Northants Countryfile

A county of ancient woodland, historic houses, and...

It's long been a centre of excellence for them,

and I'm going to be meeting a young man

who's resurrecting the tanning industry in a rather unusual way...

Never seen anything like that before!

Anita visits a ground-breaking new project

where nature is the key selling point.

On one side, a precinct, and the other...

Tom discovers the harsh realities faced by those living rough

There must be some pretty tough times.

I mean, there must be some pretty bad downsides.

And Adam's on a farm that could spawn a food revolution.

Tastes all right. Yeah. I'll have another one.

A bit moreish! HE LAUGHS

played second fiddle to some of the more famously picturesque

It's got some spectacular landscapes,

where a pioneering project is just about to launch.

And it's not the usual kind of setting for a Countryfile story.

This is not only a first for Northamptonshire,

Welcome to Rushden Lakes shopping complex...

Yep, that's definitely the first time I've put "wildlife reserve"

and "shopping complex" in the same sentence.

This 500,000-acre reserve is a landscape

that has changed massively over the years.

It was once mined for iron ore and quarried for gravel,

As industry moved out, nature moved in.

But one site bore too many scars from its industrial past.

Retail giants have been working hand-in-hand with the Wildlife Trust

creating a shopping centre with nature at its heart.

He's working on the retail side of the project.

It's really bizarre, actually, because if you face this way,

it's, you know, industrial shopping centre,

It's amazing, and I think once you actually come down, you realise.

I walked for five minutes down there last time I was here,

and you wouldn't even know you're next to a retail park,

and that's, I think, for me, the most astounding thing

The development has been built on what we call a brownfield site.

I think about 50 years ago, it was a gravel pit.

After that it was used, believe it or not, for water-skiing,

and there was actually a dry ski slope here, as well.

For the last two decades, though, it's been basically out of use.

So, Mike, what have been the challenges

of putting this retail park next to a wildlife reserve?

During the development, we had to be very, very careful

to make sure that when we're carrying out works that are noisy,

we're doing it in daylight hours only,

Lighting has to be kept to a minimum.

We've got some really clever lighting systems here

that only light the retail park itself,

and there's no lighting at all in the wetlands area.

So we're creating the distinction between the retail development

and the wildlife area, but making it really accessible at the same time.

it's going to be hopefully very popular

with curious shoppers who perhaps

wouldn't normally come to this sort of area.

You can go for a walk, you can hire a canoe.

So, lots of different things you can do

that take you beyond just coming shopping.

And on a personal level, you've got quite into birding now, haven't you?

I'm loving it. I mean, I'm a great example

of someone who hasn't had great experience

dealing with this sort of thing before.

I've learned a lot about migratory birds

having been involved with this development.

Have you bought any binoculars yet? I've got two pairs. There you go!

The collaboration has allowed the Wildlife Trust

to join up their existing SSSI reserves

to make one huge wetland area that wraps around the site.

So they're joining up a jigsaw of nature here, if you like -

seven wildlife sites all coming together

Herons and otters side by side with shoppers.

Working on the wilder side of the new development

is Jane Pearman from the Wildlife Trust.

It's amazing to think that just behind us is a big retail park.

so that people can get the best of both worlds.

So, be at one with wildlife, and then pop and have a meal.

We get over 20,000 wintering birds along the River Nene

in the various gravel pits, so the idea is

that we can bring them close to the people,

so they can actually see what's here,

and realise why this area is a special protection area,

This lake is one of many dotted through the Nene Valley,

each serving an important purpose for wildlife near and far.

All the different pits along the Nene are like a necklace,

and we're looking at how all the habitats fit together,

what we've got where, how we can improve areas,

Oh, look! What have we got over there?

So, there's a whole flotilla of Canada geese!

We've also got a buzzard just flying high above us.

Right, there! Just having a look and seeing what we're doing.

Later, I'll be meeting the volunteers

doing their bit to bring life back to this landscape.

Tom's off to investigate a hidden problem

that really can be a matter of life and death.

For others, a place to retreat and recharge.

fed by poverty, and a lack of affordable housing.

Homelessness in rural areas is on the rise,

but it's often out of sight, with people living in woods, caves,

or even camping on the edge of fields, like here,

and this makes it harder to spot, and also harder to resolve.

We're going to call in on a client of ours called Terence,

who's one of the 16 or 17 identified rough sleepers

that we're working with in Mendip at the moment.

One person all too aware of the problem

is outreach worker Paul Kingston from the Elim Connect Centre.

He's taking me out on one of his regular searches

What do you think are the particular challenges of homelessness

It's access to services for those individuals.

For us, it's actually identifying them in the first place.

You also have to be aware that often,

those people don't want to be identified.

Then it's a case of trying to build relationships with them.

Paul has his work cut out finding people,

Hiya, Terence! All right? Yeah, yeah...

This is Tom from the Countryfile programme we spoke about.

Good to see you, mate. Yeah, yeah. Is it all right if I sit down here?

VOICEOVER: Terence doesn't want his face shown,

He's 67 and is a Falklands War veteran

Tell me, Terence - tell me your story.

But what's it like, living out in a place like this

Would you want to live in a fixed building, a house, if you could?

So the idea of actually being in a building, in a flat -

Have you ever been attacked or assaulted, living rough?

Fortunately, Paul might have a solution.

There is a project in some woods behind Shepton Mallet

Basically, people live there in shepherds' huts. OK.

It's quite a small, Christian-based community.

Sounds like a really ingenious compromise, that.

Having some sort of structure, but outside.

There will be things to overcome to get him there,

but hopefully, it could be a long-term solution for him, yeah.

You might be surprised to hear that more than one in ten

of all homeless cases are in the countryside.

This isn't just a camping trip - it's a tough reality,

and it's a problem that Countryfile is one of the first to highlight.

This report, which comes out tomorrow,

is from the Institute for Public Policy Research,

to look specifically at rural homelessness.

But even this one only covers England,

showing there's more work to be done to get the whole UK picture.

The report reveals that in the last seven years,

rough sleeping in the countryside has gone up

But the thing is these people hide away and are difficult to find,

so the true figures could be even higher.

and the average life expectancy for a long-term rough sleeper

Something known only too well by Corky.

Sometimes I would get here, and I would be that knackered,

I would have to make a wee bed in there.

Do you get a bit of cover in these woods? Yeah.

Just got to avoid the nettles, haven't you?

Corky has been homeless and sleeping rough

He's showing me round his old haunts here in Wiltshire.

You've lived in towns and lived homeless in the countryside as well.

Aye. Which is better? What do you prefer?

Well, kipping in the countryside is definitely better.

Why? Because it's green and it's beautiful,

There must be some pretty tough times.

There must be some pretty bad downsides. Yeah.

Getting dried out, that's the most hardest thing. Sure.

I couldnae survive another winter outside, I don't think.

The lifespan of people living rough is pretty short. Yeah.

It's kind of mid-40s. Do you mind me asking...?

Apparently, it's meant to be 47, and I'm 47.

That's why, after so many years of sleeping rough,

Corky has finally found a place in a hostel and hopes to get housed.

Yeah, my back's messed up, my neck's messed up, and I think...

Well, I get cramps all the time, and I've done myself in.

The stories of both Corky and Terence

show how getting a roof over your head

can really be a matter of life and death.

The number of rural homeless is rising.

But with budgets falling as more people need help,

and lives are at stake, what can we do?

Well, that's what I'll be finding out later.

Northamptonshire. A landscape of lush pasture.

Perfect grazing for the cattle that provided the county

There's never been a shortage of leather in this county,

and nearly every town and village would tan cowhide into leather

to make some of the country's finest shoes and boots.

And the shoemaking industry was based here

around that ready supply of fine leather.

Nowadays, the traditional tanneries have mostly disappeared.

But just across the border in Leicestershire,

Jack Millington is bringing the old way back

Very well, hi. So, how did you get into the goat hide business?

Well, you can see behind us here - these are my dad's goats.

and I also knew that the hides could be used to make leather.

Now, your dad's got quite a small herd, hasn't he,

You'd need a lot more to get into the hide business.

Yes - in order to make a business out of it,

so I partnered with a goat meat company,

and through them, we have access to thousands of goat hides a year.

The demand for goat dairy products, and their meat,

But with the decline in the British leather industry,

thousands of hides were going to waste.

Jack decided to make use of this waste product,

taking the leftover hides to make kid leather.

And, of course, if you're going to process hides, you need a tannery,

don't you? Yeah. So I started looking for someone

And...so, after looking and looking, couldn't find anyone to do it.

So we decided to build our own tannery here.

What, on the farm? Yeah - just round the corner.

Jack believes this is the first new British tannery

Never seen anything like that before!

Yeah, so these are the wooden tanning drums

So these were rescued from an old tannery in Yeovil in Somerset

We're taking what was used in the tanning industry before

And obviously a small-scale operation here.

The room is tiny, so it is a micro-tannery in that sense.

Well, I've never been a micro-tannery before,

but I have been in microbreweries, and I suppose the connection

is, really, that you can concentrate on your craft.

Yeah, exactly- so the whole point of a micro-tannery for us

is that we can concentrate on all of the finer details.

We get to work with lots of other local craftspeople,

who have centuries of leather knowledge.

So it's a sort of network of old crafts getting together?

Exactly, yeah - it's a bit of a resurgence.

The hides arrived salted and preserved.

They go through various processes to alter the structure of the skins,

so that they become strong yet flexible.

Tree bark is added to stabilise the leather,

just as the ancient tanners would have done.

With 47 years of experience in the industry,

Paul Evans was happy to share his knowledge and help Jack get started.

Nice to see you. So, this is the end of the process, is it?

Yeah, this is the end of the process.

This is getting it ready, so it's suitable for working

The goat skin is particularly beautiful in terms of its character.

With age, the piece of leather goods or what have you

Like you and I! JOHN CHUCKLES

You've been in this industry for most of your working life. Yeah.

What, to you, is so special about producing fine leather?

My passion is to bring out the natural beauty of the skin.

It's this beautiful, natural material,

With the tanning complete, the leather is hung up to dry.

And I don't suppose there are that many people left

around this part of the world with your kind of skills.

No, I'm afraid I'm like the last iceman.

I've been so lucky - I'm able to pass my knowledge on

So, it's going forward to the future.

Once tanned, the leather needs finishing.

It's dyed, oiled, and then sent to be cut, stitched,

tooled and assembled by a skilled team.

Each piece that Jack sends out has its own characteristics,

which are then enhanced by careful craftsmanship.

You can see where this leather then goes from these hides

into a finished piece like this, which is our kid leather backpack.

This is a cow leather, bovine leather,

which we use for the straps, which you'll see is smoother

and a bit thicker, and is better for that purpose.

Well, may an old goat wish a new KID on the block all the very best!

I'm in the Nene Valley, where nature is the key selling point

for a ground-breaking new shopping park.

So, before development, this was a mixture

and this - the River Nene, that runs through the valley -

was a vital transport link for all the industries

Small-scale mining and brickworks left scars on the landscape.

the old industrial gravel pits have become thriving wildlife habitats.

I'm continuing my tour with Jane from the Wildlife Trust

No hard hats required for this side of the construction.

For you. Oh, thank you very much! SHE LAUGHS

Get to work! I will - I'm not afraid to use it.

I want to know what you're doing here.

What's being dug? So, we're creating a number of scrapes today.

What's a scrape? A scrape is a shallow hollow,

because it won't hold water all year round...

Yeah. ..so, the idea being that we're going to create

different ones, different depths, different sizes,

Some will dry out, some will keep wet all year.

We have of series of these in this area

that are really good for invertebrates.

So, really good for water beetles, dragonfly larvae,

Cos we've got a lot of lakes... Mm-hm.

..old gravel pits that were all created by the gravel extraction,

but we don't have many areas that aren't connected to the river.

But by having bits that are completely separate,

we won't get fish in them, so really good for newts,

that can lay their eggs in there, and have a happy life.

And it's wonderful that you're doing this,

and the wildlife will be here and having a great time,

but also people will be able to enjoy it.

Yes, the idea is we're keeping areas open,

so where we've just walked through, and you've got all the orchids,

clouds of butterflies, loads of damselflies - fabulous area -

But there will also be areas that are secluded,

that the wildlife can thrive on, and will benefit from that.

How wonderful. So I think, you know, I should get stuck in.

I think you should start digging, yes!

I'm coming in - I'm going to give you a hand! Off you go!

It's quite deep at that side, isn't it? It is.

We don't want it the same depth all the way through,

so we don't want a steep-sided square,

so it's getting those different depths.

VOICEOVER: Hang on a minute. I see what's going on here...

How has this happened, where I'm actually the only person

still digging in this pit and everybody else...?

I've just got an audience. How am I doing, guys? Yeah?

Joking aside, this lot are doing a great job

A lot of these areas were previously out of bounds to the public,

both the wildlife and the people flocking...

..taking them straight from the shops and into the countryside.

It's going to open it up to so many children who wouldn't normally

be able to be out here - and their parents, as well -

that wouldn't normally come to a site like this. That's right.

Rachel Steward is part of the team making this happen.

So what's the plan for the nature trail around the lake?

We're hoping people will come into our visitor centre.

We're going to produce a guide for people,

of different types of wildlife on there as stickers.

Then children and families can go out around our nature loop,

and along there, there's going to be 14 hidden sculptures,

There are viewing platforms around there,

So basically, you're going to have 14 sculptures

all around the lakes... We are. ..for people to go and find

that represent native species that live in this area.

So we've got a giant three-metre grass snake,

because they will catch prey in the ponds.

We've got a barn owl looking down at a vole that it might be catching.

It's wonderful to think that, right next to a retail park,

you've got all this wildlife right there on the doorstep. Indeed.

The sculptures all have a connection with the landscape,

past and present, and the first one is about to go in.

So, here it comes. The barge. Indeed.

It depicts the industrial heritage of the site as well as the wildlife,

and that's why we have the lakes here,

And you can see how kids will be able to scramble over it,

get under it, just really get involved.

All the sculptures are wooden, so they're just really tactile,

and we want people to be up close, looking at them and enjoying them.

I think we need to test the climbing.

Even if you're the least likely person

to get into the great outdoors, and shopping is your thing,

to inspire everybody to enjoy what the great British countryside

Now, earlier, we heard how homelessness is growing

Rough sleepers are often hidden from view and difficult to reach.

But could a change in approach make a difference?

Makeshift camps in woodlands, fields and outbuildings.

Poor transport links and a lack of access to services.

It all adds up to the misery facing the homeless in our rural areas...

I couldnae survive another winter outside, I don't think.

..and the difficulties encountered by those trying to help.

There are more than 6,000 households in England alone

registered as being homeless in rural areas.

That's why I've come to see one of the very few projects

which is tailoring its services to the particular challenges

of being homeless in the countryside.

This is a working arable farm with a difference.

a hostel that provides short-term crisis accommodation

and helps them towards permanent housing.

It is the vision of farmer's wife Suzanne Addicot

This is our sitting room, communal room,

and provides a home-like environment for the residents.

Suzanne and her husband set it up with the local church outreach group

There was nowhere that they could go.

We didn't have a direct access hostel,

and any hostels that they could go to were urban,

but also a direct access hostel that people could come and live in.

But it was still a real personal commitment for you both

to decide, "Yeah, we'll have this on our doorstep."

Yeah, so my background is working with people on the edge of society,

that find it hard, and my husband was a farmer

and always wanted to do something here to help people.

And someone it did help is James Morrison.

He feels his stay at the Dairy House

Basically, got myself in a bit of trouble,

done some sofa surfing for a little bit,

and then found that the best place for me to be

And how important is it to have places like this in a rural setting?

This whole project has helped me massively. I had...

There was a bit of a problem with drug addiction,

so to be out here, rural location, has really helped.

Not only does it take you away from temptations,

but if I did have any troubles, I'd go off into the woods

or I'd come out here and do some gardening.

The Dairy House has council backing and provides services designed

to support those in need in the countryside.

At the moment, places like this are few and far between.

A new law is coming into force next year that puts the responsibilities

on councils for coming up with solutions in their area.

But even with an injection of more than ?60 million

in, will dumping the duty on councils work,

when years of cuts have left them under-resourced and understaffed?

Back with Corky, I'm visiting Doorway,

his drop-in centre in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

It's run by Lisa Lewis, so we're stepping outside

to see what she makes of the new Homeless Reduction Act.

how will that help, if it'll help at all?

What they're going to look at is early intervention.

So instead of waiting for people to actually hit the streets,

it's about getting people into accommodation safely

before they're actually out on the streets.

But you're then putting all this pressure

onto really strapped local authorities

to actually be able to process all the applications

and the assessments and actually find accommodation for people,

but the money isn't there to back up what it's suggesting?

Not currently. Because it's not just about giving somebody a room,

They have to have an entire support package.

There's not enough provision for drug and alcohol treatment,

there's not enough provision for mental health.

We're getting to the point where something has got to give.

I have gone to too many funerals over the years now,

and people will continue to die on the streets.

Corky's life may be unconventional, but he's making the most of it.

The people I've met over the last couple of days

have really opened my eyes to what, I guess,

is a hidden truth of rural life -

lots of people are out sleeping rough.

But it's a complex problem, with no simple solutions.

The new law might help, but without the resources to back it up,

will it really keep people like Corky safe for another night,

Now, be it wild landscapes or adventurous animals,

we want your response to the call of the wild

in this year's photographic competition.

And it's up to you to interpret that theme.

What we're looking for, though, are stunning photographs,

no matter what the weather, no matter what the season.

We'll be looking at every one of the many thousands of entries

that you send in and picking the very best

which goes on sale later this year in aid of Children In Need.

Buy one, and you'll get some amazing photos to look at on your wall

And, of course, as usual, we'll have an overall winner, voted for by you,

Not only will that picture grace the cover of our calendar,

the winner will receive a voucher for ?1,000

The person who takes the judges' favourite photo will receive

a voucher for ?500, also to be spent on equipment.

If you fancy a shot, why not send us your photos?

We need your name, address and a contact number,

with a note of where the picture was taken.

Or you can enter online on our website.

The competition closes at midnight on Friday 21st July.

The full terms and conditions are on our website,

of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.

and if you thought the hill farms there were all about sheep,

Adam's at a farm where the livestock doesn't have the usual four legs -

there will be around nine billion people on our planet.

That's more mouths to feed and less land to grow food on.

We could see the price of meat especially soar.

So the race is on to find alternative sources of protein.

This is Thringill, a classic Cumbrian hill farm,

deep in the Mallerstang valley, to the east of the county.

It's where the Bell family manages a flock of 500 ewes.

Yet just past this lovely old farmhouse,

is a farming enterprise that you wouldn't expect to find

in the UK, let alone up here in Cumbria.

The youngest of the two Bell brothers, Howard,

Last year, he set up the UK's first edible cricket farm.

Now, this looks like a very normal farm barn.

We've got a quad bike, sheep dogs, lambs in the corner.

Where's this unusual farming operation?

Yeah, that's it. There's over a million crickets in there.

Sounds like we're in a tropical jungle.

That's right. So, Howard, why are you farming crickets?

Well, over recent years, there's been increasing interest

Oh, my word! There are thousands and thousands of crickets here.

Look at them all. The noise of them running around on that cardboard.

They're quite hoppy, aren't they? There's a few escaping.

That's right. All livestock farmers incur the odd stray.

It's a bit more jumpy than your Swaledale ewes.

These have got about two weeks more growing to do.

Shall we look at some bigger ones that are almost ready to eat? Yeah.

Howard's crickets grow from eggs to oven-ready in less than 45 days.

But selecting only the fattest and juiciest crickets

The insects pop out through the gap, the live insects,

and we find that any poorly, sick, lame and lazy crickets

So every cricket that we process has managed to walk to its own doom!

Almost sounds like a popcorn machine!

and of course these are a little bit variable sized,

crickets like these will be dried and processed into cricket flour.

It's dried crickets, ground to a fine powder.

And this is essentially an ingredient product,

it can be used in a range of biscuits and cakes.

And it imparts quite a nice nutty flavour to a range of foods.

Incredible, isn't it? So it's just a fine powder.

This is just a crushed-up cricket? That's right, yes.

It's all right, isn't it? It's OK!

These are the crickets before they're ground.

These can be used in savoury dishes, for instance,

in stir-fries and things, and Oriental cuisine,

But they can be eaten quite readily just as they are.

They're all right, aren't they? Tastes all right.

I'll have another one! A bit moreish!

No feelings of revulsion associated with it?

It's not like, you know, chewing a great big grub, is it?

It's quite a little, crunchy, nutty thing.

Howard currently harvests and supplies

more than 20kg of crickets every week to wholesalers in London.

as health food stores and high-end restaurants get the BUG.

I hear you're the man who cooks with crickets.

One of his more local customers is chef Stephen Hill

who specialises in protein-rich baked treats for athletes.

There you go. Lovely, thank you very much.

So it smells good. A little bit different to

a normal sort of chocolate brownie. It is, yes.

No, it's really nice! It is really nice!

Yeah, I like it. I would never give something to somebody

I can feel the energy running through my veins!

Protein is the big element, the fact that it's 60% protein.

If I can tap into a market which is dominated by

instant energy, sugar-based energy, and if I can replace it

with something which is much more sustainable,

and environmentally more sustainable as well

Well, it tastes good and the theory is right,

but how are your customers enjoying it?

and sent the kids out with sample batches

and challenged them to get people to taste it.

The batches that I produced for the three-day event

had all gone Friday morning. Wonderful!

that farming insects is a niche enterprise.

But scientists now believe that insect protein could revolutionise

livestock farming and drive down the price of animal feed.

At this laboratory just outside York,

scientists are looking at how fly larvae could become

the next generation of food pellets for animals.

So, Adrian, why are you thinking, then, using insects

is a good idea to feed to farm animals?

Insects are a great source of protein and we've got a real problem

in getting enough protein to feed to animals.

and we currently import into Europe from outside.

That's not sustainable in the longer term.

so we can effectively start up a new business producing insect protein.

These are the black soldier fly and it's a tropical fly.

From laying the eggs, the larvae will develop within 16 to 20 days.

And that means that we can produce huge volumes,

in contrast to crop production, for example,

where we maybe only get one harvest per year.

So this is a great choice of organism to take forward.

But it's as pupae that the insects are at their juiciest.

When they get to this stage, Adrian and his team dry and crush them.

From this, they get three useful products -

protein, oil, and a super-strong substance called chitin,

and that can be manufactured into animal feed

in much the same way as milled barley can,

or maize, or whatever else you want to put into feeds.

One of the other products is the oil.

The oil's got a similar composition to palm oil, for example.

So it could be used as a substitute. The main thing to say is that

it's much more environmentally sustainable to produce

than things that require huge amounts of land

Now, chitin comes from the outer shell of the insects, so their skin.

so it's used in things like bandages and wound dressings

I think there are different aspects to this.

A lot of the work we've done is trying to support smallholders

so that they can produce protein to feed to their own animals.

we've caught the attention of people who are wanting to invest

significantly in this area and it's very likely

this'll be a massive global industry.

Insects are a hugely untapped resource.

How exciting! From such a small and simple creature.

Whilst farming insects may seem strange,

there's no denying their versatility.

an alternative source of protein for pigs and poultry,

However, there's never even been a whiff

to get the county represented on the UK's cheese map.

Gary Bradshaw has taken a hobby and turned it into a business.

His ode to Northamptonshire's shoemaking past,

is currently the only cow's milk cheese

he already seems to be onto a winner.

Gary says he's not going to let me anywhere near the cheese process

So prepare yourselves for extreme glamour!

Right. I'm ready to understand about your cheese process, Gary.

I can't believe there's not a cheese in this county!

No, I couldn't believe it either. I've done quite a bit of research

and I couldn't find any evidence of any.

Making cheese for a hobby is one thing, Gary.

How does it then becomes your livelihood? Why?

I got made redundant twice in a year from the print trade.

So I decided that I needed to do something different anyway.

With my redundancy money, I went and bought a load of new equipment

and started making cheese within about a month.

Yeah. What a risk. Yes, it was a risk, yes.

And now you're right on the dairy farm.

and it comes from this pipe here straight into the vat.

The milk travels through this pipe? Yes. Yes. That's brilliant!

So the milking shed's over there and it comes through into here.

Oh, this is... You couldn't get more local than this.

No, it doesn't travel anywhere at all.

So it's literally straight from the farm into here.

Gary won't tell me all his secrets, but he assures me

it's the liquid gold direct from the cows that's the key.

We'll make a cheesemaker out of you yet!

The fresh milk, combined with a short ageing process,

gives the cheese its distinctive flavour and texture.

Here it is in all its glory. Yes. So this is Cobbler's Nibble.

How long are you supposed to keep the cheese? Three months.

That's not that long, is it? That's young, yes.

And I couldn't wait to sell it, basically!

So I started selling it at three months and it is delicious

and it's slightly different to other cheeses

cos it has a slight acidic note to it.

Shall we try it? Certainly can. We'll just stick a corer in here.

So if you just work that between your fingers,

cos you want to be eating it at room temperature.

What would I say? It's somewhere between...

It's not... It's a Wensleydale, Cheddary...

Cheshire. Cheshire, exactly. Cheshire is what I was looking for.

There you go, that's basically what we call it.

We say it's in-between a Wensleydale and a Cheshire.

Yeah, absolutely. I can still taste it, which is lovely.

Yes, cos it's only young. That's a crowd pleaser.

Yes. Definitely. Good, I'm glad you like it. Yeah.

Much as I'd like to eat my way out of here,

Let's get this product wedged firmly on the UK's cheese map,

Here we go, folks. I have in front of me

But will the people of Northamptonshire know

that they've got their own Nibble to go crackers about?

Who's up for the GRATE Cheese Challenge?

BARKING Oh, the dog is!

Madam, would you like to play the GRATE Cheese Challenge?

What have you got to do? Come on, it's easy.

You got one right! Did I? Yes, that's Wensleydale!

The people are sniffing out famous ones,

but no-one's got a nose for the Nibble!

You did very well, actually. You got two out of four.

It's your first-ever local cow's milk cheese, ever, ever, ever.

It's a nice cheese, nice to have a Northamptonshire cheese, isn't it?

Leicestershire has its Stilton, Yorkshire has its Wensleydale,

and now Northamptonshire has its very own Cobbler's Nibble,

Well, it's perfect weather for a picnic here today,

but what's the rest of the week got in store?

Here's the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.

Good evening. We have had quite a lot of dry and reasonably warm

weather through the course of the weekend, particularly on Saturday.

Sunday was more of a mixed picture. In Warwickshire there was blue sky

and some cloud there, but there was a different picture in County

Londonderry with outbreaks of rain there. I am going to show you the

pressure pattern for the next five days so you can feel the unsettled

weather. During the first part of the week we will see low pressure in

the south and high pressure keeping things dry in the north. A ridge of

high pressure in the middle part of the week and as we end the weak

frontal systems move in from the north-west. The week looks pretty

changeable. There will be spells of rain, welcome in many parts of the

country, and the temperatures will be cooler than they have been. Still

quite warm and muggy in southern areas as we go through the course of

tonight. There will be some rain moving out of northern Ireland and

the more central parts of Scotland into the North East of England. In

the south it is 17 degrees overnight, 11 and 12 in the North.

Tomorrow we have got that area of rain in eastern Scotland and North

East England and elsewhere it will be a day of sunshine and showers.

They will be heavy in eastern England, thundery with some hail.

For the south of England and East Anglia, we could see some water on

the roads. A better day to come in Northern Ireland. In the evening

there is still the threat of heavy showers and thunderstorms and some

torrential downpours in the east. They eased away, but it is still

rather unsettled on Tuesday. High-pressure set out in the North

West, keeping things dry here, but low-pressure approaches from the

south-west. A rainy day to start the day on Tuesday and that pushes its

weight eastwards. Heavy showers in Scotland and eastern England and

more persistent rain heading into the South West. Largely dry and

bright in Northern Ireland. Temperature is a bit cooler than

they have been. Into Wednesday this area of low-pressure looks like it

moves eastwards through the English Channel and that is likely to bring

a spell of wet weather in the southern counties, particularly

overnight into Wednesday, but then it clears away and much of the

country is left with a largely dry day. Temperatures 16-22. That

high-pressure is still around in the south-east on Thursday, but this

front moves in from the north-west and it will bring a spell of wet

weather heading south eastwards across the country. Temperatures

16-24 on Thursday. Into Friday and we are between whether France, so we

have this ridge of high pressure building in during the course of

Friday, bringing in a more westerly influence, some breeze on Friday.

Still quite a lot of dry weather and temperature is fairly typical of

this time of year, 16-22. Butterflies are the embodiment

of summer. Today, I'm looking not for the

rarest or even the largest, The Purple Emperor -

who, despite his regal beauty, is a bit of a bovver boy,

with a disgusting appetite. Ever since Victorian times,

this unlikely rebel has captivated people who go in search

of butterflies. And today, here at Fermyn Woods

Country Park, we're hoping that

conditions are going to be ideal But first, we're going to have to

tempt them down from the treetops

where they live. This woodland has been carefully

managed to provide an ideal habitat for butterflies, and I hear it's

one of the best places in the UK But they're elusive creatures,

so to attract them, conservationists Matthew Oates

and Neil Hulme are laying on the smelliest

of feasts. Well, welcome, John,

to the Emperor's breakfast. So what have we got prepared

for them here, then? John, we've got some really smelly

stuff out today. We've got some tiny shrimp there,

which smells particularly awful. Black pudding! Just for you!

Every breakfast should have one. What do you think the chances are,

then, of this appalling picnic Purple Emperors don't visit flowers,

they're like tropical butterflies. They don't like nectar?

They don't like nectar. They seek sustenance -

minerals and liquid - from what we would regard as

disgusting messes. Actually, their favourite food

is fresh fox scat, fox poo. Male Purple Emperors need to take in

the salts and minerals in this pungent spread in order to

be able to breed. Another great favourite is

actually sap, oak sap, So they get slightly plastered

as a result, yeah! What, they're sort of drunken thugs,

really? They get inebriated and violence

breaks out on a regular basis. We see them attacking birds,

not just other butterflies, This is probably part of the lure

of the Purple Emperor, you've got Beauty and the Beast

in one animal. Now, we'll just have to wait

to see if they're hungry. What got you into this obsession you

have with this strange butterfly? I collected them for three years

and then, of course, the inevitable happened -

the butterflies collected me towards the conservation of

butterflies and their habitat And you both seem to have a lot of

fun in pursuit of this butterfly! Well, this is the time of year,

John, when all of the serious conservation

work comes to an end. So this is just a time

purely for enjoyment, And how does the Emperor compare?

Is it like the Holy Grail? It drives people, really,

to the point of insanity, I think it reaches the parts

other butterflies don't reach and it fires up the mind,

the imagination and the spirit. It's the one the old Victorian

butterfly collectors And we should be grateful

to those Victorian collectors. For these butterflies,

their brief lives ended long ago. The Natural History Museum

has collated information As Professor

of Environmental Change, Tim Sparks says

the data is invaluable. How is it, Tim, that butterflies in

cases 100 years ago can now help research

into climate change? Well, we have an army of people who

are currently recording butterflies But before that,

there are very few records. So these museum specimens allows us

to take data back It'll be marked in these cases

when they were captured? Yes, we know from the dates

which are on those records From all the data, it would seem

that butterflies emerged since the temperature has taken

a small step upwards, butterflies have responded to that

by flying 10 days, 14 days, Well, is there a danger, then,

of things getting out of kilter? There is, because the butterflies

and the plants on which they rely may not be changing

at the same rates. And when things don't synchronise

very well, that can have sad consequences for

that particular butterfly species. And I suppose that could also

reflect right across the natural

environment? It does. In fact, this year

Purple Emperors have put in their earliest appearance

in about 130 years, Here's one who's accepted

our invitation He's gorging away at that

very stinky French cheese. That's a view you don't often get

of the Purple Emperor. Well, I'm pretty impressed with

the ones that I've seen. He's an object of beauty

and fascination and wonder, Well, I'm going to let Matthew

and Neil clean up this smelly mess, because I've saved a little treat

for Anita. Lovely to see you.

Where's this banquet? You're too late, I'm afraid,

you missed it! What! I've brought you the cheese,

Cobbler's Nibble. Very kind of you. But I've got you a little bit left

from our banquet. Oh, that's pungent! I'm afraid

that's all we've got time for from Northampton.

Next week we'll be in Fife where Sean will be looking

at the science behind the next generation

of raspberries. And Ellie will be witnessing

a summer seabird bonanza. Sounds great, doesn't it?

We'll see you then. Keep that away from me, John Craven!

Bye for now. BBC TWO reveals the bittersweet

history of sugar. This is really a chance

to create pure magic.