0:00:26 > 0:00:31The Shetland Islands - Scotland's most northerly outpost.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35Here, the land rises from the icy waters of the North Sea to reveal
0:00:35 > 0:00:40naked glens, sky-blue lochs, sloping hills
0:00:40 > 0:00:42and the odd sheep or two.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48One of a hundred or so islands scattered around this edge of Britain
0:00:48 > 0:00:53is Fetlar. It's an island that is abundant with wildlife,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56so I can't wait to get over there.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59At this time of year, it hosts a particularly special bird -
0:00:59 > 0:01:01the red-necked phalarope.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05It's one of our rarest and most elusive, so with the help
0:01:05 > 0:01:11of some RSPB trackers, I'm hoping to catch my very first glimpse of one.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Over on the main island, Adam is battling with the elements.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Farming back home in the Cotswolds is very different to
0:01:18 > 0:01:20what it is here in Shetland.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23The days during the summer are very long and in the winter,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25they're incredibly short.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28I'll be meeting up with both the farmers and the animals to see
0:01:28 > 0:01:32how they cope with these incredible conditions here.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35While we're exploring the Shetland Islands, Tom is
0:01:35 > 0:01:37back on the British mainland.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Thoughts of miserable animals reared in poor conditions are enough
0:01:41 > 0:01:44to put any of us off our food.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Though there have been considerable advances in animal welfare
0:01:47 > 0:01:48in recent years,
0:01:48 > 0:01:54can we be sure that our farm animals are not just healthy, but happy?
0:01:54 > 0:01:56I'll be investigating.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14More than 1,500 miles of rugged coastline.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Wondrous wildlife.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22This is Shetland.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27A sub-Arctic archipelago of Scotland
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and the UK's most northern habitation.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Its largest island is known simply as Mainland,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39with its capital Lerwick at the heart.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44Around 22,000 people live on this remote outpost,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47scattered some 100 miles off the north coast of Scotland
0:02:47 > 0:02:50and at this time of year, the daylight is almost endless.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55The islands' position in the north Atlantic mean
0:02:55 > 0:02:59they play host to more than one million breeding birds every year.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05But it's not just birds which make the most of this rocky outcrop.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06I'm heading to the island of Fetlar,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09known locally as "the Garden of Shetland",
0:03:09 > 0:03:13in the hope of spotting some of its extra-special residents.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Its name is said to originate from the Viking term meaning "fat land",
0:03:23 > 0:03:25because of its rich, fertile soils,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27and you can see this lush meadow
0:03:27 > 0:03:32compares very differently to the peatlands elsewhere in Shetland.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39It's the greenest of all the islands and with only 81 residents,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42local lad and naturalist Brydon Thomason has been
0:03:42 > 0:03:46enchanted by the wildlife here since he was a toddler.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Fingers crossed, today he's going to show me
0:03:49 > 0:03:53one of Shetland's most famous residents - the European otter.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56- How are you doing?- Very well.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59- Nice to meet you. - You too. So, any sign?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03I have actually just spotted one, just up ahead of us.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06It's quite a way off, foraging, at the moment.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07As we move towards it,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09we'll try and keep our voices down.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11They're very sensitive to any noise,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14or especially scent. They're very scent-sensitive.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16If we just crouch down here, Ellie, for a minute.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21We'll have a little scan again.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24OK, so there - it's actually up again now, Ellie.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28If you just look in line with that far headland, come straight down...
0:04:28 > 0:04:30- Can you see it?- Oh, yes!- About 30,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32- 40 yards offshore.- Fantastic.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34It's just foraging. We refer to this
0:04:34 > 0:04:36as patch fishing, I guess.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39They've got favourite little areas of seabed -
0:04:39 > 0:04:45it could be a reef or a kelp forest that they will forage on every day.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47They know the shoreline intimately.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49It's exciting for me, because otters
0:04:49 > 0:04:51down south are only out at night.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54That's one of the big attractions for the people watching otters
0:04:54 > 0:04:57in Shetland - they do tend to be diurnal,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00they forage into the daylight hours.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03And so what is it about Shetland that is ideal for otters
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and for wildlife in general?
0:05:05 > 0:05:07I suppose looking at today as a perfect example,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10the shorelines, the lack of pollution,
0:05:10 > 0:05:12the lack of disturbance.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14I've seen a glimpse of an otter,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16but I know you've got some amazing shots on your laptop.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Yes, we can have a little look.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22'Brydon doesn't just love tracking otters,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24'he also loves photographing them.'
0:05:37 > 0:05:39This is footage that you picked up from a camera trap?
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Yes, the camera is hidden amongst the boulders here.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45This is an area we'd call a lie up here,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47where otters come up and spray
0:05:47 > 0:05:51and they groom. You can see them writhing around on the grass there.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- Ah, yes.- They're actually using scent glands as well
0:05:54 > 0:05:57to mark the territory. This is a dog, you can see him.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Ah, some grooming there!
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Dogs are very solitary. They spend
0:06:01 > 0:06:03the days just on their lonesome.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Rarely do they interact with the families, really.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07You can see him spraying
0:06:07 > 0:06:09on the rocks before he goes.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Then he bumbles off down and
0:06:11 > 0:06:12carries out his daily business.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18'I just caught my first glimpse of a Fetlar otter.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20'It seems luck is on my side.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25'And now, I'm hoping to see some of the island's
0:06:25 > 0:06:27'other special residents.'
0:06:28 > 0:06:31I haven't made things terribly easy for myself,
0:06:31 > 0:06:37because what I'm looking for is one of the UK's rarest birds.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41'But I'm not on my own - Malcie Smith from the RSPB is going
0:06:41 > 0:06:43'to be my guide.'
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- How are you doing, Malcie?- Hi, Ellie. - Good to meet you.- How are you?
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Good! Tell me, what's this target species we're looking for?
0:06:49 > 0:06:53- We're going to see one of the little jewels of Fetlar today.- Oh, yes?
0:06:53 > 0:06:56- Get yourself armed.- Good, good.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Let's go and see if we can see a red-necked phalarope.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- What a beauty!- Yes. Come on, Jake.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Red-necked phalaropes are so scarce in the UK
0:07:08 > 0:07:11that they're protected by law, so we are only
0:07:11 > 0:07:14able to visit a breeding site of these little waders
0:07:14 > 0:07:16accompanied by Malcie.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19He's got a special licence to be here.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22So how rare are they?
0:07:22 > 0:07:26These are Arctic birds, but they're breeding in the UK.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29They're very much at the southern edge of their range here.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33They're very rare here. Most years there's maybe 20, 30 pairs.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Mostly in Shetland, mostly here in Fetlar.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41The main reason for this is the geology here.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Most of Fetlar is built on serpentine rock,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46which used to be the ocean floor, so the soil is non-acidic.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Vibrant heathland flourishes in these conditions, which insects and
0:07:53 > 0:07:57invertebrates love and this is what the phalaropes come to feast on.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01I just hope we're going to be lucky enough to see one...
0:08:03 > 0:08:07What we're going to have a look at just now is a phalarope nest...
0:08:09 > 0:08:12..which has been incubated by the male,
0:08:12 > 0:08:17because they have this really weird reverse sexual role thing.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20The females are more attractive looking, they're more colourful,
0:08:20 > 0:08:25bigger and aggressive. The males are just puny little dull guys.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26He does all the incubating.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28He doesn't feed them - as soon as they hatch out,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32within about a day, they're out feeding for themselves.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35OK, so here's his nest, here.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37There's nothing really there, is there?
0:08:37 > 0:08:41There's nothing there, no. The chicks have hatched out now.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44And in the meantime, the female's gone off and she will breed
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- and lay again this season? - She'll certainly try.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49When the male was sitting,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52incubating these eggs that have now hatched, he's got a dilemma.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54He's got to keep these eggs warm,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56but he's got to fill his belly as well.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59He has to go off on a foraging trip. All the time he's being chased
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and harassed by horny females!
0:09:02 > 0:09:06He's having to beat them off with a stick.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07They are very game girls!
0:09:07 > 0:09:10SHE LAUGHS
0:09:11 > 0:09:14And then, just when I thought I wasn't going to see one,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16she made her glorious entrance.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- So you'll notice how brightly-marked she is.- Yes.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27- A lovely, rich red collar. - That very straight bill she's got.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Yes, really fine bill for feeding on insects.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Look how unbothered she is by us - she's just here.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- Oh, she's not bothered by us. - How about that for timing?
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Nine out of ten of the UK's small population of red-necked phalaropes
0:09:41 > 0:09:44can be found on Fetlar each summer.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47The wildlife here is in great shape.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Now, the welfare of our livestock is one of our priorities,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57along with price and quality, when choosing meat at the supermarket.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01But is there a way to truly tell if our farm animals are healthy
0:10:01 > 0:10:03and happy?
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Tom's been finding out.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17When it comes to what we eat, most of us say
0:10:17 > 0:10:20the well-being of animals is important.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22In a survey for Countryfile last year,
0:10:22 > 0:10:2790% of you said welfare was a key issue when buying food.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Everyone, it seems, wants a slice of the good life.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34But there's still a lot of confusion about the various schemes
0:10:34 > 0:10:36that promote good standards.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40For some, the standards set by British law are enough.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Others want higher welfare guarantees,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46from schemes like Freedom Foods or the Red Tractor.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Hello, you.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52When we looked at this issue on Countryfile last year,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55there seemed to be significant differences between the schemes -
0:10:55 > 0:10:56on paper, at least.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59So, when it comes to an average chicken used for meat,
0:10:59 > 0:11:04the Red Tractor label specifies a maximum of 19 per square metre.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06For the Freedom Food scheme, it's 15.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10In principle, it sounds better,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13but does it mean the animals are happier?
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Here in Hertfordshire, Jean-Paul Michalski produces eggs under
0:11:17 > 0:11:20the RSPCA Freedom Food label.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Why did you decide to go for Freedom Foods?
0:11:22 > 0:11:25RSPCA Freedom Foods is an organisation that is
0:11:25 > 0:11:27synonymous with high levels of bird welfare.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31But what do you think it actually means for the chicken itself?
0:11:31 > 0:11:32What makes a happy chicken?
0:11:32 > 0:11:36For me, a happy chicken is the way I look after my birds.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40It's about being a stockman. It's about the daily routine.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43When I'm walking the birds, I'm looking at them,
0:11:43 > 0:11:47making sure they're healthy, making sure that I feel they're happy.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Why is it important to you to farm like this?
0:11:50 > 0:11:55I'm a stock person at heart. I look after chickens and that is what I do.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58I like to do that to the best of my ability.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Obviously, the things I can do to make the life of these hens better,
0:12:02 > 0:12:07and obviously, for them to produce more for me by doing so, is fantastic
0:12:07 > 0:12:11and that's why all the effort and all the work that I do goes
0:12:11 > 0:12:15towards making sure that these hens are as happy as they possibly can be.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18For Jean-Paul, good welfare isn't just about statistics.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21It's about the personal care of his animals.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26And that is a philosophy now central to the Freedom Food label.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27Over the past two years,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31it's raised the welfare bar even higher, with a new scheme designed
0:12:31 > 0:12:35to measure animals' health and happiness on a more personal level.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Andrea Stanley is a trained assessor for Freedom Foods.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45OK, so this is my crib sheet, but we're basically measuring
0:12:45 > 0:12:48feather loss, so we're looking at the backs, heads and necks.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51We're also making sure they're not too dirty,
0:12:51 > 0:12:52so we're measuring dirtiness.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55I like this one - "antagonistic behaviour".
0:12:55 > 0:12:57That means chickens that are getting a bit angry with each other!
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Absolutely. To us, welfare is based on the five freedoms
0:13:00 > 0:13:02set by the RSPCA -
0:13:02 > 0:13:04to make sure all their physical needs are met
0:13:04 > 0:13:06and their psychological needs.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09And to make sure they're able to express their own behaviour,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11so seeing it from the hen's point of view.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- So it's not just about physical health?- It's not. Are they happy?
0:13:15 > 0:13:20Happy hens lay more eggs and they're less likely to disease.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Do you think we can tell what is happy with animals?
0:13:22 > 0:13:27I believe we can, so using the welfare outcome we can measure
0:13:27 > 0:13:30how they're doing and their psychological and physical needs.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- And how are they all looking and doing?- These are looking fantastic.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Really, really lovely, calm flock.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38I love the way we've got an audience, as well!
0:13:38 > 0:13:39It's like they've come to watch,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- to check out you're putting down the right score for them!- That's it!
0:13:42 > 0:13:46The RSPCA says through Freedom Food it wants to...
0:13:49 > 0:13:54..but currently, it only covers about 5% of the market,
0:13:54 > 0:13:58so how significant is its contribution to welfare overall?
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Well, it has real success in certain sectors,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06so if you're looking at laying hens for the eggs that we eat,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09that's actually taken out about 50% of the UK market.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Pigs are nearly 30% and salmon,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15farmed salmon are more than 60% Freedom Food.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18But overall, you would accept that is a sort of gold standard
0:14:18 > 0:14:22that not everyone is at. It's not a broad scheme.
0:14:22 > 0:14:23It is a gold standard.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26The whole point is that this is the stretching end
0:14:26 > 0:14:27of achievable for welfare.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30It has to be dedicated and focused to welfare,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34making that achievable, but also just stretching those limits, definitely.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37But are these high welfare standards in the end just for the wealthy?
0:14:37 > 0:14:39No, I don't think so, not at all.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41We're now seeing Freedom Food-labelled products on more
0:14:41 > 0:14:43shelves than ever before in the supermarket,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46so that's coming from farms that are inspected to RSPCA welfare standards.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49They cover a real wide range of the prices that are on offer,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53from the basics and the values, as well in supermarkets, which is
0:14:53 > 0:14:56really good news. We're also seeing it more on the high street,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00so a much wider audience coming into the fast food chains as well.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Cheaper products may improve Freedom Foods' share of the market
0:15:03 > 0:15:06in the future, but for the moment at least, its standards
0:15:06 > 0:15:11of welfare only apply to a small proportion of British farm animals.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13So is there a way of delivering higher welfare
0:15:13 > 0:15:15across more of the market?
0:15:16 > 0:15:20In a moment, I'll be talking to an organisation whose standards
0:15:20 > 0:15:24may not look as good on paper, but who claim in practice that they
0:15:24 > 0:15:28are doing more for animal welfare in the UK overall than Freedom Foods.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40At this time of year, Shetland's days are very long.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45The sun sets late in the evening and the night sky never grows
0:15:45 > 0:15:49truly dark, because of its northerly latitude.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54It's now nearly midnight,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58but there's still this unearthly glow in the sky.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01The Shetlanders round here call it the Simmer Dim,
0:16:01 > 0:16:06a strange half-light where twilight and dawn merge.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12With only 100 growing days a year, the farmers
0:16:12 > 0:16:16and producers on these islands have to make every day count.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20In a few hours, I'll be waking up to meet the people who farm
0:16:20 > 0:16:23these shores and the animals that have become adapted to live here.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26But for now, I'm going to go and get some kip.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Morning breaks and brings with it a change in the weather.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Perched on the shore of one of Shetland's smaller islands
0:16:46 > 0:16:53is Burland Croft, home to Mary Isbister and her husband Tommy.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Both native Shetlanders, they're champions of native breeds.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59So much so, they've even saved some species from the brink
0:16:59 > 0:17:01of extinction.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- You must be Mary.- Hello, Adam. Nice to see you!
0:17:08 > 0:17:09You brought the weather, but never mind!
0:17:09 > 0:17:13- Goodness me, Shetland must have four seasons in one day!- Absolutely.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17That's why we love it. We don't know what's going to happen the next day.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19It's certainly good weather for ducks.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23- Where are these Shetland ducks, then?- Well, in the boathouse!
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Chukka chukka chukka!
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Oh, my word - look at them, lovely! Look, there's an egg!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I should take this home with me
0:17:33 > 0:17:35and hatch it and have Shetland ducks at home!
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Well, you can do that, but I think they don't like the weather
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- so, well, they're not going to come out!- No!
0:17:41 > 0:17:42Tell me about this hutch, then.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I think of Shetlanders as great recyclers,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47because this was always done in Shetland.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51An old boat was reused and usually it's for a lamb house,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53but here we use it for the duck house.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56It makes a great duck hut, I've never seen anything like it.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Let me give you that egg. They'll run out, will they, in a second?
0:17:59 > 0:18:03- I would think they'll come for their breakfast if we move back.- OK.
0:18:03 > 0:18:04Come on, ducks.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Aren't they lovely?
0:18:14 > 0:18:19- They're quite unusual looking ducks, aren't they?- They're not too big.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23They're nearly like Indian runners. You see them go and they're so busy,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25they never stop.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28They usually just have the white breast and the rest of them
0:18:28 > 0:18:31is absolutely black, jet black.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33I noticed some of them are going a bit lighter.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38Yes, I know - they go white with age. That white one there is almost 20.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42It's unbelievable, but they just keep living.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44And they got down to quite low numbers.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47They were down to amazingly... three birds.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51When we realised just how few was around, we pulled that three together
0:18:51 > 0:18:56and to be honest, that's been the start of the Shetland ducks again.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01- From three to now hundreds or even thousands.- Thousands, I think.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04What an achievement! You must be so proud.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I've never really looked on it like that.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11I think it's just nice to see plenty around again.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- Are they good characters? - Absolutely wonderful.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17They're very much their own persons!
0:19:24 > 0:19:26More than 700 miles from home,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30I'm closer to the Arctic Circle than I am to the Cotswolds.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35Around every corner is another vista, waiting to wow you.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38But on a soggy day like this, it's not hard to imagine
0:19:38 > 0:19:42the ruthless winter of our most northerly British territory.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44For many months of the year,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47the harsh weather tests even the hardiest of men and beasts.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54I've come to Uradale Farm to meet Ronnie Eunson,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56another local champion of rare breeds.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Ronnie, hi. I'm Adam.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03- Pleased to meet you.- It's a lovely Shetland day!- Aye, midsummer!
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Not so great, I'm afraid! But that's just Shetland.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I've never seen so many Shetland cattle in one place,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11it's lovely, isn't it?
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Well, there's not too many sizeable herds left in Shetland.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16During the 18th century,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18they reckoned there was about 50,000 here,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21but over the years they declined until in the early 1980s,
0:20:21 > 0:20:26there was only 27 registered females left.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31- Goodness me, that low in numbers? - Yes.- How have they come back?
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Well, really determination on the part of a few people.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39There are only four sire lines, so very limited genetic pool.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43But we like to think that we've been able to improve the cattle
0:20:43 > 0:20:47- over the years.- And do they really suit Shetland well?
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Well, they should do, because they've been here for thousands of years.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56They are a type of breed that can cope with most things.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58They eat a very diverse diet,
0:20:58 > 0:21:03so that suits the different seasons so that they can get a bit of grass,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06they can get a bit of hay, we've even seen them
0:21:06 > 0:21:07eating the seaweed at times,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10so they're quite catholic in their tastes!
0:21:10 > 0:21:13It's part of our living heritage and the more people you can
0:21:13 > 0:21:16persuade to eat them, the more likely people like you are to
0:21:16 > 0:21:19breed them and therefore, the breed will continue to regenerate.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Yes, it's the ultimate irony - how to save a breed - eat it!
0:21:23 > 0:21:25THEY LAUGH
0:21:25 > 0:21:27How do you, as farmers, and your animals,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31cope with these long summer days and short days in the winter?
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Well, the long, summer days are usually quite easy to cope with.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39But in the winter time, all the native breeds here seem
0:21:39 > 0:21:43to have the same characteristic where they simply shut down
0:21:43 > 0:21:48when the conditions get too tough and they rely on their own reserves.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50These animals are adapted to this environment,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54but last year, Ronnie and his family learned just how tough it can get.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56THUNDERCLAP
0:21:56 > 0:22:01The peat slide came, several thousand tonnes of it.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05The first I noticed was everything went quiet.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11There was no sound at all, and I thought it was very strange,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15and I looked outside and everything was just black.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21It carried away a house and our Land Rover and burst through the house,
0:22:21 > 0:22:26so it caused a lot of damage and thankfully, nobody was killed.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30A very resilient bunch, farmers, aren't they?
0:22:30 > 0:22:35I guess we need to be fairly resilient to cope with all the bits
0:22:35 > 0:22:40and pieces and problems that occur, but every now and then,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43something happens which lifts your spirits
0:22:43 > 0:22:47and make things seem an awful lot easier to cope with.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Sometimes it's all about hearing a wren sing
0:22:49 > 0:22:53in the early morning, when you're lying in bed or seeing
0:22:53 > 0:22:59the first sunshine over the top of the hill, or just green shoots.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03It...lifts the heart and it keeps you going.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Now, that's what I call Shetland spirit.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Apart from his rain-hardened cattle, Ronnie also farms Shetland sheep.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Lucky for them, today is shearing day,
0:23:19 > 0:23:24and that means they can escape from the rain. And so can we!
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- It's nice to get out of the rain! - Not so nice, is it?
0:23:29 > 0:23:30So it's all happening in here.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Yes, we're trying to get the last of the clipping finished today here,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37it's just not a very nice day outside,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40so we left the sheep inside last night.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42- Keep the wool dry.- That's right.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46Well, it's come to be a little bit more valuable than it used to be.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49- And how many Shetlands have you got? - Around about 700 here.
0:23:49 > 0:23:55We breed them pure. It's basically just for a very specialised market.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01What do you do with the daggy bits?
0:24:01 > 0:24:05- Just throw them over your back there and we tidy them up after.- OK.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07I'm pinching your job here!
0:24:07 > 0:24:10THEY LAUGH
0:24:10 > 0:24:11There's the whole fleece.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Lovely, isn't it? Chuck it in this white one?
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Yes, that's the white one.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18And they say that a very fine Shetland fleece,
0:24:18 > 0:24:20when it's spun into a shawl,
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- they can pull it through a wedding ring, is that right?- Yes, yes.
0:24:23 > 0:24:29It's a very strong fibre with a very fine crimp to it,
0:24:29 > 0:24:34so when it's spun up, it actually makes a very fine yarn.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38It seems to be what the market wants.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- I've got some of my Cotswold wool here to show you.- Oh, dear!
0:24:41 > 0:24:45- Have a bit of a comparison! - Oh, dreadlocks!
0:24:45 > 0:24:48We'll have a wool-off competition!
0:24:50 > 0:24:54So, look - this is the wool that made the Cotswolds famous.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56We'll compare.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01So this is very, very long and quite fine,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04but I reckon that Shetland wool is finer, you know.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Well, if you hold it up to the light, you can see
0:25:08 > 0:25:12the Cotswold is straight, with not so much crimp
0:25:12 > 0:25:17- and the fibres themselves are a little bit thicker.- They are.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20It makes a very fine jumper-weight yarn,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22a bit like what you're wearing, but better!
0:25:22 > 0:25:24ADAM LAUGHS
0:25:24 > 0:25:27I think you might be beating me there, actually.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28I think mine looks cleaner!
0:25:28 > 0:25:33They're the best sheep breed in the world, and the one that evolved to
0:25:33 > 0:25:36cope with the conditions up here, so at the end of the day,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39this is the sheep that does the business.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47For more than 6,000 years, the people of Shetland have farmed
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and fished from these shores.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Now perfectly adapted to the shifting conditions,
0:25:52 > 0:25:56the local breeds are thriving in their homeland, thanks to the
0:25:56 > 0:25:59skill and determination of the native Shetlanders themselves.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18People have lived on the Shetland Isles for more than 6,000 years.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22From the first Neolithic farmers to the Vikings who
0:26:22 > 0:26:24arrived in the ninth century, marking what many call
0:26:24 > 0:26:30the dawn of Shetland's history, right through to today's 22,000 residents.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36This place was strategically important for the Vikings
0:26:36 > 0:26:39because of its position in the north Atlantic.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Shetland was the ideal stepping-stone for marauding Vikings
0:26:42 > 0:26:46heading for Greenland and Iceland.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52The archipelago was under Norse rule from the ninth to the 15th century.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55And the Nordic influence is celebrated
0:26:55 > 0:26:56in the Up Helly Aa fire festival
0:26:56 > 0:27:00lighting up the capital Lerwick every January.
0:27:00 > 0:27:06The arrival of the Vikings brought place names, local dialects
0:27:06 > 0:27:10and other traditions that are still around today,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12including the game of...
0:27:12 > 0:27:14hnefatafl.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19Hnefatafl, despite its puzzling spelling, is quite simply
0:27:19 > 0:27:23a board game that simulates Viking combat and predates chess.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Every year, the world championships are held here on Fetlar,
0:27:28 > 0:27:33so I'm meeting hnefatafl Grand Master Peter Kelly to find out more.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- Hello, Peter.- Hello, Ellie. - So what do you need to play the game?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39- You need a board and pieces.- Right.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Now, in history, pebbles were used
0:27:42 > 0:27:48and I believe that people scraped boards on the boats that they
0:27:48 > 0:27:50were coming over in and on the sand
0:27:50 > 0:27:53when they were playing on the beach.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57In the Viking sagas, it says things like, "I have so many skills,
0:27:57 > 0:28:01"I throw the spear and I play hnefatafl."
0:28:01 > 0:28:04It was seen as an important thing for Vikings to play.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06What is the aim of the game?
0:28:06 > 0:28:09The attacking pieces are black
0:28:09 > 0:28:13to identify them from the defending pieces which encircle the king.
0:28:13 > 0:28:14For the attacker,
0:28:14 > 0:28:19it is to stop the king getting to the corner of the board
0:28:19 > 0:28:24and then to surround him on all four sides
0:28:24 > 0:28:26with attacking pieces.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29- And then, the attackers have won.- War!
0:28:30 > 0:28:32For the defenders, it is
0:28:32 > 0:28:36to get the king to the corner of the board and then HE'S won.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38So what are the moves that I need to learn?
0:28:38 > 0:28:40The moves are in straight lines.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42As many places as you want?
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Yes, you can go as far as you like, but you have to stop if you
0:28:45 > 0:28:48come to either one of your own pieces or one of the other pieces.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50So how do you take a piece?
0:28:50 > 0:28:54Well, the Vikings called it The Hammer And Anvil.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57If there are two pieces together, like that,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01then if it's white's go, he can go...
0:29:02 > 0:29:06- ..smack the hammer against the anvil and it's lost.- OK.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Well, I think I understand the rules now.
0:29:09 > 0:29:14And to do it in style and make it a bit more interesting...
0:29:14 > 0:29:17or ridiculous...
0:29:17 > 0:29:19- A-ha!- Very fetching.- OK.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24It may be more than 1,000 years old, but the rules of the game
0:29:24 > 0:29:28weren't properly standardised until 2007, right here on Fetlar.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31The main innovation was the introduction of a gong
0:29:31 > 0:29:33to speed up the game. GONG CRASHES
0:29:33 > 0:29:37Players now have only ten seconds to make their move.
0:29:37 > 0:29:38That's...
0:29:40 > 0:29:42- Kerchunk.- Oh!
0:29:42 > 0:29:44SHE LAUGHS Squashed!
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Oh, it was a schoolboy error. Right...
0:29:48 > 0:29:50Out goes the king. I'm not having that.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52I think I see where you're going.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00SHE GASPS
0:30:00 > 0:30:04- You can't stop me now. - I can't stop you?- No, that is...
0:30:04 > 0:30:06I've won! Ha-ha!
0:30:06 > 0:30:09How embarrassing! A worthy winner. Well done.
0:30:09 > 0:30:10THEY LAUGH
0:30:10 > 0:30:12I think I'll stick to chess.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Now, earlier we heard how
0:30:18 > 0:30:22welfare standards for farm animals are evolving.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26But does higher welfare have to mean a higher price? Here's Tom.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32In recent years, we've seen
0:30:32 > 0:30:37an increasingly personal approach to animal welfare in the UK.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40On the RSPCA's Freedom Food farms,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43they bring in assessors to monitor animal health and happiness.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48But not everyone agrees that the Freedom Food label
0:30:48 > 0:30:51is doing the most good when it comes to animal welfare.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56Here in Shropshire, Richard Hooper
0:30:56 > 0:31:00looks after a 230 sow-intensive breeding unit.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06They can shut the nodding donkey part
0:31:06 > 0:31:09to prevent any other sows eating their food
0:31:09 > 0:31:13and also preventing other sows biting their back ends.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Richard is not part of Freedom Food.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20Instead, he produces pork for the Red Tractor label,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22set up in the year 2000 by the National Farmers' Union
0:31:22 > 0:31:25to assure food quality.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29So what sort of things does a Red Tractor label oblige you to cover?
0:31:29 > 0:31:32It covers just about everything that we do on the unit.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37It covers the housing, it covers the feeding, the water supply,
0:31:37 > 0:31:39the veterinary medicines.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42It is everything you can think of to do with pigs,
0:31:42 > 0:31:44it is covered within that.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46So you think it is a pretty thorough welfare check?
0:31:46 > 0:31:49I think it's a good standard. I really do think it's
0:31:49 > 0:31:51a good standard from a producer's point of view.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54It's been widely bought into by producers.
0:31:54 > 0:31:5790-odd percent of the pigs produced in the country
0:31:57 > 0:31:59are now covered by Red Tractor.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02A lot of people think pigs or animals in general
0:32:02 > 0:32:05are happier outside. What do you make of that perception?
0:32:06 > 0:32:09It's... Are you happy outside when it's minus 20?
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Are you happy outside when it's bucketing with rain for weeks on end?
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I think, you know, the environment we've got here is controlled.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21From a human point of view, it does perhaps look a bit alien for a pig,
0:32:21 > 0:32:25but what is the natural environment for a domesticated pig these days?
0:32:26 > 0:32:31Whereas the Freedom Food label only covers 5% of the market,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Red Tractor covers 80%.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37Recently, it has started to adopt the kind of personal approach
0:32:37 > 0:32:41to welfare that we saw earlier on the Freedom Food farm.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43No, no, no, no.
0:32:43 > 0:32:48No. See, that one would score positive as a body mark.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50Roger Blowey is a qualified vet
0:32:50 > 0:32:53who carries out assessments on Red Tractor farms.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57He isn't just looking for signs of physical damage.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00He also wants to work out if the pigs are happy.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02A good indicator is how playful they are.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07You will see a ball somewhere and then you've got this
0:33:07 > 0:33:12salt mineral block there and you can see they have been chewing that.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14See how they're chewing the end of the chain?
0:33:14 > 0:33:16So you have noted down one or two things here.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Is that fairly typical, or do you ever come in
0:33:19 > 0:33:21and give everything an absolute clean bill of health?
0:33:21 > 0:33:28Never, never. No. Always there are some scratches.
0:33:28 > 0:33:29In a unit of this size,
0:33:29 > 0:33:34you would expect the odd pig to be not walking 100% correctly,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37so you are going to have the odd lame one and that sort of thing.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39And even in the highest of welfare systems,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43would you always find some problems of this nature?
0:33:43 > 0:33:47- Yes. Always.- Just part of the wear and tear of being a pig in a group?
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Yes, it is. It's like us, isn't it?
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Every now and again we scratch ourselves.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56It's just part of their natural behaviour and you can see
0:33:56 > 0:33:58by the way they are tackling my feet
0:33:58 > 0:34:00that they just love chewing and things.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02I can see you are the new toy!
0:34:04 > 0:34:08Red Tractor doesn't claim to always match the Freedom Food label
0:34:08 > 0:34:11when it comes to welfare standards, but it does believe
0:34:11 > 0:34:16its products are generally cheaper and they serve more of the market.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18So, Emma, can the general shopper
0:34:18 > 0:34:21- expect good animal welfare on a budget?- Yes, they can.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24We know that animal welfare is really important to consumers.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28We've got good standards in there, standards that are above legislation
0:34:28 > 0:34:30and, importantly, above those of imported products.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33I was going to ask you about that "above legislation"
0:34:33 > 0:34:36because in the past, Red Tractor has been kind of accused,
0:34:36 > 0:34:38if you like, of being another word for the bare minimum.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41- You don't think that's fair? - No, I don't think that's fair.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44The Red Tractor standards are actually inspected on far more farms
0:34:44 > 0:34:48then say the Freedom Food or Soil Association standards,
0:34:48 > 0:34:51so even if our standards don't match up to them on welfare,
0:34:51 > 0:34:55actually, in practice, they are implemented on far more farms.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57So in effect you're saying that far more animals
0:34:57 > 0:35:01- are benefiting from your standards because they are broader.- Exactly.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03What's better?
0:35:03 > 0:35:04Have aspirational standards
0:35:04 > 0:35:07that only few farmers will actually be inspected to and meet
0:35:07 > 0:35:10and few people can afford to pay for,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12or to have good animal-welfare standards
0:35:12 > 0:35:15that actually are practised on far more farms
0:35:15 > 0:35:18and the general public can actually afford to buy the products?
0:35:18 > 0:35:23Higher welfare standards are good for sales as well as animals,
0:35:23 > 0:35:27but they don't convince everyone and some would doubt
0:35:27 > 0:35:30that being reared on a farm can ever create true contentment.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34Surely the happiest of animals would be those who live
0:35:34 > 0:35:39somewhere like this, wild and able to roam freely where they like.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41Or are they?
0:35:41 > 0:35:44David Main is a professor of animal welfare
0:35:44 > 0:35:47who has helped both Red Tractor and Freedom Foods
0:35:47 > 0:35:50develop their current standards.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Are animals happier in the wild?
0:35:53 > 0:35:59I think animals can be happy in the wild, but animals in the wild
0:35:59 > 0:36:02are exposed to a lot of predation, a lot of disease etc.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06But understanding how they are in the wild also helps understand
0:36:06 > 0:36:08what animals need in a farming system.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10We are talking about some element of control here,
0:36:10 > 0:36:14so is it like different star ratings of hotels
0:36:14 > 0:36:16or maybe even different severities of prison?
0:36:16 > 0:36:20Well, it is like that in a sense because different production systems
0:36:20 > 0:36:22give different opportunities
0:36:22 > 0:36:25and different facilities to the animals,
0:36:25 > 0:36:26so in laying hens,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30a free-range organic system does provide extra welfare potential,
0:36:30 > 0:36:34extra opportunities for the animals, but actually what is quite important
0:36:34 > 0:36:38is how that hotel, how that production system is managed
0:36:38 > 0:36:42because it's all about the attention to detail that the stockman does do
0:36:42 > 0:36:45and that has a very real impact on animal welfare.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48So the quality of the manager or the stockman as you put it is critical?
0:36:48 > 0:36:49Absolutely, it is.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56A variety of animal-welfare standards
0:36:56 > 0:36:58may be a little confusing for shoppers,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01but it does offer us choice on how we spend our money
0:37:01 > 0:37:03and for the animals themselves,
0:37:03 > 0:37:08well, this competition between standards does seem to be driving up
0:37:08 > 0:37:12the average welfare of the nation's livestock.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25From weather-beaten crags to windswept sands,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Shetland's myriad islands are ever-changing.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32Here, the weather can blow from furious gales to clear skies
0:37:32 > 0:37:35in the shake of a lamb's tail.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Only the toughest, and it would seem smallest, can thrive here.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45In this Lilliput land of livestock,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48this has got to be the most famous of the bijou beasts.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Surely a trip to the Shetlands wouldn't be complete
0:37:53 > 0:37:56without seeing one of these - a Shetland pony.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00They are really hardy and like many of the animals on the Shetlands,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03they have adapted to be super tough and their strength is legendary
0:38:03 > 0:38:06and they have been used for all sorts of work.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09When mining was at its peak, they used to go down into the dark pits
0:38:09 > 0:38:11and work alongside the miners.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Here on Shetland, fishermen owned them
0:38:13 > 0:38:16and used their tail hair to make fishing lines,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18but of course those days are long gone,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21but they are a working pony and they like to be kept busy
0:38:21 > 0:38:23and this little lady is in training.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25So, come along then.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Melody, Rebecca and Miranda are all young riders
0:38:32 > 0:38:36with their sights set on the Shetland Pony Grand National.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44It takes place each year as part of the Olympia Horse Show in London.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48Hi, Melody. I believe this is your pony I've been borrowing?
0:38:48 > 0:38:49There we are.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51'Riders come from all over the country,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54'but these lasses are flying the flag for Shetland.'
0:38:54 > 0:38:57How long have you been racing Shetlands?
0:38:57 > 0:39:01- I started last year.- And I hear you are a bit of a champ,
0:39:01 > 0:39:02- is that right?- Yes.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06- Did you win?- Yeah, I won twice at Olympia.- Did you? Goodness me!
0:39:06 > 0:39:07Well done, you!
0:39:07 > 0:39:12CROWD CHEERS
0:39:14 > 0:39:17So what makes a good Shetland pony jockey?
0:39:17 > 0:39:22- You're used to riding them and you don't get scared.- Yeah.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24- Does it help that you come from the Shetlands?- Yeah.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- You've got it through your blood. - Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30'While they go off to train, I'm going to find out
0:39:30 > 0:39:32'more about the Shetland Pony Grand National.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37'Helen Thomson has been involved since it began.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39'Over the years, she has trained
0:39:39 > 0:39:42'more than 30 young jockeys for the competition.'
0:39:42 > 0:39:46- So how did it all get started? - Well, it started in about 1982.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48A great spectacle, kids have fun,
0:39:48 > 0:39:51but it raises money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital,
0:39:51 > 0:39:54so you get children raising money for children.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59Throughout the year, up to 50 ponies and riders take part in heats
0:39:59 > 0:40:02before being whittled down to a lucky ten for the grand final.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05The riders are all aged between 9 and 13
0:40:05 > 0:40:08and can be no taller than five foot,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11so this is a big race with mini contenders.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16And how fast are they, the Shetlands?
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Well, you would not believe this,
0:40:18 > 0:40:21but I am told they are two-thirds the speed of a racehorse.
0:40:21 > 0:40:22- Goodness me!- Yeah, I know.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25- So they are good at racing then? - Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
0:40:26 > 0:40:31Well, there's only one way to test the horsepower of these ponies
0:40:31 > 0:40:32and that's a race.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34With some months to go before the big event,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37we are going to stage our own.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40- What are they going to do? Walking start, is it?- Yes.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Walking, walking, go!
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- Goodness me, they really fly, don't they?- Oh, yes.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51Oh, Miranda has fallen at the second hurdle,
0:40:51 > 0:40:56but like a true pro, she is back in the saddle. Will she be all right?
0:40:56 > 0:40:57Ah, she'll bounce.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04Great little jumpers! It's wonderful, it's really exciting!
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Melody is well in the lead now.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09Oh, she's gone!
0:41:09 > 0:41:14Now Rebecca has taken a tumble and her horse is heading for the hills.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17I think these girls are even tougher than the ponies.
0:41:17 > 0:41:23- Goodness me! It's pretty fast, isn't it? Are- you OK? Yes.- Are you sure?
0:41:23 > 0:41:28- What happened?- I think he did a tight corner and then I flew off.
0:41:28 > 0:41:33I reckon those silver booties made him fly. All right, little one?
0:41:33 > 0:41:34So lively!
0:41:34 > 0:41:38- Cor, he's got a spark in his eye! And how are you? Are- you OK? Yeah.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40- Did you enjoy that?- Mm-hm. - Well done!
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Well, I don't have ever seen anything like it.
0:41:43 > 0:41:44It was quite extraordinary!
0:41:44 > 0:41:48They might be the future stars of Shetland pony racing,
0:41:48 > 0:41:51but I'm off to meet someone who has already reached the dizzy heights
0:41:51 > 0:41:56of international superstardom for completely different reasons.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01This is Socks, a Shetland stallion who has wowed the world
0:42:01 > 0:42:03with his funky moves and has had
0:42:03 > 0:42:05more than seven million YouTube hits.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12- Hi, I'm Adam.- Hi, I'm Mari and this is Socks.- Oh, hello, Socks.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14So tell me about his rise to stardom.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17It really has been an incredible journey.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20There was two gentlemen that came up from London in October
0:42:20 > 0:42:24and went around all the Shetland pony studs that were available
0:42:24 > 0:42:30and they saw many, many ponies through an audition process
0:42:30 > 0:42:32and came back and came back again
0:42:32 > 0:42:35and just decided that Socks was to be their star.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43# Can you hear me calling out your name?
0:42:43 > 0:42:47# You know that I've fallen and I don't know what to say
0:42:47 > 0:42:49# I speak a little louder
0:42:49 > 0:42:52# Or even shout
0:42:52 > 0:42:55# You know that I'm proud and I can't get the words out
0:42:55 > 0:43:00# Oh, I-I
0:43:00 > 0:43:04# I want to be with you everywhere... #
0:43:04 > 0:43:06SOCKS WHINNIES
0:43:06 > 0:43:11- Can he really do the moves?- Er, no.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15There was an element of computer-generated imagery.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19He can back up, he's got some moves of his own.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21But moonwalking, I'm afraid, is not one of them.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24Now, I've been told he's a bit of a one with the ladies.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Oh, he is certainly that, yes!
0:43:26 > 0:43:31Last year, he swam the loch and served the mare
0:43:31 > 0:43:34and then got beaten up by my other stallion.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37What a naughty little chap you are!
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Goodness me! It's all that dancing prowess!
0:43:40 > 0:43:42So now he's incredibly famous?
0:43:42 > 0:43:46He is, very much so. He is world famous.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48I've got the most lovely letters and e-mails and texts
0:43:48 > 0:43:50and phone calls from all over the world.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52It's been absolutely incredible.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55It was only a few weeks ago my daughter showed me on the Internet.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58She said, "Dad, have you seen this little Shetland pony?"
0:43:58 > 0:44:01- And here I am now meeting him! - He's quite a star, I must admit.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03Yes, he's quite a star.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Let's see what he can do then. Go on.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08Put him through his paces.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10Well, we'll get him to back up...
0:44:12 > 0:44:14..which he does quite naturally.
0:44:16 > 0:44:18And he'll turn around without any assistance.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23We'll go back again.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27Sometimes he'll pad his foot.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33In the video, his mane is longer, isn't it?
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Yes, that was another story.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39Yes, the company wanted him to have
0:44:39 > 0:44:43longer, more bold, I suppose, locks,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46so they got him hair extensions. THEY LAUGH
0:44:46 > 0:44:49# Oh, I... #
0:44:49 > 0:44:51SOCKS WHINNIES
0:44:51 > 0:44:53# ..I want to be with you everywhere... #
0:44:53 > 0:44:56- So can I have a little go with him? - Absolutely.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58Let's try this now. OK, here we go.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02So backing up, let's go back. Back, back, back.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04Very good. And in a circle.
0:45:06 > 0:45:07Yeah, all on the spot.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12OK, and now moonwalk.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14MARI LAUGHS
0:45:14 > 0:45:15Copy me.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18That's fantastic! Well done!
0:45:18 > 0:45:21I hear he likes the water. Can I take him in?
0:45:21 > 0:45:23- Certainly.- Come on, then.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Let's go for a paddle. I like being at the seaside.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28Come on, then.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30Woo-hoo-hoo!
0:45:31 > 0:45:33What do you reckon?
0:45:35 > 0:45:37Look at this. Woo-hoo-hoo!
0:45:37 > 0:45:39ADAM LAUGHS
0:45:39 > 0:45:41It went over my wellies!
0:45:43 > 0:45:46What a good boy! Amazing.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49- He's gorgeous, isn't he?- Thank you.
0:45:49 > 0:45:52SOCKS WHINNIES
0:45:52 > 0:45:57I know, it's wonderful, isn't it? There you go.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02Now, Socks here is a bit of a celebrity,
0:46:02 > 0:46:04but this landscape has star qualities too
0:46:04 > 0:46:07and hopefully this kind of scenery
0:46:07 > 0:46:10will inspire you to take part in our photographic competition.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14If it does, then here's John with details on how to enter.
0:46:17 > 0:46:22The theme for this year's competition is Our Living Landscape.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26We want pictures that capture the beauty of the British countryside,
0:46:26 > 0:46:31all the wonderful life, the fantastic scenery that you find within it.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38The 12 best photographs chosen by our judges will make up
0:46:38 > 0:46:42the Countryfile calendar for 2014.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45We've already had some wonderful entries for this year's competition,
0:46:45 > 0:46:50but there is still time to get yours in, so here's what you need to know.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52The Countryfile photographic competition
0:46:52 > 0:46:54is not open to professionals
0:46:54 > 0:46:56and because we want every entry to be an original,
0:46:56 > 0:47:00they mustn't have won any other competition.
0:47:00 > 0:47:05You can send in up to four photos and they must have been taken in the UK.
0:47:05 > 0:47:11Please could you send in hard copies, not e-mails or computer files.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15Write your name, address and a daytime and evening phone number
0:47:15 > 0:47:19on the back of each photo, with a note of where it was taken.
0:47:19 > 0:47:25Then send your entries to...
0:47:31 > 0:47:34The full terms and conditions are on our website,
0:47:34 > 0:47:36which is where you will also find
0:47:36 > 0:47:39details of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.
0:47:39 > 0:47:43Now, our closing date is Friday, 26 July.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46I'm sorry, but we can't return any entries.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Whatever you decide to photograph, do it responsibly.
0:47:49 > 0:47:53Take care not to disturb any animals or damage the environment
0:47:53 > 0:47:56and always follow the Countryside Code.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02Now, if that has inspired you to get out in the week ahead,
0:48:02 > 0:48:05you'll want to know what the weather is going to be like,
0:48:05 > 0:48:07so here's the Countryfile forecast.
0:49:50 > 0:49:57.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13Adam and I have been exploring one of the most rugged
0:50:13 > 0:50:19and extreme corners of our countryside, the Shetland Islands.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22While Adam has been fooling around in the surf with Socks,
0:50:22 > 0:50:25Shetland's superstar pony...
0:50:25 > 0:50:27Good boy.
0:50:27 > 0:50:30..I've been discovering the wealth of wildlife
0:50:30 > 0:50:31this windswept place has to offer.
0:50:31 > 0:50:35Look how unbothered she is by us. She's just here.
0:50:35 > 0:50:40Situated 60 degrees north, the same latitude as Alaska and Greenland,
0:50:40 > 0:50:44Shetland can be a hard place to survive and the weather
0:50:44 > 0:50:47can change in a instant, as I'm finding out only too well.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52So the wildlife, like its ever-resourceful island folk,
0:50:52 > 0:50:57have learned to use every bit of the natural environment to get by,
0:50:57 > 0:51:00including this rather slimy-looking algae.
0:51:02 > 0:51:06Seaweed has long been used by coastal communities
0:51:06 > 0:51:09as a way of enriching their poor soil and helping crops grow
0:51:09 > 0:51:11and it's no different today.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18This natural resource makes a fantastic fertiliser,
0:51:18 > 0:51:21so it's very much the farmers' friend here on Shetland
0:51:21 > 0:51:24and it's packed with minerals and nutrients.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27Not to mention its rejuvenating properties,
0:51:27 > 0:51:30which I rather embarrassingly experienced
0:51:30 > 0:51:32in Northern Ireland not so long ago.
0:51:32 > 0:51:36And it's a food source, which is what I've come here to sample.
0:51:36 > 0:51:40I'm just not sure yet how much I really want eat it.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44For the past ten years, Michael and Margaret Blance
0:51:44 > 0:51:47have been tapping into the tidal greens washing up on their doorstep.
0:51:49 > 0:51:53That's where we're heading, the innermost line on the beach.
0:51:53 > 0:51:57Initially, they foraged for the green and brown stuff
0:51:57 > 0:52:00littering their coastline and sold it on as fertiliser,
0:52:00 > 0:52:02then three years ago, they had a brainwave.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05Why not grow it themselves?
0:52:05 > 0:52:08They've now branched out into edible seaweed too
0:52:08 > 0:52:09and, as far as they know,
0:52:09 > 0:52:13they are the only commercial seaweed farmers in the UK
0:52:13 > 0:52:14and there is a knack to it.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17Take the lines like this and don't cut it on the stalk,
0:52:17 > 0:52:21- cut it there.- Midway through there? - Midway through, OK?
0:52:22 > 0:52:24- Take that one. - Take a piece of this one.
0:52:24 > 0:52:28- Just try and leave some on and it regrows again.- Is that all right?
0:52:28 > 0:52:30Oh, it's lovely. There's a lot of variety on here, isn't there?
0:52:30 > 0:52:33There certainly is. We've got sugar kelp,
0:52:33 > 0:52:36kelp
0:52:36 > 0:52:38- and lettuce.- Fantastic.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41- What does the sugar kelp taste like? - We can give you a bit to try.
0:52:41 > 0:52:43You eat it straight out of the sea?
0:52:43 > 0:52:47- Straight out of the sea, nice and clean.- Oh, wow.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50Lovely. Just down the hatch then, yeah?
0:52:50 > 0:52:52Just down the hatch with a little bit.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54Or have a big bit and be done with it.
0:52:54 > 0:52:56SHE LAUGHS
0:52:57 > 0:52:59Mmm, texture's good. Solid texture.
0:52:59 > 0:53:03It's not like having pudding in terms of sweetness, but...
0:53:03 > 0:53:06- It's not bad.- It's not bad.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08How do you take that one off, the lovely green one?
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- Just pluck it gently off. - Just with your hands?- Yes.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13This feels more delicate, doesn't it, this one?
0:53:13 > 0:53:15- Is just like a bit of lettuce. - It is.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19So, Margaret, why did you start harvesting seaweed?
0:53:19 > 0:53:23We considered that to farm seaweed would be less labour-intensive,
0:53:23 > 0:53:25it's better for the environment.
0:53:25 > 0:53:30Although we cut along the shoreline and we cut sustainably,
0:53:30 > 0:53:32we still feel that farming is the way to go
0:53:32 > 0:53:34as long as it's done in moderation.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37And so how do you go about farming seaweed?
0:53:37 > 0:53:40Well, you could spore the ropes, deliberately spore them
0:53:40 > 0:53:44- and put out the ropes.- So you just leave ropes out there?- Yes.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Oh, wow! Why not spore them?
0:53:46 > 0:53:49Well, I feel although you could spore them,
0:53:49 > 0:53:53- maybe you will then introduce an invasive species.- Oh, I see.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56So to me, to let it spore naturally,
0:53:56 > 0:54:00you're just letting the natural ecosystem do its job
0:54:00 > 0:54:03without interfering, so that's how I feel.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07And what is it about Shetland that makes good seaweed, would you say?
0:54:07 > 0:54:12I think it's because we have such clean, clear waters
0:54:12 > 0:54:16and we're on the edge of the Atlantic and the North Sea.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18There's the cold water coming from the north
0:54:18 > 0:54:19and your warm Gulf Stream coming up.
0:54:19 > 0:54:24And long days of sunlight and daylight.
0:54:24 > 0:54:29After it's harvested, the edible seaweed is washed,
0:54:29 > 0:54:32dried for around 24 hours
0:54:32 > 0:54:35and then milled down to different grades of powder or flakes,
0:54:35 > 0:54:36ready for consumption.
0:54:38 > 0:54:39Here you go.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43Next time I see this, it will be on my plate.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46It's lovely and warm in here.
0:54:46 > 0:54:51It's low in calories, full of vitamins, minerals and trace elements
0:54:51 > 0:54:54and demand for Margaret and Michael's seaweed is on the up.
0:54:54 > 0:54:56But what can you do with it?
0:54:56 > 0:54:59I was hoping for a seaweed picnic on the beach,
0:54:59 > 0:55:02but the Shetland weather has forced me inside
0:55:02 > 0:55:05to meet local chef, Glynn Wright.
0:55:05 > 0:55:10We've wrapped the scallops in seaweed, sea lettuce.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12Mmm!
0:55:12 > 0:55:14That's got amazing flavour.
0:55:14 > 0:55:16Normally I find scallops a little bit bland,
0:55:16 > 0:55:18but that's got a nice kick.
0:55:18 > 0:55:19This is scones.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22It's just butter and flour and egg mixed up and some seaweed through it
0:55:22 > 0:55:25to get the nutrients and the goodness out of that.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28This is cheese with seaweed through it as well,
0:55:28 > 0:55:30a few different kinds of seaweed.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34It's called bourach and bourach is an old Shetland name for a cow.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36It makes it taste kind of green.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38What do you find people's reactions are to it?
0:55:38 > 0:55:40Sometimes they go, "Oh, seaweed, no,"
0:55:40 > 0:55:43because they think it's just something that lies on the beach,
0:55:43 > 0:55:46but once it gets at this stage, it's a totally different thing.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49- It's a seasoning. - And even in sweet things.
0:55:49 > 0:55:53This is Shetland fudge and you can see the bits of seaweed in it.
0:55:53 > 0:55:54- You don't call it fudge, do you?- Tablet.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57It sounds almost medicinal, but clearly isn't!
0:55:57 > 0:56:00Yes, it's full of goodness. It's got the benefit of seaweed in, so...
0:56:00 > 0:56:03- It fills in part of my five a day!- Yeah.- Lovely.
0:56:08 > 0:56:10There's not a lot of things that it can't be used in.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12Your imagination really is the end of it.
0:56:12 > 0:56:16Wow, that is just what I need after sitting out in that rain.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18We always see if you want the weather to change in Shetland,
0:56:18 > 0:56:21- just wait a minute and it will change.- I love that.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26Well, that is it from a now very wet Shetland Islands.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29Next week, we will be all the way down south in Essex,
0:56:29 > 0:56:33where Julia will be negotiating fast tides and quicksand
0:56:33 > 0:56:37as she takes on one of Britain's toughest coastal paths
0:56:37 > 0:56:39and I will be helping community groups
0:56:39 > 0:56:41convert brownfield sites into wildlife havens.
0:56:41 > 0:56:43See you then.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd