them... Stop from... Not spooked.

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We're just go to fly him shortly and so he doesn't waste all his energy,

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we hood him first, so when I do fly him he's all revved up, ready to go.

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-Amazing. So, you bred this one.

-Yeah, I bred this one.

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I've had him since he was an egg.

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He was a very good-looking egg, but even better-looking as an adult.

0:18:370:18:40

Absolutely. And what about this horse?

0:18:400:18:42

Well, this is one of my best horses.

0:18:420:18:44

His name's Tulio and he's a Lusitano.

0:18:440:18:47

He's an ex-bullfighting horse, came from Portugal.

0:18:470:18:50

So, falconry is a sport, but how come you've brought horses into that?

0:18:500:18:54

Well, originally, falconry was practised from horseback

0:18:540:18:56

because, of course, in years gone by they didn't have

0:18:560:18:59

Land Rovers so they needed to get from A to B somehow and horses,

0:18:590:19:02

at that time, were very much part of everyday life.

0:19:020:19:05

And this particular breed of horse,

0:19:050:19:07

and all of the Spanish horses, were exceptionally good

0:19:070:19:10

for falconry because they're quick on their feet, they're very agile,

0:19:100:19:13

they're very manoeuvrable.

0:19:130:19:14

These horses were about the best and still are.

0:19:140:19:17

I'm looking forward to this, Jonathan.

0:19:170:19:19

-I'll go over there and see you in action.

-Okey-doke.

0:19:190:19:21

Incredibly neat, tight riding.

0:19:310:19:33

Jonathan swings in the lure above his head to tempt the falcon

0:19:360:19:40

into diving for a catch.

0:19:400:19:41

The speed of that peregrine!

0:19:440:19:45

Oh! That's awesome! It can fly through the horse's legs.

0:19:530:19:57

HE WHISTLES

0:20:010:20:03

Through the legs again, that's amazing.

0:20:030:20:05

'Seeing horse and bird move so gracefully under Jonathan's

0:20:050:20:08

'direction is like watching a carefully choreographed ballet.'

0:20:080:20:12

It's a beautiful scene.

0:20:150:20:17

'Finally, Jonathan lets the falcon take the lure.'

0:20:270:20:30

Well deserved.

0:20:320:20:33

Ha-ha! Wow! I have never seen horsemanship like it.

0:20:370:20:40

That was amazing.

0:20:400:20:43

Jonathan, how would you even begin to start training to do this?

0:20:430:20:47

Well, rather than explaining, why don't I just show you?

0:20:470:20:49

-Yes, good thinking.

-Have a go. Take a glove.

-Yeah.

-There you go.

0:20:490:20:52

'Jonathan brings out his second bird, the Harris hawk.'

0:20:530:20:57

HE WHISTLES

0:20:570:20:58

Oh, here we go.

0:20:580:21:00

Oh, wow!

0:21:000:21:02

'What a beautiful animal.'

0:21:040:21:05

OK, one, two, three.

0:21:050:21:07

'But I must admit,

0:21:070:21:09

'I'm a little bit nervous about doing this on horseback.'

0:21:090:21:11

SHE LAUGHS

0:21:110:21:12

-There you go.

-Thank you very much.

0:21:120:21:14

-That's it.

-Put one on there.

-Raise your hand up nice and high.

0:21:140:21:17

Here we go. HE WHISTLES

0:21:170:21:18

Your best falconer's whistle.

0:21:180:21:20

Oh, wow. That was awesome. Jonathan, what an experience.

0:21:200:21:25

'Back on the Killerton estate, they're getting the place

0:21:360:21:39

'ready for the year ahead.

0:21:390:21:41

'With 160,000 visitors annually there's lots to do.

0:21:410:21:45

'I'm heading through the orchards to meet up again with area ranger

0:21:470:21:50

'Ed Nicholson.'

0:21:500:21:52

What's going on here, Ed?

0:21:530:21:55

Just racking off the cider,

0:21:550:21:57

so taking the part-fermented cider, a good cider

0:21:570:22:00

that's still got fermentation to go, off the dead yeast.

0:22:000:22:03

-So, it's going into another tank, is it?

-Yeah, Alison's over there.

0:22:030:22:08

We've got a clean tank and eventually come April-May,

0:22:080:22:11

we'll have a finished product.

0:22:110:22:14

'Ed tells me they've got 50 acres of orchard with

0:22:140:22:17

'over 100 different varieties of apple,

0:22:170:22:20

'many of which are specially cultivated for cider.

0:22:200:22:23

'In fact in olden times farmers around here often used to

0:22:230:22:26

'pay their workers in cider.

0:22:260:22:29

'Not sure that would be allowed today!'

0:22:290:22:30

We had a great autumn last year.

0:22:320:22:34

Lots of fruit and people often say that we only use

0:22:340:22:37

half of our fruit and we waste the other half.

0:22:370:22:40

Well, yeah, we do only use half of our fruit for human consumption.

0:22:400:22:43

The other half of the fruit isn't wasted in our mind

0:22:430:22:46

because it's used for wildlife and the migrating birds that come over

0:22:460:22:49

and use these orchards as such special habitats.

0:22:490:22:52

That's deliberate policy, then?

0:22:520:22:54

Yeah, the cider is a by-product of our orchard management and

0:22:540:22:57

we manage these traditional habitats primarily for the wildlife.

0:22:570:23:00

And what kind of cider do you produce?

0:23:000:23:03

Is it scrumpy or is it pure cider?

0:23:030:23:05

This is part of the reason why we're doing the racking off.

0:23:050:23:08

We want to produce quite a fine cider.

0:23:080:23:10

We wouldn't want to leave it on the dead yeast, which can produce

0:23:100:23:14

quite a rough, scrumpy form of cider,

0:23:140:23:16

so basically we're taking this off now

0:23:160:23:19

and we do two different varieties, a dry and a slightly sparkling sweet.

0:23:190:23:23

All this talk of cider is giving me a bit of a thirst, Ed.

0:23:230:23:27

Well, I think we ought to organise a little bit of a tasting later on.

0:23:270:23:30

It is the end of the festive season, after all, isn't it?

0:23:300:23:32

'From the russet tones of autumn's harvest to the dusky hues

0:23:360:23:40

'of the sun setting behind the island of Ailsa Craig,

0:23:400:23:43

'our September image in the Countryfile calendar.

0:23:430:23:46

'I had my own island adventure off the coast of Northumberland last

0:23:480:23:52

'year, in search of a creature whose life we know very little about.

0:23:520:23:57

'Underwater cameraman Ben Burville is at the start of a five-year

0:24:000:24:03

'project to learn more about the life of this elusive mammal.'

0:24:030:24:08

What are the chances of us seeing this creature?

0:24:080:24:11

-With nature, you never know, John.

-Fingers crossed.

-Fingers crossed.

0:24:110:24:15

'Our high-speed RIB will take us far out to sea to an area where

0:24:190:24:23

'they've been spotted in the past.'

0:24:230:24:26

So, what exactly is it that we're looking for?

0:24:280:24:30

What we're looking for today, John, is this.

0:24:300:24:32

This is a white-beaked dolphin,

0:24:320:24:34

the most abundant dolphin in the North Sea, with about 8,000 to

0:24:340:24:38

10,000 of them in there, but one that very few people know much about.

0:24:380:24:42

Why is that?

0:24:420:24:43

It's really the fact that it tends to be in deeper waters

0:24:430:24:46

and tends to be offshore.

0:24:460:24:48

Is it important now to find out more about these dolphins?

0:24:480:24:50

It is important for their conservation and also to find out

0:24:500:24:54

whether activities that we do can affect them in an adverse way.

0:24:540:24:57

'Ben's a GP by day but away from the surgery

0:25:050:25:09

'he's an underwater cameraman.'

0:25:090:25:10

-Dolphin, definitely.

-Definitely dolphin?

-Yeah, got one, dolphin.

0:25:130:25:18

-Where?

-Dorsal fin, five o'clock. Quarter of a mile.

-Give me a range.

0:25:180:25:22

Quarter of a mile. Five o'clock.

0:25:220:25:25

-Oh, there it is, see it there?

-What is it?

0:25:270:25:29

It's actually a minke whale.

0:25:290:25:30

It's a minke whale. It's not a white-beaked dolphin.

0:25:300:25:33

No, it's not a white-beaked dolphin. That's a minke whale.

0:25:330:25:36

'It's a great sighting, but thrilling as it is to spot

0:25:360:25:39

'a minke whale, it's not the reason why we're out here today.'

0:25:390:25:43

'We head further out into the North Sea to continue our search.'

0:25:500:25:54

Why have we stopped, then, because nobody has seen a dolphin?

0:26:060:26:10

No, no, we've just stopped

0:26:100:26:11

because there's quite a few puffins over there in the water.

0:26:110:26:14

Is that a sign that maybe there are dolphins around?

0:26:140:26:16

It's a sign there may be food in the water, there may be big sand eels.

0:26:160:26:19

There could be dolphins there as well.

0:26:190:26:21

There could well be dolphins there as well, we hope.

0:26:210:26:24

'To use an old landlubber saying,

0:26:240:26:26

'it's like looking for a needle in a haystack.

0:26:260:26:29

'Now, we're rendezvous-ing with Newcastle University's marine

0:26:290:26:33

'research ship, The Princess Royal.

0:26:330:26:35

'Today, Ben is working alongside Simon Laing,

0:26:350:26:38

'whose team is hoping to find out what effect the construction of

0:26:380:26:41

'wind farms at sea has on dolphins

0:26:410:26:44

'and Simon is using sound, not pictures.'

0:26:440:26:47

What have we got here, then, Simon?

0:26:470:26:49

This is a towed hydrophone,

0:26:490:26:50

-a special type of microphone that listens...

-A microphone?

-Yeah.

0:26:500:26:54

I've see lots of microphones in my time

0:26:540:26:57

but never one that looked like this.

0:26:570:26:59

This is a special microphone that listens for sounds underwater.

0:26:590:27:03

'But the really clever part is in here.'

0:27:030:27:05

Now the microphone's in the water we can come over to the computer

0:27:050:27:09

and as soon as we press "record", what we'll start to see is some

0:27:090:27:12

of the sounds that we're hearing right now popping up on the screen.

0:27:120:27:15

That's background noise that you're seeing on-screen.

0:27:150:27:18

What sort of symbol would you see if it was a white-beaked dolphin?

0:27:180:27:21

Well, we would hopefully see a red triangle popping up on screen

0:27:210:27:24

and that would mean we're recording something in real-time

0:27:240:27:26

and it would be about 200m behind the vessel.

0:27:260:27:29

Can you actually hear the sound of the dolphins?

0:27:290:27:31

Well, dolphins make two types of sounds.

0:27:310:27:33

They make whistles and they make clicks.

0:27:330:27:35

We can hear the whistles but we can't hear the clicks.

0:27:350:27:38

In fact I've got a recording here of some white-beaked dolphin

0:27:380:27:41

whistles, if you'd like to have a listen.

0:27:410:27:42

WHISTLING

0:27:450:27:46

-That really is a whistle, isn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

0:27:460:27:49

One of the things we're trying to determine with this project -

0:27:490:27:52

"Do the dolphins in the north-east of England have a different

0:27:520:27:55

"whistle to those in Scotland?" Because that would indicate

0:27:550:27:58

those two populations are very separate if that is the case.

0:27:580:28:00

And what's the research telling you, that they might?

0:28:000:28:03

The research at the moment is that telling us

0:28:030:28:05

they may well have different whistles, yeah.

0:28:050:28:07

So, you could well have, in this bit of the North Sea, Geordie dolphins?

0:28:070:28:10

With a Geordie accent?

0:28:100:28:11

Potentially, yes, you could have Geordie dolphins in the north-east.

0:28:110:28:15

'Whatever the accent, there's not a whistle right now

0:28:150:28:17

'from the white-beaked dolphins, so we are obviously in the wrong place.

0:28:170:28:21

'I'm going to try my luck again with Ben.'

0:28:210:28:25

There we go.

0:28:250:28:26

JOHN LAUGHS

0:28:260:28:27

Don't it, whoops!

0:28:270:28:29

'Ben reckons our best chance of seeing the dolphins lies 18 miles

0:28:310:28:35

'out in the Farne Deeps,

0:28:350:28:36

'where the sea floor will be around 100m below us.

0:28:360:28:40

'That's equivalent to the height of St Paul's Cathedral.'

0:28:400:28:43

'We've arrived at our destination.

0:28:570:28:59

'All we can do now is keep our eyes peeled and hope.'

0:28:590:29:03

Oh, there we are look, straight there!

0:29:150:29:16

CREW SHOUT EXCITEDLY

0:29:160:29:18

-15m from us.

-OK, here at the front of the boat.

0:29:180:29:23

-I see them there.

-Can you see it? There we are!

-Wow!

0:29:230:29:27

So, this is a white-beaked dolphin and it's choosing to bow-ride.

0:29:270:29:31

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, wow.

0:29:330:29:39

HE LAUGHS

0:29:390:29:42

-Goodness me.

-A beautiful sight, John.

0:29:420:29:44

Isn't it an amazing sight! And I can see the white beaks so clearly now.

0:29:440:29:50

'What's incredible to me is that these wild creatures

0:29:520:29:56

'want to come so close to our boat and just play around.

0:29:560:29:59

'Now, it's illegal to disturb dolphins

0:29:590:30:01

'so Ben's been granted a special licence to dive close to them.'

0:30:010:30:05

This is a massive pod, isn't it?

0:30:070:30:08

This is a big pod. It's an aggregation here.

0:30:080:30:10

-Several pods, do you think?

-Without a doubt.

0:30:100:30:13

All gathered together. It will be interesting to see what you find.

0:30:130:30:16

SQUEAKING AND CLICKING

0:30:240:30:28

-John, I am surrounded by dolphins.

-What an experience!

0:30:440:30:49

When they're under the water, John,

0:30:490:30:51

they're using their echolocation

0:30:510:30:53

and they're using clicks and whistles.

0:30:530:30:56

And the whistles really are to communicate with each other

0:30:560:30:58

and the maximum we can hear is about 20 kilohertz.

0:30:580:31:04

-Here we go, I'm just going to have a quick look at that one.

-OK.

0:31:060:31:10

SQUEAKING AND CLICKING

0:31:160:31:18

-Quite amazing to see, isn't it?

-What did we get, then?

0:31:280:31:31

Without doubt, some identification of males and females.

0:31:310:31:34

What do you notice about their behaviour?

0:31:340:31:36

Their behaviour is that they're inquisitive.

0:31:360:31:39

They are amazing wildlife just off our shores here, you know,

0:31:390:31:43

-and these dolphins...

-That we know so little about?

-So little about.

0:31:430:31:46

The information you're gathering underwater

0:31:460:31:48

could be vital for the future protection of these species?

0:31:480:31:51

It certainly could for the future protection of these creatures.

0:31:510:31:53

Yes, John, you're right.

0:31:530:31:55

'That really was a first,

0:31:580:32:00

'a pioneering trip that I'll never forget.'

0:32:000:32:02

'Today, we're behind the scenes on the Killerton estate in Devon -

0:32:070:32:11

'a hive of activity as it gets ready to open its doors to the public

0:32:110:32:15

'in the months ahead.'

0:32:150:32:17

Well, this is a pretty unassuming building from the outside,

0:32:170:32:21

but I'm told that inside there's a real treasure chest. Let's go see.

0:32:210:32:25

Well, what a surprise!

0:32:290:32:32

I was expecting something vaguely agricultural

0:32:320:32:35

but instead we've got costumes.

0:32:350:32:38

Rows upon rows of costumes, by the look of it.

0:32:380:32:42

-Are you in charge of them?

-Yes, I am.

0:32:420:32:43

How many have you got altogether?

0:32:430:32:45

Well, we have about 20,000 items on our database altogether.

0:32:450:32:49

And how did they get here, then?

0:32:490:32:50

They came here in the mid-1970s after the death of the original collector

0:32:500:32:56

and once they'd been displayed at Killerton,

0:32:560:32:59

we began to acquire more things.

0:32:590:33:01

These costumes are now part and parcel of the Killerton estate,

0:33:040:33:08

and some are even older than the house itself,

0:33:080:33:10

ranging from the 1690s to the 1970s.

0:33:100:33:15

Each garment has a unique number and the store room is kept

0:33:150:33:19

at a constantly cool temperature to preserve them.

0:33:190:33:22

So, do all these costumes just stay in here?

0:33:240:33:27

At the moment, they're "resting", to use a theatrical term.

0:33:270:33:31

What happens when they're not resting, then?

0:33:310:33:33

When they're not resting, their moment comes along,

0:33:330:33:36

and they go on display.

0:33:360:33:39

I make a selection every year for the annual exhibition,

0:33:390:33:42

so next month, we'll be opening the exhibition,

0:33:420:33:45

and Charlotte's just preparing some of the pieces

0:33:450:33:49

to go on show at the moment.

0:33:490:33:51

A selection of the costumes has been displayed

0:33:510:33:54

annually at the house for the past 35 years.

0:33:540:33:57

This year's theme is The Nature of Fashion, showcasing natural fibres.

0:33:570:34:02

Excuse me, ladies!

0:34:020:34:03

What are you doing here, Charlotte?

0:34:060:34:08

I'm actually using cold steam,

0:34:080:34:10

just to apply a bit of moisture to the fibres to make them relax,

0:34:100:34:13

and therefore, for the creases to drop out.

0:34:130:34:16

Obviously, with a period garment, you can't actually iron it,

0:34:160:34:20

because the hot temperature would obviously damage the fibres.

0:34:200:34:23

How difficult is it to take a dress like this from the rack

0:34:230:34:29

and turn it into something that looks real?

0:34:290:34:32

It's a process that takes about three or four days,

0:34:320:34:35

to mount something correctly.

0:34:350:34:36

And what kind of era are we talking about here?

0:34:360:34:40

This dress is about 1870.

0:34:400:34:42

This dress is going into next month's exhibition, is it?

0:34:430:34:46

Yes, this is part of the display for next month.

0:34:460:34:48

And what about this one?

0:34:480:34:50

This one, too. This is 1914, Broderie Anglaise, day dress.

0:34:500:34:55

-Which is rather pretty.

-Looks more like a nightdress to me.

0:34:550:34:57

It does look like a nightdress, but no, it's a day dress.

0:34:570:35:00

-And that's cotton?

-That's cotton, that one's silk.

0:35:000:35:03

All very much part of your theme.

0:35:030:35:05

Yes, we're talking about natural fibres and natural fabrics,

0:35:050:35:08

so linen, cotton, silk, wool.

0:35:080:35:11

Visitors even get their own chance to try on some of the costumes.

0:35:140:35:19

Now, here's a fine looking wardrobe.

0:35:190:35:22

And there's a notice on it. "Open me".

0:35:220:35:25

MAGIC TINKLE

0:35:250:35:27

Narnia!

0:35:270:35:28

It's a dressing room for the exhibition.

0:35:300:35:33

There's men's period fashion as well.

0:35:330:35:36

There's plenty to inspire here, as there is with our calendar.

0:35:390:35:43

October's image is of a hungry red squirrel having a snack.

0:35:430:35:47

A couple of years ago, Julia went looking for squirrels herself,

0:35:470:35:51

as well as a host of other wildlife, in one of our largest

0:35:510:35:54

man-made forests - Kielder, in Northumberland.

0:35:540:35:57

The open, rugged moorland here was transformed in the 1920s

0:36:040:36:08

to meet the demand for wood after World War I.

0:36:080:36:11

Today, it's just as vast and valuable as it ever was,

0:36:110:36:14

but it's managed for more than just profit.

0:36:140:36:18

Now, Kielder is valued for its views and its wonderful wildlife.

0:36:180:36:22

Graham Gill is in charge of managing

0:36:220:36:24

the entire 150,000-acre woodland.

0:36:240:36:28

20% of all the timber produced in England comes from this forest.

0:36:280:36:31

-From this very spot?

-From this very spot.

0:36:310:36:34

If I asked you to put a price on each tree,

0:36:340:36:36

what would you come back with?

0:36:360:36:38

Well, a single tree standing in the forest isn't worth very much.

0:36:380:36:41

-It's about £5 for a tree.

-No!

0:36:410:36:44

Doesn't sound a lot, when we've spent maybe 50 years growing that tree,

0:36:440:36:48

and that's what it's worth. But it does multiply up.

0:36:480:36:52

And also, the work's become easier, hasn't it,

0:36:520:36:54

-thanks to machines like this?

-Well, yes.

0:36:540:36:57

It works out itself on the computer how to get the best value

0:36:570:37:00

out of that tree, and then it cuts the tree off the stump, and it

0:37:000:37:04

strips off the branches, and then it's pre-programmed to cut the right

0:37:040:37:09

length and diameter of products from the tree.

0:37:090:37:11

And it looks good!

0:37:110:37:13

So, when you're in the business of providing wood for tables

0:37:130:37:17

and chairs, just how do you add a little beauty to the mix?

0:37:170:37:20

Well, here, they've softened the woodland edges

0:37:200:37:22

and brought in broadleaf trees to make the forest that little bit

0:37:220:37:25

more alluring for the 200,000 visitors that come here every year.

0:37:250:37:29

And a lucky few may even catch a glimpse of our rarest mammals, too.

0:37:290:37:35

This might be a man-made forest, but a wide variety of wildlife

0:37:350:37:39

have quite happily taken up residence here.

0:37:390:37:42

The guy keeping an eye on the wonderful wildlife

0:37:420:37:45

is Martin Davison.

0:37:450:37:46

Well, this is a great spruce forest,

0:37:460:37:48

and a large number of cone bearing trees,

0:37:480:37:51

which means a lot of food resource for red squirrels.

0:37:510:37:54

-And here is an absolute classic red squirrel dining table.

-Right.

0:37:540:37:59

These are typical chewed up cones... The squirrel picks them up,

0:37:590:38:02

feeds in the tree and just drops them,

0:38:020:38:05

or comes down onto the ground and just happily gnaws away on them.

0:38:050:38:08

But, what about the grey squirrels?

0:38:080:38:11

The grey squirrels don't survive very well on small seeded cones,

0:38:110:38:15

so, what we're hoping is that,

0:38:150:38:17

because we've got such a huge reservoir of spruce trees

0:38:170:38:20

within the forest, is that the greys will never do very well within

0:38:200:38:24

the forest and the red will continue to thrive.

0:38:240:38:26

-And thriving they are.

-That's right.

0:38:260:38:28

Here at Kielder, we have two-thirds of the English population.

0:38:280:38:32

The red squirrel's not the only rare species

0:38:320:38:34

to make this forest their home.

0:38:340:38:36

So, what are we doing here?

0:38:360:38:38

I've brought you here, Julia,

0:38:380:38:40

to hopefully show you something quite exciting.

0:38:400:38:42

Down underneath that branch there's exactly what we're after.

0:38:420:38:45

There's a nice tail feather, that's off a female goshawk.

0:38:450:38:48

-A goshawk?

-It is.

-So, you've got goshawks in the forest?

-We have.

0:38:480:38:52

We've got a few pairs of goshawks in the forest.

0:38:520:38:54

Because they're very rare.

0:38:540:38:56

They are, yes. And it's exciting to have them. Very exciting.

0:38:560:39:00

-That is exciting. So, he or she?

-It's she, Julia.

0:39:000:39:05

It's a female goshawk's feather, nice, broad band in the tail,

0:39:050:39:10

-with a nice whitely-buffed tip.

-Mm-hm.

0:39:100:39:13

Top predators of the forest,

0:39:150:39:17

goshawks are ideally suited to hunting in the densest cover.

0:39:170:39:21

With their malleable wings, they can manoeuvre around branches

0:39:210:39:24

in flight, and reach speeds of up to 50kmh.

0:39:240:39:27

At this time of the year,

0:39:270:39:28

they'll be nesting high up in the top of the canopy.

0:39:280:39:31

Now, this is their favourite tree, where the bird

0:39:310:39:34

-often has prey underneath, so we'll go and check that.

-Right.

0:39:340:39:38

-This is exactly what we're after.

-So, this is a feeding ground?

-It is.

0:39:380:39:42

The bird, what happens is, a male comes into the site carrying prey.

0:39:420:39:46

He plucks, he might let the head, have a feed,

0:39:460:39:49

and then brings in the rest of the carcass.

0:39:490:39:53

And so, you end up with bits of bones. That's a wood pigeon.

0:39:530:39:57

-Right, well, it was a wood pigeon.

-It was a wood pigeon!

0:39:570:39:59

-What have we got here? We've got a little skull, here.

-Yeah, yeah.

0:39:590:40:02

-Oh, it's a red squirrel.

-Oh, no!

-It is, it is.

0:40:020:40:07

They are a forest bird.

0:40:070:40:10

Squirrels are forest animals. You'd expect them to eat red squirrels.

0:40:100:40:13

It will not harm the population at all.

0:40:130:40:15

When the squirrels are having a good year, obviously,

0:40:150:40:18

more get predated, but in a poor year,

0:40:180:40:19

when there's not so many squirrels, they are too hard to catch.

0:40:190:40:22

It's only when they're common that they take one or two.

0:40:220:40:25

Well, Julia, there's been an awful lot of signs today,

0:40:290:40:31

but I'm really hoping that we're going to show you something alive.

0:40:310:40:36

-It's a bird box.

-It is. So, let's see if anybody's at home.

0:40:360:40:40

TAPPING

0:40:410:40:42

Hear that?

0:40:440:40:45

That's a bill clapping.

0:40:480:40:50

-It's a tawny owl.

-It's not!

-It is, it is.

0:40:500:40:54

-You can help us ring him, if you want.

-All right.

0:40:540:40:57

-And it's OK to handle them?

-It is, yes.

-Oh, look, they're so fluffy!

0:40:570:41:01

And here, we have one very large tawny owl chick.

0:41:020:41:06

Right.

0:41:060:41:08

-So, if you want to handle and hold this one.

-Yes, of course.

0:41:080:41:11

-Because there's two.

-Right.

0:41:110:41:13

Look at that!

0:41:130:41:15

Absolutely lovely, aren't they?

0:41:170:41:20

Hello. Aw, gosh, so gorgeous.

0:41:200:41:22

Not long off fledging. Ha-ha!

0:41:220:41:25

If you just hold him, yes, just gently, by the leg, and just

0:41:250:41:30

put your other hand underneath, that's absolutely perfect.

0:41:300:41:33

Oh, look at that.

0:41:330:41:35

The tawnies are thriving in Kielder.

0:41:350:41:37

There are now over 200 nesting boxes in the forest.

0:41:370:41:41

By ringing the baby owls,

0:41:410:41:42

Martin can keep track of their population for years to come.

0:41:420:41:46

He's enjoying his bed.

0:41:460:41:48

If you try to do this in the middle of the night, it would

0:41:480:41:50

be jumping about, food calling, hungry,

0:41:500:41:54

but in the middle of the day, they're just having a siesta, basically.

0:41:540:41:57

-You never get sick of looking at them.

-No.

0:41:580:42:01

Hopefully, this little fellow will survive, thrive and, in time,

0:42:010:42:05

return here to breed.

0:42:050:42:07

Today, we're looking forward to this new year by looking back

0:42:150:42:18

at some of our favourite moments

0:42:180:42:20

inspired by the winning entries in our photographic competition.

0:42:200:42:25

And, if you're planning for the year ahead,

0:42:250:42:27

as they are here at Killerton, well, it's not too late to get

0:42:270:42:29

a Countryfile calendar for all those important dates.

0:42:290:42:32

It costs £9, and comes with free delivery.

0:42:340:42:36

If you'd like one, then please go to the Countryfile website.

0:42:360:42:40

There, you'll find all the details you'll need to order your copy.

0:42:400:42:43

And at least £4 from the sale of every calendar

0:42:450:42:48

goes to the BBC Children In Need appeal.

0:42:480:42:51

But, you'll have to wait

0:42:510:42:52

until the last month of the year to find this snowy scene.

0:42:520:42:56

It looks stunning,

0:42:560:42:57

but there's no letup for farmers in these bleak conditions.

0:42:570:43:01

The winter of 2010 was a bad one on Adam's farm.

0:43:010:43:04

When there are animals to look after, you simply can't take a day off.

0:43:110:43:16

I'm all dressed up in thermals and waterproof trousers,

0:43:160:43:20

waterproof jacket, gloves and I'm feeling fairly toasty,

0:43:200:43:23

but these animals have to stay out in the snow all night long.

0:43:230:43:27

And Dougal, the little pet pony we've got here, has got an amazing coat.

0:43:270:43:30

In fact, you can see the snow hasn't melted on his back

0:43:300:43:34

because his coat is so well insulated.

0:43:340:43:36

And he's a real tough old beast.

0:43:360:43:38

The geese and ducks are a bit bemused by it.

0:43:380:43:41

They just went out into the snow and sit down.

0:43:410:43:43

DUCKS QUACK, COCK CROWS

0:43:430:43:48

These chickens need to be able to get round to their trough here,

0:43:550:43:58

which is frozen solid. Going to pour a bit of fresh water on the top.

0:43:580:44:02

They don't like ploughing through the snow,

0:44:020:44:04

so I'm just making a bit of a path for them.

0:44:040:44:07

This is their food.

0:44:140:44:18

It's just got wheat and chicken pellets in it.

0:44:180:44:22

Just flip the end, and it comes out onto the ground.

0:44:220:44:27

There you are, hens.

0:44:270:44:28

HENS CLUCK CONTENTEDLY

0:44:280:44:31

Every day, Charlie, my partner,

0:44:360:44:38

turns our horses out into the fields for exercise.

0:44:380:44:42

It's a little bit different today, though. Not that they seem to mind.

0:44:440:44:47

One of the major problems in this weather for livestock is water.

0:45:030:45:08

Frozen.

0:45:080:45:10

The sheep are OK, they can just lick snow and get enough

0:45:120:45:15

moisture from that, but the pigs and the cattle need to drink.

0:45:150:45:19

These conditions are pretty unusual, it's about -10 at the moment.

0:45:190:45:23

Colder in Britain than it is in parts of Russia.

0:45:230:45:26

So, it just means you have lots of extra jobs.

0:45:260:45:29

You don't usually have to cart water to things. Right.

0:45:290:45:32

I feed these pigs on this concrete pad and the powder,

0:45:470:45:49

so I've just got to clear it off a bit.

0:45:490:45:53

Pig-pig-pig-pig!

0:45:570:45:59

Pigs are really hardy.

0:46:050:46:06

They'll live out in these pig arks, you know, just...

0:46:060:46:09

We've got a wooden hut there and then just arks of tin.

0:46:090:46:11

Fill them with straw and they just lie out in it.

0:46:110:46:13

They're absolutely fine,

0:46:130:46:15

particularly these Iron Age ones that are like a cross between a wild boar.

0:46:150:46:18

They've got such a thick coat,

0:46:180:46:19

whereas the Gloucester Old Spots are a little bit softer,

0:46:190:46:22

haven't got quite as much hair and they were all tucked up in their hut.

0:46:220:46:25

The pigs are as happy as they can be,

0:46:280:46:30

but there's plenty more animals to check on yet.

0:46:300:46:33

Next, it's the sheep.

0:46:410:46:43

They may be hardy, but it's really extreme weather

0:46:430:46:45

and I want to see that they're OK.

0:46:450:46:47

It's a chance for the dogs to have a bit of a run around, too.

0:46:470:46:50

HE CALLS INSTRUCTIONS TO DOG

0:46:500:46:52

So, these are our primitive ewes, really.

0:46:560:46:59

This is a little North Ronaldsay, there's two of them there

0:46:590:47:02

and a Castlemilk Moorit next to it.

0:47:020:47:04

All of these ewes are heavily in lamb now,

0:47:040:47:07

they'll be lambing in April and you can see the North Ronaldsay's

0:47:070:47:10

got icicles and snow on her back, that's because her body warmth

0:47:100:47:14

is staying under her wool, not melting the snow on her back.

0:47:140:47:18

All these ewes will be lambing outside in this field

0:47:180:47:21

so, hopefully by April, this snow will have gone.

0:47:210:47:23

These sheep have a natural instinct to dig

0:47:250:47:26

for the grass which they know lies beneath the snow.

0:47:260:47:31

Under here is my winter barley.

0:47:320:47:35

Maris Otter is the variety that I'm growing for making beer

0:47:350:47:38

and when it's underneath the snow like this,

0:47:380:47:41

although the ground is frozen, it's actually fairly well insulated.

0:47:410:47:46

It's better off under the snow than being exposed and frosted

0:47:460:47:50

because these leaves would break off, then.

0:47:500:47:52

It's actually sitting under here reasonably happily.

0:47:520:47:56

Even in these harsh conditions, growers have to harvest winter veg.

0:47:580:48:01

Not easy with the ground frozen.

0:48:010:48:04

Next job is the cattle troughs.

0:48:070:48:09

I've had a call to say that the water supply pipe is frozen

0:48:090:48:12

and that's something I need to put right straightaway.

0:48:120:48:15

These cattle have managed to dig a hole in the ice.

0:48:170:48:21

What you've got to do is take the blocks of ice out of the water,

0:48:240:48:30

otherwise it just freezes up pretty quick.

0:48:300:48:33

I'll get the gas.

0:48:380:48:39

TORCH BLOWS

0:48:440:48:46

There we go.

0:48:480:48:50

Well, despite all the hard work on the farm,

0:49:020:49:05

the kids are off school

0:49:050:49:06

so there's still a bit of time for some sledging. Right, can I join in?

0:49:060:49:09

-Yep.

-OK, together, up, ready?

0:49:090:49:12

Goodness me, I think I'm going to fall off the back!

0:49:120:49:15

Hooray-ay!

0:49:150:49:18

Look out, doggie.

0:49:180:49:20

Hey-hey, look out!

0:49:200:49:22

Oh!

0:49:280:49:29

I've been working all morning, managed to stay warm and dry.

0:49:360:49:39

Now I'm freezing cold and very tired.

0:49:390:49:41

You get fit walking up this hill.

0:49:410:49:43

DOG BARKS

0:49:470:49:49

SHRIEKS OF DELIGHT

0:49:490:49:51

LAUGHTER

0:49:560:49:58

Oh, just like big kids.

0:50:050:50:07

It's getting late, but there's still one thing

0:50:070:50:10

I want to do before I call it a day.

0:50:100:50:12

These cattle have got plenty of silage and they drink from the stream

0:50:170:50:20

and these Highlands have been bred for hundreds of years

0:50:200:50:23

to survive in these kind of conditions and they cope very well.

0:50:230:50:26

In fact, they cope a lot better than me.

0:50:260:50:29

Farming in the snow like this just takes up so much time

0:50:290:50:32

and it's such a big effort. I could really do with it going away.

0:50:320:50:37

There's a good girl. You're all right, aren't you?

0:50:370:50:39

'Today, I've been behind the scenes on the Killerton estate in Devon

0:51:030:51:07

'where they're getting the place ready

0:51:070:51:09

'for the first visitors of the year.'

0:51:090:51:11

'It's been a busy day. The gardens have been tended,

0:51:140:51:17

the cider's been taken care of

0:51:170:51:18

'and preparations for the annual costume exhibition are under way.'

0:51:180:51:22

'I'm heading out into the woodland to see what the estate's

0:51:240:51:27

'countryside team has been up to.'

0:51:270:51:29

Well, a lot of woodland to look after here, Ed?

0:51:290:51:32

Across the estate, we've got about 650 hectares of woodland

0:51:320:51:34

so quite a lot of woodland to manage. Keeps us busy.

0:51:340:51:37

-A lot of timber going on?

-Yeah, we do quite a bit

0:51:370:51:40

to the local log market. Sell a lot of timber there,

0:51:400:51:42

but our woodland's primarily managed for nature conservation

0:51:420:51:45

-and then access to the public.

-Any particular type of conservation?

0:51:450:51:49

Yes, this site in particular is managed

0:51:490:51:51

for the pearl-bordered fritillary.

0:51:510:51:52

We've only got a few sites where this butterfly lives in the country

0:51:520:51:55

so it's really quite important that we get this right.

0:51:550:51:58

One of the things we do, the charcoal burning here

0:51:580:52:00

helps us create the right habitat

0:52:000:52:01

for the common dog violet which is this little flower down here.

0:52:010:52:05

It's not flowering at the moment

0:52:050:52:06

-but see the little heart-shaped leaves down here?

-Oh, yeah.

0:52:060:52:09

This is the larval food plant so this is a food plant that

0:52:090:52:11

the caterpillars need to feed on before they go into being an adult.

0:52:110:52:15

That one's been eaten away a bit which is a great sign,

0:52:150:52:17

shows that we've got some larval stages here.

0:52:170:52:20

So, why do you need to chop down trees then, so that these can grow?

0:52:200:52:24

The old adage was that the pearl-bordered fritillary

0:52:240:52:27

followed the forester around.

0:52:270:52:28

Once you take a tree away, extra light gets into the forest floor

0:52:280:52:32

and these are often the first flowers that pop up through.

0:52:320:52:35

If we left it as a closed-canopy woodland, these would be

0:52:350:52:37

shaded out and we'd obviously lose the butterflies as well.

0:52:370:52:41

-Well, how about this for a log fire, Ed?

-That's right.

0:52:410:52:45

-Slightly larger than your average wood burner!

-Yeah!

0:52:450:52:47

-You can feel the heat from here.

-Yeah.

0:52:470:52:50

This is one of our charcoal kilns. So, we've got a bonfire there

0:52:500:52:54

going at the moment. What the guys are just about to do is pop the lid

0:52:540:52:57

on the top and as they do that, we'll start to see the flames

0:52:570:53:01

-and the smoke coming out...

-Coming out of here?

-..out of the chimneys.

0:53:010:53:04

We seal the top with sand and then, we can add

0:53:040:53:08

an element of control by just holding the airflow in and out.

0:53:080:53:12

And how long will this go on for, now?

0:53:120:53:14

After about 12 hours, we'll close it all down, cut the oxygen out

0:53:140:53:18

and that'll slowly let it cool down.

0:53:180:53:20

What kind of a demand is there these days for charcoal?

0:53:200:53:23

Locally-burned charcoal's having a bit of a renaissance at the moment.

0:53:230:53:26

People are being much more aware of where their charcoal

0:53:260:53:29

comes from for their barbecues.

0:53:290:53:31

That's good to hear because a lot of the charcoal is imported, isn't it?

0:53:310:53:35

From Portugal, places like that.

0:53:350:53:36

It is and an awful lot of tropical hardwoods are going into charcoal

0:53:360:53:41

and that's not really sustainable.

0:53:410:53:43

So, it's great to see this tradition being carried on

0:53:430:53:46

and it's great for the local wildlife.

0:53:460:53:48

After a day of hard graft,

0:53:500:53:52

it's time for one last flush of post-Christmas indulgence.

0:53:520:53:55

As we pull the plug on another festive season,

0:53:570:54:00

it's time to welcome the new year with the staff and volunteers

0:54:000:54:04

and a burger cooked over a bit of Ed's charcoal.

0:54:040:54:07

The resolutions can wait for another day.

0:54:070:54:10

And where's that cider you promised me, Ed?

0:54:100:54:13

Well, funny you should say that.

0:54:130:54:14

I have here a couple of glasses of mulled cider.

0:54:140:54:17

This is our cider mixed with a few herbs and spices,

0:54:170:54:19

-warmed over the fire.

-Wow.

-Perfect for a winter's evening.

0:54:190:54:22

Never had mulled cider before. And a burger.

0:54:220:54:25

-And we have some burger here, beef from our local estate.

-Wow.

0:54:250:54:27

-Couldn't be more local, then.

-This is it.

0:54:270:54:30

Thanks to all of you here for your hospitality, it's been fantastic.

0:54:300:54:33

-To everybody at Killerton. Here's to Killerton.

-Here's to Killerton.

0:54:330:54:36

-ALL:

-To Killerton!

0:54:360:54:38

Next week, we'll be in Surrey where Helen will be trying to

0:54:380:54:41

overcome her fear of horses as she attempts to get

0:54:410:54:43

back in the saddle again after a very nasty accident last year,

0:54:430:54:47

and I'll be discovering about a local man

0:54:470:54:50

who hatched a plan that transformed the future of our countryside.

0:54:500:54:54

So, I hope you can join us. Bye for now.

0:54:540:54:56

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