:00:28. > :00:45.and through it all, rivers glide, cool and slow.
:00:46. > :00:49.I'll be taking to this one - the beautiful River Bann,
:00:50. > :00:52.rich in wildlife and steeped in history.
:00:53. > :00:54.And I'll be finding out how one little bird
:00:55. > :01:00.Tom's looking at the threat posed to wildlife
:01:01. > :01:04.This has been in the marine environment
:01:05. > :01:07.Nothing's going to be escaping from there, is it?
:01:08. > :01:13.And Adam's in North Wales with the last of spring's newborn lambs.
:01:14. > :01:15.This one's about half an hour, an hour old.
:01:16. > :01:18.It's just finding its feet, so... Where's its mum?
:01:19. > :01:21.Here she comes. Here she comes. Aren't they great mothers?
:01:22. > :01:39.From the cliffs of Antrim to the fields of Armagh...
:01:40. > :01:44...Northern Ireland's countryside is vast and wild...
:01:45. > :01:50.and one very special species of bird in particular,
:01:51. > :01:57.which I'm hoping I might just hear amongst the dawn chorus.
:01:58. > :02:09.It's early, but you have to be up with the lark
:02:10. > :02:18.Belfast and the surrounding countryside
:02:19. > :02:25.I've come here to the RSPB's local headquarters
:02:26. > :02:28.to find out about a very exciting project.
:02:29. > :02:31.Conservation team leader Claire Barnett
:02:32. > :02:37.Claire, how are you doing? Good morning, Joe. How are you?
:02:38. > :02:39.Good, thank you. Here we are, bright and early.
:02:40. > :02:42.So, tell me, Belfast city - Swift City. What's it all about?
:02:43. > :02:47.So, in 2013, RSPB launched Belfast as the first UK Swift City,
:02:48. > :02:49.and what we want to do is engage with lots of people
:02:50. > :02:54.and get them out on the ground to find out where the birds were.
:02:55. > :02:56.So, that was part of our survey work. Mm-hmm.
:02:57. > :02:58.And on top of that, in the last couple of years,
:02:59. > :03:02.we have been building on some very exciting GPS tag work.
:03:03. > :03:07.where birds forage during the summer months when they're here.
:03:08. > :03:10.Do they stay in the urban areas or do they go out to the countryside?
:03:11. > :03:14.And two - what migratory route do our birds actually take,
:03:15. > :03:16.coming from Northern Ireland to Africa? I see.
:03:17. > :03:18.So, you're counting them, but you're also tagging them,
:03:19. > :03:20.and that's what we're doing this morning. Yeah.
:03:21. > :03:22.If you come with me and help me carry these poles...
:03:23. > :03:25.I'll grab the poles. ..we'll go and see if we can catch some swifts.
:03:26. > :03:31.Helping us out is conservation scientist Dr Kendrew Colhoun.
:03:32. > :03:36.The idea is to catch the swifts as they fly out of their nest boxes.
:03:37. > :03:39.A mist net is used, which doesn't harm the birds.
:03:40. > :03:42.You just can't have it big enough for that.
:03:43. > :03:47.Once it's in position, we sit back and wait,
:03:48. > :04:01.Oh! In that left one there. Let's go. That far left.
:04:02. > :04:04.So, Joe, would you go to that side there? Just untie the wee knot.
:04:05. > :04:08.This is incredibly exciting. We know there's a bird in there.
:04:09. > :04:12.I can't take my eyes off that small rectangle
:04:13. > :04:16.where the bird's going to emerge. But I have to say,
:04:17. > :04:18.I'm feeling a bit nervous, a bit on edge.
:04:19. > :04:21.We're going to get one shot at this, so we've got to be ready.
:04:22. > :04:25.There we are. Somebody grab a pole, please.
:04:26. > :04:28.Pole each side. Thank you. Brilliant.
:04:29. > :04:31.Well done. We've maintained the 100% record, Joe.
:04:32. > :04:34.100% record still intact. I was quite nervous there.
:04:35. > :04:41.So, we just put it in a wee bag now, keep it all calm... OK, OK.
:04:42. > :04:46.We have to work quickly and carefully
:04:47. > :04:48.to make sure we don't stress the bird.
:04:49. > :04:50.If you want to take a wee seat there, Joe,
:04:51. > :04:56.this is where we get up close and personal.
:04:57. > :04:59.It's such a privilege. So rare to see a swift this close up.
:05:00. > :05:02.And the feathers - I don't know, they almost look like scales,
:05:03. > :05:07.Yeah, there's something prehistoric about these birds.
:05:08. > :05:12.You know, their big eyes and the scaliness and their short legs.
:05:13. > :05:17.Remarkably long, curved wings that are extending beyond the tail. Look.
:05:18. > :05:23.I mean, they're evolved, clearly, for this life on the wing.
:05:24. > :05:33.Once a chick flies the nest, it will live, eat and sleep,
:05:34. > :05:36.without touching down, for around four years,
:05:37. > :05:39.until it finds a nest site of its own.
:05:40. > :05:43.thousands of miles away in southern Africa,
:05:44. > :05:49.and return here to their individual nest sites for the summer.
:05:50. > :05:53.By fitting tiny GPS trackers to a small number of birds,
:05:54. > :05:58.the team hope to find out more about their life in Northern Ireland.
:05:59. > :06:00.If they can find out where the swifts feed,
:06:01. > :06:07.then those areas can be protected, which, in turn, helps the swifts.
:06:08. > :06:10.With the tracker in place and the ID ring checked,
:06:11. > :06:18.And we'll just let this bird suddenly realise
:06:19. > :06:22.It's been so patient. It's got no wind here.
:06:23. > :06:25.It doesn't know that it can go. It's having a look.
:06:26. > :06:30.It's opened its eyes. It's having a think about it all.
:06:31. > :06:38.Most swifts live in buildings alongside people,
:06:39. > :06:45.Swifts are on the amber list of endangered species.
:06:46. > :06:48.Numbers are dropping, and one of the reasons is
:06:49. > :06:51.an increasing shortage of nest sites.
:06:52. > :06:54.New and some renovated buildings don't have the nooks and crannies
:06:55. > :07:00.they love to nest in, but Belfast's traditional terraces do.
:07:01. > :07:04.I'm heading into the city to one of the best places to see swifts -
:07:05. > :07:10.There's been a swift colony here for more than a century.
:07:11. > :07:17.I'm hoping he can tell me why the centre is so good for these birds.
:07:18. > :07:21.So, I've heard this is a very important building for swifts.
:07:22. > :07:23.When were you aware that you had swifts here?
:07:24. > :07:26.Well, we were always aware that we had some birds
:07:27. > :07:32.but it wasn't until we embarked upon a massive refurbishment project
:07:33. > :07:35.that we were aware that we actually had
:07:36. > :07:37.one of the largest protected colonies of swifts
:07:38. > :07:41.We rescheduled the works so that we wouldn't have
:07:42. > :07:46.that would impede their movement in and out of the nests.
:07:47. > :07:48.We strengthened those existing nests,
:07:49. > :07:52.and then added in an additional 31 swift bricks
:07:53. > :07:57.Wow! So, how significant is this colony? So, this is...
:07:58. > :08:00.With all the survey work we've been doing in Belfast since 2013,
:08:01. > :08:03.this is definitely the largest colony in Belfast.
:08:04. > :08:06.We might have 60 pairs of birds nesting in this one building.
:08:07. > :08:08.60 pairs of birds? Yeah, it was pretty impressive.
:08:09. > :08:10.So, for us, this is our exemplar building.
:08:11. > :08:13.This is where we can take architects or contractors or builders
:08:14. > :08:16.and come and say, "Right, get your swift bricks in
:08:17. > :08:25.It's a very easy thing to do to save a really amazing species.
:08:26. > :08:29.As the day draws to a close, the swifts come home to roost,
:08:30. > :08:52.Right now, there are thousands of fishing nets awash in our seas,
:08:53. > :08:55.cut loose, drifting on the ocean currents,
:08:56. > :08:58.endlessly catching and killing marine life.
:08:59. > :09:16.The attraction for holiday-makers is obvious,
:09:17. > :09:21.but it's also home to Britain's most successful fishing port.
:09:22. > :09:24.We're big fish- and seafood-eaters in the UK,
:09:25. > :09:31.getting through around half a million tonnes every year.
:09:32. > :09:34.Nets and tackle are vital to meet that demand.
:09:35. > :09:37.They're the lifeblood of the industry.
:09:38. > :09:45.they can take on a ghastly afterlife as ghost gear.
:09:46. > :09:51.fishing nets and pots just carry on fishing over and over,
:09:52. > :09:55.drifting in the currents, trapping marine life
:09:56. > :10:00.and condemning it to a slow, painful death.
:10:01. > :10:03.Before the 1950s, this wasn't a problem.
:10:04. > :10:06.Nets were made from natural fibres such as hemp and cotton,
:10:07. > :10:12.and when lost in the water, would simply rot away.
:10:13. > :10:17.But today's nets are made from nylon and cost thousands of pounds.
:10:18. > :10:21.They're not thrown away on purpose, but losses at sea are inevitable,
:10:22. > :10:28.and they can blight the oceans for hundreds of years.
:10:29. > :10:31.It's estimated that more than 600,000 tonnes
:10:32. > :10:41.of ghost gear live on, fishing the oceans across the world.
:10:42. > :10:47.'Rob Thompson from Fathoms Free is a man on a mission.'
:10:48. > :10:52.Thank you very much. Bit of a weight out of the water.
:10:53. > :11:00.We're heading out on a clean-up dive.
:11:01. > :11:18.Not always the most elegant of procedures, is it? No, no.
:11:19. > :11:22.So, what are they actually looking for down there today?
:11:23. > :11:23.Well, today, they're on a ghost gear dive.
:11:24. > :11:25.So, we've been down and surveyed the site
:11:26. > :11:27.and we know there are some lobster pots down there,
:11:28. > :11:30.and they're going down today to try and retrieve some of them.
:11:31. > :11:33.What is the big problem with this abandoned gear?
:11:34. > :11:38.So, here's a net that's been in the water since 1977.
:11:39. > :11:41.It came off the wreck of a trawler, which went down with the net on it.
:11:42. > :11:44.This has been in the marine environment for the past 40 years.
:11:45. > :11:46.Wow. That really shows cos, I mean, that is still...
:11:47. > :11:50.Yeah. I mean, if you look at that, that hasn't rotted at all.
:11:51. > :11:52.Nothing's going to be escaping from there, is it?
:11:53. > :11:56.To put it in perspective, it's outlasted the wreck itself.
:11:57. > :12:01.It's the sea life that suffers - sea life like Doris,
:12:02. > :12:04.a humpback whale that had to be rescued
:12:05. > :12:13.But she's far from the only one to be snared.
:12:14. > :12:16.All sorts of animals can get caught - seals, dolphins.
:12:17. > :12:19.And the trouble is with seals - they see a piece of net
:12:20. > :12:21.and they quite often try to interact with it.
:12:22. > :12:23.And as they're playing with it, they can get themselves entangled,
:12:24. > :12:28.and then that can lead to some horrific, debilitating injuries.
:12:29. > :12:35.Ghost gear from South America regularly turns up on our shores,
:12:36. > :12:39.But today, we're looking for lobster pots
:12:40. > :12:44.So, how are we doing? Are they finding anything?
:12:45. > :12:46.Well, we've got three lift bags up, so we're going to go over now
:12:47. > :12:50.and try and recover them and see what's on the other end of them.
:12:51. > :12:53.They're sometimes lost and remain on the seabed,
:12:54. > :12:56.trapping sea life but never releasing it,
:12:57. > :13:01.which is why the Fathoms Free team are bringing them up.
:13:02. > :13:06.There's no doubting that's been down there for a long time, is there? No.
:13:07. > :13:11.there's still a chance of animals being able to get in there
:13:12. > :13:16.Commercial fishing does things on a huge scale
:13:17. > :13:21.a big contributor to the ghost gear problem.
:13:22. > :13:24.But there is an army of sea anglers in the UK,
:13:25. > :13:32.can collect to form death-traps for marine wildlife.
:13:33. > :13:36.While commercial ghost gear tends to trap larger creatures,
:13:37. > :13:39.angling gear generally harms smaller animals,
:13:40. > :13:43.and Davy Jones from Neptune's Army of Rubbish Cleaners
:13:44. > :13:48.is on the front line of this fight at Stackpole in Pembrokeshire.
:13:49. > :13:51.So, what is this rather hideous mesh you've brought me here?
:13:52. > :13:53.We're looking at something that's fairly typical
:13:54. > :13:57.for one of our underwater dives. How long did it take to gather that?
:13:58. > :14:00.This is ten volunteer divers and an hour.
:14:01. > :14:05.So, yeah, covering a relatively small area of ground, if you like.
:14:06. > :14:07.Yeah, this is a fairly, fairly common find.
:14:08. > :14:09.And when I look at it, it's not just the line.
:14:10. > :14:11.It's obviously, you know, full of hooks.
:14:12. > :14:13.I've got to be quite careful handling it myself.
:14:14. > :14:16.And plenty of lead down there, as well. Yes.
:14:17. > :14:20.Our record, actually, in terms of lead weights, was 730 in one dive,
:14:21. > :14:22.and that was here at Stackpole, as well.
:14:23. > :14:24.What impact is this having on wildlife?
:14:25. > :14:26.Entanglement - that's the most common thing.
:14:27. > :14:31.So, we regularly free spider crabs, entangled fish,
:14:32. > :14:36.and soft corals we have here, as well.
:14:37. > :14:39.So, that's some of the impacts that we see as divers,
:14:40. > :14:41.but I know that some of the other, wider issues...
:14:42. > :14:43.Once this monofilament starts to float on the surface,
:14:44. > :14:46.it's being picked up by local sea birds
:14:47. > :14:49.and sadly being used as nesting material.
:14:50. > :14:51.It's actually trapping the chicks in their nests.
:14:52. > :14:54.The RSPB and volunteers are having to go to the islands now
:14:55. > :14:59.Is this down to the carelessness of anglers?
:15:00. > :15:02.I've been sea fishing myself a couple of times.
:15:03. > :15:04.Sometimes, it's snagged, and in the end,
:15:05. > :15:08.You know, I confess - I've been there. I'm the same.
:15:09. > :15:10.You know, I go sea angling, as well, in Pembrokeshire.
:15:11. > :15:13.I realise that it's just something that happens.
:15:14. > :15:20.Ghost gear lost from both commercial and leisure fishing
:15:21. > :15:25.is a real snag for our marine environment.
:15:26. > :15:30.thousands of tonnes of it are haunting the seas,
:15:31. > :15:44.That's what I'll be finding out later.
:15:45. > :15:47.Wherever you are in Northern Ireland,
:15:48. > :15:58.All kinds of waterfowl and fish thrive in its rivers and lochs -
:15:59. > :16:06.This beautiful river is the Lower Bann,
:16:07. > :16:10.stretching 36 miles along the boundary of Londonderry and Antrim,
:16:11. > :16:16.'Boosting my paddle power are Robin and Chris,
:16:17. > :16:18.'who've been messing about in boats here for years.'
:16:19. > :16:23.So, when you're paddling, Ellie, just do, like, a stroke,
:16:24. > :16:25.and then let it glide almost for a while.
:16:26. > :16:29.See how quick we're going now without even paddling. Yeah.
:16:30. > :16:35.Are these sand martins here? Think so, yeah. Yeah? Yeah, yeah.
:16:36. > :16:41.The River Bann is famed for its birdlife.
:16:42. > :16:43.Even here, where it feels quite industrial,
:16:44. > :16:45.it's still very much surrounded by nature.
:16:46. > :16:49.Yeah, plenty of greenery here, isn't there? Indeed.
:16:50. > :16:51.Once an important route for commerce,
:16:52. > :16:55.these days, the river is a great place for leisure.
:16:56. > :16:59.helped create the Lower Bann Canoe Trail,
:17:00. > :17:09.I can't help feeling we're being watched.
:17:10. > :17:11.There are five herons circling around here.
:17:12. > :17:13.They know that there's food in there for them.
:17:14. > :17:16.Yeah, definitely looking for a snack all right. There's six herons now.
:17:17. > :17:18.Yeah, they're all over. SHE CHUCKLES
:17:19. > :17:22.They look like sentrymen. Yeah, exactly. Statues.
:17:23. > :17:25.Statues waiting, knowing there's food underneath.
:17:26. > :17:39.All of a sudden, we're in the countryside.
:17:40. > :17:41.Goes from grey to green very quickly. Yeah.
:17:42. > :17:44.Chris, have you done the trail? I have indeed, yeah.
:17:45. > :17:47.It's a fantastic trip now. How long is it?
:17:48. > :17:50.I always say to people, you know, you can do it in two days at a push,
:17:51. > :17:52.but, you know, why not do it in three and spend two nights?
:17:53. > :17:54.There's some gorgeous campsites along the way,
:17:55. > :17:57.so you can really chill out and take it all in.
:17:58. > :17:59.How long did you do it in? Oh, I did it in three.
:18:00. > :18:05.Enjoyed it. Took your time. Absolutely.
:18:06. > :18:07.And that's really what this trip's about -
:18:08. > :18:16.I've seen more herons here than I've ever seen before. Yeah.
:18:17. > :18:18.I think we take it for granted now, the herons, actually. Yeah?
:18:19. > :18:23.It's a sign that there's loads of food. It's great.
:18:24. > :18:32.This is my mindful moment right here - wildlife, water.
:18:33. > :18:38.An amazing place to breathe. I love it.
:18:39. > :18:44.'But first, I make a stop near Portna,
:18:45. > :18:49.'I'm meeting Stephen Douglas from Waterways Ireland,
:18:50. > :18:53.'who's going to tell me about the river's past.'
:18:54. > :18:56.Stephen, how are you doing? Hello, Ellie. Nice to meet you.
:18:57. > :18:57.You, too. I've been on a great journey.
:18:58. > :19:00.It's the same sort of paddle strokes that would have been made
:19:01. > :19:02.10,000 years ago when man first settled in Ireland
:19:03. > :19:06.along the lower banks of the Bann. So, they were hunter-gatherers
:19:07. > :19:09.and they would have used the good canoes and skin boats
:19:10. > :19:14.These flints are typical of the hoard of flints
:19:15. > :19:17.that has been found, actually, along the River Bann.
:19:18. > :19:20.Oh, yeah. There's a real history there.
:19:21. > :19:23.The river became important again in the mid-1800s
:19:24. > :19:29.The locks that were built to allow freight survive to this day.
:19:30. > :19:32.The stone delivered on site and would have had to have been
:19:33. > :19:35.handcrafted by the stonemasons on site.
:19:36. > :19:37.And you can see how good a job they have done.
:19:38. > :19:40.And standing up well to the test of time. Absolutely.
:19:41. > :19:43.160 years later in a water-based environment. Yeah.
:19:44. > :19:45.It's a testament to the skill and craftsmanship
:19:46. > :19:48.of the people who constructed the locks. Absolutely.
:19:49. > :19:50.But this lock, it's a little bit worse for wear.
:19:51. > :19:54.Well, you're absolutely right, Ellie.
:19:55. > :19:56.This is one that we've programmed for a replacement
:19:57. > :19:59.and, in fact, we're constructing a new balance beam for this
:20:00. > :20:11.Inside the 21st-century work shed, a little piece of history.
:20:12. > :20:12.Hi there. How are you doing? Hi, Ellie.
:20:13. > :20:15.How are you? I'm all right, thanks. I'm good. Good.
:20:16. > :20:18.These plans look pretty old. Yes, they are. They're very old.
:20:19. > :20:21.The plan of the gate, actually, was originally done
:20:22. > :20:26.and then they were reprinted in 1931.
:20:27. > :20:29.So, these are the best plans for the job... Yes. ..pretty much.
:20:30. > :20:34.Feet and inches. Feet and inches! So, old units, as well? Yeah.
:20:35. > :20:38.Got some safety gogs. Yes. Right, what's this?
:20:39. > :20:40.This is for the big crossbeams that go in.
:20:41. > :20:43.So, this has got to be accurate? Yes, have to be accurate. Dead on.
:20:44. > :20:45.OK. So, that one's done. That one's in the process.
:20:46. > :20:49.and this is probably how they would have done it years and years ago.
:20:50. > :20:52.Still a hammer and chisel? Still a hammer and chisel at this stage.
:20:53. > :20:56.Ellie, would you like to have a go now? Yeah, I would. OK, just...
:20:57. > :21:00.I can't go wrong, can I? No. Not today, please! OK.
:21:01. > :21:07.Oh, I'm not getting anywhere. Let's get digging.
:21:08. > :21:10.OK! I bet you get some lush splinters out of this. Yeah.
:21:11. > :21:25.'but it's time for me to be on my way.
:21:26. > :21:27.'Later, I'll be continuing my journey
:21:28. > :21:45.and there's one sound that comes readily to mind.
:21:46. > :21:54.the pipes and the wistful music they make
:21:55. > :22:00.When you hear the music, it kind of conjures up
:22:01. > :22:07.your fields and turf fires and mist and midgies.
:22:08. > :22:10.A lot of the music in Ireland has tragedy behind it
:22:11. > :22:13.and there's lament and there's sadness.
:22:14. > :22:22.The whole set would sit sort of across your lap, like this,
:22:23. > :22:27.This is the thing you hear the main melody on.
:22:28. > :22:30.You move on down, and this set has four drones.
:22:31. > :22:35.They would be the kind of ghostly noise you hear in the background.
:22:36. > :23:07.I suppose, in a way, you could say they rescued me. My salvation.
:23:08. > :23:10.Martin's story holds a mirror to Ireland's recent past.
:23:11. > :23:15.he worked in his local town as an architect.
:23:16. > :23:18.Everything was brilliant. Everybody had loads of work.
:23:19. > :23:21.Prospects were good. Everything was on the up.
:23:22. > :23:23.And then, basically overnight, it just...
:23:24. > :23:29.Businesses left, right and centre were going bankrupt.
:23:30. > :23:35.Martin was out of work for a year, and then a stroke of good fortune -
:23:36. > :23:38.he gave a lift to a friend who taught the pipes,
:23:39. > :23:43.Within days, he'd borrowed an instrument and started learning.
:23:44. > :23:47.After about a year, I decided I was going to have to get my own set.
:23:48. > :23:50.there was no way I could have justified
:23:51. > :23:54.spending thousands on basically a hobby.
:23:55. > :23:59.So, I decided I would have a stab at making my own set.
:24:00. > :24:05.That was eight years ago, and I still haven't made my own set.
:24:06. > :24:08.I've made four, but they always end up getting sold
:24:09. > :24:14.Now, using wood from local trees where he can,
:24:15. > :24:16.Martin crafts uilleann pipes full-time
:24:17. > :24:27.and this is the true meaning of suffering, this instrument.
:24:28. > :24:29.You can't get them warm. You can't get them cold.
:24:30. > :24:32.You can't get them wet. They're gremlins.
:24:33. > :24:38.Martin was new to uilleann pipes, but not to Irish tunes.
:24:39. > :24:41.His dad was a member of a band playing traditional music,
:24:42. > :24:47.When you hear the music, with tribe music or traditional music,
:24:48. > :24:56.bonfires and building forts and digging holes and...
:24:57. > :24:59.We had no phone, so there was no electronics or computers.
:25:00. > :25:05.but just two miles from the idyll where he played,
:25:06. > :25:11.One of the games that we played would have been, like, army.
:25:12. > :25:14.You'd be running about fields pretending you were soldiers,
:25:15. > :25:18.and not a mile away, there actually were soldiers camped out
:25:19. > :25:20.on fields that we would have been playing on.
:25:21. > :25:22.But we were totally innocent. We didn't know.
:25:23. > :25:27.of keeping us sheltered from the whole thing.
:25:28. > :25:33.Yet, through it all, the music played on.
:25:34. > :25:39.A full set playing in tune in the right hands is sort of...
:25:40. > :25:44.It's that sort of droning, humming, buzzing sound,
:25:45. > :25:51.In the wrong hands, it's like a cat being kicked.
:25:52. > :25:58.The biggest reward in this would be when you see someone playing a set
:25:59. > :26:03.that you've spent maybe, on average, about six months making a set.
:26:04. > :26:06.It kind of becomes part of you for a long time,
:26:07. > :26:09.and then you're kind of sad to see it leave the workshop,
:26:10. > :26:23.but the reward comes when you hear the music at the end.
:26:24. > :26:26.Now, earlier, we heard about ghost gear -
:26:27. > :26:31.that's posing a threat to wildlife in our waters.
:26:32. > :26:44.But can something be done about it? Here's Tom.
:26:45. > :26:48.Massive nets lost at sea by fishing boats,
:26:49. > :26:51.lobster pots that have slipped their guide buoys,
:26:52. > :26:54.and fishing lines from leisure anglers
:26:55. > :26:57.with deadly hooks and weights still attached.
:26:58. > :27:01.There is a mass of ghost fishing gear in our oceans,
:27:02. > :27:07.and it's continually trapping and killing wildlife.
:27:08. > :27:13.the simplest solutions may be the most effective.
:27:14. > :27:16.By encouraging commercial fishing vessels
:27:17. > :27:22.to put any ghost gear they find into bags like this...
:27:23. > :27:26...the Fishing For Litter initiative is putting those who unwittingly
:27:27. > :27:28.create the problem in the first place
:27:29. > :27:33.Has it been a good fishing season? Yeah, it's a good start to the year,
:27:34. > :27:36.and the weather's certainly been pretty good, so...
:27:37. > :27:40.'Paul Trebilcock from the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation
:27:41. > :27:42.'helped to establish the Fishing For Litter programme
:27:43. > :27:50.Another load. What kind of thing have we got in here?
:27:51. > :27:53.Basically, what we've got here - we've got an old cod-end here,
:27:54. > :27:55.a chafer with it. Lobster pot here. What's this?
:27:56. > :28:00.Bit of mild steel. Two or three bits of rope. Plastic.
:28:01. > :28:02.General sort of stuff we see in the bags.
:28:03. > :28:04.What encouraged you to start doing this in the first place?
:28:05. > :28:06.Fishermen were getting tired of towing up
:28:07. > :28:08.the same sort of rubbish over and over again,
:28:09. > :28:11.whether it be lost fishing gear or general plastic and rubbish.
:28:12. > :28:14.We got together with Defra, the MMO, and started off this initiative,
:28:15. > :28:16.Fishing For Litter, here in the South West.
:28:17. > :28:18.And, basically, it just blossomed from there.
:28:19. > :28:21.Are fishermen responsible for this ghost net problem?
:28:22. > :28:23.I don't know any fisherman who deliberately goes
:28:24. > :28:25.to lose fishing gear. It's expensive stuff.
:28:26. > :28:28.When it's lost, it's not fishing and not earning the boat money,
:28:29. > :28:31.Yes, occasionally, we lose a bit of gear,
:28:32. > :28:34.but I think we're doing more to clear up not only fishing gear,
:28:35. > :28:38.but other stuff that's lost at sea. So, yeah, I think we can safely say,
:28:39. > :28:42.you know, custodians of the marine environment again.
:28:43. > :28:49.So, commercial fishing is playing a part.
:28:50. > :28:52.But what about Britain's 900,000 sea anglers?
:28:53. > :28:57.They generate about ?1.2 billion for the economy every year,
:28:58. > :28:59.but at what price to the environment?
:29:00. > :29:02.This isn't easy, but... This is a pavement by your standards, is it?
:29:03. > :29:05.Yes, it is. THEY LAUGH
:29:06. > :29:09.With an estimated 2% of us enjoying recreational sea fishing,
:29:10. > :29:17.That's why Dr John O'Connor from the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers
:29:18. > :29:22.the clean-up campaigners I met earlier,
:29:23. > :29:29.to produce tips and guidelines for sea anglers here in Stackpole.
:29:30. > :29:33.So, John, tell me what you've been doing with local anglers here.
:29:34. > :29:36.Well, the local anglers, they fish these marks all the time,
:29:37. > :29:40.with the techniques and not losing a lot of gear.
:29:41. > :29:43.Because, obviously, you lose a lot of gear,
:29:44. > :29:48.What these tips are aimed at is the occasional angler.
:29:49. > :29:52.And tell me what these tips are. You use strong line.
:29:53. > :29:56.So, if you do get snagged, you can pull it out of the snags.
:29:57. > :30:00.You use hooks that will straighten in a snag if they're caught.
:30:01. > :30:04.You try and fish at high water. Basically, that's it.
:30:05. > :30:06.This was aimed at the recreational anglers -
:30:07. > :30:08.the part-time anglers, the holiday anglers -
:30:09. > :30:12.who are responsible for most of the tackle losses.
:30:13. > :30:18.probably because it's quite expensive.
:30:19. > :30:24.So, for the time being, we're relying on practical advice.
:30:25. > :30:27.Are you satisfied overall that anglers have kind of
:30:28. > :30:29.got the message about this and are doing their bit?
:30:30. > :30:34.Well, I think it's a slow process. Some have, some haven't.
:30:35. > :30:39.We instigated it in 2012, 2013 - coming up with the tips -
:30:40. > :30:43.and I'm told by Neptune's Army of Divers
:30:44. > :30:47.that tackle they're retrieving these days is much less than it was
:30:48. > :30:51.prior to the leaflets being put out there.
:30:52. > :30:55.So, small steps have been taken, but are they enough?
:30:56. > :30:58.Chiara Vitali from World Animal Protection,
:30:59. > :31:01.the group behind the global ghost gear initiative,
:31:02. > :31:09.and they really show that there's great energy around this,
:31:10. > :31:13.but we do need to have kind of that national level, that global level.
:31:14. > :31:15.What would you like to see governments,
:31:16. > :31:18.particularly our government, doing? We desperately need more research.
:31:19. > :31:21.We need to know kind of where the hot spots are, what's going on,
:31:22. > :31:22.where it's ending up once it's under the sea,
:31:23. > :31:25.and definitely research is really important for that
:31:26. > :31:28.to kind of help us get that understanding.
:31:29. > :31:31.You would think that science should have a part to play,
:31:32. > :31:35.but affordable technology to track and find lost fishing gear
:31:36. > :31:40.and biodegradable nets are not yet available.
:31:41. > :31:43.Nowadays, nets made from hemp and cotton
:31:44. > :31:48.are just not as effective as modern, synthetic ones.
:31:49. > :31:52.But in the meantime, these ghostly tangles of fishing gear
:31:53. > :32:01.will carry on ensnaring and killing wildlife.
:32:02. > :32:04.It's great to see both leisure and commercial fishermen
:32:05. > :32:07.taking more responsibility for their tackle,
:32:08. > :32:12.and we really need governments to step up to the mark,
:32:13. > :32:22.and better science to truly exorcise ghost gear from our oceans.
:32:23. > :32:26.Northern Ireland is blessed with lush farmland,
:32:27. > :32:31.nowhere more so than here in County Armagh, south of Belfast.
:32:32. > :32:34.This particular farm has been in the hands of one family
:32:35. > :32:36.for hundreds of years, but just recently,
:32:37. > :32:41.they've decided to do things a little bit differently.
:32:42. > :32:49.Alicia Breslin has turned this traditional Irish farm on its head.
:32:50. > :32:52.Alicia, here you are, hard at work planting. Hello, Joe.
:32:53. > :32:56.Now, I understand you're the inspiration
:32:57. > :32:59.behind the changes on the farm. Tell me about it.
:33:00. > :33:04.I came from Poland 19 years ago and decided to look for food
:33:05. > :33:08.that I haven't been able to find in the shops around here
:33:09. > :33:12.and just made a decision to grow it. That's wonderful.
:33:13. > :33:16.So, a mixture of unusual varieties, but also things you'd find foraging.
:33:17. > :33:18.So, it's sort of a foraging farm all in one place.
:33:19. > :33:21.Seasonality is a very important aspect for us,
:33:22. > :33:23.and the treasures you can find around the hedges
:33:24. > :33:26.and the ditches and moors is just amazing.
:33:27. > :33:29.Wonderful. So, the nature gives you so much over here.
:33:30. > :33:31.Well, we're going to find out more about this foraging farm
:33:32. > :33:35.a little bit later in the programme, but first, imagine if
:33:36. > :33:38.you had some of the rarest plants in the world on your farm.
:33:39. > :33:40.How would you farm in such a sensitive environment?
:33:41. > :34:02.a rugged finger of land pointing into the sea off North Wales.
:34:03. > :34:05.It's a giant outcrop with sheer cliffs on many sides,
:34:06. > :34:08.and it's a pretty wild and windswept place.
:34:09. > :34:23.a National Trust property with grazing rights
:34:24. > :34:29.The trust bought the farm back in 2015,
:34:30. > :34:33.They trawled the globe looking for someone
:34:34. > :34:38.but also manage this sensitive landscape, too.
:34:39. > :34:47.the rent they were looking for for the whole lot was just ?1.
:34:48. > :34:49.The trust eventually found their man,
:34:50. > :35:06.Dan's got a lot of experience of farming in sensitive areas.
:35:07. > :35:08.I first met him a couple of years ago
:35:09. > :35:12.when he was reviving traditional shepherding practices in Snowdonia.
:35:13. > :35:16.So, how will farming the Great Orme compare?
:35:17. > :35:19.Hi, Dan! Hey! Good to see you. And you, too.
:35:20. > :35:23.Still shepherding, then? Well, yeah, still shepherding.
:35:24. > :35:25.I'm not sure what else I'd do, to be honest. Stand. Stand!
:35:26. > :35:28.What an amazing spot. It's absolutely lovely.
:35:29. > :35:33.It's made even more better today because of the weather, I'd say.
:35:34. > :35:36.So, where are we geographically, then? What can we see from here?
:35:37. > :35:39.Right, what we can see is Anglesey to the west,
:35:40. > :35:43.where I was born and brought up. But we have Snowdonia to the south.
:35:44. > :35:45.And then, if we were on the other side of the Orme,
:35:46. > :35:48.we'd be able to see Cumbria in the distance.
:35:49. > :35:52.And how different to farming in Snowdon, where I met you last?
:35:53. > :35:55.On Snowdon, I was working as a conservation shepherd,
:35:56. > :36:00.But there, we were moving sheep away from sensitive areas,
:36:01. > :36:03.and here, we select areas to graze quite thoroughly, really,
:36:04. > :36:06.so we can really impact in different areas on the Orme.
:36:07. > :36:08.And now you're employed here, you're your own boss now.
:36:09. > :36:11.HE CHUCKLES Yeah, yeah, again,
:36:12. > :36:13.which brings other pressures, but enjoying it so far.
:36:14. > :36:15.Really cool. And where are these heading?
:36:16. > :36:18.I'm just taking these up to an area up there
:36:19. > :36:20.where some European gorse has been cut
:36:21. > :36:24.so we're going to use these sheep to follow up the grazing
:36:25. > :36:28.to encourage different flowers and different plants to grow
:36:29. > :36:36.so we get a greater variation. OK. Cool. OK.
:36:37. > :36:39.They're pretty lively. Stand! Stand! ADAM LAUGHS
:36:40. > :36:47.Any regrets? No, none so far, to be honest.
:36:48. > :36:54.ADAM CHUCKLES Honestly, no, none.
:36:55. > :37:02.And do the sheep learn that they've got to stay on that area
:37:03. > :37:04.because you hold them with a dog? They do.
:37:05. > :37:06.They will try and escape eventually once, you know,
:37:07. > :37:09.they get a bit bored or nicer grasses are running out.
:37:10. > :37:13.Once they're used to the close shepherding, they're pretty good.
:37:14. > :37:16.So, you've got to stay here for the day? I do leave them,
:37:17. > :37:19.but, you know, not for too long. I might pop home for lunch.
:37:20. > :37:25.But on a day like today, it's not too bad, is it?
:37:26. > :37:29.Dan's got 270 Lleyns and 90 Herdwicks
:37:30. > :37:33.that he continually rotates around the headland.
:37:34. > :37:36.Grazing different sites at different times is vital
:37:37. > :37:50.And here on the Orme are plants that are found nowhere else on earth.
:37:51. > :37:52.Are we heading in the right direction, Trevor?
:37:53. > :37:57.'Dr Trevor Dines from the charity Plantlife
:37:58. > :38:01.'is an authority on this botanical treasure trove.'
:38:02. > :38:04.Did you want to find it yourself or shall I point it out to you?
:38:05. > :38:06.You better point it out. I'm no botanist.
:38:07. > :38:09.It's right in front of you. Really? This?
:38:10. > :38:11.Yeah, yeah. There we go. So, what is it?
:38:12. > :38:15.The Welsh name is afal y creigiau - apple of the cliffs.
:38:16. > :38:18.But in English, we call it the Great Orme berry,
:38:19. > :38:23.and there are just six wild bushes of this in the entire world.
:38:24. > :38:26.In the world?! Yeah, it's an endemic species.
:38:27. > :38:29.That's extraordinary! It's stunning, isn't it? Incredible.
:38:30. > :38:31.Look, I've just touched it. Ooh, am I allowed to touch it?
:38:32. > :38:34.You are allowed! You're not allowed to take any away.
:38:35. > :38:36.You're actually lucky cos it's in full flower,
:38:37. > :38:38.so if you can look at the little flowers here...
:38:39. > :38:43.Yeah, but they'll be followed by really quite lovely little berries,
:38:44. > :38:46.sort of like a little pear, that was growing here.
:38:47. > :38:49.Got this massive slab of limestone sticking out into the sea.
:38:50. > :38:56.and that's why we get so many different species here. Lovely.
:38:57. > :38:58.Well, what a treat to see it. Yeah, you're a lucky man.
:38:59. > :39:12.Not many people get to see this. ADAM CHUCKLES
:39:13. > :39:15.So, Trevor, it's not just the Great Orme berry.
:39:16. > :39:17.There's a whole array of rare plants here. Yeah.
:39:18. > :39:20.We're standing on some of the richest habitat in Britain,
:39:21. > :39:24.There's 360 different species of plant alone
:39:25. > :39:29.So, really good examples just under our feet here.
:39:30. > :39:35.which is only really found here and down on the Gower.
:39:36. > :39:38.We've got spring cinquefoil around your feet where you're sitting.
:39:39. > :39:42.Little spring squill, these lovely little blue flowers.
:39:43. > :39:45.Beautiful, aren't they? And they're actually a relative of bluebells.
:39:46. > :39:49.I always think of them as, like, the seaside bluebell.
:39:50. > :39:52.Tiny little ornate flower, aren't they? Tiny little thing.
:39:53. > :39:57.this is going to end up in their tummies.
:39:58. > :39:59.You know, this is their food, isn't it?
:40:00. > :40:03.Yeah, I'll be watching Dan very closely.
:40:04. > :40:05.I don't want any of his sheep touching any of these!
:40:06. > :40:09.No, seriously, yes, his sheep will eat some of these rare flowers,
:40:10. > :40:12.but the roots and the seeds will be left here.
:40:13. > :40:16.So, the real key to this is keeping this grassland open
:40:17. > :40:19.so that there's room for these beautiful little things to thrive.
:40:20. > :40:21.It's a win for the farmer and a win for conservation.
:40:22. > :40:30.the last of this season's Herdwick lambs have just been born.
:40:31. > :40:35.And I've got a very particular interest
:40:36. > :40:41.in seeing these new arrivals for myself.
:40:42. > :40:44.I sold Dan a Herdwick ram last autumn,
:40:45. > :40:48.so it'll be interesting to see what they think of him.
:40:49. > :40:52.Hi, family! Hi. Hi. How are you all? Good.
:40:53. > :40:56.So, is this one of the lambs born out of Gavin, the ram I sold you?
:40:57. > :40:59.It is, yeah. This one's about half an hour, an hour old.
:41:00. > :41:02.It's just finding its feet, so, yeah, here he is.
:41:03. > :41:07.And are you pleased with him? Yeah, he's done a really good job.
:41:08. > :41:10.He's served what he was meant to and all the lambs have been born
:41:11. > :41:12.with the characteristics we were looking for -
:41:13. > :41:15.the really tough, coarse coat and the coarse hair over the head.
:41:16. > :41:18.So, they're quite a tough breed, and that's exactly what we wanted.
:41:19. > :41:21.They were lambing outside on the Great Orme.
:41:22. > :41:25.As the years progress, it will be a closed flock, hopefully, one day.
:41:26. > :41:30.So, we'll be, you know, well, much higher disease-resistant.
:41:31. > :41:32.And how have you found moving to the Great Orme?
:41:33. > :41:35.Yeah, it's been great. The views are amazing,
:41:36. > :41:37.and on a day like today, it's just beautiful here.
:41:38. > :41:40.Most of the time, it's sunny like today,
:41:41. > :41:45.THEY LAUGH Aww.
:41:46. > :41:48.Oh, well, it's been such a pleasure to meet you all,
:41:49. > :41:50.and I'll leave you with this little lamb.
:41:51. > :41:52.Where's its mum? Here she comes. Here she comes.
:41:53. > :42:02.Aren't they great mothers? Yeah. Come on. There's a good girl.
:42:03. > :42:05.Farming on difficult terrain is always tough,
:42:06. > :42:09.and with a site as sensitive as this one, it's especially so.
:42:10. > :42:12.But Dan is striking the right balance.
:42:13. > :42:14.He's building a good farming business
:42:15. > :42:27.and caring for the environment at the same time.
:42:28. > :42:33.Lough Neagh - the largest body of freshwater in Northern Ireland.
:42:34. > :42:38.for countless plants, bugs, birds and fish,
:42:39. > :42:43.but its life-giving nourishment doesn't stop there.
:42:44. > :42:48.carries with it a fine and fertile sediment,
:42:49. > :42:53.It means this earth is rich and productive -
:42:54. > :42:58.great for growing all sorts of things.
:42:59. > :43:03.Just a mile from the loch, this farmland is great
:43:04. > :43:07.for growing conventional crops, and has done for decades.
:43:08. > :43:15.Alicia Breslin arrived from Poland in 1998,
:43:16. > :43:18.and two years later married farmer Seamus.
:43:19. > :43:25.they'd gone from spuds and caulies to herbs and hedgerow plants.
:43:26. > :43:33.exotics like physalis, cardoon and Helios radish.
:43:34. > :43:41.Alicia, where did the inspiration come from
:43:42. > :43:45.Having been used to a different type of cuisine -
:43:46. > :43:48.slightly different types of cuisine -
:43:49. > :43:51.and using different vegetables, I longed for them,
:43:52. > :43:56.and tried to grow it on a smaller scale.
:43:57. > :44:00.You can still take advantage of the natural land that is here,
:44:01. > :44:04.and if it's rich and looked after, you can grow magic things.
:44:05. > :44:10.Alicia took her produce to local markets and demand soon grew.
:44:11. > :44:14.And I started to talk to people, and people started to talk to me,
:44:15. > :44:18.started growing more and more and more.
:44:19. > :44:26.We're experimenting as much as we can.
:44:27. > :44:30.Inside these growing tunnels, it's a wilderness,
:44:31. > :44:37.nature left to run wild, just like in hedgerows or meadows.
:44:38. > :44:40.A lot of people are interested in the borage
:44:41. > :44:44.Very edible and pretty-looking flowers.
:44:45. > :44:48.So, you eat the flowers? You eat the flowers.
:44:49. > :44:52.They're a very gentle, cucumber-like taste.
:44:53. > :44:56.Slightly sweet. Mm, that IS slightly sweet.
:44:57. > :44:59.The other plant that is growing really well is the lovage.
:45:00. > :45:03.That's quite an underestimated spice.
:45:04. > :45:06.It is quite nice. An aromatic plant. Quite strong.
:45:07. > :45:09.When it comes to the flavour, it resembles celery.
:45:10. > :45:13.Try some and see what you think. Wow. That's really strong.
:45:14. > :45:26.And a bit more tangy. A bit more... Bit richer, isn't it? Mm-hmm.
:45:27. > :45:30.Here, we have a pretty good patch of the radishes.
:45:31. > :45:32.So, what we're going to be doing is we're going to be picking...
:45:33. > :45:35.Oh, look at that. That's huge. ..pretty nice ones
:45:36. > :45:41.The white ones are lovely. Very gentle.
:45:42. > :45:44.Probably the mildest out of all the radishes.
:45:45. > :45:48.And that much is all that we can get in the springtime.
:45:49. > :45:51.Gentle, light varieties. Is there anything you take out?
:45:52. > :45:54.Is there anything you consider to be weeds? Nothing at all.
:45:55. > :45:57.I even leave the dandelions - the common dandelions.
:45:58. > :45:59.They stay here because they would attract
:46:00. > :46:11.and they would help me to propagate other plants.
:46:12. > :46:16.Local chef Jamie Richie is a big fan of Alicia's unusual produce,
:46:17. > :46:19.so much so, he now works with the farm,
:46:20. > :46:25.helping come up with new things to tickle Northern Irish taste buds.
:46:26. > :46:31.ready to whip up a dazzling alfresco treat.
:46:32. > :46:34.Jamie, how are you? Oh, hi. Good to see you.
:46:35. > :46:37.I understand you're essentially our on-site chef. Yeah.
:46:38. > :46:38.And you can put together a good spread here.
:46:39. > :46:40.We've brought some stuff from the polytunnels.
:46:41. > :46:43.There you are, Jamie. So, what can we do with this?
:46:44. > :46:45.What can we add to what you're making?
:46:46. > :46:49.Some nice, gorgeous radish. Golden radish. White radish. Yeah.
:46:50. > :46:53.A few of the flowers? We have some gorgeous edible flowers.
:46:54. > :46:58.How did you get involved with the farm here?
:46:59. > :47:01.I met Alicia a couple of years ago working in the market
:47:02. > :47:03.when I was really getting into foraging.
:47:04. > :47:06.And you were one of those looking for something a bit different.
:47:07. > :47:09.Some nice flavours and things to experiment with.
:47:10. > :47:12.Looking for something a bit unusual, and you discovered their stall?
:47:13. > :47:16.Outstanding, some of the produce we were getting, so it was.
:47:17. > :47:20.Even the customers couldn't believe it.
:47:21. > :47:22.Great to see this stuff in Northern Ireland.
:47:23. > :47:24.And the point of growing it here is showing it can be done
:47:25. > :47:26.because, ideally, you want to minimise air miles
:47:27. > :47:28.and you want the food as fresh as possible.
:47:29. > :47:30.Food sitting in a cupboard or in a fridge,
:47:31. > :47:32.travelling hundreds of thousands of miles,
:47:33. > :47:36.and the leaves just are not the same.
:47:37. > :47:38.And when you can go down to somewhere like this here
:47:39. > :47:45.and bring this food to the person, it's fantastic.
:47:46. > :47:51.Anything left over goes into Alicia's home-made pickles,
:47:52. > :48:02.like this rose petal cordial that finishes off the salad dressing.
:48:03. > :48:05.Right, chaps, here we go. Lovely. Let's try.
:48:06. > :48:11.I've got to try this dressing and this radish and a flower.
:48:12. > :48:16.Delicious. That's very good. And how satisfying, as well.
:48:17. > :48:19.You've grown this. That is wonderful.
:48:20. > :48:21.Well, here we are in the heat of a summer's day.
:48:22. > :48:24.We have been sizzling under the sun here in Northern Ireland,
:48:25. > :48:27.What's the weather going to do in the week ahead?
:48:28. > :48:42.Let's find out with the Countryfile forecast.
:48:43. > :48:50.Very good evening to you. The weather this week more of a gentle
:48:51. > :48:55.simmer than a sizzle for many of us, but certainly pleasant enough when
:48:56. > :48:59.the sun is out. This is the scene earlier in Birmingham. The
:49:00. > :49:03.temperature trend here in the week is the trend of what is going to
:49:04. > :49:09.happen UK wide. Warming up of it in the middle of the week. Not as wet
:49:10. > :49:13.as it has been. In Edinburgh, we've seen almost double the amount of
:49:14. > :49:18.rainfall for the month at the moment, most of that falling in the
:49:19. > :49:23.space of 36 hours. There is a battle between high pressure to the south
:49:24. > :49:31.of the UK and low pressure across the north Atlantic. A brief lift in
:49:32. > :49:35.wind speeds tomorrow across central Scotland and Northern Ireland. Winds
:49:36. > :49:40.close to gale force wind in a few spots. Fewer showers around, due to
:49:41. > :49:46.the wind pushing them away. Further south, more likely to stay dry then
:49:47. > :49:52.see showers. Temperatures at the best across some eastern areas. The
:49:53. > :49:57.wind will ease as we finish Monday. Monday night, a little bit cooler
:49:58. > :50:01.through the countryside across southern and eastern areas, but
:50:02. > :50:06.temperatures will hold in the west as cloud spills in. Bringing patchy
:50:07. > :50:12.rain to parts of England and Northern Ireland and Wales. The
:50:13. > :50:16.start for Tuesday, a deep stormy area of low pressure in the
:50:17. > :50:21.Atlantic. That tends to build a ridge of high pressure ahead of it.
:50:22. > :50:27.That will keep things dry on Tuesday. More cloud further north,
:50:28. > :50:35.but as the high pressure builds in, showers will week and fragment. Hazy
:50:36. > :50:39.sunshine in eastern Scotland, 18 or 19 degrees. East Anglia and the
:50:40. > :50:45.South East warming up again by this stage. It will warm further over
:50:46. > :50:51.Tuesday night. A warm night on the cards. Winds coming in from a more
:50:52. > :50:56.southerly direction, tapping into some warmth over continental Europe.
:50:57. > :51:01.Temperatures on the up, and breezy conditions in the west. Some storms
:51:02. > :51:05.could clip the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Hazy sunshine in
:51:06. > :51:12.western areas, and blue skies and high temperatures in the south-east.
:51:13. > :51:19.Higher temperatures across the board, in fact. There is a downside.
:51:20. > :51:23.It is the grass pollen season, and particularly across England and
:51:24. > :51:29.Wales, not just on Wednesday but throughout the week, very high
:51:30. > :51:33.levels. We could sue a fuse thunderstorms from France clip the
:51:34. > :51:39.south-east on Thursday morning. But of the Atlantic, a weak cold front
:51:40. > :51:43.pushing rain from west to east and dropping temperatures. Some sunny
:51:44. > :51:49.spells for many. The wind flow continues into Friday. Pressure
:51:50. > :51:54.further south allows a few more weather fronts, but not particularly
:51:55. > :51:59.potent ones. More in the way of cloud, patchy rain and drizzle,
:52:00. > :52:01.brighter further south and east. Summer Rae I think the week ahead.
:52:02. > :52:16.Not a huge amount of rays. This untouched paradise for birds
:52:17. > :52:26.is the River Bann in Northern Ireland's
:52:27. > :52:31.green heartlands. The further we go,
:52:32. > :52:35.the more beautiful it becomes. It's really opening out here, Chris.
:52:36. > :52:37.Where are we at? We've moved our way down Lough Beg,
:52:38. > :52:41.and you can see Church Island and the spire cropping out
:52:42. > :52:44.over on the far shore there. Yeah. Church Island, then,
:52:45. > :52:48.is the next stop on our journey. Legend has it St Patrick founded
:52:49. > :52:52.a monastery on Church Island No longer a true island,
:52:53. > :52:58.most modern pilgrims arrive on foot, but we've got special permission
:52:59. > :53:01.to land ashore, just as Ireland's patron saint
:53:02. > :53:11.would have done 1,500 years ago. This looks like a place I want
:53:12. > :53:22.to explore. I'll see you in a bit. a farmer who's grazed
:53:23. > :53:27.his cattle here for 30 years. You just open the gate
:53:28. > :53:36.and put the kettle on! You've no fertiliser,
:53:37. > :53:38.no spraying, no anything. Water on one side
:53:39. > :53:43.and a wall on the other. THEY LAUGH
:53:44. > :53:46.It's easy. It's easy for you. Mm-hm. And here you are, the custodian
:53:47. > :53:49.of this important place. That must feel pretty good.
:53:50. > :53:53.Aye, it does. Aye. I think it's quite important
:53:54. > :53:56.that we take care of it I remember, one day,
:53:57. > :54:00.looking at the cattle, and there was a man walking about
:54:01. > :54:03.looking for something, and he came from Devon
:54:04. > :54:06.to photograph one plant. And we only saw one plant,
:54:07. > :54:17.but he was happy. So, they come from afar
:54:18. > :54:22.for the plants and the peace. Round here, few know more about
:54:23. > :54:26.this place than Fergal Kearney. He's going to show me
:54:27. > :54:28.the island's spiritual centre. You're very welcome
:54:29. > :54:30.to Inis Taoide... Thank you so much. ..or
:54:31. > :54:33.Church Island. That's very kind. Can we have a look round together?
:54:34. > :54:36.Of course. Lead the way. Thank you. Oh, it's really magical out here,
:54:37. > :54:38.isn't it? It is. I would call it Narnia-esque.
:54:39. > :54:41.Yeah, that's good. So, people have been coming
:54:42. > :54:45.to this place as a holy place since the time
:54:46. > :54:48.of St Patrick in the sixth century. This is an example
:54:49. > :54:52.of where they come to, and how that spirituality lives on
:54:53. > :54:55.here at Church Island. Is this not just
:54:56. > :54:57.a sort of handful of rocks? Well, legend has it that
:54:58. > :55:00.this stone is a kneeling stone used by St Patrick to pray
:55:01. > :55:03.when he came first to the island. He must have had
:55:04. > :55:05.some pretty gnarly knees However, the reality is
:55:06. > :55:10.that this actually dates from the 12th century,
:55:11. > :55:13.and it's a bullaun stone. And a bullaun stone
:55:14. > :55:16.is a grinding stone for corn. Ah. So, you can imagine the monks
:55:17. > :55:18.in the settlement here, grinding their corn...
:55:19. > :55:20.Yeah. ..on this stone. But I think the St Patrick story
:55:21. > :55:23.is a better one. It is. Then, from nowhere, we come to
:55:24. > :55:36.the very heart of the island. The fairy tale continues.
:55:37. > :55:42.It does indeed. Are we allowed in?
:55:43. > :55:45.Of course we are. Yeah! Crumbling ruins,
:55:46. > :55:52.witness to the island's past. This spire,
:55:53. > :55:55.built by a local aristocrat Whoa! What a place.
:55:56. > :56:03.You can see right to the top. a silent reminder of those
:56:04. > :56:09.who lived and prayed here. There have been no monks here
:56:10. > :56:12.for centuries. They're long gone. Really, the only trace that we have
:56:13. > :56:14.of the monastic settlement and the monks themselves
:56:15. > :56:18.are non-native species of herb, which you can still find
:56:19. > :56:20.growing here, and which, at certain times of the year,
:56:21. > :56:22.you can smell. other than the ruins we have here,
:56:23. > :56:27.that monks once lived here. That's their living legacy.
:56:28. > :56:34.That's their living legacy. Oh, wow. Fergal's got one more
:56:35. > :56:36.place to show me that's especially close
:56:37. > :56:39.to his heart. This is
:56:40. > :56:42.such an incredible landscape. And it hasn't changed
:56:43. > :56:47.for hundreds of years. and it's a place which
:56:48. > :56:51.we all hold dear in our hearts. a sweep of pristine pasture
:56:52. > :56:56.that's never been tilled. It was special to another local,
:56:57. > :57:00.Seamus Heaney, who called it
:57:01. > :57:05.his favourite place in the world. It's a place which
:57:06. > :57:09.he found great spirituality, to evoke a place, you know,
:57:10. > :57:14.which is very special to him when he was growing up,
:57:15. > :57:16.and a place which, in his own mind, he returns to
:57:17. > :57:18.wherever he is in the world. He could be anywhere,
:57:19. > :57:22.in another country, but this is where he is
:57:23. > :57:23.in his mind's eye. in my mind's eye
:57:24. > :57:35.to this beautiful place. But for now,
:57:36. > :57:56.it's time to be on my way. Here she is! Let me give you a hand.
:57:57. > :57:59.Oh, what a gent. What a day for messing about
:58:00. > :58:01.on boats. Oh, it's gorgeous. A day like this
:58:02. > :58:03.in a place like this - what else would you want
:58:04. > :58:05.to be doing? In fact, it's making me
:58:06. > :58:07.a bit crestfallen to say that's all we've got time for
:58:08. > :58:10.from the gorgeous River Bann. Next week, we'll be at
:58:11. > :58:13.the Hay-on-Wye Literature Festival, meeting the artists and writers
:58:14. > :58:16.bringing the countryside to life. And - are you ready for this? -
:58:17. > :58:18.it is the launch of the Countryfile
:58:19. > :58:21.photographic competition. Yes! In fact, John is going to be here
:58:22. > :58:23.with all the details of how you can enter, and the
:58:24. > :58:27.all-important theme for this year. Hope you can join us then.
:58:28. > :58:29.Bye-bye. Bye-bye. What do you reckon?
:58:30. > :58:31.Maybe Hedgehogs In Harmony? Oh, that's a good theme.
:58:32. > :59:10.Nice Times In Nature? Don't suppose one of you fancies
:59:11. > :59:14.putting the kettle on, do you?