0:00:28 > 0:00:32Ah! The sea air. The rolling waves.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36There's only one way to explore the Essex coast...
0:00:36 > 0:00:37in style.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39I'm at the helm of Pioneer,
0:00:39 > 0:00:41the last of her kind.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Now fully restored, she is a living link to this area's rich past.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I'm on board for a trip back in time.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53And finding out that boats still play a big part in life round here.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Go, guys! Go, go, go, go, go!
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Ellie's coming face to face with some psychedelic seals.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06There's one behind us, a couple behind us actually.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Every time I turn round, there's one bobbing about.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Tom's looking at a brand-new solution to the contamination
0:01:13 > 0:01:16that's spoiling some of our most glorious countryside.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19It's one of the biggest threats to water quality and
0:01:19 > 0:01:22river ecology in certainly this part of Wales.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And Adam and Charlotte are meeting the last of this year's
0:01:25 > 0:01:27contenders for Countryfile's Young Farmer Award.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31- GUNSHOT - Look at that!
0:01:32 > 0:01:35- Absolute dust!- So that's how you're supposed to do it.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49The Essex coast.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53A mix of islands, inlets,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57and seaside towns, strung along 350 miles.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Along this stretch of coastline
0:02:00 > 0:02:02people have always made a living from the sea,
0:02:02 > 0:02:03but as you can see from the yachts,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06the dinghies and these beautiful coloured beach huts,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10these days, people also come here to enjoy this place at their leisure.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15I'm headed for Brightlingsea,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18once an important hub for shipbuilding and fishing.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22And to learn more about its maritime history,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26I'm joining this lot - the hardy crew of a very special sailboat.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28How are you doing, team? THEY CHEER
0:02:28 > 0:02:31- Everybody all right? Good. Right, who's in charge? ALL:- Me!
0:02:32 > 0:02:35And I'm not surprised that they're all up for it.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Because who wouldn't want to skipper this?
0:02:39 > 0:02:40Pioneer.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Tell you what, she hasn't half got some charisma.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47She's a Victorian oyster dredger,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49known in these parts as an Essex smack.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54And what makes Pioneer extra special
0:02:54 > 0:02:58is she's the oldest fishing boat of her kind still at sea.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Oh, yes!
0:03:04 > 0:03:08Look at this, I tell you! It really is like stepping back in time.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Two-six, heave!
0:03:14 > 0:03:16But just wait until her sails are up.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Two-six, heave! Two-six, heave!
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Matt, how are you with knots?
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Er, KNOT very good!
0:03:29 > 0:03:31- Hey!- I like the pun there.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Good work, team!
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Very good work!
0:03:37 > 0:03:39That's good. Phewf.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42You look at all your handiwork up above you, and it's mesmerising.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Beautiful.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46And calm. And listen -
0:03:46 > 0:03:51no sound of an engine. Just waves crashing below.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55That is lovely, that.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Pioneer is a sight to behold.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03But she didn't always look this grand.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08After a century at sea, she was left to rot,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11before a group of locals came to her rescue.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16They set up the Pioneer Sailing Trust,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and in 1988,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20a huge restoration project began.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25James Dodds was part of the team,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28using his artistic talents to document the rebuild.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I've followed this project right from the beginning.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39I like to think that I'm celebrating the art of the boatbuilder.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46- How challenging was the restoration? - Er, extremely.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I mean, first of all, digging it out of the mud...
0:04:49 > 0:04:53- Yeah.- ..which was not an easy task. Getting it ashore in one piece,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57cos...really, everything below the mud layer was there,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00but everything above had well rotted away.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05In 2003, after five years of hard graft,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Pioneer set sail from Brightlingsea once again.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14In full sail, she brings to mind a different age.
0:05:14 > 0:05:15A time long passed,
0:05:15 > 0:05:19but captured beautifully in this never broadcast before film.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24These scenes were shot by local people, and form part of
0:05:24 > 0:05:27a new collection from the British Film Institute.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32They show how taking to the water has been
0:05:32 > 0:05:34a way of life in Essex for decades.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37And now, Pioneer is being used
0:05:37 > 0:05:39to teach a new generation how to sail...
0:05:43 > 0:05:45..with Josh and Shari showing new crew members the ropes.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48It's tight.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Good work. Good stuff.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53So when you don't have the Countryfile crew on board,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55who is normally helping you out?
0:05:55 > 0:05:57All sorts of young people,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01but mainly people who wouldn't get an opportunity to go sailing.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06Watching the groups develop, if we're on a five-day trip,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10and the confidence that they gain is just amazing
0:06:10 > 0:06:12towards the end of the week.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16And that's a big thing for us, just watching that.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20The charity that was set up to restore Pioneer
0:06:20 > 0:06:23hasn't stopped with her.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Back on dry land, in Brightlingsea,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28they're working on some exciting projects.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Well, we are now heading back to find out more about those projects.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Obviously I'm at the helm here, so hopefully
0:06:34 > 0:06:36we'll be arriving back at the right place.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38But while I concentrate on navigating,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41here's Tom, with a restoration of a different sort.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51As the Pioneer worked the waters,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54inland, our minds drove British industry.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Especially here, in central Wales.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01This is an area of sweeping beauty,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05a wild oasis stretching as far as the eye can see.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13But here and there, a scar in the landscape.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Amongst all the natural splendour here in Ceredigion
0:07:18 > 0:07:21are barren patches of land like this.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25It has a certain eerie beauty,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27but it lacks any lush greenery.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Because this is contaminated land,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33and cleaning it up is costing the earth.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Factories, power stations and landfill sites
0:07:39 > 0:07:42all leave a legacy of contamination,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45that across the UK cover nearly
0:07:45 > 0:07:48a million acres, or 400,000 hectares.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51That's pretty much the size of Somerset.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Here in central Wales,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57metal mines are one of the major causes of contaminated land.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02There are 1,300 of them in Wales, all now abandoned.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07This is one of the largest, Cwmystwyth. It closed in the 1920s.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13Well, as you see, this site is covered in vast dumps of waste
0:08:13 > 0:08:15left over from the processing of the metal ores,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18especially lead and zinc...
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Paul Edwards is from Natural Resources Wales.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24He faces the huge challenge of cleaning up these mine sites.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28How badly polluted is this site?
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Well, this site is certainly one of our top five
0:08:33 > 0:08:36most polluting metal mine sites in Wales.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41'We can find out just HOW concentrated the heavy metals are
0:08:41 > 0:08:44'in the spoil heaps, by using this X-ray analyser.'
0:08:44 > 0:08:46That looks very Star Trek!
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- So I just need you to stand behind me while I take a reading.- OK.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Just for safety.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59So what have we got?
0:08:59 > 0:09:02So we've got about 8.2% lead there,
0:09:02 > 0:09:03which is very high.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06And we've got about 0.1% zinc there as well.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10'The level of lead in this spoil heap is thousands of times higher
0:09:10 > 0:09:13'than you'd expect to see in any normal soil,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17'and the level of zinc is hundreds of times higher.'
0:09:17 > 0:09:19So what are YOU making of those readings, Paul?
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Well, we'd be very concerned about lead concentrations this high.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Water often flows through here,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and it erodes this material and
0:09:27 > 0:09:29carries it straight into the river.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30And if we walk along here,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33I can show you where metals are getting into the river now.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Well, that is a very livid orange strip. What is going on here?
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Well, this is the water that's flowing out
0:09:45 > 0:09:48from the entrance to the mine.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51And it's bright orange because it contains a lot of iron,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54but it's the other metals such as zinc, lead and cadmium
0:09:54 > 0:09:58which are more toxic to the river life.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59Can we test for it in any way?
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Well, I have this kit, which is a very crude test for zinc...
0:10:04 > 0:10:08If we could fill that to that line...
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- OK. About 5ml.- Yes.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15And then just rock it back and fore to mix it up a bit.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Bit of field science. Loving this.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Right, and now we just want to dip this paper in
0:10:20 > 0:10:22about one second in there...
0:10:23 > 0:10:25- It's gone a lot darker already.- Yes.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29So, probably got about, say,
0:10:29 > 0:10:3210-25mg polluter of zinc,
0:10:32 > 0:10:33which is extremely high.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36And how does that compare in terms of
0:10:36 > 0:10:38a normal river or a normal watercourse?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Well, that's a couple of thousand times higher than what you'd
0:10:41 > 0:10:43want to achieve in the river.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47How much zinc is actually coming out of this little stream in a year?
0:10:47 > 0:10:50About six tonnes a year of zinc.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53- Wow!- But bear in mind that the site as a whole discharges
0:10:53 > 0:10:56about 20 tonnes of zinc a year.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Those metals are directly toxic to fish and invertebrates,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02so it does have an effect. I mean, there are very few fish
0:11:02 > 0:11:04in the river downstream of this discharge.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08It's one of the biggest threats to water quality and
0:11:08 > 0:11:10river ecology in certainly this part of Wales.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17The pollution from this stream is severe, but it CAN get even worse.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Deep inside the mine shafts are underground lakes
0:11:20 > 0:11:22of contaminated water.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24When pressure builds, it can cause
0:11:24 > 0:11:29a blowout - toxic water bursts on to the hillside and into the river,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31with devastating consequences.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Thankfully, this one at Cwm Rheidol mine last year was
0:11:36 > 0:11:40diverted away from the river. But in the 1960s, a single blowout here
0:11:40 > 0:11:43killed all the fish for a ten-mile stretch.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Tackling contamination on this scale is an expensive business -
0:11:48 > 0:11:50around £2.5 million per site.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Across Wales, this is a multi-multi-million pound
0:11:58 > 0:12:00clean-up job on your hands here.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03If we want to treat every single polluting mine, it would be,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06but realistically we're focusing on a few priority sites
0:12:06 > 0:12:08which cause the most environmental damage.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14That means there are still over 1,000 mines leaching toxic metals
0:12:14 > 0:12:17into the environment, entirely unchecked.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24So, contaminated land is an environmental disaster, and
0:12:24 > 0:12:27cleaning it up is breaking the bank, but could there be
0:12:27 > 0:12:31a brand-new and much cheaper way to solve this problem?
0:12:31 > 0:12:33That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50- ELLIE:- Here on the Essex and Suffolk border lies Foxearth Meadows,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53a quiet nature reserve where there's a real-life story
0:12:53 > 0:12:56of beauty and the beast.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Got one.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08And this is the beast in question.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12This is a dragonfly larvae.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16They're seldom seen, spending up to four years in the aquatic
0:13:16 > 0:13:21underworld, and down there they are voracious predators.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27They'll feast on almost anything smaller than themselves,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29including tadpoles and small fish.
0:13:31 > 0:13:36Vicious hinged jaws flash forward in hundredths of a second.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Unsuspecting prey has no chance.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45That's not the only remarkable thing about these mini monsters.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48They actually breathe from their back end,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50using gills in their rectum.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53And if they feel threatened, they can expel water at speed
0:13:53 > 0:13:56from their backside to whizz away from danger.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58It's all pretty beastly.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09The next life stage sees an extraordinary transformation.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13Most of their life is spent preparing for this moment -
0:14:13 > 0:14:16a metamorphosis from aquatic beast
0:14:16 > 0:14:18into aerial beauty.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23The fully formed dragonfly casts off its exoskeleton,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27leaving behind a delicate exuviae, or moulted skin.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30I've got a couple of examples here that really show the
0:14:30 > 0:14:33different sizes of the different species.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36If you see these around at this time of year and for the next few
0:14:36 > 0:14:39weeks, you know that there are adults on the wing.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43And that's great news, as nationally,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45dragonfly numbers are in decline.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51With that in mind, Foxearth Meadows has become the UK's only
0:14:51 > 0:14:54nature reserve managed specifically
0:14:54 > 0:14:56for dragonflies and damselflies.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00And it's all thanks to one man's passion for these insects.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09Some people referred to him as a gentle giant.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13He just loved everything - flowers, trees...
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Just appreciated them all.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Over the years, he became
0:15:19 > 0:15:21passionate about dragonflies.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Keith Morris worked in pensions,
0:15:25 > 0:15:26but 20 years ago
0:15:26 > 0:15:28took on this small piece of land,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32which he and his wife Maureen turned into a haven for wildlife.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38He came with a friend, and they worked on digging the ponds.
0:15:38 > 0:15:44He also made the edge of the pond here more graduated,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46to be more suitable for dragonflies.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54Keith was always on the lookout for dragonflies and damselflies,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58and he was really pleased to be able
0:15:58 > 0:16:00to record so many over the years.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Sadly, eight years ago, Keith died of cancer.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09It was up to Maureen to decide the future of the site.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14I think he thought it might be a burden for me.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19So he said that the wildlife had gained while he was alive,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23and so just sell it. But I couldn't do that.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27I wanted to, you know, carry on with what he'd done.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34Maureen found help through an unexpected source -
0:16:34 > 0:16:36her local church.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40A Christian conservation charity called A Rocha, which is
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Portuguese for "the rock", raised enough funds to take on the site.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48David Chandler is a trustee of the charity.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54So how did a Christian charity become involved in conservation?
0:16:54 > 0:16:58A Rocha started in the mid-1980s, and it's really rooted in
0:16:58 > 0:17:01a conviction that Christians should be caring for creation,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03caring for the natural world.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Why is THIS site so important for the charity?
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Oh, well, it's our first owned nature reserve.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11- You know, so that makes it really significant.- Yeah.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13And it's a great opportunity to engage with local people
0:17:13 > 0:17:16in some really practical, grassroots conservation.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19And on the dragonflies and damselflies particularly,
0:17:19 > 0:17:20- how many species do you have?- 21.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23So we've got 21 on the list for here. And some context for that -
0:17:23 > 0:17:26UK list, regular species, 46.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28So we've got nearly half of them on this little site.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31- That's wonderful.- It's brilliant. - Yeah, really great.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35The site is already a flying success,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38but if more proof were needed, the reserve has got some new
0:17:38 > 0:17:41and rather special arrivals.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Walking along here it would be incredibly easy to miss these
0:17:45 > 0:17:48tiny little marks along this branch.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52These are little scars that are evidence of egg-laying,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55and in this case they were laid by the willow emerald damselfly.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Originally from the Continent, the emerald damselfly
0:18:01 > 0:18:04is the most recent species to establish breeding colonies
0:18:04 > 0:18:06here in the UK.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11The number of species here is testament
0:18:11 > 0:18:14to the vitality of the reserve,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17and a fitting legacy to Keith Morris,
0:18:17 > 0:18:19who made it all possible.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Oh, he'd be thrilled. It's exactly what he would have wanted.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25So it's just wonderful.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37I'm on a manhunt...
0:18:40 > 0:18:42..searching these woods near Chelmsford
0:18:42 > 0:18:44for a master of an ancient art.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47A crack shot.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56Ha-ha!
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Well, it looks like he's around here somewhere...
0:19:03 > 0:19:06He's spent a lifetime crafting and mastering the longbow.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12And the name of our mystery archer?
0:19:12 > 0:19:13Tom Mareschall.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15This is yours, I assume, Tom.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Yeah. Oh, splendid, thank you. I've been looking for that.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19What makes it so effective?
0:19:19 > 0:19:23What Mother Nature has been kind enough to do in the yew
0:19:23 > 0:19:27is to marry a very hard, very dense heartwood
0:19:27 > 0:19:30to a soft, springy sapwood.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33And by making it into a bow, we utilise
0:19:33 > 0:19:36the stiffness here and the suppleness there
0:19:36 > 0:19:38to make a very powerful spring.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44This was put to devastating effect on medieval battlefields,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47where longbow archers won wars for English kings...
0:19:49 > 0:19:53..their arrows stopping armoured knights - dead.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55This weapon changed the course of history.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Tom has spent decades learning to use it.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04His training began at nine years old,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08when he became an apprentice for a gamekeeper and bowyer,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11who passed on the secrets of this ancient weapon.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17So I'd spend my days with him out on the mound,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19managing the woodland, managing the wildlife,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and he just sat me down with a bit of wood and a drawknife,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24like that, and we started making bows.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29They take a week to make,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32each bow crafted from either yew or ash.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37Get some of the excess off... start to turn it into a bow. OK?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Tom has spent 50 years making them,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43and he believes the power required to wield a bow
0:20:43 > 0:20:46helped him survive a life-threatening injury.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49So what happened to you, Tom?
0:20:49 > 0:20:52I was serving in the Navy. Wrong place, wrong time,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56got smacked in the back by a gun barrel, broke my back.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01Spent the next nine months in a full-body cast,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and another 18 months learning to walk.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07The one thing really that helped me get over that injury
0:21:07 > 0:21:10more than anything else was the tremendous upper body strength
0:21:10 > 0:21:12that I'd developed by shooting a warbow.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15You know, I need the upper body strength to be able to
0:21:15 > 0:21:16learn to walk again.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19It's amazing hearing your story, because as you speak,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23all I'm doing is replacing the word "longbow" with "sport".
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- Yeah.- Everything you said resonates so deeply with me.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Tom believes a bow is an extension of him.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32And, as I watch one take shape,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I start to understand what he means.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Right, so... Let's have a look here.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39- Right, OK...- You can feel the wood.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43- You can feel the lumps, the bumps, the grooves.- Absolutely.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45You can only make the bow that the bit of wood will give you.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49You can't force it. You know.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Some come easy, some fight.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55But Tom has a special way of bending the wood to his will.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58What we've got here, OK,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01is a very simple device called
0:22:01 > 0:22:03a tillering stick,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and what we do is we just put the bow on the top there, stretch it,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10and what we're actually looking for is a nice even bend from end to end.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14That's amazing how smooth and how well-worked that is
0:22:14 > 0:22:15to get that balance in it.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18This bow is ready to go. It's ready to shoot now.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22'But we'll need some arrows first...
0:22:23 > 0:22:27'..and Tom's mate Rick Sherwood is the man to help.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30'He's making them just as blacksmiths would have done
0:22:30 > 0:22:33'six centuries ago, at the Battle of Agincourt.'
0:22:33 > 0:22:36So your process is exactly the same as they might have done
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- in medieval times?- Yeah, it's very, very close.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46They would have had to produce roughly one every five minutes.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48The amount of arrows that they got through in a battle
0:22:48 > 0:22:50must have been unreal, wouldn't it?
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Yeah. When Henry went to France in 1415,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55he took three million arrows with him.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01You're not going to waste your time giving this to someone
0:23:01 > 0:23:02that can't shoot it, are you?
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'So let hope they're not wasted on me.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08'Time for my archery lesson.'
0:23:08 > 0:23:12'Because of his spinal injury, Tom often shoots sitting down
0:23:12 > 0:23:15'as well, which means adjusting our technique.'
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Rather than bringing the bow right up vertical,
0:23:21 > 0:23:22if I shoot on the angle...
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- Yeah?- You really make it look easy.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Well, that's 50-odd years of practice, mate.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- Be the bow.- Well, yeah.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Go on. That's it.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36- Aww!- Oh, nearly.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- Good lad. Well done.- That was better, wasn't it?
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Much better. Yeah.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Go on.
0:23:44 > 0:23:45Go on...
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- Nice.- Come on! Look at that!
0:23:48 > 0:23:52But how will I fare against Tom's star pupils
0:23:52 > 0:23:54in a medieval archery tournament?
0:23:54 > 0:23:56First person to hit the bell wins.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57Come on!
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Right, read 'em and weep, ladies and gents.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Awww! Did you see that?!
0:24:08 > 0:24:10- Yes!- Oh, what?!
0:24:10 > 0:24:12BELL RINGS
0:24:15 > 0:24:16THEY LAUGH
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I hadn't even finished loading me bow IN!
0:24:20 > 0:24:22And that's how we won Agincourt, Steve!
0:24:22 > 0:24:25THEY LAUGH
0:24:25 > 0:24:26Do you know what, right?
0:24:26 > 0:24:29I might not have won today - but what a day it's been.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Earlier, we heard how contaminated land
0:24:41 > 0:24:44is causing an environmental catastrophe.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46So, what's the solution?
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Tom's been looking at a grassroots alternative.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Nestled in the heart of Wales,
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Ceredigion is wild and beautiful.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03But it's also home to a concentration
0:25:03 > 0:25:07of abandoned metal mines, that are causing trouble in paradise.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13These mountains of mining spoil contain heavy metals,
0:25:13 > 0:25:17and when it rains, these toxic minerals can be washed from here
0:25:17 > 0:25:22across the ground and into our rivers.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25And this pollution can have a devastating effect on wildlife,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28wiping out fish and even killing livestock.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Current methods for tackling contamination
0:25:32 > 0:25:34cost millions of pounds.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40But could there be another, much cheaper solution?
0:25:42 > 0:25:46So what have we got here, emerging in the sea mist?
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Yeah, welcome to Wales, Tom. It's standard weather here.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53'Dr Jon McCalmont from Aberystwyth University
0:25:53 > 0:25:55'thinks he may just have the answer.'
0:25:55 > 0:25:58The field we're in at the moment is a field of miscanthus.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03- It's a giant Asian grass.- Well, you say giant. Currently it's, what,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07about half a metre or so high. How big will it get?
0:26:07 > 0:26:10In this field here, it will easily reach three metres this year.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- Twice our height.- They're huge. Yeah, yeah.- Wow.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15'When it reaches its full height, miscanthus drops
0:26:15 > 0:26:17'a third of its leaves on the ground,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20'forming a thick mat that protects the soil.'
0:26:20 > 0:26:23That gives us a permanent layer, really.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26You can see here, the soil is covered. It's its own weed control.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29They also stop soil erosion, surface run-off...
0:26:29 > 0:26:31I gather one of the secrets of this plant is happening
0:26:31 > 0:26:33- BENEATH the surface.- Yeah, yeah,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35the real action is going on below the ground, really,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and if you'd like to give me a hand, we can have a look.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I worried about those spades there! OK...
0:26:44 > 0:26:46'Digging up this beast of a plant
0:26:46 > 0:26:48'takes some serious elbow grease.'
0:26:52 > 0:26:54- I think we're there, aren't we? - I think there are about ready
0:26:54 > 0:26:55to pull that out.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58So we should be able to lift it over with some of...
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- these stubbles.- Righto.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Ah-ha. And what's the secret here?
0:27:05 > 0:27:10So inside this mass of soil here is actually a rhizome structure.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12'Rhizome is a type of root system,
0:27:12 > 0:27:17'and a single miscanthus plant has a huge amount of it.'
0:27:17 > 0:27:19And why is this stuff particularly important with our
0:27:19 > 0:27:21contaminated land story?
0:27:21 > 0:27:24When you've got soils that are full of heavy metals,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27you don't want them moving around. So this just binds it all together,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29it's like an underground structure that just knits everything
0:27:29 > 0:27:32- together securely.- The fact we're having trouble breaking it up...
0:27:32 > 0:27:35- You can feel it.- ..illustrates the point, doesn't it?- Exactly,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- yeah, you can't even break this up. - It's really tough stuff.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42'If this dense root system holds the soil in place,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45'it should stop heavy metals spreading into the water courses.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48'But can miscanthus really grow on land as contaminated
0:27:48 > 0:27:51'as I've seen here in Wales?
0:27:51 > 0:27:54'Jon's been leading some pioneering trials here at his lab
0:27:54 > 0:27:56'in Aberystwyth and in Poland,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00'and can reveal to us for the first time his results.'
0:28:00 > 0:28:04- So has this actually been tried on contaminated land anywhere?- Yep.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Yeah, we've actually got these trials up and running now in Poland,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09where we've been looking at heavy metal-contaminated land.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12How is it that they're actually helping to deal with
0:28:12 > 0:28:13the contamination problem there?
0:28:13 > 0:28:16The immediate gain, obviously, is just stabilising that soil.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20This production of the rhizome biomass, the litter deposition
0:28:20 > 0:28:23on the surface, it just protects those soils straight away.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26'And the miracle properties of miscanthus don't end there.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29'It actually draws the metal toxins out of the soil,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33'cleaning the land. But that takes time.'
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Certainly decades. But they will start to take it out eventually,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39you know? Anything from 80 to 200 years.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42'So is this a long-term solution, that could transform
0:28:42 > 0:28:44'our contaminated land?'
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Absolutely. I mean, there's an easy win for this plant -
0:28:47 > 0:28:49it helps straight away in soil stabilisation, we know that.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52The results that we're getting now are suggesting it could
0:28:52 > 0:28:55probably play a good role as well in taking some of these metals up,
0:28:55 > 0:28:57and then to be removed in the biomass.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59But certainly the soil stabilisation, straight away.
0:29:02 > 0:29:07Miscanthus is already grown around much of the UK as a biofuel,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11and this adds another incentive for using it on contaminated land.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14Farmers can plant it in areas where they can't grow anything else,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17and cultivate it as a cash crop.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19It really does have quite a lot going for it.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28So is miscanthus a silver bullet? Not everyone's convinced.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31I've come to Frongoch Lead Mine, one of the most polluting mines
0:29:31 > 0:29:36in Wales, to meet Peter Stanley from Natural Resources Wales.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38He thinks, in many places,
0:29:38 > 0:29:40miscanthus could do more harm than good.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46Well, the miscanthus, it's a non-native species,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49and just over to my left we've got some,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52what's referred to as calaminarian grassland.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54It's a heath grassland,
0:29:54 > 0:29:58and metal-rich plants actually grow upon that.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00The habitat is quite niche.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04And that's not all that Peter wants to protect from miscanthus.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07The remains of these mines may be scars on the landscape,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10but they're scars that some people cherish.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13We've got the archaeology just here.
0:30:13 > 0:30:14This is important archaeology,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17and it's something that we have to take into account.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21And so is the point that if you went round, you know, planting, you know,
0:30:21 > 0:30:22a big plant with a big root system over this,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24that it would destroy it? Is that the problem?
0:30:24 > 0:30:26It could damage it for certain, yeah.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28And obviously we wish to avoid that.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33So, some people have their concerns.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37But the fight against contaminated land and water
0:30:37 > 0:30:39has been going on for decades,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41it's a war of attrition.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Enlisting the help of this powerplant,
0:30:44 > 0:30:49alien though it is, might just bring us a step or two closer to victory.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59The Essex coast line -
0:30:59 > 0:31:03where generations have toiled, eking a living from the sea.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09And a place for recreation, too.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18This newly discovered film, which has never been broadcast before,
0:31:18 > 0:31:22gives us a rare insight into the lives of local people -
0:31:22 > 0:31:24going back decades.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29BOTTLE CRACKS They may have been boatbuilders...
0:31:31 > 0:31:34..or sailed the seas hoping for a monster catch.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Which was once the job of Pioneer...
0:31:40 > 0:31:45..a Victorian oyster dredger that worked this coastline for a century.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48She fell to rack and ruin, before being fully restored by
0:31:48 > 0:31:50a dedicated team of enthusiasts.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56The charity that saved her is based here.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58At their yard in Brightlingsea,
0:31:58 > 0:32:02they're bringing other historic vessels back to life too.
0:32:02 > 0:32:03What are you up to, Charlie?
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Felicity Lees from the Pioneer Sailing Trust runs an
0:32:07 > 0:32:10apprenticeship scheme that teaches young people how to build boats.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14The old-fashioned way.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Using skills that had all but died out in these parts.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21How many have actually been through the system, do you know?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23We've had something like 20
0:32:23 > 0:32:26- that have been through since the start.- Right.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28They're with us for at least two years,
0:32:28 > 0:32:32so they can really get the most out of being here.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Charlie Brockie started his apprenticeship in 2011,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39and has helped to rebuild Priscilla from the workshop floor up.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42At what point in the boatbuilding process
0:32:42 > 0:32:45do you have to ask for permission to come aboard?
0:32:45 > 0:32:47- About now would be good.- All right!
0:32:47 > 0:32:49- How are you doing? - Good to see you, mate.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52My word, this is very impressive. Look, solid!
0:32:52 > 0:32:55It must be a magic feeling to build something
0:32:55 > 0:32:56and then take it out on the water.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58Yeah, it's... It'll be fantastic.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00We're all looking forward to it so much.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02And do you think you've found your thing in life then,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04you think this is it for you?
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Yeah, I've always been hands-on, you know,
0:33:07 > 0:33:11- building things all my life, and into engineering as well.- Mm-hm.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13So this has just ticked all the boxes, really.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17The apprentices learn a huge amount whilst they're here,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19including how to spot hidden treasure,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21as their tutor John Lane explains.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Hello, Matt.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26- It's cosy down here, isn't it? - It's lovely, isn't it?- Very nice!
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Well, the reason we're sat down in this little section here is
0:33:28 > 0:33:30because this is the point where the mast comes down
0:33:30 > 0:33:33through the deck and into the base here.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37And you made a very, very special discovery, didn't you?
0:33:37 > 0:33:39To find the original coin.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41It was traditional to put a...
0:33:41 > 0:33:44basically a silver coin under the mast,
0:33:44 > 0:33:45under the mast step.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49We were lucky to find the original half crown, silver half crown,
0:33:49 > 0:33:53- that was placed under the mast in 1893.- What a find!
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Well, one of our apprentices found that, by luck.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59As soon as you feel it, you can sense the pressure of the
0:33:59 > 0:34:03mast that's been pushing down on this coin. It's so smooth and...
0:34:03 > 0:34:04Oh...
0:34:04 > 0:34:07When you think of all the storms that this has sailed through,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11and now, thanks to all the hard work from the apprentices,
0:34:11 > 0:34:13now gets the chance to sail a few more.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20With a freshly minted pound coin right alongside.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23ELECTRIC TOOLS BUZZ
0:34:23 > 0:34:25SANDING
0:34:27 > 0:34:29Of course, you have to pay a lot more than a quid for the
0:34:29 > 0:34:31boats the apprentices build.
0:34:33 > 0:34:34Well, Felicity, I have to say
0:34:34 > 0:34:37Violette really caught my eye as I came in here,
0:34:37 > 0:34:39she is absolutely beautiful,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- and, erm, a gig.- A gig, yeah, a rowing gig.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45These are 24-foot four-man rowing gigs.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49They used to be used here to pilot the big boats in.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52And these are a very big part of the apprenticeship scheme.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54They need to build a backbone,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57they need to build the sides of the boat, they need to fit the
0:34:57 > 0:34:58boat out, they need to make oars,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01they need to make rudders, they need to do the painting.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05So the gig was a perfect platform for that.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09All the gigs are sold to local rowing clubs for racing,
0:35:09 > 0:35:13so they have to be made to the same exact specifications.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16But that's not a problem for an apprentice like Tariq,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19who's made six gigs during his time here.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Tariq. How long have you been at the yard?
0:35:22 > 0:35:25So I've been here about two and a half years.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27And do you often get out on the water yourself in these boats?
0:35:27 > 0:35:31Yeah, I've had a few goes myself, and if you're feeling strong
0:35:31 > 0:35:33- you could come for a race with us later on.- Are you going out today?
0:35:33 > 0:35:36- We are, yeah.- Are you?- Yeah.- Not in this one though?- Not in this one.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38We've got one freshly painted and ready to go, so...
0:35:38 > 0:35:41- With go-faster stripes on it?- Yeah!
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Well, from apprentices to young farmers,
0:35:43 > 0:35:47and of course young farmers are a big part of our British countryside.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50And in recognition of that, earlier on in the year we launched
0:35:50 > 0:35:53the Countryfile Young Farmer of the Year award.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Now, Adam and Charlotte have been sifting through the hundreds
0:35:56 > 0:35:59of nominations, and here they are with the last of the final three.
0:36:22 > 0:36:23GUNSHOT
0:36:24 > 0:36:28- Good shot!- Oh, thank you.- Shouldn't sound so surprised, should I?
0:36:28 > 0:36:29That was impressive.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30THEY LAUGH
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Well, we've been travelling up and down the country, looking for
0:36:33 > 0:36:36young farmers who have made a huge difference to the British
0:36:36 > 0:36:39countryside, and to find what makes them tick.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Well, so far we've met a teenager with farming in his blood,
0:36:42 > 0:36:45and, well, a townie who's become a self-taught farmer.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48And now we're in Northumberland, to meet a young woman who
0:36:48 > 0:36:51thought she was going to have to spend her years OUTSIDE farming.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54But now, she is very much a farmer.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56- Right, do you want a go?- Yeah, go on. What's the theory then here?
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Young farmers play a vital role in feeding the nation,
0:37:01 > 0:37:02and preserving our landscape.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07And we want to recognise their achievements
0:37:07 > 0:37:10with our Countryfile Young Farmer of the Year award.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14You sent in hundreds of nominations from all over the country,
0:37:14 > 0:37:18with stories of hard work, dedication and character.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21We'll be announcing the lucky winner
0:37:21 > 0:37:25at the BBC's Food & Farming Awards later this year.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Today we're meeting our third finalist -
0:37:31 > 0:37:34a determined young woman, 24-year-old Vicky Furlong.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37She was born into a farming family,
0:37:37 > 0:37:41but has recently made her own tracks into a career on the land.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45GUNSHOT Oh!
0:37:45 > 0:37:47You really scared that one.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Look, there's an expert, this is who we need.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52THEY LAUGH Vicky...
0:37:52 > 0:37:55- You're quite good at shooting then?- Yeah, try to be.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58And how does the shooting and farming all work together then?
0:37:58 > 0:38:00Well, my family farm has a shoot on it,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03so I've been brought up with it my whole life.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05It helps with vermin, controlling everything, for...
0:38:05 > 0:38:10Helps the livestock and it helps the wildlife to thrive in the area.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12I'm going to meet your dad, but before I go and do that
0:38:12 > 0:38:14I just want you to show me how it's properly done.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Let's watch an expert at work.
0:38:17 > 0:38:18Pull...
0:38:18 > 0:38:20GUNSHOT
0:38:23 > 0:38:28A vital part of Vicky's working life is her second family - her dogs.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33I've got three Labradors, two collies
0:38:33 > 0:38:34- and an old girl in the house.- Have you?
0:38:34 > 0:38:37- So what's that, six in total? - Yeah, six in total.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39- So the Labradors for the shooting, for the picking up?- Yeah.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42And the collies for working the sheepdogs?
0:38:42 > 0:38:43Yeah, two collies for the sheepdogs.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Started off with one, but realised that I needed another,
0:38:47 > 0:38:48it was just a little bit too much.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50And do you train them yourself?
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Collies I don't, but the Labs I do.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55And how did you learn how to do that?
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Just picking up bits and bobs here and there.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Luckily enough they're quite natural as well.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06For Vicky, farming and conservation go hand in hand.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09This is Muckle Moss Nature Reserve, and Vicky works closely with
0:39:09 > 0:39:12English Nature to manage it as a wildlife habitat.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16And so, is that what it's all about for you then,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18connecting all of those things together?
0:39:18 > 0:39:20Shooting, farming and conservation?
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Yeah, it's connecting it all together
0:39:22 > 0:39:24and making it a great environment.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28So, what's your favourite? Cattle, sheep or gun dogs?
0:39:28 > 0:39:31- Oh, you've got me there. - HE LAUGHS
0:39:31 > 0:39:34The cattle and the gun dogs are quite high up
0:39:34 > 0:39:35and the sheep are close behind.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43'Vicky grew up with her elder brother on dad Stuart's farm,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45'but when it came to taking over the tenancy,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48'destiny and tradition weren't on her side.'
0:39:48 > 0:39:50- You have two children...- Yeah. - ..Ed and Vicky...- Yeah.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53- ..and one farm.- Yeah.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57- So you can pass on the tenancy, but only to one child.- Absolutely, yeah.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01- Which must be really difficult for you.- Well, it is.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05You don't want to favour one from the other, but the son and obviously
0:40:05 > 0:40:08the older child probably has the say first, doesn't it?
0:40:08 > 0:40:10That's the way life works.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Vicky might have left agriculture altogether,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17but then she was offered the chance to manage a neighbour's farm.
0:40:17 > 0:40:22And at 900 acres, with 700 sheep and 120 cattle to look after,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24it's even bigger than her dad's.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29- If we turn round... this is your farm here...- Yeah.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31- ..and then that's her over there. - Yeah.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33SHE LAUGHS
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Be honest - do you sometimes stand and watch what's she's doing
0:40:35 > 0:40:40- and then think, "That's wrong"? - I wouldn't dare. No chance!
0:40:40 > 0:40:43She'd spot me, you know. No, we do. We do.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45If she's gathering sheep or there's cattle.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47And the clever thing is that we can actually see,
0:40:47 > 0:40:49if you look at some of her fields, well,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52why are those cows in THAT field, when they should be over there?
0:40:52 > 0:40:55And you ring her up and she says, "Oh, I've just moved them,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57"mind your own business." "All right, fair enough."
0:40:57 > 0:40:59SHE LAUGHS
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Why do you think she's special? Why should she win this award?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04The scale of what she's taken on.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09It's the size of the operation, and what's involved with the operation,
0:41:09 > 0:41:11and putting her own identity on it, you know,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15I think she's done that side of the job extremely well.
0:41:15 > 0:41:16Are you proud?
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Dead. Yeah, really proud, yeah.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Yeah, she's a good girl. Really good girl.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- She's more than a good girl, isn't she?- Well, she is, yeah.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27She might...she might be watching this.
0:41:27 > 0:41:28THEY LAUGH
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Got to be careful. God.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Yeah, no, she is a good girl.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Vicky's job covers every aspect of livestock farming.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Managing a farm of this scale involves a lot of office work,
0:41:42 > 0:41:45but she's very hands-on too.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50I don't suppose they've been outside before.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52No, this'll be the first time.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Usually Vicky does these jobs on her own,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57but today I'm giving her a helping hand.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00The calves are all part of Vicky's plan for the future,
0:42:00 > 0:42:02to revitalise the farm's breeding stock.
0:42:04 > 0:42:05CALVES BLEAT
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- It's a lovely sight, isn't it? - Oh, it is.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13When they first go out and flying about the field, it's lovely to see.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- You've got some gorgeous calves. - Yeah, they're doing well.
0:42:16 > 0:42:17I'm happy with them.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20So what have you been doing to improve the herd, then?
0:42:20 > 0:42:24We've brought in a couple of Limmy bulls from a local farmer,
0:42:24 > 0:42:29and I'm going to go get an Angus to put onto my heifers.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32And for your sort of generation, it's quite difficult
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- making a break like this, it's quite an opportunity.- Yeah.
0:42:35 > 0:42:40Not many people my age can get an opportunity in farm managing,
0:42:40 > 0:42:42there's not too many jobs going about.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Why did they give it to you?
0:42:44 > 0:42:47- I don't know, I really don't know. - Are you EXTRA special?
0:42:47 > 0:42:49- Must be, must be. - THEY LAUGH
0:42:49 > 0:42:51Any regrets from taking on this project?
0:42:51 > 0:42:53No, it's like a dream come true.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57And it's all thanks to one of her neighbours
0:42:57 > 0:42:59that Vicky's now living the dream.
0:42:59 > 0:43:0318 months ago, Mary Dickinson needed a manager.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06But rather than advertise this sought-after job,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09she realised farmer's daughter Vicky from across the valley,
0:43:09 > 0:43:12and then just 22, would be a perfect fit.
0:43:13 > 0:43:14She's been very lucky
0:43:14 > 0:43:18to be able to stay where she's grown up and to farm.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Because that's unusual now.
0:43:21 > 0:43:26It's very unusual now, but there wasn't room for her and
0:43:26 > 0:43:32Edward on her father's farm, so she had to go out and make her own road.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36And it just was fortuitous that we needed
0:43:36 > 0:43:39somebody of her calibre,
0:43:39 > 0:43:43and the job was there.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45And for her to...
0:43:46 > 0:43:49..have the guts to take it...
0:43:49 > 0:43:54actually shows what kind of character that she is,
0:43:54 > 0:43:56that she WILL cope.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58So why did you nominate her,
0:43:58 > 0:44:00what is it about her that made you want to do that?
0:44:00 > 0:44:02I knew her as a baby
0:44:02 > 0:44:05and I've watched her grow all the way through.
0:44:05 > 0:44:09We'd seen her at work on her father's farm.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11I mean, farming is just in her blood.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15But she's a highly competent young lady,
0:44:15 > 0:44:19and she deserved to be mentioned and put forward for the award.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28So how far away is home, Vicky?
0:44:28 > 0:44:31Not too far, it's just straight across the valley.
0:44:31 > 0:44:32Oh, that's your dad's place there?
0:44:32 > 0:44:34Yeah. So he can keep an eye on us and us on him.
0:44:34 > 0:44:35HE LAUGHS
0:44:35 > 0:44:38And are you quite independent now you're living up here,
0:44:38 > 0:44:41- do you look after yourself? - Yeah, yeah, go home for tea and...
0:44:41 > 0:44:43- Do you? Your mum still feeds you a bit?- My mum still feeds me.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46- Well, it's been lovely to meet you. - You as well, Adam.
0:44:46 > 0:44:48And you're an awesome character. Good luck with the farming.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50- Thank you.- Bye-bye.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56So that's our last finalist, Vicky Furlong from Northumberland.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00Also in the finals are 16-year-old Tom Phillips from South Wales,
0:45:00 > 0:45:03whose tractor driving saved his dad's life.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06And 23-year-old Tom Addison from Buckinghamshire,
0:45:06 > 0:45:09who's making his way as a sheep farmer,
0:45:09 > 0:45:11despite coming from a non-farming background.
0:45:13 > 0:45:17What's wonderful, Charlotte, is they are so inspirational, aren't they?
0:45:17 > 0:45:19And yet so different, because they're all doing wonderful things
0:45:19 > 0:45:23but none of them are doing the same, which gives us a joyous problem.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26A hard choice to make. But we will be making our mind up, and we'll
0:45:26 > 0:45:28let you know the winner later in the year.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38- ELLIE:- This is Hamford Water,
0:45:38 > 0:45:42a rare and highly protected seascape on the Essex coastline.
0:45:45 > 0:45:50This labyrinth of creeks is flanked by mudflats and saltmarsh,
0:45:50 > 0:45:53which is ideal for all manner of different wildlife,
0:45:53 > 0:45:57not least a rather unusual population of common seal.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04Getting fleeting glimpses of them just popping up to check us out
0:46:04 > 0:46:05and then disappearing.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08There's one behind us, a couple behind us actually.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10And you can tell them apart from the grey seals
0:46:10 > 0:46:12cos they've got this sort of more rounded,
0:46:12 > 0:46:13kind of, cuter cat-like face,
0:46:13 > 0:46:16you can't see their ears so well.
0:46:16 > 0:46:17SHE LAUGHS
0:46:17 > 0:46:20Every time I turn round there's one bobbing about.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25This colony is nationally important.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28While common seals are struggling in other parts of the country,
0:46:28 > 0:46:30here, their numbers are on the rise.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35But that's not the only remarkable thing about them.
0:46:35 > 0:46:39Instead of grey and brown, these seals are orange.
0:46:41 > 0:46:42I'm taking to the water,
0:46:42 > 0:46:47to get a closer look at these unusually colourful seals.
0:46:47 > 0:46:53My guide and skipper is Leon Woodrow, an Essex boy born and bred.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56He's a coastal warden and conservation officer,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59and knows these waters like the back of his hand.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02- Hi, Leon.- Hi.- How are you doing?
0:47:02 > 0:47:07- Seals all around us.- Yeah, we've got them over here, over here...
0:47:07 > 0:47:08Loads of seals, lovely.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11They're very chilled out, aren't they, with us here in the boat?
0:47:11 > 0:47:14- They don't take an awful lot of notice.- That's excellent.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17And how are they doing on this stretch of coastline, the seals?
0:47:17 > 0:47:19They're doing really well.
0:47:19 > 0:47:22Our numbers have built up since the '80s, from
0:47:22 > 0:47:25a few to up to 300 last year,
0:47:25 > 0:47:28and they had so many pups we lost count.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31What is it they like about it, what do they get here?
0:47:31 > 0:47:33Somewhere safe to haul out.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37All the creeks face in different directions, so they can always
0:47:37 > 0:47:40find a mud bank to lay on that's out of the wind, generally in the sun.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44- Yeah.- Warm and relatively dry from mud, I suppose.- Yeah, yeah.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49Oh, they're so chilled out. It's lovely to get this close to them.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52- Yeah. I'm spoiled.- Yeah, you are spoiled.- I get this quite often.
0:47:52 > 0:47:53SHE LAUGHS
0:47:54 > 0:47:59The seals tend to spend 80% of their day resting,
0:47:59 > 0:48:02sleeping, chilling out on the mud,
0:48:02 > 0:48:05and then the other 20% either feeding or just playing.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11- They've got it right.- Good balance they've got.- Absolutely.
0:48:11 > 0:48:12SHE LAUGHS
0:48:14 > 0:48:18And it's all that lying around in the mud that gives them their
0:48:18 > 0:48:20distinctive orangey hue.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29Minerals formed over millions of years
0:48:29 > 0:48:32are the source of the seals' unusual hair dye.
0:48:35 > 0:48:39This is fool's gold, or pyrite.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41It's one of the minerals found in the earth here
0:48:41 > 0:48:44in millions of tiny deposits.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47When those deposits come into contact with the air,
0:48:47 > 0:48:50they oxidise or rust, creating iron oxide.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57As the iron oxide leaches from the land,
0:48:57 > 0:49:03the seals pick up tiny crystals on their fur, and the colour sticks.
0:49:03 > 0:49:05It's harmless, but they keep the colour
0:49:05 > 0:49:06until they moult in late summer.
0:49:08 > 0:49:13Hair dye aside, not much is really known about the common seals here,
0:49:13 > 0:49:17so a major project looking at their behaviour is under way.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20It's already revealed some surprising results.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25Darren Tansley from Essex Wildlife Trust is part of the project.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28Tell me about this study that you've been doing.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31Well, it's a study to look at the way seals are moving around
0:49:31 > 0:49:34in the environment, and work out what is actually happening here.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39The main way of doing this is to put a satellite tag on
0:49:39 > 0:49:41so that you can actually track their movements,
0:49:41 > 0:49:43so you're constantly able to track where they're going.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45And what have you found?
0:49:45 > 0:49:46Well, it looks like
0:49:46 > 0:49:50they're travelling much farther distances than we thought.
0:49:50 > 0:49:51How far are they going?
0:49:51 > 0:49:54Well, we've got a tracking chart of one of the females.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57This is a young one, this is only a four-year-old.
0:49:57 > 0:49:59- This is just one individual's movement?- One individual.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01She's gone... From her haul outside Margate,
0:50:01 > 0:50:04she's travelled all the way up the East Anglian coast -
0:50:04 > 0:50:07Suffolk, Norfolk, out to The Wash at Lincolnshire -
0:50:07 > 0:50:09she's been hunting and feeding out there -
0:50:09 > 0:50:12and then she's come all the way back and back to her haulout.
0:50:12 > 0:50:15So they've been going on a journey of hundreds of miles
0:50:15 > 0:50:17- to find the food?- Yeah.
0:50:17 > 0:50:21I mean, as the crow flies, it would be, like, a 450-mile round trip,
0:50:21 > 0:50:24but other seals have been travelling over to France on an almost
0:50:24 > 0:50:27daily basis to go and find some food.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29And it must be worth their energy,
0:50:29 > 0:50:31there must be some great feeding sites there for them.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34Yeah, cos they're feeding on all sorts of different types of fish,
0:50:34 > 0:50:38so they're having to move around and look for different areas to feed in.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40That's astonishing - especially as you see them there
0:50:40 > 0:50:42so sedentary, it looks like, hauled out,
0:50:42 > 0:50:44to imagine them going on these epic journeys for food.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46I know, it's baffled us all.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49We had no idea that this was going to be the case.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54Seals are the ultimate swimmers,
0:50:54 > 0:50:57perfectly suited to their environment.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00But nobody could have guessed just how far they were swimming.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06So, they're not just eye-catching -
0:51:06 > 0:51:09the seals here in Essex are revealing more about
0:51:09 > 0:51:11their hidden lives beneath the surface.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16Well, are we going to be basking in glorious weather,
0:51:16 > 0:51:19like these seals, this week? Or are we in for a soak?
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Time to find out with the Countryfile forecast.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15I've been exploring the Essex coastline,
0:52:15 > 0:52:18which has been a nautical playground for generations.
0:52:20 > 0:52:27The water, the beaches, the seaside -
0:52:27 > 0:52:31they've all been perfect for fun and relaxation.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35But what's in store looks anything but.
0:52:36 > 0:52:41Gig racing. And it's exploded in popularity along the Essex coast.
0:52:42 > 0:52:46There are 13 clubs, with more than 200 rowers between them.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50The gigs they race are built by the apprentices I met earlier
0:52:50 > 0:52:52at the Pioneer Sailing Trust.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54Their boss, Felicity Lees,
0:52:54 > 0:52:56is the driving force behind the sport's growth.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59What has it evolved into now, then?
0:52:59 > 0:53:01There are two leagues, so there's a winter league,
0:53:01 > 0:53:03- there's a summer league. - Is there really?
0:53:03 > 0:53:06And there's lots and lots of events, and the vision is to move up
0:53:06 > 0:53:11the coast, more into Suffolk, more into Norfolk, and see it spread.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15'I've been invited to race with the apprentices.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18'These guys are our stiff competition.'
0:53:18 > 0:53:21- Listen, I wish you all the very best of luck.- Thank you very much.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23Good luck with it. See you later.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25You're going to have to row fast to beat us, I'm telling you!
0:53:25 > 0:53:28You really are. OK, I'm going to go and get warmed up.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30See you on the water.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Eight, seven, six, five...
0:53:33 > 0:53:37Four, three, two, one, go!
0:53:37 > 0:53:38Go! One...
0:53:38 > 0:53:41With 400 metres of hard rowing ahead,
0:53:41 > 0:53:44- there's no chance to take in the scenery.- Four, quick! Five...
0:53:44 > 0:53:47With the first leg rowing against the tide,
0:53:47 > 0:53:48our plan is to pace ourselves.
0:53:48 > 0:53:52Go on, in time! Eight, nine, ten.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55And longer strokes, one...
0:53:58 > 0:54:01All together! Keep the boat flat. Keep the boat ready.
0:54:05 > 0:54:06Come on, Matt!
0:54:06 > 0:54:09- Come on! You're not tired yet. - We're gaining.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11'I beg to differ.'
0:54:11 > 0:54:16We're gaining, we're gaining some ground now. That's good.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Keep the boat flat. All together! We need the boat flat.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21Come on, Matt! Get a grip!
0:54:21 > 0:54:24- 'Nothing like a motivating cox!' - That's good.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Come on, keep going! Dig deep, come on!
0:54:27 > 0:54:31'As we reach the halfway mark, we're only a boat's length behind.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33'All we need now is a tight turn.'
0:54:33 > 0:54:35OK... Matt, side stroke!
0:54:35 > 0:54:38Just leave your oar, leave your oar. Come on, go!
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Go, go, go, go, go! Deep as you can...
0:54:40 > 0:54:43'Halfway, and we're closing fast.'
0:54:43 > 0:54:47And one, go! Two!
0:54:47 > 0:54:50- OK, now's the time.- OK.- Here we go.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52- We're coming up to the finish line. - Here we go.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54I can hear them breathing!
0:54:56 > 0:54:58We're gaining on them. We're gaining on them.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01Josie, get in the water, come on! Together!
0:55:01 > 0:55:03And together!
0:55:03 > 0:55:06'With the end in sight, we're gaining on them -
0:55:06 > 0:55:09'but then disaster strikes. Josie loses an oar.'
0:55:09 > 0:55:11It's all right, it's all right, it's all right.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13- Are you all right? - Get back in it. It's all right.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17'It could have happened to any of us. But it means the race is lost,
0:55:17 > 0:55:20'as our opposition cruise across the finish line...'
0:55:20 > 0:55:21HORN WAILS
0:55:21 > 0:55:24'..although, it's the taking part that counts.'
0:55:26 > 0:55:28Oh! Oh, dear!
0:55:28 > 0:55:33Well...it wasn't to be, but it's a nice way to end the programme.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37Anyway, that's all we've got time for for this week.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39Ellie, tell everyone where we're going next week.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42We're going to be in Northern Ireland, Matt, where I'll be
0:55:42 > 0:55:46back on the water, taking a trip on one of its most beautiful rivers.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48We'll see you then. Bye-bye.