0:00:25 > 0:00:27MATT BAKER: The sparkling lochs and craggy mountains
0:00:27 > 0:00:29of Perth and Kinross.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32A gateway to the Highlands.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35I'm spending the day on a family farm.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Nothing unusual in that, you might think.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42But the farmers here lead rather interesting double lives.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43In the next few weeks,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Glen and Thomas Muirhead won't be delivering lambs,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49they'll be on the hunt for medals at the Winter Olympics.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Charlotte's looking at the link between the landscape
0:00:54 > 0:00:56and traditional Scottish games.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01- Absolutely spot on.- Yeah. - Agreed?- Agreed.
0:01:01 > 0:01:02SHE LAUGHS
0:01:02 > 0:01:05We're on call with our rural vets,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08where things are often a matter of life and death.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10There we go. It's coming.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Should mountain hares be culled or not?
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Tom hears both sides of the argument.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20It's my job, it's my livelihood,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22it's my passion to manage these uplands,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24and it's a part of that management.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26And Adam's in Cornwall,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29where there's already a hint of spring in the area.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32- So, little lambs already.- Yeah. A good three, four weeks old now.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35- Really looking well, aren't they? - Yeah, they're doing well.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49This is the very heart of Scotland.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Perth and Kinross.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55A vast area that stretches
0:01:55 > 0:01:58from the haunting Rannoch Moor in the West...
0:02:00 > 0:02:02..to the Firth of Tay in the East...
0:02:04 > 0:02:06..with the Cairngorms rising to the North.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13It's known locally as big tree country
0:02:13 > 0:02:16but here in Crieff it's not just about the big trees,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18there's big ambition here.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24The Scots have long been champions in the ancient game of curling,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27one of the world's oldest team sports.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28A favourite of Scottish farmers,
0:02:28 > 0:02:33they've been playing it on frozen lochs for at least 500 years,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35and in rural Crieff, that tradition
0:02:35 > 0:02:39and that hardy breed still reigns supreme.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42There can't be many farms in Britain that are run by a family
0:02:42 > 0:02:45of sporting legends, but the two brothers that I'm about to meet
0:02:45 > 0:02:47were pretty much born to curl.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Lie down, Flo.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55The Muirhead name is legendary in the world of curling.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Their dad, Gordon, is a world champion,
0:02:59 > 0:03:00and Eve, their sister,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02is one of Scotland's most prestigious curlers
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and captain of the women's Olympic team.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Flo, that'll do. That'll do, Flo.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Now Thomas and his older brother, Glen,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12are about to swap tractors for tracksuits
0:03:12 > 0:03:14in their first Winter Olympics,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17representing Britain as part of our curling team.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23Good girl.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Obviously you're from this incredible family,
0:03:28 > 0:03:29as far as curling is concerned.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Was there ever a choice
0:03:31 > 0:03:33of whether or not you were going to do this sport?
0:03:33 > 0:03:34I don't think it ever
0:03:34 > 0:03:37really became a thought, "Is this a choice or not?"
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- We just wanted to do it and that was... As simple as that.- Yeah.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Mum used to drag us round all the ice rinks
0:03:42 > 0:03:44as tiny, wee kids, to watch Dad compete.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- Yeah?- Yeah, so, from the moment we could step on the ice
0:03:47 > 0:03:49and hurl a stone, that's when we started.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51But I guess as far as the world's concerned,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53when another member of your family comes out there,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56everybody's like, "Oh, yeah, here we go, what have you got to offer?"
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Yeah, exactly. My sister has had a bit of success, obviously,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02so hopefully we can live up to what she's achieved.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04I was sitting watching the telly
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and just saw her face after she won that medal,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11and I think from that moment onwards my dream was set on trying to
0:04:11 > 0:04:13achieve what she has, or better, even.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21It's only been a year since Tom and Glen left the family farm
0:04:21 > 0:04:23to run their own business,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26but already they've built up a 1,400-strong flock
0:04:26 > 0:04:29of Texels and pedigree Scottish Blackface ewes.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33So these are all due to lamb, then, are they?
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Yeah, so these are due to lamb in about four weeks' time.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Right. Four weeks' time,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41that's bad timing as far as the Winter Olympics are concerned.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43So we're actually going to be away for the lambing, so...
0:04:43 > 0:04:46So who's going to be looking after them?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Well, we're very lucky that our dad and my girlfriend, Lucy,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- are both able to step in and take over the reins.- Yeah.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56And in general, then, how does the farming sit alongside your training?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59I mean, what is your usual training schedule for the week?
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Well, at the moment we're down to Stirling to the gym
0:05:01 > 0:05:05three times a week, and we'll be on ice training with the team
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and individually every day, actually, so, you know,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11we just have to tweak small things back at the farm to fit in.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14So, you know, the likes of lambing time, we'll put back a little bit
0:05:14 > 0:05:17later than normal, and we'll feed sheep either morning or
0:05:17 > 0:05:20when we get back at night, so generally that means doing
0:05:20 > 0:05:23things in the dark, but a set of good lights and we're all good.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26And, Thomas, it's a common thing within the team, isn't it?
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Because so many of you are farmers.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Yeah, it's funny.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34All our team-mates go back to farming backgrounds.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39I think it's back when curling was played outside,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43everybody would meet in the evening when the local pond would be
0:05:43 > 0:05:46frozen over and they'd have a few whiskies and they'd all have
0:05:46 > 0:05:48a good laugh and have a game of curling against each other.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I think it's really just progressed from there.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Farmers in general are very competitive individuals,
0:05:55 > 0:06:00I find, so I think the drive to be good at a sport
0:06:00 > 0:06:02also comes from the farming background, too.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07They may be competitive, but I'm sure there won't be any whisky
0:06:07 > 0:06:10involved whilst these boys go for gold.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13How are you feeling, then, with the Olympics coming up?
0:06:13 > 0:06:15- It's only a few weeks away. - Yeah, it's exciting.
0:06:15 > 0:06:21It's only three weeks and we'll be in Japan ready to go to South Korea.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24We've got everything in place that we want to have in place and we've
0:06:24 > 0:06:28done the hard work so let's just... Hopefully it all comes together.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30And how does it work from a team-mates perspective?
0:06:30 > 0:06:32You're working together on the farm
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and then you're out on the ice together.
0:06:34 > 0:06:35What's that relationship like?
0:06:35 > 0:06:36Challenging sometimes!
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Thomas thinks he's in charge and I think I'm in charge.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Fair enough. Good point. Right, well, let's get some work done.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Later, I'll swap the freezing farmyard for a state-of-the-art
0:06:49 > 0:06:53ice rink, when I join the rest of Team GB in their Olympic training.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Now, here in Scotland, mountain hares are often culled
0:07:03 > 0:07:05to keep their numbers under control
0:07:05 > 0:07:07but there are calls to have it banned.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Tom's up the road in the Cairngorms finding out more.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15And just to warn you, some of you may find parts of this distressing.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29If you go out spotting wildlife in Scotland,
0:07:29 > 0:07:34you might be lucky enough to catch a magical glimpse of a mountain hare.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40At this time of year, their coats have turned snowy white,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44giving them perfect camouflage against the winter landscape.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48But for some, they're a real problem.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Grouse moors like this are a perfect habitat for the hares
0:07:52 > 0:07:53and that's an issue for gamekeepers,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56because the hares eat a lot of vegetation
0:07:56 > 0:08:00and also carry ticks which can harm the grouse.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06And that's why thousands of hares across Scotland are shot
0:08:06 > 0:08:10each year in organised culls like this one.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Currently this is perfectly legal,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14but that's the heart of this argument.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17GUNSHOT
0:08:27 > 0:08:29The guns are going off all over the place
0:08:29 > 0:08:33and we've seen a couple hit down on this snowfield beneath me here
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and I have to say it's quite a tough watch.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40I'm conditioned to admire and cherish these animals as something
0:08:40 > 0:08:43beautiful and rarely seen
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and to watch them being killed in this way,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48yeah, feels quite challenging.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55This grouse moor is managed by Alex Jenkins, the head gamekeeper.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01We have a team of guns who's hopefully pushing the hares
0:09:01 > 0:09:04up from the bottom of the hill. We call them the walking guns.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06We have a team of standing guns as well who are based
0:09:06 > 0:09:09at the top of the hill, and the idea is to get the hares
0:09:09 > 0:09:13within a close range so that we can hopefully shoot a few.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Three or four times a year, neighbouring gamekeepers
0:09:17 > 0:09:20from other grouse moors gather to help the cull here.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22And how often do they breed, hares?
0:09:22 > 0:09:24- How rapidly can they boom their population?- Quite rapidly.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27They have a gestation period of about 50 days.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30They start breeding roughly about the end of February.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32They can breed two or three times in a year
0:09:32 > 0:09:35and a litter can be anything from one to six.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38- So they breed, well, like rabbits. - Like rabbits, yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Had quite a few that have got away,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51slipped through the gap just up there.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56In the end, you're shooting hares
0:09:56 > 0:09:59in order to keep the grouse shooting business viable.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03I would say it's a 50-50 split between grazing pressure on the hill
0:10:03 > 0:10:06and as a method to control tick numbers.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08And the ticks carry louping ill,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11which can cause an 80% mortality in red grouse chicks.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13You're shooting one animal
0:10:13 > 0:10:15so you can make money from shooting another.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18It makes the estate viable. It provides the employment that's here.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20I'm not going to make two bones about that.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Grouse shooting is what keeps the five of us
0:10:22 > 0:10:24who work on this estate in a job,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and it's rural employment in very remote areas.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29So, yes. Yes, we are.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33It won't surprise you to hear
0:10:33 > 0:10:36that shooting hares is not popular with everyone.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Gamekeepers say shoots like this only take place
0:10:39 > 0:10:43when hare numbers are high, and they keep records locally.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45But here's the problem -
0:10:45 > 0:10:49there's no up-to-date scientific figure on hare populations.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52The latest estimate is more than 20 years old
0:10:52 > 0:10:57and put it anywhere between 175,000 and half a million.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59And for some, that's the real issue.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02In fact, look, we've got some tracks here.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- That looks like mountain hare tracks to me.- Slightly longer foot.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- Yeah, that's right.- Wow.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13In another part of the Cairngorms, I'm meeting Harry Huyton from
0:11:13 > 0:11:18the animal welfare charity OneKind, who are worried about hare numbers.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19They're not very well monitored.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22We have very poor data as to exactly how they're doing,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25so we can't conclude whether they're declining or not.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29But we do know that they are locally vastly reduced
0:11:29 > 0:11:31in certain parts of the Highlands.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Just to spell it out, you're not saying there's necessarily
0:11:34 > 0:11:36a national decline, but you're worried in certain areas they
0:11:36 > 0:11:38could be moving towards elimination?
0:11:38 > 0:11:41There might be a national decline, we just don't have the data.
0:11:41 > 0:11:42The argument doesn't stop there.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44There's serious animal welfare concerns as well.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48You're seeing a lot of hares being killed, you know, in just one hunt.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I think injury rates could be quite high
0:11:50 > 0:11:52and we just don't know enough about them.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54There's no standards that are being followed here.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It's not regulated or monitored in any way
0:11:56 > 0:11:58so, yes, it is potentially cruel.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00And he disputes gamekeepers' claims
0:12:00 > 0:12:04that the cull protects the landscape and reduces ticks.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08There's just no evidence that killing mountain hares
0:12:08 > 0:12:10means there's more red grouse.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Should we be managing these vast moors
0:12:13 > 0:12:15just so there are as many red grouse as possible,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18even if that means having to eradicate, you know, locally,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20native species like the mountain hare?
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Now the charity is calling on the Scottish Government
0:12:25 > 0:12:26to ban hare shooting.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Isn't your campaign really underpinned by the fact that
0:12:30 > 0:12:33they're cuddly, you know, bunnies are lovely, hares are lovely?
0:12:33 > 0:12:36They are lovely. They're beautiful. Of course they are.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39But, no, this is about protecting a native species.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40It's indigenous to the Highlands
0:12:40 > 0:12:43and it's being killed in enormous numbers for spurious reasons.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48Back on the moors, they're loading the hares into a chilled store.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50They'll all be sold for meat,
0:12:50 > 0:12:55which Alex Jenkins says shows the respect gamekeepers have for hares
0:12:55 > 0:12:57both in life and death.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01I love them. I think they're fantastic animals.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I think they deserve the utmost respect.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08You know, we can have some serious weather here and they thrive.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10And that admiration and respect, for you,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12is compatible with shooting them?
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Yes. Erm...
0:13:14 > 0:13:16It's my job, it's my livelihood,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19it's my passion to manage these uplands
0:13:19 > 0:13:21and it's a part of that management.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27We'd never want to see the day where we shoot the last hare.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32The interests of people and the interests of wildlife
0:13:32 > 0:13:34often bring them into conflict,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38and managing this in a way that allows both to thrive
0:13:38 > 0:13:39is a constant battle.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45The Scottish Government is facing two widely differing opinions.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Shooting organisations who say they need to control hare numbers,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52and animal welfare groups claiming that's cruel
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and threatens local extinction.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56So what's the way forward?
0:13:56 > 0:13:58That's what I'll be looking at later.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- CHARLOTTE SMITH:- Scotland's a place steeped in ancient traditions
0:14:07 > 0:14:11and local customs, many of which are tied to the landscape.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17And nothing says Caledonian culture more than Highland games.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Every summer, the most prestigious event in the country is held
0:14:22 > 0:14:26here in Crieff - the Scottish Heavyweight Championships.
0:14:26 > 0:14:31Stone, metal and wood, thrown for distance, height and style.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34But this year they need a brand-new caber.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38There's long been a link between the land
0:14:38 > 0:14:41and traditional sports here in Scotland.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46I've come to the Drummond Estate in search of the perfect tree.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48Now, there are a lot of trees on this estate
0:14:48 > 0:14:52but only one is worthy of becoming the new caber
0:14:52 > 0:14:55to be tossed at this year's Highland games.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00The games began more than 1,000 years ago when chieftains sought
0:15:00 > 0:15:05the strongest, fastest and fittest to represent their clan -
0:15:05 > 0:15:10contests of power and skill that continue to this day
0:15:10 > 0:15:14in a festival of sport, music, dancing
0:15:14 > 0:15:16and, of course, caber tossing.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23To find the raw materials for this year's new caber,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I'm heading beyond the castle gardens and into the forest
0:15:26 > 0:15:30with Ian Stewart, the chairman of the Crieff Highland Gathering.
0:15:31 > 0:15:32Ian, tell me about the games.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Because a lot of the things that happen in Highland games
0:15:35 > 0:15:37are actually to do with the land, aren't they?
0:15:37 > 0:15:38It all comes from nature.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Exactly. It's all about... As far as the caber's concerned,
0:15:41 > 0:15:42it's all about a tree.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47We tend to use a Scots pine. Every year it's always a Scots pine.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49And that brings us to why we're here,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51cos you're in need of a new caber.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53We are. We've always been at the forefront at Crieff
0:15:53 > 0:15:56of new ideas for the games circuit.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00But we developed, back in 1994, what we term a challenge caber -
0:16:00 > 0:16:02longer, heavier.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04And, of course,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08it carried with it the biggest caber prize in the world, of £1,000.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11But only the top three heavyweight champions
0:16:11 > 0:16:13are allowed to try their luck with it.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17That prize remained unclaimed until last year when our Scottish
0:16:17 > 0:16:21heavyweight champion, Scott Rider, managed the perfect throw.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24And, of course, that's why we're here today,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27is that we feel a new tree, a new caber,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31longer and heavier still, will be the challenge that's required.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Choosing the more challenging challenge caber
0:16:35 > 0:16:37is forester Norman O'Neill.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41David Taylor's the joiner who will turn it from trunk to caber.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43They are also both directors of the Crieff Gathering,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46so they know what they're looking for.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49So, Norman, why this one? What makes this tree "cabery"?
0:16:49 > 0:16:53The old challenge caber was 20 foot and 3 inches
0:16:53 > 0:16:55and so what we're looking for here is to start off
0:16:55 > 0:16:58by trying to identify one that's about 22 feet long.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01The last one was a challenge, this is going to be a bigger challenge.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05- No question.- That's the name of the game.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07- David, you're going to turn the tree into a caber.- I am.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10We're going to take probably a good inch and a half off this
0:17:10 > 0:17:13so it'll come down to about 8.5 inches at the heavy end,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17and it'll be tapered up to 3.5 inches at the light end,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20which is the end, obviously, the guys have in their hands.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23- So all we've got to do now is fell it.- That's it, yeah.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Let's go stand somewhere else.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34Yeah, there it goes.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Whoa.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41SHE LAUGHS
0:17:43 > 0:17:45One caber.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47But the skill in choosing a caber
0:17:47 > 0:17:49is nothing in comparison with tossing it.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53If anyone's got the remotest chance of teaching me,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56it's local champion David Colthart.
0:17:56 > 0:17:57I wouldn't place any bets just yet -
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I can't even move the old challenge caber.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03This one is... It's ridiculous.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05My eye's drawn to this little tiddly one here. What's that?
0:18:05 > 0:18:09That'll be a nice one to practise on to start with to get the technique.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11- What's the secret here?- You need a lot of strength, obviously,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13but also a lot of skill to toss it over.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16So not necessarily the strongest guy can toss a caber,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19it's the one with the most technique, skill and timing.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21- Can anyone do it?- Anybody can try.
0:18:21 > 0:18:22SHE LAUGHS
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Run in a straight line and then flick it end over end.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- Oh!- If you lose control, just let it go so it doesn't hurt you.- OK!
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Flick it over. Just throw it over.
0:18:35 > 0:18:36- There you go.- Ooh!- Perfect.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38- VOICEOVER:- Surprisingly, not bad for a first attempt.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42- So, miraculously, that's landed pointing that way.- Yeah.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44- Does that matter? - That's perfect, yeah.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46What you do is toss it in an imaginary clock face,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50so 12 o'clock is straight away from you and that's perfect.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52What you do is if it goes to the side a little bit,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55he'll judge it in minutes past one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Comfortable. You run forward...
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Wibble, wibble, wibble, wibble.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Spot-on. Perfect.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- Oh.- Oh. - That's the worst one I've done.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Don't look, don't look, don't look. Don't look.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Despite that one, I'm feeling brave, or foolish, enough
0:19:13 > 0:19:14to challenge David.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first inaugural
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Countryfile Caber Tossing Championship.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Dressed in their judging finery,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Ian, David and Norman are back to adjudicate.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I really am underdressed for this, aren't I?
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Who's in the lead currently?
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Currently you're leading at 12:05. David was at 12:07.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Yeah, that's a perfect throw. Absolutely spot-on.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11So is that it, game over?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13No, no. You can still draw.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Oh, that was a good throw.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Yes, I have to say that's another perfect throw. Absolutely spot-on.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31- Agreed?- Agreed.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33- SHE LAUGHS - Yes!
0:20:33 > 0:20:36- VOICEOVER:- With one perfect throw each, it's a tie.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39I am ridiculously chuffed, actually.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- ADAM HENSON:- In a series of special films, we're spending time
0:20:50 > 0:20:53with a team of rural vets and seeing what it takes to look
0:20:53 > 0:20:57after our livestock in the harshest of months, winter.
0:20:57 > 0:20:58It never happens...
0:20:59 > 0:21:02The practice is based in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05It's one of the largest in the country, with around 40 vets
0:21:05 > 0:21:08providing care to all creatures great and small.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09Wahey.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13We'll track the trials and tribulations,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16through the blood, sweat and tears...
0:21:16 > 0:21:19There's something not quite right here today.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22..to see what it takes to be a country vet.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27And just to let you know,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29some of what they do isn't for the faint-hearted.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Angela is an equine vet who's been called out to an emergency.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43One of Annie Jenkins' two beloved horses,
0:21:43 > 0:21:4530-year-old thoroughbred Morrow,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48has rolled over in the field and can't get up.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Elderly horses, they go down for a roll
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and then they can't get back up because they're stiff or sore.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00I discovered him sort of late morning
0:22:00 > 0:22:03and because he's quite old he was obviously getting weaker
0:22:03 > 0:22:07all the time, and he just couldn't get up.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10We tried pulling him up with rope
0:22:10 > 0:22:12but nobody was strong enough.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14We needed a little bit of extra expertise.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18We got him on his feet not very long ago
0:22:18 > 0:22:23but he got his feet caught in the rug and I can't get him...
0:22:23 > 0:22:25The clips are on the underneath of his shoulders.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32You're very helpful. He's a good boy. I know. You're so helpful.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34One thing that Morrow hated the most was the dogs going
0:22:34 > 0:22:37anywhere near his nose and so we got the Labradors out
0:22:37 > 0:22:41and tried to get them to annoy him a little bit to try and get him
0:22:41 > 0:22:44fighting, see if we could get him up, and it did actually help.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Come on, then.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49If I can try and get him up...
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Good boy.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54It's quite time sensitive.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57If a horse is down for a very long time, then you're unlikely
0:22:57 > 0:22:59to ever get them up again.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00SHE CLICKS HER TONGUE
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Come on, Morrow.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04- Are you OK there?- Yeah.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Good boy. Stay like that.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Good boy, good boy, good boy.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11Good lad!
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Good boy.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Good lad.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Well done.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- OK, we'll just try and get the... - Get the rug off.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26He's been down for a couple of hours
0:23:26 > 0:23:29so he might be a bit staggery on his feet.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- Good boy.- Goodness me.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34- Good lad.- What a silly thing to do.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37- He's leaning a bit towards Angela. - Yeah, he is. Good boy.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40He was a bit stiff and sore, a bit pottery,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44but once he got walking, he seemed to do really well.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46It was really lovely to be able to get him up.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48His owners were thrilled.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Poor Morrow. If we hadn't been able to get him up before it got dark
0:23:52 > 0:23:55it would have been unlikely that we would have got him up at all.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Once a horse is recumbent for, you know, a long period of time,
0:23:59 > 0:24:00because of the weight of them,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03it sort of puts a lot of pressure on their blood vessels
0:24:03 > 0:24:06and their nerves and they get what we call myopathies and neuropathies
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and then they can't move their legs even if they wanted to.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10..Good lad.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17He's quite bright now, and we can see what he's like in the morning
0:24:17 > 0:24:21and perhaps go from there because he's...
0:24:21 > 0:24:23He seems very pleased with himself now he's up, doesn't he?
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Being able to give a horse another chance is really...
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Well, it's quite emotional, really,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and really gets the hairs on the back of your neck going.
0:24:33 > 0:24:34I love him to bits.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38I've had him for nearly 19 years so he's part of our family, really,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40so I would have been...
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Well, I WILL be heartbroken when he goes, but it's luckily not today.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Emergencies can happen at any time.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58The vets on night shift have received a call from James Smith,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01a farmer who's worried about a cow and her unborn calf.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Georgie is newly qualified, and is learning the ropes
0:25:05 > 0:25:09from seasoned practitioner Will, who we met last week.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11When it's a calving, we need to get there as soon as possible
0:25:11 > 0:25:14because that greatly increases our chance of getting a live calf.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17She'd been calving throughout the day but
0:25:17 > 0:25:20she hadn't really got on with it so the farmer was just getting
0:25:20 > 0:25:22a bit worried and wanted us to check her out and make sure
0:25:22 > 0:25:24she was OK.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25..All right. All right.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Normally they don't need any assistance and the odd one
0:25:29 > 0:25:31that needs a little help, I can do that,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35but on this occasion we needed to call the vets and we probably would
0:25:35 > 0:25:40only call them for maybe 1 in 50, maybe even 1 in 100 calvings.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43So it's quite a rarity for us to have to call them out.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50I'd agree. It's not twisted.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53One of the things we were a bit worried about was a twisted uterus,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56where the uterus can twist all the way round
0:25:56 > 0:25:59and it basically makes it look like a corkscrew
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and doesn't open up to allow the calf to come out,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04but it all does feel quite straight there
0:26:04 > 0:26:07so I don't think that's something to worry about.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11So you've just got a head rope on it now so hopefully that will help
0:26:11 > 0:26:15in trying to reposition the calf so we can get it out more easily.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18You basically want a calf to be diving out,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21so feet first, head coming up like this.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24- If we just have a little pull first. - Yeah.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28- So if I grab the feet and you grab the head.- Yeah.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Once we've got all the ropes attached, it is a case of
0:26:30 > 0:26:33trying to get the calf out as quickly as you can but also
0:26:33 > 0:26:36being aware that it's a lot of soft tissue that you have to stretch.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39It's trying to do it as quickly you can without damaging the cow.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It's quite physically hard work
0:26:48 > 0:26:51so you normally get a bit of a sweat on trying to pull them out.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Quite handy to have someone like Will there as well
0:26:54 > 0:26:55to help lift the calf up.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59Cos she's quite a deep cow it's just sat right over the edge and we've
0:26:59 > 0:27:02got to try and pull the calf over this cliff, basically, haven't we?
0:27:02 > 0:27:04I think...
0:27:04 > 0:27:07I think we'll have to start doing it with the jack, I think cos...
0:27:07 > 0:27:09..we're not quite having the effect I was hoping.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14The general rule is you shouldn't really put any more force
0:27:14 > 0:27:17than two people pulling.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Certainly with the jacks you can put a lot more force than that.
0:27:23 > 0:27:24You've just got to be very careful
0:27:24 > 0:27:28and judge how much tension you're putting through the jack.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31If the calf isn't moving, it could be that the shoulders
0:27:31 > 0:27:34of the calf are against the bony pelvis of the cow,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36and if it's bone on bone we're not going to win
0:27:36 > 0:27:38so you need to stop straightaway.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42It's quite a big calf, I think.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46There we go. It's coming.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55There we go.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05That's it.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08It's a case of getting the calf out as quickly as we can
0:28:08 > 0:28:10and getting it breathing as quickly as we can.
0:28:10 > 0:28:11Just stand him.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20So we put them in this position,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23cos you want to have them upright so they don't have more pressure
0:28:23 > 0:28:25on one side of the lungs than the other.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27It's a position that allows the lungs to expand the easiest
0:28:27 > 0:28:30and get them breathing. Doesn't look the most comfortable
0:28:30 > 0:28:35but it's supposed to be the most effective so... Good.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37It's nice to see a live calf come out.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42It's breathing OK, which is good. It's a nice, big calf as well.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Quite pleased it's gone well.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Right.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51I'm quite lucky cos I'm a new grad vet,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54so I'm kind of on call but I always have backup with people,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57so it's really nice to be able to come to a call like this
0:28:57 > 0:29:01and have someone like Will that's there to kind of show you the ropes.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03I can be a bit of control freak
0:29:03 > 0:29:06so sorry if I take over a bit too much sometimes.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14The farmer's happy, calf's alive, cow's happy, we're happy,
0:29:14 > 0:29:15so, yeah, it's all good.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23But, as a vet, witnessing the arrival of new life
0:29:23 > 0:29:28goes hand-in-hand with saying goodbye to old friends.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32The next day, Angela, the equine vet, had a difficult decision to
0:29:32 > 0:29:36make about Morrow, who once again was unable to get up on his feet.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Annie called me and I went over
0:29:38 > 0:29:42and we had a discussion about the fact that it was likely to recur.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It was a horrible situation to be in
0:29:46 > 0:29:47but we both decided that the best thing
0:29:47 > 0:29:49would be to put Morrow to sleep.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55He lay there, we sedated him and he didn't know anything about it.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57He went really peacefully on a beautiful day.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Morrow was well looked after and, at 30, he had lived a long life.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06He'll leave his owners with some special memories.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Next week we follow a cow that's just calved
0:30:12 > 0:30:14and needs an emergency procedure...
0:30:14 > 0:30:16All right, girl. Nearly there.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22..and Ben does an inside job for Emma and her prize-winning chicken.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24They usually end up seeing them during their lunch break,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27so I annoy them usually at that time.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Earlier we heard how gamekeepers shoot mountain hares to help
0:30:37 > 0:30:39manage the land here in Scotland.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42But it's an activity that divides opinion.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44So what's the way forward? Here's Tom.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Mountain hares are a hugely admired and hardy native species,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59yet in parts of Scotland each year in the open season
0:30:59 > 0:31:02thousands are shot in organised culls.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06But it's controversial.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Gamekeepers say it's necessary to reduce overgrazing
0:31:09 > 0:31:11and protect the grouse business,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14but many wildlife campaigners would like to see it banned.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22The thing is, no-one really knows how many mountain hares there are
0:31:22 > 0:31:25and whether they're thriving or at risk.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29Now conservation groups, estate owners and gamekeepers
0:31:29 > 0:31:32are joining forces to get a better understanding of hare numbers.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37- Hi there, Scott. - Hi, how are you doing?
0:31:37 > 0:31:38This looks like a curious occupation.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40So what are you actually up to here?
0:31:40 > 0:31:42So we're counting hare pellets
0:31:42 > 0:31:44and I'll just show you one.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48In this landscape, the approach needs to be simple.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Dr Scott Newey from the independent research organisation
0:31:51 > 0:31:53the James Hutton Institute
0:31:53 > 0:31:57has come up with a straightforward way to monitor numbers.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59OK, glamorous job. So how does it work?
0:31:59 > 0:32:02So we have a number of these plots set up over the area.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07We're interested in mountain hare populations, and we mark each plot
0:32:07 > 0:32:12and then we simply go along and we use a circular plot
0:32:12 > 0:32:14and we simply go round and we count...
0:32:14 > 0:32:18So I should be picking up all these within the radius of that string.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Exactly, yeah. And then put them outside of the plot
0:32:22 > 0:32:25and we count it all and remove it.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28And how does this then translate
0:32:28 > 0:32:31into a calculation of how many are here?
0:32:31 > 0:32:33So we've done a lot of live trapping work on some of these sites
0:32:33 > 0:32:38and from the information we get from the live trapping we can get
0:32:38 > 0:32:42some very good estimates of how many hares there are on this area.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45But if you know from where you've done that,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47the ratio of poo to live hares,
0:32:47 > 0:32:49then you can just use counting pellets as a proxy for that
0:32:49 > 0:32:52- in a much bigger area. - That's exactly it, yeah.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54- It's an indication of how many there are.- Ah! That is cunning.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57What we wanted was a standardised method that was very simple,
0:32:57 > 0:33:01easy to carry out. You don't need any fancy equipment.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04One of the real advantages of methods like this
0:33:04 > 0:33:06is they can be applied at a very small scale,
0:33:06 > 0:33:07down to a few square kilometres,
0:33:07 > 0:33:10or they can be scaled up to cover very, very large areas.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13So assuming this is robust, which it looks like it's going to be,
0:33:13 > 0:33:15are there going to be lots of hare poo counters across Scotland?
0:33:15 > 0:33:19Who knows? We need to see, and we're working with our project partners
0:33:19 > 0:33:23now to see how we roll this out through different landowners
0:33:23 > 0:33:24and conservation organisations,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26and anyone with an interest in mountain hares.
0:33:28 > 0:33:29It's hoped dung sampling,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33coupled with some night-time torchlight counting,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36will be rolled out for full pilot tests soon
0:33:36 > 0:33:39and could feed into a wider Scottish Government-sponsored
0:33:39 > 0:33:41review of moorland management.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Eileen Stewart is from Scottish Natural Heritage,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47which advises the government on wildlife.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52What is all this data feeding into?
0:33:52 > 0:33:55It's part of us just getting a really good picture of what's
0:33:55 > 0:33:59happening with mountain hares, cos they're such an important species.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Everybody wants to see the populations remain healthy
0:34:01 > 0:34:03and widespread across Scotland,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07but it also will allow us to make better decisions about
0:34:07 > 0:34:11what management is appropriate at a local and a national level.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14And when will you have a result that will give people clarity
0:34:14 > 0:34:16over whether they should be shooting or not?
0:34:16 > 0:34:19So, estates can use this on their own land
0:34:19 > 0:34:23so they can get a good kind of indication of the populations,
0:34:23 > 0:34:24whether they're going up or down,
0:34:24 > 0:34:26and that'll help inform their own management,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29and we hope to collect and gather all this data,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32and over a number of years it'll start to build up a much better
0:34:32 > 0:34:36picture of what happens at a regional and national level.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Even with this science, those calling for a ban
0:34:38 > 0:34:42are still likely to question the ethics of culling hares.
0:34:42 > 0:34:43But for those making the decisions,
0:34:43 > 0:34:45this could be essential information
0:34:45 > 0:34:49because the Scottish Government says there's not enough evidence,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52and Scottish Natural Heritage agrees.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56Is there a population crisis as far as you can see for hares?
0:34:56 > 0:34:58The evidence doesn't show that.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01There are some studies in the north-east which indicate
0:35:01 > 0:35:04some localised declines, which are a cause of concern,
0:35:04 > 0:35:08but this additional monitoring, we hope, will allow us to examine
0:35:08 > 0:35:13that much more closely, and be sure there aren't any problems.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16Scotland is very much kind of selling itself on tourism
0:35:16 > 0:35:18and the beauty of the natural environment.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Do you think that goes with shooting hares?
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Well, people come to the country for a whole load of different reasons.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26People come because they like walking
0:35:26 > 0:35:27and enjoying the countryside,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31but people do come and pay because they enjoy the sport of shooting
0:35:31 > 0:35:36deer, shooting grouse, so it is part of our wider cultural heritage.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Like it or not, game shooting does contribute
0:35:41 > 0:35:44to the Scottish rural economy.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48The shooting of a creature as magnificent and attractive
0:35:48 > 0:35:51as a mountain hare, primarily just to create a habitat
0:35:51 > 0:35:56for shooting something else, may seem a little hard to swallow,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59but the new science should give us reassurance over
0:35:59 > 0:36:02whether that activity is a threat
0:36:02 > 0:36:05to the wider population of hares or not.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Come on, then. There you go.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16There's some breakfast for you.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Now, here in Perthshire, lambing is still a way off.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20With an icy outlook head of the Olympics,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22it's all still feeling rather wintry
0:36:22 > 0:36:24but Adam has been down in Cornwall
0:36:24 > 0:36:27where there's a hint of spring in the area.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38I'm 600 miles south of Perthshire, near Penzance in Cornwall,
0:36:38 > 0:36:41where the warmer temperatures have given sheep farmers here
0:36:41 > 0:36:44a bit of a head start over their Scottish counterparts.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It can be quite tricky to make money out of sheep,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50and although the price of lamb's OK at the moment,
0:36:50 > 0:36:53the cost of production isn't getting any cheaper,
0:36:53 > 0:36:54so if it's profit you're after
0:36:54 > 0:36:56then you really need to be on top of your game
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and thinking outside the box, and the great advantage of
0:36:59 > 0:37:02being down here in Cornwall is a mild climate.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Neither Ryan Came-Johnson nor Steve Penberthy
0:37:10 > 0:37:12come from farming backgrounds.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17But just 18 months ago they decided to start to farm sheep commercially
0:37:17 > 0:37:20and, since then, flock numbers have been steadily on the rise.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28- Hi, gents.- Hey, Adam.- Adam.- Hi. Good to meet you.- Steve.- Hi, Steve.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31- And this is Ryan.- Hi, Ryan.- Nice to meet you.- So, little lambs already.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Yeah, these were born first of December.
0:37:34 > 0:37:35So a good three, four weeks old now.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38- Really looking well, aren't they? - Yeah, they're doing well.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41- And mainly Dorsets? - Yeah, Dorsets and Dorset crosses.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Just a small flock that we lamb early.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45So that breed can lamb
0:37:45 > 0:37:47much earlier than most traditional breeds, can't they?
0:37:47 > 0:37:51Yeah, they'll lamb out of season, pretty much any time of the year.
0:37:51 > 0:37:52So you've got your early lambs
0:37:52 > 0:37:54and then you've got other flocks as well.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Yeah, we've got just a small number of Dorsets here
0:37:57 > 0:38:01but we lamb around 70 pedigree Lleyns in February
0:38:01 > 0:38:06and then just over 200 Highlanders lamb outdoors in April.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09Goodness me. Gluttons for punishment. Endless lambing.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11- Three times a year, yes. - Do you want to put that one down?
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- Looks like he's getting heavy. - He is heavy.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17What a lovely lamb. And what's the plan with this flock now, then?
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Well, they're coming up for a month old now so we've had some rough
0:38:21 > 0:38:25weather but today's looking a little bit better so I think we're going to
0:38:25 > 0:38:28get them outside, get them out in the fields and eating some grass.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Come on, then, girls.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33WHISTLING
0:38:38 > 0:38:40- Come on.- Nice and steady, aren't they?- Yeah. No rush.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47The milder climate and grass that grows all year round
0:38:47 > 0:38:50means a longer growing season for Steve and Ryan's lambs.
0:38:57 > 0:38:58With these sheep settled,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Steve and I are off to check the flock that will lamb next...
0:39:06 > 0:39:07..the Lleyns.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Even though there's plenty of grass, Steve's keen to
0:39:14 > 0:39:17make sure his pregnant ewes don't lack the nutrition they need.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- They're smart looking Lleyns, aren't they?- They're not looking too bad.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29- How many have you got? - There's about 70 here.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31You got a few other bits and bobs in here.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32Yeah, there's a few mixed ewes as well
0:39:32 > 0:39:34but the majority of them are Lleyns.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36And when are they due to lamb?
0:39:36 > 0:39:38So they're due to lamb in the next three weeks.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40- Are they? So they're getting close. - Really close now, yeah.
0:39:40 > 0:39:41Will you lamb them in or out?
0:39:41 > 0:39:44They'll be lambed indoors cos February isn't the best
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- time of year to be lambing outdoors.- No. Sure. Wet down here.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- Yeah, definitely.- So are you mainly a grass fed system?
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Yes, so all our lamb is reared completely from grass.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Although this time of year we just need to give the ewes a little
0:39:57 > 0:40:00supplement just to aid them cos they're so heavily in lamb.
0:40:00 > 0:40:01Yeah. That's what you've got here.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03That's what we've got in the back now.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05So we've got some mineral buckets for them here.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06Particularly this time of year?
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Yeah, so this time of year, cos of the daylight hours being
0:40:09 > 0:40:12so short, the grass isn't full of sugar as it would be in the summer,
0:40:12 > 0:40:15so we just put these buckets out, aid them up to lambing, really.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18And when the ewes are so heavily pregnant like this,
0:40:18 > 0:40:20all the essential vitamins and minerals here,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22- important to get it into them, isn't it?- Exactly, yeah.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24- And then it'll be passed onto the lambs.- Yeah.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Let's get them out. Just dump them out on the grass?
0:40:26 > 0:40:29- Yeah, just pop them out. Come on, girls.- Here we are, girls.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31- Got a treat for you.- Come on.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35They seem to really love that, don't they?
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Whilst we've been checking the Lleyns, Ryan's rounded up
0:40:45 > 0:40:48the flock of Highlanders so they can be pregnancy scanned.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51Two.
0:40:54 > 0:40:55One.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03John is a professional sheep scanner.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06He's using ultrasound to detect the number of foetuses
0:41:06 > 0:41:08present in the pregnant ewes.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10One.
0:41:10 > 0:41:11It's vital information
0:41:11 > 0:41:14for Steve and Ryan to be able to plan the year ahead.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18So, scanning, is that an exciting time?
0:41:18 > 0:41:21It's exciting but nervous at the same time, cos what
0:41:21 > 0:41:26they're scanning for now is going to be what lambs we have born in April.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30- Yeah, sure.- So if we've got empty ewes they're not productive.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33- Yeah, it's all about your crop of lambs next year.- Exactly, yeah.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35They're perfect, actually, aren't they?
0:41:35 > 0:41:37This flock has been loaned to Steve and Ryan
0:41:37 > 0:41:39by an enterprising farmer in Devon
0:41:39 > 0:41:42who's keen to help first-time farmers build their businesses.
0:41:44 > 0:41:45They're lovely looking sheep, Ryan.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47I haven't been up close to Highlanders before.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50Yeah, we're really pleased with these. They're doing really well.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52It's a scheme that works really well for us.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55So he provides you with the sheep and then what does he get out of it?
0:41:55 > 0:41:59He provides us with 100 ewe lambs initially, and then over
0:41:59 > 0:42:03a five-year period we return to him a percentage of the lambs, so he
0:42:03 > 0:42:07gets ewe lambs back and we get some breeding ewes to get started with.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Brilliant. So you don't have to have the expensive outlay to start with.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- Exactly.- That's a good idea, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16You know, some people would say you've got three different breeds,
0:42:16 > 0:42:19lambing at different times of year with grazing on outlying farms,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22that would be a bit complicated, but you seem to be coping with it.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Yeah, we seem to work it very well. We try and keep the flocks together
0:42:25 > 0:42:27so we're not moving small numbers of sheep around all the time.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30And here we are in the winter, and it's quite mild, isn't it?
0:42:30 > 0:42:34- I can almost hear the grass growing. - Exactly.- Lovely.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Come on, girls. Come on.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Before we let the ewes out to enjoy it,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43we need to find out how many lambs they're expecting.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45One.
0:42:46 > 0:42:51A 100% flock reading would mean an average of one lamb per ewe.
0:42:53 > 0:42:54One.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56A 200% reading would be ideal,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59but anything more than that could spell trouble.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02There's just not enough milk to go round.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Brilliant. Job's done.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08- All done.- Very speedy, sir. So what's the results on the screen?
0:43:08 > 0:43:12Very good, considering they all lambed as ewe lambs last year.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16- Total percent, 177.- Yeah, pretty good. What's that made up of?
0:43:16 > 0:43:19That was three empties, 21 singles,
0:43:19 > 0:43:2170 twins and only four triplets.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25- The more twins you get, the better. - Brilliant. Pleased with that, gents?
0:43:25 > 0:43:26Yeah, pleased with that.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28It's a good number for us to be lambing outdoors.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31You've achieved a lot, haven't you? And quite excited about the future?
0:43:31 > 0:43:33Yeah, definitely.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36We've got a successful scanning, we'll have a lot of lambs
0:43:36 > 0:43:38on the ground next year, hopefully, so, yeah, we're very excited.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Plenty to sell through the restaurants and in your box scheme.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44- Yeah, looking for a lot more customers this year.- Well done.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46It's great to see you getting on so well. Good luck in the future.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48- Thanks, Adam.- Thank you, Adam.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50I suspect you got another 20 farms to go to, John, have you?
0:43:50 > 0:43:52- Certainly have.- All right. Nice one.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00The farming community has come together
0:44:00 > 0:44:04and rallied around to help Steve and Ryan get a foothold in farming,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07and we're looking to celebrate people like that.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10If you know of a farmer or someone working in the industry
0:44:10 > 0:44:13who deserves recognition, there's still time to nominate them
0:44:13 > 0:44:17for the Countryfile Farming Hero 2018.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20All the details are on our website with the terms and conditions.
0:44:20 > 0:44:24But don't hang about, as entries close at midnight tomorrow evening.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27Remember, if you're watching on demand,
0:44:27 > 0:44:29nominations may have already closed.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38- CHARLOTTE SMITH: - The banks of Loch Tay,
0:44:38 > 0:44:42where sleeping Munros tower over glistening waters.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46It's a rich landscape straddling the Highlands and Lowlands.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49Today I'm going to get a real taste of it.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53I've come to see a woman who makes chocolates.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56Now, she uses the natural flavours that she finds
0:44:56 > 0:44:58right here on her doorstep,
0:44:58 > 0:45:02and the idea is to create a magical taste of this, the scenery.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09Charlotte Flower laid down roots here nearly 20 years ago.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Inspired by the surroundings,
0:45:11 > 0:45:16she decided she not only wanted to work in the landscape but with it.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18And with a background in forestry and ecology,
0:45:18 > 0:45:21finding wild flavours was second nature.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23I've always been a forager,
0:45:23 > 0:45:26always had a keen interest in the environment and nature.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29And plants - I really love plants.
0:45:29 > 0:45:33I've always loved chocolate so you could quite naturally say,
0:45:33 > 0:45:35"Well, it's just a bringing of the two together."
0:45:35 > 0:45:37That was the starting point for me.
0:45:37 > 0:45:42I learnt how to make chocolate, and tested out anything and everything.
0:45:43 > 0:45:48Scots pine, wild garlic, nettles, herbs and gorse have all
0:45:48 > 0:45:52found their way into Charlotte's chocolate boxes, bars and bites -
0:45:52 > 0:45:55all seasonal, all local.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59Winter is a lovely time of year in Highland Perthshire
0:45:59 > 0:46:01because you just see the bare bones of the place.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04Finding flavours is a little bit more challenging
0:46:04 > 0:46:07because everything is becoming more dormant
0:46:07 > 0:46:11but I can then focus in on some of my favourite flavours.
0:46:11 > 0:46:15Hardy plants like rosemary that we can pick green still,
0:46:15 > 0:46:16juniper berries,
0:46:16 > 0:46:19and things that I've gathered in the autumn,
0:46:19 > 0:46:24so things like sea buckthorn, which is a fabulous berry,
0:46:24 > 0:46:29and full of vitamin C, so extremely good for you through winter.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31So, hang on, are you arguing that actually I could say,
0:46:31 > 0:46:36- "I'm only eating this chocolate to ward off a cold"?- Yes. Absolutely.
0:46:36 > 0:46:37It's a good argument.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40No, I love it. Really, I love it.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45- VOICEOVER:- Well, in that case,
0:46:45 > 0:46:48time for a health giving lochside picnic.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50This is my kind of medicine.
0:46:51 > 0:46:52Wow.
0:46:54 > 0:46:56- If you're going to eat a view... - Absolutely.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00- ..this is a good one to start with. - To start with, yes. No, absolutely.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03And even better, dip it in chocolate before you eat it.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08This isn't what I was expecting. This is posh chocolate.
0:47:08 > 0:47:10Chocolate is an extraordinary food
0:47:10 > 0:47:14and it deserves respect and so it always needs to look its best.
0:47:14 > 0:47:15- Can I eat this one?- Yeah.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20- Elderflower.- Yes. Yes.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23- Can I go for that one next? - Yeah, go for that one.
0:47:23 > 0:47:24It tastes earthy.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29This is going to sound stupid, but it tastes green.
0:47:29 > 0:47:33- It's this one. This is the... - No!- Yeah, Scots pine.
0:47:33 > 0:47:35- Really?- Mm.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38- So it's got a freshness to it.- Mm!
0:47:38 > 0:47:40I use the young spring shoot and it's full of sap
0:47:40 > 0:47:43and it's got the most amazing fresh taste.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48- I haven't got a clue what that is. - It's rosemary.- Is it?
0:47:48 > 0:47:53- And all these flavours are from right here.- Here.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57Literally here where we're sitting or on the hillsides around.
0:47:57 > 0:48:00The sea buckthorn, I picked that in East Lothian.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02The berries have got this gorgeous, bright colour.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06The flavour is... I don't know, it's sort of tropical.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09It's gorgeous. I mean, it's truly gorgeous.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11That's one of my favourites, especially in winter,
0:48:11 > 0:48:15cos it just tastes like sunshine.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17I try everything.
0:48:17 > 0:48:19If it's got flavour and I like it,
0:48:19 > 0:48:22I will...stick it in cream
0:48:22 > 0:48:24- and see if it works. - THEY LAUGH
0:48:26 > 0:48:29- VOICEOVER:- Having eaten most of Charlotte's chocolate supply,
0:48:29 > 0:48:32it seems only fair I help her whip up a new batch.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35Charlotte, what are we going to make?
0:48:35 > 0:48:39- We're going to make a ganache cream and chocolate.- Great.
0:48:39 > 0:48:44Two things that separately on their own are individually fantastic,
0:48:44 > 0:48:46but when you combine them together
0:48:46 > 0:48:48they turn into something unbelievable.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50We're going to make a lovely juniper ganache,
0:48:50 > 0:48:53and these are from local juniper woodland.
0:48:53 > 0:48:56All foragers are very careful about their impact
0:48:56 > 0:48:59of their foraging on the ecology.
0:48:59 > 0:49:01Scottish juniper is a limited resource,
0:49:01 > 0:49:03so Charlotte's only picked a handful of berries.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07So these are precious. Precious bit of ingredient.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09They are, actually. They are precious, yeah.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12- I'm just really conscious I must not mess this up.- You're not going to.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15It's very, very difficult to mess it up, to be honest.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18- We're going to crush these a little bit.- Oh, right, OK.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24The juniper infused cream is added to the chocolate
0:49:24 > 0:49:27to make a silky smooth ganache.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31And there you have it - one truly Scottish treat.
0:49:31 > 0:49:32So is the weather going to be as sweet
0:49:32 > 0:49:35and nearly perfect as my chocolates?
0:49:35 > 0:49:38Here's the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.
0:50:11 > 0:50:12I've been spending the day
0:50:12 > 0:50:15with sheep farming brothers Thomas and Glen Muirhead
0:50:15 > 0:50:19and, for most, a flock of 1,400 sheep would be work enough.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22Well, now I'm about to experience their other life,
0:50:22 > 0:50:26which is a world away from this farm, as Olympic hopefuls.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33These lads are from a family of curling legends.
0:50:33 > 0:50:37Their sister, Eve, is a world champion, as is their dad, Gordon,
0:50:37 > 0:50:42so all eyes will be on them for next month's Winter Games.
0:50:42 > 0:50:43Our curling teams have long been
0:50:43 > 0:50:46some of the most successful Olympic medal winners.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50And this is where they train -
0:50:50 > 0:50:54the UK's first National Curling Academy.
0:50:54 > 0:50:58It's a place that's built to honour and build upon the curling prowess
0:50:58 > 0:51:02in this area, and before this facility existed our British curlers
0:51:02 > 0:51:04would just have to dodge ice skaters on the ice rink,
0:51:04 > 0:51:08or pray for icy winters and frozen ponds like the good old days.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16And this is curling Team GB in action,
0:51:16 > 0:51:19training hard for their first Olympics.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Joining the Muirheads on the team is Kyle Waddell.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24He's also from farming stock.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28And there's another pair of brothers - Cammy and Kyle Smith.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31He's the team captain.
0:51:31 > 0:51:32Guess what they do for a living.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35Yeah, they work on the family farm in Perth with their dad,
0:51:35 > 0:51:38David, who's yet another curling world champion.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42- Finished for now? - That's the session done for today.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45- How did it go in general? Was it all right?- Yeah, it was good.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47- Good session? - Good team session today.- Yeah?
0:51:47 > 0:51:49I've got these walking boots on and it's not that slippy,
0:51:49 > 0:51:52actually, but you've got some special things underneath.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55- So that's what you're going to use here.- Oh, I see. Right.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58- So that goes on your...- Oh, yeah, that's a lot slippier, that is. OK.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00- Just show me the position first of all.- OK.
0:52:00 > 0:52:01Just so we know what we are aiming for.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04So your right foot in the hack like this.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06- Left foot on here.- Yeah.
0:52:06 > 0:52:10You bring your hips up, bring your left foot back
0:52:10 > 0:52:12and then push out of the hack.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17- Yeah, that's it.- That's it.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20- Perfect. That's the one.- No' bad!
0:52:21 > 0:52:25It's going straight. It's quite... It's going right.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Too hard. Right, so that was obviously too heavy, then.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29VOICEOVER: There is so much to get your head around.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38It's gone, I've put a bit too much curl on there. Far too much left.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40So it was still too much weight, wasn't it?
0:52:40 > 0:52:43- Still a little bit too much weight, yeah.- Right, OK.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45This is the one, number three.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51That's not bad. Your line was really good on that one. Looking good.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53It's looking good, aye.
0:52:53 > 0:52:55It's going to go. It's going to go.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57- Yes!- Good shot.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00- Good work, chaps.- Perfect.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02Get in. Happy with that.
0:53:04 > 0:53:08VOICEOVER: The sweepers are critical to the way the stone travels.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11So, you're effectively kind of melting the ice...?
0:53:11 > 0:53:14Yeah, you create friction and it creates a tiny film of water
0:53:14 > 0:53:17on top of the ice, and that just allows the stone
0:53:17 > 0:53:18to just travel further.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22You want to try and get your stroke the width of the stone,
0:53:22 > 0:53:24and as fast as you can
0:53:24 > 0:53:27and leaning down as hard as you can, basically.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29So it's like that.
0:53:29 > 0:53:31And obviously the key is to try and keep up with the stone,
0:53:31 > 0:53:33- keep up with each other. - That's it, yes.
0:53:33 > 0:53:34Put the right amount of...
0:53:34 > 0:53:36- Yeah, so it's very technical at this end, too.- Yeah.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45So he's thrown this a little light so we need to try and sweep this.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47You need to go, boys.
0:53:47 > 0:53:49That's it. You're doing good.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53- Come on!- Keep it going.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55VOICEOVER: Even sweeping the farmyard
0:53:55 > 0:53:58can't prepare any farmer for this.
0:53:58 > 0:53:59Whoa!
0:53:59 > 0:54:01I'll tell you what, that gets the old...
0:54:01 > 0:54:04- It makes you light-headed, doesn't it?- A wee bit.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07- That's good... - VOICEOVER: One more go.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10We're not far away, if we can manage to keep it going...
0:54:10 > 0:54:12- Come on, we can have this. - We've got it.- This is it.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15Oh, it's moving! Oh!
0:54:15 > 0:54:18The yellows have it! The yellows have it.
0:54:18 > 0:54:22- Oh, hello.- Hello.- How are you doing? - A moment of triumph.- Oh, my word.
0:54:22 > 0:54:26- Come and meet our Olympic curling team.- Good evening.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28Thank you so much. And we'll be watching closely.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30All the very best at the Winter Olympics.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32And I hear that you've found out
0:54:32 > 0:54:34that you're a bit of a champion at something.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37I am. I am officially a champion caber tosser.
0:54:39 > 0:54:41Thank you. I'm not quite an Olympian yet, guys.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44- Is that your medal?- This is a present. I got your present.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46What is it? Chocolate...
0:54:46 > 0:54:49- There were more. Can't think what happened to them.- There we are.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51Actually, I'm going to give that to the team.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53You can share that. There you go.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56Find a knife and cut it up. That's all we've got time for this week.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59Actually, next week there's going to be more ice involved
0:54:59 > 0:55:01in our celebration of the seasons, our winter special.
0:55:01 > 0:55:02But that's it from us.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05- Going to teach me how to do this now, then?- Yeah, yeah, I will.
0:55:05 > 0:55:06Right, let's get you the right shoes.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09It's clearly going to make all the difference, yeah.
0:55:09 > 0:55:10Bye-bye!