South Downs Countryfile


South Downs

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The sweeping silhouette of the South Downs

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has been shaped by centuries of shepherding.

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Today, people come here to soak up these endless patchwork views.

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And you can get around it in any style you like.

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I tell you what, I don't know how many miles

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we're going to be travelling, but it's going to be fun.

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Oh, absolutely.

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Helen's discovering that the beauty of this place

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isn't just reserved for daylight visitors.

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We saw Venus over there.

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We saw Orion and it had the belt and the dagger.

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Tom's in Spain finding out where all those iceberg lettuces have gone.

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So how much has it affected your business this winter?

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It's a disaster.

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It's also a disaster for our supermarkets

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and our food service companies who depend on us.

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And Adam's in Devon, looking at a novel way to stop cattle roaming.

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They're confined to the dunes area by quite an ingenious system

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that we're trialling.

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I've come to Devil's Dyke in the South Downs National Park.

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Hugging the south coast of England,

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it's an undulating landscape of chalk grassland and folding ridges.

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A rhapsody of rich greens,

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maintained from dawn till dusk by grazing sheep and cattle.

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It may be the country's newest national park,

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but you can travel its entire length on England's oldest national trail.

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The South Downs Way is 100 miles, from Eastbourne to Winchester,

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and along the whole route,

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there's only two steps and one barrier

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than can be opened on request,

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so obviously it's very popular with cyclists,

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with horse riders and people who want to go on a very long walk.

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The trail follows ancient drovers' paths

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and clings to the highest points along the way,

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offering endless, magnificent views.

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Andy Gattiker is the man responsible

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for managing the whole of the South Downs Way.

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So, Andy, would you say that you are in charge of the 100 miles?

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I like to think I am! Others might have a different opinion.

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-It's a big job.

-It is.

-It's varied, so that keeps me busy.

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How big is the team, actually?

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-The team? Well, it's myself and my colleague.

-Right.

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That's it who have a dedicated role

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to oversee the management of the trail.

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But, of course, we've got hundreds, literally hundreds,

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-of really dedicated volunteers.

-Right.

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Without them, the trail wouldn't exist.

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Maintenance obviously is a big part of what you do.

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We're walking along a beautiful flint path.

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The surface changes a fair bit,

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so sometimes we're on a surface like this,

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sometimes it's just grass, other times it's more of a farm track,

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but it takes a lot of work.

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Every one metre, so every step you take along the trail,

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to resurface it, that's at least 50 quid.

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-Is it?!

-Yeah, it's a lot of money.

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Right! The mind boggles at how many gates and signposts,

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all that kind of stuff...

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-There are about 550 signposts along the trail.

-Right.

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About 150 gates.

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And how accessible is the whole 100 miles?

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-I would say it's one of the most accessible trails in the UK.

-Right.

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-Being off-road.

-Yeah.

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You can go all the way from Winchester to Eastbourne

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and not have to climb over a stile,

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-so from that point of view, it's incredibly accessible.

-Yeah, sure.

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And with it being exactly 100 miles,

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-it becomes quite a selling point, I imagine.

-Really nice number, yeah.

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-Cos people want to do this as a challenge, I'm sure.

-They do, yeah.

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We have dozens and dozens of events every year. It's a challenge,

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but not so much of a challenge that you're going to kill yourself.

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But there's been a lot of records

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set in this part of the world, hasn't there?

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Lots of endurance and physical records.

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Yeah, there are records.

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People have cycled the South Downs Way in ludicrous time,

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-like seven hours...

-Yeah.

-..which is staggering.

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Ultra distance runner Mark Perkins

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holds the record for running the route.

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He ran from Winchester to Eastbourne,

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that's 100 miles, don't forget,

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in 14 hours and three minutes.

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That's around eight and a half minutes to cover each mile,

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for 100 miles.

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Now, it's hard to imagine what those numbers mean,

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so with the aid of a GPS watch, this is what that speed looks like.

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PANTING: There we go.

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Ho!

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There you have it, 8.47.

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Went up a little bit at the end, but I tell you what - hoo! -

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that is some pace.

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It's not so bad on the flat,

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but obviously when you hit the hills and the topography changes,

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and you look back

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at the hills that you've got to go across,

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that is some pace for 100 miles, let me tell you.

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Phew!

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And whilst I get my breath back, here's Tom,

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discovering what's behind the lettuce shortage

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on our supermarket shelves.

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MUSIC: Get It On by T. Rex

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This is Cambridgeshire, where I grew up.

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It all looked a little different back then.

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I looked quite different too.

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# Well, you're dirty and sweet

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# Clad in black, don't look back

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# And I love you... #

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But those aren't the only things that have changed.

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CASH REGISTER "CHA-CHINGS"

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In 1970, barely half of us had an electric fridge

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and greengrocers were still a fixture in every high street.

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What they sold us changed too.

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# Get it on

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# Bang a gong

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# Get it on... #

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50 years ago, most of the fruit and veg we ate was seasonal

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and at this time of year, that meant plenty of roots,

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like turnips, swedes, potatoes,

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salad was relatively rare

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and as for strawberries in the winter, well, you can forget it,

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whereas now we can get pretty much anything we want

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all year round.

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That is, until recently.

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Tesco and Morrisons are both limiting customers

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to three iceberg lettuces.

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This winter, the headlines have been full of a very British crisis -

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when courgettes and iceberg lettuces

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suddenly disappeared from our supermarket shelves.

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The reason for that is to be found here,

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1,000 miles away in the southeast of Spain.

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I've come to Murcia,

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where more than a year's rain fell in a 48-hour period

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and it snowed for the first time in 90 years.

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You can still see the devastated produce, but the problems go on,

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because harvest has been delayed and so is the planting of new crops

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and all this matters to us

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because so much of our out-of-season salad veg comes from round here.

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Like me, John McCann has come to Spain

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to check on the iceberg lettuce crop.

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Back in the 1980s, he developed the idea of bagged salads

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and at this time of year,

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he imports 700,000 Spanish iceberg lettuces a week

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into Northern Ireland for distribution around the whole UK.

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That's 18 40-foot lorries

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driving back and forth from the UK every week.

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Is this going to be a good-looking lettuce?

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Probably a score of about a four or a five.

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-You score lettuce, do you?

-We score lettuce, yeah.

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Only that's a four out of what?

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-What we want for our processing is about a six.

-Right.

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See how dense that is?

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If you try and break that up to get it into a bag,

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it's just a solid lump.

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Yeah, it's a bit too much of a chewy lump.

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There's maybe 20-30% of the crop like this, which is unusable.

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So how much has it affected your business this winter?

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It's a disaster.

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It's also a disaster for our supermarkets

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and our food service companies, who depend on us.

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They're not used to shortages,

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so trying to convince them that this really was a serious situation,

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was our job to try and convey that to them.

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I'd normally only be out to see the farmers once a year.

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I've been out now three times,

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talking to growers to make sure we can get the crop that we need.

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-Can you get them from anywhere else?

-Not really, no.

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Murcia is THE place to get lettuce in the wintertime.

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Excellent growing conditions here, the expertise in growing,

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the climate, the soil, the irrigation -

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it's THE place.

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It has been a tough time for the growers here.

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Some saw their entire crop wiped out in a matter of days.

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Hundreds of thousands of euros have been lost.

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And in an industry that works on very low margins,

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this winter's unpredictable weather will have a long-term impact.

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And it may not be a one-off.

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Predictions of climate change suggest we're going to get

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more erratic and extreme weather events

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and that's a real concern for everyone relying on these crops.

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Jan Vaerum from Denmark now lives in Murcia

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and coordinates the activities

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of a group of smaller growers who produce everything

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from broccoli to cucumbers for the UK market.

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-So, yeah, a tough last couple of months.

-Oh, yes.

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What about the next few weeks and months?

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Because we won't be able to plant in December,

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because of the rains, there were almost two-three weeks

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where we couldn't plant in the field.

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With the 60 to 90-day cycles of all the products, then we're ending up

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in the middle of March and we could be ending up with no product again.

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Maybe if we're lucky, the weather will change a little bit.

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The warmer it gets, then we're going to have a little bit of growth.

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What about longer-term impacts than that?

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For next season,

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the prices might rise because a lot of growers have been hit hard,

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so they're going to have to recuperate somehow in the pricing.

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I don't know, maybe it's going to be the crops, maybe they will change.

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A product like broccoli, it's a more hard product,

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so there might be a lot of broccoli next season.

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What about longer-term impacts even that that?

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Well, we don't know what the future's bringing,

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we don't know what the climate change is going to bring,

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but each year we're trying to do something new

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to find what's going to keep the roots from dying in extreme weather,

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so I don't know what's going to happen.

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Not going to be good for anyone, I think.

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Even if Spanish crops fail,

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we can get our out-of-season vegetables from even further afield,

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but at significantly increased costs,

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both financially and environmentally.

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And in a world where the climate is changing so unpredictably,

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supplies from all of those places could well become less reliable.

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So should we lower our expectations

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on what salad veg we can get in the winter,

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and also, what impact is Brexit going to have on all this?

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

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The cities surrounding the South Downs

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make this region one of the most light-polluted in the UK.

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Today, parts of our world are illuminated almost 24/7.

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In fact, the introduction of artificial lights in rural areas

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has had a big impact on our countryside.

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Night-time lighting has all but drowned out the brightest stars

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in our sky and it's had an effect on wildlife too.

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When the nights aren't dark enough, creatures like bats, glow-worms,

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butterflies and moths can become disorientated,

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throwing out of kilter their reproduction and feeding patterns.

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I remember my dad always complaining about us not turning off the lights.

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He, however, was, I'm pretty sure,

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more worried about the electricity bill.

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Now, though, it is important to think about how our lights

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are affecting the creatures around us.

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Dr Zoe Randle from the charity Butterfly Conservation

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has been studying how light is affecting nocturnal creatures

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here on the South Downs.

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It's affecting all sorts of creatures - barn owls, bats,

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moths, and basically the lights are left on all the time and it's

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-perpetually daylight for them.

-So we're confusing them?

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They don't know what to do cos their routine's out of sync, I guess.

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Exactly, or they're doing things that they shouldn't be doing,

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like moths, for example -

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rather than going out and feeding and breeding at night,

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they're just attracted to the lights

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and they're just flying around the lights instead.

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Why are they attracted to lights?

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Well, that's a really good question. We don't actually know.

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There's no scientifically proven theory

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as to why they're attracted to light.

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All we know is they don't know whether it's day or night?

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That's right.

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Monitoring moth numbers can give us vital clues

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to changes in our environment,

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such as the effects of farming and climate change.

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-What have we got here, then?

-This is a Robinson moth trap.

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What will happen is the light comes on

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and then it attracts the moths in, they come in,

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they bounce around a bit

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and they settle down in amongst the egg boxes.

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Wow, you can see a real variety already.

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You can, so this little brown one here, this is a chestnut.

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You see it's a lovely chestnut brown colour with lots of patterning.

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This one, as the name suggests, is a white point,

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and also a pale brindled beauty,

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so that's one of the most common moths at this time of year.

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Look at the pattern on that. That is intriguing, isn't it?

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Absolutely lovely.

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Why do we need them?

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They're really important pollinators of plants and our crops as well

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and they're really important food for bats and birds

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and blue tit chicks eat an estimated 35 billion moth caterpillars a year

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in Britain alone.

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Around two million people live within three miles

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of the South Downs National Park,

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which is surrounded by the bright lights

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of Winchester, Brighton and Eastbourne.

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The park has been working towards saving the last few patches

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of properly dark skies and last year became the 11th site in the world

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to be granted International Dark Sky Reserve status.

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Dan Oakley is a park ranger and monitors the light levels

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here on the South Downs.

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First of all, what is a Dark Sky Reserve?

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OK, a Dark Skies Reserve is kind of like a landscape-scale designation

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for an area that's shown it's got really good intrinsic dark skies.

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What we did, over three years,

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we took one of these little light monitors with some volunteers

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and we mapped out the sky as best we could, all over the south coast.

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We then convert that to a map.

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We're about where my finger is there,

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so anywhere that's dark blue and black are really good dark skies.

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You can see the actual national park has got quite a lot of dark skies.

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Yeah!

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In order to maintain this Dark Sky status,

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more than 1,000 local people signed a pledge

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to keep their light levels low.

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And almost 3,000 street lamps

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were replaced with downward-facing LED lights.

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For the Hampshire Astronomical Group,

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based just down the road in Clanfield,

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it provides perfect conditions to gaze into the cosmos.

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They have five telescopes of varying sizes here,

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and Graham Bryant is going to show me their biggest one,

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because apparently size does matter.

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The bigger the telescope,

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the more light you're going to be able to gather,

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the fainter the objects you're going to be seeing,

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so what you're looking for is nice dark skies

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so that any light pollution doesn't interfere with our imaging.

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So what can you see with this?

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With this telescope, we can pick up really faint galaxies,

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supernovas, stars that are exploding in those galaxies,

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and with this telescope,

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we've also recently been doing work looking at exoplanets,

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planets going around other stars.

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-So this is what that telescope can see?

-It is, yes.

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That's so good I thought it was a screensaver.

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No, that is an image of the Orion Nebula,

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a star-forming region and in the centre

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there are lots of stars there,

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but you can see the beautiful colours of this nebula,

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which you can't see with the naked eye.

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-Mind-blowing, isn't it?

-It is.

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Well, it's just starting to get really dark,

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and for the nearby village of Buriton,

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it's their very first Dark Skies Festival.

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The telescopes are out and the locals are looking up.

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Aaron, sorry to interrupt.

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-What can you see? How is it going?

-We saw Venus over there.

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We saw Orion and it had the belt and the dagger.

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Well, you are a bit of an expert with this piece of kit.

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It is so dark out here, isn't it?

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We're actually cheating - we've had to put an extra light on

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so we can see all of your faces.

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What do you reckon, Max? Have you seen much in the sky?

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Yeah, I think it's really fun to see all the different stars in the sky.

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Well, do you know what?

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I think we're actually spoiling your fun and what you can see

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by having that light on,

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so shall we turn it off and let you get back to it?

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-Yeah.

-Max it's like, "Yes, but I don't want to be rude."

0:18:340:18:36

Right, let's kill the light. Enjoy the stars, guys.

0:18:360:18:39

From the outside,

0:18:500:18:51

this looks like many other traditional Sussex farmhouses,

0:18:510:18:55

built of stone and sitting at the foot of the South Downs.

0:18:550:18:59

But step inside and it's anything but a traditional Sussex farmhouse.

0:19:020:19:07

There are paintings everywhere, even on the doors, look.

0:19:070:19:11

For this was the home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant,

0:19:120:19:15

two leading members of that famous,

0:19:150:19:18

even notorious bohemian group known as the Bloomsbury Set.

0:19:180:19:23

It was made up of authors, artists and thinkers

0:19:250:19:28

and as well as painters like Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell,

0:19:280:19:31

it also included her sister Virginia Woolf,

0:19:310:19:34

economist John Maynard Keynes,

0:19:340:19:36

and critic Roger Fry.

0:19:360:19:38

It took the name from the area of London where they were based.

0:19:380:19:42

Following the outbreak of the First World War,

0:19:450:19:47

Vanessa and Duncan left Bloomsbury,

0:19:470:19:49

with all its metropolitan fascinations,

0:19:490:19:52

and came here to this relatively remote farmhouse

0:19:520:19:56

and then proceeded to turn the whole place

0:19:560:20:00

into a work of art.

0:20:000:20:01

Duncan was a conscientious objector and after they settled here

0:20:030:20:06

at Charleston in 1916,

0:20:060:20:09

he continued to paint,

0:20:090:20:10

but also found a job as a labourer on a nearby farm.

0:20:100:20:13

That work was considered to be essential to the war effort,

0:20:130:20:17

so he avoided being sent to prison.

0:20:170:20:19

Charleston is now a museum to their alternative lifestyle.

0:20:190:20:24

Dr Darren Clarke is curator.

0:20:240:20:26

Well, they were really forced to live in the countryside,

0:20:280:20:31

weren't they, because of his conscientious objection?

0:20:310:20:34

Did they resent that, or did the countryside give them something?

0:20:340:20:38

They already knew Sussex really well, particularly this area.

0:20:380:20:41

They really valued the sense of space it gave them away from London,

0:20:410:20:46

but also the freedom to be on the Downs,

0:20:460:20:49

they would bathe naked in the ponds,

0:20:490:20:52

they would sunbathe, they were able to work out of doors,

0:20:520:20:56

and they would be able to entertain all their friends,

0:20:560:20:58

all their Bloomsbury friends,

0:20:580:21:00

so I think it was a really important breathing space for them.

0:21:000:21:04

And lots of their friends did spend some time with them.

0:21:040:21:08

Yep, people would come and visit.

0:21:080:21:10

You would always be encouraged to bring some work,

0:21:100:21:12

so it was a working house, not a holiday home,

0:21:120:21:15

so you would work in the morning

0:21:150:21:16

and then maybe enjoy each other's company in the evening.

0:21:160:21:20

During their first two years at Charleston,

0:21:200:21:23

the house became their canvas.

0:21:230:21:25

They made it their own by painting on every surface.

0:21:250:21:29

It was an expression of their love of art beyond the picture frame.

0:21:290:21:33

This is an amazing fireplace, isn't it?

0:21:360:21:39

This was painted by Duncan Grant

0:21:390:21:41

and it's a really good example of how the artists believed

0:21:410:21:44

that art shouldn't be contained by the canvas,

0:21:440:21:46

it should spill across the whole room,

0:21:460:21:48

that your whole life should be full of art,

0:21:480:21:51

so the decorations you have on the wall, the plates that you eat from,

0:21:510:21:56

the curtains on your windows, should all be rich and fulfilling

0:21:560:22:00

and really contribute to your wellbeing.

0:22:000:22:03

Between the wars, Charleston was a much-loved retreat

0:22:040:22:08

for Vanessa, Duncan and their Bloomsbury friends.

0:22:080:22:11

The Second World War brought Vanessa and Duncan back to Charleston,

0:22:120:22:17

where they lived for the rest of their lives and in the early 1950s,

0:22:170:22:21

Vanessa painted this loving portrait of their country home.

0:22:210:22:26

Artist Kelly Hall is following in their wake,

0:22:300:22:33

100 years after they first moved here.

0:22:330:22:36

She too is entranced by the undulating landscape

0:22:360:22:39

and she's painting the same view of Charleston

0:22:390:22:42

in her own distinctive style.

0:22:420:22:44

-Hello, Kelly. Can I stop you just for a moment?

-Hi, please do.

0:22:450:22:48

-That is lovely, isn't it?

-Thank you so much.

-Really nice.

0:22:480:22:51

Obviously, you're drawing great inspiration from Vanessa's painting.

0:22:510:22:54

I am indeed, yes.

0:22:540:22:55

I've used that as my source of inspiration to create

0:22:550:22:57

a modern-day version of that painting in my style.

0:22:570:23:00

The colour palette I use, I choose it

0:23:010:23:04

because it's a sort of celebratory, summery-day holiday kind of feel.

0:23:040:23:10

-But you have added the South Downs.

-I have indeed, yes.

0:23:100:23:13

That's a bit of artistic license.

0:23:130:23:14

I really wanted to bring it home

0:23:140:23:18

that Charleston sits within the heart of the South Downs.

0:23:180:23:22

And to me, your style is very much like those old railway posters

0:23:220:23:27

-from 50-60 years ago.

-Yes, indeed.

0:23:270:23:30

I studied graphic design at Central Saint Martins in London,

0:23:300:23:33

which was then in Covent Garden,

0:23:330:23:34

just around the corner from the London Transport Museum,

0:23:340:23:37

so the archives of vintage railway posters

0:23:370:23:39

have always been a source of inspiration for me.

0:23:390:23:42

I'm sure that Vanessa and Duncan would be thrilled to know

0:23:420:23:46

that their farmhouse is still inspiring artists to this day.

0:23:460:23:49

I really hope so.

0:23:490:23:51

It's a real creative spiritual home, wonderful place to be.

0:23:510:23:54

So, thanks to artists like Kelly,

0:23:560:23:58

the legacy of the Bloomsbury Group is still being cherished

0:23:580:24:01

here on the South Downs.

0:24:010:24:03

Earlier, Tom visited southern Spain to see how bad weather there

0:24:070:24:11

has damaged the vegetables we enjoy in winter.

0:24:110:24:14

So what can be done back home to ensure we have a year-round supply?

0:24:140:24:18

Here's Tom.

0:24:180:24:20

In uncertain times, with a growing population,

0:24:250:24:28

food security is a hot topic.

0:24:280:24:31

Some think we should source our food from many different places

0:24:310:24:36

to protect us against localised shortages.

0:24:360:24:39

Others say we should be relying on places like this

0:24:400:24:43

right here in the UK to provide our vegetables all year round.

0:24:430:24:48

Martin Evans is familiar with both sides of the argument.

0:24:500:24:54

35 years ago,

0:24:540:24:55

he helped introduce the UK to exotic vegetables from abroad

0:24:550:24:59

and then he had a change of heart,

0:24:590:25:01

turning his attention back to UK production here in Nottinghamshire.

0:25:010:25:06

Now he's using innovative techniques to extend the season

0:25:060:25:09

of the traditional Chantenay carrot for almost all of the year.

0:25:090:25:13

It's absolutely teeming with carrots under here.

0:25:140:25:17

Look at that, beauties.

0:25:170:25:19

What's the purpose of all the straw here?

0:25:190:25:22

The main purpose is insulation,

0:25:220:25:24

to insulate the cold out in the winter months,

0:25:240:25:26

and then from now on,

0:25:260:25:27

we'll use it to insulate the heat out

0:25:270:25:29

and make sure that we can harvest quite happily UK carrots

0:25:290:25:32

up to the end of May.

0:25:320:25:34

End of May? So you're almost covering the whole year?

0:25:340:25:37

Yeah, we sort of say carrots we can do 48 weeks of the year as average.

0:25:370:25:40

You didn't start like this,

0:25:400:25:42

you started overseas in your farming career.

0:25:420:25:44

I was involved in Mexico with green onions, they call them there,

0:25:440:25:47

or salad onions, as we know them as.

0:25:470:25:49

Egypt, more recently Israel,

0:25:490:25:51

so all over the world to try to use a different climate

0:25:510:25:54

actually to satisfy our need for produce and quality.

0:25:540:25:57

-What prompted the change?

-A lot of travelling I was doing.

0:25:570:26:01

One week in Mexico, I did 26 flights

0:26:010:26:04

and you just look at that and you see the amount of energy resource

0:26:040:26:07

being put into that, so you start to think about things differently

0:26:070:26:10

you start to think,

0:26:100:26:11

"Can you grow things at home in a much more sophisticated manner?"

0:26:110:26:15

The UK climate's changing,

0:26:150:26:17

technology's changing - we need to be part of that.

0:26:170:26:19

The 52-week-of-the-year offer is what we need to be doing

0:26:190:26:22

and learn how to have uncompromising quality.

0:26:220:26:25

Why do you think it's important that we should get more from Britain?

0:26:250:26:29

At the moment, we're probably at our lowest level of self-sufficiency,

0:26:290:26:32

we're down at about 50% in terms of horticultural crops.

0:26:320:26:34

Vegetables are sitting about, we think, 57%,

0:26:340:26:36

according to the latest research we've done.

0:26:360:26:38

So that's as low as it's ever been,

0:26:380:26:40

so I think we need to improve upon that.

0:26:400:26:42

No matter how innovative we are,

0:26:480:26:50

extending the UK growing season of iceberg lettuces through the winter

0:26:500:26:54

is never going to be economically viable.

0:26:540:26:56

There's just not enough sunlight.

0:26:560:26:58

So if we want them on our shelves in December and January,

0:26:580:27:01

we're going to have to continue driving them across Europe

0:27:010:27:05

to get here and that's not helping in our battle with climate change.

0:27:050:27:09

And then there's Brexit.

0:27:120:27:14

We don't yet know the future trade deal,

0:27:140:27:16

but import tariffs are a possibility,

0:27:160:27:19

so if we can't rely on produce from Europe,

0:27:190:27:22

could science help us out?

0:27:220:27:24

Well, here in Yorkshire,

0:27:240:27:25

they're already putting British salad produce into these boxes.

0:27:250:27:30

Scientists here at the Stockbridge Technology Centre

0:27:370:27:40

have developed a way

0:27:400:27:41

to grow tomatoes in the UK throughout the winter

0:27:410:27:44

using a combination of natural and highly efficient LED light.

0:27:440:27:49

That's the present, but they're also working on the future.

0:27:490:27:52

'Dr Phil Davis is the man in charge of this project.'

0:27:540:27:58

What's happening in here?

0:27:580:27:59

So we're growing plants indoors with LED lighting, but with no sunlight

0:27:590:28:04

and that means we can grow these ornamental crops

0:28:040:28:07

all through the winter, get good-quality plants

0:28:070:28:10

-and we can control when they flower.

-What's in here?

-This is lavender,

0:28:100:28:14

but elsewhere in the facility, we're looking at how we grow food crops,

0:28:140:28:18

so LED lights give us the chance to change the colour of the light.

0:28:180:28:22

We're trying to understand how light controls flavour

0:28:220:28:25

and quality of crops.

0:28:250:28:27

Plants respond to different parts of the spectrum,

0:28:270:28:29

so the red light makes them photosynthesise and grow rapidly,

0:28:290:28:33

blue light helps them open their stomata so they can breathe,

0:28:330:28:36

but it also changes some of their chemistry,

0:28:360:28:38

so the flavour compounds and aromas of plants are controlled

0:28:380:28:41

by those mixtures of red and blue light.

0:28:410:28:44

So let me show you some of our basil plants over here.

0:28:440:28:47

Whoa, something extraordinary happened there. Something magic!

0:28:510:28:55

So what is the point of these different-coloured lights here?

0:28:550:28:58

This facility's all about trying to produce

0:28:580:29:00

safe, secure food all year round.

0:29:000:29:02

So could you use this technology to grow things like iceberg lettuces?

0:29:040:29:09

Technically, we could grow anything, but we're really trying to focus in

0:29:090:29:13

on the produce that makes sense economically -

0:29:130:29:16

produce like the salads, which are relatively short shelf life,

0:29:160:29:20

we can produce near point of sale

0:29:200:29:22

and we can maximise the quality of those produce.

0:29:220:29:25

Is it your belief that in, I don't know, let's say 10-20 years' time,

0:29:250:29:29

a good proportion of our food will be grown with LED lighting

0:29:290:29:32

rather than sunshine?

0:29:320:29:33

I think it's part of the future and I think we need to mix that in

0:29:330:29:36

with lots of other advances in technology

0:29:360:29:39

to ensure we have a safe supply of food.

0:29:390:29:41

In a world where we're used to having a ready supply

0:29:440:29:47

of our favourite vegetables all year round,

0:29:470:29:50

this winter has been a wake-up call.

0:29:500:29:52

Inventions from scientists and innovations from farmers

0:29:530:29:57

mean we can grow more of what we eat,

0:29:570:29:59

but it's all about the cost.

0:29:590:30:01

Economics will decide if hi-tech veg remains the tip of the iceberg

0:30:010:30:06

or a big part of our staple diet.

0:30:060:30:08

We're in the South Downs, where generations of grazing sheep

0:30:140:30:18

have shaped the gentle slopes of this green landscape.

0:30:180:30:21

Saddlescombe Farm has been home to centuries of sheep

0:30:240:30:27

and the shepherds who looked after them.

0:30:270:30:30

It's a way of life that's been lost,

0:30:300:30:32

a casualty of modern farming methods.

0:30:320:30:35

Tales of the old Downs shepherds' way of life written in poetry,

0:30:370:30:41

found in tattered books,

0:30:410:30:43

hooked contemporary shepherd Darren Greening with their romanticism.

0:30:430:30:47

Oh, do you know the downland where the swad is short and sweet

0:30:480:30:52

Where the gorse grows like a golden flame and fairies you might meet

0:30:520:30:56

You will see them dancing in their rings or hanging from a spray

0:30:560:30:59

Of bramble bush if you go there at the purple close of day.

0:30:590:31:02

So, Darren, if we just think back to what it was like,

0:31:050:31:08

how does it compare to what happens around these parts today?

0:31:080:31:11

The sheep at the moment are enclosed, as you can see,

0:31:110:31:13

with the fences around

0:31:130:31:14

and the shepherd only needs to come out once a day,

0:31:140:31:17

check on the sheep, make sure everything's fine.

0:31:170:31:19

Back in the days of the shepherds of the 1900s,

0:31:190:31:22

they would actually fold their flock, and what that meant was

0:31:220:31:25

is that the sheep would be let out from the farm in the mornings

0:31:250:31:28

and the shepherd would, with a bag and a flask and a lump of cheese

0:31:280:31:31

and a bit of bread, follow his flock across the Downs

0:31:310:31:34

and would take them to the areas that he wanted grazing.

0:31:340:31:37

And of course that kind of grazing technique

0:31:370:31:40

made the Downs really what they were back then.

0:31:400:31:42

Oh, yes, I mean,

0:31:420:31:43

it was conservation before we knew what conservation was,

0:31:430:31:47

because the shepherd would take the sheep through at such a slow speed

0:31:470:31:51

that it was grazed down to almost manicured lawn status,

0:31:510:31:55

which allowed the wild flowers, the herbs, the wild basil,

0:31:550:31:58

the thyme, to come through for its perfect environment,

0:31:580:32:01

so in many ways, from year dot, man and sheep created the South Downs.

0:32:010:32:06

On this farm here, where we are today, on Saddlescombe,

0:32:080:32:10

there was a famous shepherd called Nelson Coppard, incredible guy.

0:32:100:32:15

He was 25 years of age in 1888,

0:32:150:32:17

working here as only an under-shepherd,

0:32:170:32:20

and it took him another five years to become head shepherd

0:32:200:32:23

on the farm just across the valley.

0:32:230:32:25

Nelson found fame when author Barclay Wills featured him

0:32:260:32:29

in his book about the downland shepherds.

0:32:290:32:33

Nelson was unusual. He liked to talk to people.

0:32:330:32:36

Most shepherds were solitary,

0:32:360:32:38

but Nelson loved to give out his information

0:32:380:32:40

and from that, Barclay Wills had a whole new world opened up to him,

0:32:400:32:44

because when he travelled towards Eastbourne,

0:32:440:32:46

or further down into Findon-way,

0:32:460:32:48

if he mentioned Nelson Coppard's name, the other shepherds knew

0:32:480:32:51

he could be trusted and so they too passed on their information.

0:32:510:32:55

Today, Saddlescombe is owned by the National Trust

0:33:000:33:03

and farmed by tenants Camilla and Roly Puzey.

0:33:030:33:06

Now, then, dogs.

0:33:080:33:10

Right, let's fill up your feeder.

0:33:100:33:12

As well as producing food,

0:33:120:33:14

they're keen to give people a glimpse into the reality of farming.

0:33:140:33:17

This yummy stuff was actually cut from this field last summer.

0:33:170:33:23

-Oh, was it?

-Yeah, so...

-Smells delicious, there it is.

0:33:230:33:26

The smell of summer!

0:33:260:33:28

Oh, I know, it is, it's a great smell.

0:33:280:33:31

You can join them to be a shepherd for the day,

0:33:310:33:34

which, when the ewes are lambing, is surely an added complication.

0:33:340:33:38

-Camilla, it is a stressful time, obviously.

-I know, we're crazy.

0:33:380:33:42

Then we add more stress by then looking after other people,

0:33:420:33:46

but the value and the importance of what they get and what we get

0:33:460:33:50

from that whole experience and...

0:33:500:33:53

And the lessons of life and death, because obviously people come here

0:33:530:33:57

-with maybe a rose-tinted vision of what lambing is.

-Absolutely.

0:33:570:34:00

You show warts and all, then?

0:34:000:34:02

The first thing that we say to people

0:34:020:34:04

is nature will throw all sorts of things at us.

0:34:040:34:06

Hopefully we'll see some lovely live lambs being born,

0:34:060:34:10

but there could be a few deaths as well

0:34:100:34:12

and it's just people appreciating that whole story.

0:34:120:34:15

Camilla and Roly's ambitions for the farm were important factors

0:34:170:34:20

when they applied to take on the tenancy at Saddlescombe.

0:34:200:34:24

We love, obviously, farming, food production,

0:34:250:34:28

we love the conservation work,

0:34:280:34:30

we love the idea of this responsibility

0:34:300:34:32

that we've got to look after these species-rich chalk downlands,

0:34:320:34:37

but the other thing is we love sharing what we do with others,

0:34:370:34:41

-so obviously the National Trust were a key partner for us.

-Sure.

0:34:410:34:46

They were looking for a family to live on the farm

0:34:460:34:49

and really live and breathe it,

0:34:490:34:52

and we certainly do that. We absolutely love it.

0:34:520:34:56

So how does the relationship look from the landlord's point of view?

0:34:560:35:00

I caught up with Graham Wellfare of the National Trust.

0:35:000:35:03

So how big a part are tenant farms, then,

0:35:030:35:05

for the National Trust here on the South Downs?

0:35:050:35:08

They're a massive part of the work that we do.

0:35:080:35:11

-Absolutely vital for looking after landscapes like this.

-Yep.

0:35:110:35:16

Without tenant farmers, this landscape would be lost.

0:35:170:35:20

For example, if we didn't have any sheep here, or cattle,

0:35:200:35:25

within ten years this would be covered in scrub,

0:35:250:35:27

within 50 years it would be covered in woodland.

0:35:270:35:30

Camilla and Roly we work really closely with,

0:35:300:35:32

cos they're at Saddlescombe and they're brilliant because

0:35:320:35:35

they're bringing an extra dimension to their tenancy,

0:35:350:35:38

cos they're actually engaging with people and they want to share

0:35:380:35:42

their passion of farming with people as well.

0:35:420:35:45

What did you think of that idea when you heard about

0:35:450:35:48

what Roly and Camilla wanted to do?

0:35:480:35:50

That's exactly what we wanted.

0:35:500:35:52

It was almost like an interview process.

0:35:520:35:53

We had a few people interested and a lot of them

0:35:530:35:56

would have farmed Saddlescombe perfectly all right,

0:35:560:35:59

but Camilla and Roly just came up

0:35:590:36:00

with something that little bit extra,

0:36:000:36:02

like the shepherd day, the lambing weekends

0:36:020:36:06

and it's just sharing what they love with people.

0:36:060:36:09

Now, even on a damp, drizzly day in the depths of winter,

0:36:200:36:24

the beaches of North Devon have a beauty all of their own.

0:36:240:36:27

It's the last place you'd expect to see cattle,

0:36:270:36:31

but here they are, grazing the dunes.

0:36:310:36:34

So how do you keep them off the beach? Here's Adam.

0:36:340:36:36

Woolacombe Bay is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

0:36:420:36:46

and despite the sea mist blowing in,

0:36:460:36:48

the beach that runs for miles and miles is absolutely stunning

0:36:480:36:53

and you'd expect to see people down here enjoying the coastline,

0:36:530:36:57

but not cows.

0:36:570:36:59

The sand dunes stretch for almost two miles

0:37:020:37:04

and are home to a herd of North Devon cattle.

0:37:040:37:07

They're owned by farmer Wayne Copp.

0:37:070:37:09

Wayne!

0:37:090:37:11

-Good to see you.

-Good morning, Adam. Good to see you.

0:37:110:37:13

-What a place to farm!

-An unusual spot for sure, yeah.

0:37:130:37:16

Strange context for agriculture.

0:37:160:37:18

So you've got the sea on one side and your cattle up on the dunes?

0:37:180:37:21

Yeah, I've got one passion on one side and one passion on another.

0:37:210:37:25

I mean, it's a pretty rough landscape, isn't it? Incredible!

0:37:250:37:28

It did have the cattle scratching their heads for

0:37:280:37:30

a few days when we introduced them,

0:37:300:37:32

but once they'd stopped looking at me sideways

0:37:320:37:34

as if they'd been condemned,

0:37:340:37:35

they were browsing and we've been quite enlightened and encouraged

0:37:350:37:38

by what they've done.

0:37:380:37:39

Farming so close to the sea can sometimes cause problems,

0:37:390:37:43

as Wayne has seen for himself.

0:37:430:37:45

We had an occasion at Croyde, which is just over the point there.

0:37:450:37:48

I happened to be on the beach

0:37:480:37:50

and a neighbour's steer got loose and the first thing it did

0:37:500:37:54

was swim out through a six-foot shore break,

0:37:540:37:57

confounded me completely

0:37:570:37:58

and then he swam round the bay for an hour

0:37:580:38:01

-and I've kept cows all my life - I had no idea they would swim.

-Yeah.

0:38:010:38:05

And he wasn't just an amateur - once he'd got into his stride,

0:38:050:38:08

he was stretching out

0:38:080:38:10

and having a nice fetch and a nice finish.

0:38:100:38:13

-Of course, all the gas in the rumen only holds him up.

-Yeah.

0:38:130:38:16

Anyway, he swam round the bay for an hour,

0:38:160:38:18

and just to top it all, he body-surfed back into the shore.

0:38:180:38:21

When he'd had enough, he wasn't going to go in

0:38:210:38:23

because we wanted him to go in,

0:38:230:38:25

we were paddling around trying to shoo him back in.

0:38:250:38:27

He body-surfed in and we managed to nose him in the surf.

0:38:270:38:31

-Goodness me!

-Yeah.

0:38:310:38:32

That's the only thing I've ever saved from the ocean in my life!

0:38:320:38:36

Do your cattle venture down onto the beach?

0:38:360:38:38

No, they're confined to the dunes area by quite an ingenious system

0:38:380:38:42

that we're trialling,

0:38:420:38:44

which keeps them in an area where we want them to graze

0:38:440:38:47

without putting up any visible fencing.

0:38:470:38:49

-Amazing. Can we go and take a look at them?

-Yeah, let's go.

0:38:490:38:52

Quite an extreme place for you to have to find your cattle

0:39:040:39:07

and check round.

0:39:070:39:09

It's got its challenges, but you probably know as well...

0:39:090:39:13

-Going up over this?

-Yeah, go up over that, yeah.

0:39:130:39:16

Gun it, there we go.

0:39:160:39:18

They're quite sentient creatures and they're creatures of habit.

0:39:180:39:22

Goodness me, Wayne, they're in lovely condition.

0:39:300:39:32

They're North Devons, are they?

0:39:320:39:34

They are, they're a native breed to this coast and a hardy breed

0:39:340:39:37

and this is a pretty extreme testing ground for that.

0:39:370:39:41

Were you nervous putting them on this?

0:39:410:39:43

To release them in an environment like this is a leap of faith,

0:39:430:39:46

but they have performed.

0:39:460:39:47

I'm biased, cos I'm a North Devon man,

0:39:470:39:49

but the right breed for the right location.

0:39:490:39:51

These hardy, traditional breeds can survive off this rough pasture,

0:39:510:39:55

but this is really rough, isn't it?

0:39:550:39:58

It is rough and we've been encouraged and surprised -

0:39:580:40:02

and it's been a learning curve -

0:40:020:40:03

at what they have browsed.

0:40:030:40:05

Will you carry on doing this year in, year out, do you think?

0:40:050:40:08

This has been a trial and as far as I'm concerned, as a stockman,

0:40:080:40:11

it's been successful.

0:40:110:40:13

My cows are coming off in good condition.

0:40:130:40:15

For them to be out in winter here,

0:40:150:40:16

I think if they had a choice and they could vote,

0:40:160:40:18

-they'd be down here and not sat in a dark shed somewhere.

-Sure.

0:40:180:40:22

Now, about that trial.

0:40:230:40:24

The dunes are owned by the National Trust and open access is important.

0:40:240:40:29

Fencing is not an option, so how do they keep the cattle off the beach?

0:40:290:40:33

Joshua Day from the Trust is going to tell me.

0:40:330:40:36

So, Josh, tell me the secret of managing to keep these cattle

0:40:360:40:40

in an area where I can't see any fences.

0:40:400:40:43

Well, the secret lies within these collars here

0:40:430:40:45

and this cable that's buried around the site.

0:40:450:40:48

There's 1,500 metres of cable buried around the site,

0:40:480:40:51

which took a fair few days to dig in by hand.

0:40:510:40:54

These collars speak to an AM frequency that's emitted

0:40:540:40:57

by this cable. This cable's connected to an energiser

0:40:570:40:59

that's powered by a 12V battery

0:40:590:41:01

and when the cattle walk within five metres of this cable,

0:41:010:41:04

they get an audible signal,

0:41:040:41:05

so a beep starts to come from this collar.

0:41:050:41:07

The cattle have been trained to know that this beep means

0:41:070:41:10

if they go any further,

0:41:100:41:11

they'll get a small electrical pulse in their neck,

0:41:110:41:13

so they'll turn away from the cable and away from the boundary.

0:41:130:41:16

So it's like me having an electric fence at home,

0:41:160:41:18

but there they can see it -

0:41:180:41:19

-here they get a beep to say they're getting near it.

-Exactly.

0:41:190:41:23

One of the things we were concerned about was animal welfare with these.

0:41:230:41:25

It was really important the animal welfare was maintained,

0:41:250:41:28

so we had veterinary observations throughout the project

0:41:280:41:30

to make sure there was no issues with that.

0:41:300:41:32

And are the cattle doing the right job for the flora and fauna?

0:41:320:41:35

They're doing an amazing job,

0:41:350:41:37

far better than we ever expected them to do.

0:41:370:41:38

We were expecting them just to strip some of the grass from the sites,

0:41:380:41:41

ignore the bramble, ignore the bracken areas,

0:41:410:41:43

but they've really got stuck in

0:41:430:41:45

and they've created such an incredible mosaic of niches

0:41:450:41:48

-for species coming this summer.

-It's really lovely, isn't it,

0:41:480:41:50

to have a farmer working with conservationists

0:41:500:41:53

to create this habitat?

0:41:530:41:54

It is, it's one of the biggest things that's come out of it

0:41:540:41:56

for me and, I think, for our partnership with Wayne,

0:41:560:41:58

is that he's saving on costs for in-wintering his cattle

0:41:580:42:01

having them out here all winter

0:42:010:42:03

and it's creating a fantastic habitat for wildlife conservation,

0:42:030:42:07

so, yeah, it is a win-win situation.

0:42:070:42:08

Is it something you're likely to continue, do more of?

0:42:080:42:11

I really hope so. This year has been a trial,

0:42:110:42:13

it's been a test to get used to the system,

0:42:130:42:15

to get used to the cows being in the dunes,

0:42:150:42:17

but it has gone really well, so we're really hoping we can expand it

0:42:170:42:20

further along the dunes into other sites.

0:42:200:42:22

If you thought sand dunes were an unusual place to keep livestock,

0:42:240:42:27

wait until you see where Wayne grazes his Hebridean sheep.

0:42:270:42:31

Battling the wind and rain,

0:42:310:42:33

his flock is literally living on the edge.

0:42:330:42:35

-Goodness me, this is pretty extreme, isn't it?

-Hey, guys.

0:42:360:42:39

Yeah, what a contrast from the bay!

0:42:390:42:41

-Unbelievable.

-Yeah, the Atlantic's still there,

0:42:410:42:44

but different relationship with the coastline at this point.

0:42:440:42:47

A bit different to the rolling Cotswold hills

0:42:470:42:49

where I come from too!

0:42:490:42:50

I should think it's a bit of a contrast, yeah.

0:42:500:42:52

The Hebrideans, they're lovely sheep, aren't they?

0:42:520:42:54

Handle it well out here?

0:42:540:42:55

Yeah, they're the machines for the job here,

0:42:550:42:57

if you'll forgive the term.

0:42:570:42:59

They're from the Hebrides, obviously,

0:42:590:43:01

and this southerly environment here is probably a bit mild for them,

0:43:010:43:04

but certainly the extremity of the grazing suits them well.

0:43:040:43:07

And out on the Hebrides, they would have grazed on cliffs,

0:43:070:43:09

so do they get out onto these here?

0:43:090:43:11

Yeah, they'll forage right down to some levels

0:43:110:43:12

that would make my hair stand on end,

0:43:120:43:14

put it that way. It's quite extreme.

0:43:140:43:16

So are the sheep doing a good job for the ecology?

0:43:160:43:18

Yeah. The main reason that keeps the maritime grasses in good condition

0:43:180:43:21

is this howling wind, that Atlantic spray coming up the cliffs here,

0:43:210:43:25

that's what really looks after that maritime habitat.

0:43:250:43:27

But the Hebrideans come into their own when they go

0:43:270:43:29

a bit further up the cliffs and they start nibbling away

0:43:290:43:31

at the brambles and at the bracken

0:43:310:43:33

and all the gorse that starts encroaching down the slopes,

0:43:330:43:36

that's what they really start to look after for us.

0:43:360:43:38

Speaking personally, I get a tremendous kick

0:43:380:43:40

out of working closely with these guys.

0:43:400:43:42

To pursue my farming passion in an environment like this,

0:43:420:43:45

using breeds that aren't appropriate for maybe conventional farming,

0:43:450:43:49

if you want to call it that, is a privilege.

0:43:490:43:52

An ongoing challenge, I suppose.

0:43:520:43:54

Yeah, it is, it's ever-changing, it's always going to be a challenge,

0:43:540:43:58

but again it's one of those win-wins for nature and farming.

0:43:580:44:01

I really love what I've seen here today.

0:44:110:44:14

You've got the red Devon cattle over there in the mist on Woolacombe Bay,

0:44:140:44:18

these lovely Hebrideans here on Baggy Point.

0:44:180:44:20

It's a great example of how these rare and traditional breeds

0:44:200:44:24

can really come into their own to help preserve and conserve

0:44:240:44:27

this beautiful landscape.

0:44:270:44:29

What a wonderful place to farm.

0:44:290:44:31

We know spring has sprung when the aerial chasing and screaming

0:44:400:44:43

of the swifts announce their return from Africa.

0:44:430:44:47

We'll have to wait until early May, however,

0:44:470:44:49

before they treat us to that spectacle.

0:44:490:44:52

While the swifts are sunning themselves in warmer climes,

0:44:570:45:00

I've come to Lewes in East Sussex,

0:45:000:45:01

which sits in the South Downs National Park.

0:45:010:45:04

This charming town plays host to a significant number of swifts

0:45:040:45:08

who return here year upon year.

0:45:080:45:10

It seems that the roofs and eves of many of the older buildings here

0:45:130:45:17

make perfect nesting places.

0:45:170:45:18

But swift numbers are in decline,

0:45:200:45:23

dropping around a third in the last 20 years.

0:45:230:45:26

One of the reasons for their decline is the renovation or demolition

0:45:270:45:31

of the houses that these little birds like to call home,

0:45:310:45:33

but this town is preparing for their return in a big way.

0:45:330:45:36

We see quite a few flying through,

0:45:390:45:41

but you never know whether these birds actually nest here

0:45:410:45:43

or are just passing through and feeding.

0:45:430:45:45

Michael Blencowe works for Sussex Wildlife Trust

0:45:450:45:48

and has been monitoring the Lewes swift population for two years.

0:45:480:45:52

Plenty of birds going in and out of there at the minute,

0:45:530:45:55

into the eves of that house.

0:45:550:45:57

They're not swifts, are they?

0:45:570:45:59

That's house sparrows up there, also a declining bird.

0:45:590:46:01

Swifts do jostle a bit when they return

0:46:010:46:04

and they may push a few sparrows out.

0:46:040:46:05

What is it about the roofs and eves of Lewes

0:46:050:46:08

that these swifts like, do you think?

0:46:080:46:10

Lewes is full of quite old buildings and in these old buildings

0:46:100:46:13

you find little gaps underneath the eves here

0:46:130:46:15

and these little gaps under the eves

0:46:150:46:16

are the perfect places for swifts to nest.

0:46:160:46:19

This house here has had swifts coming back year on year

0:46:190:46:22

for about 15 years now

0:46:220:46:24

and the neighbours over here have put a little swift nest box up

0:46:240:46:26

and they open the windows and in the early morning,

0:46:260:46:29

they blast the swift call out, the screaming swifts get blasted out

0:46:290:46:32

and they try to lure these birds over,

0:46:320:46:33

cos swifts tend to nest next to other swifts,

0:46:330:46:36

so they're quite friendly birds.

0:46:360:46:37

HIGH-PITCHED CHIRRUPING

0:46:370:46:40

Swifts are extraordinary.

0:46:400:46:42

They have the shortest legs of any bird relative to their body size,

0:46:420:46:46

which makes it difficult for them to take off from the ground.

0:46:460:46:50

And they're not only swift by name, but also by nature,

0:46:500:46:54

with recorded speeds of almost 70mph.

0:46:540:46:57

They're crazy.

0:46:580:47:00

Swifts are basically a pair of wings and a mouth, that's all swifts are.

0:47:000:47:03

They spend most of their time up there,

0:47:030:47:05

so they're hunting up there for flies, they even sleep in the air,

0:47:050:47:09

they mate in the air as well, they do everything up there.

0:47:090:47:11

They need a nest, of course, to lay their eggs,

0:47:110:47:13

so that's when they come down,

0:47:130:47:15

they're tied to these little eves to lay their eggs.

0:47:150:47:17

To me, the sight of swifts flying around Lewes

0:47:170:47:19

is an iconic sight, really,

0:47:190:47:20

the same as the castle or the white cliffs, really,

0:47:200:47:22

and some of the Lewes residents got in touch with me

0:47:220:47:24

and they've formed a group called the Lewes Swift Supporters

0:47:240:47:26

and we're looking at monitoring swifts

0:47:260:47:28

and putting up nest boxes all around the town.

0:47:280:47:30

So they're actively trying to find alternative places for them to nest?

0:47:300:47:33

Definitely, we want to make sure,

0:47:330:47:34

when they come back from Africa every year,

0:47:340:47:36

the swifts have got plenty of holes to nest in.

0:47:360:47:38

And in keeping with this idea of a home within a home,

0:47:410:47:44

down the road in Arlington, Jenny and Duncan McCutcheon

0:47:440:47:48

have come up with a clever new invention.

0:47:480:47:50

Houses have become more and more bird, bat-proof

0:47:520:47:55

as part of legislation,

0:47:550:47:57

so I wanted to design something that could be incorporated quickly

0:47:570:48:01

into a building, so I came up with the Bird Brick House.

0:48:010:48:04

I'm looking at this wall -

0:48:040:48:06

I can't see any bird boxes.

0:48:060:48:08

There is one bird box there

0:48:080:48:11

-and there's another one up there.

-Here?

-Yep.

0:48:110:48:13

That is a sparrow box.

0:48:130:48:14

So it's literally integral into the actual wall of your house?

0:48:140:48:16

It is, yeah.

0:48:160:48:18

The wall makes it a cliff face,

0:48:180:48:19

so they're a lot less prone to predators, because obviously

0:48:190:48:23

it's very hard to target species using the actual bird box.

0:48:230:48:27

What's it like living with birds actually in your walls?

0:48:270:48:31

-I'm thinking...

-To be honest, you don't really notice them,

0:48:310:48:33

but the one actually there has a blue tit every morning.

0:48:330:48:37

You hear it, it must be at the hole chirping to go out,

0:48:370:48:39

then it flies out and that's really nice, actually.

0:48:390:48:41

So you literally are sharing your home with some feathered friends?

0:48:410:48:44

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:48:440:48:46

Well, they're very discreet from the outside.

0:48:460:48:48

Let's see how you've put these together, because I am intrigued.

0:48:480:48:51

-OK.

-Lead the way.

-Come along to the workshop.

0:48:510:48:54

In order for builders and developers to get on board with his design,

0:48:550:48:59

Duncan knew it had to be simple and fit in with building regulations.

0:48:590:49:03

That's sparrows, blue tits, great tits.

0:49:040:49:09

That there is a bat box.

0:49:090:49:10

That there is a swift box

0:49:100:49:12

and this is a sparrow/blue tit terrace box, so it's divided in two.

0:49:120:49:16

I can show you inside.

0:49:160:49:18

That there, that's got a central divider,

0:49:180:49:21

so you've got two compartments,

0:49:210:49:22

then this is the swift box.

0:49:220:49:24

The bottom isn't used, the top is used, and that's a nest cup,

0:49:240:49:27

which speeds...

0:49:270:49:29

So you've even fitted it like a fitted kitchen?

0:49:290:49:32

That's right, and that apparently makes the swifts take it up sooner.

0:49:320:49:36

Lots of people will be watching this thinking,

0:49:360:49:37

"I'd like that, but my house is 100 years old."

0:49:370:49:40

Most of the time, you can fit a bird box one way or another.

0:49:400:49:43

Duncan's award-winning design has seen a number of lodgers

0:49:450:49:48

over the past few years

0:49:480:49:50

and already provided nesting places for the swifts of Lewes.

0:49:500:49:54

Building bird boxes into the very fabric of our homes

0:49:560:49:58

means we literally can live at one with nature

0:49:580:50:01

and who knows? With more places to nest,

0:50:010:50:04

we may well see more swifts in the sky.

0:50:040:50:06

Large or small, sometimes we all need to take shelter

0:50:100:50:13

from what the weather throws at us.

0:50:130:50:14

Here's the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.

0:50:140:50:17

Whilst Helen's been helping out our feathered friends,

0:51:110:51:14

I've been discovering the rolling South Downs

0:51:140:51:17

and their stunning views.

0:51:170:51:18

Until recently,

0:51:200:51:21

people with limited mobility had difficulty accessing this landscape,

0:51:210:51:26

the terrain itself presenting impossible challenges.

0:51:260:51:29

Well, these days, the South Downs Way is accessible to all

0:51:320:51:36

and that's all thanks to Obama here, to his owner, Simon,

0:51:360:51:40

who just happens to be a superb inventor

0:51:400:51:43

and, Simon, you have created this futuristic-looking cart.

0:51:430:51:47

Now, just talk us... It's called the iBex, isn't it?

0:51:470:51:50

-iBex after Bex, who was one of my earliest test drivers.

-Right.

0:51:500:51:53

It means anyone using any wheelchair

0:51:540:51:56

-can go across pretty much any terrain.

-OK.

0:51:560:51:59

It also takes people who aren't using wheelchairs.

0:51:590:52:02

Is it right that this is the only vehicle that's actually

0:52:020:52:04

allowed on the South Downs Way?

0:52:040:52:06

Certainly the only one that can do the whole distance

0:52:060:52:08

with a wheelchair. I've done from Winchester to Eastbourne

0:52:080:52:11

-with a wheelchair on this.

-Have you really?

0:52:110:52:13

So where does Obama come into the mix, then?

0:52:130:52:16

How long has he been with you?

0:52:160:52:17

-I got Obama January 2009.

-Right.

0:52:170:52:20

-He's a pain in the neck!

-MATT CHORTLES

0:52:200:52:23

You look great together, you really do.

0:52:230:52:25

Obviously, the whole reason for coming out here

0:52:250:52:28

-on the South Downs is we are going to go for a trek.

-Yep.

0:52:280:52:31

We have got the most superb person to trek along with us.

0:52:310:52:35

Sarah Piercy won the London Wheelchair Marathon

0:52:350:52:38

at her first attempt in 2000.

0:52:380:52:41

OK, Sarah, you tell us the best way of doing this, then.

0:52:410:52:44

'Today, her journey will be more sedate

0:52:440:52:46

'and she'll be able to take in the scenery.'

0:52:460:52:49

Yep, thank you.

0:52:490:52:50

-Are we all good there, Simon?

-Yep, that's good.

0:52:500:52:53

Simon has spent years finessing the buggy

0:52:530:52:56

so that Obama's passengers, like Sarah,

0:52:560:52:58

can safely enjoy the ride.

0:52:580:53:00

He likes to have a little nibble at you, doesn't he?

0:53:030:53:05

He's just interfering. He's being a complete pain,

0:53:050:53:09

because that's life.

0:53:090:53:12

What do you make of these two, Sarah?

0:53:120:53:14

Oh, they're great companions, absolutely. They're great fun.

0:53:140:53:17

I tell you what, I don't know how many miles

0:53:170:53:19

we're going to be travelling, but it's going to be fun.

0:53:190:53:21

Oh, absolutely.

0:53:210:53:22

Listen, I'll get round the front,

0:53:230:53:25

because I think we're going to have a little lead here,

0:53:250:53:29

but obviously Obama is very well suited to this,

0:53:290:53:33

but if the worst-case scenario does happen and he is going to bolt,

0:53:330:53:37

what do we do?

0:53:370:53:38

There's an instant-release system. Sarah's got the rope here

0:53:380:53:43

and that means that she can release the pony instantly

0:53:430:53:46

and when it's released,

0:53:460:53:47

you haven't got a problem, there's no issue.

0:53:470:53:49

-Who leads the way?

-You do.

-OK.

0:53:490:53:52

Good boy.

0:53:520:53:53

Good boy!

0:53:550:53:56

-How's it feeling back there, Sarah?

-Yes, it's fantastic.

-Feeling OK?

0:54:060:54:09

It's really comfy, yep.

0:54:090:54:12

I tell you what, those cows don't half like you.

0:54:120:54:14

Oh, I know, it's quite weird, isn't it?

0:54:140:54:16

Now, Sarah, obviously you're used to getting out and about,

0:54:200:54:23

you're incredibly active,

0:54:230:54:24

but for others that maybe aren't so active and are in your situation,

0:54:240:54:27

what would you say to those people if they're watching this at home

0:54:270:54:30

and they fancy a go?

0:54:300:54:31

Well, it's a great opportunity to get out and see the wonderful sights

0:54:310:54:35

all over the UK, it's just incredible

0:54:350:54:38

and it's safe and it's just great fun.

0:54:380:54:41

-Yeah.

-It's about access,

0:54:410:54:43

it's about getting anyone to the places that we all take for granted.

0:54:430:54:47

It's saying anybody can go anywhere

0:54:470:54:51

and have fun and enjoy it.

0:54:510:54:53

It looks like it, it really does.

0:54:530:54:55

Come on, Obama. Come on, bud.

0:54:550:54:57

Come on, come on, come on, there, now.

0:54:570:55:01

And it doesn't all have to be at this pace.

0:55:010:55:03

Obama has gears.

0:55:030:55:05

Are you up for a little trot? Oh, you are! It's happening already!

0:55:050:55:09

I can't keep up!

0:55:090:55:11

It's a gallop!

0:55:110:55:13

Hello, gang, you look like you've got your hands full. Hi, everyone!

0:55:190:55:22

This is Obama, this is Simon and this is Sarah.

0:55:220:55:25

Hi, Simon, Sarah and Obama. Right, where are we headed?

0:55:250:55:28

Well, Eastbourne. It's 35 miles away.

0:55:280:55:30

Can I jump on the back with you, Sarah?

0:55:320:55:34

Hey, listen, why not?

0:55:340:55:35

But we're in good hands, Obama knows the way and we'll just, well,

0:55:350:55:38

-head down and crack on, really.

-Plod on.

0:55:380:55:40

That's about it for today from Countryfile.

0:55:400:55:42

Yeah, next week, Adam will be in Snowdonia,

0:55:420:55:44

finding out what life is like farming the craggy outcrops,

0:55:440:55:47

-but until then, bye-bye.

-See you!

0:55:470:55:50

-Come on, Obama, lead the way.

-Good boy.

0:55:500:55:52

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