0:00:25 > 0:00:26The Isle of Portland.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Remaining staunchly robust, whatever the weather throws at it.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Home to historic lighthouses,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38one of the largest man-made harbours in the world
0:00:38 > 0:00:42and host to London 2012's Olympic sailing.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Welcome to Portland.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46For a tiny isle, there's a lot to see,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49and it's a place that many of you wanted us to explore.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51So, here we are.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Monumental Portland stone.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58It's been quarried here for centuries,
0:00:58 > 0:01:00some say since the Romans.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03It's been used at St Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace
0:01:03 > 0:01:07and even at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11But today, there are only five working quarries left on the Isle.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12So I will be finding out what happens
0:01:12 > 0:01:16when the quarrymen move out, and the artists move in.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Tom's got a dilemma on his hands.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25Sky lanterns, for some a charming source of innocent pleasure.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Others, though, find them guilty of starting fires
0:01:29 > 0:01:31and killing livestock.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34So, should I let this one go? You can find out later.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40And Adam's finding out how to be a dog's best friend.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41My sheepdogs work very hard for me,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43so I need them to be in tiptop condition.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Today, I'm meeting a dog nutritionist
0:01:46 > 0:01:48to tell me about what I need to feed them.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50If you've got dogs at home, you might want to watch this.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01The Isle of Portland, a tiny gem of land
0:02:01 > 0:02:03reaching out from Weymouth
0:02:03 > 0:02:05five miles into the English Channel.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Towering limestone cliffs repel the powerful sea below,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15and sitting at its southern tip is a rocky outcrop
0:02:15 > 0:02:17known as Portland Bill.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21And the reason that we've ventured to this tiny island
0:02:21 > 0:02:24is all thanks to you, because a couple of weeks ago,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26we asked Countryfile viewers
0:02:26 > 0:02:29for suggestions of where we should take the programme,
0:02:29 > 0:02:31and Portland inundated our inbox.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35We had endless suggestions of where we should be pointing our cameras.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39And the majority of those e-mails mentioned Portland Bill,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41a place with not one,
0:02:41 > 0:02:42not two,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45but three lighthouses.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53Lighthouses have stood here since 1716, and for good reason.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56This is one of the most hazardous spots on the Channel,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00with hidden sandbanks and competing currents clashing
0:03:00 > 0:03:04to create a treacherous race that can run at up to 10 knots.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10But this constant danger has been dwarfed by recent events.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13The worst weather conditions in living memory
0:03:13 > 0:03:16have seen storms batter this coastline,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18with waves towering 70 feet high,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20stopping shipping in its tracks
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and leaving the people of Portland stranded.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Around the treacherous Bill, it's the candy-striped lighthouse
0:03:30 > 0:03:32that today warns travellers to steer clear.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38The others were decommissioned more than a century ago,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42but as I'll be discovering, each has a unique tale to tell.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45My first stop is the Old Lower Lighthouse,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49now a bird observatory run by warden Martin Cade.
0:03:49 > 0:03:55- Martin, morning.- All right, Matt? - Are you well?- A bit windswept.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57- It is a bit blustery. - It's still blowy today.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01So I gather that it's not boats that you're on the lookout for here?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03No. It's a little bit early in the season,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06but I'd be on the lookout for early migrating birds
0:04:06 > 0:04:07before very long.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Let's see if we can see anything. Like you said, it's very blustery.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14We're looking for sea birds at this time of year,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16things that have come from further north
0:04:16 > 0:04:18that are spending the winter in the English Channel.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22There will be birds like gannets, guillemots, razorbills.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24They'll be going off before long
0:04:24 > 0:04:27to breed all up around northern Britain.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30But this will be the viewpoint before very long
0:04:30 > 0:04:33that we're looking for things like swallows arriving.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Great place to spot them.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42As the spring migration gets under way, not only swallows,
0:04:42 > 0:04:47but birds like chiffchaff, willow warblers and even hoopoes
0:04:47 > 0:04:48may all head this way,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52heading north to breed from as far away as southern Africa,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56in one of the UK's biggest natural events.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Portland Bill's position,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02dangling deep into the waters of the English Channel,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05makes it an incredibly important spot for migrating birds
0:05:05 > 0:05:07and keen bird-watchers alike.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12From the bird point of view, it couldn't be in a better place.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14They're coming across the Channel,
0:05:14 > 0:05:15and we're the first place they spot,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18so we're the landfall for them, we're the oasis.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21I guess it means it's better to be watching them from this level,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23- as opposed to being at the top. - That's right.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I get visitors who come and think that somehow,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29there's a very large pair of binoculars at the top of our tower.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32- I thought the same thing. - You're just like the rest!
0:05:32 > 0:05:35How many birds would you expect to see?
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Just in this garden here, it will be in the tens of thousands.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41More species of bird have been seen from this patio
0:05:41 > 0:05:44than probably any other place in Britain.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47It is wonderful to keep that concept of looking out for something.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Oh, yeah. This is a fabulous viewpoint.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57While lighthouses have for centuries been a welcome sight
0:05:57 > 0:05:58warning of hazards ahead,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01it's claimed that a more recent addition to our skies
0:06:01 > 0:06:05is putting our countryside at risk, as Tom's been discovering.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Enchanting and romantic, it's becoming a tradition
0:06:14 > 0:06:19to release sky lanterns at new year, at weddings and festivals.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20They can look spectacular,
0:06:20 > 0:06:24like this world-record launch of 15,000 in the Philippines.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34But there's also a darker side.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36These floating, fire-powered lanterns
0:06:36 > 0:06:40have the potential to cause destruction on a huge scale.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45You can buy them for as little as 99p, and once you get the hang of it,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48they're pretty easy to handle and light.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50But some people want them banned
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and believe I certainly shouldn't let this go.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57So let's look at the case for and the case against.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00It's thought that between 3 and 6 million lanterns
0:07:00 > 0:07:03are released into the UK skies every year.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07A handful of them have started fires that caused massive damage.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11This is my caravan compound, or what's left of it.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15In this area, we had about 100 caravans stored,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18and on the night of 24th November,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20a Chinese lantern caused a tremendous blaze.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Alan Newell's caravan park in Gloucestershire
0:07:24 > 0:07:28was devastated after a sky lantern came down on his land.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32This is what's left. A few chassis and a bit of rubbish.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36A few personal possessions, but not a lot else.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39That's astonishing that 100 or so caravans
0:07:39 > 0:07:42- were reduced to this by a lantern? - It was terrible.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45100 families were obviously extremely distressed
0:07:45 > 0:07:47that their caravans were completely destroyed,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49with nothing they could save.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53We're looking at in excess of half a million pounds' damage.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56So your advice if someone's thinking of using a lantern?
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Forget it. Forget it. Just don't do it.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03The fire here wasn't simply a one-off,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06and while most sky lanterns pose little danger,
0:08:06 > 0:08:08a tiny number have had a huge impact.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13To find out how easily sky lanterns can start a fire,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15we've enrolled the experts,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and because we don't want either lanterns or sparks
0:08:18 > 0:08:22going up into the air, we're doing it all inside their firehouse.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24The question here is, if used properly,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26can a sky lantern present a fire risk
0:08:26 > 0:08:29as it returns to earth at the end of its flight?
0:08:29 > 0:08:30So at this point,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34whatever it touches that's flammable will ignite.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36But it's towards the end, the important part.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39When it actually drops down, it will still be very hot.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42So even though the flame is not visible, the heat is still there,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45so whatever it comes into contact with potentially could burn.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50The fire service thermal imaging camera shows just how hot it is.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53In the centre, the hottest part is over 500 degrees.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57That's interesting, because I thought when they fell to earth,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59the fire had gone out, but clearly, that's not the case.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03And as the lantern is dropped onto the straw, sure enough,
0:09:03 > 0:09:04it catches light.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Now, our test doesn't fully replicate normal outdoor use,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13but of the six lanterns we tried, one did set light to the straw
0:09:13 > 0:09:16and two set fire to their own canopies.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19The paper's gone again.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22You can see how quickly that can start a blaze,
0:09:22 > 0:09:23and it's getting smoky in here,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26so I'll back off and leave these guys to do their job.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Not sure I want to spend any longer in your firehouse.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- No, it's not the pleasantest place to be.- It's making my eyes water.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Well, I can see, as an amateur, how easily they start fires.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42But as an expert, what are you thinking about this?
0:09:42 > 0:09:45We have real concerns about it, because at the end of the day,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48you're talking about a naked flame that is floating around uncontrolled
0:09:48 > 0:09:50and can land on combustible material.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53The problem with the lanterns is that unlike a firework,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56which goes up and comes straight down, a lantern goes up
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and can drift around on the wind and we don't know where it'll land.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Phil was in charge when a sky lantern
0:10:03 > 0:10:06started the West Midlands' biggest ever fire,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10destroying 100,000 tonnes of plastic at a recycling plant.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14It took 200 firemen and 35 engines to get it under control.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17What do you think should be done about them?
0:10:17 > 0:10:19We'd like to see them banned.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22We don't want to sound like we're spoiling everybody's party
0:10:22 > 0:10:25but the bottom line is, this is an uncontrolled fire that can land
0:10:25 > 0:10:28and cause a lot of damage, and we have seen that.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31But it's not just the fire risk.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35They can also be lethal to wildlife and farm animals.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38So this field here is some of our grazing.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41And this is the kind of place where we find these lanterns.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Will Lacey is the seventh generation of his family
0:10:44 > 0:10:46to farm this land in Buckinghamshire.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48The danger to his cattle comes
0:10:48 > 0:10:52when they eat lanterns which have landed in his fields.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55We've had nine die in the period of about 18 months,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58all from similar causes.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01To start with we weren't sure what it was
0:11:01 > 0:11:05and then, working with the vet, we said we'd do a postmortem
0:11:05 > 0:11:08and that's when we started to find the problem with the wires.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10This is one we pulled out of a cow.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13As you can see, it's got two very sharp edges on there.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16If it's not too gruesome, how does the cow actually die as a result?
0:11:16 > 0:11:19So it's inside the cow's gut and then more than likely it's when
0:11:19 > 0:11:23it needs to exert extra pressure, so when it's starting to calve
0:11:23 > 0:11:26then that will dislodge and it will start poking holes in her.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28It won't die from those holes,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30it will die from the infection caused by them,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33so it's a slow and it's a painful death.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37It's not a matter of hours, it might be weeks it's suffering.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Wire is increasingly being replaced by string in sky lanterns
0:11:42 > 0:11:44but there are still concerns
0:11:44 > 0:11:47that the bamboo frame could injure animals too,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51so farmers, firemen and landowners all have their reasons
0:11:51 > 0:11:53to be against sky lanterns.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56After hearing all that, you might well want me to keep
0:11:56 > 0:11:57a very tight hold of this.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00But, if they're that dangerous, should they be banned?
0:12:00 > 0:12:02I'll be finding out later.
0:12:10 > 0:12:11The Isle of Portland,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15tethered to the mainland by the ever-changing Chesil Beach.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20From above, the landscape looks craggy and weathered.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Its exposed, hard-bitten edges have a story to tell.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27What makes this place special isn't just the views,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30it's this stuff under my feet, the limestone.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34It's tough, durable, attractive
0:12:34 > 0:12:38and, most importantly here on the Isle of Portland, it's accessible.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42You, the viewer, wanted to know more about it
0:12:42 > 0:12:44so, as ever, your wish is my command.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48The island formed millions of years ago when the sea bed was
0:12:48 > 0:12:52forced up out of the water as the Earth's plates moved.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55This brought limestone to the surface, and it's the Romans
0:12:55 > 0:12:58who are thought to have made the first cuts to get to it.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Since then, quarrying has been as much a part of this landscape
0:13:02 > 0:13:04as the stone itself.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Until very recently every building on the Isle
0:13:06 > 0:13:11was made from Portland stone, but its fame has spread worldwide.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16'Local historian Stuart Morris wrote to tell us about
0:13:16 > 0:13:20'one thing that we couldn't miss here - the history of the quarries.'
0:13:20 > 0:13:26Let's start with the famous Portland stone, then. Why is it so famous?
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Portland is lucky in its location
0:13:28 > 0:13:31in that stone could be quarried from the cliff edges
0:13:31 > 0:13:34so it was easy to ship out and transport,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36but it is the quality of the Portland stone.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38It is still reckoned to be
0:13:38 > 0:13:41probably the best building material in the world.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44But it was tremendous effort to extract the stone.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47They had to clear off the overburden, the rubble,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50from the top before they could get down to the workable beds,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53tumble them down over the very steep hillsides,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55right down onto what we call the weirs,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and then these stones would be roughly shaped
0:13:58 > 0:14:03and loaded onto stone-carrying barges from three or four little piers.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05There's still evidence here, right behind us.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Yeah, the stone blocks, as you can see, standing there
0:14:08 > 0:14:10would have been swung around and loaded into the barges.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14It was a skilled operation because those barges could easily
0:14:14 > 0:14:16fall to pieces if they hit the rocks there.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19There was a turning point, wasn't there, for Portland stone?
0:14:19 > 0:14:20Yes, that's right.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23The Banqueting House in London was designed by Inigo Jones,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25and he specified Portland stone.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Sir Christopher Wren saw Inigo Jones's work,
0:14:29 > 0:14:33he investigated the qualities of Portland stone himself
0:14:33 > 0:14:36and realised that this is an ideal building material
0:14:36 > 0:14:39to be a structural element as well as a decorative one.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43So in 1669, after the Great Fire of London,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Wren embarked on the project which was to make his name -
0:14:46 > 0:14:51rebuilding the majestic St Paul's Cathedral from Portland stone.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57The project provided 35 years of work for the Portland quarries.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01It represented a lifetime's work for many, many quarrymen.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05- How important is it still today? - It is still very important.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Obviously it only employs a fraction of the number of people,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10because of mechanisation, but it still engenders
0:15:10 > 0:15:14a lot of pride to the area and the name of Portland stone.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18And so it should.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Its distinctive grey-white tones can be seen
0:15:20 > 0:15:23in some of the most significant buildings in the UK.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Not only St Paul's Cathedral, but also Whitehall,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Regent Street,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Buckingham Palace
0:15:32 > 0:15:36and even the BBC's very own Broadcasting House.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Today Portland stone is still big business.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43There are five quarries on the isle, and last year alone
0:15:43 > 0:15:46around 25,000 tonnes were shipped off around the globe.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49However, not all the stone departs these shores.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58This is the Tout Quarry Sculpture Park.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01What was once a tough working quarry
0:16:01 > 0:16:04is now a place of artistic contemplation.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Opened in 1983 by the Portland Sculpture and Quarry Trust,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16it was the first sculpture park
0:16:16 > 0:16:19to be sited in a disused quarry in the UK.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Local residents and visiting artists,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25including Sir Antony Gormley, wanted to use this space
0:16:25 > 0:16:29to create, educate and celebrate the brilliance of Portland stone.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33'The weather might have taken a turn
0:16:33 > 0:16:37'but I'm meeting artist Hannah Sofaer for a soggy tour.'
0:16:37 > 0:16:39So, Hannah, I'm a fan of sculpture parks
0:16:39 > 0:16:43but this is the most unusual location for one. Why here?
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Tout is a really inspirational quarry.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51It means "lookout", it's on the edge of the west cliff,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55it's got sea, sky, stone, it's got all the elements,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and it was bringing people to the site
0:16:58 > 0:17:01rather than the material going away.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03As an artist, what's it like working in a quarry,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06this environment that you can't control?
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Well, it's working with the elements, really.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11You're working with material in its place of origin,
0:17:11 > 0:17:17you're working with natural light, and every time you carve something,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21that area has not been exposed since the beginning of time.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24And this is a really good example, Antony's piece.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26So this is Antony Gormley?
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Antony Gormley carved this in 1983 and it's called Still Falling.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34It's a life-sized figure on the living rock face,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37just where the good building stone is.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42Everything above it is waste, it's been stacked all around here.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45But, you know, it tells you the history of time on this rock,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47it's an original land surface.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55It's been estimated that around a third of Portland's limestone
0:17:55 > 0:17:59has been used up, but here you have a chance to really see its beauty.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Everywhere you look there are tributes in stone.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Some are so much a part of the landscape they came out of,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10it's hard to tell if they're natural or man-made.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Hannah has really inspired me.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18The sun's out and now I want to get my hands on some stone.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21There's a thriving community of sculptors on the Isle.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Phil Doherty is Portland born and bred.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26By day he works in a sand quarry on the mainland
0:18:26 > 0:18:29and by night he works Portland stone.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36So you're a quarryman and a sculptor. You must pretty much know
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- everything there is to know about Portland stone.- A reasonable amount.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Is it hard to work with?
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Depends whereabouts on the island you get the stone from,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47cos it varies in density, so some quarries might be really hard,
0:18:47 > 0:18:48some areas would be a bit softer.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51- So that's just experience, you get to know?- Yes.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53What kind of stone do you prefer to work with?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55The harder stone, because it holds a better line.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57You get a much better edge on it.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Your work - some of it's here - is so intricate.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02You start with a circle
0:19:02 > 0:19:06and then you draw 12 evenly spaced points around the outside, then you
0:19:06 > 0:19:09basically just use a straight edge and connect all the dots together.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13- You make it sound so easy! - Well, it's reasonably easy.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15- Once you've seen someone do it! - Don't undersell it!
0:19:17 > 0:19:20'OK...let's see if I can crack this.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22'Don't hold your breath.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Hold the chisel like that and then you just basically
0:19:24 > 0:19:27- roll your hand round it, not hold it too tight.- OK.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32Position it at the angle you want and then work a line across there.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I'm so frightened that I'm going to take a massive chunk
0:19:35 > 0:19:38out of this beautiful stone.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42And this pattern, with you doing it, not with me doing it,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44- will take how long? - Four hours, maybe?
0:19:44 > 0:19:47With me doing it, I think maybe four days.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51'Working with stone seems to be in the very genes
0:19:51 > 0:19:53'of the people of Portland,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55'and if Phil's skill is anything to go by
0:19:55 > 0:19:58'the love and respect they have for it is monumental.'
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Well, I don't think the professionals of Portland
0:20:03 > 0:20:07have anything to worry about, but it is a lovely experience.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21Sculpted onto the northeast coast of this isle is Portland Harbour.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25The distinctive breakwater that shapes this harbour was built from
0:20:25 > 0:20:29that famous Portland stone back in the mid-1800s.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32It was one of the most expensive building projects of its day,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35but thought to be well worth it
0:20:35 > 0:20:39because this port has played a vital role in our maritime history.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44So special is this harbour that Countryfile viewer Andy Straw
0:20:44 > 0:20:45wanted to show it off.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50For Andy, it's not just an historic site, but his workplace,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53because he is one of the harbour's two tug boat captains.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57- Andy.- Hello, John. Welcome aboard. - Good to see you.- How you doing?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Going out today?- We're going out, and you're welcome to join us.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05'A Portlander born and bred, he's worked this small patch of sea
0:21:05 > 0:21:09'for the last 12 years, and it is his job to know every inch intimately.'
0:21:10 > 0:21:13So what made you become a tug master, Andy?
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Well, it's something I've always wanted to do since I was a child.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21My father, he worked on the tug boats as he was younger
0:21:21 > 0:21:23and I got that from him, really.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25I thought, "One day, I'll be on those tugs," and I am.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28But I never thought I would ever be a tug skipper.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35Nowadays, this is a commercial port, a kind of marine service station,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39repairing and refuelling more than 500 ships a year.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45But from the mid-1800s until 1996, it was a Royal Navy dockyard.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49To me, there's little sign of it on the surface,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52but 150 years of naval might has left its mark
0:21:52 > 0:21:55if, like Andy, you know where to look.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57What's that building over there?
0:21:57 > 0:22:00That building is where they used to test torpedoes.
0:22:00 > 0:22:01- Torpedoes?- Yeah, yeah.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04They used to, um, fire off torpedoes to test them
0:22:04 > 0:22:06into the Weymouth Bay.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09And then they would monitor them from a large radar to see
0:22:09 > 0:22:12how far of a distance they went with how much fuel they had on them.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15So, really, this was the birthplace of the torpedo, then?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Pretty much, yeah, yeah. For better or for worse.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24In 1890, the inventor of the modern torpedo, Robert Whitehead,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27began testing his weapons here at Portland Harbour.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Production reached its peak during World War II,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35a time when this port played a key role in the action, with over
0:22:35 > 0:22:39half a million troops leaving here for the Normandy landings.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44And, of course, the two blocks over there are the Mulberry blocks.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- From the old Mulberry Harbour? - That's right, the Mulberry harbours.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49They were used during the D-day landings.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Three days after the initial Normandy landings,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56two temporary harbours, code-named Mulberry A and B,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58were constructed from massive concrete blocks
0:22:58 > 0:23:00towed across the Channel.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Although one was soon destroyed by storms,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05the other kept operating for ten months.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Altogether, 2.5 million men, half a million vehicles
0:23:09 > 0:23:13and four million tonnes of supplies were landed.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Two of these blocks now sit here, in Portland Harbour,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20as a lasting memorial to that great achievement.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23So what's the job you're about to do now, then?
0:23:23 > 0:23:26We're going to lean onto a vessel just to help them
0:23:26 > 0:23:28whilst they tighten up their mooring ropes.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30They're alongside a berth at the moment.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Although there is little navy presence here now,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36fleet auxiliary ships still often call in to stock up.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39It's one of these, the 38,000-tonne Orangeleaf,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42that Andy's little tug is helping out today.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44How is it that, really,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48a very small boat like this can boss about a huge tanker?
0:23:48 > 0:23:52It's all in the engines, John. The manoeuvrability, it helps as well.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54And a great deal of skill on your part.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58Oh, of course, there is a little bit of that. Yeah, yeah!
0:23:59 > 0:24:03So you're very gently pushing the ship towards the quay now.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07- How do you know when to stop?- We know when to stop when we go, "Ugh!"
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Orangeleaf, Wyke Castle. Yes, that's all complete with you.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Thanks ever so much for that, and we'll see you again.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17With the job done, before we head back to the quayside,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Andy makes me an offer I just can't refuse.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24- Would you like a play, John? - Yes, please!
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- Right, OK. At the moment... - A tug master!- Yeah.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- Push it forward. Lightly forward.- Yeah.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35- Forward.- But we don't seem to be moving.- We are.- Are we?- Yeah.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40- Oh, good!- If you move your joystick now to your right-hand side...
0:24:40 > 0:24:44'With Captain Craven at the controls, things quickly get into a spin.'
0:24:44 > 0:24:46This is fun.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Not in danger of hitting anything?
0:24:51 > 0:24:54- No, you're all right at the moment. - Just going round and round.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56It just shows how manoeuvrable it is.
0:24:56 > 0:25:02We're doing a full 360 in a very tiny space, aren't we?
0:25:02 > 0:25:05If you want to put some more power on, you'd go round faster.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Ho-ho-ho-ho! How about that?!
0:25:09 > 0:25:13Buoyed with confidence, I'm soon venturing out of my depth.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17- What about going sideways?- You want to have a go at going sideways?
0:25:17 > 0:25:19- Yeah, is that...- OK.- ..an easy manoeuvre or not?- It can be.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22There's a little bit of a knack to it.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- Bring the joystick directly towards me.- Yeah.- Not too much.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27- Oh!- Bring it back a bit.- Right.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Not too much power. Once you start moving...
0:25:30 > 0:25:32- Like I say, there is a bit of a knack to it.- Yeah.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34- We're still going round in circles! - Yeah!
0:25:35 > 0:25:39'Before I get too out of control, the weather, cursing so many,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43'comes to the rescue of a rather relieved Andy.'
0:25:43 > 0:25:46The wind's picking up. So we need to go back to berth.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- I'd better take it, John. - You'd better. Hand over to you.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51- Yeah, the wind... - But that was fantastic.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54That's like a schoolboy's dream. Thank you very much!
0:25:58 > 0:26:01While the sea may have helped put Portland on the map,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04it's also a danger to be navigated with care.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09For nearly 200 years, the higher and lower lighthouses worked in unison
0:26:09 > 0:26:13to guide sailors safely past the notorious waters of Portland Bill.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18In the 1920s, the Old Higher Lighthouse became the home
0:26:18 > 0:26:21of a lady called Dr Marie Stopes,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25a figure who was both celebrated and controversial.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28A champion of women's rights,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31she founded Britain's first family planning clinics.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34From these beginnings, her ideas would change the lives
0:26:34 > 0:26:38of men and women for generations to come, right around the world.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41I'm following in her footsteps
0:26:41 > 0:26:45with current lighthouse owner Fran Lockyer.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49- What was she like?- A very, very strong, powerful lady.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52She thought it was wrong that women should be burdened
0:26:52 > 0:26:56with maybe 12 children, a child year after year after year.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59So she set about being a pioneer in birth control
0:26:59 > 0:27:02and she was a very, very powerful lady.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Of course, while she was here, a lot of famous people came.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09George Bernard Shaw, Thomas Hardy.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13There you are, he's outside with his wife and Marie.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15And what was the reason, Fran,
0:27:15 > 0:27:19for all of these very well-known people to come and visit her here?
0:27:19 > 0:27:22She was a very magnetic character
0:27:22 > 0:27:26- and she moved in very aristocratic circles.- Right.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Very well known.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30And I expect, really,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33quite admired by an awful lot of people who were influential.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38It was Stopes' ground-breaking books on birth control,
0:27:38 > 0:27:43first published in 1918, that made her a household name.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Through them, she hoped to empower women.
0:27:46 > 0:27:47They became bestsellers
0:27:47 > 0:27:50and did nothing less than start a social revolution.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55She was certainly very popular with women that didn't want
0:27:55 > 0:27:57to increase the size of their family, so...
0:27:57 > 0:27:59You see, she is talking, really,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01about people who haven't got a lot of money,
0:28:01 > 0:28:05because if they're having very, very big families, it makes them poor.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08So, really, they haven't got a lot of money, so they are going to try
0:28:08 > 0:28:11anything that is not going to cost them a lot.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14But the advice was only for married women.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Women wouldn't be where they are today without Marie Stopes.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21She made life for women totally different.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26In 1921, she went on to found the UK's first family planning clinic.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33Today, there are more than 600 Marie Stopes clinics worldwide.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39By the time she settled in Portland, she was already notorious.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Her unconventional life caused a stir amongst the locals.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46She loved to sunbathe. She was a sun worshipper.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48So this was an ideal place, really,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51because you get so much sunshine here on Dorset anyway.
0:28:51 > 0:28:52She used to lie between the boats,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55but there, she used to lie naked, most of the time.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58I do have a photograph of her here with some clothes on,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00which is quite unusual.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03But I guess we wouldn't have one with no clothes on!
0:29:03 > 0:29:04THEY LAUGH
0:29:04 > 0:29:06But Marie Stopes had another passion -
0:29:06 > 0:29:09the ancient landscape of Portland itself.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12Its fossilised Jurassic forests
0:29:12 > 0:29:15drew her into a serious academic piece of work.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Stopes was also a renowned palaeobotanist,
0:29:20 > 0:29:23which basically means that she was a plant fossil hunter.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27Now, she was so taken with all of the finds made in Portland's
0:29:27 > 0:29:31quarries and cliffs that she set up a museum in 1930 to display them.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34And we've got just a few of the artefacts from the museum here.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37David, you're going to talk us through them, aren't you?
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Let's start with this book, because that in itself is fascinating.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43This book is the original manual
0:29:43 > 0:29:45that Marie Stopes wrote in her own hand.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47If I open it up, it's very fragile.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51Here we have item number one, a toe bone of a megalosaurus.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53- And this is what we have here. - This is it? Right.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57This is actually the fossilised toe bone here of this vast creature,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59a sort of mini Tyrannosaurus rex.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02It was one of the many fossils that we actually have on the island.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06If we went down the register, you'll find item number three -
0:30:06 > 0:30:09"Found in the quarry near Portland Bill," where we are today,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12"Presented by Dr Marie Stopes" is one of the cycads,
0:30:12 > 0:30:14which is her big interest.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18They looked like very large, pineapple-type plants
0:30:18 > 0:30:20and they grow to enormous size.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23By preserving finds like these,
0:30:23 > 0:30:27Stopes highlighted Portland's importance on the Jurassic Coast,
0:30:27 > 0:30:32a place where fossils can date back up to 250 million years.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37She recognised that quarrying acted like an archaeological dig,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40exposing ancient finds on a vast scale.
0:30:41 > 0:30:46Dr Marie Stopes died in 1958 at the age of 77.
0:30:46 > 0:30:51The work she started preserved an important part of Portland's past,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54while her legacy changed millions of lives across the world.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58And there was life in her till the end.
0:31:00 > 0:31:05She had a thing with a much, much younger man and she stopped it
0:31:05 > 0:31:08because she didn't think it was quite nice.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11He apparently was in his 30s, but it is still a huge age gap.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- 40 years is a big age gap.- Right.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Especially with her at 72!
0:31:16 > 0:31:17We'd better get out of here, Fran,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20cos people are going to start making comparisons!
0:31:20 > 0:31:22I don't think so. I don't think so.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24I'm a lot older than she was!
0:31:27 > 0:31:32Every year, millions of sky lanterns light the skies over Britain.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34But are they safe?
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Tom has been investigating.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Sky lanterns have been blamed for serious fires
0:31:41 > 0:31:43and deaths of farm animals.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46There are growing calls for them to be banned.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49But could a ban on lanterns be the thin end of the wedge?
0:31:49 > 0:31:52After all, fireworks contain explosives
0:31:52 > 0:31:55and lead to serious injuries every year.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59And then, of course, there are the old favourites - rockets.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02They shoot up into the sky.
0:32:02 > 0:32:03Who knows where they'll land?
0:32:03 > 0:32:07And they are pretty scary for animals, too.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11Even helium balloons, so innocently released by children,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14once they come down to earth, they can be eaten,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17and that can be deadly to animals and sea life.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21There have been calls for all of these
0:32:21 > 0:32:23to be banned at one time or another,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26so should sky lanterns be singled out?
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Members of the public we spoke to have mixed views.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32I think a ban is quite extreme. Maybe regulated a little bit more,
0:32:32 > 0:32:34but I think it's just harmless fun.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37If used in the right areas, there's nothing wrong with it.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41We think they're dangerous, because there's lots
0:32:41 > 0:32:46of thatched properties around here and I think they could cause damage.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48I don't think they should.
0:32:48 > 0:32:53If they catch on fire, then, yeah, fair enough, but I quite like them.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Are fireworks banned for the same reasons?
0:32:56 > 0:32:59The fact that millions are launched in the UK every year
0:32:59 > 0:33:03would indicate that many of us don't think they should be banned.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05So what do people who sell them say?
0:33:05 > 0:33:09A sky lantern was blamed for a huge fire at a recycling plant
0:33:09 > 0:33:11in Smethwick last year.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15Nearby shopkeeper, Surinder Josan, stopped selling sky lanterns
0:33:15 > 0:33:18out of sensitivity, but says they are no worse
0:33:18 > 0:33:20than many other everyday items.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24We tried them a few times, had lots of fun.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27We had a little birthday party, set loads and loads off,
0:33:27 > 0:33:29and they went right up high in the sky
0:33:29 > 0:33:32and they're really, really good fun.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35But, obviously, there has been a few incidents,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38and I do stress that of all the ones that are sold worldwide,
0:33:38 > 0:33:40it's just a few incidents.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Certainly shouldn't be a reason to ban them totally.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44Fireworks are dangerous.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47We sell a lot of other inflammable things, like gas for blowlamps
0:33:47 > 0:33:51and things like that. We sell gardening chemicals.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54They are also dangerous if they're put in the wrong hands,
0:33:54 > 0:33:57used inappropriately. So where do you stop?
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Rather than banning them, Defra has recently met with retailers
0:34:00 > 0:34:03and opponents of sky lanterns with a view to drawing up
0:34:03 > 0:34:07a code of conduct which may govern their sale and safety standards.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12That has been welcomed by Alan Hawkins
0:34:12 > 0:34:15from the British Independent Retailers Association.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20I would prefer a code of conduct than to an outright ban.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23I personally like sky lanterns.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25I think they are an alternative to fireworks.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27A firework will go off very quickly,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30a sky lantern is a much more tranquil thing, it goes up slowly,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33and you can have, you know, 20 or 30 going off at the same time
0:34:33 > 0:34:34if you're planning them right.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36So, they are a nice alternative to fireworks.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38As long as there is a code of conduct
0:34:38 > 0:34:42but not an outright ban, provided that is what the bodies decide,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45is the right way forward. I think that is the way it should go.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49But some aren't waiting for the new code.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Tesco and Poundland recently stopped selling sky lanterns.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56In other parts of the world, they have been banned altogether,
0:34:56 > 0:34:58including Denmark, the Netherlands and Hong Kong.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02In the UK, 22 councils have banned them from their land
0:35:02 > 0:35:06and even some festivals, like Glastonbury, have outlawed their use.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09So, is the idea of a legal ban here still a possibility?
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Well, in England, Defra has held meetings with opponents
0:35:13 > 0:35:18and supporters of sky lanterns and they commissioned a study along with
0:35:18 > 0:35:22the Assembly here in Wales, where it's an even hotter topic.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27That study said that while the risk to farm animals and nuisance
0:35:27 > 0:35:33from litter did not warrant action, there was a significant fire risk.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36In Wales, that has led to government calls for a voluntary ban
0:35:36 > 0:35:39on lanterns, but for Welsh Assembly minister, Alun Davies,
0:35:39 > 0:35:43making their sale illegal is still a step too far.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47The report did not come back with the sort of evidence
0:35:47 > 0:35:51that we would require at the moment to institute a ban in Wales.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54But it's not something which is forgotten, it is
0:35:54 > 0:35:57something which remains under consideration at the moment.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00But I understand this report talked about a significant fire risk.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03I'm wondering what more evidence you need than that to say,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05"These are dangerous, they should be banned"?
0:36:05 > 0:36:08I think there is significant anecdotal evidence
0:36:08 > 0:36:11of the potential dangers of sky lanterns.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14It's another thing altogether to say, right, this is the risk
0:36:14 > 0:36:17that we can understand or we can describe or we can tabulate,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21if you like, and on that basis, we would go forward to legislate.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24In the meantime, I have written to all local authorities in Wales
0:36:24 > 0:36:27and said to them, "I want you to start considering the impact
0:36:27 > 0:36:29"of sky lanterns on the countryside
0:36:29 > 0:36:34"and I want you to ban sky lanterns voluntarily from your own property."
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Is that not just passing the buck down to those politicians
0:36:37 > 0:36:39rather than taking the responsibility yourself?
0:36:39 > 0:36:42I don't think it's helpful for politicians to react
0:36:42 > 0:36:46to every challenge by saying, "We'll legislate here, legislate there.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49"We'll create a ban here, we'll have more regulation somewhere else."
0:36:49 > 0:36:51I would prefer people worked together
0:36:51 > 0:36:53to try and resolve these sorts of problems.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57The minister says there's not enough hard evidence for a ban,
0:36:57 > 0:36:59and that's the problem.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02No-one can say if the chance of an individual sky lantern
0:37:02 > 0:37:06causing an incident is one in 100 or one in a million.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11So, harmless fun or a flying firelighter?
0:37:11 > 0:37:15We began this programme asking if I should let this go.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16Well, what do you think?
0:37:16 > 0:37:20We'd like to know if you are for or against a ban
0:37:20 > 0:37:22via the Countryfile website.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32The stony Isle of Portland is a geological paradise.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35It sits smack bang in the middle of the Jurassic Coast.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40At its heart lies a rich seam of limestone,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43and it is this that has shaped the lives of the people living here.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Now, you might think, with all the quarrying that's going on here,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52the wildlife would struggle to find a home.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54But, in fact, the exact opposite has happened.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Quarrying has actually created homes.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Hundreds of species of plants and animals
0:38:05 > 0:38:08rely on the limestone grasslands of Portland.
0:38:08 > 0:38:09It might be a rotten old day,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12but it all helps to produce this special habitat.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19'I'm meeting Dorset Wildlife Trust officer Sam Hamer to find out more.'
0:38:19 > 0:38:21I know it might take a bit of imagination on a day like today,
0:38:21 > 0:38:25but trust me, in the summer, this is just awash with colour.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29The nature of the quarrying itself has meant
0:38:29 > 0:38:31that the landscape has been completely changed.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35And we've got here really unique, special,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38undulating south-facing slopes which wouldn't normally be here.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41And they provide that niche habitat.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44What species are unique to this location?
0:38:44 > 0:38:48Across the island, we've got things like Portland hawkweed,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51maidenhair fern and spleenworts, and those are very special plants.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55- Some of them are only found here. - And why are they only found here?
0:38:55 > 0:38:59Where we've got the Portland stone, the limestone, that soil chemistry
0:38:59 > 0:39:03gives rise to a very special kind of limestone grassland.
0:39:03 > 0:39:08And it's that, including the grasses, the mosses and the liverworts,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11that are the building blocks of that habitat
0:39:11 > 0:39:14that then underpins so many other things.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17And eventually, it all comes back to this magical Portland stone again,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19- doesn't it?- Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28But this landscape is under threat from invasive species.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30Things like cotoneaster, buddleia
0:39:30 > 0:39:34and sycamore all outcompete the precious limestone grasses,
0:39:34 > 0:39:36placing the whole habitat at risk.
0:39:39 > 0:39:44The Portland Living Landscapes Project aims to restore 500 acres
0:39:44 > 0:39:47of limestone grassland, but with such a huge area to survey,
0:39:47 > 0:39:50how on earth do you keep track of the progress that you are making?
0:39:50 > 0:39:54Step forward Sam and some big boys' toys.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58They've fixed a high-definition mini-camera onto a zip wire
0:39:58 > 0:40:01using kids' building blocks, providing a unique view
0:40:01 > 0:40:03and sense of the quarry space.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08You've got a camera fixed onto a toy.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- SAM LAUGHS - Why?
0:40:11 > 0:40:13It's to help us monitor our progress
0:40:13 > 0:40:15and the work we're doing within the landscape.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19We've done so many fixed-point photography things
0:40:19 > 0:40:22and we've done a lot of monitoring quadrats and they are all great
0:40:22 > 0:40:24for getting that scientific data that we need.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27But we're trying to capture the effort
0:40:27 > 0:40:30within the context of this open, dynamic landscape.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33- So how long has the high wire been in place?- About two years now.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37And if you showed me footage from two years ago, what would I see?
0:40:37 > 0:40:38What would be different?
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Well, it was just full of cotoneaster.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44As an invasive species, it just covers like a blanket.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47So everything it smothers out is shaded out from the light
0:40:47 > 0:40:48and outcompeted and then lost.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52- And you've cleared it all? - Sort of 98% there.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54- Who had the Lego set?- I did.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56I knew you were going to say that!
0:40:57 > 0:40:59We experimented a few times.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02It's blown up a number of times and left the wire,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04but we've got to the stage with it
0:41:04 > 0:41:06and it's producing the results we need.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12So this little toy is going to help to manage
0:41:12 > 0:41:16this very important habitat for years and years.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Off you go.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23To infinity and beyond!
0:41:30 > 0:41:33We Brits have a love affair with our animals.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34In fact, we love them so much,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37they are often thought of as part of the family.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Looking after one animal can be hard enough,
0:41:43 > 0:41:45but when you're surrounded by them,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48it really is a full-time job, as Adam knows all too well.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51This week, it's the dogs that need his attention.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54In your bed, in your bed. In your bed.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56When I come down into the kitchen in the morning,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58I'm already surrounded by animals.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00It's not just farm animals, but pets,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03and I keep the three most popular pets there are in the country.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05And you'd be surprised what's number one.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08But coming in at number three are cats.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12This one under here is Frank, and then Widget's sitting over there
0:42:12 > 0:42:14by the Aga, keeping nice and warm.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17They're lovely pets, but they're also good at catching mice and rats.
0:42:17 > 0:42:23And in the UK, there's 8.5 million cats, so they are pretty popular.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25And then coming in at number two are the dogs.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29And there's a similar number of dogs as there are cats, but slightly more.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33And I've got Boo and Dolly here, who are house dogs,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35and then of course the working dogs outside.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39And, believe it or not, the number one most favourite pet
0:42:39 > 0:42:43in the UK I have lurking in the corner of my kitchen, which is fish.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48And there's around 20-25 million fish kept in ponds
0:42:48 > 0:42:51and the same in fish tanks in people's houses.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54And they're very easy to look after. That's them fed.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58Wish all my farm animals were that easy! Come on, dogs. Come on, Dolly.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Come on, then! Here.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03'But regardless of the statistics,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06'the trusty old dog is my favourite by far.'
0:43:06 > 0:43:08HE WHISTLES Here. Dolly.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Millie. Millie! Up, up!
0:43:11 > 0:43:14Little trick dog.
0:43:14 > 0:43:15Come on, then, Pearl.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18It's clear that people absolutely love dogs, and why wouldn't you?
0:43:18 > 0:43:21They are such loyal, fantastic creatures
0:43:21 > 0:43:22with so many different uses.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24Millie, come here!
0:43:24 > 0:43:28And they're definitely my favourite farm animal. I absolutely adore them.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30Boo gets very jealous when I give the other dogs attention.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33Boo, I love Millie. DOG BARKS
0:43:33 > 0:43:36She's my favourite one!
0:43:36 > 0:43:38HE LAUGHS
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Oh, I love you too! Go on, then!
0:43:46 > 0:43:49'Research suggests that dogs first became our friends in the ice age,
0:43:49 > 0:43:53'tamed by hunter-gatherers to help with hunting
0:43:53 > 0:43:55'or protection against predators.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57'It's their intelligence and ability to learn that's made them
0:43:57 > 0:43:59'such useful animals.'
0:43:59 > 0:44:02HE CALLS OUT AND WHISTLES
0:44:02 > 0:44:05'And working dogs still play an important role today.
0:44:05 > 0:44:09'Life on the farm would be extremely hard without them.'
0:44:09 > 0:44:10Sit!
0:44:10 > 0:44:15You can't really replace a working sheepdog with a man or a machine.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18Really because they've got this ancient hunting instinct
0:44:18 > 0:44:21that we're controlling to help them round up the sheep.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24HE WHISTLES Bring them out! By!
0:44:24 > 0:44:26Our working collies live in the kennels,
0:44:26 > 0:44:30but they are warm and dry for them to lie at night, and, really,
0:44:30 > 0:44:34like a machine, what you fuel that machine with, it's a bit like a dog.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36What you put inside it is what you get out,
0:44:36 > 0:44:40and I want my animals to be healthy, strong, fit and working well.
0:44:40 > 0:44:45And, in exchange for their hard work, I give them good quality food.
0:44:45 > 0:44:49'Their diet is really vital, but with so many options on the market,
0:44:49 > 0:44:51'how do we know we're getting it right?
0:44:51 > 0:44:54'I've invited dog trainer Richard Clarke to the farm,
0:44:54 > 0:44:56'to get the low-down on dog nutrition.'
0:44:56 > 0:44:58- Richard, hi, good to meet you. - Very nice to meet you.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01Good array of dog food you've got here.
0:45:01 > 0:45:05Food plays such a big part in our relationship with training dogs.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08The first pet foods came about about 1860.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11A guy called James Spratt got off the boat from America.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14He was an electrician and he saw the dogs
0:45:14 > 0:45:18scavenging on the dockside, saw an opportunity there to create
0:45:18 > 0:45:22some food, for rich English gentleman for their shooting dogs,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25and that's where the first processed dog food came about, really.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27So tell me a little bit about them.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31Like a dog meat that you get from a tin, what is that like?
0:45:31 > 0:45:35This is traditionally the food that we've been using
0:45:35 > 0:45:39for the past 40, 50, 60 years, so it appears as meaty chunks in gravy,
0:45:39 > 0:45:42so it looks really appetising and a lot of the dogs will like it.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44But appearances can be deceiving.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47The first thing is, we look at the back of the tin.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49How much gravy would you expect to find in that?
0:45:49 > 0:45:52- 10%, 15%?- 80%. So actually,
0:45:52 > 0:45:55when you look at that tin of dog food, it seems like good value -
0:45:55 > 0:45:5850p for a tin, but the reality is that
0:45:58 > 0:46:01only the top 20% is actual food matter.
0:46:01 > 0:46:05Should we be shopping around and choosing some of the other tins?
0:46:05 > 0:46:08Undoubtedly, there are some foods that are better than others,
0:46:08 > 0:46:11and some dogs, particularly older dogs, prefer wet food.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14Dogs are omnivores, they eat meat and vegetables.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17So a good mixed diet like this would work, wouldn't it?
0:46:17 > 0:46:21It looks great, doesn't it? Nice bit of bone there, a bit of calcium.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24A bit of red stuff, assume that that's meat.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27You've then got a nice bit of vegetation.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29If you argue the point that the dog is supposed to be colour-blind,
0:46:29 > 0:46:31why is it lots of fun colours?
0:46:31 > 0:46:33This is designed for the person buying it,
0:46:33 > 0:46:35not for the animal that's going to consume it.
0:46:35 > 0:46:39And all of the colours and additives tend to be artificial.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41I've got a couple of cans of pop here.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44The same additives and preservatives that are in that
0:46:44 > 0:46:47are in some of these foods, yet we give them to our dogs
0:46:47 > 0:46:50and then expect it not to have a knock-on effect
0:46:50 > 0:46:52to their temperament and behaviour.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55So what you are saying, then, is if you got a dog that's a bit bonkers
0:46:55 > 0:46:58and charges around and is always on the go in the house,
0:46:58 > 0:47:00it may be related to its diet.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03Yeah, it will promote things like jumping up at lightshades,
0:47:03 > 0:47:07pulling curtains down, barking at the front door.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09Of course, there's lots of components that add to that,
0:47:09 > 0:47:13but certainly it could be the fuel behind the behaviour.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15But what about my working dogs?
0:47:15 > 0:47:19I feed them a mixed dry food, and they seem to do well on it.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21But what will Richard make of it?
0:47:21 > 0:47:23The first thing we look at is
0:47:23 > 0:47:26it's got lots of gluten, maize and cereal.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29You could argue that it's almost like a breakfast cereal.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32The problem is when we start looking at wheat and corn,
0:47:32 > 0:47:35these aren't highly digestible foods for dogs,
0:47:35 > 0:47:38so often you'll see that the dogs have large stools,
0:47:38 > 0:47:40they'll be passing frequently throughout the day,
0:47:40 > 0:47:42because the dog can't metabolise the food.
0:47:42 > 0:47:46So what about if we hark right back to the wild dog,
0:47:46 > 0:47:50the wolf, eating raw meat? Is this something we should be feeding them?
0:47:50 > 0:47:54Although they enjoy a high protein and calcium-based diet,
0:47:54 > 0:47:57flesh and bone, they do need a certain amount of roughage,
0:47:57 > 0:47:59vitamins, so it's really difficult
0:47:59 > 0:48:02to find that balance in a raw food diet.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05It can be a good thing, but it needs to be done properly.
0:48:05 > 0:48:09So to clarify, then, I want something with natural preservatives,
0:48:09 > 0:48:12no additives, good meat content of a single meat,
0:48:12 > 0:48:13gluten-free,
0:48:13 > 0:48:17but going to the supermarket is a bit of a minefield, isn't it?
0:48:17 > 0:48:22It's about balance. The cheaper the food, the cheaper the ingredients.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26Just look at the label. Go by the order of contents.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30Look for something that has got a named meat first up.
0:48:30 > 0:48:33If it's got cereal on it, I would suggest perhaps avoid it.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36And for my working dogs outside, just give them
0:48:36 > 0:48:38a little bit of a higher protein?
0:48:38 > 0:48:41Yeah, and you can add that protein yourself.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43Any good-quality complete food, to be honest,
0:48:43 > 0:48:46- will serve you well.- There you go, Dolly. What do you reckon?
0:48:48 > 0:48:51As a farmer, I always try to do the best by my animals,
0:48:51 > 0:48:54and hopefully Richard's expert advice will mean
0:48:54 > 0:48:56a happy and healthy life for all of my dogs.
0:48:58 > 0:48:59Heel.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02Millie! Heel.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11I'm exploring the tiny Isle of Portland
0:49:11 > 0:49:13off the south tip of Dorset.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17It's not the most hospitable of coastlines,
0:49:17 > 0:49:19and there's not a bit of sand in sight.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24There might not be a beach, but there are beach huts.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27Apparently, these are quite glam on the inside.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29They look a bit like garden sheds to me.
0:49:33 > 0:49:37There are more than 300 of these little huts dotted around the Isle,
0:49:37 > 0:49:42and hut designer Richard Burgess has built around a third of them.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45Time for a nosey, I think.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51- Hi, Julia.- Hi, Richard, nice to see you.- And you.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54A welcome break from the weather that's just come back in.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57- I guess it happens like this here, doesn't it?- It does.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00- It turns, as you say, just like that.- Very, very cosy.
0:50:00 > 0:50:02A little bit more than a garden shed.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05Absolutely, yes. I think the owners wouldn't be too pleased
0:50:05 > 0:50:07if you called it a shed.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09How much would the owners have paid for this?
0:50:09 > 0:50:13- Getting on towards £25,000. - Goodness me!
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Traditionally, what were these huts used for?
0:50:17 > 0:50:20Recreational purposes by the workers of the quarries.
0:50:20 > 0:50:25A lot of houses on Portland were back-to-back, no gardens,
0:50:25 > 0:50:27so it was a nice bit of breathing space, if you like,
0:50:27 > 0:50:31- to bring out their families and have a cup of tea on a nice day.- Lovely.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41We asked you where in the British Isles
0:50:41 > 0:50:44you'd like to see featured on Countryfile.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47And you chose here, the Isle of Portland,
0:50:47 > 0:50:50so we've been discovering what makes this land so special,
0:50:50 > 0:50:53how the seas have shaped its history.
0:50:53 > 0:50:57I'm now going to be heading up 153 steps to the top of
0:50:57 > 0:50:59the Portland Bill Lighthouse, to meet Larry,
0:50:59 > 0:51:01its last lighthouse-keeper.
0:51:04 > 0:51:05It was opened in 1906,
0:51:05 > 0:51:09replacing Portland's old Higher and Lower Lighthouses.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14Although he's not been here quite that long,
0:51:14 > 0:51:15Larry has got 44 years
0:51:15 > 0:51:18and 23 different lighthouses under his belt.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22- Larry, good to see you.- And you.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24I'm slightly out of breath, I have to say.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28Yeah, you've climbed 153 steps to get to us, so welcome, Matthew.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31But before I get the chance to relax,
0:51:31 > 0:51:35Larry's got me limbering up for more lighthouse aerobics.
0:51:35 > 0:51:36Show me the pinkie-winkie.
0:51:36 > 0:51:40- Right, pinkie-winkie, hook it onto there, look.- Yeah.
0:51:40 > 0:51:41And pull towards me.
0:51:43 > 0:51:50- Goodness me.- There you are, Matthew, you are moving 3.5 tonnes of lens.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54- It's actually floating on the original mercury from 1905.- Wow!
0:51:57 > 0:52:01I've just something the weight of a car with my little finger.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05It just goes to show that up here, a little goes a long way.
0:52:05 > 0:52:09In fact, the huge bulb creating the light works off the same power
0:52:09 > 0:52:11as your kitchen kettle.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13How far will that beam travel?
0:52:13 > 0:52:17On a good night, you can see it in excess of 25 miles.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19I've had people come here in the summer months saying
0:52:19 > 0:52:21they've been to the Channel Islands,
0:52:21 > 0:52:23coming back on the ferry into Weymouth
0:52:23 > 0:52:2520 minutes after leaving the Channel Islands,
0:52:25 > 0:52:28although they can't see the light, they can see
0:52:28 > 0:52:30- the beams crossing the horizon.- Wow!
0:52:32 > 0:52:34Like all Britain's lighthouses,
0:52:34 > 0:52:37nowadays, Portland Bill is fully automated.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39'But Larry thinks I've been such a promising pupil
0:52:39 > 0:52:43'that for one night only, he's going to let me light up the Bill.'
0:52:45 > 0:52:48- Here we go.- I thought the switch would be inside.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51No, what's go happen now, you're covering a photo-electric cell,
0:52:51 > 0:52:54- which is going to say it's dark. - Oh, I'm with you.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Now, the light should be on, Matt, so if you want to go in there,
0:52:57 > 0:53:00it should be coming on and starting to glow.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02Yeah. She's on.
0:53:02 > 0:53:06This is definitely the highlight of my Portland adventure,
0:53:06 > 0:53:11and just what Captain Baker needs to lure in his trusty first mate.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Now, the phone reception on the Isle is a little bit dodgy
0:53:15 > 0:53:17to say the least, but I said to Julia,
0:53:17 > 0:53:20"I'll send you some sort of signal." I think she'll have got the message.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Very predictable!
0:53:23 > 0:53:26Now, I suppose he wants me to go all the way to the top,
0:53:26 > 0:53:28because he's a bit tricky like that.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30Here we go then.
0:53:30 > 0:53:31Coming!
0:53:33 > 0:53:35I thought she'd be here by now. That's almost it for this week.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38Thank you for all of your suggestions.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40We'll be visiting many more in the coming weeks.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42Ah! Goodness me, it's about time!
0:53:42 > 0:53:45Portland was a fantastic suggestion.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48You suggesting me going to the top of here, not such a good suggestion.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51Yeah. Well, according to Larry, the lighthouse-keeper -
0:53:51 > 0:53:54- watch your head - this really gets the puddings pumping!- Does it?!
0:53:54 > 0:53:58Well, I like to get my puddings pumping. Excellent news!
0:53:58 > 0:54:01- Consider it done.- That is it. Next week, we're going to be in Kent.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05I'm going to be on Elmley Marshes, which was once a thriving village,
0:54:05 > 0:54:07and is now a spectacular wildlife haven.
0:54:07 > 0:54:11And Ellie is going to go behind the scenes at a medieval palace.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14- Right, that's it.- See you later. - How do we get down from here?
0:54:14 > 0:54:17- Well... You want me to carry you, don't you?- Yeah.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20- Thank you.- See you later. - Bye! See you!
0:54:20 > 0:54:24- Now, don't drop me.- Right.- Because you're dropping the crown jewels!
0:54:24 > 0:54:27- I'm actually going to go down backwards, so watch out!- Oh, no!