0:00:27 > 0:00:29MATT BAKER: The long, hot, hazy days.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33The cloudless skies.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36The soft breeze.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Summer has arrived.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43And the landscape is in full bloom.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47It's the perfect time to get out and enjoy our countryside.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50So, in true British style, in today's special programme,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52we're heading down to the beach.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54We're hoping for sun and we are going to celebrate
0:00:54 > 0:00:56our great British summer.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And summer wouldn't be summer without a barbecue by the sea.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06I hope you're hungry.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08ALL: Yay!
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Sam, you're going to have to put some more on.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Naomi's enjoying the long evenings with
0:01:13 > 0:01:16a gentle punt along the River Cam,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18on a bat safari.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19It's so close to us.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- I've never seen this number before. - Really?
0:01:22 > 0:01:24It's pretty fantastic.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29John's in Suffolk, bringing in the bulrush harvest.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32I've done lots of harvesting in my time but never like this before.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33JOHN CHUCKLES
0:01:35 > 0:01:38And Adam's in Northern Ireland where the summer months for some
0:01:38 > 0:01:41farmers means taking to the water.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43What happens if the boat sinks then, Andrew?
0:01:43 > 0:01:46If boat sinks, I'm taking that cow's tail and you choose whichever one you want.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Just grab a tail and it'll take you ashore?
0:01:48 > 0:01:52I don't know where you'll land, but you'll land on dry ground somewhere.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53That's all that matters.
0:02:02 > 0:02:03Summertime...
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Britain at its very best.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08A time for friends to come together,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11head outdoors and fire up the barbecue.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15A heatwave goes hand-in-hand with a "meat-wave."
0:02:17 > 0:02:19But there's no back garden cook-up for me.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Oh, no.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25I am waiting for the first ladies of barbecue,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29South Wales's very own Thelma and Louise - Shauna and Sam.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32These are two ladies who have learned their barbecuing skills
0:02:32 > 0:02:35around the Deep South of the USA and I'm supposed to be
0:02:35 > 0:02:37meeting them here on this corner.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Bravely binning their careers three years ago,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51executive Sam Evans and teacher Shauna Guinn headed off in
0:02:51 > 0:02:55pursuit of the American dream, and a quintessential US feast.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Howdy, partner.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02- We're going to take you for some barbecues.- Super.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05- Jump on in.- Here we go, let's go.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Woohoo!
0:03:07 > 0:03:10The girls are taking me to a beach barbecue for their friends
0:03:10 > 0:03:14but, first, we're off to source the very best of British produce.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Restaurateurs Shauna and Sam may live in the leafy vale of Glamorgan
0:03:23 > 0:03:26but a trip to the Deep South saw them fall head over heels
0:03:26 > 0:03:28with barbecue...
0:03:28 > 0:03:29US style.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Woo!
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Were you, like, obsessed with barbecue before you set off, then?
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- How did it all start?- We were what's known as backyard barbecuers.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39We'd do a little barbecue in our backyard,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42have some friends round but we didn't really have a plan.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45We just knew what we liked and knew what we loved,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47and just set out for the States, and that was it.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Did you have a barbecue teacher, then?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52I think a lot of what they call pitmasters,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55these are the guys that look after the barbecue pits throughout
0:03:55 > 0:03:57the day and throughout the night,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59a lot of them thought we were super quaint
0:03:59 > 0:04:01so not only were we female,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03so that's almost unheard of in barbecue,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05we had these British accents, you know,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08and we wanted to learn about barbecues.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10So, they just thought we were a trip, you know.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13- Were they quite open, then... - Yeah, they were. - ..in passing on their techniques?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- They were very nice. - They would never have thought
0:04:16 > 0:04:18in a million years that two women from the UK
0:04:18 > 0:04:21would go to America and take their national
0:04:21 > 0:04:24traditional cuisine and bring it back.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26I've got to put it out there.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29I think part of the pull to the Deep South for me, personally,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31was my absolute love of country music.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34# ..get you with a fine tooth comb
0:04:34 > 0:04:37# I was soft inside
0:04:37 > 0:04:40# There was something going on...
0:04:42 > 0:04:44- ALL:- Bow, bow...
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Come on, Matt, take it home.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49# Islands in the stream
0:04:49 > 0:04:51# That is what we are
0:04:51 > 0:04:54# No-one in-between
0:04:54 > 0:04:56# How can we be wrong... #
0:05:01 > 0:05:04'The ladies' meteoric rise from backyard barbecuers to winning
0:05:04 > 0:05:07'last year's BBC Food and Farming awards for street food
0:05:07 > 0:05:10'has benefited local meat producers, too.'
0:05:10 > 0:05:12- I can see some cows.- Yeah.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15'Just in land at Llantwit Major,
0:05:15 > 0:05:19'is the ranch of fourth generation cowpoke, Hopkin Evans.'
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Hey, Hopkin, how are you doing?
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'Hopkin is one of a small but growing number of UK farmers
0:05:26 > 0:05:29'hand-rearing high welfare veal.'
0:05:30 > 0:05:32So, how old are they at this age?
0:05:32 > 0:05:36These ones in here are between six and nine months.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So, this veal market, it's quite a new thing for you, is it?
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Yeah, we've been doing it about five years now.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46'Male calves used to be seen as worthless on Hopkin's farm
0:05:46 > 0:05:49'but these days he's managed to find a market for them.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52'While the heifers will go on to become milkers,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56'Hopkin is rearing his male calves for veal meat.'
0:05:56 > 0:05:58We take them to six months minimum.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01It depends how well they've grown and they get
0:06:01 > 0:06:03a bit longer if they need it.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06They live a happy life and they make a fantastic product
0:06:06 > 0:06:07at the end of it.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10It's an untapped resource and, if you're drinking milk,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12you should be eating veal.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Because these calves have no real purpose other than veal.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19And when you were studying barbecue out in America, was veal on the menu
0:06:19 > 0:06:22there, or is this something that's developed since you've come back?
0:06:22 > 0:06:25We didn't see any veal at all in America.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29The big cut of beef that would be used for American barbecue
0:06:29 > 0:06:30would be brisket and, so,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33no, it's absolutely a thrill for us and I think there's
0:06:33 > 0:06:36a really nice synergy between the history and the roots of American
0:06:36 > 0:06:39barbecue and what you're trying to do here, because it was always
0:06:39 > 0:06:42about cheaper cuts, it was always about forgotten cuts.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45It's a great product and we know that these guys are working
0:06:45 > 0:06:49really hard to give us the most ethical, fantastic product.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55'We need a whole range of veal for slow barbecuing at low temperature.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57'And, over at the farmhouse,
0:06:57 > 0:07:02'Hopkin's laid out a good selection perfect for slow and low.'
0:07:02 > 0:07:03Talk us through what you've cut here
0:07:03 > 0:07:06and from what part of the animal it's from.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07Right, these are rump stakes.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10They're from the hindquarters of the animal.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13They're slices of the brisket here from the lower part of the ribcage.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15LMC, the leg and mutton cut.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19It's named this way because the shape of it looks like
0:07:19 > 0:07:20a leg of mutton.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23This is taken from the top of the front leg of the animal.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24- Is it making you hungry, Matt?- Yeah.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I'm loving it, I'm loving it.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29The good news is that these won't take very long.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31This will.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32How long?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I mean, probably about eight hours for smoking that
0:07:35 > 0:07:37and again slow and low,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40so it's a very low temperature, it's a very slow process.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42So, I think we better get it in the smoker.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Bye!
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Later on, I'll be heading to the beach to prepare our sizzling
0:07:48 > 0:07:50summer barbecue feast.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58But, first, Naomi is taking part in a time-honoured summer
0:07:58 > 0:08:01tradition in one of our country's most historic university cities.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Summertime...
0:08:12 > 0:08:14..and the living is easy.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Long, lazy days.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25And, in Cambridge, there's only one way to travel.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31But, for some of our British wildlife, the summer season
0:08:31 > 0:08:33marks the very height of activity.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37In fact, for our native bats, summer on the river is no picnic,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40more of a feeding frenzy.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48Britain's ten species of bat are at their busiest in the summer months,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52increasing our chances of spotting these nocturnal mammals.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56With the insect population reaching a peak, and with young pups
0:08:56 > 0:09:00to feed, bats must make the most of the available banquet.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05That seasonal insect feast comes from an unlikely source.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09So, I'm calling on my very own Batman,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Iain Webb from Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15to explain the link between bats and cowpats.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21So, Iain, what are we doing in a cow field? Is this prime bat habitat?
0:09:21 > 0:09:24It's producing prime bat food.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28It's full of what cows produce, plentiful amounts of, is cowpats.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32We'll be looking for beetles and flies etc in the cowpats.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33So, there are loads of bugs in there?
0:09:33 > 0:09:37This is a perfect pat, lots of holes, all the beetles or
0:09:37 > 0:09:39whatever in there, and a nice crust.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41We just scoop it up, dump it in the bucket
0:09:41 > 0:09:42and see what floats to the top.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44- All right, the whole thing? - The whole thing.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45This is gross!
0:09:49 > 0:09:51You sort of rummage it around a bit like that.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53- And they'll all come floating to the top?- Yeah. Break it up.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- And it won't kill them? - No, no, they're perfectly fine.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58There's one. There's two.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Absolutely crawling, isn't it?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03That's Aphodius fossor, one of the larger dung beetles.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05A good meal for a bat.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07I must admit, I'm quite surprised a bat would eat
0:10:07 > 0:10:09a beetle of this size.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Not just bats - hedgehogs, owls, everything loves dung beetles.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15So, how does a bat get to one of these?
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Well, it doesn't do what we're doing.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20These dung beetles will be flying to other piles of dung at night
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and the bats will be flying past and, you know, seeking their
0:10:23 > 0:10:27food, their prey and will find them and pick them off and eat them.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Everything loves to eat them.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Exactly, who wouldn't want to eat a dung beetle?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33'Well, I wouldn't, for a start.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37'It's fascinating to see what they might eat but to see the bats
0:10:37 > 0:10:40'themselves, we'll need to wait until after dark.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46'We're taking to the water for a nocturnal safari and I'm
0:10:46 > 0:10:49'keeping my fingers crossed for a close encounter
0:10:49 > 0:10:51'of the furred kind.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55'Iain has the technology to help us.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59'He's brought along detectors which convert the bats' echolocation
0:10:59 > 0:11:03'calls, which we humans can't normally hear, into low-frequency
0:11:03 > 0:11:07'sounds which we can, allowing us to tune in to their world.'
0:11:09 > 0:11:11- What will we hear? - The pipistrelle bat,
0:11:11 > 0:11:13which is the commonest bat we have in Britain,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15has a wet slap sound.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- It's not the most romantic of sounds.- No.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20- BAT CALL - There we have one.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22That was a pipistrelle, quite loud.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Whereas the Daubenton's, which we'll hopefully see later,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29they have a more rapid, quiet and a drier sound.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30BAT CALL
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Oh, yes. I saw it then, there.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Yeah, yeah.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43There's Daubenton's and pips.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44- So we've got both here?- Yeah.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49So close to us!
0:11:52 > 0:11:55'I can't believe our luck at spotting bats already
0:11:55 > 0:11:58'but there are even more in store.'
0:12:01 > 0:12:03There's about ten of them, aren't there?
0:12:03 > 0:12:04That is phenomenal.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Wow! Look at that!
0:12:10 > 0:12:12I've never seen this number before.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- It's amazing.- Really? - It's pretty fantastic.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18The highlight of my year so far for bats.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20So, these are all Daubenton's bats?
0:12:20 > 0:12:21Also known as the water bat.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Quite a distinctive flight pattern,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25just a couple of inches above the water.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26They're just skimming.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29And they'll be catching insects either in their mouth,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32or they catch them in their feet and in their tail membrane.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34As they go up and down, they're sort of following
0:12:34 > 0:12:36the flight of the insects, are they?
0:12:36 > 0:12:37They've focused in on an insect,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40they've followed it and try and catch it.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42- You can see all the insects around for them.- Yeah.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45That's why there's so many bats under here.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58How many insects, then, might one individual bat take on
0:12:58 > 0:12:59a summer's night like tonight?
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Well, a pipistrelle could eat up to 3,000 midges a night.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06So, they are making a contribution to keeping the insect numbers down?
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Definitely, definitely.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Without them, there'd be far more little insects
0:13:10 > 0:13:12flying round now around our heads.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Somebody described it as they were like flying bowties
0:13:17 > 0:13:20which I think's really quite appropriate.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21They really do!
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Summer really is a frenetic time for bats, isn't it?
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Definitely, certainly for the females.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35They're having to feed up so they can feed their pups
0:13:35 > 0:13:38before they're ready to wean in a couple of weeks' time.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Oh, look at those pips.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45'Feeding here on the outskirts of the city, these bats have given
0:13:45 > 0:13:50'me the most atmospheric and unexpected of wildlife encounters.'
0:13:52 > 0:13:55I can't think of a better way to spend a midsummer's night.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57- Thank you, Iain.- A pleasure.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Now, for many people, cooling off during our hottest season
0:14:06 > 0:14:08means heading to the beach.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11But summer for one man
0:14:11 > 0:14:14means scaling some of Scotland's highest mountains.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18But what he's searching for is chilling.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30My name's Iain Cameron. In summer, I can be found trudging around
0:14:30 > 0:14:32the Highlands of Scotland
0:14:32 > 0:14:36looking for the last vestiges of winter snow.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46As you can see there, that bridge is really, really thin.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50That's because the melting process is happening from above and below.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I'm just going to have a little look.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00This is one of the classic shapes that we see over summer.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I was nine years old.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09I saw Ben Lomond, which is a big mountain beside Loch Lomond,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11and there was a big blob of snow on it.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13I thought, why is it still there?
0:15:13 > 0:15:15And, so, it really developed from there.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Now, we're at about 1,100 metres above sea level here,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24so it's quite a bit cooler.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Over winter, huge amounts of snow blow in.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Builds up really, really deep.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Quite a depth there, so that obviously takes
0:15:31 > 0:15:33a long time for it to melt.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44I thought I was fairly unique in liking this sort of thing and
0:15:44 > 0:15:49it wasn't until some years later that I read something that
0:15:49 > 0:15:52a well-known Scottish scientist, Adam Watson, had written.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54He's a man who's been studying patches of snow since...
0:15:54 > 0:15:57properly, since the 1940s.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00And the two of us started to correspond with each other.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02I started to contribute to his studies
0:16:02 > 0:16:04and the Royal Meteorological Society's
0:16:04 > 0:16:06weather publications as well.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09So, it really was the beginnings of a friendship
0:16:09 > 0:16:12based upon this love of snow.
0:16:17 > 0:16:22It really is, for me, a hobby which I love doing and, fortunately,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26it has a wider scientific worth as well.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32What we do when we see a patch like this,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34if it's at all possible, is to measure it.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37This provides good data set going forward.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Modern technology is a wonderful thing
0:16:39 > 0:16:41and we've got a laser tape measure.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46400 metres plus size of snow patch.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Depth wise, it would be difficult to say accurately
0:16:48 > 0:16:52but I'm looking at that thinking it's about seven, eight metres deep.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56In summer, in a whole weekend, we go out and we actually count
0:16:56 > 0:17:00every patch of snow across the Highlands and, for that,
0:17:00 > 0:17:05you need quite a lot of volunteers because in 2015 we had 670 patches
0:17:05 > 0:17:07of snow, you know, and one man can't do that.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10So, the 30-odd volunteers that went out last year did
0:17:10 > 0:17:13a great job, where we covered the whole of the Highlands.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20So, we hope that the work that we are doing now will be of some
0:17:20 > 0:17:23value to scientists in the future
0:17:23 > 0:17:27so that they can understand how much snow is about just now and
0:17:27 > 0:17:29how that fed into the wider climate.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37A lot of people would scarcely believe that if you were to
0:17:37 > 0:17:41drive a couple of hours up into the Highlands and get your boots on
0:17:41 > 0:17:44and walk up you'd find these massive banks of snow still
0:17:44 > 0:17:45left, you know, in high summer,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48when the sun is shining and people are in their shorts and T-shirt.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51For me, that's part of the fascination and the day that
0:17:51 > 0:17:54I stop enjoying it is probably the day I'll hang up my boots.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57But I don't foresee that happening any time soon.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10- JOHN CRAVEN:- The Waveney. 59 miles of meandering river.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13A watery border between Suffolk and Norfolk.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20In the summer, bulrushes sway in the breeze,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22reaching towards the inviting light.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Ever since Anglo-Saxon times,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30summer has been when the bulrushes have been harvested in Suffolk.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33But, for the past 50 years, here on the Waveney, the crop
0:18:33 > 0:18:36has remained untouched. Until now.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Anna Toulson owns and runs Waveney Rush,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46a local company that makes baskets and carpets out of bulrushes.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51She's determined to really bring the river's harvest back to life.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54- Hello, Anna. - Hello there, John.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57I've done lots of harvesting in my time but never like this before.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Not on the river? No?
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Why is it that it's been such a long time since these have been cut back?
0:19:03 > 0:19:05We always used to get our rushes from the local area but
0:19:05 > 0:19:09unfortunately in the 1960s the water quality just deteriorated due
0:19:09 > 0:19:15to farm run-offs and the quality of the rushes deteriorated as well.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17- So, where did you get them from then?- So then we had to look abroad.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Because we just have to get the best rush possible for our customers.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24'But, now, with the health of the river improving thanks to
0:19:24 > 0:19:26'better farming practices,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30'the company can reap the benefits of the river once again.'
0:19:30 > 0:19:34So, if you take the sickle, and you're aiming to get as close
0:19:34 > 0:19:37- to the river bed as possible. But not disturbing the roots.- Right.
0:19:37 > 0:19:38So, you make a clean cut.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44So, we'll just bring one of those rushes up to show you here.
0:19:44 > 0:19:45Oh, yeah.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48A nice, clean cut, and you see how pithy?
0:19:48 > 0:19:50It stores a lot of water in there. It's lovely and soft.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- It's like spongy.- So, perfect for weaving then?- Yes, lovely.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59'The natural flow of the river lends a hand with the hard work.'
0:20:04 > 0:20:09Will you take that? I'll take this. Right. Here we go.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13- And as far down as possible?- Yes. As close to the river bed as possible.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21- You don't wear waders, do you?- No.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- Why not?- I don't get cold at all.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26I find the temperature lovely, actually. Refreshing.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30- Especially if the sun's out. - My legs feel cold inside the waders.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35'Anna's plans to harvest came along at just the right time as
0:20:35 > 0:20:40'this stretch of river was causing concern for the Environment Agency.'
0:20:40 > 0:20:44It's a lovely, sustainable way of harvesting and it maintains
0:20:44 > 0:20:47the river in a sustainable way as well which is one of the key
0:20:47 > 0:20:49points for the Environment Agency.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52This particular stretch of river is quite narrow and it's very
0:20:52 > 0:20:57shallow in part so it's always been very difficult for them to manage.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59It was really choked with the rush and with weed,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and also you have a lot of debris coming downstream
0:21:02 > 0:21:05into a very narrow and shallow channel.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Anna, other people will be very grateful as well.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10- I mean, the kayakers use this river a lot, don't they?- Oh, yes.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13And a few completely got stuck. And it becomes a danger because,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17as you see, even from the central channel, the rushes are
0:21:17 > 0:21:19in the middle and, if you get caught up,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21it can cause the kayak to overturn.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26'With a morning's work completed,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'the rushes are taken downstream...
0:21:36 > 0:21:39'..before arriving at a converted malt house
0:21:39 > 0:21:41'on the edge of Oulton Broad.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47'Here, the warm conditions and the cooling breezes make summer
0:21:47 > 0:21:51'the perfect time of year for preparing the rushes for weaving.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55'They're left out to dry and turn every day.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00'The vivid green changing to reveal different tones of beige and honey.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11'Between them, the craftswomen here have more than 100 years of
0:22:11 > 0:22:12'weaving experience
0:22:12 > 0:22:16'and the technique hasn't changed in living memory.'
0:22:16 > 0:22:20- Well, Millie, this is like stepping back in time, isn't it?- Yes, it is.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23'Millie Baxter is the workshop manager and today she is
0:22:23 > 0:22:27'weaving with Dutch rushes until the local ones are ready.'
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Once the rushes are collected, what happens then?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Firstly, they're dried for storage. Then they....
0:22:33 > 0:22:38we re-wet them and put them through the mangle to get the excess
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- water out of them. - So they're softened up, basically...
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- Yes, they are.- ..before you start weaving with them?- They are, yes.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46And what are you doing here?
0:22:46 > 0:22:49This is nine-ply, which is used for the carpets.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51And why is it called nine-ply, then?
0:22:51 > 0:22:57You have nine ends and you're just braiding them into three inch strips
0:22:57 > 0:23:00and then three inch strips will be cut off at the end
0:23:00 > 0:23:04- and they'll be sewn up.- Sewn together to make a big carpet?- Yes.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05To make a big carpet, yes.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08'The carpets furnish some of the most noticeable properties in
0:23:08 > 0:23:13'the land, from Hampton Court Palace to even the Tower Of London.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:18- I've got my gloves on.- Right. Here we go then.- Yeah. Goodness me.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22- What a responsibility. So, how do I start?- You bring that one forward.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- Yeah, and over. - Push that one back.- Yeah.- Yes.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27And then the next one forward. That's correct, lovely.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30- And the next one back.- That one back? All back and forth,
0:23:30 > 0:23:34- isn't it, really?- And then you bring the other one through.- Which one?
0:23:34 > 0:23:37- Unless you've lost it!- Where is it?
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Oh, I'm getting in a heck of a mess here.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43'Thank goodness that my weaving can be undone.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47'To create an ocean of carpet like this can take four weeks of
0:23:47 > 0:23:49'skill and dedication.'
0:23:55 > 0:23:58It really has been great taking part in this harvest of bulrushes
0:23:58 > 0:24:00on the River Waveney.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03It hasn't happened on this scale for more than 50 summers.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06It marks the start of a new beginning for this
0:24:06 > 0:24:09sustainable crop which almost disappeared.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13And, hopefully, it'll be soon back at the heart of Suffolk tradition.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27Summer is the time to get out of town into the countryside,
0:24:27 > 0:24:32far from the madding crowds, to explore a landscape less-travelled.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39And one of the best ways to reconnect with the world is
0:24:39 > 0:24:42a good, old-fashioned camping trip. So, I've got my gear.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47I've got my rucksack, my sleeping bag, my cooking kit. I'm good to go.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53My guide is wild camping enthusiast and author Laurence McJannet
0:24:53 > 0:24:56who's promising me a memorable journey off the beaten track.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- Laurence.- Hi, Sean.- Nice to meet you.- Good to meet you.- All right.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03- Got your toothbrush in there? - I've got just about everything
0:25:03 > 0:25:05in this rucksack, although I notice you've got bikes.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07I'm going to struggle with this on those, aren't I?
0:25:07 > 0:25:11You're not going to need any of that. We can ditch that.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14'Looks like I'm going to be travelling light.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18'Laurence is taking me bikepacking.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20'It's a new, niche, off-road speciality
0:25:20 > 0:25:23'that takes you further into the wilderness,
0:25:23 > 0:25:25'savouring your journey from the saddle.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27'And bedding down when you get there.'
0:25:27 > 0:25:30- Oh, and the shades. Oh. - It's a good day for it.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32I've forgotten my shades.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36'Minimalist, featherweight equipment turns mountain bikes into tourers.'
0:25:38 > 0:25:40- Right, let's hit the hills. - Yeah, good.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48So, Laurence, where are we going today?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51I thought I'd take you out on an exploration of the Gower, basically.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53It's one of my favourite rides.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56It's a really interesting mix of trails.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Some glorious places to camp as well.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01'Laurence is the perfect guide
0:26:01 > 0:26:04'to take me on my first bikepacking trip.
0:26:04 > 0:26:09'He's peddled 2,000 miles across the UK in search of off-road routes
0:26:09 > 0:26:14'and wild camping spots all for the best bikepacking adventures.'
0:26:14 > 0:26:17- This is quite easy, really, isn't it?- This bit's easy.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18I thought I'd ease you in gently.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Some of the hills we've got later on are a little...
0:26:21 > 0:26:23testing, to say the least.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27'Just west of Swansea is the rugged Bishopston Valley.
0:26:29 > 0:26:35'A challenging maze of stony tracks, tumbling streams and muddy trails.'
0:26:38 > 0:26:40Come down into the valley here.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42We've just got a bit of a steep climb ahead.
0:26:42 > 0:26:43We're just on track on the bridle path.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46How important is it to plan your route?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It's good to get an idea of the kind of terrain that you face.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51There's all kind of trails, as long as they're not footpaths,
0:26:51 > 0:26:52that you can use.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57- You think we're up this way?- We are up this way. Bit of a climb awaits.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58I like a climb.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06'Bikepacking is as much about stopping as going.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10'Taking time out to take in the spectacular land and
0:27:10 > 0:27:12'seascapes of South Gower.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17'It's somewhere very close to my heart as my wife grew up
0:27:17 > 0:27:19'in the shadow of the peninsula.'
0:27:29 > 0:27:34- Well, Laurence, this is absolutely spectacular, isn't it?- It is.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38Every time I come here I'm just in awe of the beauty of this coastline.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Most bike riders could get out here under their own steam but
0:27:41 > 0:27:44just to be able to get here completely unfettered by
0:27:44 > 0:27:47timetables and really immerse yourself in the landscape.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49I mean, this is exactly why I do it.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52The whole thing becomes much more of a relaxed kind of journey, really.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54More than a bike ride.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Now, Laurence, you don't know this but there's a special place
0:28:03 > 0:28:04for me just around that cliff.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08It was one of my first dates with my wife. We had a little barbecue.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- Glass of wine.- Nostalgic place to come back to.- Special moment.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13I think we better go before I get too emotional.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21'The next part of our journey is a climb onto the Gower's backbone -
0:28:21 > 0:28:23'Cefn Bryn.'
0:28:28 > 0:28:29It's amazing here, isn't it?
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Cos you can see both sides of the Gower coast.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34- The north and then the south.- Yeah.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Not just here but for pretty much all of its five mile length
0:28:37 > 0:28:39you can see both coasts.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41It's got to be one of the highlights of the Gower ride for me.
0:28:46 > 0:28:51'As the summer sun sets, at the end of a long day's cycling,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53'it's time to settle for the night.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56'And what a spot for my first wild camping adventure.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01'At the western tip of the Gower is Rhossili Bay.
0:29:01 > 0:29:06'Three miles of sand dunes opening onto a gem of an unspoiled beach.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14'The bikes may have got us here but they're not finished with just yet.'
0:29:14 > 0:29:19- So the bikes become the main framework of our little...- Yeah.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Basically, they become the kind of frame of the tent.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24We use the bars to pitch the tarpaulin across.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29'Wild camping is legal in Scotland and on Dartmoor but
0:29:29 > 0:29:32'everywhere else you have two seek the landowner's permission
0:29:32 > 0:29:36'and clear away all traces of your stay before leaving.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41'Now, it may look basic, but this will be my home for the night.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46'And wild camping means no facilities. So, tonight,
0:29:46 > 0:29:48'the sea is our washroom.'
0:29:53 > 0:29:56THEY YELL
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Sean, I know I said bikepacking's all about travelling light
0:30:00 > 0:30:02but there's one particular piece of equipment
0:30:02 > 0:30:04that I won't leave home without.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07- And I think tonight you've earned it.- I like the look of that.- Cheers.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09Thank you. Cheers.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15- That's warmed me up. - You needed it.- Finally.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Being here tonight with the sound of the waves and the warmth of
0:30:21 > 0:30:26the fire and there's not a soul about has made it really special.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30And that sense of achievement after cycling all day has made it magical.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32I'd recommend it to anyone.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Our countryside reflects the beauty of summer.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46But, for some, the season also brings with it
0:30:46 > 0:30:47its own set of challenges.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52And that's true for those who farm the dramatic landscape of
0:30:52 > 0:30:54Lough Erne in Northern Ireland,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58where moving cattle from A to B can be, shall we say,
0:30:58 > 0:31:00not as straightforward as it seems,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02as Adam's finding out.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12The picturesque Lough Erne.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16It's one of the largest freshwater lakes in the UK.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20The vast expanse of water flows for 50 miles right through
0:31:20 > 0:31:23the heart of County Fermanagh.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26It's made up of more than 150 islands.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29And, during the summer, when the grass is flourishing,
0:31:29 > 0:31:33livestock make the most of the island's pastures.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36I've been told to expect the unexpected
0:31:36 > 0:31:37and I'm very excited about it.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Because this is far from your classic farming landscape.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43You won't find many tractors out here.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50'Stockman Andrew Gallagher has an unusual daily commute,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53'travelling around the lough by boat.'
0:31:53 > 0:31:55Hi, Andrew. Can I climb in?
0:31:56 > 0:31:59'Andrew works for the RSPB managing livestock for
0:31:59 > 0:32:03'conservation grazing. Their aim is to promote birdlife.'
0:32:05 > 0:32:09- This has got to be a pretty unusual job in farming.- Yes. Pretty unique.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11There's not many farmers go to work on a boat, I'm sure.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14That's the beauty of it. You're out here every day on the lough.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17- How many cattle?- There's about 140 cattle give or take on the islands.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20- In the summer it must be beautiful, mustn't it?- It's definitely now.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23You couldn't beat today. You could spend all day on the lough,
0:32:23 > 0:32:24even with no cattle to see.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26- And you're moving some cattle today? - Yeah.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28We're bringing across five cows and two calves.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31- I'm looking forward to seeing that. - Yes. It will be good.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36'Livestock has been transported around the lough
0:32:36 > 0:32:37'for at least 1,000 years.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41'Fred Tiernan was the last person to be born
0:32:41 > 0:32:44'on one of Lough Erne's islands.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47'He has some interesting family footage from the 1950s of how
0:32:47 > 0:32:50'they used to swim the cattle between the islands.'
0:32:50 > 0:32:53The end of the rope was passed to a man in the boat.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55And then the boat was rowed out a bit from the shore
0:32:55 > 0:32:58and, as you can see, the cow doesn't really want to go swimming
0:32:58 > 0:33:01at all but eventually the cow is pulled up close to
0:33:01 > 0:33:02the back of the boat, where it will be held,
0:33:02 > 0:33:05and swims quite contentedly along behind the boat.
0:33:05 > 0:33:06Who's in the boat here?
0:33:06 > 0:33:09This is my father rowing the boat and that's myself as a little boy.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- Incredible. It must have been exciting.- It was indeed.
0:33:12 > 0:33:13It was good fun when you were small.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16And the cows could swim all right then? I've never seen a cow swim.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19They could swim. And, in fact, they can swim without being on a rope
0:33:19 > 0:33:22providing they know where they're going. They can get across.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25But it's much safer to have them on a rope and to ensure that
0:33:25 > 0:33:28they don't swim off in the wrong direction and then you've got
0:33:28 > 0:33:29to round them up again.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33'The cattle were traditionally transported on
0:33:33 > 0:33:36'a special boat called a cot.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38'Today, livestock are still being moved on
0:33:38 > 0:33:40'a boat based on this ancient design.'
0:33:45 > 0:33:48- Well, they're nice and quiet, aren't they?- Yes. Yeah, yeah.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51They'll stand now quiet admiring the scenery.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- The same as us until they get across.- Lovely.
0:33:53 > 0:33:54Right, let's go, skipper.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56ENGINE TURNS AND COMES ON
0:33:58 > 0:34:01'Ah. We seem to be stuck.'
0:34:01 > 0:34:04We're grounded.
0:34:04 > 0:34:05Do you want me to jump off and push?
0:34:05 > 0:34:07FARMER SHOUTS TO COWS
0:34:07 > 0:34:09So, just by moving the weight of the cattle,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11- it's getting it off the bottom? - That's all it'll take.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14There we go. We're away now.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25How far are we going to take these?
0:34:25 > 0:34:28We're just taking these across the lough over to that pen over there.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30They're beautiful islands, aren't they? How many are there?
0:34:30 > 0:34:32There's over 150 all together.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Incredible to think that people lived on them all, isn't it?
0:34:34 > 0:34:37- Yeah, it's mad.- Doing this job in the old wooden boats.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Yeah, and towing them across, and all sorts.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- Do you swim them occasionally? - No! Never. No.
0:34:42 > 0:34:43We've never went down that route.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54'In the summer sunshine, Lough Erne is looking at its best.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57'Even the cattle seem to be enjoying the view.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05'It's almost 30 degrees so it's a good job we're surrounded by water.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09'The cows know exactly how to cool down.'
0:35:09 > 0:35:12You must have seen some sights or have some interesting stories.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Oh, yeah. Last week we had the Highland bull on one island
0:35:15 > 0:35:18and we had heifers on another island, about half a mile across.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21And I came back onto the island with the heifers and there
0:35:21 > 0:35:23he was standing looking at me. The big bull.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26He had swum, I'd say, half a mile across the lough himself.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28- And onto the island. - To get in with the heifers?
0:35:28 > 0:35:30- To get in with the heifers, yeah. - That's a long swim, isn't it?
0:35:30 > 0:35:32So, he can just smell them on the wind?
0:35:32 > 0:35:34He smelt them on the wind and away he went.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45What happens if the boat sinks, then, Andrew?
0:35:45 > 0:35:48If the boat sinks, I'm taking that cow's tail and you
0:35:48 > 0:35:49choose whichever one you want.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51Just grab a tail and they'll take you ashore?
0:35:51 > 0:35:54I don't know where you'll land but you'll land on dry ground somewhere.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55That's all that matters.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02'It's not long before land is in sight.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08'With the promise of summer pastures and fresh grass ahead,
0:36:08 > 0:36:10'the cattle don't hang around.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13'It's a quick leap of faith into the water...'
0:36:17 > 0:36:18Hey!
0:36:20 > 0:36:22'..and finally the cattle are awarded
0:36:22 > 0:36:25'with as much grass as they can eat.'
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Well, they're certainly enjoying that, Andrew.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29Yeah, there's tons here for them. Plenty of good grass.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32They'll be here now till October so they'll be in good shape by
0:36:32 > 0:36:34- the time that comes round. - It's beautiful, isn't it?
0:36:38 > 0:36:41'The cattle love all this fresh grass
0:36:41 > 0:36:44'but their grazing also benefits other species on the islands.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50'I'm meeting with conservationist Amy Burns from the RSPB.'
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Well, there's certainly plenty of grass here, Amy, isn't there?
0:36:53 > 0:36:55There is, yeah, plenty.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Which is part of the reason we put the cattle out onto the islands.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00There's no other way we could manage this apart from,
0:37:00 > 0:37:04- from grazing. So...- And you want it for the birds grazed down?- Yes.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07The curlew, which would have been widespread across the UK and
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Ireland, they've suffered really significant declines but
0:37:10 > 0:37:13we're trying to help bring them back from the brink here in Fermanagh.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16But also birds like lapwing and snipe that are associated
0:37:16 > 0:37:17with farmland.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20And what we're trying to achieve with the grassland is to get
0:37:20 > 0:37:23it into suitable nesting conditions for the birds so we want
0:37:23 > 0:37:25a variation of height in the swords.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27So, species like curlew will prefer a taller sword, maybe
0:37:27 > 0:37:31about 30 centimetres. Lapwing like it very short, about five.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34- And is it working?- It is. It's working really well.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36I mean, we've had some fantastic success and our numbers keep
0:37:36 > 0:37:39going up year-on-year because of the management that we do on
0:37:39 > 0:37:42- these islands.- So this is a safe haven, really.- It is.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44It's probably one of the best spots in the whole of
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Northern Ireland, I think, you know for breeding waders.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49'There's no time to hang around.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52'At the other side of the lough, some sheep are patiently waiting
0:37:52 > 0:37:56'their turn, but this might not be plain sailing as sheep really
0:37:56 > 0:37:58'aren't keen on water.'
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- How many have you got in here? - There's about 12 ewes in here.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- OK. Shall I stand this side? - You stand that side there, yeah.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08'Farmer Mark Thompson has made this crossing with his flock
0:38:08 > 0:38:11'many times so we're in safe hands.'
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- Not great swimmers. - No, they hate water.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19And if you try to swim sheep they're likely to drown, aren't they?
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Particularly when they've got a full fleece on.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Full fleece on, just sucks in the water straightaway and that,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26you know, cows are different. Cows, the bellies, can float.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29Whereas a sheep will not do it. They don't like it.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38'Warm summer sun and woolly coats are not a good combination.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42'So we need to get them into the shade as soon as possible.'
0:38:42 > 0:38:43Well, they seem pretty keen.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Yeah, they're mad to get to the grass now.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47And a wee bit of shelter now.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Well, it's a wonderful summer holiday for your sheep and cattle...
0:38:55 > 0:38:58- Oh, yeah.- ..on this beautiful island. And a perfect habitat
0:38:58 > 0:39:01- for the birds. Couldn't be better. - Oh, yes. Both complements well.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Both works together well, so it does.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Like I say, you have to work with the conservation end as well, so...
0:39:08 > 0:39:11'Summer means something different to every farmer.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14'Here on Lough Erne, it's been fantastic to see how both
0:39:14 > 0:39:19'farming and nature are benefiting from working together in harmony.'
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Managed and owned by the National Trust, the Farne Islands off
0:39:31 > 0:39:34the Northumberland coast are a haven for wildlife.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41This summer, GP and underwater cameraman Ben Burville
0:39:41 > 0:39:43is taking a bird's eye view of the islands.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Albeit from beneath the waves.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57I grew up being around the sea. I've always had an interest in wildlife.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00You know, not near the sea for too long, people laugh and say
0:40:00 > 0:40:02"Your gills are drying out."
0:40:07 > 0:40:09In the last 16 years, you know,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12this is an area that I've come to really love.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15The wildlife around this island is magical.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19At this time of the year, in the summer,
0:40:19 > 0:40:20it's a spectacular place to be.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24You've got everything coming alive with the summer warmth.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27You've got 40,000 pairs of puffins here mating
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and 37,000 guillemot pairs.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32You've got the chicks here.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36You've got sand eels being flown in by their parents.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40And this really is the pinnacle because, come the start of August,
0:40:40 > 0:40:42all these birds are going to start
0:40:42 > 0:40:45to disappear and they're going to go out to sea.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50But, really, for them, their natural environment to fly around is
0:40:50 > 0:40:52not in the air but actually underwater.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55These birds that are really specialised divers.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00Over the years,
0:41:00 > 0:41:04I've become rather addicted to filming wildlife underwater.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06To me, it's a magical world beneath the waves.
0:41:17 > 0:41:22I first really had an interest in these diving birds when I was
0:41:22 > 0:41:23diving a wreck not far from here,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and I was on this wreck, at about 20 metres down...
0:41:28 > 0:41:32..when I glanced to my right and saw something fly by.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38And it was only when I focused that I saw that it was actually a bird.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43A bird flying by me underwater.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49A puffin can dive down to 60 metres underwater
0:41:49 > 0:41:52and hold its breath for... for nearly two minutes.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03A guillemot really is the supreme diver that we find
0:42:03 > 0:42:05around the British shores.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09They can dive down to 180 metres
0:42:09 > 0:42:11and they can hold their breath for three minutes.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17They move at... at a ridiculous rate,
0:42:17 > 0:42:23and they can turn literally 180 degrees with one wing beat,
0:42:23 > 0:42:25and they use their feet as rudders.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30These birds are incredibly well-adapted to function in
0:42:30 > 0:42:32an underwater environment.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38In a year, I spent probably hundreds of hours underwater.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42It's hard to put into words what it's like to be with wildlife
0:42:42 > 0:42:44in their domain.
0:42:47 > 0:42:53The pressures disappear and a sort of inner calm takes over.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59Time totally stands still.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Just for that moment, you're totally at one with nature...
0:43:08 > 0:43:10..and that's a calming privilege.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23BEE BUZZES
0:43:25 > 0:43:27Summertime blues,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30golden hues,
0:43:30 > 0:43:35from vivid scarlet, to purest yellow -
0:43:35 > 0:43:40summer wildflowers bring the season alive with colour and form.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43But the beauty of the blooms is only fleeting.
0:43:45 > 0:43:51Artists have been inspired to capture the allure of wildflowers
0:43:51 > 0:43:55for centuries, but I'm joining somebody who captures the delicacy
0:43:55 > 0:43:59of summer plants in the most concrete of ways.
0:44:03 > 0:44:07'Rachel Dean creates plaster panels with such fine detail that
0:44:07 > 0:44:13'the living plants she records seem suspended in time.'
0:44:13 > 0:44:16Oh, doesn't that cornfield look good?
0:44:16 > 0:44:18'We've come to the tranquil surroundings of
0:44:18 > 0:44:23'College Lake nature reserve in Buckinghamshire, where volunteers
0:44:23 > 0:44:27'have been specially cultivating rare wildflowers and arable weeds
0:44:27 > 0:44:30'for their heritage cornfield.'
0:44:30 > 0:44:33What is it about these wonderful summer wildflowers
0:44:33 > 0:44:34that inspires you?
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Summer is like the crescendo.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38In the spring, they start off very little,
0:44:38 > 0:44:40and the pieces can't be so big,
0:44:40 > 0:44:44but, when it gets to summer, I can make larger pieces.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48'Drawing inspiration from the bouquet of wildflowers found
0:44:48 > 0:44:52'all around us in the specially-sown cornfields here,
0:44:52 > 0:44:56'Rachel is going to preserve these precious plants in a new work.'
0:44:56 > 0:44:59- Is that too big?- No, that's good. - Something like that?- That's good.
0:44:59 > 0:45:01- And keep the stems longer?- Yeah.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03Top of that leaf, yeah. Perfect.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07And you might find another leaf at the bottom, a bigger leaf.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09This one's my favourite.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11How beautiful is that?
0:45:11 > 0:45:13- That's very pretty.- Could that be my centrepiece, do you think?
0:45:13 > 0:45:15Yeah. Yep.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17- Oh, they're sweet.- Yeah.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20'Wildflowers should only be gathered at sites
0:45:20 > 0:45:21'where they're abundant,
0:45:21 > 0:45:25'and threatened species should be left untouched.'
0:45:25 > 0:45:29Some of the summer flowers grown here by the volunteers are
0:45:29 > 0:45:33so rare, like this field cow-wheat, that we can't pick them,
0:45:33 > 0:45:35stunning though they are.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39'This is one of several critically endangered species found at
0:45:39 > 0:45:41'just a handful of sites in the UK.
0:45:43 > 0:45:48'Frequently poisonous, arable weeds can contaminate harvest grains,
0:45:48 > 0:45:52'creating tainted flour and sour bread.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56'Field cow-wheat can even turn bread blue.'
0:45:57 > 0:46:00- I've got my posy of flowers. - Very lovely.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02Right, I will follow your lead, yes?
0:46:04 > 0:46:06- So, grab your rolling pin.- Yeah.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09And, basically, I'm just going to start bashing it out
0:46:09 > 0:46:10to roll it out flat.
0:46:10 > 0:46:11So...
0:46:11 > 0:46:15Yeah, it's quite satisfying.
0:46:15 > 0:46:20'Having rolled our clay flat, it's time to arrange our harvest.'
0:46:20 > 0:46:23So, just gentle pressing, pinning it into position.
0:46:24 > 0:46:25A little over, do you think?
0:46:25 > 0:46:27Yeah.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29Yeah, I think make it full.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35'First, our compositions need to be pressed into the clay,
0:46:35 > 0:46:40'before carefully removing them to reveal a perfect impression.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44'For the next part of the process,
0:46:44 > 0:46:49'we need one vital ingredient that's in great abundance here.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53'We'll need plenty of water to mix the plaster of Paris.'
0:46:56 > 0:46:58And how full?
0:46:58 > 0:47:00- To the top.- Yeah.- Pretty good.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03- And then that'll set in about 45 minutes?- That's right.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06- Time for a stroll, then? - Oh, yes, that would be lovely.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13'Home to a rich variety of habitats and birdlife,
0:47:13 > 0:47:17'College Lake is the perfect place to take a summer walk.'
0:47:19 > 0:47:22Oh, look at the sun hitting the water.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32'And now for the moment of truth.'
0:47:32 > 0:47:35- So you think they might be set? - Yeah, yeah, let's see.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37They should be, by now.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41- Yeah?- Yeah, all done.- Good.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44Peel it away.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Oh...
0:47:46 > 0:47:48- Yeah.- Lovely!
0:47:48 > 0:47:50So, in every detail...
0:47:50 > 0:47:54- And the poppy is almost ghostly, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56- Oh, can I have a look at mine? - Yeah, your turn.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Duh-duh-duh-duh.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06- That is not too bad, is it? - That's lovely.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09I just love that you can see all these intricate details.
0:48:09 > 0:48:10The true thing is the cast,
0:48:10 > 0:48:16that's just uninterfered with - as accurate as the plant can be.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18It's like a photograph.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21I'm pretty astonished that the plaster has managed to capture
0:48:21 > 0:48:24- a sense of summer, hasn't it?- Yeah. - From these gorgeous plants.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27I'm going to treasure this,
0:48:27 > 0:48:28especially in the winter.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38Well, we have been blessed with some glorious summer sunshine today,
0:48:38 > 0:48:41but it's time to find out what's in store in the week ahead.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44Here's the Countryfile five-day weather forecast.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12'This week we're celebrating the great British summer...'
0:50:12 > 0:50:14- Let's go!- Yee-ha! - CHEERING
0:50:14 > 0:50:16'..and I've been on the road with
0:50:16 > 0:50:18'the Welsh queens of American barbecue,
0:50:18 > 0:50:21'Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn,
0:50:21 > 0:50:24'collecting supplies from a local veal farmer
0:50:24 > 0:50:27'for a "backwoods barbie", to quote Dolly Parton.'
0:50:31 > 0:50:34Oh, well, look at this for a lovely barbecue scene.
0:50:34 > 0:50:36Shauna and Sam, they've obviously got everything set up.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38We're expecting some very hungry guests for
0:50:38 > 0:50:40a summer party on the sand very shortly.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43Let's just hope the sun decides to show up.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46Anyway, let's get this food on the go.
0:50:46 > 0:50:47I've got the veal.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50CHEERING Hey, hey, hey!
0:50:50 > 0:50:53'Award-winning barbecue chefs Sam and Shauna are cooking the local
0:50:53 > 0:50:57'veal steaks and kebabs over hot coals.'
0:50:57 > 0:50:58All righty, Matt.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00This is our grill, Big Momma.
0:51:00 > 0:51:01- Big Momma?- Big Momma, yeah.
0:51:01 > 0:51:03Was Big Momma an oil drum before?
0:51:03 > 0:51:05- She was an oil drum. We made her ourselves.- Did you?
0:51:05 > 0:51:08And you can see the temperature gauge is beautifully soaring, there,
0:51:08 > 0:51:11- so it's now hot enough for us to grill on.- Oh, it is. 450.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13- Yeah.- Right.- It'll cool down when we open it,
0:51:13 > 0:51:14so careful you don't burn yourself.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16There we go. Yeah.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19So, what we're going to start doing is pop these...
0:51:19 > 0:51:21I've already oiled these.
0:51:21 > 0:51:22Oh, that smell.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25- It's good, isn't it? - Oh, it's delicious.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27This is what the Americans would call "grilling."
0:51:27 > 0:51:30This is more a typical British barbecue.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34This involves direct heat, so you can see you've got the heat from
0:51:34 > 0:51:37the charcoal and that's really penetrating the meat.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39I don't know how many barbecues you've ever been to.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41Quite often, you go round your friend's house and they
0:51:41 > 0:51:44light the biggest fire that they can possibly light,
0:51:44 > 0:51:47and then we wonder why we get that delicate balance of
0:51:47 > 0:51:49burnt on the outside and raw in the middle.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51How do you avoid that? What's the secret?
0:51:51 > 0:51:55Well, the secret is having different parts to your grill.
0:51:55 > 0:51:57Always bank your coals to the left or the right,
0:51:57 > 0:52:00leaving a little cool part where you can...
0:52:00 > 0:52:03- you can run to if things start to get a little bit hairy.- Yeah.
0:52:05 > 0:52:09'If you thought Big Momma was impressive, then meet BB King,
0:52:09 > 0:52:12'the American barbecue smoker Sam and Shauna made from
0:52:12 > 0:52:14'an old compressed-air tank.'
0:52:14 > 0:52:17Here's the difference between British barbecue
0:52:17 > 0:52:18and American barbecue.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20This is a completely different kettle of fish -
0:52:20 > 0:52:21this is a smoker.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24Now, what we're doing here is we're creating indirect heat.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27So, what you've got is our fire here,
0:52:27 > 0:52:29so we're not going to be creating any sizzling grill,
0:52:29 > 0:52:32because this is turning into the smoking chamber.
0:52:32 > 0:52:34But the really clever thing about this -
0:52:34 > 0:52:38the smoke and the temperature of the smoke gets firstly pulled
0:52:38 > 0:52:41along the bottom, and then up and over,
0:52:41 > 0:52:43and then out on this side.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46- What you get is the double pass over the meat.- Mm-hmm.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48This is our reverse flow smoker.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52'And in BB King's belly, being smoked to tender perfection,
0:52:52 > 0:52:56'is our beautiful Glamorgan veal brisket.'
0:52:56 > 0:52:58And we have an old saying in American barbecue,
0:52:58 > 0:53:00"If you're looking, you ain't cooking."
0:53:00 > 0:53:03So, once we get the fire going and we maintain the temperature
0:53:03 > 0:53:05in our chamber, we can't be looking too much,
0:53:05 > 0:53:08cos every time we open that, the temperature's going to drop,
0:53:08 > 0:53:11and it's going to take us a little while to get us back up to temp.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13It's nice cos it brings around a whole different style of eating.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16- Yeah.- Instead of sitting there, flashing it on the grill
0:53:16 > 0:53:18and then, you know, wolfing it down, you actually invest.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22- You see, it doesn't actually matter if it's cloudy or whatever.- Exactly.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24You just go outside, light the reverse flow and off you go.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26Very good.
0:53:27 > 0:53:31'Shauna and Sam's barbecue may be all about the meat,
0:53:31 > 0:53:34'but they do some mouthwatering sides, too, to serve with it.'
0:53:35 > 0:53:38We're going to make some delicious chimichurri,
0:53:38 > 0:53:39- which is like an...- Chimichurri.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42Yeah, it's this really great, sort of, Argentinian pesto.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47'It's so easy. Just chop coriander and parsley,
0:53:47 > 0:53:49'grate garlic,
0:53:49 > 0:53:51'glugs of oil and vinegar...'
0:53:51 > 0:53:53A little seasoning,
0:53:53 > 0:53:56so a really good pinch of salt to really bring out those flavours.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58- And that's great, you know, by the sea.- Yeah, perfect.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01- And we have a seagull. - There's a seagull eyeing us up.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03Don't get any ideas.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06And what we're going to finally add is a little smoked paprika
0:54:06 > 0:54:08and a little chilli flakes.
0:54:08 > 0:54:09- Look at that.- There we go.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11- OK, good.- Right.
0:54:11 > 0:54:12- Let me...- Have a sniff of that.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15I'm might have a taste of it as well.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18- Yeah.- Happy?- Oh, tasty. - Perfect.- Mm-hmm.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20So, should taste a little garlic,
0:54:20 > 0:54:23- a little of that red wine vinegar... - Oh, yeah.- It's delicious.
0:54:23 > 0:54:24Oh, yeah, that's great.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29- All right, come on over! - Come on, guys!- Here's the troops.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31- Come on in. - Here's the party animals.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33- Oh.- I hope you're hungry!
0:54:33 > 0:54:35'It's showtime.
0:54:35 > 0:54:37'Sam and Shauna have invited friends and family to
0:54:37 > 0:54:39'come and enjoy the feast.'
0:54:39 > 0:54:40Oh.
0:54:40 > 0:54:41Really lovely.
0:54:41 > 0:54:42There you are, sir.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44Yeah, one of each. Oh, you got the big bit.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46Oh, trust you.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50'So, the kebabs and veal steaks went down well...'
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Sam, you're going to have to put some more on.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56'..but it's time to serve the jewel in the US barbecuing crown -
0:54:56 > 0:54:59'brisket, smoked in greaseproof paper for eight hours
0:54:59 > 0:55:01'and beautifully tender.'
0:55:02 > 0:55:05That's heaven on earth. That is literally heaven.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08'It's only right that farmer Hopkin Evans also gets a taste
0:55:08 > 0:55:11'of the brisket that he so lovingly reared.'
0:55:11 > 0:55:12That's good.
0:55:12 > 0:55:13- Happy with that?- Yeah.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17'And it goes down well with his son Jack, too.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20'A perfect end to a slightly cloudy summer barbecue.'
0:55:20 > 0:55:22LAUGHTER
0:55:22 > 0:55:24Now, while we're on the subject of barbecuing,
0:55:24 > 0:55:27if you would like to know how to make your own charcoal,
0:55:27 > 0:55:29then you can find out on Countryfile Summer Diaries,
0:55:29 > 0:55:30where the team will be finding out
0:55:30 > 0:55:32all about the stories of the seasons.
0:55:32 > 0:55:35All this week, we're bringing you the top countryside stories
0:55:35 > 0:55:38that define our British summer.
0:55:39 > 0:55:40Whoa.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43Oh, my goodness me. What's that?
0:55:44 > 0:55:47'Join us as we investigate the state of our beaches...'
0:55:48 > 0:55:49This, of course,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52is just a tiny selection of what's still out there.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54'..an unexpected countryside menace...'
0:55:54 > 0:55:58This is one of the most dangerous plants in Britain.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01'..and provide top tips to help you make the most of the season.'
0:56:01 > 0:56:06These British blooms are a sure sign summer is here.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09'Tune in every morning to Countryfile Summer Diaries
0:56:09 > 0:56:11'at 9:15am on BBC One.'
0:56:13 > 0:56:14But, from all of us here,
0:56:14 > 0:56:17let's lick our fingers and wave goodbye.
0:56:17 > 0:56:19- See you later. Bye-bye. - Yee-ha!
0:56:19 > 0:56:22- Oh, let's have a "Yee-ha." ALL:- Yee-ha!- Woohoo!