0:00:27 > 0:00:31Norfolk - a county cherished for its sweeping shorelines
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and best known for its breathtaking Broads.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37But there's more to this place than meets the eye.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40It is a landscape that's been used
0:00:40 > 0:00:41like no other.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Out of bounds to most of us, it's been barraged with abuse
0:00:45 > 0:00:46but, at the same time,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49it's been nurtured and is abundant with nature.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51All will be revealed.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Anita is helping to save a nugget of Norfolk history.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59No longer needed, neglected and left to rot,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02the humble shepherd's hut is being rescued, restored,
0:01:02 > 0:01:06and given a new lease of life by two passionate chaps from Norfolk.
0:01:08 > 0:01:09No, I can't hear...
0:01:09 > 0:01:10I can't hear you.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Charlotte's searching for a signal.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16There are still large parts of rural Britain
0:01:16 > 0:01:18with little or no mobile phone coverage.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21It's not just frustrating, it's bad for business
0:01:21 > 0:01:24and, in extreme cases, puts lives at risk.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28So what's being done to keep us connected in the countryside?
0:01:28 > 0:01:29WHISTLING
0:01:31 > 0:01:33And in two weeks' time, we'll be playing host
0:01:33 > 0:01:36to legendary sheepdog-trial competition One Man And His Dog.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41This week, Helen and Shauna are checking the form
0:01:41 > 0:01:43of our Scottish and Welsh competitors
0:01:43 > 0:01:45and their canine companions.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49I won the Novice Cup, which was a bit of encouragement,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52but the downside was it was only myself that was competing for it.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53SHE LAUGHS
0:02:01 > 0:02:02Most visitors to Norfolk
0:02:02 > 0:02:05head straight for the wetland of the Broads
0:02:05 > 0:02:09or the stunning beaches that stretch along its northern edges.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Few would stop to consider the landscape away from the coast.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18But for those that do, they'll be rewarded
0:02:18 > 0:02:21with one of the great natural areas of Britain.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23Welcome to Breckland.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Breckland spans a huge swathe of Norfolk,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31and I'm heading for an area just outside the town of Thetford.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35The Brecks, as it's known locally,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39contains one of the most extensive areas of lowland sandy heaths
0:02:39 > 0:02:41remaining in Britain today.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45You know, I love studying maps,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47and if you look at one for this area
0:02:47 > 0:02:50you'll notice that it's covered in the words "danger area".
0:02:50 > 0:02:53That's because huge swathes of the Brecks
0:02:53 > 0:02:57now make up an enormous military training ground -
0:02:57 > 0:02:58one of the biggest in the country.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02ENGINE STARTS
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Ordinarily, this land is off limits to the public,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14but we've been given special access
0:03:14 > 0:03:17to reveal the secrets of this fascinating landscape.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Well, guiding me around the training area today
0:03:26 > 0:03:28is my driver, Sergeant Smith.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30- Smudge to you.- Smudge to me.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Everybody called Smith in the Army is called Smudge, aren't they?
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Everybody in the Army called Smith is called Smudge.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Smudge, this is an enormous patch of Norfolk, 25,000 acres.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Do you ever get lost?
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I used to get lost for about the first year that I worked here,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47but I'm pretty much there now, I know where I'm going.
0:03:47 > 0:03:48We've got plenty of maps, look.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Plenty of maps, I'd never go anywhere without a map.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52There says a true soldier.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Stanford Training Area - or STANTA for short -
0:03:59 > 0:04:04is one of the UK's major live-firing exercise facilities.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08But at the heart of the training ground
0:04:08 > 0:04:10is something you wouldn't really expect to find
0:04:10 > 0:04:12anywhere in the British countryside.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15An Afghan village.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26'Built in 2008,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30'it was meant to replicate a typical village in Helmand.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34'The British Army was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002,
0:04:34 > 0:04:35'and even though combat troops
0:04:35 > 0:04:38'are due to withdraw by the end of this year,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40'it's still used as a training ground by our military.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44'Deputy Commander Tony Powell is part of the team
0:04:44 > 0:04:47'that manages the facilities for the MOD.'
0:04:47 > 0:04:49- Very nice to see you, sir.- And you.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53What an extraordinary find in the heart of Norfolk.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57I mean, many young soldiers who've never been abroad before
0:04:57 > 0:04:58must wonder where they've ended up.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Well, that's precisely what we're hoping to achieve here, of course,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05to sort of, you know, deliver a bit of realism
0:05:05 > 0:05:08for our soldiers during their sort of training,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11to make this as real as we can to prepare them
0:05:11 > 0:05:15for what they're going to face once they get into Afghanistan.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18What makes the whole experience
0:05:18 > 0:05:21particularly real for training troops
0:05:21 > 0:05:24is that the whole place is populated by villagers -
0:05:24 > 0:05:28in reality, a mixture of Gurkha soldiers and Afghan nationals.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32They act out scenarios from everyday life,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36from patrolling the streets to the deadly suicide bomber.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40I can only imagine what this is like
0:05:40 > 0:05:43when it is full of Afghans and troops training,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45but we've got a taste of it over here.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48I don't know if it is tasty - can you actually eat this stuff?
0:05:48 > 0:05:50I personally wouldn't want to try,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52but you have to say that they've done a good job.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56It's plastic. That's incredible.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I mean, the detail is fabulous.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01The old fridge, all the old bottles and bits and pieces,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and this huge sort of haunch here, I mean, that's incredible,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06it looks pretty gruesome, doesn't it?
0:06:07 > 0:06:10The land has been used as a training camp for troops
0:06:10 > 0:06:12as far back as the First World War.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17Along with the Afghan facility, there's a Northern Ireland compound.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And a European village built in the 1960s
0:06:21 > 0:06:23when the Cold War was at its peak.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28But what is it about Stanford Training Area
0:06:28 > 0:06:30that makes it so useful to the Army?
0:06:30 > 0:06:36Stanford offers a fantastic array of facilities,
0:06:36 > 0:06:41and it has an abundance of woods and forest blocks
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and a fine mixture of open space -
0:06:44 > 0:06:48everything that a soldier is likely to encounter
0:06:48 > 0:06:52in almost any conflict that he is going to find himself in.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53But plastic meat aside, Tony,
0:06:53 > 0:06:58how realistic is this compared to the real thing in Helmand?
0:06:58 > 0:07:02I asked a sergeant from my battalion who had returned
0:07:02 > 0:07:06and had experience in Afghanistan, "Have we got it right?"
0:07:06 > 0:07:08He quickly said,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10"The only thing that's wrong here, Sir, is the weather."
0:07:10 > 0:07:13- HE LAUGHS:- Even you can't control the weather, Tony!
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Rewind 100 years to the First World War
0:07:22 > 0:07:24and troops were notoriously underprepared.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29And yet here we have the other end of the scale.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32We've certainly learned a lot over the last century.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36This place is full of fascination,
0:07:36 > 0:07:38but the one thing I haven't yet been able to find
0:07:38 > 0:07:40is a mobile-phone signal,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42and that's a real problem for all of us
0:07:42 > 0:07:44who live in rural parts of the UK.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45But the question is,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48will we ever get full coverage in the countryside?
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Well, Charlotte has been to find out. Come on, Smudge.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55PHONE RINGS
0:07:58 > 0:08:01'For many people, it's hard to imagine life without them.'
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Hello? Hello?
0:08:03 > 0:08:04'We take them everywhere.'
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Hi, yeah, I'm filming today for Countryfile. Sorry?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09'Mobile phones.'
0:08:09 > 0:08:11John Craven, sheep...
0:08:11 > 0:08:13I can barely hear you, can you shout?
0:08:13 > 0:08:16'But in many rural parts of the UK
0:08:16 > 0:08:18'getting a signal can be a real struggle.'
0:08:18 > 0:08:21You'll probably recognise this -
0:08:21 > 0:08:25the vain search for a signal and the growing feeling of frustration
0:08:25 > 0:08:29when you realise there's no coverage and you can't make a call.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33A recent survey by Ofcom
0:08:33 > 0:08:37revealed a third of mobile users in rural areas
0:08:37 > 0:08:41aren't happy with the quality of calls and coverage they receive.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Worse still, just over 80,000 premises
0:08:44 > 0:08:46are in complete so-called mobile "not spots",
0:08:46 > 0:08:49where there's no coverage at all.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Now, you might think it's one of the joys of being in the countryside,
0:08:53 > 0:08:54getting away from it all
0:08:54 > 0:08:57without your mobile phone going off every five minutes.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00But for people who live and work here, it's a serious problem.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04- There you go.- Thank you very much.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11John Whitwell is a vet serving the moorlands of North Yorkshire.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14I'm heading out with him on his rounds in Rosedale,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17but first he needs to check his phone messages.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- So, John, this is where you have to come to get a signal?- Yes.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25We're about five miles away from the practice and, really,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27since we turned out of the gate we've had no mobile signal,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29and so I've got to check it now
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and see if I've been needed between now and then.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36John's visiting one of his regulars,
0:09:36 > 0:09:38whose calf has suspected pneumonia.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Adrian Dowsland is one of several farmers in the valley
0:09:41 > 0:09:44that need John to be on call 24/7.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- How are we doing, Adrian, all right? - Not bad, John, yourself?
0:09:47 > 0:09:49- Not too bad. - Morning, Adrian.- Morning.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54'At certain times of the year, being in touch is crucial.'
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Particularly during the spring, when we're lambing and calving,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00five, ten minutes can make all the difference
0:10:00 > 0:10:03between having a positive result and a negative result.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06The other thing is, for the likes of Adrian,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09if he rings, I answer the phone, I can say to him,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12"Look, Adrian, I'm going to be 20-25 minutes."
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Immediately, he knows, one, that I've got the message,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18two, that I'm going to be there, when I'm going to be there,
0:10:18 > 0:10:19and his stress levels drop, as well.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22It makes life more stressful for everybody, it takes up time
0:10:22 > 0:10:25and, yeah, it doesn't make it impossible
0:10:25 > 0:10:29to provide an emergency service, but it makes life more difficult.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Good boy.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Two quite long-acting injections, these, Adrian,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36the anti-inflammatory will last for three days.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38'But on an isolated farm like this
0:10:38 > 0:10:40'it's not just animals that are at risk.'
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Adrian, for you farming out here on your own -
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- and it's a dangerous job, farming...- Yeah.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49..what impact is the lack of mobile phone having?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Well, I think a lot of it comes down to being by yourself.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57A lot of these farms, you know, you're by yourself,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59gathering on the moor, we have moor sheep.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04You could slip, you could have a quad bike overturn...
0:11:05 > 0:11:07You know, dealing with the cattle, you know,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09when you have cows and you're dealing with them,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12you could get kicked, you could be laid out,
0:11:12 > 0:11:13and you're by yourself, like.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18And despite poor coverage, Adrian doesn't get a cheaper tariff.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Somebody did tell us that I pay £15 a month to know what time it is.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23THEY LAUGH
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Having no or poor signal isn't just a problem for farmers and vets.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31The Country Land And Business Association
0:11:31 > 0:11:35says better mobile coverage is as important as effective broadband
0:11:35 > 0:11:39in ensuring that rural businesses can compete fairly.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Now, we hear a lot about the problems
0:11:42 > 0:11:44caused by the lack of rural broadband,
0:11:44 > 0:11:48yet mobile phones have been around for more than 20 years
0:11:48 > 0:11:51and in places like this there's still no signal.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56Across the country, in rural areas, coverage is far from comprehensive.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The Countryside Alliance sees it as such a problem
0:12:00 > 0:12:04it's worked with commercial research company RootMetrics
0:12:04 > 0:12:08to build up a picture of national coverage and its rural shortcomings.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13And here they are, the top testing team.
0:12:13 > 0:12:14- Hi.- Hello!
0:12:14 > 0:12:16So you're actually testing as you go?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Yeah, we've got our two kits in here right now
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and they continuously go through our testing sequence while we drive.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26'They've been testing indoors and out, day and night.'
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- This is our testing kit. - How does this work?
0:12:29 > 0:12:32We have a phone from each operator,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35so one from Vodafone, EE, 3 and O2.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40'The team covered 25,000 miles, up, down and across the country,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43'to build up a picture of what people can really expect
0:12:43 > 0:12:44'from their mobile provider.'
0:12:44 > 0:12:46No surprise that in rural areas
0:12:46 > 0:12:50it is harder to get a signal, it is harder to make a phone call.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53It's not always the case that there's such a big divide
0:12:53 > 0:12:55between cities and rural locations -
0:12:55 > 0:12:57sometimes even in cities you'll find it very hard
0:12:57 > 0:12:59to get a signal and to make a call.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02But the high-level figure really is
0:13:02 > 0:13:05that outside of a town you're four to five times more likely
0:13:05 > 0:13:08to suffer a dropped call than you are inside a town.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11And that's from our study across the whole of the UK.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Now, that's not just because
0:13:14 > 0:13:17rural areas have fewer masts than towns or cities.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Hills and valleys certainly play their part
0:13:20 > 0:13:22in blocking phone signals.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25But, whatever the cause, there are still hundreds of thousands
0:13:25 > 0:13:27of customers in the countryside
0:13:27 > 0:13:30with a poor, unreliable, or non-existent service.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34What are the chances that people in rural areas
0:13:34 > 0:13:37will get the phone coverage they're paying for?
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Well, I'll be finding out later.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47I'm in Norfolk, on the lookout for a rural relic
0:13:47 > 0:13:52with a story to tell about this country's rich agricultural past.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Explore the local countryside
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and you won't have to go too far to find one -
0:13:58 > 0:14:00lurking forlornly in a farmyard,
0:14:00 > 0:14:05providing a haphazard henhouse, or quietly rusting away under a tree.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08The shepherd's hut.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11This simple structure is intimately linked with Norfolk's history,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13as I'm about to find out.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Ian McDonald and Richard King are dedicated huttists
0:14:19 > 0:14:21who have researched their history
0:14:21 > 0:14:24and provide a rescue and restoration service.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- Hello, guys.- Hi.- Hi, Ian, pleased to meet you.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- Pleased to meet you, too. - Hello, Richard.- Hello.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32- Working away?- Yes.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34- What were they used for?- This is where the shepherd used to live.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38He used to have all his tools in here, his potions, his tar.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41He also used to sleep in the hut, but with the orphan lambs as well.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44So what's your involvement with them now?
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Well, there are so many of these still out there
0:14:46 > 0:14:49in various states of decay and despair,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53and we've become an unofficial re-homing service, I guess.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56People contact us and we put them in touch with each other.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59This old girl's been around now for well over 100 years.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02It's seen both world wars.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05It's an important piece of our real heritage.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Once a common feature of this landscape,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12shepherds' huts fell into disuse after the war.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16There are now only a handful of original ones left.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18- I'm just dying to get in there.- Yes.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20- Let's have a go.- Shall we have a go? - Yes.- Shall we get in?
0:15:20 > 0:15:22- It's a lot bigger than you'd think.- Yes.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27It's quite spacious. I can confirm there's a few spiders in here!
0:15:27 > 0:15:29- Shall we go and find your partner in crime?- Yes, certainly.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- Shall we go and see what he's up to?- Yeah.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37Richard is prepping the hut to be moved to a new location for repairs.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39- Right, Richard. Digging away.- Yes.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41So what's the plan for this hut today?
0:15:41 > 0:15:44We've got some framework inside the hut
0:15:44 > 0:15:47which we've built to support the structure when we lift it up.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49We need that wheel dug out.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52- Yeah.- So there's a bit of work getting that one moved.- OK. OK.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54No problem. I can do this.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57It might take a while, though!
0:16:00 > 0:16:01It's all hands to the pumps
0:16:01 > 0:16:06as we prepare to move the hut for the first time in decades.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12But will it stay in one piece?
0:16:21 > 0:16:23- You worried?- Slightly, yes.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I hope it stays together. We all hope it stays together!
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Well, as this hut goes off to begin a new life,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00I'm off to meet someone for whom shepherds' huts
0:17:00 > 0:17:02hold a very special significance.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05I'm dying to look at it.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08THEY LAUGH
0:17:08 > 0:17:11'During the Second World War, Phyllis Pauley lived here in Norfolk
0:17:11 > 0:17:15'in a hut with her grandfather every spring during the lambing season.
0:17:15 > 0:17:21'Today is the first time she's seen a shepherd's hut since 1949.'
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Oh, gosh!
0:17:25 > 0:17:29- Oh. Oh, could I touch it? - You can.- Oh!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33- Off you go.- Oh!
0:17:34 > 0:17:36My goodness!
0:17:37 > 0:17:43Oh, that brings back so many happy memories.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45This is gorgeous.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58I really could cry. This is wonderful.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02And when I think, years ago,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06my grandad had his bed there.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09I had my bed here.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13We had a big stove there.
0:18:15 > 0:18:21That side was a box with the little lambs in,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24which, if any of them were sick,
0:18:24 > 0:18:29I used to take to bed and cuddle them.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32And because that was during the war,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36there were no men to help Grandad.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40- What was it like in the depths of winter? Was it freezing?- Yes.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44We used to have very, very cold winters,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46so everything outside
0:18:46 > 0:18:49would be frozen and cold,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51but in there, that was lovely!
0:18:51 > 0:18:53SHE LAUGHS
0:18:58 > 0:19:01They were such happy days.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06And I'm sure, um, Grandad's watching.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10- I'm sure he is! - What do you think he's saying?
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I wouldn't like to tell you!
0:19:12 > 0:19:14THEY LAUGH
0:19:16 > 0:19:18These historic huts and their stories
0:19:18 > 0:19:21are now being preserved by enthusiasts -
0:19:21 > 0:19:25a reminder of their special role in Norfolk's shepherding past.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35In a couple of weeks' time, Countryfile will be playing host
0:19:35 > 0:19:39to the legendary One Man And His Dog sheepdog trials.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Between now and then, we'll be meeting all the teams taking part.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46The best young handlers will be teamed up with
0:19:46 > 0:19:49the most skilful senior shepherds from England, Ireland,
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Scotland and Wales,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54as together with their four-legged friends, they battle it out,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58all hoping to become champion of 2014.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Later, Helen will be meeting the team hoping to cover Wales in glory.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06But first, we sent Shauna to the northernmost tip of Scotland
0:20:06 > 0:20:08to meet their contenders.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Ahead of me are just the turbulent seas of the Pentland Firth
0:20:14 > 0:20:16and the distant cliffs of the Orkney Islands.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23And you can't get further within mainland Scotland
0:20:23 > 0:20:25than here on the dramatic northern coast.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36It may be remote, but inland,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39within the rolling fertile farmland
0:20:39 > 0:20:41around the town of Thurso in Caithness,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44there are still plenty of sheep that need herding.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49And hoping to bring the One Man And His Dog title
0:20:49 > 0:20:51back to this far-flung corner of Scotland
0:20:51 > 0:20:54is Michael Shearer and his working dog, Jim.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- Such a beautiful day.- Oh, yes. - You're very lucky, Michael.- Oh, yes.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- This is a great place to live.- Well, it's...- Some of the time?- It can be.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05- It can be on a good day.- Yeah.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09'Michael was the first of the family to trial sheepdogs,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12'and when he took it up, almost 30 years ago,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15'he was gifted a bit of beginner's luck.'
0:21:15 > 0:21:17You did have a bit of success, didn't you, early on?
0:21:17 > 0:21:20I won the Novice Cup, which was a bit of encouragement,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24but the downside was it was only myself that was competing for it!
0:21:24 > 0:21:28That's a smart move! I did the same with a tennis cup at school.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33You go for the one that nobody else has entered.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36'When starting out, Michael may have had some good fortune,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38'but since then he has been prolific
0:21:38 > 0:21:41'and has a string of honours to his name,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45'including success as a singles champion in One Man And His Dog
0:21:45 > 0:21:46'almost 20 years ago.'
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Sit!
0:21:47 > 0:21:51'And they're in. Well, that was extremely skilful shepherding
0:21:51 > 0:21:53'and what a great trial to watch.'
0:21:54 > 0:21:5717 years on, he may have a different dog in Jim,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59but could Michael be capable
0:21:59 > 0:22:02of winning One Man And His Dog yet again?
0:22:03 > 0:22:07- When they start to run, the whole lot goes.- Yeah. There they go.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08Well done, Jim.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14So now you've tasted success,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17how do you think you're going to do this year at One Man And His Dog?
0:22:17 > 0:22:20I don't know how I'll do, but I'll certainly be trying my hardest.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- Have you been training?- Well, you do a little bit of training,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27but the work on the farm here now, it takes that much time that the...
0:22:27 > 0:22:30I'd like the dog to be a lot fitter than he is at the moment.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32And how do you think he's going to fare,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34- because he's quite a nervous dog, isn't he?- He can be.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Certain things unsettle him, so it just depends. On home ground
0:22:38 > 0:22:43he's no problem, but away from home, he can act funny sometimes.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46What is it about Jim that makes him so special?
0:22:46 > 0:22:50He responds to every whistle you give him. He's very responsive.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53You don't need to tell him twice - usually.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Hopefully you'll get that One Man And His Dog trophy back again.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- You never know.- You try your best.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01If your dog works well on the sheep, runs for you,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03you've got a good chance.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Despite his modesty, as a past master,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09it would be foolish to underestimate the challenge
0:23:09 > 0:23:13from this mesmerising duo of Michael Shearer and Jim.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Come on!
0:23:16 > 0:23:18But who's going to be Michael's team-mate?
0:23:18 > 0:23:21From Scotland's remote northern coastline, I've travelled south
0:23:21 > 0:23:25to the glorious glens, forests and fells of Perthshire.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Scotland's spellbinding but rugged terrain
0:23:34 > 0:23:38is a challenge for even the most experienced of shepherds.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42But on the shores of stunning Loch Earn lives an 18-year-old handler
0:23:42 > 0:23:43who, despite his age,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46can whip a hillside full of sheep into shape in no time.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Representing Scotland in this year's Young Handler class
0:23:56 > 0:23:58is Alan MacKenzie with his dog, Cole.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04'As a self-employed shepherd, Alan works with three dogs -
0:24:04 > 0:24:06'Cole and Ben, his collies,
0:24:06 > 0:24:07'and his third dog, Tooey,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11'is a breed that originates from the other side of the world,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13'a New Zealand huntaway.'
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- So the Border collies are good at weaving and herding the sheep.- Yep.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18What does the huntaway do?
0:24:18 > 0:24:21The huntaway's good at, like, say the sheep were in front of you,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23they're good at, like, pushing them away forward.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27- Pushes them on?- Yeah. And saves a lot of work for the rearers.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- The less energy they use, I can use them at the end...- OK.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33..to get the sheep mostly in.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35It's an impressive trio,
0:24:35 > 0:24:39but Alan can only take one of his dogs into the competition.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42So you're going to concentrate on Cole this time for the competition.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- Yeah, yeah.- How do you think he's going to perform?
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Well, I just hope the sheep are heavy,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51because Cole likes to kind of push the sheep about.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53He likes to be the boss.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55And on this type of terrain,
0:24:55 > 0:24:59you certainly need a dog who's boss to herd blackface Scottish ewes,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02a breed of sheep that's notoriously difficult to handle.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06So, how long have you had Cole for?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Just before lambing time. I bought him off of Dad.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11- So your dad made you buy him, he didn't give him to you?!- No.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- That's a tough dad!- I know! - Oh, my God!
0:25:15 > 0:25:18- So, have you had to work at building the bond up with him?- No.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21- I've known him since he was a pup, so...- Yeah.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22And he was a very friendly pup -
0:25:22 > 0:25:25even though he's very tough out on the working,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29when he was a pup, he was the runt of the litter
0:25:29 > 0:25:34and Dad thought if he can pull through being the runt,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36- he should be tough enough to do work.- Mm-hm.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39- And he's proven himself now. - Yeah, he's very tough, yeah.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41So, from being the runt of the litter
0:25:41 > 0:25:43to a possible One Man And His Dog champion.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45- Yeah.- What do you think of that?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47I would like that. Yeah. A lot.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Alan started helping out on the family farm
0:25:55 > 0:25:58as soon as he could fit in his wellies and walk,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00and now that he's representing Scotland,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04you won't find anyone prouder in Perthshire than his mum Mhairi.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08And how do you feel about Alan representing his country?
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Oh, it's amazing. You don't get better than that, do you?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Just excited - we're just so proud.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17You know, he's so happy, and that makes me happy.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19That's nice. Will you be nervous for him?
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Very. I'll probably be standing there crying!
0:26:23 > 0:26:25He'll be like, "Shut up, Mum!"
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Oh, no! You're going to embarrass him, are you?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37So, waving the saltire for Scotland,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40young handler Alan McKenzie with his dog Cole.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46Together with Michael Shearer and Jim, that is Team Scotland.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Now, earlier, we heard about the problems
0:26:56 > 0:26:59caused by the lack of mobile-phone coverage in rural areas.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01PHONE RINGS Hello?
0:27:01 > 0:27:04So what is being done to get us all connected?
0:27:04 > 0:27:05Here's Charlotte.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Finding a signal can be a real problem
0:27:09 > 0:27:12for people who live and work in the countryside.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Apparently it's even an issue for the Prime Minister.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19While he was on holiday in Cornwall earlier this year,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22David Cameron had to drive to the top of the nearest hill
0:27:22 > 0:27:26so he could get enough signal to talk to other world leaders.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Well, since then, he's urged ministers
0:27:28 > 0:27:32to improve the mobile-phone signal in rural areas.
0:27:33 > 0:27:34So how's that going?
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Well, in the past 12 months,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38the village of Weaverthorpe in North Yorkshire
0:27:38 > 0:27:40has gone from little or no coverage
0:27:40 > 0:27:43to a signal that now covers virtually the whole community.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Hello, Andrew, it's Charlotte. Where are you?
0:27:49 > 0:27:53The Masons' family farm sits in the shadow of the Weaverthorpe mast,
0:27:53 > 0:27:58upgraded as part of a £150 million government initiative
0:27:58 > 0:28:03to tackle not-spots - that's areas with no mobile-phone signal.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- Hi, Andrew.- Hi, Charlotte. - Nice to meet you.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08So, what difference has this made?
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Oh, a big difference. We've got coverage everywhere.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14We can talk to anybody anywhere.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16It's really done a good job.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21Has it made a difference to the way you work on the farm?
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Well, it's certainly safer, because we can be out in the fields,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26and we're in contact at home all the time,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29so we don't take the risk, really, that we did before.
0:28:31 > 0:28:32For Andrew's son Jonathan,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36finally being part of the digital age is a breath of fresh air -
0:28:36 > 0:28:39and not just because he can now text his mates.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41It's made a real difference to the farm.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44It's made the running of the farm a lot easier.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Cos actually a lot of the forms that you have to fill in,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49for instance for the government, they're all on online now.
0:28:49 > 0:28:50Yeah, they are now, yeah.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52And it means we can fill these in in the field,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56without having to return back to the office many times through the day.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58I think, looking to the future,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00it's going to make things much more efficient
0:29:00 > 0:29:01as more technology becomes available,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04and we're going to have to look to try and utilise that better.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09The government's mobile infrastructure project
0:29:09 > 0:29:10has a long way to go yet.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14The aim is to extend coverage to 60,000 homes
0:29:14 > 0:29:18in hundreds of rural areas that currently have no coverage.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Weaverthorpe is one of just two communities
0:29:20 > 0:29:23to have benefited so far.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25It means we can contact parents by their mobile phones
0:29:25 > 0:29:27if there's a problem with their children
0:29:27 > 0:29:29or if we want to get messages through to them.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31A lot of people that come here are from the cities,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33so they're used to having mobile reception,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36so on holiday it makes the element of their holiday a lot better.
0:29:38 > 0:29:39No complaints here, then.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46But the fact the government project has now been running for 18 months,
0:29:46 > 0:29:48and there are still only two live sights,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51has led to criticism about the speed of the roll-out -
0:29:51 > 0:29:53or lack of it.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56No-one from the Department Of Culture, Media and Sport
0:29:56 > 0:29:59was available for an interview, but they told us...
0:30:03 > 0:30:04They also said...
0:30:08 > 0:30:11..in any project of this size.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15But should we be using public money to buy better coverage?
0:30:15 > 0:30:19Most of us already pay mobile-phone bills, and there's no discount
0:30:19 > 0:30:22if you live in an area with little or no coverage.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28The government has suggested a system of national roaming,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30where mobile companies share transmitters.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34But the idea didn't go down well with the industry.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Phone operators told us that in their view,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40roaming would create technical issues that would lead to
0:30:40 > 0:30:42a poorer network experience
0:30:42 > 0:30:45for the very customers they're trying to help.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Some also felt it was unfair to ask them to share services
0:30:48 > 0:30:49with their competitors.
0:30:49 > 0:30:54However, they do say that they're doing other things
0:30:54 > 0:30:55to get rural Britain connected.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Paul Ceely is form the largest network operator, EE.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01We've already replaced all of the equipment,
0:31:01 > 0:31:05and so the engineer just there is enabling it.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08He's essentially turning it on, bringing it into operation.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11EE is currently upgrading all its masts.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13It says that'll improve coverage -
0:31:13 > 0:31:17but why didn't it cover the whole country in the first place?
0:31:17 > 0:31:19People really weren't mobile-centric.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21They didn't really think about.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Back in those days, we actually struggled to encourage people
0:31:24 > 0:31:26to accept this as a technology.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28The thing is, there's a lot of physical stuff -
0:31:28 > 0:31:30you can see that site there, there's cables,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32and all of these kind of things.
0:31:32 > 0:31:33It takes a long time and a lot of work
0:31:33 > 0:31:35to get these networks out there.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36But as I say, 20 years ago,
0:31:36 > 0:31:40people, really, in many places, didn't actually want mobile.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42But now they do, and that's great.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43So it's their own fault...
0:31:43 > 0:31:45that they haven't got a mobile phone signal.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47I wouldn't say it's their own fault,
0:31:47 > 0:31:50it just takes a very long time to get these things done.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55EE says it already covers 99.4% of the population -
0:31:55 > 0:32:00but, as we've heard, coverage doesn't necessarily mean a reliable signal.
0:32:00 > 0:32:06And that still leaves around 380,000 people with no signal at all.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09EE says that's something it is trying to address.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11This is where we're looking at the rural solutions.
0:32:11 > 0:32:12Technology's changed,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14and now you can get some lower-cost solutions,
0:32:14 > 0:32:16and those people, it probably doesn't make sense
0:32:16 > 0:32:17to have a full site like this,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20so we're looking at other ways of extending the coverage even further,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23beyond the 99.4%, and we're looking at trialling some of those things.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26And you see the competition - we're spurring each other on
0:32:26 > 0:32:29in trying to roll out and get these rural solutions out there.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31And that's the way I think we as an industry can help -
0:32:31 > 0:32:35by competing with each other to improve the mobile-phone service
0:32:35 > 0:32:36beyond where it is today.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42So, despite all the problems posed by remote rural areas
0:32:42 > 0:32:45with their signal-blocking hills and valleys,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48both the government and mobile-phone operators
0:32:48 > 0:32:50are working to improve coverage.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53But for some, it's too little and too late.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59If you're on holiday, then the lack of mobile signal
0:32:59 > 0:33:03can be part of relaxing in beautiful, rural surroundings.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05But people who live and work here point out
0:33:05 > 0:33:08that it is the 21st century, and they need to be connected.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11They don't want to be part of a British countryside where,
0:33:11 > 0:33:14as the old joke has it, conversations begin and end with,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16"Hello? Hello?"
0:33:19 > 0:33:21JULES: I'm in Norfolk,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23and being given a rare glimpse behind the scenes
0:33:23 > 0:33:28at Stanford Training Area, one of the MOD's largest live firing ranges.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34All told, it's about 25,000 acres in size.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40The training area was established during World War II,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43with the need for the Army to have live firing practice
0:33:43 > 0:33:45for tanks and heavy artillery.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55But the war effort was to have a huge impact
0:33:55 > 0:33:59on both the land and on the lives of the people who lived here.
0:34:00 > 0:34:06In June 1942, the 600 men, women and children who lived and worked here
0:34:06 > 0:34:08were ordered to leave.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11They were given just three weeks to evacuate their homes
0:34:11 > 0:34:14so the Army could take it over as a training area.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Little remains of the villages at the centre of the evacuation.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24Grass-covered mounds where houses once stood.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29Crumbling walls.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32All that remain standing are the churches.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Esme Reynolds lived in the village of Stanford,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41and was just nine years old when she last saw her home.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48Now, can you make sense of these lumps and bumps now, Esme?
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Yes. This was the front door.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52So this... I'm walking through the front door now?
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- Front door there, yes.- So, this was your sitting room.- That's right.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58There was a bay window there that looked straight down the road there.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- So that was the bay window. - That was the bay window, yes.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05- Bedroom there, bedroom there. - Which bedroom was yours?
0:35:05 > 0:35:06My earliest memory was this one here.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09The layout really is a bit like an aeroplane,
0:35:09 > 0:35:10there were wings either side,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13there's the nose and there's the tail.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18- Any running water?- No, there was a well just over there, in the yard,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21and it was about 70 feet deep, I'm told.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24And then, over the other side was what we called a wash house.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28In there was where you could wash your clothes
0:35:28 > 0:35:31and there was a big fire, you were nice and warm
0:35:31 > 0:35:35so you could have a bath in there, the old tin bath in there.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Your recollections of your home are amazing, Esme.
0:35:38 > 0:35:43- You clearly have some very happy memories of life here.- Yes, I have.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47That was the old oak tree which had my swing on it.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52It was enormous in those days. It's very sad to see it like that now.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56- It's absolutely heartbreaking. Your swing was on that tree?- Yes, it was.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02At the stroke of a government pen,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06the villages of Stanford, Tottington and West Tofts were cleared
0:36:06 > 0:36:10to make way for troops preparing to take the fight to Hitler's forces.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17Do you remember the day
0:36:17 > 0:36:20when you got the message through that you had to leave?
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I remember how horrified my parents were.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27And, of course, I was nine, so I didn't realise how bad it was.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31They were very upset and, of course,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34everybody was told they must find their own accommodation
0:36:34 > 0:36:36and they must get out within three weeks.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39- So there was no help given? - Very little.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Just down the road lived Esme's cousin, Marion Butler.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48She was 16 at the time of the compulsory evacuation.
0:36:48 > 0:36:54- So this is your old house? - It was, yes. Not a house now, is it?
0:36:54 > 0:36:59- Was it a very close-knit community? - Yes, very. Everybody knew everybody,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02sort of thing, inside out.
0:37:02 > 0:37:03At the end of the war,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06some of the requisitioned land was given back,
0:37:06 > 0:37:10but the MoD still needed a core area in which to train,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12and this included the three villages.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14My mother was bitterly disappointed
0:37:14 > 0:37:18when she was told that they were keeping it after the war,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20because she wanted to come back.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24But what would we have come back to
0:37:24 > 0:37:27when the Army had been using the place
0:37:27 > 0:37:30and the houses were getting tumbled down?
0:37:30 > 0:37:33I mean, the Army now have still got it, after all these years.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Earlier, Shauna met the Scottish team
0:37:45 > 0:37:47who will be competing in this year's
0:37:47 > 0:37:49One Man And His Dog championship.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51And Helen has been out and about too,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55meeting the handlers and their dogs who will be representing Wales.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03The green, green grass of Wales.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Grazing on her lush hills and serene valleys
0:38:05 > 0:38:07are more than nine million sheep.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11And where there's sheep, there's dogs that work them.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14I'm at the foot of the Brecon Beacons
0:38:14 > 0:38:18to meet a man who knows a thing or two about what makes a good sheepdog.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Lying under these old red-sandstone peaks
0:38:24 > 0:38:27is Kevin Evans's family farm and base,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29from where he travels the world
0:38:29 > 0:38:32buying, selling and training sheepdogs.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34With over 30 Border collies he could choose from
0:38:34 > 0:38:37to take to this year's championship,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39for Kevin the selection is simple.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41He is taking his top dog, Jimmy.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45This feels like a scene from a film, The Man With 1,000 Dogs!
0:38:45 > 0:38:48How do you pick a good competition dog, then?
0:38:48 > 0:38:52Out of this 30, I'm guessing some are better than others. No offence.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54I like to have a dog with a good temperament,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58they've got to be very focused on work and really enjoy to be trained.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00And then you can work with a lot of the other faults,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02because they've all got them.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05You're taking Jimmy into One Man And His Dog. Why Jimmy?
0:39:05 > 0:39:07Well, Jimmy has become a bit of a favourite of mine.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09I have had him a few years now.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12- He was the Welsh champion last year. - Where is Jimmy?- This is him.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15- And how old is Jimmy?- He's five now.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17So, Jimmy, the stage is set for you.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21This bond between one man and his dog
0:39:21 > 0:39:24has proved to be a partnership to be reckoned with.
0:39:24 > 0:39:25With loyal companion Jimmy
0:39:25 > 0:39:28securing Kevin a win for Wales two years ago...
0:39:28 > 0:39:33The champions again of One Man And His Dog 2012!
0:39:33 > 0:39:36..but that wasn't the first time Kevin appeared.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40Back in 1996, Kevin was a baby-faced 13-year-old young handler -
0:39:40 > 0:39:43and, guess what, he won that as well.
0:39:46 > 0:39:47Despite his past success,
0:39:47 > 0:39:51for Kevin, representing his country is still a daunting experience.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53You have won it before.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56How are you feeling going into One Man And His Dog this time?
0:39:56 > 0:40:00I think it will be a very good competition.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02There are four very good handlers
0:40:02 > 0:40:04so I just hope I don't let my country down.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10Kevin may be feeling the pressure of winning it for Wales,
0:40:10 > 0:40:14but expectation is high as his family aren't used to settling for second.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19In 2009, his partner Sophie was also victorious,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22albeit winning for a rival nation.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25A superb round from Sophie Holt.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28CHEERING
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Do you ever compete against each other?
0:40:30 > 0:40:33- Yes, we compete against each other every week.- Every week?
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Every weekend at trials, Sophie is with me
0:40:35 > 0:40:38- and we are in the same competition. - Who's better out of you two, then?
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Well, it's a happy household when she wins!
0:40:42 > 0:40:45With winning in the blood, it's odds-on that Kevin and Sophie
0:40:45 > 0:40:46could be the proud parents
0:40:46 > 0:40:50of the victorious young handler in 18 years' time, with their son Ellis.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57- So this is the next sheepdog trial champion?- Maybe.- How old is he?
0:40:57 > 0:41:00- He's eight months now. - And what is he like around the dogs?
0:41:00 > 0:41:02He loves the dogs at the moment.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05He gets dragged to all the trials all over the country,
0:41:05 > 0:41:07so maybe by the time he's old enough to work a dog
0:41:07 > 0:41:08he might be sick of it.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10Will he be at One Man And His Dog?
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Yeah, he will be coming up to support, won't you? Yes.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16- It's a family occasion, by the sounds of it.- Yes, definitely.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Well, all the very best. I look forward to seeing you there.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20Thank you.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22With his family and nation rooting for him,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Kevin and Jimmy could be a tough act to beat.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28But they are not representing Wales alone.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Travelling west through the beautiful Brecon Beacons
0:41:35 > 0:41:36and Wales' majestic valleys,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39lives the young handler and trusty sheepdog
0:41:39 > 0:41:41that complete this year's Welsh line-up.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45At 15 years old, Ellen Hope is the youngest handler in the competition,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48and she will be competing with her dog Floss.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Ellen may still be at school but this girl means business.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Even on a rain-swept day like today,
0:41:56 > 0:42:00there's nowhere Ellen would rather be than on the farm working her dogs,
0:42:00 > 0:42:04but not all of them are accomplished at herding sheep.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08I am no expert, but I think we've got an unusual contender.
0:42:08 > 0:42:14- Who's this?- That's Gwen, the corgi. - Gwen, the corgi. Of course.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16How come you've ended up with a corgi in this pack?
0:42:16 > 0:42:18We had her about a year ago
0:42:18 > 0:42:21and she likes the sheepdogs and plays with them,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24so we thought we will put her in the pack.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28- I am going to go out on a limb here. Does Gwen compete?- No!
0:42:28 > 0:42:30She doesn't compete.
0:42:32 > 0:42:33'Never mind Gwen,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36'when it comes to competing there's only one dog for Helen -
0:42:36 > 0:42:38'and that is Floss.'
0:42:38 > 0:42:41What do you think Floss's strengths and weaknesses are?
0:42:41 > 0:42:44Well, her strengths are, like, controlling different kind of sheep
0:42:44 > 0:42:48but, when they're close-up, she can come in quite tight
0:42:48 > 0:42:50and spook the sheep out.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Floss seems up to it, she always has her tongue out,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54is that a sign of concentration?
0:42:54 > 0:42:55It might be!
0:42:55 > 0:42:57Away.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00'Ellen is not only the youngest competitor this year,
0:43:00 > 0:43:02'she's also the only female taking part.'
0:43:03 > 0:43:08- Are any of your friends involved in farming or trialling?- Not really, no.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12- How many girls do you see on the competition circuit?- Not much.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15- But there are more than there used to be.- So you're flying the flag?
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Yes.
0:43:17 > 0:43:18With a partnership of this calibre,
0:43:18 > 0:43:22Ellen has the composure to take everything in her stride,
0:43:22 > 0:43:25even a flock of 200 Welsh ewes.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28The striking thing about Ellen is, she is so calm.
0:43:28 > 0:43:29She has 200 ewe lambs
0:43:29 > 0:43:32who aren't necessarily doing what she needs them to do,
0:43:32 > 0:43:35but she hasn't raised her voice, she's not panicking.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37In return, neither is Floss.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41This part of Team Wales is one to be reckoned with.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46Although Ellen's dad Ashley doesn't trial himself,
0:43:46 > 0:43:49as a proud parent, on competition day,
0:43:49 > 0:43:52he will be living and breathing every "come by" his daughter commands.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57She seems pretty calm. How do you feel
0:43:57 > 0:44:00when she is in the middle of a competition?
0:44:00 > 0:44:01I am very nervous, really,
0:44:01 > 0:44:06because I want to try and get out on the trial field and, you know,
0:44:06 > 0:44:09"Come on, sheep", when the sheep are going the wrong way.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12- You carry the nerves for her. - Yeah, I think so.
0:44:12 > 0:44:13From what I have seen,
0:44:13 > 0:44:16I don't think there's anything to be nervous about.
0:44:20 > 0:44:21So that is our Welsh team -
0:44:21 > 0:44:26young handler Ellen Hope with her dog Floss, and Kevin Evans with Jimmy.
0:44:38 > 0:44:42With dramatic skies that stretch from horizon to horizon,
0:44:42 > 0:44:47rustic countryside, and mile upon mile of empty windswept beaches,
0:44:47 > 0:44:53Norfolk is a feast for the eyes and a worthy subject for any artist.
0:44:56 > 0:44:57But, for the painter I am about to meet,
0:44:57 > 0:45:01there is something even more captivating about Norfolk
0:45:01 > 0:45:03than the landscape - and that's the people.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10Up-and-coming artist Jane Hodgson paints only outdoors,
0:45:10 > 0:45:12capturing Norfolk's traditional workers
0:45:12 > 0:45:16going about their tasks in all seasons and all weather.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20- Hello, Jane.- Hello. Nice to see you.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22Nice to be in an artist's studio and, I must say,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25- your paintings are beautiful.- Thank you.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28I have noticed a lot of them have people in. Why people?
0:45:28 > 0:45:30Well, people are what interest me.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32But in Norfolk you're painting
0:45:32 > 0:45:34a particular type of person, aren't you?
0:45:34 > 0:45:36Yes, well, they've got to be outside
0:45:36 > 0:45:40and, also, if they're doing something like mussel-riddling,
0:45:40 > 0:45:45then it is going to be repetitive motions so that I can watch them.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47Because no-one is posing for me,
0:45:47 > 0:45:50so I've got to just watch and catch the right thing.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53Tell me about the style, your style of painting. What is it?
0:45:53 > 0:45:55Well, because of the way I paint,
0:45:55 > 0:45:58it's very direct and it's got to be fast,
0:45:58 > 0:46:00which people would call impressionistic
0:46:00 > 0:46:03because it's not particularly definite.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05But I just call it blobby!
0:46:06 > 0:46:10I want to keep the spontaneity and freshness.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13- Well, I would love to see you work. - Good, let's go.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15- Lead the way. Shall I take this?- Yes.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24Many of Jane's paintings feature workers
0:46:24 > 0:46:26on Norfolk's extensive shoreline.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29She has brought me to one of her favourite spots to paint,
0:46:29 > 0:46:32the long strip of shingle at Weybourne Beach.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38But far from striking a pose,
0:46:38 > 0:46:41crab fishermen like Richard Matthews have a living to make,
0:46:41 > 0:46:43so Jane works around them,
0:46:43 > 0:46:47sketching and snapping them at work before filling in the detail later.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58Richard waits for no man, woman or artist, does he?
0:46:58 > 0:47:01- That was super-quick.- None of the people I paint stick around.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05They're all working, they're all busy.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07- But it also means you have to work very quickly.- Yes.
0:47:07 > 0:47:10Is it just fishermen that you paint?
0:47:10 > 0:47:12No, I like people who do things,
0:47:12 > 0:47:14and it's seasonal.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16It's crabs during the summer,
0:47:16 > 0:47:21then it goes into sedge early autumn, then it goes into mussels.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23After Christmas, it's reed-cutting.
0:47:23 > 0:47:25And then we're back round to the crabs.
0:47:25 > 0:47:28Even in the depths of winter when it's freezing cold.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31If someone had said to you 25 years ago,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35you're going to be spending hours on a beach in Norfolk
0:47:35 > 0:47:36painting fishermen,
0:47:36 > 0:47:41- what would you have said to them?- How weird!
0:47:41 > 0:47:46Cos that's the other thing, actually taking the leap and persisting,
0:47:46 > 0:47:48because everyone is bad when they start
0:47:48 > 0:47:51and you've just got to keep practising.
0:47:59 > 0:48:00A couple of hours later,
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and fisherman Richard is back with his haul.
0:48:09 > 0:48:13- What do you make of Jane?- She is a tough little character, yeah.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16- She's good, she sticks at it. - She does stick at it.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19She told me that she is here regardless of the weather.
0:48:19 > 0:48:23- Is that true?- Oh, she's here. Yeah, she's here.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25I've seen her down here when the stones are frozen.
0:48:25 > 0:48:27What do you make of the art?
0:48:27 > 0:48:28When she first used to come down
0:48:28 > 0:48:30there was certainly room for improvement.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32We couldn't work out who was who.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34But she's getting there now, I think.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37Some of her skies are pretty good, yeah, she's getting there.
0:48:37 > 0:48:39Jane's paintings are now being included
0:48:39 > 0:48:41in major UK exhibitions,
0:48:41 > 0:48:44but she still values Richard's feedback.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49- Hi, Jane.- Hello.- We have come to... Look who I've brought with me.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52- Hi, Jane.- Hello.- Come on, Richard, what do we think?
0:48:52 > 0:48:54She's getting there, isn't she?
0:48:54 > 0:48:56That one's you - just in case you didn't know!
0:48:56 > 0:48:58THEY LAUGH
0:48:58 > 0:49:00- You happy with that? - Yeah, I'm happy with that.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04- You can see yourself in it?- I can see myself in it.- The model is happy.
0:49:04 > 0:49:09- Excellent.- What do you think? Happy?- Well, yes, I am.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12I think that's definitely Richard leaping out of the boat.
0:49:12 > 0:49:16And I have got bits I can work on, so, yes, I am pleased.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21Traditional Norfolk in a modern style,
0:49:21 > 0:49:24a snapshot moment of this county's rich history
0:49:24 > 0:49:27captured on canvas and frozen in time.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30Now, Jane is a very hardy woman
0:49:30 > 0:49:32but even she needs to come prepared for the weather.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34So if you want to enjoy the great outdoors
0:49:34 > 0:49:38but need to know whether it's raincoats, long johns or bikinis,
0:49:38 > 0:49:40here's the Countryfile five-day forecast.
0:51:05 > 0:51:07We're in Norfolk,
0:51:07 > 0:51:11and whilst Anita has been getting inspiration from the sea,
0:51:11 > 0:51:13I've been inspired by a rare glimpse
0:51:13 > 0:51:16of a landscape off limits to the general public...
0:51:17 > 0:51:19Stanford Training Area.
0:51:21 > 0:51:25The base encompasses vast tracts of the breathtaking Norfolk scenery
0:51:25 > 0:51:27known as the Breckland.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30The Army use the area for training all year round,
0:51:30 > 0:51:34and this means the land can take quite a pounding.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37So, maintaining the health of the landscape
0:51:37 > 0:51:39has led to a very special collaboration
0:51:39 > 0:51:42between the MoD and conservation groups.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46'Keeping an eye on the state of it all
0:51:46 > 0:51:49'is Ian Levitt from Natural England.'
0:51:49 > 0:51:53This is without question, Ian, a really dramatic landscape.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55Just looking at that angry sky,
0:51:55 > 0:51:58the contrast there with the yellow of the heathland,
0:51:58 > 0:52:00it's pretty special.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03What you're looking at here is a landscape...
0:52:03 > 0:52:07You could be here in the 1930s. Not an awful lot has changed.
0:52:07 > 0:52:12Obviously, this is the largest area of Breck Heath that remains today.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14It supports things like stone curlew and wood lark,
0:52:14 > 0:52:17and a whole range of invertebrate species.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19It's just a wonderful, wonderful place.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23But all of that fauna and flora have got the Army on top of them
0:52:23 > 0:52:26with tanks and boots and shells.
0:52:26 > 0:52:30Their primary purpose is to use the land for military training
0:52:30 > 0:52:32and defence purposes.
0:52:32 > 0:52:34But also, they have a twin responsibly
0:52:34 > 0:52:36to conserve and enhance this environment.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40So, we have to work very closely with them in that respect.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44But the fact that the MoD has been here for so many decades now
0:52:44 > 0:52:46has also preserved huge swathes of this landscape
0:52:46 > 0:52:48that might otherwise have disappeared.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50That's absolutely true.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54If it wasn't for the military, we wouldn't be looking at this today.
0:53:00 > 0:53:05But that collaboration also relies on one more crucial party,
0:53:05 > 0:53:07and that's the farmers who work this land.
0:53:10 > 0:53:1490% of the training ground is turned over to farming,
0:53:14 > 0:53:16and much of the farming done here is sheep,
0:53:16 > 0:53:19with roughly 15,000 of them on site.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23Richard Evans is a tenant farmer
0:53:23 > 0:53:26and has been working on 500 acres of Stanford Training Ground
0:53:26 > 0:53:27for over 30 years.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Richard and his team have been rounding the sheep up
0:53:33 > 0:53:36and are now weighing them, ready for market.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41Oh! Come on, then.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45You know, Richard, when I came to Norfolk,
0:53:45 > 0:53:48I wasn't expecting to see such a collection of exotic-looking sheep.
0:53:48 > 0:53:49What have we got here?
0:53:49 > 0:53:51Well, they're not exactly exotic.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54Half of these sheep are part of a feral flock
0:53:54 > 0:53:57which we inherited when we took the land over.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00The other half are actually Hebrideans,
0:54:00 > 0:54:01which are a native breed.
0:54:01 > 0:54:06- Is this one of the Hebrideans? - Yes.- A stubborn Hebridean at that!
0:54:06 > 0:54:09They are very, very striking with these amazing horns.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12Yes, they're wonderful sheep. They can live off next to nothing
0:54:12 > 0:54:15and still produce a good lamb at the end of the day.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17It doesn't look like particularly rich land.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19No, it's very, very poor land.
0:54:19 > 0:54:24- In Norfolk talk, it's land so hungry it gnaws your boots.- I love it!
0:54:27 > 0:54:29Now, a large part of the area
0:54:29 > 0:54:32is obviously given over to live firing.
0:54:32 > 0:54:36- Does that affect the flock? - No, not too much.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39We get specific times when the firing is going on,
0:54:39 > 0:54:42and specific times when we're free to go in and manage the flocks.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46I guess you're playing a crucial role in managing this landscape,
0:54:46 > 0:54:48because the Army have their use for it,
0:54:48 > 0:54:50- but it does need to be curated in some way.- Absolutely.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53Without grazing, it would obviously become a jungle.
0:54:53 > 0:54:57The sheep keep the grass down, they keep the young trees down.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00Is it quite strange, when you're going about your daily business,
0:55:00 > 0:55:02and then there's a column of troops,
0:55:02 > 0:55:05and armoured vehicles, and whatever else, moving around you,
0:55:05 > 0:55:09and yet here you are, doing the day-to-day of being a shepherd?
0:55:09 > 0:55:12It is odd, and you get some extraordinary incidents.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15I was just minding my own business watching the sheep one day,
0:55:15 > 0:55:19and a paratrooper dropped and was wrapping up his parachute,
0:55:19 > 0:55:22and the rustling of the parachute and his noise,
0:55:22 > 0:55:24the sheep thought they were going to be fed.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27They thought there was something being opened up.
0:55:27 > 0:55:30They ran towards him, and he was absolutely terrified
0:55:30 > 0:55:33and packed up his parachute and came to ask what was going on.
0:55:33 > 0:55:38- How does that work? Farmer, one, Army nil.- Yes, I suppose so, yes!
0:55:38 > 0:55:39Brilliant!
0:55:42 > 0:55:44It's the best of both worlds.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Richard gets land on which to graze his sheep
0:55:47 > 0:55:49and, in return, the land is maintained to a level
0:55:49 > 0:55:52that's right for the MoD to do their training.
0:55:55 > 0:55:59Well, from our sheep-packed show here in Norfolk, it's goodbye.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02Next week, Matt and Anita will be in Devon.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05Matt will be getting stuck in with a Farmers' Co-op on Dartmoor,
0:56:05 > 0:56:07whilst Anita dons her snorkel
0:56:07 > 0:56:10to forage for bogwood on the River Dart.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12Until then, have a good week.