0:00:25 > 0:00:28The natural playground of the British countryside,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32a landscape open to everyone, young and old.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34It's the inspiration for many of us
0:00:34 > 0:00:37to enjoy fantasies of escaping into the wild.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41The innocence of chasing butterflies, climbing trees
0:00:41 > 0:00:42and building dens.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46The outdoor adventures that are forever ingrained in our memories.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Today I'm in Northamptonshire to celebrate 70 years of a book
0:00:52 > 0:00:55that has inspired generations of the young at heart.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Brendon Chase by illustrator and writer,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Denys Watkins-Pitchford, more commonly known as BB.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Whilst I'm here, I'll look back through the Countryfile archives
0:01:06 > 0:01:08to see how the natural world is inspiring
0:01:08 > 0:01:12and influencing the way our children are growing up.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14From seeing how the landscape is shaping young lives
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and future careers...
0:01:17 > 0:01:18At an interview,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20one of the admissions officers was really impressed
0:01:20 > 0:01:22as well as surprised that at this age,
0:01:22 > 0:01:27I've got so much experience actually being out here, being outdoors.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30..to enjoying the freedom and fun to be had in the countryside
0:01:30 > 0:01:33with the potential farmers of the future.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Nice and straight and then reverse in. Easy?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Yeah, easy as pie!
0:01:39 > 0:01:40Here we go then.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46How nature is being nurtured by some of our youngest.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50- Arthur won that. - Arthur won which one?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52- That one. - Did you, you won that one?
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Northamptonshire, in the very heart of England.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Landlocked between eight other ceremonial counties,
0:02:11 > 0:02:16the region is described as the rose of the shires, a hidden gem,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19boasting numerous country parks and a wealth of wildlife.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22The understated beauty of this land
0:02:22 > 0:02:25was the childhood home of a somewhat overlooked writer
0:02:25 > 0:02:28whose vivid adventures have been enjoyed for generations.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33This year marks 70 years since writer Denys Watkins-Pitchford
0:02:33 > 0:02:36published one of his most loved books, Brendon Chase.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39It's the story of three brothers who run away to live in the woods
0:02:39 > 0:02:41alone, surviving for months.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48'No more Aunt Ellen! No more lessons, no more school.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50'Carried away by their high spirits,
0:02:50 > 0:02:55'they even vowed they would never return to Cherry Walden,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58'they would live in the forest, like outlaws,
0:02:58 > 0:03:03'hunting and fishing like true wild woodman forever and ever.'
0:03:05 > 0:03:06It's dangerous, it's exciting,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08there are more pot-shots than pretty picnics
0:03:08 > 0:03:12and there certainly aren't any lashings of ginger beer!
0:03:12 > 0:03:17Born in 1905, during his lifetime, Denys Watkins-Pitchford,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20known by the pen name, BB, wrote 60 books.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Drawing inspiration from his childhood,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26he was free to roam the landscape around the Northamptonshire
0:03:26 > 0:03:30village of Lamport, where he lived in the rectory of the local church.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36"A beautiful day, went to church at 11 with Father.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41"No pigeons on the clover this afternoon or by the hide."
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Brian Holden is Secretary of the BB Society.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48He has collected a treasure trove of BB's personal photographs
0:03:48 > 0:03:49and memorabilia.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Why do you think people love Brendon Chase?
0:03:53 > 0:03:57It's not just the story itself, it introduces us to the whole of nature.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Brings the whole thing alive and people, what they said about BB
0:04:01 > 0:04:05and about BB's writings, you felt you were with him.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Just you and he out in the countryside.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09Walking along, looking at nature.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12It sounds like he was really at home here.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16- Tell me about BB as a little boy. - BB, he was quite sickly.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18He was home educated but he had a lot of spare time.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Perkins, the gardener, he went fishing with Perkins by the way,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26but also, he had a pony and he used to go around the countryside
0:04:26 > 0:04:30on this pony so he could see over the hedges and the rest of it.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32He went to the secret places.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35He liked the quiet spots where all the weeds were growing
0:04:35 > 0:04:37and the little wrens were nesting.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39He really was deep into nature.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Why did he write under the name BB?
0:04:41 > 0:04:46He wrote for the Shooting Times and he wrote under this pseudonym, BB,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49which is the size of the lead shot that was in the cartridge.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54He felt that Denys Watkins-Pitchford was a huge mouthful.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58A little dickey bird tells me he smashed one of the church windows,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01- is that right?- He was out shooting a pigeon, he missed the pigeon
0:05:01 > 0:05:04and shot the window. I don't know whether he told his dad about it.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06I think if he did, he'd have been in real trouble!
0:05:11 > 0:05:14It was another childhood experience that would inspire BB's
0:05:14 > 0:05:17most famous literary creation, The Little Grey Men.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21So the story goes that on a bright summer's evening
0:05:21 > 0:05:25when BB was about four years old, he saw a diminutive being
0:05:25 > 0:05:30with a round bearded face about the size of a small crab-apple.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Believe it or not, it was a real life gnome!
0:05:35 > 0:05:37But surely that's just make-believe?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Now, where's the other one you're looking for?
0:05:41 > 0:05:45- I can only see two.- There is another one, keep looking.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Badger Walker was one of BB's closest friends
0:05:48 > 0:05:51and believes the gnome BB saw lived here at Lamport Hall,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55home to the very first gnome collection in Britain,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58started in 1847.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01OK, there it is. It's quite cute, isn't it?
0:06:01 > 0:06:04- Would BB have seen these gnomes? - Definitely.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Do you think this is where his fascination with gnomes came from?
0:06:07 > 0:06:10I would technically say, yes, I have always thought that,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12but when I asked him about it,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16he always said he had definitely seen one by his bed.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18I suppose he had probably seen these
0:06:18 > 0:06:21and it's quite easy to imagine you have seen one.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23It feels like there were two sides to BB
0:06:23 > 0:06:25because he gives a very credible
0:06:25 > 0:06:27realistic portrayal of the countryside.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29He kills, he cooks, he eats it,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33but he is also quite magical and mystical.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36- Which of the two was he? - Well, he is all of them.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39The countryside is magical and mystical anyway
0:06:39 > 0:06:45and when he was a child, there was no television, no electricity really,
0:06:45 > 0:06:46out in these places.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49To live in this environment now, to what he lived in,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52the magic of the countryside is mystic.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55That's how he was, that's why I got on so well with him.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00Untinged by adult sentimentality, BB's childlike excitement
0:07:00 > 0:07:03and wonder for the natural world never left him
0:07:03 > 0:07:05until the end of his life in 1990.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08It's said he remained true to the words
0:07:08 > 0:07:10which appeared inside all his books.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16'The wonder of the world, the beauty and the power,
0:07:16 > 0:07:24'the shapes of things, their colours, lights and shades; these I saw.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26'Look ye also while life lasts.'
0:07:28 > 0:07:30A lot of children lead quite sheltered lives
0:07:30 > 0:07:31compared to that of BB.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34He was free to explore the countryside
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and he had the kind of adventurous upbringing
0:07:36 > 0:07:39that a lot of parents dream about for their kids.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42So how do we persuade children to stay off their games consoles
0:07:42 > 0:07:44and engage with the natural world?
0:07:44 > 0:07:48A few long hot summers ago, Tom went to investigate.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Remember being a child?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55All those endless summers playing outside with friends.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58For many grown-ups, spending time outdoors
0:07:58 > 0:08:00is ingrained in our memories.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06But these days, it seems those pastimes are becoming just that,
0:08:06 > 0:08:07memories.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Our 21st-century children are spending much less time outdoors,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14whether that's in their own backyard, in the woods,
0:08:14 > 0:08:16or out in the open fields.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21In fact, less than a quarter of all our children
0:08:21 > 0:08:24make use of their local green spaces.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29To find out why, I have come to visit a family in Plymouth. Hi everybody!
0:08:29 > 0:08:33- Hello!- You're all busy out in the garden on a nice day.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Meet the Carringtons.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Mum, Caroline, Dad, Carl,
0:08:37 > 0:08:4118-year-old Tristan, Ben, nine, Sam, eight,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Ellie, six, Ruby, five,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45and Jack, who's three.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49- We're catching bugs. - You're catching bugs?
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- Fantastic, you seeing any today?- Yes.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53Like so many children across Britain,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56the Carringtons enjoy the natural world
0:08:56 > 0:08:59from the safety of their own garden.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Two black spots and their legs are furry.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05How do you think the outdoor life that they have
0:09:05 > 0:09:09compares to what you had when you were kids?
0:09:09 > 0:09:12It's restricted because I was allowed out until dark.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14My parents never asked where I was going.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15You just went off on your own.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19- What about you?- Yeah, we just went off to play on our own.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Disappear for the day and come back at teatime!
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Does it feel quite difficult then having to give them outside space
0:09:25 > 0:09:27but only in what is a fairly small garden?
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Basically, we have to restrict them to in here.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Carl and Caroline are frightened to let their children go out
0:09:34 > 0:09:36and play on their own.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Cars and so-called stranger danger are the two main reasons
0:09:41 > 0:09:45but could protecting their kids be doing more harm than good?
0:09:47 > 0:09:51That is something the National Trust wants us all to think about.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Jim, what is the real problem that you are seeking to address?
0:09:56 > 0:09:58We're finding increasingly that kids,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01the area in which they can roam, their free range,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03is decreasing massively.
0:10:03 > 0:10:0790% over the last couple of decades.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11And there's a whole raft of issues that that brings about,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14from not learning cause and effect, not having those
0:10:14 > 0:10:17adventures that we probably had when we were youngsters.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19And those opportunities just aren't there for them at the moment.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- So they just need to get out more, in your view?- Yeah.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25I mean, there are so many issues that it addresses.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28There's health, there's that responsibility,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30there's that gaining a passion for something.
0:10:30 > 0:10:31All of those things -
0:10:31 > 0:10:34actually, the outdoors is a pretty good catalyst for.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38The National Trust wants to change all that.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41They've already released a report on the benefits of connecting
0:10:41 > 0:10:45children with nature but they can't do it on their own.
0:10:45 > 0:10:46To really make a difference,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50they'll need the support of everyone from politicians to parents.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53The National Trust is the latest in a long line of organisations
0:10:53 > 0:10:57trying to make children connect more with the natural world.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00How are you getting on with that welly there? Have you got them both on?
0:11:00 > 0:11:03They want people like the Carringtons to get outside more
0:11:03 > 0:11:06with their families, with schools, and with other groups.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- So are you just about ready to go? - Yeah.- One more boot.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13- I can stamp in.- Stamp it in! Right, let's go.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24This is Devil' Point on the Plymouth seafront.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28It's just a stone's throw from the city centre itself
0:11:28 > 0:11:31and this tidal pool is ideal for beginners
0:11:31 > 0:11:34when you're doing something a bit scary that maybe you haven't
0:11:34 > 0:11:39done before. Today's activity is snorkelling.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- Have you ever done anything like this before, Tristan?- No. I don't even know if I can swim.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44Wa-hey!
0:11:44 > 0:11:47The Blue Sound Project has been running in Plymouth
0:11:47 > 0:11:48for a couple of years.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52It gives people a chance to dip their toes in seaside activities.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56And thanks to Natural England, and the local council, it's all free.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00For the eldest son, 18-year-old Tristan,
0:12:00 > 0:12:02it's taking a bit of getting used to.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10After a couple of hours' practice, Tristan is starting to make
0:12:10 > 0:12:14that connection in the pool but how will he get on in the sea?
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Fit 18-year-old. I've never seen it before. He's done me proud.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- He really took to it, didn't he? - He did. He did.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And I'm really, I'm really proud of him. Yeah.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40That was amazing.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43A bit strange how you go from
0:12:43 > 0:12:49being pretty much scared of any water...
0:12:49 > 0:12:54I still don't think I can swim, but being in a pool I just wanted this.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57The way I felt, I don't know if I'm going to get to do it again,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59so I thought it would be best to just give it a bash.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Just giving it a bash might be the best way to get children to
0:13:10 > 0:13:14enjoy the great outdoors but young people connecting with nature
0:13:14 > 0:13:17is nothing new, as Matt found out a couple of years ago
0:13:17 > 0:13:22when he helped celebrate 80 years of Young Farmers Clubs.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Warwickshire is a place of pastoral landscapes and picturesque towns.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Today, farming is still very much at the heart of the local community
0:13:31 > 0:13:34amongst both the old and the young.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36At this farm in Shipston-on-Stour,
0:13:36 > 0:13:41they're putting on a county rally, which I'll be taking part in later.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42Across England and Wales,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45rallies like this take place throughout the year,
0:13:45 > 0:13:49as young farmers aged between ten and 26 get together to have some fun
0:13:49 > 0:13:51and pit their skills against each other.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54It's something young farmers have been doing for eight decades.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59While the way they farm has changed, their passions certainly haven't.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01I tell you what, James, looking at these,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04young farmers have certainly come a long way in the 80 years.
0:14:04 > 0:14:05Hasn't it just? Yeah.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10So 23,000 members these days but it all started back in Devon
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- when competition was the key. - Yeah, it did, yeah.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15It started with calf and pig rearing clubs
0:14:15 > 0:14:19and United Dairies actually organised a competition to encouraging people
0:14:19 > 0:14:21to raise livestock and they were actually encouraged to
0:14:21 > 0:14:24raise the sort of standards that livestock was being reared by.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27- And it is quite popular back then? - It was amazingly popular, yeah.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29It was really that the core competition that really
0:14:29 > 0:14:33kick-started all young farmers and in under ten years,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35there were over 100 clubs up and down the country.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40- And those competitions now, they've widened out a bit, using more and more agricultural skill as well?- Yep.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- So tractor maintenance, all that kind of stuff.- Exactly.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45And there is a lot of people who actually owe their skills
0:14:45 > 0:14:49and their careers to the skills they've picked up with young farmers.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50The Agricultural Minister for one.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54The Agricultural Minister, some guy called Matt Butcher or something?
0:14:54 > 0:14:59I don't know! They reckon he was from the Young Farmers. And um, yeah!
0:14:59 > 0:15:03- But you don't actually have to be a farmer to be a member of Young Farmers.- No, you don't.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06No, "you don't have to be one to be one" is the old phrase, as it goes.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10And you know, I'm not a farmer. I don't come from a farming background.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12If you like being outside, then great.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17If you like being stuck to a, you know, a computer, then maybe not for you.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20There's a lot more to these clubs than just competitions, though.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24They give youngsters a voice on farming in both here in the UK
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and in Europe and they're enjoying something of a resurgence.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30This club in Shipston-on-Stour started last year
0:15:30 > 0:15:34and it's already thriving, with nearly 50 members.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37I'm meeting one of its founders, who's lending me his wheels
0:15:37 > 0:15:39to compete around the tractor course later.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42This is an absolute beauty.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45- Come and show me the controls of this, before we...- Okey-dokey.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48..before you let me loose!
0:15:48 > 0:15:53It's a fairly modern tractor, so it's not difficult to drive.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56All it is is forward and back on that lever there
0:15:56 > 0:15:57and your gears are here
0:15:57 > 0:16:02so if you want to go faster, it's the hare and slower - the tortoise.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04- And pedals then, just as you would in a car?- Yeah.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09- Accelerator, brake and clutch. Simple.- There you go. Perfect.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- Right. Your turn.- Yeah. Let's go for a drive.- Look after it!
0:16:12 > 0:16:14MATT LAUGHS
0:16:14 > 0:16:17This machinery is a lot heftier than the stuff
0:16:17 > 0:16:20we have up on our hill farm, so with ten tonnes at my mercy
0:16:20 > 0:16:23and a trailer in tow, I'm making sure I get the hang
0:16:23 > 0:16:27of the handling out in an open field before I attempt the course.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Right, well. I'm feeling OK, actually, in an open field,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39but there's parts of that course that are looking pretty tight
0:16:39 > 0:16:41but, um, I'm ready for the challenge.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45While the guys here finish their preparations, I'm heading off to
0:16:45 > 0:16:48meet one of the club's other young farmers
0:16:48 > 0:16:50who's honing her rural skills.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Annabel James lives on a farm a few miles down the road
0:16:53 > 0:16:58and is learning the art of shepherding from her dad, Will.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01So your dad's teaching you the tricks of the trade, then,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- as far as sheepdog trialling...- Yeah. - ..or training is concerned?
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- Good. How long have you been doing it?- Um, I have only just started...
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- Right.- ..practising. - How are you getting on?- Um, OK!
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Well, we're about to find that out, actually. The challenge is then,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Annabel, for you to get into that little pen at the end.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- Yeah, go for it.- Thank you. - Show us your skills. Good luck.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Away. Fly away. Fly away!
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Just to give you an idea of what's going on here, there's quite a few sheep dog commands.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34You might have heard of "come by" and "away".
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Well, if you imagine that your field is a clock,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40when your dog is running clockwise, - it starts with a C -
0:17:40 > 0:17:43it's known as "come by", and when your dog is running anticlockwise,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45which starts with an A, that's away.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Away! Get away.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Get away. Walk them on.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54- Good girl. Walk them on.- This is good, Annabel. It's very good.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Good girl. Walk on.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02There we go. Teamwork. Perfect.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07- How is she coming on, then, as a little pupil?- She's learning.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- She's keen.- That's brilliant.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Although Annabel is not planning to be a farmer herself,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15it's great to see how determined she is to learn these skills
0:18:15 > 0:18:18and stay close to her rural roots.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Well, I have spent the day brushing up on the old farming skills
0:18:25 > 0:18:27with the members of the Young Farmers Club.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29CHEERING
0:18:29 > 0:18:31They're a rowdy bunch and they're in for a treat
0:18:31 > 0:18:34as I'm about to be let loose on this course here!
0:18:34 > 0:18:37The course has been laid out to simulate a farmyard,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41complete with its own barn and track around the outbuildings.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45All I've got to do is navigate it - in the ten-tonne tractor and trailer.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49Tom's set it up, didn't you - this course, so just talk me through...
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Fairly easy course. Going around in it in an S shape.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57- Have you had a go at this?- It's very tight. I have had a go - and then reversing into little barns.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Get nice and straight and then just nice and reverse in.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02- Easy?- Yeah.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- Easy as pie.- Easy as pie. - Here we go then.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11With a quick five-minute practice in an open field,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14the pressure is now on.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17My mentor Tom doesn't seem entirely confident.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Well, if this was my workshop walls, I'd be quite scared!
0:19:23 > 0:19:28As predicted, the S-bend is the bit that proves tricky.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29Watch your trailer!
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Oh, he's getting in!
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Come on, in one! In one! Keep going!
0:19:34 > 0:19:36CHEERING
0:19:36 > 0:19:40While the cautious approach might not be a crowd-pleaser,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43with the turn behind me, all I have to do now is reverse into the barn.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48And as my driving instructor always taught me,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51check your mirrors before you manoeuvre.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Oh, using the wing mirrors!
0:19:55 > 0:19:56Job done!
0:19:56 > 0:19:59CHEERING
0:19:59 > 0:20:02MATT LAUGHS
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- Tom!- Well done, mate. You did very well. Well done. Cheers, mate.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- Well, it's tough round the top there, isn't it?- I told you it gets tight.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- Yeah, yeah, yeah.- No, it looked like you enjoyed that.- Yeah.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13It's a cheeky little course, that one, though.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Inspired by the glorious Northamptonshire countryside,
0:20:20 > 0:20:24writer BB's books were a celebration of the wonders
0:20:24 > 0:20:28and adventures to be found within the natural world.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31"Close to the margin of the glittering water, there was
0:20:31 > 0:20:36"a miniature beach of coloured shingle and white sand.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41"And from the glare on the stream, wavering bars of reflected
0:20:41 > 0:20:45"light played to and fro on the bulging trunk of the oak."
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Reading BB's vivid descriptions, it's really easy to be charmed
0:20:51 > 0:20:54into believing that underneath the dappled shade
0:20:54 > 0:20:58of any tree, there are other worlds waiting to be discovered.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05But BB's artistic flair doesn't lie with just words.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Having worked as an assistant art master at Rugby school,
0:21:08 > 0:21:13he was also a skilled artist and illustrated almost all of his books,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17his hallmark a distinctive blackboard scraping technique,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19the dark backgrounds giving the pictures
0:21:19 > 0:21:21an almost mystical moonlight charm.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26BB drew artistic inspiration from exploring the natural
0:21:26 > 0:21:30world around the village of Lamport where he grew up and today, in the
0:21:30 > 0:21:34grounds of Lamport Hall, students from Northgate School Arts College
0:21:34 > 0:21:39are following in his footsteps by letting their imaginations soar.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42They are no strangers to producing artwork in BB's signature style,
0:21:42 > 0:21:47having this year won the BB Society's commemorative art competition.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52For these children with needs beyond mainstream education,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55spending time in nature's classroom is something that teacher
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Alison Beresford actively encourages.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02What do you think your pupils get from working outside like this?
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Because they are all special needs children
0:22:05 > 0:22:11they find that a lot of the academic stuff is quite difficult for them.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14So, any activity that is art or drama based
0:22:14 > 0:22:17and outside is very much what we want to give them.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20It's good to give them the confidence and to give them
0:22:20 > 0:22:25the new experiences because they need as many life experiences as possible.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30And working outside is something the children clearly enjoy.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34- What have you got here, a little blackboard type thing?- Yeah.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38- Wow, that's impressive.- It's a blackboard with a picture on it.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41One of our teachers drew a picture on it
0:22:41 > 0:22:45- and we have to go over it with this. - So what are you making there?
0:22:45 > 0:22:51- A man.- Oh, yes! Can I have a go at this, then? Is that a spare one?
0:22:51 > 0:22:55- Yes.- OK, what do I need to do? - What you do, see the drawing?
0:22:55 > 0:23:00- Just go over them.- OK, so I scrape away the sort of black oily stuff?
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Do you spend a lot of time outside then?
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Yeah, yes, quite a bit actually in my garden.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09I hope to go into horticulture actually in the future.
0:23:09 > 0:23:15- Really?- Yeah.- Why is that then? - Uh, I like the outdoors really.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19I like the environment and the animals as well.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22You seem like you're quite enjoying working outside.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23Do you like working outside?
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Yeah, I do, because it's boring crammed inside in a crummy
0:23:27 > 0:23:30building...it's better to be outside.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33As someone who was so at home in the countryside,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35BB would definitely have approved.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39But what do the experts make of my BB inspired work?
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- That's all right, isn't it? My hedgehog? Yeah?- Yeah.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- Are you being kind?- Yeah.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49THEY LAUGH
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Let's have a look at yours.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Brilliant! That's mine!
0:23:52 > 0:23:54THEY LAUGH
0:23:54 > 0:23:56I definitely think yours is better than mine.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57I might just turn mine over.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00- You like your art but you also like your horse riding, don't you?- Yes.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Well, you are going to enjoy hearing all about a group of people
0:24:03 > 0:24:04that Ellie went to meet last year.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09She's been finding out about some future champions of the horse racing world.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I'm in Newmarket, the historic home of horse racing.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23But Newmarket isn't just home to one of our finest racecourses,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26it also produces some of the world's leading jockeys.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29So, who are the runners and riders of the future?
0:24:29 > 0:24:32To find out, I'm going back to school.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The British Racing School is a centre of excellence offering
0:24:35 > 0:24:38apprenticeships in racehorse care.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43Run with military precision, this place isn't for the faint-hearted.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Gemma Waterhouse is going to show me the ropes.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50So, what does a standard day look like for the students?
0:24:50 > 0:24:54They're up super early at 5:30 in the morning and they come straight
0:24:54 > 0:24:58down to the yard and they have a few horses to muck out every day.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02And they'll ride for just over an hour before they're back in,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05make their horses comfortable, put their tack away, and up for breakfast.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08They've got only about half an hour to get that down their necks
0:25:08 > 0:25:11and they pull out again for another hour or so,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13back in the yard, make the yard look beautiful.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16- It does. - Everything's got to be perfect.
0:25:16 > 0:25:22And then they are back up around midday when they have lunch and
0:25:22 > 0:25:25they've got two hours to just chill out and probably get a bit of sleep.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28They live here, don't they? It must be tough being away from home.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Yeah, for a lot of them, for the vast majority of them,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34this is their first time away from home and it can be tough
0:25:34 > 0:25:37and they do get homesick and we often get a lot of tears in those
0:25:37 > 0:25:40first few weeks where they're missing home and they're
0:25:40 > 0:25:41finding it hard.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43But actually, at the end of the course we get a lot of tears
0:25:43 > 0:25:46when they're leaving because they're sad to go and they really
0:25:46 > 0:25:49enjoyed it and they've made some amazing friends, friends for life.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Erm, so, yeah, it's definitely tough for the beginning
0:25:52 > 0:25:54but they are always sad to leave at the end as well.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59The course is open to anyone from any background between the ages
0:25:59 > 0:26:03of 16 to 25 whether they've ridden before or not.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07Places are in high demand with around 850 applicants regularly
0:26:07 > 0:26:10applying for 220 places.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Rebecca was one of the lucky ones.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17- So, how tough is this course then? - It's pretty tiring.- Is it?- Yes.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19It's just, just getting up on a morning,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21you just kind of lie there for five minutes
0:26:21 > 0:26:24and then you're like, oh, but then once you're up it's fine.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26What were you doing before this?
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Well, I did... straight after high school
0:26:28 > 0:26:31I did three years of A-levels because I failed one year
0:26:31 > 0:26:35and ended up re-sitting but it was never, never for me.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40But I'd always just work in bars and stuff, waitressing and then
0:26:40 > 0:26:45just doing my horses on the side and the night-time and in the morning.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48All the staff at the school are either ex-jockeys or industry
0:26:48 > 0:26:52professionals and Julie here passes on her professional experience
0:26:52 > 0:26:55in a rather innovative way.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Four wheels and an earpiece.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00This kind of tuition you can't shout from a van.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03First of all, the rider's unlikely to hear you.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05The instructor speaks into a radio
0:27:05 > 0:27:09and both of these guys can hear the instruction that's being given.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12It's very effective and keeps everybody calm.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15So this is one-on-ones. This is really invaluable for the students?
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Yeah, every day this is what happens here.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20They ride two lots and they have one-on-one tuition.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22The riders are videoed so they have video reviews
0:27:22 > 0:27:24so they can see exactly what they're doing well
0:27:24 > 0:27:26and what they're doing not so well.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30So, the filly that's being ridden here, she's quite a tricky filly.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Rebecca here is riding her very well.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Rebecca's a very good rider in fact and it's
0:27:34 > 0:27:38all about keeping your hands nice and down near the horse's withers
0:27:38 > 0:27:41and she's very happy, you see the filly, she keeps pricking her ears.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43There's a little bit of a dip in the gallop here.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47Which often the horses just try and take advantage of and get ahead
0:27:47 > 0:27:48but she's doing a great job.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Rebecca's almost at the end of the course.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55And after three hours' hard graft already, it's nearly
0:27:55 > 0:27:58time for her and the others to have a well earned breakfast.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Are you amazed how far you've come in this short time?
0:28:03 > 0:28:04Oh, yeah. Definitely.
0:28:04 > 0:28:10I never thought I'd be sort of this good on, like, just eight weeks.
0:28:10 > 0:28:11I mean, I could always ride,
0:28:11 > 0:28:17but it's a lot different from what I was doing so, it's really good.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21- Oh, good, you look fabulous to me. - Thanks.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25Hopefully, Rebecca and the others will go the distance,
0:28:25 > 0:28:26making it out of the stable yard
0:28:26 > 0:28:30and into the famous winners' enclosure at Newmarket Racecourse.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41Some youngsters develop a passion for the outside world.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43Some are just born with it.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Age is certainly no barrier for one very special two-year-old
0:28:47 > 0:28:50that Adam met when he visited Dorset last year.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Now, there's starting young and there's starting young.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02At two years old, little Arthur Jones already knows about sheep.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04He spends five days a week tending to his flock
0:29:04 > 0:29:07with his grandmother Nicky Jesse while his mum's at work.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15- Hello, Adam.- Lovely to meet you.- And you.- Tell me about this little boy.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18- I've been hearing all about him. - Yes. Arthur's very special.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20He was born just over two months premature.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25He spent his first seven weeks of life in an intensive care unit.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28And as a result, he's got cerebral palsy which is
0:29:28 > 0:29:33- affecting his lower limbs.- And how is he coping?- Extremely well.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37The guts and determination he's got is amazing.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39So, tell me about how he's got involved with sheep.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Well, he's already got his own little flock.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44And he's the youngest member of the Poll Dorset
0:29:44 > 0:29:46And Dorset Horn Breed Society. HE LAUGHS
0:29:46 > 0:29:47Goodness me!
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- And working with sheep has helped him?- It has, incredibly.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54They said he wouldn't walk until he was four.
0:29:54 > 0:29:59He's two and a half and he's walking and he took his little pet ewe,
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Twinkle, into the Dorset County Show in the children's class
0:30:03 > 0:30:08and he won a cup for the child that showed the most endeavour.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09Arthur won that.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Best Handler.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14It is. He let go of my hand and walked into the ring by himself.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Incredible!
0:30:16 > 0:30:18We all had a lump in our throats when he'd done that.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21They've got such a rapport.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23Twinkle actually got him walking.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27She would just stand with him, walk with him.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29When he stopped, she stopped, if he fell over
0:30:29 > 0:30:32because he can't get to his feet once he's fallen over.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35She will stand still and let him scrabble up on top
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- and off they go again.- What a wonderful relationship.- It is.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42Before we head out to the field to see the rest of the flock,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Arthur's got something he wants to show me.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Arthur won that.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49- Arthur won which one?- That one.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52- Did you? You won that one.- Mine.
0:30:52 > 0:30:53Not that one, this one.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55- Is it this one, I think.- Yeah!
0:30:55 > 0:30:56- That one?- Yeah.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58- Who won that?- Arthur.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Arthur did, that's you.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Arthur won that.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05- Did you win that, as well?- Yeah.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Arthur, you've won so many things.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11For a two-year-old he's becoming a great shepherd.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14He certainly looks the part and he's got all the gear.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19- Quad bike's quite handy. - Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Now he's got heavier, it's been hard to carry him about.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27With that he's free and he can come and help round-up the sheep.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29Are you going to get those sheep, Arthur?
0:31:29 > 0:31:31We'll hang on here, you go and get 'em.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38The Dorset is one of only a few native breeds of sheep
0:31:38 > 0:31:39that can lamb all year round.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42- Have they been around a long time as a breed?- They have.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45The Dorset Horns are one of the earliest recorded.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47How long have you bred them for?
0:31:47 > 0:31:50I've been farming Dorsets for over 20 years now.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52- Are they your favourite?- Absolutely.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54- Dorset girl with Dorset sheep. - Born and bred.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56THEY CHUCKLE
0:31:56 > 0:31:58It's lovely to see Arthur getting involved.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00- He's enjoying that quad bike, isn't he?- He is, he loves it.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04- He looks like he could be useful on it.- He's extremely useful.
0:32:04 > 0:32:05He's just as good as a dog, I think.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18At some point most children, and certainly adults,
0:32:18 > 0:32:20dream of getting away from it all,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23slipping the shackles of boring authority,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26and surviving alone in the wild.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29I'm deep in Fermyn Woods Country Park in Northamptonshire
0:32:29 > 0:32:32where I'm getting a little taste of what life was like for the boys
0:32:32 > 0:32:35in BB's book, Brendan Chase,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38who ran away to live in the forest.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41A bit like Robin Hood and his Merry Men did.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45But today, unlike them, I'm not all alone in the woods.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49A group of 8-11 year olds from nearby Brigstock Primary School
0:32:49 > 0:32:51have been getting a taste of the great outdoors
0:32:51 > 0:32:54by building the perfect woodland hideaway.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59This is a very impressive den.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02It is, yeah. We've spent quite a lot of time on it.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05What has this been built for because some dens are to sleep in,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07some dens are for a bit of shelter...?
0:33:07 > 0:33:10This one is to protect you from the elements,
0:33:10 > 0:33:11so the wind and the rain.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14- So you could sleep in it?- You could.
0:33:14 > 0:33:15- Would you?- We hope.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17- Are we going to test that?- Yes.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20What have you used to get it to this stage?
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Well, we've used these big leaves
0:33:23 > 0:33:28- and some smaller branches to fill up the holes.- Guys, come on!
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Listen at Ollie in there, he's inside doing what?
0:33:31 > 0:33:36He's looking for the holes in the edge of the foliage
0:33:36 > 0:33:39and showing us where to put these leaves.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41- You're blocking the holes so that it's nice and waterproof.- Yes.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47As one of Northamptonshire's education rangers,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Eric is inspiring a whole new generation
0:33:50 > 0:33:53to develop a sense of adventure in the great outdoors.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57Eric, congratulations!
0:33:57 > 0:33:59This is a very impressive shelter.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02I'm glad you like it. I hope it's going to be waterproof.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Why do you think it's important for children of this age
0:34:05 > 0:34:07to be out here doing this kind of thing?
0:34:07 > 0:34:10First of all, you can see there are a lot of individuals here
0:34:10 > 0:34:13and they couldn't build a structure like this unless they worked as a team.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16I get really annoyed when people say kids don't do stuff like this
0:34:16 > 0:34:18and kids don't get mucky enough
0:34:18 > 0:34:20but do we live in an age of health and safety
0:34:20 > 0:34:23where they're making it more difficult.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26No, what you do is you write a risk assessment
0:34:26 > 0:34:29and try and instil in them what is safe and what isn't safe.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33They're assessing all the time where are the trip hazards,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36what can I cut, what can't I cut
0:34:36 > 0:34:39and then they can come and make something like this
0:34:39 > 0:34:40in utmost safety.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43I suppose in creating a risk assessed den
0:34:43 > 0:34:45- they are gaining some common-sense as well.- That's right.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Yes, they are, most definitely.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53Now the rains are definitely coming, I can feel a few drops now.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55Look at those great, big, black clouds.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58So everybody inside the shelter, come on.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00- Are we going to invite Helen in with us?- Yes.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03So she doesn't get wet. I thought you'd never ask!
0:35:03 > 0:35:05Right, off we go, then.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08In you go. Right, are we all inside?
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Let's test how well this shelter's holding up.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15- Are you ready?- Yeah.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17The rain is coming.
0:35:17 > 0:35:18Here it comes!
0:35:18 > 0:35:22- HELEN:- I hope that watering can's on the risk assessment.
0:35:24 > 0:35:25That's a little bit.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28I think it's fair to say we've failed.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31- Haven't we, guys?- Yeah. - We're all pretty drenched
0:35:31 > 0:35:35- but everybody seems to be in good spirits. Yeah?- Yeah!
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Here we go.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39This is all in good spirits, though, but for the teenagers
0:35:39 > 0:35:41that Ellie met last winter,
0:35:41 > 0:35:43they had seriously work to be getting on with.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57This is Dovestone reservoir in the north-west
0:35:57 > 0:36:00of the Peak District National Park.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04It was built in 1967 to collect the water from the surrounding moorlands
0:36:04 > 0:36:07and, today, it's also a RSPB reserve
0:36:07 > 0:36:11and locals say it was named because, up on the skyline there,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14there are some rocks in the shape of doves.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20It's easy to see why people flock to this wild terrain.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Every week a group of youngsters come here
0:36:23 > 0:36:25to discover more about this wide, open moorland.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30They call themselves the Dovestone Youth Rangers
0:36:30 > 0:36:33and, today, I'm going to be joining their ranks.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37To be a member you need to be between 11 and 19.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40I hope they don't ask for ID!
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Greg Cookson from Oldham Youth Council is the man in charge.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50So what do the young people get out of it, why do they do it?
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Well, a lot of the young people are really
0:36:52 > 0:36:54concerned about the environment.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57They come from a variety of different backgrounds.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00They come from the town centre and close to Manchester city centre.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04They're actually learning what is here on their doorstep.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07And what they do learn, they can take onto further things.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Further things like university, the Duke Of Edinburgh,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12even things like the John Muir Award.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17These teenage rangers have been working on a number of projects
0:37:17 > 0:37:20here for the last 12 months.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22One of the biggest has been pond building.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27How are you doing there, you two? Tell me, why all these ponds?
0:37:27 > 0:37:31Well, we have been doing a lot of research lately into pond life
0:37:31 > 0:37:34and the frogs that live naturally
0:37:34 > 0:37:37and we're been finding out that they have been declining due to
0:37:37 > 0:37:41a loss of habitat and places that they can actually breed.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44It looks amazing, but it's not easy digging a pond, is it, Grace?
0:37:44 > 0:37:46It's not easy at all.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49We had to bring the gravel up, dig the hole.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51We had to pump the water down which took
0:37:51 > 0:37:56ages from further down there and, erm, we had to wait for it to
0:37:56 > 0:37:58settle and then we put all our plants in, our rocks
0:37:58 > 0:37:59for the insects to live in.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03- It looks so natural but a load of work goes into it, doesn't it? - Definitely.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06The young rangers are encouraged to get stuck in
0:38:06 > 0:38:09with all the land management work needed here.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12I'm sure there aren't many 14-year-olds that chop down trees
0:38:12 > 0:38:15in their spare time but Lily McGuinness does.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17There we go.
0:38:17 > 0:38:18Yes.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Wow! Tell me, why would you do this, Lily.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25It looks like a beautiful day today but it's freezing cold
0:38:25 > 0:38:28and I should think you're out in all kinds of weathers?
0:38:28 > 0:38:30Well, from a young age I've been
0:38:30 > 0:38:33encouraged by my parents to come out into the outdoors.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37They take me out all the time and camping outdoors.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40What do you think you've learnt through being a ranger?
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Dovestones is quite interesting
0:38:42 > 0:38:45cos when I was little I came up here a lot and I thought
0:38:45 > 0:38:50it was dead boring but it's got loads of different habitats here.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52It's really good.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Volunteering as a youth ranger can also open doors.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00Mariam Waseem is 18 and the experience she's gained here
0:39:00 > 0:39:02has impressed universities.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05In an interview, one of the admissions officers
0:39:05 > 0:39:10was really impressed, as well as surprised, that at this age I've got
0:39:10 > 0:39:14so much experience, actually being out here, being outdoors,
0:39:14 > 0:39:18doing the stuff and knowing that I actually want to pursue this
0:39:18 > 0:39:22because I've had experience of doing so much conservation work.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25- So this has genuinely helped you? - Yeah.- That's fabulous.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30Spending time outdoors has also provided an opportunity to get closer
0:39:30 > 0:39:33to wildlife and the rangers' latest project has been capturing
0:39:33 > 0:39:36this local fauna on film.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41It has become a bit of a tradition to sit down together to watch
0:39:41 > 0:39:44some of the footage under a cleverly placed
0:39:44 > 0:39:47piece of tarpaulin in the woods - a makeshift cinema.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Flicks in the sticks, if you will.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53That wouldn't be complete without popcorn.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00I'm taking my seat on the back row for this wildlife matinee.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Apprentice youth worker Areeta Iqbal helps the youngsters
0:40:03 > 0:40:05capture the footage.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07Tell me about the camera traps?
0:40:07 > 0:40:10What we did was, we did a little research of our own.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12We decided on three different places
0:40:12 > 0:40:16because we found different faeces of animals and other tracks.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19We put them in three different places and just kept them
0:40:19 > 0:40:20there for a few weeks.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25- Zak, what have you managed to see? - We saw a stoat chasing a brown hare, which was quite amazing
0:40:25 > 0:40:29because the stoat is so small and the hare is so big.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33You wouldn't believe that a stoat could kill a brown hare.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35It was quite amazing to see something as good as that,
0:40:35 > 0:40:37real-life happening.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42- What else have you managed to see from the camera trap? - We saw a squirrel and a pheasant
0:40:42 > 0:40:47at a pond and they didn't know each other was there.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49As soon as, like, they saw each other
0:40:49 > 0:40:52they both got really scared and, like, jumped.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55- So that's in one of the ponds you've been working on?- Er, yes.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57How fantastic.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Local wildlife is already making good use of the new ponds.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02This heron is a regular visitor.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07It's been a really enjoyable day working alongside
0:41:07 > 0:41:08these young trailblazers.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12This beautiful landscape is now in safe hands
0:41:12 > 0:41:16and has helped to inspire the next generation of conservationists.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23From the beautiful Peak District to the stunning Shetlands.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27All across this land there are children and young people
0:41:27 > 0:41:30making the most of their surroundings and its wildlife.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Some things they get up to are more unusual than others
0:41:33 > 0:41:35as Adam found out last summer.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40From weather-beaten crags to windswept sands,
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Shetlands myriad islands are ever-changing.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Here the weather can blow from furious gales to clear skies
0:41:46 > 0:41:48in the shake of a lamb's tail.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Only the toughest, and it would seem smallest, can thrive here.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59In this Lilliput land of livestock,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03this has got to be the most famous of the bijou beasts.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Surely a trip to the Shetlands wouldn't be complete without
0:42:07 > 0:42:10seeing one of these, a Shetland pony.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14They're really hardy and, like many of the animals on the Shetlands,
0:42:14 > 0:42:16they've adapted to be super tough.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20Their strength is legendary and they have been used for all sorts of work.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23When mining was at its peak, they'd go down into the dark pits
0:42:23 > 0:42:25and work alongside the miners.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29Here on Shetland, fishermen owned them and used their tail hair
0:42:29 > 0:42:31to make fishing lines but, of course,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34those days are long gone but they are a working pony
0:42:34 > 0:42:36and they like to be kept busy.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38This little lady is in training.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39So, come along then.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48Melody, Rebecca and Miranda are all young riders with their sights
0:42:48 > 0:42:50set on the Shetland Pony Grand National.
0:42:53 > 0:42:58It takes place each year as part of the Olympia horse show in London.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02Hi, Melody. I believe this is your pony I've been borrowing?
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Here you are.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05Riders come from all over the country
0:43:05 > 0:43:08but these lasses are flying the flag for Shetland.
0:43:08 > 0:43:13- How long have you been racing Shetlands?- Erm, I started last year.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16- I hear you're a bit of a champ, is that right?- Yeah.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20- Did you win?- Yeah, I won twice at Olympia.- Did you?- Yeah.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Goodness me, well done you.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31What makes a good Shetland pony jockey?
0:43:31 > 0:43:36- You're used to riding them and you don't get scared.- Yeah.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39- Does it help that you come from the Shetlands?- Yeah.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42- It's got it through your blood. - Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44While they go off to train, I'm going to find
0:43:44 > 0:43:47out more about the Shetland Pony Grand National.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51Helen Thompson has been involved since it began.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54Over the years she's trained more than 30 young jockeys
0:43:54 > 0:43:56for the competition.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58How did it all get started?
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Well, it started about 1982.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02A great spectacle, the kids have fun
0:44:02 > 0:44:06but it raises money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09In other words, you get children raising money for children.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13Throughout the year up to 50 ponies and riders take part in heats
0:44:13 > 0:44:17before being whittled down to a lucky ten for the grand final.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20The riders are all aged between nine and 13
0:44:20 > 0:44:22and can be no taller than five foot.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26This is a big race with mini contenders.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30Well, there's only one way to test the horsepower of these ponies
0:44:30 > 0:44:32and that's a race.
0:44:32 > 0:44:37With some months to go before the big event, we're going to stage our own.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39- What do they do, a walking start, is it?- Yep.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41Walking, walking... Go!
0:44:43 > 0:44:45- Goodness me, they really fly don't they?- Oh, yes.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51Oh, and Miranda's fallen at the second hurdle
0:44:51 > 0:44:54but, like a true pro, she's back in the saddle.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Will she be all right?
0:44:56 > 0:44:57Ah, she'll bounce.
0:44:59 > 0:45:01Great little jumpers!
0:45:01 > 0:45:04It's wonderful, it's really exciting.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06Melody's well in the lead now.
0:45:08 > 0:45:09Ooh, she's gone!
0:45:09 > 0:45:14'Now Rebecca's taken a tumble, and her horse is heading for the hills.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17'I think these girls are even tougher than the ponies.'
0:45:17 > 0:45:21Goodness me! It's pretty fast, isn't it?
0:45:21 > 0:45:24- Are you OK?- Yeah.- Are you sure? What happened?
0:45:24 > 0:45:28A tight corner, and I flew off.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31I reckon those silver bootees made him fly!
0:45:31 > 0:45:34It's all right, little one! He's so lively.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36He's got a spark in his eye.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38- And how are you, are you OK?- Yeah.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40- Enjoy that?- Mm-hmm.- Well done!
0:45:40 > 0:45:43Well, I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.
0:45:43 > 0:45:44It was quite extraordinary.
0:45:49 > 0:45:52The understated beauty of Northamptonshire.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55The wildlife, the habitat, the adventures.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57The little grey men.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02Inspired by his love of nature, writer and illustrator BB
0:46:02 > 0:46:05took part in all manner of outdoor pursuits.
0:46:05 > 0:46:11He was particularly... Oh! ..excited by carp fishing.
0:46:11 > 0:46:15There we go. Thank you! Hello.
0:46:15 > 0:46:19He wrote about a fanatical fisherman who used to sit out in all weathers
0:46:19 > 0:46:23desperate for one solitary bite.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27Right, let's unhook you and get you back in the water.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31I've just caught a common roach.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34But have the children from Brigstock primary school
0:46:34 > 0:46:35also uncovered the mysteries
0:46:35 > 0:46:39of what lies beneath the waters of Fermyn Woods Country Park?
0:46:41 > 0:46:43How many fish have you caught, then, Bradley?
0:46:43 > 0:46:45That's the first one.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47- This is the first one?- Yep.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50- So you're obviously quite good at fishing, then.- Yeah.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52- Have you been fishing before?- No.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55- This your first time fishing and that's your first-ever fish?- Yep.
0:46:55 > 0:46:56Wow.
0:46:56 > 0:47:01'Fishing first-timer Bradley has been able to catch his chub today
0:47:01 > 0:47:04'with a little help from James Roach from the Angling Trust.
0:47:04 > 0:47:05'Yep - I said James Roach.'
0:47:05 > 0:47:08Is it easy for families to get into fishing?
0:47:08 > 0:47:12Most people tend to get into fishing through a parent that takes them.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15But what we're doing in the Angling Trust is create environments
0:47:15 > 0:47:19where people can try fishing in a really easy manner.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21So we've got a national initiative called Family Fishing
0:47:21 > 0:47:24where people can turn up to big events and try fishing,
0:47:24 > 0:47:27completely free. The last thing you want to do is buy a load of kit
0:47:27 > 0:47:30that you don't know how to use, don't know if you're buying
0:47:30 > 0:47:32the right bits and pieces as well.
0:47:32 > 0:47:33So all the kit's provided.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36We've got qualified coaches like the ones we've got here,
0:47:36 > 0:47:39giving a bit of instruction and showing everyone what to do.
0:47:39 > 0:47:43And importantly, how to deal with the fish as well - once you've caught one
0:47:43 > 0:47:45and you can see this thing on the bank that's alive,
0:47:45 > 0:47:48how to sort of unhook them and how to look after them.
0:47:48 > 0:47:50How easy is it to persuade youngsters to get into fishing?
0:47:50 > 0:47:54Fishing is one of these activities that you need to sort of try
0:47:54 > 0:47:55to really understand what it's all about,
0:47:55 > 0:47:57and that excitement of hooking into a fish.
0:47:57 > 0:48:00This may sound strange, but you can sit there all day
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and watch this little orange float in the pond,
0:48:03 > 0:48:05but that moment when it goes underneath,
0:48:05 > 0:48:06your heart-rate just shoots right up,
0:48:06 > 0:48:09and it's that excitement that just can't be explained.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14- I caught another one!- Another? - Oh, yes!
0:48:14 > 0:48:18'There's one young novice who seems to be a bit of a natural.'
0:48:18 > 0:48:20Ooh, that's a biggie.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23Jonty, you seem to be the master of this.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25I've never done it in my life!
0:48:25 > 0:48:29So in the last, what, hour, you've caught nine or ten fish now?
0:48:29 > 0:48:31- 11.- 11, sorry!- Yeah.
0:48:31 > 0:48:35- And do you think you'll come fishing again?- Yeah. Hopefully.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38- You seem like you're a bit of a natural.- Do I?
0:48:38 > 0:48:41- Yeah!- You're doing very well. - You are!
0:48:41 > 0:48:43'But with Jonty on a roll...'
0:48:43 > 0:48:46- Number 12.- How are you doing, Al?
0:48:46 > 0:48:49'..are there going to be any more fish in the pond for me?'
0:48:49 > 0:48:52Oh, I think we've got one, I think we've got one!
0:48:52 > 0:48:54Yes!
0:48:57 > 0:48:58The environment is something that
0:48:58 > 0:49:00people of all ages should care about.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03In 2012, John took to Cromer Beach
0:49:03 > 0:49:06to give it a thorough tidy-up.
0:49:09 > 0:49:13And I've recruited a band of helpers!
0:49:13 > 0:49:15Are you ready for it?
0:49:15 > 0:49:18- Yes!- Let's go!
0:49:18 > 0:49:22Almost half a million people flock to Cromer's sandy beaches
0:49:22 > 0:49:25every year, and some like to leave their mark.
0:49:25 > 0:49:32An average of 2,700 pieces of litter are found on every mile of UK beach.
0:49:33 > 0:49:36My name's Lauren and I work for the Marine Conservation Society.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39Does anyone know what we are going to be doing today?
0:49:39 > 0:49:41Ooh, lots of hands. Yep.
0:49:41 > 0:49:43- Picking up litter.- Brilliant.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45- Is everyone ready?- Yeah!
0:49:47 > 0:49:50CHILDREN GIGGLE
0:49:50 > 0:49:51OK, gang. Off we go.
0:49:54 > 0:49:59This beach looks pretty clean to me, but let's see what we can find.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03- Do you think that's natural or...? - Is that shredded skin?
0:50:03 > 0:50:07It looks like it, doesn't it? Yeah. It could be from an orange.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12Oh, no, that's definitely a bit of rubber or something, isn't it?
0:50:12 > 0:50:15It very much looks like it's the end of a balloon...
0:50:15 > 0:50:19- Oh, yeah...- This is the balloon stop here, where the balloon sits.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22What do you think happened to the rubber of the balloon, then?
0:50:22 > 0:50:26It could be still out at sea, it could have blown back inland.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28We just really don't know. But animals can eat them
0:50:28 > 0:50:30and they can end up in their stomachs
0:50:30 > 0:50:33- and cause them real problems. - They suffer.- The problem is
0:50:33 > 0:50:35that it takes such a long time to break down.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39- How long do you think it might last? - Two or three years?
0:50:39 > 0:50:42Oh, it's a good guess, but I'd say much, much more than that,
0:50:42 > 0:50:46- probably 30 years, maybe, if it ended up in the sea.- Wow.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53I suppose sometimes they don't really realise
0:50:53 > 0:50:55what they're doing, do they?
0:50:55 > 0:50:57No, they just forget about wildlife.
0:50:57 > 0:50:58Looks like a belt thing.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01- Thrown off of a boat, probably. - A buckle?
0:51:01 > 0:51:04- They should really take more care, shouldn't they?- Yeah.
0:51:04 > 0:51:08Be honest with me, girls, have you ever dropped litter on a beach?
0:51:08 > 0:51:10- No.- No.- No?- No, I always...
0:51:10 > 0:51:11- Cross your heart?- Yep.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15What do you think about people who just dump things
0:51:15 > 0:51:16without even thinking?
0:51:18 > 0:51:19They're being cruel to nature.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22It's sort of killing the planet, really.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26The children today seem incredibly enthusiastic about it.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30Yeah, it is all about trying to change people's attitudes
0:51:30 > 0:51:32and their behaviour, that's one great first step.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34The other steps that we use are, you know,
0:51:34 > 0:51:37we must collect as much data as we can.
0:51:37 > 0:51:38We've got thousands of volunteers
0:51:38 > 0:51:40out on the coastlines all over the UK
0:51:40 > 0:51:43doing exactly what the children are doing here today,
0:51:43 > 0:51:45and if we can try and build that data set up,
0:51:45 > 0:51:49we've got the evidence then to shape campaigns
0:51:49 > 0:51:50to try and solve the problem
0:51:50 > 0:51:52and use it to make change up at high levels
0:51:52 > 0:51:54and also within industry practices as well.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58- What's the most worrying thing that you find?- Plastics.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00Plastics are very, very bad.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04They make up over half of what we find on UK beaches everywhere.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08They are so sturdy, they will just get smaller and smaller and smaller
0:52:08 > 0:52:10and they're collecting in large areas,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13way out there in the ocean, in big sort of litter soups,
0:52:13 > 0:52:15and one of them, which is the largest in the world -
0:52:15 > 0:52:17there's five -
0:52:17 > 0:52:20the largest, in the North Pacific, is the size of Texas.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23So it's causing not only problems on the beaches here
0:52:23 > 0:52:25but also out at sea.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29- Goodness me, what's that? A sock? - Two, in fact.- Two socks?
0:52:29 > 0:52:33- We found a T-shirt.- Eww!
0:52:33 > 0:52:36All he needs now is a pair of shorts and he's got a full outfit!
0:52:36 > 0:52:38Yeah, brilliant!
0:52:39 > 0:52:4511 children, one hour, one beach, and three full bags of rubbish.
0:52:45 > 0:52:49- What's your reaction to that, then? - Disgusting!
0:52:49 > 0:52:52Well done, team. You've done a great job today.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55Just one bit of bad news - you've got to put it all back in the bags,
0:52:55 > 0:52:58but then I've got a treat for you.
0:52:58 > 0:52:59- CHILDREN:- Yeah!
0:53:05 > 0:53:09Right, kids. Ice creams! You've all washed your hands, haven't you?
0:53:09 > 0:53:10After that dirty work.
0:53:10 > 0:53:11Thank you.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15'If you want to get involved in a beach clean like this,
0:53:15 > 0:53:18'go to our website for more information.'
0:53:23 > 0:53:26Today, I'm in Northamptonshire to celebrate
0:53:26 > 0:53:3070 years of the much-loved adventure book Brendon Chase,
0:53:30 > 0:53:34written and illustrated for the young at heart by BB.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37'Joining children from local schools,
0:53:37 > 0:53:40'I've been testing my den-making skills...'
0:53:40 > 0:53:41Listen to that thunder!
0:53:41 > 0:53:44Here comes the rain!
0:53:44 > 0:53:48Well, that is definitely not waterproof.
0:53:48 > 0:53:52'But who cares? We had more success fishing.'
0:53:52 > 0:53:54- There we go!- Well done.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59And now I'm following in BB's footsteps
0:53:59 > 0:54:03as I go in search of one of his most ardent passions,
0:54:03 > 0:54:05the elusive Apatura iris,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09or the Purple Emperor butterfly to you and I.
0:54:12 > 0:54:16Fermyn Woods is one of the few places in the country
0:54:16 > 0:54:17you can find this woodland monarch
0:54:17 > 0:54:20during its brief three-week breeding season.
0:54:20 > 0:54:25The children are on the lookout for butterfly eggs.
0:54:25 > 0:54:29- This looks like a merry gang!- It is indeed.- Hi, Matthew.- Hi. Welcome.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31What are we actually looking for?
0:54:31 > 0:54:33They're not flying now, cos it's too cloudy,
0:54:33 > 0:54:35but what we're looking for is their eggs.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38'As a boy, butterfly expert Matthew Oates
0:54:38 > 0:54:40'fell in love with the Purple Emperor
0:54:40 > 0:54:43'after reading BB's novel Brendon Chase.
0:54:43 > 0:54:48'Finding the Emperor is tricky, but the eggs can be even more elusive.'
0:54:49 > 0:54:52- So if we are going to find eggs... - Yeah.- ..they will be where?
0:54:52 > 0:54:56- Only on this...?- Only on this type of tree -
0:54:56 > 0:55:00sallow, or pussy willow. Only on the upper sides.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03- What do the eggs actually look like? - That's the problem.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06They look like tiny little galls.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08They look just like that.
0:55:08 > 0:55:10Now, that's not an Emperor egg,
0:55:10 > 0:55:13but that's what they look like.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16But that's a little animal that lives in there.
0:55:16 > 0:55:20The Empress, her eggs literally mimic these,
0:55:20 > 0:55:22and then those galls turn red later on,
0:55:22 > 0:55:24but the Emperor egg doesn't. So it's really clever.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27I know you read Brendon Chase when you were younger.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29What did you think of it?
0:55:29 > 0:55:33That book changed my life, because it provided a journey into a world
0:55:33 > 0:55:37which I wanted to live in. I wanted that to be my real world,
0:55:37 > 0:55:39not a fantasy world. But also,
0:55:39 > 0:55:42that is how I discovered the Purple Emperor butterfly,
0:55:42 > 0:55:46discovered it in literature. BB's book, his writing,
0:55:46 > 0:55:50actually puts that butterfly right up on a pedestal,
0:55:50 > 0:55:52where it belongs.
0:55:52 > 0:55:56When it appears, this butterfly explodes into your life.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00It reaches the parts other butterflies can't get anywhere near.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02- Are you having any luck, boys? - ALL: No.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05- No?- Not found any.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07Let's have a look.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10Oh, it's tiny! No, they're bigger than that.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12'We may not have found any butterfly eggs,
0:56:12 > 0:56:16'but Matthew has just seen a Purple Emperor in the tree tops.'
0:56:16 > 0:56:18It's not a butterfly that flies around in grasses,
0:56:18 > 0:56:21it doesn't visit flowers. It lives in the tops of trees.
0:56:21 > 0:56:23A lot of tropical butterflies do that.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27- This is our one tropical butterfly. - That is so big!
0:56:27 > 0:56:31- What do you think? - He's about that big!- It's amazing!
0:56:31 > 0:56:34- It's that big, I think! - It's beautiful! Wow!
0:56:39 > 0:56:41So, Tallulah, you saw a Purple Emperor butterfly
0:56:41 > 0:56:43for the first time today. What did you think?
0:56:43 > 0:56:48Well, it was like, um, a small bat.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51- Was it?!- Yeah. - Were you impressed?- Yeah.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53How much? This much? Or this much?
0:56:53 > 0:56:56- Er, this much.- That much impressed!
0:56:56 > 0:56:59- What have you enjoyed the most? - Er, probably the fishing.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03Because I've never done it before, and it's just something new,
0:57:03 > 0:57:06- and it's really exciting. - And you were pretty good at it!
0:57:06 > 0:57:09- A bit.- You were, you know you were!
0:57:09 > 0:57:12I enjoyed the den-building today. It was really fun
0:57:12 > 0:57:16to see it build up, and then at the end know that you made it.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18Because it was, like, getting back to nature,
0:57:18 > 0:57:21and you were proud of yourself and what you had done,
0:57:21 > 0:57:24even though in the end it was a bit wet in there!
0:57:28 > 0:57:30Well, that's it for this week.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32Next week we will be in Staffordshire,
0:57:32 > 0:57:35investigating one of the most mysterious places in the UK.
0:57:35 > 0:57:38But from Northamptonshire, goodbye!