0:00:28 > 0:00:31The historic Kingdom of Fife, on the east coast of Scotland.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37A contrasting county of lush, fertile countryside,
0:00:37 > 0:00:38scenic coastlines,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42and more golf courses than you can wave a club at.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46I'm exploring a part of the kingdom that is growing by the day.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Now, Tentsmuir Forest is teeming with wildlife,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51but you know what filming can be like -
0:00:51 > 0:00:55even the bravest of creatures can become camera-shy. However, today,
0:00:55 > 0:00:59I'm guaranteed to see something, with the help of my phone.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04Home to Scotland's capital for six centuries, the Kingdom of Fife
0:01:04 > 0:01:08has always been at the centre of the nation's history.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11This is Falkland Palace, right in the heart of Fife.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14It's where the Royals came to play. Here, they would go hunting,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18hawking, and take part in other 16th-century activities.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Today, though, I'm going to be playing
0:01:21 > 0:01:24a game of tennis on Britain's oldest surviving tennis court,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and my opponent is Mary, Queen of Scots.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29- Your serve, Your Majesty.- Thank you.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36Tom's across the Irish Sea investigating one of the most
0:01:36 > 0:01:38controversial issues in the countryside.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40The culling of badgers
0:01:40 > 0:01:41in an effort to stop
0:01:41 > 0:01:43the spread of TB in cattle
0:01:43 > 0:01:45may be just about to start in England,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48but here in Ireland, they've been doing it for years.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53So, what can we learn from the Irish? I'll be finding out.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57And Adam is looking at a rather special working dog.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00I'm in Devon and this is Jess, a springer spaniel,
0:02:00 > 0:02:02a working dog with a difference.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05She does all sorts of jobs on the farm - carries buckets, tools.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07She'll even bottle-feed a pet lamb.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Come on, then.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22The historic Kingdom of Fife,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26ancestral home of Scottish monarchs
0:02:26 > 0:02:28and a land famed for its fairways.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33The coastline is a dot-to-dot of fishing harbours
0:02:33 > 0:02:35and mining villages.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Inland, a lacework of lochs, forests and fells.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48The natural peninsula lies an hour north of Edinburgh,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51bounded by the River Tay and the Firth of Forth.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56I'm exploring the north-eastern corner, known as Tentsmuir.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00This is one of the most dynamic landscapes in the country,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and I'm not talking about what is going on around me.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06It's what's going on under my feet.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10For the last 5,000 years,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13this coastline has been expanding outwards,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16as much as five metres a year in some places.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20All that extra land has made this a highly desirable location
0:03:20 > 0:03:22to set up home...for wildlife.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27With a range of habitats,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30it's a des-res for some of our most elusive creatures.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42To be in with a chance of seeing the wild locals, you need time,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45you need patience and to be a little bit inconspicuous,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49so, with our schedule and this lot in tow, it's never going to be easy.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Come on, then, you lot!
0:03:53 > 0:03:54Ssh!
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Luckily, here at Tentsmuir,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03they have come up with a hi-tech solution for wildlife spotting.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07All you need is your walking boots and one of these.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Or one of these.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Thanks.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Apparently, it's dead simple.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19All I have to do is take a scan of this QR code...
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- BEEP - There we are.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27And I can access a whole virtual reality of all of the wildlife
0:04:27 > 0:04:29that lives right here.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32The web page that opens up offers me
0:04:32 > 0:04:35a sneak peek at some of the wild residents of Tentsmuir,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39as well as sketches and paintings created at that very spot.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41The main man behind the project is Derek Robertson,
0:04:41 > 0:04:46wildlife artist, local lad and all-round nature lover.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- How are you doing? All right?- Hiya.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50What a beautiful part of the forest to be sketching.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53It's amazing, isn't it? It's beautiful.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Derek will be artist-in-residence here for the next 12 months
0:04:56 > 0:05:00to celebrate the Year of Natural Scotland.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03So, where did the idea of this artist trail come from?
0:05:03 > 0:05:05- Was this something you came up with? - Yeah.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08I was doing a whole load of drawings and paintings
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and I was looking for a way of exhibiting them on-site,
0:05:11 > 0:05:15and also, I've been taking video footage of the animals around us.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18To be honest, Derek, I try and leave my phone at home
0:05:18 > 0:05:20when I come to places like this,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and the last thing I want to be doing is looking down at a screen.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I agree. If it was either-or, then I would agree with you, but it's
0:05:26 > 0:05:30the choice of the person coming along and it can give a much richer context
0:05:30 > 0:05:34and seeing footage of wild animals that otherwise, they wouldn't see.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37These are things which often come out at night
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- or are difficult to get close to. - What have you been busy with?
0:05:39 > 0:05:42- You've got a beautiful red squirrel here.- Yes, red squirrels.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45We've been watching some earlier on today.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46They been coming down to the feeder.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49You've captured their characteristics so brilliantly.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- Can we have a little flick through your pad?- Yeah, sure.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55This is what I've been doing the last couple of days,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58so this is my watercolour sketchbook.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01So, this is woodcock in the forest nearby,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and then a couple of days ago I was down on the shore
0:06:04 > 0:06:09drawing the seals, but it started to rain so I had to dive for cover.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12So this never got anywhere near finished,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15so I'll have to go back in a couple of days' time.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Derek spends much of his time outdoors,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19but his work isn't all about the canvas.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22As an enthusiastic naturalist,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25he has also pioneered an unusual way of counting birds.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31In the past, I've been looking at different ways of researching
0:06:31 > 0:06:33the animals here on-site so, for example,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35we've done studies of water rails,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38which are really difficult to count because they hide in the reeds,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42and we used "call playback", where they're played a tape
0:06:42 > 0:06:46- and then the birds call back. - Answer back, basically?- Yes,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- so we know how many are there. - Did it work?- It worked great.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51We thought we had two or three on the site,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54and we found out we had 110 at this reserve nearby.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58So, that model's being used as the standard research tool now
0:06:58 > 0:07:00for surveying water rails.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04While I leave Derek to his squirrel sketching,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07I'm going to try out this bird counting technique for myself.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Right, let's give this a go. I'm quite excited about this.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14So, water rail... Play.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17CHIRPING FROM MACHINE
0:07:17 > 0:07:21PIERCING CALLS IN REPLY
0:07:21 > 0:07:24How about that? Listen to that.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I'm having a conversation with a water rail. That is incredible.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Well, while I continue communicating,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35let's turn our attention to this week's investigation.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38And plans to trial badger culling may well be dividing
0:07:38 > 0:07:42much of the nation, but as Tom has been finding out, England is
0:07:42 > 0:07:46not the first place to try and tackle bovine TB in this way.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Ireland, a rich and fertile land.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58From traditional Irish homesteads to modern working farms,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01agriculture is at heart of this economy,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04and most of that is livestock farming.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07But just like their British counterparts,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Irish beef and dairy farmers
0:08:09 > 0:08:12are struggling with the problem of bovine TB,
0:08:12 > 0:08:16a chronic and highly infectious disease that,
0:08:16 > 0:08:22if left unchecked, can weaken and ultimately kill infected livestock.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29As in the UK, badgers are getting much of the blame for spreading
0:08:29 > 0:08:33the disease amongst cattle, but until now, England and Ireland
0:08:33 > 0:08:36have had two very different strategies for dealing with it,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39the main difference being that, in Ireland, they've had
0:08:39 > 0:08:44a systematic badger culling programme in its current form since 2004.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48But is it working?
0:08:48 > 0:08:51On his farm in County Cork, Mark Chambers
0:08:51 > 0:08:56is bringing in his herd for their annual TB test.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58It's still a nerve-wracking process.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03Just one positive result could lock down his whole farm.
0:09:05 > 0:09:06So, what is happening today, Mark?
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Reading of our TB test.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13They were done on Tuesday, and today is the day we get our results.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16So results day. Is that always a bit nerve-wracking for you?
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Yes, I suppose. You just never know what can happen.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22- When did you last have a case here? - Seven years ago.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26How did it affect your business during that time?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Well, then, you cannot sell any stock, so therefore...
0:09:29 > 0:09:32It depends on the time of year.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34If you're coming into winter time when it happened,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36and I usually sell my cows in October,
0:09:36 > 0:09:38I wouldn't be able to sell them.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41I'd have to carry more stock, which would increase
0:09:41 > 0:09:45the feed that is wanted, so it would be a disaster.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49The next few hours are crucial for Mark.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Local vet Michael Sexton is tasked with carrying out the test today.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02OK. See the lump?
0:10:02 > 0:10:04That is 15.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08He gave each cow in Mark's herd a skin test 72 hours ago.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Now he is back looking for lumps on the cows' necks
0:10:11 > 0:10:14to diagnose whether they have TB.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17It's nine on top, seven on the bottom.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22A reactor would be very bad news for the herd, and the cow
0:10:22 > 0:10:26will have to be slaughtered and Mark's farm will be locked down.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31- No reaction on either side. - Well, so far, so good.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33The first batch is clear.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37In the past, this area had a high incidence of TB,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40but Michael believes there has been a dramatic decrease
0:10:40 > 0:10:43since the TB eradication policy was introduced.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48In southern Ireland, the incidence from 2000 to 2011 has...
0:10:48 > 0:10:50There has been a drop of 50%.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54And how important is badger culling in the story of that decline?
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I wouldn't say badger culling specifically,
0:10:57 > 0:11:01but I think wildlife control is definitely a big part of that.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04TB is a problem for cattle and for wildlife,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08and I don't it's possible to control it in one
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- without controlling it in the other. - It seems to me
0:11:11 > 0:11:12you've got little doubt that is not
0:11:12 > 0:11:16a question of it being the fault of the cattle or the badgers.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18You've got to get on top of both of them.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20The disease afflicts both species
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and for the disease control of cattle and for badgers,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27and the welfare of cattle and for badgers, they go hand in hand.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29You can't separate them.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34The decision to cull badgers was no easy step, but here it was felt
0:11:34 > 0:11:38to be the most effective solution to an escalating problem.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Tomas Bourke is the livestock officer at the IFA,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46the Irish equivalent of the National Farmers' Union.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48It's a horrendous sight for farmers
0:11:48 > 0:11:51and their families, to see these animals, perfectly good,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55at the peak of production, being loaded onto a truck for slaughter.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58While we have made significant progress over the past 10, 12 years,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- it's vital that this disease is eradicated.- Put simply,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05do you think your experience in Ireland shows that culling works?
0:12:05 > 0:12:06Yes, based on our figures.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Our figures are published annually
0:12:08 > 0:12:12and show reduction of over 50%, but obviously we need to go further.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Why do you think there is such a difference in attitude
0:12:15 > 0:12:17to a cull here, and England?
0:12:17 > 0:12:19I suppose, from an Irish perspective, there is
0:12:19 > 0:12:21probably a closer association with the land,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and most people are only one generation removed from it.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27There's also a better understanding, I suppose,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30of the value of agriculture to the economy.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Because the number of tests has varied over the years,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38not everyone agrees that a 50% reduction in bovine TB
0:12:38 > 0:12:44is an accurate figure for Ireland, but between 1995 and 2010,
0:12:44 > 0:12:49the proportion of infected herds has fallen from just over 9.5%
0:12:49 > 0:12:52to just under 7.5%.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56In England, in the same period, the proportion of infected herds
0:12:56 > 0:13:01rose substantially, from less than 1% to 9%.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Back on Mark's farm, the tests are now complete.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08- OK, Mark.- Good news?
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Good news. Clear round. That's it for another year.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- That's all of them done, is it? - That's the whole herd. Perfect.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19- It feels good?- It feels good. Yes. A bit nervous, but we got there.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Very good to have that feeling.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24- OK. Let them out. - Are you ready, Robert?
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Well, good news for Mark,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34and that's a happy ending we're hearing more and more often
0:13:34 > 0:13:38across Ireland, but to what extent is that down to the culling of badgers?
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Or are other factors involved, like bio-security amongst the cattle?
0:13:42 > 0:13:44That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:13:48 > 0:13:54Fife, a historic Scottish county, romantically known as a kingdom.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Right at its heart is the Royal Burgh of Falkland.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Surrounded by the handsome wilderness of the hills
0:14:01 > 0:14:04and flatlands of Fife, Falkland was thrust into the limelight
0:14:04 > 0:14:06in the 16th century.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08This place, Falkland Palace,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12was built as a playground for the Kings and Queens of Scotland.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19For around 200 years, the palace was visited by the House of Stuart,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22and this is the family hall of fame.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Be warned, there are a lot of Jameses.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27That is James V.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30He ruled Scotland between 1513 and 1542,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34and it was his father, James IV, who started building this palace,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37before James V took it on and finished it off.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41When James V died in his chamber here at the palace, his daughter,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45who was only six days old, became Mary, Queen of Scots.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Mary was followed by her son, James VI of Scotland,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51who went on to become James I of England.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54I told you there were a lot of Jameses.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00This is where the Stuarts came to relax and unwind
0:15:00 > 0:15:03in the comfortable surroundings of a Renaissance palace,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07a French-style chateau in the Fife countryside.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09But what drew them to Falkland?
0:15:09 > 0:15:13I'm about to get a bird's-eye view with palace manager Wendy Purvis.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Oh, wow.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21- Wendy, this is a stunning view.- Yes. So, all that you can see out there
0:15:21 > 0:15:25would have been the hunting park within the forest
0:15:25 > 0:15:29that Mary would have appreciated. She could have even stood up here
0:15:29 > 0:15:33and watched the hunt as it progressed out in the grounds there.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Hundreds of acres of forest playground.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41In this park, the Stuarts used to hawk, hunting with birds of prey.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46Today, falconer Stewart Miller is keeping the sport of hawking alive.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49In the palace grounds, Stewart, Squeak the young Harris hawk
0:15:49 > 0:15:52and Angus the pony are in training.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I'm joining the team to provide a moving target,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57though I might come to regret that.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Hawks hunt by sight, and so that our bait moves like a real animal,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04I'm going to drag it on a piece of string.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08For this training exercise, I'm literally the bait.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12For this to be successful, the hawk needs to land on the bait.
0:16:12 > 0:16:13Oh, no!
0:16:14 > 0:16:18He's up in the tree, look. The tree is not the bait.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22I'm going to offer him some food, and here he comes.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26I need to get the horse to stand still. Good boy.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28- That was brilliant.- Stand.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Don't worry about it, Squeak, we'll give it another go.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- His coming, he's coming! - Stop, stop, stop.- Oh!- That's good.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39That's more like it.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43- Yay!- OK.- That is so exciting.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46He has literally spread his wings to say, "This is mine. Hands off."
0:16:46 > 0:16:48This is called mantling.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52It's like birds of prey do in the wild - they mantle over their prey -
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- and what I'm going to try and do here is offer him a swap.- OK, right.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59- A bit of a trade. - This is a tricky part.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Oh, wow. Oh, brilliant.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Luckily, he is quite happy to step up.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07You can see he is still mantling, because he doesn't want us
0:17:07 > 0:17:09to steal what I'm offering him now.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Stewart, you must be delighted with that
0:17:13 > 0:17:16because he's done exactly what you wanted him to do.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Yeah, it's the beginning of his training and, really,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23he'll just come on in leaps and bounds.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Now he knows what the rabbit is, he'll know to chase it,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- and when he does chase it he gets a reward.- Yeah. Right.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Time for me to try my hand as the huntress.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33That's good, that's right position.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Just bring your elbow in a little bit, that's it. Good to go.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37- Brilliant.- How does it feel?
0:17:37 > 0:17:41I've never held a hawk before so I'm fascinated by Squeak.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44No offence, Angus! Sitting here feels quite...
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I do, I feel very regal,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49but I can't imagine galloping through the forest.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51There you go.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Even with hawking and hunting,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57life for the Royals in the 16th century could get dull.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59They were always looking for entertainment.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Luckily, a new sport had recently come to Britain from France,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07and had found a place in the grounds of the palace.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11This is a real tennis court, also known as royal tennis.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14It's the oldest surviving course of its kind in the country
0:18:14 > 0:18:16and here today,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I'm going to be taking on a rather nerve-wracking opponent.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24It's not Andy Murray, but I am going to be playing another Scot,
0:18:24 > 0:18:26one who is a little older
0:18:26 > 0:18:30and who is about to make an incredible comeback on this court...
0:18:32 > 0:18:34You serve, Your Majesty.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36..Mary, Queen of Scots.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Royal tennis is the precursor to modern lawn tennis,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43an intricate game where the ball is bounced off the court walls
0:18:43 > 0:18:45as well as the floor.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48It's a sort of cross between a tennis ball and a squash ball,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52so the bounce is incredibly unpredictable.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59Our Mary, Queen of Scots is also the palace's education officer,
0:18:59 > 0:19:00Aisha Al-Sadie.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Good game, Your Majesty.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- Thank you for coming to play with me. - Tell me a bit about this court.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Is this the court that Mary, Queen of Scots would have played in?
0:19:08 > 0:19:12It was built by her father in 1539, so she would have played here
0:19:12 > 0:19:14quite a lot, because she was fond of playing tennis.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17It was unusual for anybody to be playing tennis at this time,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19especially women playing, so Mary was quite a rebel,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21especially in breeches,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23because women weren't meant to show their legs,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26so the Court found it quite controversial
0:19:26 > 0:19:27for her to play in trousers.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- Shall we call it a day, Your Majesty?- Yes.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Thank you for coming to play with me today.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36- So, what would you do now, Queen? - I think I will go and rest.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38And eat lots of food.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Ah, a queen after my own heart.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46The perfect end to a Royal day out.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Apparently, she liked hot buttered crumpets after a game.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I quite fancy one of those...
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Whilst we're exploring the historic Kingdom of Fife,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02a few months ago, Ellie was in Northumberland.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06She was visiting a project to see what's being done to protect
0:20:06 > 0:20:09river banks from the type of heavy rain that swept across the country
0:20:09 > 0:20:13last year. It left a trail of destruction in its wake,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16but can the reintroduction of a traditional building method
0:20:16 > 0:20:18really be the answer?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21When this river flooded, its banks eroded
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and changed the course of the river,
0:20:24 > 0:20:25filling it with tonnes
0:20:25 > 0:20:27of this stuff - silt -
0:20:27 > 0:20:30and it's this silt which is causing considerable problems
0:20:30 > 0:20:33for the landowners who farm around here
0:20:33 > 0:20:36and for the wildlife that inhabit these waters.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38I've come to the River Lyne in Northumberland
0:20:38 > 0:20:40to meet water quality expert Fiona Morris.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Hi, Fiona.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46We're taking a sample to see what's living here.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49So, why is the silting up of the river such a problem?
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Right, the silt has quite a few issues, really, for the river
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and its wildlife. It prevents fish from being able to spawn
0:20:56 > 0:20:58in the gravelly rivers,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00it prevents plants from being able to grow
0:21:00 > 0:21:02because of the lack of light.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Not only does the silt cause problems for wildlife,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08but it also increases the likelihood of flooding.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Surveys like this are the ultimate test for the health of the river,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15so it'll be interesting to see what we find.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Even though this was from the edge of the river, there's plenty of life.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22There is. There's lots of things in there. What we've got here
0:21:22 > 0:21:26is some shrimps, some mayflies, a few worms
0:21:26 > 0:21:27and some stoneflies,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31and the caddis fly, as you can see here, that build these little cases.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Would these species that we've got, are they more tolerant
0:21:34 > 0:21:38- of less-healthy rivers?- They are more tolerant of silty rivers.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41The things that tend to go are the things with gills,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44and we don't have any of those things in here.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Whilst there's lots of things in the tray,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49there's not a lot of species in here.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Silting up of our rivers is a national problem.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54It's caused by heavy rain
0:21:54 > 0:21:57and by cattle wandering into rivers, eroding the banks.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59But there is a potential solution.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02For centuries, a technique called willow spiling has been used
0:22:02 > 0:22:04to reinforce river banks.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07One of its advantages is that it doesn't use hard engineering
0:22:07 > 0:22:09with materials like concrete,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13but it does require a fair old amount of this stuff - willow.
0:22:15 > 0:22:16Barry, why choose willow?
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Well, as you may know, willow has got lots of uses.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24It's used in craft industries. We use it for hedge laying.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27As you know, it's a very sappy, flexible material
0:22:27 > 0:22:31- and it takes readily in river banks. - So how do you choose your stems?
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Well, you want a good sturdy stem for the stakes
0:22:33 > 0:22:36- to drive into the river bank. - Like this one?- Yes, just like these.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41That will stabilise, stand upright. And then you want the lighter material for weaving between it.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45- So, what do I need to cut this down? - You just want a nice sharp pruning saw for that.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- So, right down here near the base? - Yes, down near the base is best.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Is this a good time of year for this?
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Yes, winter is the best time. You are coppicing, really. The sap isn't up.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Oh, dear.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58The bark is quite tight to the trunk
0:22:58 > 0:23:02and you're not ripping it and the shoots will come away in the spring.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Right, and over to this, then, for the diddy bits.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Yes, this is the stuff that you put in between the stakes. Weave in.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Again, you can plant them into the river bank
0:23:10 > 0:23:12- and they'll take as well. - It's amazing, isn't it?
0:23:16 > 0:23:20'With as much willow as I can carry, I head back to the river.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23'Duncan Hutt and some volunteers are already busy moving
0:23:23 > 0:23:24'willow across the water.'
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- Hi, Duncan.- Hello.- I have brought you much-needed supplies,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30or so I thought, but they are a bit meagre compared to this lot.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- Well, it all helps.- I suppose it does. Right, let me give you a hand.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37Excellent. See if you can get down and we'll pass them across. That'll be great.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40How many metres are you hoping to cover with this lot of willow?
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Oh, it is probably going to be five or six, I think, with this lot.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45I see you have already done some of the spiling here.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49- How effective has it been? - It's held firm. It's done a really good job.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52'Once we have got the willow where we need it, it's time to get spiling.'
0:23:52 > 0:23:56So the post's in, Duncan. How to get from this to this?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Well, we have got to get all these posts in.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Once they're in, we can start weaving the willow between them.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04The willow will tighten it all together and keep it as a nice big
0:24:04 > 0:24:06solid sort of fence, if you like, along the river bank.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14- It's quite labour-intensive, isn't it?- It's quite labour-intensive.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16We do often try and use a machine to help with this,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19but unfortunately, where we are at the moment,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21- we can't get a machine anywhere near it.- No, absolutely.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23It's all being done by hand on this particular site.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- How's that one?- That'll do. - 'Two of the tiers have been planted.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34'Today we're adding the third and final tier of willow.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37'It'll give the bank extra support next time the river floods.'
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- So, weaving time.- Absolutely. Yes.- Go on, then.
0:24:42 > 0:24:48- We'll get a nice, straight piece like this. - Yes.- Somewhere around there.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Shove it in there. Deep enough to root eventually.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53It's not quite basket-weaving, is it?
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- It's a little bit thicker than that.- Evidently not.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Why would you use willow rather than a material like concrete?
0:24:58 > 0:25:00I think there's a number of reasons.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03It's a living, live, natural product.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06It does a lot of the job itself, so the roots bind the bank together
0:25:06 > 0:25:09rather than actually reliant on the structure of the material itself.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12It's great for wildlife. You get invertebrates, water voles.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16It looks nicer and it will start to grow and look just like a natural river bank.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18So, you know, there's a whole host of things like that
0:25:18 > 0:25:21but, of course, the main reason that we're doing it is to support
0:25:21 > 0:25:24this bank and stop this silt just getting into the river.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28- Why not just leave the river to do its thing? - We'll never stop the river.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31The river is more powerful than anything we can do on this sort of thing.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34But I think we're just picking points where there's
0:25:34 > 0:25:37a particular problem and we're trying to just sort of give them
0:25:37 > 0:25:40a little bit of a helping hand, if you like, to that process.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44'It's not long before we're weaving the last stalks of willow.'
0:25:44 > 0:25:46So how do you think this might look in, let's say, a year from now?
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Hopefully, all these uprights are going to grow
0:25:48 > 0:25:52and sprout out and some of the weaving bits will as well.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57It'll green up and it will look quite bushy and natural in the landscape.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00'With careful management, the willow will take root, forming
0:26:00 > 0:26:04'an important part of the river banks and the Northumberland landscape -
0:26:04 > 0:26:06'with any luck, for the next 30 years.'
0:26:06 > 0:26:10With this stretch of river bank protected by the willow, it should
0:26:10 > 0:26:14secure the land above for the farmer and hopefully, when Duncan comes back
0:26:14 > 0:26:18a year from now, he'll find a lot less silt and a lot more wildlife.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Here in Fife, I've already seen some of the wonderful wildlife
0:26:27 > 0:26:30that calls this place home.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34But there's one creature that is surprisingly hard to see,
0:26:34 > 0:26:35despite its massive size.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39The white-tailed sea eagle.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45It's the job of Rhian Evans to track these elusive birds.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48As RSPB officer for East Scotland,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51she's allowed Countryfile to follow her for the day.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55So we've just picked up a signal for one of the birds,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58which is really exciting and it means there's a bird really close by here.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00This is a really typical day for me in the field.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03I spend a lot of my time in different areas,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05trying to find out where various birds are spending their time.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07There's a couple of birds here at the moment.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Tentsmuir's a really good spot for them. It's a great big wood.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Great nesting habitat for them, should they do that in the future.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16We have got the Tay estuary to the north and the Eden estuary
0:27:16 > 0:27:18to the south, so you have got the fish
0:27:18 > 0:27:21close to the surface in the shallow waters that they feed on.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Also rabbits and carrion, as well.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29They are quite lazy birds so carrion is always a good option for them.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32It's really important for me to figure out where the birds are
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and what they're doing, especially now that they might start breeding soon.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38It's important to know what they are feeding on,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41where they're roosting and eventually it will help us
0:27:41 > 0:27:43monitor their nests, wherever that might be.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47Sea eagles were first reintroduced to western Scotland in the 1970s.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50But since 2007,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54around 100 young birds have been released on the East Coast too.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56Flying in from Norway,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00the aim is to establish breeding pairs here in Britain.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03As a globally threatened species, it's hoped the project
0:28:03 > 0:28:07will expand their range and ensure their survival.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09It's great to see them in the wild,
0:28:09 > 0:28:13back in the habitat that they used to occupy so many years ago.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19So although we have got a signal for the birds coming from the woods just now, ideally I want
0:28:19 > 0:28:21a signal from about three or four different locations
0:28:21 > 0:28:23for me to be able to triangulate so that
0:28:23 > 0:28:27I can figure out on a map then where exactly in the woods these birds are.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33Sea eagles are the largest bird of prey in Britain and Europe.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35They have got an eight-foot wingspan
0:28:35 > 0:28:37and they have been described as flying barn doors.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Being such large predators,
0:28:47 > 0:28:51there is some conflict with the sea eagle reintroduction.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Part of my job is to liaise with landowners and to work with them
0:28:54 > 0:28:58to make sure that the birds fit back in successfully
0:28:58 > 0:29:02into the landscape and live alongside people and not become a problem.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04The birds themselves are such great characters.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07There is something mystical about them.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09It still gives you goosebumps when you see them,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11no matter how many times you see them.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19Now, earlier, Tom was in Ireland, finding out whether nearly a decade
0:29:19 > 0:29:23of systematic badger culling has reduced the spread of bovine TB.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26But with trial culls in England planned for this summer,
0:29:26 > 0:29:30are there any clear lessons we can learn from the Irish experience?
0:29:35 > 0:29:38TB is a serious problem in our livestock.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41But while the incidence of the disease has dramatically
0:29:41 > 0:29:47increased in England, in Ireland, there has been a significant fall.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50On the surface, it looks like badger culling is working here.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53But while the statistics look good,
0:29:53 > 0:29:55there are still plenty of people who disagree.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Conn Flynn works for the Irish Wildlife Trust.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05He believes firmly that culling badgers is not the answer.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Tom, this is baby badger Roisin and the fox is Twiglet.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- Keen to escape.- She is keen to escape. Out you come.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22'One of Conn's chief concerns is the Irish method of culling badgers using snares.'
0:30:22 > 0:30:25You grab hold of Roisin there and I shall show you.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27OK. Leave me holding the baby.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31So this is the device that is used in the Irish culling programme.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33So it's a snare.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36In Euro-speak, it is a body-stopped restraint,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39so obviously the badgers are lumbering into these things.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41These are set around the badger setts
0:30:41 > 0:30:43and then they get caught in them
0:30:43 > 0:30:45so it can be a matter of time where they're actually trapped in it
0:30:45 > 0:30:48and then they're dispatched with a rifle bullet.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50So that isn't supposed to tighten round the neck
0:30:50 > 0:30:52and actually throttle them. It is supposed to just stop them, is it?
0:30:52 > 0:30:56It's supposed to hold them in place until somebody can come along and shoot them.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59'Snare won't be used in England, where culling will be carried out
0:30:59 > 0:31:03'by free-shooting or by caging and then shooting.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07'But, like many people who oppose the English call,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10'Conn doesn't believe that badgers are the root of the problem.'
0:31:10 > 0:31:12I'm wearing a "not guilty" T-shirt here today,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15because we feel that they are not the main problem.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18They are a part of the problem. I wouldn't argue with the fact that there is an issue there.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22It is just that they are being held up as the big factor here and they are a very small factor.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28'If, as Conn believes, badgers are a minor factor in spreading TB,
0:31:28 > 0:31:32'how come infection rates have dropped since the cull was brought in?'
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Well, according to the Irish government, a major factor
0:31:35 > 0:31:39in tackling the disease is their rigorous TB testing regime.
0:31:39 > 0:31:44While in the UK, we only test low-risk herds every four years,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48here in Ireland, all cows are tested annually.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53There is also a sophisticated system for tracking the movement of animals,
0:31:53 > 0:31:58and farmers are being encouraged to all they can to make their farms TB-proof.
0:32:00 > 0:32:06The vet Michael Sexton believes that increased biosecurity has made a significance difference.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10What can farmers do to make it less likely that their herd will catch TB?
0:32:10 > 0:32:14I think, employing good biosecurity, by containment policies.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18Good perimeter fencing at the farm level, whereby
0:32:18 > 0:32:21they can prevent their herd coming into contact with
0:32:21 > 0:32:24animals from other herds and other wildlife.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28And if farmers do all those things, what difference can it make?
0:32:28 > 0:32:30It has to help.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34A few years ago, biosecurity was not part of the lexicon.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37Biosecurity is the buzzword now.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Every farmer is very much aware of it.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43'Improvements in biosecurity have helped,
0:32:43 > 0:32:46'but exactly how much is impossible to calculate,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49'especially when you have a cull going on at the same time.'
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Despite this success, in Ireland,
0:32:53 > 0:32:58they are now looking to develop a new strategy to combat the disease - vaccination.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Already used in a piecemeal way in England
0:33:01 > 0:33:04and the main line of defence in Wales, it has now become
0:33:04 > 0:33:09the focus for the next step in Ireland's fight against TB.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14The Irish government is making huge investments in a TB vaccination programme for badgers.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18And now, to speed things up, they are trying something new.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Rather than injecting badgers,
0:33:22 > 0:33:27scientists are now trying to see if they will eat the vaccine instead.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32Doctor Nicola Marples is head of the Department of Zoology at Trinity College.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36She's trialling these new methods and has permission to dig near the sett.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39What we have got here is the depth that the badgers will be able
0:33:39 > 0:33:41to smell the bait, and go down to.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45They are really a digging creature, so they are very happy to do that.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48They will smell the bait and dig right down to it.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50A dog passing by might smell the bait because it has got
0:33:50 > 0:33:54a very good sense of smell, but it wouldn't dig that deep.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56OK. So what we're going to do is put the baits in now.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59The baits look really weird. These are flapjacks for badgers.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02They are basically made of flapjack.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- They are made of golden syrup and oats.- OK.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09- But do oral vaccines for badgers work?- Yes.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13There is very good evidence now that if you can get the badger
0:34:13 > 0:34:17to eat the vaccine, it will actually protect them against TB.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20So you have little doubt that vaccination could shortly be
0:34:20 > 0:34:22a useful part of a TB control strategy?
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Absolutely. I have very little doubt about that.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31'Scientists who have high hopes for the vaccination programme
0:34:31 > 0:34:33'and the authorities are optimistic that
0:34:33 > 0:34:37'if it is used together with culling and improved biosecurity,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41'it can only help reduce levels of the disease even further.'
0:34:42 > 0:34:46So, is this the way forward in England too?
0:34:46 > 0:34:48There are clearly differences between England
0:34:48 > 0:34:53and Ireland in terms of wildlife, farming and public opinion,
0:34:53 > 0:34:59but their very active TB eradication policy does seem to be working here.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02And many farmers in England will be looking to our government,
0:35:02 > 0:35:06hoping that they take a lead from across the Irish Sea.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Working dogs are often an essential part of life on a farm.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19But not all have the same skills, and some, well,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22they just do the unexpected, which Adam is about to discover.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27But first, his own dogs are needed out in the field.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Choosing the right dog to do the right job is essential.
0:35:39 > 0:35:40We've got a big team of staff
0:35:40 > 0:35:42and the dogs are an important part of the team.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Without them, I'd certainly be doing a lot of running around.
0:35:47 > 0:35:53Boo, Boo! Dolly! Come on then, old Maude.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55All the different dogs have got different personalities
0:35:55 > 0:35:59and different uses and really, as the dog owner, you can
0:35:59 > 0:36:03utilise them depending on their characters and their strength, really.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06These are my two pets. They are the house dogs, the vizslas.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09And then I've got my working collies. There is old Maude, here.
0:36:09 > 0:36:14She is 15, a bit daft and a bit useless now, so she's retired.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Her daughter, Pearl. Pearl, here. She's quite useful.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19She's a seven-year-old dog.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22I use her rounding up the sheep in the paddock.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Right, Pearl, here, here. Stay. Stay there.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30'Time to put Pearl's skills into action.'
0:36:30 > 0:36:32WHISTLES
0:36:32 > 0:36:36That just is encouraging her to walk on a bit, move a bit quicker.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40That's quite a way now. She is running out round the back of those sheep,
0:36:40 > 0:36:44saving me the a lot of walking. It's amazing, that herding instinct.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46She wants to do that to please me.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49She sort of sees me as part of the pack and she's working with me
0:36:49 > 0:36:52to bring the flock towards me now.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55What she's done, she has left two behind,
0:36:55 > 0:36:57so I will stop her and then I'll give her a look back,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00command, and she should look behind her to go and get them.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02WHISTLES
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Look back! Look back!
0:37:05 > 0:37:08That's it. She has gone to get them now.
0:37:08 > 0:37:09WHISTLES
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Good girl. Bring them on. Bring them on.
0:37:14 > 0:37:15She is doing a good job, really.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Right, all I've got to do now is get them in the pens.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26'I need to get these ewes loaded into the trailer, as they are ready for new pastures.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32'Now that I have got the sheep penned, it is time to let Millie have a go.'
0:37:38 > 0:37:42Millie is a part-bred Australian kelpie and in Australia,
0:37:42 > 0:37:44where they have huge flocks of sheep,
0:37:44 > 0:37:46the sheep at the front of the flock don't know there's
0:37:46 > 0:37:49a dog in the field so they teach them to bark and they speak on command.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52And also, they will run along the backs of the sheep, barking,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55and the sheep will run to the front. Very clever little dogs.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57So she is really useful in the pens,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59when I'm trying to load sheep like this.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04Here, Millie, Millie. Good dog.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Good dog. Here, Millie. Good dog.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Speak up. Speak, Millie. Speak up.
0:38:13 > 0:38:14Right. That's full.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19'Now that they're loaded, one of my livestock team will finish
0:38:19 > 0:38:22'the job and take them to their new fields for the summer.'
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Not all dogs have the same skills
0:38:33 > 0:38:36and some shepherds manage their flock in a completely different way.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41Louise Moorhouse and Leo Henley Lock are a farming duo on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon
0:38:41 > 0:38:47and their dog, Jess, also helps out during the lambing season.
0:38:47 > 0:38:53- Good to meet you.- I'm Leo.- Hi.- Lovely to see you. A sweet little spaniel. - Yes.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56My dogs would be frightening the sheep.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59They would be running everywhere but they don't seem to be bothered at all.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02No, I mean, I think she has grown up with them
0:39:02 > 0:39:04and they have grown up with her.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06They basically know each other and they know that she isn't
0:39:06 > 0:39:09a threat so I think that is probably the difference.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12She's incredibly good. Look at the way she's behaving with that lamb.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15I think she actually quite likes the attention as well, to be honest.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19- It's nibbling her ear, that lamb. - I know. I can't believe it. I know.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23- What has she got in her mouth?- Well, she's got a spray can, which...
0:39:23 > 0:39:26We have got a lame ewe in here and basically, she will carry it,
0:39:26 > 0:39:31you'll catch the ewe and she'll drop it when you need it.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34- So where's the lame one? - As you can see, just over there.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36I am going to catch her.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40- Very easy.- I've got it.- Excellent.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45- Right, where is that purple spray? - Jess, bring the can.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49Here we are. Very useful.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53So that will help clear up that little infection, won't it?
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Yes, I think it's because there was dung being spread on here and it's a little bit acidic.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59It'll clear it up and then she'll be fine.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03Good girl.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14It's a beautiful setting, isn't it? How long have you been here?
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Well, I think, to the day, we've been here a month, and that's it,
0:40:17 > 0:40:22so yeah, the stock moved in before we did and we're still unpacking.
0:40:22 > 0:40:23And it's a county council farm?
0:40:23 > 0:40:26That's right, it's a Devon County Council farm,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28so you apply, you come and view it.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31There were probably about 200 people on the viewing day,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33and then about 56 applicants in total,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37- and we were lucky enough to get a chance at it.- Well done, you.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39We secured a seven-year tenancy.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43- And you work at Bicton agricultural college as well?- Yes, part time.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45I've been teaching there.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47It's nice to be able to try to tell people
0:40:47 > 0:40:50that there is this opportunity for young people.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53If you aren't lucky enough to actually come into farming,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56this opportunity is here for people.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Jess is carrying a bucket around. Is she always helping?
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Always trying to do something, absolutely, all the time.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13We've got a few orphan lambs and she'll help feed those as well.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16She's a bit like a Swiss Army knife, I suppose.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27There's one last thing I must see before I go.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32So, how did you discover that Jess could feed the pet lambs?
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Well, just one day, leave the bottle on the floor
0:41:34 > 0:41:37and she had picked up the bottle and was feeding the lamb.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41So, we'll give the bottle to Jess... There you go.
0:41:41 > 0:41:46..and ask her to sit, because some of the lambs are a bit smaller,
0:41:46 > 0:41:50- and away she goes, really.- The lamb just plugs on and away you go!
0:41:50 > 0:41:52- Fantastic.- Absolutely, yeah.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55It was a bit of a surprise when we came round the corner
0:41:55 > 0:41:57and found her feeding a lamb one day.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59The lamb doesn't seem to mind at all, does it?
0:41:59 > 0:42:03No, and I think that is why our sheep are so tame compared to...
0:42:03 > 0:42:06with not a sheepdog. She's not a threat to them.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08She's part of the family, really.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10Well, it's been great to meet you and Leo.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- Thank you so much for showing me round.- No problem at all.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16And good luck. I can see you're just going to make a great success of it.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19We're going to give it all that we can, really.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Maybe you can come back in a few years and see what it's like.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Lovely to meet you. All the best. Bye-bye.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30Next week, there is a surprise on the farm with an unexpected arrival,
0:42:30 > 0:42:34and Crackers, my Belted Galloway bull, is to blame.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44This week, we're in Fife,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48and I'm spending a day on its beautiful coastline.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50I'm here to take part in a boating revival
0:42:50 > 0:42:53that's been sweeping these rugged shores.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55The story begins here,
0:42:55 > 0:42:58at the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02This beautifully crafted boat
0:43:02 > 0:43:05is a model of a skiff.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Elegantly designed, these simple boats were originally
0:43:09 > 0:43:12used for transport and fishing in northern Scotland.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16That's until a boat-building workshop in the museum
0:43:16 > 0:43:19produced a life-size replica.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22And this amazing craft was the end result.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24With a couple of design tweaks,
0:43:24 > 0:43:27it was christened the St Ayles Skiff,
0:43:27 > 0:43:31and it was about to spark off a global rowing phenomenon.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34The prototype was built by Alec Jordan.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37Originally from St Lucia, his boatbuilding business in Fife
0:43:37 > 0:43:40is now experiencing an explosion in demand.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43It's great to hear that the skiff business is booming.
0:43:43 > 0:43:44Did you ever expect that?
0:43:44 > 0:43:47With over 100 skiffs sold, it is
0:43:47 > 0:43:49absolutely beyond my wildest expectations.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52It's been picked up as a community thing.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54I think that's been the biggest success.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57These boats are built by the people who are going to row them,
0:43:57 > 0:44:01or their families. They're built in the communities.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04The heart of the revival has been on the shores of Fife.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06But the craze of building and rowing skiffs has
0:44:06 > 0:44:09since swept the waters of the world.
0:44:09 > 0:44:14So, show me your global empire, then. Where does it start?
0:44:14 > 0:44:19The first women's build, that was Portland in Oregon.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23We've got the second women's build, which was in Tasmania.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25And then there's Canada, who has gone skiff mad.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28So, where is next on the global hit list?
0:44:28 > 0:44:31We've had very strong interest from Brazil, and also,
0:44:31 > 0:44:36we had an e-mail conversation with a guy in Barbados a couple of days ago.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39So, all around the world, skiffs are being raced.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42Here in Fife, there is an old tradition of coastal races,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45though it may not be the story you're expecting.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48Back in the early 1900s, coal miners from local pits here built
0:44:48 > 0:44:52small boats using scrap wood from the mines.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54To escape their claustrophobic working conditions,
0:44:54 > 0:44:56they would take to the sea and race.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00One of the highlights of the year was the Easy Wemyss Regatta,
0:45:00 > 0:45:03last held in the 1950s,
0:45:03 > 0:45:05as villager Eddie MacRae recalls.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09Eddie, tell me about your family connection to the racing.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Oh, James, it goes back a long way.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13My father had a boat, the True Vine.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16He wasn't very good at winning races.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19He often won the race to the pub after the regatta was over.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22- He was very good at that!- How many boats are we talking about?
0:45:22 > 0:45:25- There's not a single one today, it's difficult to imagine.- No, no.
0:45:25 > 0:45:29The sailing was first. And the rowing races, they came last.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31That was the real competitive stuff.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34There would may be, say, eight, ten boats competing.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36It was a friendly rivalry.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38All the villagers knew one another,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41they nearly all worked in the pits together, in the mines,
0:45:41 > 0:45:43and the language was quite colourful.
0:45:43 > 0:45:45But they were great days.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49They were things that you talked about for a long time after,
0:45:49 > 0:45:52what happened at the regatta. Who were you dancing with?
0:45:52 > 0:45:56Who did you take home? You know? How many fish suppers did you eat after?
0:46:03 > 0:46:09I might not be anywhere near as tough as a 20th-century coal miner,
0:46:09 > 0:46:12but I'm about to have my rowing skills put to the test.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14Back in the town of Anstruther,
0:46:14 > 0:46:17a 21st-century regatta is about to kick off.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19I'm going to be rowing with the local team,
0:46:19 > 0:46:22and there's just enough time for quick training session
0:46:22 > 0:46:24with team-mate Audrey Horsburgh,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27one of the many women who's taken this sport to their heart.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31- You've got another willing victim. What can I do?- This is for you.- OK.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34We're going to have a wee practice first
0:46:34 > 0:46:36and then we're going to head out and do a little race.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39- You'll be sitting in number two. - Right, what do I need to do?
0:46:39 > 0:46:44- Lean forwards...- OK.- ..drop your oar in the water, pull forward...
0:46:44 > 0:46:46Whoa!
0:46:46 > 0:46:48- ..And push back out.- So, this?
0:46:48 > 0:46:50It won't be as extreme as that.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54- The boat will be sitting level. - This could be interesting.
0:46:54 > 0:46:58I love boats, but this is worryingly reminding me
0:46:58 > 0:47:00of PE classes in high school.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02Not good memories.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07Emma's oar should be going in the water at exactly the same time.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09AUDREY LAUGHS
0:47:09 > 0:47:10That was a shambles.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13Could that be a race-winning stroke?
0:47:13 > 0:47:15Eddie has joined the spectators
0:47:15 > 0:47:18to cast an experienced eye on our training.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21Eddie, I'm so glad you made it. What do you think my chances?
0:47:21 > 0:47:24- Not very good. I've got a fiver on the red boat.- Fantastic.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26I can't wait to see you lose your money.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29The teams for the local derby are ready.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32The race is going to be from the beach, up to the harbour wall,
0:47:32 > 0:47:35round the buoy and back to the beach. First team out of the boat
0:47:35 > 0:47:37and on the beach, wins.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40It's Anstruther versus the nearby villages
0:47:40 > 0:47:41of Pittenweem and Crail.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44KLAXON
0:47:48 > 0:47:51That's it, James, you pull the stroke.
0:47:51 > 0:47:52Good.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58Pittenweem are on fire, Crail are a close second,
0:47:58 > 0:48:00and then there's us.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02We're looking really last.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04I think we'll call it third.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08Rowing prodigy I may not be.
0:48:08 > 0:48:12I can tell you, that looks so easy from the beach.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14I hope you're out of breath.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17You raise them hard up in Scotland.
0:48:20 > 0:48:24Well I've managed to stay remarkably dry after all of that,
0:48:24 > 0:48:27but will that be the same for the rest of us in the week ahead?
0:48:27 > 0:48:30Here's the Countryfile forecast.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11This week, we're in the historic Kingdom of Fife.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13I've been exploring the north-eastern corner,
0:51:13 > 0:51:15known as Tentsmuir.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18The area got its name from tents on the moor,
0:51:18 > 0:51:23when shipwrecked sailors set up home on the moorland next to the beach.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28Little would they have known how apt that name would become,
0:51:28 > 0:51:31but in very different circumstances, centuries later.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35Tentsmuir Forest became the backdrop for a tale of hardship,
0:51:35 > 0:51:39workmanship and ultimately friendship,
0:51:39 > 0:51:42and if you spend a few minutes just looking around
0:51:42 > 0:51:45you will find evidence of it everywhere.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51What horrors,
0:51:51 > 0:51:55what crimes has Hitler
0:51:55 > 0:51:58and all that Hitler stands for
0:51:58 > 0:52:01brought upon Europe and the world?
0:52:01 > 0:52:04September 1939.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08War breaks out as Nazi Germany invades Poland.
0:52:10 > 0:52:14Despite valiant efforts, the Polish army is scattered.
0:52:18 > 0:52:24By 1940, more than 20,000 now very experienced Polish soldiers
0:52:24 > 0:52:26arrive in England...
0:52:30 > 0:52:33..but are quickly transported north to Scotland.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40The beaches of Tentsmuir in the eastern coast were thought
0:52:40 > 0:52:43to be a prime target for German invasion.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45Gordon Barclay has been researching
0:52:45 > 0:52:48the lives of the Polish troops who came here.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50What did the British Army make of them?
0:52:50 > 0:52:54I think, at first, they didn't know what to make of them
0:52:54 > 0:52:56and they assumed, as they were foreigners,
0:52:56 > 0:52:58they couldn't teach us anything, but very quickly
0:52:58 > 0:53:02they realised just how committed and professional they were,
0:53:02 > 0:53:05and by the late winter of '40, '41,
0:53:05 > 0:53:09they were being reported on as ideal, what they call shock troops,
0:53:09 > 0:53:12to lead assaults because they were so tough,
0:53:12 > 0:53:14and they were placed here,
0:53:14 > 0:53:16in the most strategically vulnerable part of Scotland
0:53:16 > 0:53:19to defend the coast against an expected German invasion.
0:53:20 > 0:53:24Evidence of those defences can still be seen today,
0:53:24 > 0:53:27like these anti-tank blocks.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29- Were they responsible for these? - Yes.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32Most of them were actually put up in the summer of 1940,
0:53:32 > 0:53:33but when the Poles arrived,
0:53:33 > 0:53:37they weren't very impressed by the quality of what had been built,
0:53:37 > 0:53:39and they set about building new ones,
0:53:39 > 0:53:43building new pillboxes for machine guns and anti-tank guns on the beach.
0:53:44 > 0:53:48With the arrival of so many Polish soldiers, the Kingdom of Fife
0:53:48 > 0:53:52and the nation of Poland would become linked for ever.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56Lech Muszynski was 11
0:53:56 > 0:53:59when he was separated from his father during the war.
0:53:59 > 0:54:03He was sent to a deportee camp in the Soviet Union
0:54:03 > 0:54:05with his mother and sister.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09But his father and the other Polish soldiers arrived in Scotland
0:54:09 > 0:54:10to fight on.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16It wasn't until six years later he was reunited
0:54:16 > 0:54:20with his father, here in Fife. Lech was 17.
0:54:20 > 0:54:25- And that's you and him, is it? - Yes, that is our first meeting.
0:54:25 > 0:54:31The first meeting when I arrived in Leven in 1945.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34It was my first meeting with my father after six years,
0:54:34 > 0:54:37and he didn't recognise me at all.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39Did you recognise him?
0:54:39 > 0:54:43I recognised him but he didn't. He said, "What can I do for you?"
0:54:46 > 0:54:50It's great to be back, especially on a day like this,
0:54:50 > 0:54:52because, to me,
0:54:52 > 0:54:56this is one of the most beautiful forests you can think of.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59I spent all my young days in here.
0:54:59 > 0:55:04My father taught me everything, everything I know about this forest,
0:55:04 > 0:55:06as he knew it inside out.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15Like thousands of Polish soldiers, Lech's father spent many hours
0:55:15 > 0:55:19here at Tentsmuir as part of military training and manoeuvres.
0:55:21 > 0:55:26Tentsmuir went from being a haven for wildlife to a home for men.
0:55:29 > 0:55:33They met with the British guys who said,
0:55:33 > 0:55:38"Listen, guys, there is all the tools, spades and hammers.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41"Build yourself a camp, and make it a good one,
0:55:41 > 0:55:45"because you're going to be here for a while." And they built the camp.
0:55:45 > 0:55:50It was basically under canvas, but later on they improved on it.
0:55:50 > 0:55:56Most of the camp was built of corrugated iron and asbestos.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59At that time it was OK to use.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02And what was the reaction from Scottish people
0:56:02 > 0:56:06when the likes of your dad and the Polish soldiers came?
0:56:06 > 0:56:09My father said that the Scots people, to start with,
0:56:09 > 0:56:14were a bit apprehensive because of the language barrier,
0:56:14 > 0:56:16different customs.
0:56:16 > 0:56:22Very quickly, Scots realised what the soldiers were here for,
0:56:22 > 0:56:27that they were doing a duty, and he said they took them
0:56:27 > 0:56:30to their homes and to their hearts.
0:56:30 > 0:56:35He said, from then on, he said they were like one big family.
0:56:36 > 0:56:40After the war, around 6,000 Polish troops settled here in Scotland.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45Amidst the heaving of concrete and military manoeuvres,
0:56:45 > 0:56:48these two nations came together.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52Life wasn't always easy but over the years, they formed the basis
0:56:52 > 0:56:56for the vibrant Scottish-Polish community that still exists today.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00Tentsmuir never did see a German invasion,
0:57:00 > 0:57:05but it did see a union formed by war and cemented in peace time.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10Well, that's all we've got time for from the Kingdom of Fife.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12Next week, get your cameras at the ready,
0:57:12 > 0:57:15as will be in the Teign Valley in Devon to launch this year's
0:57:15 > 0:57:18Countryfile photographic competition, and we'll reveal
0:57:18 > 0:57:21how much the calendar has raised for Children In Need.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23So we hope you can join us then.
0:57:37 > 0:57:41Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd