Summer Special Countryfile


Summer Special

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MATT BAKER: The long, hot, hazy days.

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The cloudless skies.

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The soft breeze.

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Summer has arrived.

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And the landscape is in full bloom.

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It's the perfect time to get out and enjoy our countryside.

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So, in true British style, in today's special programme,

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we're heading down to the beach.

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We're hoping for sun and we are going to celebrate

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our great British summer.

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And summer wouldn't be summer without a barbecue by the sea.

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I hope you're hungry.

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ALL: Yay!

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Sam, you're going to have to put some more on.

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Naomi's enjoying the long evenings with

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a gentle punt along the River Cam,

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on a bat safari.

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It's so close to us.

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-I've never seen this number before.

-Really?

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It's pretty fantastic.

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John's in Suffolk, bringing in the bulrush harvest.

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I've done lots of harvesting in my time but never like this before.

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JOHN CHUCKLES

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And Adam's in Northern Ireland where the summer months for some

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farmers means taking to the water.

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What happens if the boat sinks then, Andrew?

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If boat sinks, I'm taking that cow's tail and you choose whichever one you want.

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Just grab a tail and it'll take you ashore?

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I don't know where you'll land, but you'll land on dry ground somewhere.

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That's all that matters.

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Summertime...

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Britain at its very best.

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A time for friends to come together,

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head outdoors and fire up the barbecue.

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A heatwave goes hand-in-hand with a "meat-wave."

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But there's no back garden cook-up for me.

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Oh, no.

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I am waiting for the first ladies of barbecue,

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South Wales's very own Thelma and Louise - Shauna and Sam.

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These are two ladies who have learned their barbecuing skills

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around the Deep South of the USA and I'm supposed to be

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meeting them here on this corner.

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Bravely binning their careers three years ago,

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executive Sam Evans and teacher Shauna Guinn headed off in

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pursuit of the American dream, and a quintessential US feast.

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Howdy, partner.

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-We're going to take you for some barbecues.

-Super.

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-Jump on in.

-Here we go, let's go.

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Woohoo!

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The girls are taking me to a beach barbecue for their friends

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but, first, we're off to source the very best of British produce.

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Restaurateurs Shauna and Sam may live in the leafy vale of Glamorgan

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but a trip to the Deep South saw them fall head over heels

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with barbecue...

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US style.

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Woo!

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Were you, like, obsessed with barbecue before you set off, then?

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-How did it all start?

-We were what's known as backyard barbecuers.

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We'd do a little barbecue in our backyard,

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have some friends round but we didn't really have a plan.

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We just knew what we liked and knew what we loved,

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and just set out for the States, and that was it.

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Did you have a barbecue teacher, then?

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I think a lot of what they call pitmasters,

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these are the guys that look after the barbecue pits throughout

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the day and throughout the night,

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a lot of them thought we were super quaint

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so not only were we female,

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so that's almost unheard of in barbecue,

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we had these British accents, you know,

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and we wanted to learn about barbecues.

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So, they just thought we were a trip, you know.

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-Were they quite open, then...

-Yeah, they were.

-..in passing on their techniques?

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-They were very nice.

-They would never have thought

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in a million years that two women from the UK

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would go to America and take their national

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traditional cuisine and bring it back.

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I've got to put it out there.

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I think part of the pull to the Deep South for me, personally,

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was my absolute love of country music.

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# ..get you with a fine tooth comb

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# I was soft inside

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# There was something going on...

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-ALL:

-Bow, bow...

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Come on, Matt, take it home.

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# Islands in the stream

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# That is what we are

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# No-one in-between

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# How can we be wrong... #

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'The ladies' meteoric rise from backyard barbecuers to winning

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'last year's BBC Food and Farming awards for street food

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'has benefited local meat producers, too.'

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-I can see some cows.

-Yeah.

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'Just in land at Llantwit Major,

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'is the ranch of fourth generation cowpoke, Hopkin Evans.'

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Hey, Hopkin, how are you doing?

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'Hopkin is one of a small but growing number of UK farmers

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'hand-rearing high welfare veal.'

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So, how old are they at this age?

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These ones in here are between six and nine months.

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So, this veal market, it's quite a new thing for you, is it?

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Yeah, we've been doing it about five years now.

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'Male calves used to be seen as worthless on Hopkin's farm

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'but these days he's managed to find a market for them.

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'While the heifers will go on to become milkers,

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'Hopkin is rearing his male calves for veal meat.'

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We take them to six months minimum.

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It depends how well they've grown and they get

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a bit longer if they need it.

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They live a happy life and they make a fantastic product

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at the end of it.

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It's an untapped resource and, if you're drinking milk,

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you should be eating veal.

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Because these calves have no real purpose other than veal.

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And when you were studying barbecue out in America, was veal on the menu

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there, or is this something that's developed since you've come back?

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We didn't see any veal at all in America.

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The big cut of beef that would be used for American barbecue

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would be brisket and, so,

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no, it's absolutely a thrill for us and I think there's

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a really nice synergy between the history and the roots of American

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barbecue and what you're trying to do here, because it was always

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about cheaper cuts, it was always about forgotten cuts.

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It's a great product and we know that these guys are working

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really hard to give us the most ethical, fantastic product.

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'We need a whole range of veal for slow barbecuing at low temperature.

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'And, over at the farmhouse,

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'Hopkin's laid out a good selection perfect for slow and low.'

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Talk us through what you've cut here

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and from what part of the animal it's from.

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Right, these are rump stakes.

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They're from the hindquarters of the animal.

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They're slices of the brisket here from the lower part of the ribcage.

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LMC, the leg and mutton cut.

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It's named this way because the shape of it looks like

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a leg of mutton.

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This is taken from the top of the front leg of the animal.

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-Is it making you hungry, Matt?

-Yeah.

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I'm loving it, I'm loving it.

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The good news is that these won't take very long.

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This will.

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How long?

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I mean, probably about eight hours for smoking that

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and again slow and low,

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so it's a very low temperature, it's a very slow process.

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So, I think we better get it in the smoker.

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Bye!

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Later on, I'll be heading to the beach to prepare our sizzling

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summer barbecue feast.

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But, first, Naomi is taking part in a time-honoured summer

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tradition in one of our country's most historic university cities.

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Summertime...

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..and the living is easy.

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Long, lazy days.

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And, in Cambridge, there's only one way to travel.

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But, for some of our British wildlife, the summer season

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marks the very height of activity.

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In fact, for our native bats, summer on the river is no picnic,

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more of a feeding frenzy.

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Britain's ten species of bat are at their busiest in the summer months,

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increasing our chances of spotting these nocturnal mammals.

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With the insect population reaching a peak, and with young pups

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to feed, bats must make the most of the available banquet.

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That seasonal insect feast comes from an unlikely source.

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So, I'm calling on my very own Batman,

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Iain Webb from Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust,

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to explain the link between bats and cowpats.

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So, Iain, what are we doing in a cow field? Is this prime bat habitat?

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It's producing prime bat food.

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It's full of what cows produce, plentiful amounts of, is cowpats.

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We'll be looking for beetles and flies etc in the cowpats.

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So, there are loads of bugs in there?

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This is a perfect pat, lots of holes, all the beetles or

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whatever in there, and a nice crust.

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We just scoop it up, dump it in the bucket

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and see what floats to the top.

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-All right, the whole thing?

-The whole thing.

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This is gross!

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You sort of rummage it around a bit like that.

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-And they'll all come floating to the top?

-Yeah. Break it up.

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-And it won't kill them?

-No, no, they're perfectly fine.

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There's one. There's two.

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Absolutely crawling, isn't it?

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That's Aphodius fossor, one of the larger dung beetles.

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A good meal for a bat.

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I must admit, I'm quite surprised a bat would eat

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a beetle of this size.

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Not just bats - hedgehogs, owls, everything loves dung beetles.

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So, how does a bat get to one of these?

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Well, it doesn't do what we're doing.

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These dung beetles will be flying to other piles of dung at night

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and the bats will be flying past and, you know, seeking their

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food, their prey and will find them and pick them off and eat them.

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Everything loves to eat them.

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Exactly, who wouldn't want to eat a dung beetle?

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'Well, I wouldn't, for a start.

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'It's fascinating to see what they might eat but to see the bats

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'themselves, we'll need to wait until after dark.

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'We're taking to the water for a nocturnal safari and I'm

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'keeping my fingers crossed for a close encounter

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'of the furred kind.

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'Iain has the technology to help us.

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'He's brought along detectors which convert the bats' echolocation

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'calls, which we humans can't normally hear, into low-frequency

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'sounds which we can, allowing us to tune in to their world.'

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-What will we hear?

-The pipistrelle bat,

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which is the commonest bat we have in Britain,

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has a wet slap sound.

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-It's not the most romantic of sounds.

-No.

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-BAT CALL

-There we have one.

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That was a pipistrelle, quite loud.

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Whereas the Daubenton's, which we'll hopefully see later,

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they have a more rapid, quiet and a drier sound.

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BAT CALL

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Oh, yes. I saw it then, there.

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Yeah, yeah.

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There's Daubenton's and pips.

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-So we've got both here?

-Yeah.

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So close to us!

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'I can't believe our luck at spotting bats already

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'but there are even more in store.'

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There's about ten of them, aren't there?

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That is phenomenal.

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Wow! Look at that!

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I've never seen this number before.

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-It's amazing.

-Really?

-It's pretty fantastic.

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The highlight of my year so far for bats.

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So, these are all Daubenton's bats?

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Also known as the water bat.

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Quite a distinctive flight pattern,

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just a couple of inches above the water.

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They're just skimming.

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And they'll be catching insects either in their mouth,

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or they catch them in their feet and in their tail membrane.

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As they go up and down, they're sort of following

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the flight of the insects, are they?

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They've focused in on an insect,

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they've followed it and try and catch it.

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-You can see all the insects around for them.

-Yeah.

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That's why there's so many bats under here.

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How many insects, then, might one individual bat take on

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a summer's night like tonight?

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Well, a pipistrelle could eat up to 3,000 midges a night.

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So, they are making a contribution to keeping the insect numbers down?

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Definitely, definitely.

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Without them, there'd be far more little insects

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flying round now around our heads.

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Somebody described it as they were like flying bowties

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which I think's really quite appropriate.

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They really do!

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Summer really is a frenetic time for bats, isn't it?

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Definitely, certainly for the females.

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They're having to feed up so they can feed their pups

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before they're ready to wean in a couple of weeks' time.

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Oh, look at those pips.

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'Feeding here on the outskirts of the city, these bats have given

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'me the most atmospheric and unexpected of wildlife encounters.'

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I can't think of a better way to spend a midsummer's night.

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-Thank you, Iain.

-A pleasure.

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Now, for many people, cooling off during our hottest season

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means heading to the beach.

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But summer for one man

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means scaling some of Scotland's highest mountains.

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But what he's searching for is chilling.

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My name's Iain Cameron. In summer, I can be found trudging around

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the Highlands of Scotland

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looking for the last vestiges of winter snow.

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As you can see there, that bridge is really, really thin.

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That's because the melting process is happening from above and below.

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I'm just going to have a little look.

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This is one of the classic shapes that we see over summer.

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I was nine years old.

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I saw Ben Lomond, which is a big mountain beside Loch Lomond,

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and there was a big blob of snow on it.

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I thought, why is it still there?

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And, so, it really developed from there.

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Now, we're at about 1,100 metres above sea level here,

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so it's quite a bit cooler.

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Over winter, huge amounts of snow blow in.

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Builds up really, really deep.

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Quite a depth there, so that obviously takes

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a long time for it to melt.

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I thought I was fairly unique in liking this sort of thing and

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it wasn't until some years later that I read something that

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a well-known Scottish scientist, Adam Watson, had written.

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He's a man who's been studying patches of snow since...

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properly, since the 1940s.

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And the two of us started to correspond with each other.

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I started to contribute to his studies

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and the Royal Meteorological Society's

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weather publications as well.

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So, it really was the beginnings of a friendship

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based upon this love of snow.

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It really is, for me, a hobby which I love doing and, fortunately,

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it has a wider scientific worth as well.

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What we do when we see a patch like this,

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if it's at all possible, is to measure it.

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This provides good data set going forward.

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Modern technology is a wonderful thing

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and we've got a laser tape measure.

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400 metres plus size of snow patch.

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Depth wise, it would be difficult to say accurately

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but I'm looking at that thinking it's about seven, eight metres deep.

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In summer, in a whole weekend, we go out and we actually count

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every patch of snow across the Highlands and, for that,

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you need quite a lot of volunteers because in 2015 we had 670 patches

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of snow, you know, and one man can't do that.

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So, the 30-odd volunteers that went out last year did

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a great job, where we covered the whole of the Highlands.

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So, we hope that the work that we are doing now will be of some

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value to scientists in the future

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so that they can understand how much snow is about just now and

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how that fed into the wider climate.

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A lot of people would scarcely believe that if you were to

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drive a couple of hours up into the Highlands and get your boots on

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and walk up you'd find these massive banks of snow still

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left, you know, in high summer,

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when the sun is shining and people are in their shorts and T-shirt.

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For me, that's part of the fascination and the day that

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I stop enjoying it is probably the day I'll hang up my boots.

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But I don't foresee that happening any time soon.

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-JOHN CRAVEN:

-The Waveney. 59 miles of meandering river.

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A watery border between Suffolk and Norfolk.

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In the summer, bulrushes sway in the breeze,

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reaching towards the inviting light.

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Ever since Anglo-Saxon times,

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summer has been when the bulrushes have been harvested in Suffolk.

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But, for the past 50 years, here on the Waveney, the crop

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has remained untouched. Until now.

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Anna Toulson owns and runs Waveney Rush,

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a local company that makes baskets and carpets out of bulrushes.

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She's determined to really bring the river's harvest back to life.

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-Hello, Anna.

-Hello there, John.

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I've done lots of harvesting in my time but never like this before.

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Not on the river? No?

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Why is it that it's been such a long time since these have been cut back?

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We always used to get our rushes from the local area but

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unfortunately in the 1960s the water quality just deteriorated due

0:19:050:19:09

to farm run-offs and the quality of the rushes deteriorated as well.

0:19:090:19:15

-So, where did you get them from then?

-So then we had to look abroad.

0:19:150:19:17

Because we just have to get the best rush possible for our customers.

0:19:170:19:21

'But, now, with the health of the river improving thanks to

0:19:210:19:24

'better farming practices,

0:19:240:19:26

'the company can reap the benefits of the river once again.'

0:19:260:19:30

So, if you take the sickle, and you're aiming to get as close

0:19:300:19:34

-to the river bed as possible. But not disturbing the roots.

-Right.

0:19:340:19:37

So, you make a clean cut.

0:19:370:19:38

So, we'll just bring one of those rushes up to show you here.

0:19:410:19:44

Oh, yeah.

0:19:440:19:45

A nice, clean cut, and you see how pithy?

0:19:450:19:48

It stores a lot of water in there. It's lovely and soft.

0:19:480:19:50

-It's like spongy.

-So, perfect for weaving then?

-Yes, lovely.

0:19:500:19:53

'The natural flow of the river lends a hand with the hard work.'

0:19:550:19:59

Will you take that? I'll take this. Right. Here we go.

0:20:040:20:09

-And as far down as possible?

-Yes. As close to the river bed as possible.

0:20:090:20:13

-You don't wear waders, do you?

-No.

0:20:170:20:21

-Why not?

-I don't get cold at all.

0:20:210:20:24

I find the temperature lovely, actually. Refreshing.

0:20:240:20:26

-Especially if the sun's out.

-My legs feel cold inside the waders.

0:20:260:20:30

'Anna's plans to harvest came along at just the right time as

0:20:320:20:35

'this stretch of river was causing concern for the Environment Agency.'

0:20:350:20:40

It's a lovely, sustainable way of harvesting and it maintains

0:20:400:20:44

the river in a sustainable way as well which is one of the key

0:20:440:20:47

points for the Environment Agency.

0:20:470:20:49

This particular stretch of river is quite narrow and it's very

0:20:490:20:52

shallow in part so it's always been very difficult for them to manage.

0:20:520:20:57

It was really choked with the rush and with weed,

0:20:570:20:59

and also you have a lot of debris coming downstream

0:20:590:21:02

into a very narrow and shallow channel.

0:21:020:21:05

Anna, other people will be very grateful as well.

0:21:050:21:07

-I mean, the kayakers use this river a lot, don't they?

-Oh, yes.

0:21:070:21:10

And a few completely got stuck. And it becomes a danger because,

0:21:100:21:13

as you see, even from the central channel, the rushes are

0:21:130:21:17

in the middle and, if you get caught up,

0:21:170:21:19

it can cause the kayak to overturn.

0:21:190:21:21

'With a morning's work completed,

0:21:240:21:26

'the rushes are taken downstream...

0:21:260:21:28

'..before arriving at a converted malt house

0:21:360:21:39

'on the edge of Oulton Broad.

0:21:390:21:41

'Here, the warm conditions and the cooling breezes make summer

0:21:430:21:47

'the perfect time of year for preparing the rushes for weaving.

0:21:470:21:51

'They're left out to dry and turn every day.

0:21:520:21:55

'The vivid green changing to reveal different tones of beige and honey.

0:21:550:22:00

'Between them, the craftswomen here have more than 100 years of

0:22:070:22:11

'weaving experience

0:22:110:22:12

'and the technique hasn't changed in living memory.'

0:22:120:22:16

-Well, Millie, this is like stepping back in time, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

0:22:160:22:20

'Millie Baxter is the workshop manager and today she is

0:22:200:22:23

'weaving with Dutch rushes until the local ones are ready.'

0:22:230:22:27

Once the rushes are collected, what happens then?

0:22:270:22:30

Firstly, they're dried for storage. Then they....

0:22:300:22:33

we re-wet them and put them through the mangle to get the excess

0:22:330:22:38

-water out of them.

-So they're softened up, basically...

0:22:380:22:41

-Yes, they are.

-..before you start weaving with them?

-They are, yes.

0:22:410:22:44

And what are you doing here?

0:22:440:22:46

This is nine-ply, which is used for the carpets.

0:22:460:22:49

And why is it called nine-ply, then?

0:22:490:22:51

You have nine ends and you're just braiding them into three inch strips

0:22:510:22:57

and then three inch strips will be cut off at the end

0:22:570:23:00

-and they'll be sewn up.

-Sewn together to make a big carpet?

-Yes.

0:23:000:23:04

To make a big carpet, yes.

0:23:040:23:05

'The carpets furnish some of the most noticeable properties in

0:23:050:23:08

'the land, from Hampton Court Palace to even the Tower Of London.'

0:23:080:23:13

-I've got my gloves on.

-Right. Here we go then.

-Yeah. Goodness me.

0:23:140:23:18

-What a responsibility. So, how do I start?

-You bring that one forward.

0:23:180:23:22

-Yeah, and over.

-Push that one back.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

0:23:220:23:24

And then the next one forward. That's correct, lovely.

0:23:240:23:27

-And the next one back.

-That one back? All back and forth,

0:23:270:23:30

-isn't it, really?

-And then you bring the other one through.

-Which one?

0:23:300:23:34

-Unless you've lost it!

-Where is it?

0:23:340:23:37

Oh, I'm getting in a heck of a mess here.

0:23:370:23:40

'Thank goodness that my weaving can be undone.

0:23:400:23:43

'To create an ocean of carpet like this can take four weeks of

0:23:430:23:47

'skill and dedication.'

0:23:470:23:49

It really has been great taking part in this harvest of bulrushes

0:23:550:23:58

on the River Waveney.

0:23:580:24:00

It hasn't happened on this scale for more than 50 summers.

0:24:000:24:03

It marks the start of a new beginning for this

0:24:030:24:06

sustainable crop which almost disappeared.

0:24:060:24:09

And, hopefully, it'll be soon back at the heart of Suffolk tradition.

0:24:090:24:13

Summer is the time to get out of town into the countryside,

0:24:230:24:27

far from the madding crowds, to explore a landscape less-travelled.

0:24:270:24:32

And one of the best ways to reconnect with the world is

0:24:360:24:39

a good, old-fashioned camping trip. So, I've got my gear.

0:24:390:24:42

I've got my rucksack, my sleeping bag, my cooking kit. I'm good to go.

0:24:420:24:47

My guide is wild camping enthusiast and author Laurence McJannet

0:24:480:24:53

who's promising me a memorable journey off the beaten track.

0:24:530:24:56

-Laurence.

-Hi, Sean.

-Nice to meet you.

-Good to meet you.

-All right.

0:24:570:25:00

-Got your toothbrush in there?

-I've got just about everything

0:25:000:25:03

in this rucksack, although I notice you've got bikes.

0:25:030:25:05

I'm going to struggle with this on those, aren't I?

0:25:050:25:07

You're not going to need any of that. We can ditch that.

0:25:070:25:11

'Looks like I'm going to be travelling light.

0:25:110:25:14

'Laurence is taking me bikepacking.

0:25:150:25:18

'It's a new, niche, off-road speciality

0:25:180:25:20

'that takes you further into the wilderness,

0:25:200:25:23

'savouring your journey from the saddle.

0:25:230:25:25

'And bedding down when you get there.'

0:25:250:25:27

-Oh, and the shades. Oh.

-It's a good day for it.

0:25:270:25:30

I've forgotten my shades.

0:25:300:25:32

'Minimalist, featherweight equipment turns mountain bikes into tourers.'

0:25:320:25:36

-Right, let's hit the hills.

-Yeah, good.

0:25:380:25:40

So, Laurence, where are we going today?

0:25:470:25:48

I thought I'd take you out on an exploration of the Gower, basically.

0:25:480:25:51

It's one of my favourite rides.

0:25:510:25:53

It's a really interesting mix of trails.

0:25:530:25:56

Some glorious places to camp as well.

0:25:560:25:58

'Laurence is the perfect guide

0:25:590:26:01

'to take me on my first bikepacking trip.

0:26:010:26:04

'He's peddled 2,000 miles across the UK in search of off-road routes

0:26:040:26:09

'and wild camping spots all for the best bikepacking adventures.'

0:26:090:26:14

-This is quite easy, really, isn't it?

-This bit's easy.

0:26:140:26:17

I thought I'd ease you in gently.

0:26:170:26:18

Some of the hills we've got later on are a little...

0:26:180:26:21

testing, to say the least.

0:26:210:26:23

'Just west of Swansea is the rugged Bishopston Valley.

0:26:240:26:27

'A challenging maze of stony tracks, tumbling streams and muddy trails.'

0:26:290:26:35

Come down into the valley here.

0:26:380:26:40

We've just got a bit of a steep climb ahead.

0:26:400:26:42

We're just on track on the bridle path.

0:26:420:26:43

How important is it to plan your route?

0:26:430:26:46

It's good to get an idea of the kind of terrain that you face.

0:26:460:26:48

There's all kind of trails, as long as they're not footpaths,

0:26:480:26:51

that you can use.

0:26:510:26:52

-You think we're up this way?

-We are up this way. Bit of a climb awaits.

0:26:520:26:57

I like a climb.

0:26:570:26:58

'Bikepacking is as much about stopping as going.

0:27:020:27:06

'Taking time out to take in the spectacular land and

0:27:060:27:10

'seascapes of South Gower.

0:27:100:27:12

'It's somewhere very close to my heart as my wife grew up

0:27:140:27:17

'in the shadow of the peninsula.'

0:27:170:27:19

-Well, Laurence, this is absolutely spectacular, isn't it?

-It is.

0:27:290:27:34

Every time I come here I'm just in awe of the beauty of this coastline.

0:27:340:27:38

Most bike riders could get out here under their own steam but

0:27:380:27:41

just to be able to get here completely unfettered by

0:27:410:27:44

timetables and really immerse yourself in the landscape.

0:27:440:27:47

I mean, this is exactly why I do it.

0:27:470:27:49

The whole thing becomes much more of a relaxed kind of journey, really.

0:27:490:27:52

More than a bike ride.

0:27:520:27:54

Now, Laurence, you don't know this but there's a special place

0:28:000:28:03

for me just around that cliff.

0:28:030:28:04

It was one of my first dates with my wife. We had a little barbecue.

0:28:040:28:08

-Glass of wine.

-Nostalgic place to come back to.

-Special moment.

0:28:080:28:11

I think we better go before I get too emotional.

0:28:110:28:13

'The next part of our journey is a climb onto the Gower's backbone -

0:28:170:28:21

'Cefn Bryn.'

0:28:210:28:23

It's amazing here, isn't it?

0:28:280:28:29

Cos you can see both sides of the Gower coast.

0:28:290:28:32

-The north and then the south.

-Yeah.

0:28:320:28:34

Not just here but for pretty much all of its five mile length

0:28:340:28:37

you can see both coasts.

0:28:370:28:39

It's got to be one of the highlights of the Gower ride for me.

0:28:390:28:41

'As the summer sun sets, at the end of a long day's cycling,

0:28:460:28:51

'it's time to settle for the night.

0:28:510:28:53

'And what a spot for my first wild camping adventure.

0:28:530:28:56

'At the western tip of the Gower is Rhossili Bay.

0:28:580:29:01

'Three miles of sand dunes opening onto a gem of an unspoiled beach.

0:29:010:29:06

'The bikes may have got us here but they're not finished with just yet.'

0:29:100:29:14

-So the bikes become the main framework of our little...

-Yeah.

0:29:140:29:19

Basically, they become the kind of frame of the tent.

0:29:190:29:21

We use the bars to pitch the tarpaulin across.

0:29:210:29:24

'Wild camping is legal in Scotland and on Dartmoor but

0:29:260:29:29

'everywhere else you have two seek the landowner's permission

0:29:290:29:32

'and clear away all traces of your stay before leaving.

0:29:320:29:36

'Now, it may look basic, but this will be my home for the night.

0:29:370:29:41

'And wild camping means no facilities. So, tonight,

0:29:420:29:46

'the sea is our washroom.'

0:29:460:29:48

THEY YELL

0:29:530:29:56

Sean, I know I said bikepacking's all about travelling light

0:29:570:30:00

but there's one particular piece of equipment

0:30:000:30:02

that I won't leave home without.

0:30:020:30:04

-And I think tonight you've earned it.

-I like the look of that.

-Cheers.

0:30:040:30:07

Thank you. Cheers.

0:30:070:30:09

-That's warmed me up.

-You needed it.

-Finally.

0:30:110:30:15

Being here tonight with the sound of the waves and the warmth of

0:30:180:30:21

the fire and there's not a soul about has made it really special.

0:30:210:30:26

And that sense of achievement after cycling all day has made it magical.

0:30:260:30:30

I'd recommend it to anyone.

0:30:300:30:32

Our countryside reflects the beauty of summer.

0:30:400:30:43

But, for some, the season also brings with it

0:30:430:30:46

its own set of challenges.

0:30:460:30:47

And that's true for those who farm the dramatic landscape of

0:30:480:30:52

Lough Erne in Northern Ireland,

0:30:520:30:54

where moving cattle from A to B can be, shall we say,

0:30:540:30:58

not as straightforward as it seems,

0:30:580:31:00

as Adam's finding out.

0:31:000:31:02

The picturesque Lough Erne.

0:31:100:31:12

It's one of the largest freshwater lakes in the UK.

0:31:120:31:16

The vast expanse of water flows for 50 miles right through

0:31:160:31:20

the heart of County Fermanagh.

0:31:200:31:23

It's made up of more than 150 islands.

0:31:230:31:26

And, during the summer, when the grass is flourishing,

0:31:260:31:29

livestock make the most of the island's pastures.

0:31:290:31:33

I've been told to expect the unexpected

0:31:330:31:36

and I'm very excited about it.

0:31:360:31:37

Because this is far from your classic farming landscape.

0:31:370:31:40

You won't find many tractors out here.

0:31:400:31:43

'Stockman Andrew Gallagher has an unusual daily commute,

0:31:470:31:50

'travelling around the lough by boat.'

0:31:500:31:53

Hi, Andrew. Can I climb in?

0:31:530:31:55

'Andrew works for the RSPB managing livestock for

0:31:560:31:59

'conservation grazing. Their aim is to promote birdlife.'

0:31:590:32:03

-This has got to be a pretty unusual job in farming.

-Yes. Pretty unique.

0:32:050:32:09

There's not many farmers go to work on a boat, I'm sure.

0:32:090:32:11

That's the beauty of it. You're out here every day on the lough.

0:32:110:32:14

-How many cattle?

-There's about 140 cattle give or take on the islands.

0:32:140:32:17

-In the summer it must be beautiful, mustn't it?

-It's definitely now.

0:32:170:32:20

You couldn't beat today. You could spend all day on the lough,

0:32:200:32:23

even with no cattle to see.

0:32:230:32:24

-And you're moving some cattle today?

-Yeah.

0:32:240:32:26

We're bringing across five cows and two calves.

0:32:260:32:28

-I'm looking forward to seeing that.

-Yes. It will be good.

0:32:280:32:31

'Livestock has been transported around the lough

0:32:330:32:36

'for at least 1,000 years.

0:32:360:32:37

'Fred Tiernan was the last person to be born

0:32:390:32:41

'on one of Lough Erne's islands.

0:32:410:32:44

'He has some interesting family footage from the 1950s of how

0:32:440:32:47

'they used to swim the cattle between the islands.'

0:32:470:32:50

The end of the rope was passed to a man in the boat.

0:32:500:32:53

And then the boat was rowed out a bit from the shore

0:32:530:32:55

and, as you can see, the cow doesn't really want to go swimming

0:32:550:32:58

at all but eventually the cow is pulled up close to

0:32:580:33:01

the back of the boat, where it will be held,

0:33:010:33:02

and swims quite contentedly along behind the boat.

0:33:020:33:05

Who's in the boat here?

0:33:050:33:06

This is my father rowing the boat and that's myself as a little boy.

0:33:060:33:09

-Incredible. It must have been exciting.

-It was indeed.

0:33:090:33:12

It was good fun when you were small.

0:33:120:33:13

And the cows could swim all right then? I've never seen a cow swim.

0:33:130:33:16

They could swim. And, in fact, they can swim without being on a rope

0:33:160:33:19

providing they know where they're going. They can get across.

0:33:190:33:22

But it's much safer to have them on a rope and to ensure that

0:33:220:33:25

they don't swim off in the wrong direction and then you've got

0:33:250:33:28

to round them up again.

0:33:280:33:29

'The cattle were traditionally transported on

0:33:310:33:33

'a special boat called a cot.

0:33:330:33:36

'Today, livestock are still being moved on

0:33:360:33:38

'a boat based on this ancient design.'

0:33:380:33:40

-Well, they're nice and quiet, aren't they?

-Yes. Yeah, yeah.

0:33:450:33:48

They'll stand now quiet admiring the scenery.

0:33:480:33:51

-The same as us until they get across.

-Lovely.

0:33:510:33:53

Right, let's go, skipper.

0:33:530:33:54

ENGINE TURNS AND COMES ON

0:33:540:33:56

'Ah. We seem to be stuck.'

0:33:580:34:01

We're grounded.

0:34:010:34:04

Do you want me to jump off and push?

0:34:040:34:05

FARMER SHOUTS TO COWS

0:34:050:34:07

So, just by moving the weight of the cattle,

0:34:070:34:09

-it's getting it off the bottom?

-That's all it'll take.

0:34:090:34:11

There we go. We're away now.

0:34:110:34:14

How far are we going to take these?

0:34:230:34:25

We're just taking these across the lough over to that pen over there.

0:34:250:34:28

They're beautiful islands, aren't they? How many are there?

0:34:280:34:30

There's over 150 all together.

0:34:300:34:32

Incredible to think that people lived on them all, isn't it?

0:34:320:34:34

-Yeah, it's mad.

-Doing this job in the old wooden boats.

0:34:340:34:37

Yeah, and towing them across, and all sorts.

0:34:370:34:39

-Do you swim them occasionally?

-No! Never. No.

0:34:390:34:42

We've never went down that route.

0:34:420:34:43

'In the summer sunshine, Lough Erne is looking at its best.

0:34:500:34:54

'Even the cattle seem to be enjoying the view.

0:34:540:34:57

'It's almost 30 degrees so it's a good job we're surrounded by water.

0:35:010:35:05

'The cows know exactly how to cool down.'

0:35:050:35:09

You must have seen some sights or have some interesting stories.

0:35:090:35:12

Oh, yeah. Last week we had the Highland bull on one island

0:35:120:35:15

and we had heifers on another island, about half a mile across.

0:35:150:35:18

And I came back onto the island with the heifers and there

0:35:180:35:21

he was standing looking at me. The big bull.

0:35:210:35:23

He had swum, I'd say, half a mile across the lough himself.

0:35:230:35:26

-And onto the island.

-To get in with the heifers?

0:35:260:35:28

-To get in with the heifers, yeah.

-That's a long swim, isn't it?

0:35:280:35:30

So, he can just smell them on the wind?

0:35:300:35:32

He smelt them on the wind and away he went.

0:35:320:35:34

What happens if the boat sinks, then, Andrew?

0:35:430:35:45

If the boat sinks, I'm taking that cow's tail and you

0:35:450:35:48

choose whichever one you want.

0:35:480:35:49

Just grab a tail and they'll take you ashore?

0:35:490:35:51

I don't know where you'll land but you'll land on dry ground somewhere.

0:35:510:35:54

That's all that matters.

0:35:540:35:55

'It's not long before land is in sight.

0:35:590:36:02

'With the promise of summer pastures and fresh grass ahead,

0:36:050:36:08

'the cattle don't hang around.

0:36:080:36:10

'It's a quick leap of faith into the water...'

0:36:110:36:13

Hey!

0:36:170:36:18

'..and finally the cattle are awarded

0:36:200:36:22

'with as much grass as they can eat.'

0:36:220:36:25

Well, they're certainly enjoying that, Andrew.

0:36:250:36:27

Yeah, there's tons here for them. Plenty of good grass.

0:36:270:36:29

They'll be here now till October so they'll be in good shape by

0:36:290:36:32

-the time that comes round.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

0:36:320:36:34

'The cattle love all this fresh grass

0:36:380:36:41

'but their grazing also benefits other species on the islands.

0:36:410:36:44

'I'm meeting with conservationist Amy Burns from the RSPB.'

0:36:460:36:50

Well, there's certainly plenty of grass here, Amy, isn't there?

0:36:500:36:53

There is, yeah, plenty.

0:36:530:36:55

Which is part of the reason we put the cattle out onto the islands.

0:36:550:36:57

There's no other way we could manage this apart from,

0:36:570:37:00

-from grazing. So...

-And you want it for the birds grazed down?

-Yes.

0:37:000:37:04

The curlew, which would have been widespread across the UK and

0:37:040:37:07

Ireland, they've suffered really significant declines but

0:37:070:37:10

we're trying to help bring them back from the brink here in Fermanagh.

0:37:100:37:13

But also birds like lapwing and snipe that are associated

0:37:130:37:16

with farmland.

0:37:160:37:17

And what we're trying to achieve with the grassland is to get

0:37:170:37:20

it into suitable nesting conditions for the birds so we want

0:37:200:37:23

a variation of height in the swords.

0:37:230:37:25

So, species like curlew will prefer a taller sword, maybe

0:37:250:37:27

about 30 centimetres. Lapwing like it very short, about five.

0:37:270:37:31

-And is it working?

-It is. It's working really well.

0:37:310:37:34

I mean, we've had some fantastic success and our numbers keep

0:37:340:37:36

going up year-on-year because of the management that we do on

0:37:360:37:39

-these islands.

-So this is a safe haven, really.

-It is.

0:37:390:37:42

It's probably one of the best spots in the whole of

0:37:420:37:44

Northern Ireland, I think, you know for breeding waders.

0:37:440:37:47

'There's no time to hang around.

0:37:470:37:49

'At the other side of the lough, some sheep are patiently waiting

0:37:490:37:52

'their turn, but this might not be plain sailing as sheep really

0:37:520:37:56

'aren't keen on water.'

0:37:560:37:58

-How many have you got in here?

-There's about 12 ewes in here.

0:37:580:38:01

-OK. Shall I stand this side?

-You stand that side there, yeah.

0:38:010:38:04

'Farmer Mark Thompson has made this crossing with his flock

0:38:050:38:08

'many times so we're in safe hands.'

0:38:080:38:11

-Not great swimmers.

-No, they hate water.

0:38:140:38:16

And if you try to swim sheep they're likely to drown, aren't they?

0:38:160:38:19

Particularly when they've got a full fleece on.

0:38:190:38:21

Full fleece on, just sucks in the water straightaway and that,

0:38:210:38:23

you know, cows are different. Cows, the bellies, can float.

0:38:230:38:26

Whereas a sheep will not do it. They don't like it.

0:38:260:38:29

'Warm summer sun and woolly coats are not a good combination.

0:38:340:38:38

'So we need to get them into the shade as soon as possible.'

0:38:380:38:42

Well, they seem pretty keen.

0:38:420:38:43

Yeah, they're mad to get to the grass now.

0:38:430:38:45

And a wee bit of shelter now.

0:38:450:38:47

Well, it's a wonderful summer holiday for your sheep and cattle...

0:38:520:38:55

-Oh, yeah.

-..on this beautiful island. And a perfect habitat

0:38:550:38:58

-for the birds. Couldn't be better.

-Oh, yes. Both complements well.

0:38:580:39:01

Both works together well, so it does.

0:39:010:39:03

Like I say, you have to work with the conservation end as well, so...

0:39:030:39:05

'Summer means something different to every farmer.

0:39:080:39:11

'Here on Lough Erne, it's been fantastic to see how both

0:39:110:39:14

'farming and nature are benefiting from working together in harmony.'

0:39:140:39:19

Managed and owned by the National Trust, the Farne Islands off

0:39:280:39:31

the Northumberland coast are a haven for wildlife.

0:39:310:39:34

This summer, GP and underwater cameraman Ben Burville

0:39:370:39:41

is taking a bird's eye view of the islands.

0:39:410:39:43

Albeit from beneath the waves.

0:39:430:39:46

I grew up being around the sea. I've always had an interest in wildlife.

0:39:520:39:57

You know, not near the sea for too long, people laugh and say

0:39:570:40:00

"Your gills are drying out."

0:40:000:40:02

In the last 16 years, you know,

0:40:070:40:09

this is an area that I've come to really love.

0:40:090:40:12

The wildlife around this island is magical.

0:40:120:40:15

At this time of the year, in the summer,

0:40:170:40:19

it's a spectacular place to be.

0:40:190:40:20

You've got everything coming alive with the summer warmth.

0:40:200:40:24

You've got 40,000 pairs of puffins here mating

0:40:240:40:27

and 37,000 guillemot pairs.

0:40:270:40:30

You've got the chicks here.

0:40:300:40:32

You've got sand eels being flown in by their parents.

0:40:320:40:36

And this really is the pinnacle because, come the start of August,

0:40:360:40:40

all these birds are going to start

0:40:400:40:42

to disappear and they're going to go out to sea.

0:40:420:40:45

But, really, for them, their natural environment to fly around is

0:40:460:40:50

not in the air but actually underwater.

0:40:500:40:52

These birds that are really specialised divers.

0:40:520:40:55

Over the years,

0:40:590:41:00

I've become rather addicted to filming wildlife underwater.

0:41:000:41:04

To me, it's a magical world beneath the waves.

0:41:040:41:06

I first really had an interest in these diving birds when I was

0:41:170:41:22

diving a wreck not far from here,

0:41:220:41:23

and I was on this wreck, at about 20 metres down...

0:41:230:41:26

..when I glanced to my right and saw something fly by.

0:41:280:41:32

And it was only when I focused that I saw that it was actually a bird.

0:41:340:41:38

A bird flying by me underwater.

0:41:400:41:43

A puffin can dive down to 60 metres underwater

0:41:460:41:49

and hold its breath for... for nearly two minutes.

0:41:490:41:52

A guillemot really is the supreme diver that we find

0:41:590:42:03

around the British shores.

0:42:030:42:05

They can dive down to 180 metres

0:42:050:42:09

and they can hold their breath for three minutes.

0:42:090:42:11

They move at... at a ridiculous rate,

0:42:140:42:17

and they can turn literally 180 degrees with one wing beat,

0:42:170:42:23

and they use their feet as rudders.

0:42:230:42:25

These birds are incredibly well-adapted to function in

0:42:270:42:30

an underwater environment.

0:42:300:42:32

In a year, I spent probably hundreds of hours underwater.

0:42:340:42:38

It's hard to put into words what it's like to be with wildlife

0:42:380:42:42

in their domain.

0:42:420:42:44

The pressures disappear and a sort of inner calm takes over.

0:42:470:42:53

Time totally stands still.

0:42:570:42:59

Just for that moment, you're totally at one with nature...

0:42:590:43:03

..and that's a calming privilege.

0:43:080:43:10

BEE BUZZES

0:43:210:43:23

Summertime blues,

0:43:250:43:27

golden hues,

0:43:270:43:30

from vivid scarlet, to purest yellow -

0:43:300:43:35

summer wildflowers bring the season alive with colour and form.

0:43:350:43:40

But the beauty of the blooms is only fleeting.

0:43:400:43:43

Artists have been inspired to capture the allure of wildflowers

0:43:450:43:51

for centuries, but I'm joining somebody who captures the delicacy

0:43:510:43:55

of summer plants in the most concrete of ways.

0:43:550:43:59

'Rachel Dean creates plaster panels with such fine detail that

0:44:030:44:07

'the living plants she records seem suspended in time.'

0:44:070:44:13

Oh, doesn't that cornfield look good?

0:44:130:44:16

'We've come to the tranquil surroundings of

0:44:160:44:18

'College Lake nature reserve in Buckinghamshire, where volunteers

0:44:180:44:23

'have been specially cultivating rare wildflowers and arable weeds

0:44:230:44:27

'for their heritage cornfield.'

0:44:270:44:30

What is it about these wonderful summer wildflowers

0:44:300:44:33

that inspires you?

0:44:330:44:34

Summer is like the crescendo.

0:44:340:44:36

In the spring, they start off very little,

0:44:360:44:38

and the pieces can't be so big,

0:44:380:44:40

but, when it gets to summer, I can make larger pieces.

0:44:400:44:44

'Drawing inspiration from the bouquet of wildflowers found

0:44:450:44:48

'all around us in the specially-sown cornfields here,

0:44:480:44:52

'Rachel is going to preserve these precious plants in a new work.'

0:44:520:44:56

-Is that too big?

-No, that's good.

-Something like that?

-That's good.

0:44:560:44:59

-And keep the stems longer?

-Yeah.

0:44:590:45:01

Top of that leaf, yeah. Perfect.

0:45:010:45:03

And you might find another leaf at the bottom, a bigger leaf.

0:45:030:45:07

This one's my favourite.

0:45:070:45:09

How beautiful is that?

0:45:090:45:11

-That's very pretty.

-Could that be my centrepiece, do you think?

0:45:110:45:13

Yeah. Yep.

0:45:130:45:15

-Oh, they're sweet.

-Yeah.

0:45:150:45:17

'Wildflowers should only be gathered at sites

0:45:170:45:20

'where they're abundant,

0:45:200:45:21

'and threatened species should be left untouched.'

0:45:210:45:25

Some of the summer flowers grown here by the volunteers are

0:45:250:45:29

so rare, like this field cow-wheat, that we can't pick them,

0:45:290:45:33

stunning though they are.

0:45:330:45:35

'This is one of several critically endangered species found at

0:45:360:45:39

'just a handful of sites in the UK.

0:45:390:45:41

'Frequently poisonous, arable weeds can contaminate harvest grains,

0:45:430:45:48

'creating tainted flour and sour bread.

0:45:480:45:52

'Field cow-wheat can even turn bread blue.'

0:45:520:45:56

-I've got my posy of flowers.

-Very lovely.

0:45:570:46:00

Right, I will follow your lead, yes?

0:46:000:46:02

-So, grab your rolling pin.

-Yeah.

0:46:040:46:06

And, basically, I'm just going to start bashing it out

0:46:060:46:09

to roll it out flat.

0:46:090:46:10

So...

0:46:100:46:11

Yeah, it's quite satisfying.

0:46:110:46:15

'Having rolled our clay flat, it's time to arrange our harvest.'

0:46:150:46:20

So, just gentle pressing, pinning it into position.

0:46:200:46:23

A little over, do you think?

0:46:240:46:25

Yeah.

0:46:250:46:27

Yeah, I think make it full.

0:46:270:46:29

'First, our compositions need to be pressed into the clay,

0:46:320:46:35

'before carefully removing them to reveal a perfect impression.

0:46:350:46:40

'For the next part of the process,

0:46:420:46:44

'we need one vital ingredient that's in great abundance here.

0:46:440:46:49

'We'll need plenty of water to mix the plaster of Paris.'

0:46:490:46:53

And how full?

0:46:560:46:58

-To the top.

-Yeah.

-Pretty good.

0:46:580:47:00

-And then that'll set in about 45 minutes?

-That's right.

0:47:000:47:03

-Time for a stroll, then?

-Oh, yes, that would be lovely.

0:47:030:47:06

'Home to a rich variety of habitats and birdlife,

0:47:100:47:13

'College Lake is the perfect place to take a summer walk.'

0:47:130:47:17

Oh, look at the sun hitting the water.

0:47:190:47:22

'And now for the moment of truth.'

0:47:290:47:32

-So you think they might be set?

-Yeah, yeah, let's see.

0:47:320:47:35

They should be, by now.

0:47:350:47:37

-Yeah?

-Yeah, all done.

-Good.

0:47:380:47:41

Peel it away.

0:47:420:47:44

Oh...

0:47:440:47:46

-Yeah.

-Lovely!

0:47:460:47:48

So, in every detail...

0:47:480:47:50

-And the poppy is almost ghostly, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:47:500:47:54

-Oh, can I have a look at mine?

-Yeah, your turn.

0:47:540:47:56

Duh-duh-duh-duh.

0:47:590:48:01

-That is not too bad, is it?

-That's lovely.

0:48:030:48:06

I just love that you can see all these intricate details.

0:48:060:48:09

The true thing is the cast,

0:48:090:48:10

that's just uninterfered with - as accurate as the plant can be.

0:48:100:48:16

It's like a photograph.

0:48:160:48:18

I'm pretty astonished that the plaster has managed to capture

0:48:180:48:21

-a sense of summer, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

-From these gorgeous plants.

0:48:210:48:24

I'm going to treasure this,

0:48:240:48:27

especially in the winter.

0:48:270:48:28

Well, we have been blessed with some glorious summer sunshine today,

0:48:340:48:38

but it's time to find out what's in store in the week ahead.

0:48:380:48:41

Here's the Countryfile five-day weather forecast.

0:48:410:48:44

'This week we're celebrating the great British summer...'

0:50:090:50:12

-Let's go!

-Yee-ha!

-CHEERING

0:50:120:50:14

'..and I've been on the road with

0:50:140:50:16

'the Welsh queens of American barbecue,

0:50:160:50:18

'Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn,

0:50:180:50:21

'collecting supplies from a local veal farmer

0:50:210:50:24

'for a "backwoods barbie", to quote Dolly Parton.'

0:50:240:50:27

Oh, well, look at this for a lovely barbecue scene.

0:50:310:50:34

Shauna and Sam, they've obviously got everything set up.

0:50:340:50:36

We're expecting some very hungry guests for

0:50:360:50:38

a summer party on the sand very shortly.

0:50:380:50:40

Let's just hope the sun decides to show up.

0:50:400:50:43

Anyway, let's get this food on the go.

0:50:430:50:46

I've got the veal.

0:50:460:50:47

CHEERING Hey, hey, hey!

0:50:470:50:50

'Award-winning barbecue chefs Sam and Shauna are cooking the local

0:50:500:50:53

'veal steaks and kebabs over hot coals.'

0:50:530:50:57

All righty, Matt.

0:50:570:50:58

This is our grill, Big Momma.

0:50:580:51:00

-Big Momma?

-Big Momma, yeah.

0:51:000:51:01

Was Big Momma an oil drum before?

0:51:010:51:03

-She was an oil drum. We made her ourselves.

-Did you?

0:51:030:51:05

And you can see the temperature gauge is beautifully soaring, there,

0:51:050:51:08

-so it's now hot enough for us to grill on.

-Oh, it is. 450.

0:51:080:51:11

-Yeah.

-Right.

-It'll cool down when we open it,

0:51:110:51:13

so careful you don't burn yourself.

0:51:130:51:14

There we go. Yeah.

0:51:140:51:16

So, what we're going to start doing is pop these...

0:51:160:51:19

I've already oiled these.

0:51:190:51:21

Oh, that smell.

0:51:210:51:22

-It's good, isn't it?

-Oh, it's delicious.

0:51:220:51:25

This is what the Americans would call "grilling."

0:51:250:51:27

This is more a typical British barbecue.

0:51:270:51:30

This involves direct heat, so you can see you've got the heat from

0:51:300:51:34

the charcoal and that's really penetrating the meat.

0:51:340:51:37

I don't know how many barbecues you've ever been to.

0:51:370:51:39

Quite often, you go round your friend's house and they

0:51:390:51:41

light the biggest fire that they can possibly light,

0:51:410:51:44

and then we wonder why we get that delicate balance of

0:51:440:51:47

burnt on the outside and raw in the middle.

0:51:470:51:49

How do you avoid that? What's the secret?

0:51:490:51:51

Well, the secret is having different parts to your grill.

0:51:510:51:55

Always bank your coals to the left or the right,

0:51:550:51:57

leaving a little cool part where you can...

0:51:570:52:00

-you can run to if things start to get a little bit hairy.

-Yeah.

0:52:000:52:03

'If you thought Big Momma was impressive, then meet BB King,

0:52:050:52:09

'the American barbecue smoker Sam and Shauna made from

0:52:090:52:12

'an old compressed-air tank.'

0:52:120:52:14

Here's the difference between British barbecue

0:52:140:52:17

and American barbecue.

0:52:170:52:18

This is a completely different kettle of fish -

0:52:180:52:20

this is a smoker.

0:52:200:52:21

Now, what we're doing here is we're creating indirect heat.

0:52:210:52:24

So, what you've got is our fire here,

0:52:240:52:27

so we're not going to be creating any sizzling grill,

0:52:270:52:29

because this is turning into the smoking chamber.

0:52:290:52:32

But the really clever thing about this -

0:52:320:52:34

the smoke and the temperature of the smoke gets firstly pulled

0:52:340:52:38

along the bottom, and then up and over,

0:52:380:52:41

and then out on this side.

0:52:410:52:43

-What you get is the double pass over the meat.

-Mm-hmm.

0:52:430:52:46

This is our reverse flow smoker.

0:52:460:52:48

'And in BB King's belly, being smoked to tender perfection,

0:52:480:52:52

'is our beautiful Glamorgan veal brisket.'

0:52:520:52:56

And we have an old saying in American barbecue,

0:52:560:52:58

"If you're looking, you ain't cooking."

0:52:580:53:00

So, once we get the fire going and we maintain the temperature

0:53:000:53:03

in our chamber, we can't be looking too much,

0:53:030:53:05

cos every time we open that, the temperature's going to drop,

0:53:050:53:08

and it's going to take us a little while to get us back up to temp.

0:53:080:53:11

It's nice cos it brings around a whole different style of eating.

0:53:110:53:13

-Yeah.

-Instead of sitting there, flashing it on the grill

0:53:130:53:16

and then, you know, wolfing it down, you actually invest.

0:53:160:53:18

-You see, it doesn't actually matter if it's cloudy or whatever.

-Exactly.

0:53:180:53:22

You just go outside, light the reverse flow and off you go.

0:53:220:53:24

Very good.

0:53:240:53:26

'Shauna and Sam's barbecue may be all about the meat,

0:53:270:53:31

'but they do some mouthwatering sides, too, to serve with it.'

0:53:310:53:34

We're going to make some delicious chimichurri,

0:53:350:53:38

-which is like an...

-Chimichurri.

0:53:380:53:39

Yeah, it's this really great, sort of, Argentinian pesto.

0:53:390:53:42

'It's so easy. Just chop coriander and parsley,

0:53:430:53:47

'grate garlic,

0:53:470:53:49

'glugs of oil and vinegar...'

0:53:490:53:51

A little seasoning,

0:53:510:53:53

so a really good pinch of salt to really bring out those flavours.

0:53:530:53:56

-And that's great, you know, by the sea.

-Yeah, perfect.

0:53:560:53:58

-And we have a seagull.

-There's a seagull eyeing us up.

0:53:580:54:01

Don't get any ideas.

0:54:010:54:03

And what we're going to finally add is a little smoked paprika

0:54:030:54:06

and a little chilli flakes.

0:54:060:54:08

-Look at that.

-There we go.

0:54:080:54:09

-OK, good.

-Right.

0:54:090:54:11

-Let me...

-Have a sniff of that.

0:54:110:54:12

I'm might have a taste of it as well.

0:54:120:54:15

-Yeah.

-Happy?

-Oh, tasty.

-Perfect.

-Mm-hmm.

0:54:150:54:18

So, should taste a little garlic,

0:54:180:54:20

-a little of that red wine vinegar...

-Oh, yeah.

-It's delicious.

0:54:200:54:23

Oh, yeah, that's great.

0:54:230:54:24

-All right, come on over!

-Come on, guys!

-Here's the troops.

0:54:260:54:29

-Come on in.

-Here's the party animals.

0:54:290:54:31

-Oh.

-I hope you're hungry!

0:54:310:54:33

'It's showtime.

0:54:330:54:35

'Sam and Shauna have invited friends and family to

0:54:350:54:37

'come and enjoy the feast.'

0:54:370:54:39

Oh.

0:54:390:54:40

Really lovely.

0:54:400:54:41

There you are, sir.

0:54:410:54:42

Yeah, one of each. Oh, you got the big bit.

0:54:420:54:44

Oh, trust you.

0:54:440:54:46

'So, the kebabs and veal steaks went down well...'

0:54:470:54:50

Sam, you're going to have to put some more on.

0:54:500:54:52

'..but it's time to serve the jewel in the US barbecuing crown -

0:54:520:54:56

'brisket, smoked in greaseproof paper for eight hours

0:54:560:54:59

'and beautifully tender.'

0:54:590:55:01

That's heaven on earth. That is literally heaven.

0:55:020:55:05

'It's only right that farmer Hopkin Evans also gets a taste

0:55:050:55:08

'of the brisket that he so lovingly reared.'

0:55:080:55:11

That's good.

0:55:110:55:12

-Happy with that?

-Yeah.

0:55:120:55:13

'And it goes down well with his son Jack, too.

0:55:140:55:17

'A perfect end to a slightly cloudy summer barbecue.'

0:55:170:55:20

LAUGHTER

0:55:200:55:22

Now, while we're on the subject of barbecuing,

0:55:220:55:24

if you would like to know how to make your own charcoal,

0:55:240:55:27

then you can find out on Countryfile Summer Diaries,

0:55:270:55:29

where the team will be finding out

0:55:290:55:30

all about the stories of the seasons.

0:55:300:55:32

All this week, we're bringing you the top countryside stories

0:55:320:55:35

that define our British summer.

0:55:350:55:38

Whoa.

0:55:390:55:40

Oh, my goodness me. What's that?

0:55:400:55:43

'Join us as we investigate the state of our beaches...'

0:55:440:55:47

This, of course,

0:55:480:55:49

is just a tiny selection of what's still out there.

0:55:490:55:52

'..an unexpected countryside menace...'

0:55:520:55:54

This is one of the most dangerous plants in Britain.

0:55:540:55:58

'..and provide top tips to help you make the most of the season.'

0:55:580:56:01

These British blooms are a sure sign summer is here.

0:56:010:56:06

'Tune in every morning to Countryfile Summer Diaries

0:56:060:56:09

'at 9:15am on BBC One.'

0:56:090:56:11

But, from all of us here,

0:56:130:56:14

let's lick our fingers and wave goodbye.

0:56:140:56:17

-See you later. Bye-bye.

-Yee-ha!

0:56:170:56:19

-Oh, let's have a "Yee-ha." ALL:

-Yee-ha!

-Woohoo!

0:56:190:56:22

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