0:00:26 > 0:00:28Exmoor, a bleak and remote place,
0:00:28 > 0:00:33where moorland and farmland give way to a spectacular coastline.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35For centuries, its wild beauty
0:00:35 > 0:00:38has inspired writers, painters and poets.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41About 100 years ago, a little-known photographer called Alfred Vowles
0:00:41 > 0:00:43cycled all across Somerset,
0:00:43 > 0:00:47taking thousands of photographs of life on Exmoor,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50everything from villages to hunting scenes.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I'll be finding out about the man behind the picture,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55as well as putting his techniques to the test,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57and trying to recreate one of his images.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Vowles wasn't the only one captivated by the landscape here.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08Writer RD Blackmore quite literally put this place on the map
0:01:08 > 0:01:10when he penned the novel Lorna Doone.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14But, is Lorna Doone country more fact than fiction?
0:01:14 > 0:01:15- MAN WHISTLES - Come on!
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Tom's in Leicestershire,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24investigating the return of a farming nightmare.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Schmallenberg is back,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30a disease causing birth defects for sheep and cows,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33distress and financial loss for farmers.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36And, as the lambing and calving season continues,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38we'll find out quite how bad it is.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44'Meanwhile, Adam's making sure his animals are well behaved.'
0:01:46 > 0:01:48These are my Exmoor foals.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51They're are a little bit wild and feisty at the moment.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Later on, I'm taking them to see some experts,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57who are going to give me some tips on how to quieten them down.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Want a bit of hay?
0:02:20 > 0:02:22These are the bleak days of winter,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24the landscape gripped by its icy hand.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31There's little colour, an absence of life...
0:02:31 > 0:02:32the unyielding earth like iron.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38But there's still beauty to be enjoyed.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Just take a stroll, see for yourself.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Where better than Exmoor National Park?
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Straddling the border between Devon and Somerset
0:02:50 > 0:02:53is almost 300 square miles of moorland,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56dotted with jumbled rocks and deep-cut river valleys.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02This clapper bridge would have looked almost exactly the same
0:03:02 > 0:03:03100 years ago.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06This photograph, taken by a man you've probably never heard of,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09called Alfred Vowles, shows just that.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11A.V. made it his life's mission
0:03:11 > 0:03:15to capture the essence and beauty of Exmoor in all its forms.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18And it's just as well he did.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19Days after we filmed here,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23this ancient clapper bridge was swept away by winter flooding.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Luckily, A.V.'s pictures will provide a valuable reference
0:03:28 > 0:03:31for the rebuild, planned for the end of this month.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Alfred Vowles grew up in the West Country.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40The land and its people was his passion,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43and in photography, he found the perfect means to express it.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46He was still a young man when he became a full-time photographer,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and his work was to take him all over the world.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54But it was Exmoor that really captured his eye and his heart.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57So, Margaret, who was Alfred Vowles?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Looking back now, I suppose we would say that Alfred Vowles
0:04:01 > 0:04:06is the man who left a big treasury of photographs for Exmoor.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11We realise that he covered so much of the history of Exmoor,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15but so much more of the life of Exmoor, as it was lived at that time.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19So, he was a man in love with the culture,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21the scenery, the landscape...?
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Oh, absolutely. He was a countryman at heart.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26He was born a countryman.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27He was a restless spirit,
0:04:27 > 0:04:32and he would go to a farm, take a photograph, develop it in their barn,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35- say, "Three and six for a full plate copy..."- Thank you very much.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37..and cycle on to the next job. Indeed.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41And, eventually, he based himself in a caravan in Minehead.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45But these, these are of the Exmoor life,
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and they're just very lovely, aren't they?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49I mean, that is a wonderful scene.
0:04:49 > 0:04:55It is, and it shows you what an event fox hunting, or stag hunting, was.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57And he photographed a lot of the hunting scene,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- the hunting set, didn't he?- Yes.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03He, himself, says he invented stag hunting photography,
0:05:03 > 0:05:09and there are some wonderful shots showing everything about the event,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13through to the finished, slaughtered animal.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17I notice he even indicates the size of the spread of the antlers.
0:05:17 > 0:05:23"Head of the big Haddon stag. Spread 34 and three quarter inches."
0:05:23 > 0:05:24This is his autobiography.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26I found a page here, and he's written this,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29but he writes about himself in the third person, so he said,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33"It can be said that A.V. founded stag hunting photography on Exmoor,"
0:05:33 > 0:05:34as you said.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37"He did an extensive business in private portraits
0:05:37 > 0:05:40"and groups in the open, school and wedding groups..."
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- V/O:- ..copies of old prints and photographs, hunting horses,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46hounds, dogs, cats and other pets, scenes on the farm..."
0:05:46 > 0:05:50"..old country customers, meets of hounds (stag, fox, hare and otter)
0:05:50 > 0:05:51"and badger digging.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53"In fact, he took anything that brought business."
0:05:53 > 0:05:55That's absolutely true.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Taking work wherever he could took Alfred all over Exmoor.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05And he didn't get around the easy way.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10When he started out, he cycled around Exmoor on one of these.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It's pretty hilly around here.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15And remember, he would have had his camera, his tripod, film...
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Remember what that is?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19What he needed, of course, was one of these.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22No such luck.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25But, for his dramatic action shots, Alfred would ditch the bike
0:06:25 > 0:06:29and chase a hunt on foot, carrying all his kit with him.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35"The hounds and huntsman came down from the valley,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37"followed by the leading riders of the field,
0:06:37 > 0:06:38"who had galloped hell for leather.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42"At the kill, some seemed staggered to find A.V. there in front,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46"for they had last seen him 11 miles away, running out of Doone Valley."
0:06:47 > 0:06:50'Today, some of those hunts are still going,
0:06:50 > 0:06:54'like the Minehead Harriers, a local pack of foxhounds.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58'Nowadays, they still meet, but hunt scent trails, rather than foxes.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01'Almost a century ago, they would need here at Hindon,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04'and little has changed on the farm since then.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07'Angela and Tim, like many members of the Harriers,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09'have connections going back a long way.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Angela, Tim, nice to see you.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14I do have a photograph of the Harriers,
0:07:14 > 0:07:15when they met here at Hindon.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18And why have you got these rare photographs?
0:07:18 > 0:07:22My grandfather farmed here at Hindon, my father was born here,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25and, yeah, so, that's the connection.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27And Tim, what's your connection?
0:07:27 > 0:07:32Well, I have a collection of A.V. photographs,
0:07:32 > 0:07:36and the reason for that is, my father was with a local pack,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40and so, Alfred Vowles used to go and take photographs of all the meets.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45At home, I've got these pictures hanging all around the walls.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46My father is in all of them.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- So, fond memories?- Absolutely.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Alfred was remarkable, not just for the pictures he produced,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57but the way he worked. He was a one-man mobile photo booth.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03"He did all his own developing, printing, finishing, and mounting.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07"It was really hard work, usually done in an unused chicken house,
0:08:07 > 0:08:08"a stable, or a shed of sorts."
0:08:12 > 0:08:14That gives me an idea.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Alfred took this photograph of the Minehead Harriers
0:08:16 > 0:08:18right here at Hindon Farm.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20I wonder if the present-day Harriers
0:08:20 > 0:08:23would be up for recreating that scene.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Later, we'll be giving it a go.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Alfred Vowles's talents weren't limited to photography.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31He was also a prolific writer.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33He created this guide to Exmoor,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35using places featured in the Lorna Doone novel.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- Angela, I need you to do me a favour, please.- OK.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41This book needs to get to Matt Baker.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43He's quite a long way in that direction,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and I thought, perhaps, you'd be faster than me.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- Right, I'll take my horse, yes. - I thought you might go on the bike?
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- Certainly not! Much safer, much quicker on my horse.- OK.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53- See you later.- See you.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03Now, all Julia has told me is to come here and find Mother Meldrum.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Mother Meldrum was the legendary soothsayer
0:09:09 > 0:09:13in RD Blackmore's famous 1869 novel Lorna Doone.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18It's said you could find her here at Lynton's Valley of the Rocks.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21I'm guessing these days, this is what Julia means.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25The Lorna Doone Country: Notes by Alfred Vowles.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29"Those of us who are complete strangers to it
0:09:29 > 0:09:32"can find in Lorna Doone much beauty and truth
0:09:32 > 0:09:34"concerning Exmoor scenery."
0:09:34 > 0:09:38And Julia has left me a note, which is stuck in here.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Let me have a look.
0:09:40 > 0:09:41"Do as Alfred Vowles tells you.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45"Go and explore Exmoor through the pages of Lorna Doone.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48"Your mission is to separate fact from fiction."
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Whoops! Better go and find the note again!
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Thanks, Julia. Just the day for reading a book on the moors(!)
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Blackmore's famous novel Lorna Doone is set here,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02in the wilds of Exmoor.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05It's a rural Romeo and Juliet.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09So, here's the plot. Boy meets girl, Lorna Doone.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10But it turns out that Lorna
0:10:10 > 0:10:13is related to the family who killed the boy's father.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14Well, actually, not.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18It turns out that she was kidnapped at birth by the Doone family.
0:10:18 > 0:10:19Anyway, back to the story.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23They get married, but she is shot by the Doone family at the wedding.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Anyway, she doesn't die, and they both live happily ever after.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35'But how much of this romantic tale
0:10:35 > 0:10:38'was borrowed from real Exmoor life?
0:10:38 > 0:10:40'I think I'm going to need some help.'
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Well!
0:10:45 > 0:10:46What a sight!
0:10:46 > 0:10:49- Morning, you must be Mr Baker. - I am! Hello.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51- Do come in and join me. - What's your name?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54I'm Jenny. I'm from the Exmoor Society.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Well, this is something, Jenny! - Yeah!- Where are we going?
0:10:57 > 0:11:02This is Malmsmede, which could have originally been
0:11:02 > 0:11:06- where the hero of the novel Lorna Doone lived.- Oh, right.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Oh, hang about, this is quite exciting!
0:11:09 > 0:11:17We are travelling as Lorna might have travelled back in the 1680s,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20and probably how Blackmore himself still travelled
0:11:20 > 0:11:22when his book was published.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And how popular was it then, back in the day?
0:11:25 > 0:11:29To start with, when it was first published in 1869, it didn't sell.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33I think it sold 500 copies worldwide.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37'A second print run in 1870 did rather better, though.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39'Helped by the imminent royal marriage
0:11:39 > 0:11:41'between Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, Louise,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43'and the Marquess of Lorne.'
0:11:43 > 0:11:47One of the reviewers said that the Marquess of Lorne
0:11:47 > 0:11:52was distantly related to this notorious family of Doones,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54and, suddenly, the book took off.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57'Since then, thousands of tourists have made this trip
0:11:57 > 0:12:00'from the North Devon coast to the heart of the moors,
0:12:00 > 0:12:02'on the trail of the Doones.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05'They were ferried around these parts in horse-drawn carriages,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07'even after cars came into fashion.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09'Far easier to navigate these tiny lanes.'
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Do you think that they were a real family?
0:12:12 > 0:12:15I mean, is there any evidence of any Doones in these parts?
0:12:15 > 0:12:18There was apparently a gang of outlaws
0:12:18 > 0:12:21who lived somewhere over on the moor,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- and it could be that they were the Doones...- Oh, right.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28- And I'm going to throw you out in a minute...- Are you?
0:12:28 > 0:12:32Because we're reaching the scene of one of the most famous events
0:12:32 > 0:12:35- in the whole of the book.- Oh!
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Here you are at Oare Church.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45'In Blackmore's novel, this remote village church
0:12:45 > 0:12:48'is, in fact, the scene of tragedy.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50'It's where Lorna Doone is shot at the altar
0:12:50 > 0:12:53'as she marries her sweetheart, John Ridd.'
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Oh, Colin, you've got some visitors' book, haven't you?
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Look at this! Japan, New South Wales, Australia...
0:12:59 > 0:13:01it's quite remarkable.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03It's rather fun, because it shows how many people come,
0:13:03 > 0:13:08and how far afield interest has been shown.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12And many believe that this was the place that she was shot.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Do you think that it is this church?
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Well, Blackmore was connected with this church.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20His grandfather was rector here.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22And so, it's quite possible that this is the church
0:13:22 > 0:13:25that Blackmore had in mind when he was writing the story.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Where do you think that she was shot, then?
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I mean, where would she have been getting married?
0:13:30 > 0:13:32'Till death us do part...'
0:13:32 > 0:13:36The altar would have been here, and Lorna would have been standing
0:13:36 > 0:13:39- roughly where your cameraman is at this very moment.- Oh, right.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- How vulnerable. Watch out. - And John would be beside her.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44The shot that rang out,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47some people say it came from the window up there.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50But I have a nasty feeling that whoever was shooting
0:13:50 > 0:13:54would have a better view from the back of the church.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58There is a much clearer line of sight for anyone to be shot.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00GUNSHOT
0:14:01 > 0:14:04You've spent quite a bit of time thinking about this,
0:14:04 > 0:14:05haven't you, Colin?
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Well, I've had quite a few years to think about it,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10- with all the people who come to find out.- Yes.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12And are people quite keen to get married here?
0:14:12 > 0:14:14I guess they are, or are people put off?
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Oh, no, they would like to be married here,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20and I could spend just about every weekend marrying people
0:14:20 > 0:14:22if I said yes to everyone.
0:14:22 > 0:14:23BELL TOLLS
0:14:23 > 0:14:26(Oh, hang on.)
0:14:26 > 0:14:29(The bell's chiming.) Lorna Doone.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31She's looking down.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- No, it's 12 o'clock, that's all.- Oh.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Colin, I was tried to get some atmosphere then!
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Be honest about it.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Oh, lovely. Well, it must be time for tea, then.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42- Lunchtime, yes. - Sandwiches. Come on, then.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53'There's plenty of evidence round here
0:14:53 > 0:14:56'of the family name of leading man John Ridd.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58'But the Doones?
0:14:58 > 0:15:00'Well, they remain elusive.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02'Even in the church register.'
0:15:02 > 0:15:04I can't see any.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Whilst I continue my search for the evil Doone clan on a wintry Exmoor,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Tom has been up in Leicestershire, finding out why some farmers
0:15:18 > 0:15:21are already dreading the thought of spring,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24and his report contains some upsetting images.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37The fields may be empty now, but with the new year,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41the promise of new life has arrived on our farms.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44The fields will soon be filled with spring lambs gambolling
0:15:44 > 0:15:46and calves suckling.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50But beneath these bucolic scenes,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53there's a bubonic undercurrent.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Schmallenberg is back, a disease causing birth defects
0:15:57 > 0:15:59for sheep and cows,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02distress and financial loss for farmers.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Last year, it visited the country.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08This year, it seems to have got a foothold.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11And as the lambing and calving season continues,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14we'll find out quite how bad it is.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19We reported last year on how the disease,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21carried by midges from Europe,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25infected some sheep, cattle and goats bitten during pregnancy,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29resulting in deformed or dead foetuses.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33A year on, the power of its resurgence is becoming clear.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36The virus has spread.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40It's like a tsunami effect, a tidal wave of infection.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Vet Mike Thorne is on his way to tend some pregnant cattle
0:16:44 > 0:16:48in Leicestershire. It's a job he does often at this time of year,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52and one that should be pleasant. At the moment, it's anything but.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56We've scanned routinely on dairy farms, fortnightly or weekly,
0:16:56 > 0:17:01and we noticed that the conception rates were poor,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04so either they didn't hold to the insemination
0:17:04 > 0:17:08or they lost the pregnancies very early on.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11But, in simple terms, that drop in conception rates
0:17:11 > 0:17:14and early loss of the embryos
0:17:14 > 0:17:17you think is likely to be linked to Schmallenberg?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Oh, most definitely. Yeah.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Last season, 276 farms reported infections.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27So far, this season, there have been three times that amount.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Today, dairy farmer Nick Sercombe is going to learn his fate.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35His milk has already tested positive for Schmallenberg antibodies
0:17:35 > 0:17:37meaning although it's still safe to sell,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40the cows have been producing less of it.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45The big question is, has the virus spread to the unborn calves?
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Well, we're about to get on to the business end of this,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51- the actual scanning, yeah?- That's it.
0:17:51 > 0:17:57Hopefully, she'll be in calf and we'll see what we see.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02'Mike will see everything with these high-tech goggles,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05'while I'm watching on a monitor
0:18:05 > 0:18:09'and Nick waits anxiously to find out the results.'
0:18:11 > 0:18:12OK.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18The calf's really viable in there.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21When I touched it, or pick up a foot to pinch it...
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Legs! I can see legs.
0:18:24 > 0:18:30'Things start off well, but a few cows in, Mike discovers a problem.'
0:18:30 > 0:18:33That fluid in there is not quite right.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Unfortunately, it's not good news.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41She has been in calf,
0:18:41 > 0:18:46and I can see on the scan that she has lost this pregnancy.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50- Could this be to do with Schmallenberg?- It could be.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55But equally, high-yielding daily cows will often lose pregnancies.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59For Nick, there's relief that only one calf has been lost,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02and Schmallenberg may not be the culprit.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05But he knows there's still a long way to go.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08When will you have complete peace of mind?
0:19:08 > 0:19:11When all the cows are calved and we start serving again, really,
0:19:11 > 0:19:13when all the March, April, May cows are all calved.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16It could be a very nervous time.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21For the Sercombe family as a whole,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24though, Schmallenberg's impact is hitting hard.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27It is a 2010 ewe,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29so March 2010.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Nick's brother Charles looks after sheep on the other side of the farm,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37where early lambing is in full swing.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41So, who have we got in here?
0:19:41 > 0:19:45These are my December-lambing flock of Charollais ewes
0:19:45 > 0:19:46that we have here.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49I see that they've got different colours on their backsides,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52some of them blue, some of them red. What does that mean?
0:19:52 > 0:19:55The numbers on the sides are to indicate the ewes and lambs.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58The ones with the red stripes across their backsides,
0:19:58 > 0:19:59they are the ones that, unfortunately,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01we got no lambs on at the minute.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03They've had lambs born with Schmallenberg disease.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05- There are quite a few of those. - Yeah, yeah.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Unfortunately, there are far too many for my liking.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Nearly 15% to 20% of the ewes,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14and it's affected about 40% of the lambs so far.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Last season, this farm was Schmallenberg-free,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22but the disease has now spread right across the UK.
0:20:22 > 0:20:23In the last six months,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27the number of affected farms has risen from less than 300
0:20:27 > 0:20:32to more than 1,200, and more cases are being reported every week.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34This morning's lambs are a vivid illustration
0:20:34 > 0:20:36of how bad the problem can be.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- Here they are. - Not what you want to see first thing.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40No, I'm afraid it's not.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42There is a better start to a day
0:20:42 > 0:20:46than having to give birth to lambs like these.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48What are the actual deformities here?
0:20:48 > 0:20:50These are fairly classic of the symptoms.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54As you can see, this one has got a leg that is completely bent round
0:20:54 > 0:20:57in opposite directions and the joint is fused.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01The neck is round the wrong way and there's a twisted spine there.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04We've had several cases where we've got one perfectly healthy live lamb
0:21:04 > 0:21:07and then one very small mummified one,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09between a golf ball and a tennis ball size.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13- What does that mean in terms of money?- I've estimated between
0:21:13 > 0:21:15£12,000 and £15,000 in lost output this year.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22'Unlike diseases such as bovine TB, Charles can't claim any compensation.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24'His business is suffering.'
0:21:24 > 0:21:28A bit of a grim sight. Too grim, really.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31'In the long term, though, Schmallenberg's impact
0:21:31 > 0:21:33'may be more limited.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36'Infected animals become immune once they've been bitten,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40'and a vaccine could be released later this year.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43'But that's all too late for the Sercombe family
0:21:43 > 0:21:46'and thousands of other farmers waiting to see
0:21:46 > 0:21:48'how bad this year will be.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50'And, as I'll be finding out later,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52'this may just be the tip of the iceberg,
0:21:52 > 0:21:57'as a new wave of diseases makes its way towards our shores.'
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Exmoor - a land that feels the full force of the seasons.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13But that never stopped Alfred Vowles, a West Country photographer
0:22:13 > 0:22:18who braved all weathers to capture Exmoor life in all its guises.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24And today, we're going to recreate this picture
0:22:24 > 0:22:26taken by Alfred nearly 100 years ago.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31We've got the same location, the same hunt...
0:22:33 > 0:22:36All we need now is a modern-day Alfred.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Cue Ray Turner.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41At the tender age of 80, he's up for the challenge.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46Best of all, Ray takes photos the Alfred way - using film.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50And just like Alfred, we've set up a darkroom to develop our pictures
0:22:50 > 0:22:54right next to where we'll be taking them.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58All we've got to do now is get our subjects into position.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01'That's nine horses...'
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Hello! Scoot along.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06We need a couple at this end.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09'..32 hounds...'
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Hup, hup, hup!
0:23:12 > 0:23:15'..and ten foot followers. Easy!'
0:23:15 > 0:23:20That man there should be a lady. But there we go!
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Well, I am prettier than you!
0:23:22 > 0:23:23INDISTINCT REPLY
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Roger, we need these people now.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27- No, they're just coming into it now.- OK.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30- Otherwise they're going to get all mixed up in the melee.- Right.
0:23:31 > 0:23:32Let's do it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34I'll come in here.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37'Not only are we recreating Alfred's original photograph,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40'many of the people here have a connection with
0:23:40 > 0:23:43'those in the picture and the place it was taken.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:49I'm Angela and I'm in the same position as my grandfather is
0:23:49 > 0:23:53in the photograph, when he farmed at Hindon.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56I am Richard, the huntsman of the Minehead Harriers.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00I have the same position as a gentleman all those years ago.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04I'm Penny Webber. I have lived this farmhouse for 37 years.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07I'm Roger Webber. I was born here at Hindon,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11and I'm the third generation of the family to live and farm here.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Even the hounds are direct descendants of the pack
0:24:14 > 0:24:16shown in the photo.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21- Right, Ray, are you set?- OK.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25OK, three, two, one, smile!
0:24:25 > 0:24:27CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Lovely. That's fine.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- Ray, have we recreated history? - We certainly have.- Excellent.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35ALL CHEER
0:24:37 > 0:24:41After the chaos, the calm of Ray's darkroom beckons.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Now to develop our photos just as Alfred would've done
0:24:44 > 0:24:49in his makeshift dark room nearly 100 years ago.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54- Ray, have you ever done this before? - Yes.- In a barn?
0:24:54 > 0:24:55No, not in a barn, no.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Nervous, or is it all going to work out?
0:24:57 > 0:25:00I think it'll work out OK, but I'm a little apprehensive about it.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Some of the younger Countryfile viewers will never have seen
0:25:04 > 0:25:06this setup - the negative.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- It's just all digital these days. - It is.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11I get a huge satisfaction from doing it this way.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- You've got to work for it. - That's right.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15What's first in the process, then?
0:25:15 > 0:25:19The first in the process is to make a test
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- to establish the correct time. - So you've got to do a tester first?
0:25:22 > 0:25:26- Yes.- Right. Lights off for that? - Lights off, yes.- You ready?
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- Shall I do it now?- Yes, OK. - So this is just a test.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32This is how dark it is going to be, everyone.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35'Time for the Countryfile night-vision camera.'
0:25:35 > 0:25:38And why do we have to do all of this in the dark, Ray?
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Because this paper is sensitive to light.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44- Do you think there's a particular negative that's got the shot?- I do.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- Are you happy with one?- Yes, I think I've got the right one.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49How long have you got to expose it for?
0:25:49 > 0:25:52I'm going to give this one nine seconds. You'll see.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59- It's started.- There's too much light coming in.- Is there?
0:25:59 > 0:26:03- We're not in a dark enough dark room?- We'll see what we've got.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Here it goes, in the developer.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08It's getting a faint image now,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11but I think it's not long enough.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- Let it go for a moment. - How long do you need in each tray?
0:26:14 > 0:26:18In this one, about two minutes, but here it's gone black,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22so it means I've overexposed the thing, so we'll try another one.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27There is always a bit of trial and error in this process.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Getting the exposure just right is tricky.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Undaunted, we give it one more go.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I think the spirit of AV is watching over us
0:26:40 > 0:26:42and sending us good luck vibes.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45We can see something starting to develop now.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48It is going to be a reasonable image, I think.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Is that coming along as you'd hoped?
0:26:50 > 0:26:53It's coming along much better, I think, this time.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56I'll let that drain a moment.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Everything is about timing, getting the right timing.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Put it face down in there, stop it.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07- Right - develop, stop, fix. - That's it. You've got it.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10So you're stopping the development now.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13- You halting it in the place that you think...- That's right.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18Put the lights on, please, and we'll see what sort of image we've got.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- We have light.- Whoo! - We've got an image!
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- Ray, that is fabulous. - It's OK, I think, isn't it?
0:27:25 > 0:27:28What are you not happy with?!
0:27:28 > 0:27:31- Look, we're in a barn, it's not completely dark!- Right!
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Recreating a little bit of history from the early 1900s.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- It's wonderful, isn't it? - Isn't that lovely! Top, top work.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41One of the nicest things I've ever done.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43I've always wanted to do this!
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Absolute magic.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52I'm sure Alfred Vowles would have been proud of our efforts,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55and it's amazing to think that he produced
0:27:55 > 0:28:00thousands of photographs this way, capturing Exmoor life for ever.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09Last year, Adam's favourite bull, Eric,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12became a proud father for the first time.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Now two of his offspring are moving into adulthood,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19which means they're due a lesson in how to be a good bull.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37These are two of Eric's calves.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39The females are still in the yard - Maisie and Mavourna -
0:28:39 > 0:28:43then we've got McGee here, and then one was that born a little later,
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Mick, and McGee is one of my favourites.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Eric was an expensive breeding bull
0:28:49 > 0:28:54and hopefully, these young fellas will be sold in the Highland sales
0:28:54 > 0:28:57and they'll pay back for some of Eric's cost.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01McGee here is a young bull, he's been weaned off his mother,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04so he's now entering adult life,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07and what I've got to do is get him nice and quiet.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22When you're choosing young bulls for breeding,
0:29:22 > 0:29:25they've got to be correct in every way, because one bull will
0:29:25 > 0:29:29serve around 20 cows, so you don't need very many of them to sell.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33It is quite a competitive market and McGee here is well made up,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35he's got a good body, he walks well,
0:29:35 > 0:29:40but one of the most important things I think about breeding bulls
0:29:40 > 0:29:44is their temperament. So it's about treating them
0:29:44 > 0:29:48to respect the halter and to respect you at a young age,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51and then they grow up with manners, really.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55These are testosterone-filled beasts. Come on, then, mate.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58You could have a rodeo on your hands, but, actually, little McGee here
0:29:58 > 0:30:01has got a good temperament. I'm really pleased with him.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Because if it had turned out that he was vicious
0:30:04 > 0:30:09and bit mad, it would have been beefburgers. So, you're a lucky boy.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13You might go on to be a dad one day.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Highland calves are pretty easy to train.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22I rarely have problems with them,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24so I'm quite happy to halter train them myself,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28but there are other animals on my farm that are a bit trickier.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37These are my Exmoor foals.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40The Exmoors are a very lovely, strong, hardy breed.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43I'm just loading them into this trailer.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Go on, then, little babies. Up you go.
0:30:45 > 0:30:50Very good. The Exmoor makes a great riding pony and for driving.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54You can put it in a cart, but to do that they need to be quiet,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57halter trained. You need to be able to work with them.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01That takes expertise and time to be able to get a pony in that
0:31:01 > 0:31:04sort of condition and it's something I've got very little of,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07so I'm taking them up to the college in Cheshire
0:31:07 > 0:31:10where they're going to do the job for me.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18I'm off to Reaseheath College, where they teach various
0:31:18 > 0:31:22aspects of agriculture and have a world-class equine centre.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Transporting horses and foals like this is quite common
0:31:25 > 0:31:26and generally safe.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29The foals have already been fed and watered
0:31:29 > 0:31:33and as the journey is only a couple of hours, they should be fine.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41'I'm being met by Caroline Booth, head of the Equine Department.'
0:31:41 > 0:31:45- Hi.- Hi, Adam.- Goodness me, it's chucking it down.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49- Welcome to Reaseheath College Equestrian Centre.- Thank you.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Well, they've had a lovely journey down.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53I've got them in there as four loose.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56They're obviously not broken at all, so they're not tied up,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00- so I think we just drop the tailboard and let them out.- Yes.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06They were keen to run down the tailboard.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10They're obviously pleased to be here. So what's the plan with them now?
0:32:10 > 0:32:13We'll let them settle into this corral area for a few hours,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16then we'll open up the stable door adjacent the to the corral,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and get you them used to going in and out the stable.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22From here, either this evening, possibly tomorrow,
0:32:22 > 0:32:26we'll separate them and get them used to being handled individually.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28We'll get the halters on them, get them used to be led in hand,
0:32:28 > 0:32:33stopping and starting, so hopefully when you come back in a few weeks,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36they'll be leading in hand and be confident little foals.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38It sounds amazing. I can hardly believe it.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Reaseheath has more than 60 horses.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Students here learn all aspects of horsemanship,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49including grooming, yard management and riding.
0:32:49 > 0:32:54So I think my foals are in good hands for their first night away from home.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04It's first thing in the morning and, like the farming world,
0:33:04 > 0:33:06the equine people get started early.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08There's lots of action going on
0:33:08 > 0:33:11and I'm keen to see how the foals have settled in.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15It was their first night away from home so it's probably a bit strange.
0:33:15 > 0:33:16Morning, Chris.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Good morning.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23Goodness me, they've got a halter on one already. Hi, Caroline.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27- Morning, Adam.- Wow, you're doing so well. How have they settled in?
0:33:27 > 0:33:29They settled in very well.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32We managed to work with two of the foals last night
0:33:32 > 0:33:34and we managed to separate them.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37It's the first time they've been away on their own, individually,
0:33:37 > 0:33:41and we managed to get a halter on two of the foals,
0:33:41 > 0:33:43- which is really good. - How long did that take?
0:33:43 > 0:33:46With this little chap, it took about 20 to 30 minutes.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50We took our time. We wanted to make sure we gained his trust
0:33:50 > 0:33:54- and comfortable with us working with him.- Horse psychology, really.- Yes.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57- Very much so. - It's definitely working.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59I feel quite emotional.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02It's really great that you've done so well so quickly.
0:34:02 > 0:34:03Ah, that's lovely.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07My foals are off to a great start.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11It's going to be a game of patience, though, but while I'm here,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15I'm keen to see what's in store for them over the coming months.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20What's that got to do with horses?
0:34:20 > 0:34:21I don't know.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Some people think you just jump on a horse and off you go,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32but there is an awful lot of work involved before you can ride one.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Here, horses are being worked through different scenarios
0:34:36 > 0:34:39so they become acclimatised to various environments.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45I'm hoping to get involved so a bit of health and safety.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49I'm just getting a riding hat on...which I never look good in.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53Right, I've got a horse, so walk it forward?
0:34:53 > 0:34:55We're going to walk over the tarpaulin
0:34:55 > 0:34:59so look where you're going and a positive walk. Well done.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04- If she wants to look at it, she can do.- Whoa...- Well done.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08Just let her get used to the feel of the tarp underneath her feet.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12So you're setting up a scenario of strange surfaces?
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Yes, absolutely, so when the horse starts to
0:35:15 > 0:35:19load into the trailer, it's more familiar to them, putting their feet
0:35:19 > 0:35:22on strange surfaces, and also the noise the trailer ramp will make.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26- She had a little look at it, but she was OK.- She is.- Walk on.- Well done.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34And just give her all the time she needs... And stop. Well done.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37- Give her a stroke and let her know she's done well.- That's brilliant.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41So what we're doing here is that we're mimicking the horse stepping
0:35:41 > 0:35:46onto something when we are preparing the horse to go into the trailer.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- So we're de-sensitising the horses. - Walk on, then. Walk on.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52Well done.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57This obstacle looks a bit scary. What's this about?
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Some horses are frightened of going into horseboxes with low ceilings.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04This helps to build their confidence in going through something
0:36:04 > 0:36:07- that's different.- So, will my Exmoors be doing stuff like this?
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- All going according to plan, in a few weeks, yes, they will.- Great.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Well, it's been a fascinating day here in the college,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23and the foals have settled in so well.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25I've come to say goodbye to them.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28They tell me, when I come back and get them in March,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31they'll be fully trained. Well, we'll have to wait and see!
0:36:32 > 0:36:37Next week, I'm heading to Bury St Edmunds to learn all about sugar.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51The exposed open spaces of Exmoor...
0:36:51 > 0:36:56the perfect place for one of our most beautiful silent hunters.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59The barn owl.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06But in the last 50 years, they've struggled to survive.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Devon and Somerset used to be real strongholds for the birds,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15but since the '60s, the numbers have plummeted,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18in some places by as much as 70%.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21So what's the problem?
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Well, it's thought a loss of habitat
0:37:24 > 0:37:26and a lack of prey are to blame.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29But the kind of weather we've had for the last 12 months can't
0:37:29 > 0:37:33have helped. Barn owls, like us, don't like the rain.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36Their feathers are built to be stealthy and silent,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38but they're not 100% waterproof,
0:37:38 > 0:37:41which means hunting in the pouring rain is not ideal.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I mean, look at it up here on this high ground.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46It's still absolutely sodden underfoot.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Jonathan Webber and his family haven't seen barn owls
0:37:51 > 0:37:55- on their farmland for years. How are you?- Very well.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57- Do you want me to catch you? - I'll risk it.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Friend or foe, the barn owl, to the farmer?
0:38:01 > 0:38:03I see them as a friend, really.
0:38:03 > 0:38:08They control vermin, they don't cause any damage that I know to what we
0:38:08 > 0:38:12do, but it would be nice to have them around to keep the balance going.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14- So you'd like to see them back? - Yeah, definitely.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18- I might have a plan for you. I'll be back later.- All right.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21'Help is at hand for Jonathan and other farmers on Exmoor,
0:38:21 > 0:38:25'thanks to a project run by the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30'Their aim - to put up 335 barn owl boxes.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34'One for every parish in the county.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37'And in each of those parishes,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40'they're spreading the word on how everyone can get involved.'
0:38:40 > 0:38:43- Hello, hello.- Hello!- Hello, everyone.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46- CHILDREN: Hello!- Nice to see you.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51- She's beautiful, isn't she?- Yes. - Very lovely. Gorgeous colours.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55So, how are these guys getting involved?
0:38:55 > 0:38:57We've actually had some schools which have
0:38:57 > 0:39:00used some of their own playing areas to recreate
0:39:00 > 0:39:02the habitat of the barn owl,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05but the other thing that they can do is that we collect lots of
0:39:05 > 0:39:09barn owl pellets from the wild, and we analyse the prey,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11so we've brought pellets today
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and will get the children to analyse those pellets for us.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- I'm going to have a look in the pellets, then.- Yeah, do.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- Hello.- Hello.- Right, what have we got going on here?
0:39:20 > 0:39:22- We're dissecting owl pellets. - How lovely(!)
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Just how I like spending a morning.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28- And what are you finding inside these pellets?- Skulls and jaws.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31- Skulls and jaws?! - Leg bones.- And leg bones.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34We found a water vole skull.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Voles tend to make up most of the pellet,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40because that's favourite food of the barn owl.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45In the wild, barn owls eat an average of nearly
0:39:45 > 0:39:471,500 small mammals a year.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50And that's where farmers can play their part.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54Rough grassland on the edge of fields is ideal habitat
0:39:54 > 0:39:57for voles, mice and shrews - perfect owl dinner.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04So, I'm going back to Jonathan's family farm with Chris Sperring.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07- Afternoon.- Hello there.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09We're going to see if his old barn has what it takes to become
0:40:09 > 0:40:11the perfect barn owl abode.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Now, I've got a good feeling about this, gentlemen.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17It could be a union made in heaven.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19- Show us the spot we were at earlier, please.- Come with me.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24- The area has to be surveyed to make sure it's suitable.- This is it.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27It's looking quite barn owl cosy.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32- Fingers crossed that Chris gives it the thumbs-up.- This is very nice.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35We've got the holes there, so the barn owls can go in and out.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39And what I really like here - look at this - this pillar is ready made.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- We could just stick the box on the top.- Of the chimney?
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Why not? I reckon that would be pretty good there.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46And this would provide shelter, wouldn't it, Jonathan?
0:40:46 > 0:40:49I hope so. It gets quite exposed up here.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52But, burning issue I've got, Jonathan, is habitat.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56What we're trying to do is to unlock the vole population,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59and that means putting a little grassland margin around.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Is there any chance you could leave a margin around the edge?
0:41:02 > 0:41:07- Yeah, I don't see why not...- Stop there!- You've got your box.- Done!
0:41:07 > 0:41:11I feel like Cilla Black in the good old days of Blind Date.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15- It's beautiful. Let's get the box. - Let's go.- Mind your head.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25'Now, that's what I call cosy.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28'Let's hope the owls think so too.'
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Gentlemen, I think my work here is done,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34so I shall leave you with your barn and your barn owl box
0:41:34 > 0:41:37and I shall return at some time in the future,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39hopefully to see the fruits of your labour.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42- Goodbye.- Bye.- Thank you.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47Earlier, we heard how the killer disease Schmallenberg
0:41:47 > 0:41:50has returned to the UK with devastating effects for farmers,
0:41:50 > 0:41:52but as Tom has been finding out,
0:41:52 > 0:41:55there may be even more trouble on the horizon.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00'Lambing should be a joyful task, but not on this farm.'
0:42:00 > 0:42:03The ones with the straight stripe across their backside,
0:42:03 > 0:42:05they're the ones that,unfortunately,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07we've got no lambs on at the moment because
0:42:07 > 0:42:09they've had Schmallenberg lambs born.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11- There are quite a few of those. - Yeah, yeah.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Unfortunately, there's far too many for my liking.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19'Charles Sercombe has lost 40% of his lambs to Schmallenberg,
0:42:19 > 0:42:23'and he worries that more diseases like this may be on the way.'
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Schmallenberg has followed bluetongue and has followed
0:42:27 > 0:42:30foot and mouth in the last 10, 12 years.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32There's a strong possibility that we will have to face
0:42:32 > 0:42:35an increased challenge from more exotic diseases.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39It's similar to Schmallenberg, that we have totally...
0:42:39 > 0:42:41beyond our control.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Many scientists share the fears of farmers like Charles.
0:42:46 > 0:42:51That's why at Pirbright, one of the UK's top research centres,
0:42:51 > 0:42:54they're looking into the potential diseases of tomorrow.
0:42:54 > 0:42:59I've been granted access to their strange and skin-crawling world.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Welcome to the insectary.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06I hope they're not that big for real!
0:43:07 > 0:43:11They've been rearing colonies of insects here since the 1970s -
0:43:11 > 0:43:13midges and mosquitoes.
0:43:15 > 0:43:20Experts agree that the biggest threat we face is from another
0:43:20 > 0:43:24vector-borne disease - something that's brought in by insects,
0:43:24 > 0:43:27like Schmallenberg or bluetongue.
0:43:27 > 0:43:32- Wow. It looks like a static swarm of bees under here.- Absolutely.
0:43:32 > 0:43:37They are focusing their efforts on probing the mild-mannered midge,
0:43:37 > 0:43:40which carried both these diseases to this country.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45So, we've seen really unprecedented outbreaks
0:43:45 > 0:43:47of biting-midge-borne viruses, particularly.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51There was no recorded events prior to 2006 of these things happening.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53So other things that might be influencing this
0:43:53 > 0:43:57are things like globalisation, so the globalisation of trade is
0:43:57 > 0:44:00moving these viruses around the world through one means or another.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03That's actually making it a lot more important to understand
0:44:03 > 0:44:06how these insects behave in the field.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09So, understanding the carriers of the disease helps us
0:44:09 > 0:44:12- guard against their spread? - Absolutely, it's key.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15I think, in terms of midge-borne diseases, the door is still open
0:44:15 > 0:44:16because we don't understand
0:44:16 > 0:44:19how these viruses are moving into Europe,
0:44:19 > 0:44:21and into the UK specifically.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25So there is a big risk of future biting-midge-borne outbreaks.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28- It sounds a little bit alarming. - Absolutely.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31It's something that we have a lot experience of dealing with,
0:44:31 > 0:44:34but the unprecedented nature of these outbreaks makes it
0:44:34 > 0:44:37something which we have to respond to rapidly, and with no notice.
0:44:40 > 0:44:44But as the race to identify the diseases of tomorrow continues,
0:44:44 > 0:44:47more than £50 million is being lost
0:44:47 > 0:44:51from the UK's animal health budget.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55So, how have these cuts affected the fight against Schmallenberg
0:44:55 > 0:44:56and other diseases?
0:44:56 > 0:44:59I'm on my way to ask the Government's Chief Vet,
0:44:59 > 0:45:01Nigel Gibbons.
0:45:05 > 0:45:10Schmallenberg, in effect, came out of a bit of a clear blue sky.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12What concerns do you have about future diseases
0:45:12 > 0:45:14coming to this country?
0:45:14 > 0:45:16There are always threats out there.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19We do our best to keep them out, but if they occur,
0:45:19 > 0:45:20we got find them quickly.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23Farmers need to tell us of changes, and vets be alert too.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Given that risk, does it help that the Government
0:45:26 > 0:45:29is trimming off £51 million from its animal health budget?
0:45:29 > 0:45:31Along with all of Government,
0:45:31 > 0:45:33we've got to live within the means we have
0:45:33 > 0:45:35and that's difficult for everybody,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38but we're giving priority to the most important areas
0:45:38 > 0:45:41and we are absolutely committed to both surveillance,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44to enable us to spot disease early, and our ability to respond.
0:45:44 > 0:45:48Won't those cuts make us more vulnerable to animal diseases?
0:45:48 > 0:45:50We are always at risk.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53You can never say a disease incursion won't happen, but
0:45:53 > 0:45:55we are going to maintain our ability
0:45:55 > 0:45:57to respond to disease when it occurs.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02While the Government assures us that all will be well,
0:46:02 > 0:46:04even with less cash to spread around, at the moment,
0:46:04 > 0:46:08farmers don't even to have to report cases of Schmallenberg -
0:46:08 > 0:46:10a fact that is concerning some.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14Are the authorities doing the right thing, as far as you can tell?
0:46:14 > 0:46:16Obviously, it's a new disease,
0:46:16 > 0:46:19they decided not to make it notifiable
0:46:19 > 0:46:22so there is no compulsion on any farmers to report it.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25- What do you think about that? - I'm a bit nervous about that.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27I think they could take it more seriously,
0:46:27 > 0:46:30especially to determine where the disease has spread to
0:46:30 > 0:46:32and the likely impact moving forward.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34As I understand, this is not a notifiable disease,
0:46:34 > 0:46:36Schmallenberg, why not?
0:46:36 > 0:46:40Because...we understand the disease.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43Although it can be very impactful on individual farmers,
0:46:43 > 0:46:47who can have reasonably high losses, overall, it's not a huge impact.
0:46:47 > 0:46:49It doesn't affect people, and there's very little
0:46:49 > 0:46:53we can do to impede the spread of the disease, so making it notifiable
0:46:53 > 0:46:57doesn't really allow us to do anything to change what will happen.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03How we handle current and future threats
0:47:03 > 0:47:06will continue to be the subject of much debate,
0:47:06 > 0:47:09but what everyone does agree on is that in the next few years,
0:47:09 > 0:47:14something new and unexpected is likely to land on these shores.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20Maybe Schmallenberg should serve as a warning of things to come.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32Here in the winter wilds of Exmoor,
0:47:32 > 0:47:34I'm on the trail of the Doones,
0:47:34 > 0:47:38the outlaw villains of Blackmore's famous novel, Lorna Doone.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41The stronghold of the Doone family was in Glen Doone,
0:47:41 > 0:47:46and that's where I'm heading. The question is, how do I find it?
0:47:46 > 0:47:49It's a fictional place, after all. Or is it?
0:47:49 > 0:47:50Can you believe it?
0:47:50 > 0:47:54It's even made it onto the Ordnance Survey map.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56Look, there it is. Doone Country.
0:47:56 > 0:47:58There is a little bit of controversy as to
0:47:58 > 0:48:01whether or not it is in exactly the right spot,
0:48:01 > 0:48:04but one thing is for sure, that the characters
0:48:04 > 0:48:07and the places in the novel have become so integral to the landscape
0:48:07 > 0:48:10that even the cartographers cannot ignore it.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Very shortly, we're going to be heading out into the wilds to try
0:48:13 > 0:48:17and get to the stronghold of the Doone family, which is no mean feat
0:48:17 > 0:48:19in this weather, let me tell you,
0:48:19 > 0:48:22but while we get sorted out and packed up, why don't you see
0:48:22 > 0:48:25what the Countryfile weather forecast has got in store
0:48:25 > 0:48:27for the week ahead?
0:50:50 > 0:50:57.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15Exmoor - wet, windy, pretty bleak at this time of year -
0:51:15 > 0:51:18just how RD Blackmore pictured these moors
0:51:18 > 0:51:21when he wrote his famous novel, Lorna Doone.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24I'm heading out into the heart of this wilderness in search
0:51:24 > 0:51:28of the place reputed to be home to Blackmore's villains.
0:51:28 > 0:51:33This is outlaw land, and where we're going is no easy ride.
0:51:33 > 0:51:38The place that was to be the setting of Blackmore's Doone village
0:51:38 > 0:51:41is an hour's trek that way, on a good day,
0:51:41 > 0:51:44but with weather like this and with all of our camera equipment,
0:51:44 > 0:51:46the chances are we'd never get there,
0:51:46 > 0:51:49so we've enlisted the help of this 4x4.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00We got special permission from the landowners to make this journey
0:52:00 > 0:52:04in a 4x4, and I'm in good company, because our driver,
0:52:04 > 0:52:08Ben Williams, knows this gnarled landscape like his own back garden.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12Also hitching a lift is archaeologist Rob Wilson-North.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14So, it's quite remote, this spot that we're heading towards?
0:52:14 > 0:52:18It's about as remote as it gets on Exmoor, yeah.
0:52:22 > 0:52:23Are we going up there?
0:52:23 > 0:52:26- Yes, down in the bottom and then up the other side.- Classic.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29This looks pretty, Ben. Good luck!
0:52:29 > 0:52:31This bit here is the hairiest bit.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33MATT LAUGHS
0:52:38 > 0:52:39Whoo-hoo!
0:52:39 > 0:52:43I started out with a carriage and horses, Rob, and now, now this!
0:52:43 > 0:52:46I've had some pretty extreme journeys today.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48Oh, there we go!
0:52:48 > 0:52:51Pedal to the floor.
0:52:51 > 0:52:52It's a beauty.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00Yes!
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Rob's been out to this site many times,
0:53:04 > 0:53:08so what can he tell me about the Doones?
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- Is this the Doone stronghold? - No, definitely not.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13This is the medieval village.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17It's a deserted medieval village, so it was gone by the 1400s,
0:53:17 > 0:53:20so gone long before the Doones were meant to have been here.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22This was not where the Doones lived?
0:53:22 > 0:53:27- Lots of people are crying, watching the show.- Well...- There you are.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30- Archaeology is tough sometimes. - That's it.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33But the way to look at it, I think, is that Blackmore,
0:53:33 > 0:53:37when he was thinking about Lorna Doone and the novel,
0:53:37 > 0:53:40he came to this place and he looked at the village,
0:53:40 > 0:53:41he saw the remains of the buildings,
0:53:41 > 0:53:44- and that was his inspiration for the Doone village.- Yeah.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47So, he walked around buildings we're going to see...
0:53:47 > 0:53:51- I wonder how HE got there!- On horse. It's a lot easier on a horse.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53You're doing well, Ben!
0:53:53 > 0:53:55We're all right in the back, don't worry about us!
0:53:55 > 0:53:59- You all happy?- Yes! Now I know what it feels like to be a spaniel.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01ALL LAUGH
0:54:04 > 0:54:06This is probably the end of the road here.
0:54:06 > 0:54:11- I think we have to get out and walk now. This is the village.- Brilliant.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13Ben, superb driving. Thank you very much.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16We'll have a quick look round. Will you give us a lift back?!
0:54:16 > 0:54:18- Certainly will. We'll try.- Good.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Did you bring the travel sickness pills?
0:54:24 > 0:54:28It's taken us a good half hour across rough terrain
0:54:28 > 0:54:30and, at first glance,
0:54:30 > 0:54:33it's hard to imagine why anyone would choose to live out here.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35But look closer, and there's water,
0:54:35 > 0:54:38shelter and land to graze animals.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40It even has its own microclimate.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43You do notice a difference in the temperature.
0:54:43 > 0:54:45Yeah. It's definitely grim today,
0:54:45 > 0:54:47but it's a lot warmer down here than it is up there.
0:54:47 > 0:54:51Yes, what a difference. Let's go and have a look.
0:54:54 > 0:54:59Matt, it looks like the trees are covered in leaves but they're not.
0:54:59 > 0:55:03- It's lichen.- Is it really?- That's because of air quality out here.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06So, give us an idea of what would have been where.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09- Well, you're in the middle of about 14 houses, I guess.- OK.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12So, big community, and then beyond that,
0:55:12 > 0:55:15you've got terraced fields on the hills,
0:55:15 > 0:55:18where they grew arable crops, and then, beyond that, the grazing.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23Matt, we've got a house here, just perched above the river,
0:55:23 > 0:55:27and you can see traces of the walls either side of us,
0:55:27 > 0:55:29and we might as well walk in through the door.
0:55:29 > 0:55:32And we'd open out into what, do you think?
0:55:32 > 0:55:35Well, you've got a longhouse with a family living at one end
0:55:35 > 0:55:38- and their animals living at the other. That's the most likely.- OK.
0:55:38 > 0:55:42Originally, it would probably have had some earth, some mud, cob
0:55:42 > 0:55:44built on top of the stone,
0:55:44 > 0:55:46so still low walls, then a kind of thatched roof.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49- So a single storey?- Yes.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51No windows, because they didn't have glass then,
0:55:51 > 0:55:53so you've got no windows at all.
0:55:53 > 0:55:55The only light comes in through the door,
0:55:55 > 0:55:59and an open hearth and a fire burning all year round, really.
0:55:59 > 0:56:00Badgworthy, as this spot is known,
0:56:00 > 0:56:03is one of the finest pieces of undisturbed medieval landscape
0:56:03 > 0:56:08in Southwest England, so it's not surprising it inspired Blackmore.
0:56:08 > 0:56:13"Deep in the quiet valley there, away from noise, and violence,
0:56:13 > 0:56:15"and brawl, save that of the rivulet,
0:56:15 > 0:56:19"any man would have deemed them homes of simple mind and innocence,
0:56:19 > 0:56:23"yet not a single house stood there but was the home of murder."
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Seems incredible to me,
0:56:25 > 0:56:28Rob, that Blackmore could come here and make this the stronghold
0:56:28 > 0:56:32of an evil family, because it feels like there's no malice here at all.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35- It's almost Hobbit-like. - It is, isn't it?
0:56:35 > 0:56:39Well, it's the end of my journey, and I can't exactly say
0:56:39 > 0:56:42that I have managed to crack the mystery of the Doones.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45My last hope is driver Ben. Surely he's got the local gossip.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49Well, Ben, this seems like a lovely way to finish the day.
0:56:49 > 0:56:51- Cheers.- Yes, proper end to an Exmoor day.
0:56:51 > 0:56:56The Doones, then. Fact or fiction? Come on. I can't work it out.
0:56:56 > 0:56:59They're fact. There are lots of Doones still living here,
0:56:59 > 0:57:00round and about Exmoor.
0:57:00 > 0:57:03They probably don't think of themselves as Doones, but they are.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06- But Lorna Doone?- Well, she might be here.- Oh, come on!
0:57:06 > 0:57:09Tell you what, if there are any Doones out there,
0:57:09 > 0:57:12get in contact via the website and shed a bit of light on the subject!
0:57:12 > 0:57:15Anyway, that is all we've got time for from Exmoor.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17Next week, we'll be in South Wales
0:57:17 > 0:57:19finding out about the Welsh great escape,
0:57:19 > 0:57:21and heading out to the coast
0:57:21 > 0:57:24to see what's being done to rejuvenate the sand dunes.
0:57:24 > 0:57:25I hope you can join us then.
0:57:47 > 0:57:49Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd