0:00:27 > 0:00:33Evolving, constantly changing, transformed by geology, climate
0:00:33 > 0:00:35or the people that live and work there,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38the British countryside never stands still.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43I'm in Snowdonia, a landscape that has undergone many transformations.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Once upon a time it was full of heavy industry.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Now it's peppered with places for relaxation and leisure.
0:00:49 > 0:00:54I'll be charting how this place has changed over the centuries.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56And whilst I'm here, I'll be looking back at
0:00:56 > 0:01:00how we've revealed other transformations in our landscape.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03From wildlife reclaiming brownfield sites...
0:01:03 > 0:01:06If this was a woodland or a fenland or a sand dune,
0:01:06 > 0:01:07we would know roughly how to manage it
0:01:07 > 0:01:10cos somebody's written a book somewhere about it.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Brownfields, we really don't know.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15..to the landscape changing the lives of our injured war heroes.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18I didn't think I could do anything else.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Being a sniper, there's not really many jobs on the outside
0:01:21 > 0:01:24- where you can use them skills.- No.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26THEY LAUGH
0:01:26 > 0:01:29And the seasonal transformations on Adam's farm.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31This is a really lovely spot on the farm
0:01:31 > 0:01:33where this waterfall gushes over the wall here.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37And during the summer it's an archway of leaves, and then
0:01:37 > 0:01:41the winter comes, the leaves fall off, and it opens up to the light.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57The mountains of Snowdonia.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Within these peaks people have worked to extract valuable
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Welsh slate, a natural resource that has shaped this area
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and the lives of those who live and work in it.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12The historic mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog
0:02:12 > 0:02:15sits smack bang in the middle of Snowdonia National Park.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Its prosperity was built on the slate mines nearby,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22an industry that transformed this landscape.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Once the slate mine was established, miners came here,
0:02:25 > 0:02:26and Blaenau Ffestiniog grew.
0:02:26 > 0:02:291836 was a big year for the town.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33It was a Gold Rush year, but for slate.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Almost a couple of centuries since they began mining at Llechwedd,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39the Graves Company are still here.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42They were the first of the big boys to move in.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45An interest in engineering and new technology
0:02:45 > 0:02:48gave rapid rise to their operation.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52By 1900, 900 miners worked here.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Slate was exported all over the world.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57New York, Buenos Aires and Queensland.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Britain was producing a third of the world's slate
0:03:02 > 0:03:03in the 19th century.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09It was a tough job, and I'm heading into the mine
0:03:09 > 0:03:11to find out how they did it.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13It's an amazing place, Phil,
0:03:13 > 0:03:15it's kind of creepy but kind of beautiful.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19- Yes, yes. - Talk me through the outfit.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Was this what the Victorian miners would have worn?
0:03:21 > 0:03:24This is what the Victorian miners would have worn.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27They would have worn white so they could be seen in the dark
0:03:27 > 0:03:30underground, cos all they would have had was candles, yeah?
0:03:30 > 0:03:31What about this, then?
0:03:31 > 0:03:34What's the technique that they used to get slate?
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Er, well, this is a jumper, this is a steel rod with, erm,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41two chiselled ends and a 10lb weight at the bottom.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42They'd call that "the clap"
0:03:42 > 0:03:45because of the noise that it made when it hit the rock,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48and all they'd be doing is let the weights do the work for them,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51and just pick it up and give it a twist as they're going along, yeah?
0:03:51 > 0:03:53- Oh, this is a drill! - This is a drill.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55- I thought this was to smash up pieces.- No, this is a drill.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59And then they'd drill the hole, and then they'd put some gunpowder
0:03:59 > 0:04:02in that, and then they'd prise the slate open, and then they'd have
0:04:02 > 0:04:06big slabs of rock and they'd haul them up to the surface to be split
0:04:06 > 0:04:09and dressed for the finished roofing slates.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11So, was your dad down these mines, then?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14My father and my grandfather were down here.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17They worked down here in the level above us.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19They were the last people to be working down here.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21But it was hard work.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23My grandfather, he had an accident, erm,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27he lost the use of his hand cos he went back to the blast.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28The blast went off early,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30and I remember blue freckles up his arm
0:04:30 > 0:04:32where the slate had embedded into his arm,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35so I can appreciate how dangerous it was underground, you know?
0:04:35 > 0:04:37What do they think of you working down here?
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Erm, I think they're quite proud that I am, erm, working here now.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Erm, well, my father was a rockman, my grandfather was a rockman,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47my great-grandfather would have been a rockman.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49I'm letting them down, really, cos I'm just a tour guide, you know.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51I'm sure you're not.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53But I'm still keeping the tradition to go on, yeah?
0:04:55 > 0:04:58The golden era lasted until the First World War,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01but cheaper imports eventually put paid to the industry.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05The last of the mines finally closed in 1993.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10But transformations were happening.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13The old underground caverns became a tourist destination.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Where people once worked, people now play,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and I'll be finding out how later on.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Some of the UK's most famous stone makes up the 73-mile frontier
0:05:28 > 0:05:31that runs through Northumberland and Cumbria.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36A few winters ago,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Matt and Julia visited Hadrian's Wall to witness
0:05:38 > 0:05:41a once-in-a-lifetime transformation.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45An undulating and ancient terrain that is home to one of the most
0:05:45 > 0:05:47famous landmarks in the world.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50A huge stone necklace that's strapped across the northern end
0:05:50 > 0:05:54of the country. It's a colossal triumph of Roman engineering.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57This is Hadrian's Wall.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00This awe-inspiring, 73-mile block of thick brick
0:06:00 > 0:06:04slices straight across the realm, from Newcastle in the East,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06pushing through Carlisle to the West.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10And we're exploring the expanse of wall that runs around Hexham.
0:06:10 > 0:06:142,000 years ago, Hadrian ordered his legions to build the wall.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17It was an incredibly well-guarded massive passport control,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and there were forts like this one spread across its entire length.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24At night, they would have been illuminated from the inside out
0:06:24 > 0:06:25with fires and torches,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and those illuminations would have cast an intimidating glow across
0:06:28 > 0:06:32the landscape, and that was something that had never been seen before.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Enough to scare away many a barbarian wanting to slip through.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Defending and patrolling Hadrian's Wall
0:06:38 > 0:06:41would have been full-time work for a Roman soldier,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44but they certainly didn't miss out on their rest and play time.
0:06:46 > 0:06:47This is Vindolanda,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51the remains of a Roman town where thousands would have lived.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54This is the high street of Vindolanda,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57and there's one like this at forts all the way along Hadrian's Wall.
0:06:57 > 0:06:58A place where you can relax,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01you've got a butcher's shop here, bath house just behind,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03and at the other end of the street we've got a bar
0:07:03 > 0:07:05just outside the fort gates.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08So it really has all the facilities that you need to have a good time.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11But why was Hadrian's Wall so important that it warranted
0:07:11 > 0:07:14all of these towns dotted along it, and how many were there?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Well, there are about 16 forts attached to the wall itself,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19and every single fort needs these facilities
0:07:19 > 0:07:21because the Roman army bring all this stuff with them
0:07:21 > 0:07:24because they want to keep the men happy, and, really, to build on
0:07:24 > 0:07:28their lifestyle up here and impose their lifestyle on the landscape
0:07:28 > 0:07:31and the people here, and that's a very important aspect of it.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39But the Romans left 1,600 years ago, and to mark their passing,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42something very special is going to take place.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46The whole wall is going to be lit up along its entire length,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48but it has been a monumental task.
0:07:50 > 0:07:51Just a few miles away,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55preparations for lighting the beacons are well underway.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57There's a great atmosphere up here.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00In less than half an hour a two-mile stretch of the wall is going
0:08:00 > 0:08:04to be illuminated. A dress run for the real thing next week.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08And I must say the operation is being run with military precision.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09The Romans would have been proud.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Illuminating 73 miles of wall is a massive operation,
0:08:14 > 0:08:19and an army of volunteers have been hand-selected to help.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Competition for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
0:08:21 > 0:08:26has been fierce, and a passion for this World Heritage Site is a must.
0:08:29 > 0:08:30Yeah, I love the area.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I think this lighting the wall will be absolutely fantastic.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35You think it's a good idea, then?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Yeah, I think it'll be absolutely brilliant.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Are you a Hadrian's Wall fanatic through and through?
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Yeah, we live right on the wall and our house is made out of
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Hadrian's Wall stone, so I suppose we live in it as well.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45- Really?!- Yeah.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48So did you volunteer in a flash?
0:08:48 > 0:08:49Well, I had seen the advert
0:08:49 > 0:08:51and having walked the full length twice,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53I thought, "I'll give it a go and see how it comes."
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- D'you know what you're going to be doing yet?- No, not yet.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59- So, we'll...- But you're prepared to do anything?- ..take it as it comes.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Up on the hill,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04John Farquhar Smith's getting the volunteers organised.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Everyone has to know their job, including Julia and myself,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09as we'll be lighting two of the beacons.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11And if you can take each number,
0:09:11 > 0:09:159, 10, 11, and, Kerry, you can be 12.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21With the light fading fast, the volunteers move quickly.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26The gas canisters are made ready. Now it's just a case of standing by.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28Number five.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34- 'Ready.'- Thank you, number five. Number six?- 'Ready.'
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- Thank you, number six. Number seven?- 'Standing by.'
0:09:40 > 0:09:43The sun's going down.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Everyone's in place.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48The anticipation is intense.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50To all along the wall...
0:09:50 > 0:09:51'and Julia at the end,'
0:09:51 > 0:09:53this is Matt here in position one,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57and we are lighting burner number one.
0:09:57 > 0:09:58Roger that, Matt.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02- Yeah.- Here we go, I can see it.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Position number two, please light your burner.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Position number three, please light your burner.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10There we are.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30- Julia, light your burner.- OK.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32He-ey!
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Yes, look at that!
0:10:35 > 0:10:37We are on fire!
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Well, what a sight! This is absolutely magnificent!
0:10:44 > 0:10:46This is just like two miles.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48What's it going to be like when the whole wall's lit up?
0:10:48 > 0:10:50It's going to be fantastic.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53This looks stunning, but also it's going to show, you know,
0:10:53 > 0:10:58how long it is, cos it goes through urban areas, rural areas.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Erm, I think it's going to give us something really quite special.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18It's not just places and landscapes that can be transformed.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Earlier this year, Jules Hudson saw
0:11:20 > 0:11:23how the Wiltshire landscape is playing an important part
0:11:23 > 0:11:25in helping those who have suffered
0:11:25 > 0:11:29life-changing illness or injury in the line of duty.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36The grenade actually exploded
0:11:36 > 0:11:38probably three feet away from me.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The nightmares began sort of six weeks after,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and they were every night, two or three a night.
0:11:47 > 0:11:48It was real, it was...
0:11:48 > 0:11:50You could smell the cordite.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54You could feel the heat and the sand in my gloves,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58and even sleeping tablets would not keep me asleep.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59It would all...
0:11:59 > 0:12:02It would all just happen exactly the same.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Five years ago, Corporal Michael Day was blown up
0:12:08 > 0:12:12during a routine patrol in Afghanistan.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14I wasn't even thinking a day ahead,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19I was probably thinking an hour ahead, and I had no horizons.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21There was no light at the end of the tunnel.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23I dread to think what it would have been like
0:12:23 > 0:12:25if Help for Heroes wouldn't have been here.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35After medical treatment Michael came here to Tedworth House in Wiltshire.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38It's a recovery centre run by Help for Heroes
0:12:38 > 0:12:40in partnership with the MoD.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Its aim is simple -
0:12:42 > 0:12:44to equip soldiers with the tools, skills
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and confidence they need to create a whole new future for themselves.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- Grant.- Jules.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55'Lt Colonel Grant Ingleton MC is
0:12:55 > 0:12:57'the commanding officer of the recovery centre.'
0:12:57 > 0:13:00This is definitely the place to get better, isn't it?
0:13:00 > 0:13:01Absolutely.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07What does recovery mean for soldiers coming here?
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Er, these young soldiers, up until their injury or long-term sickness,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13were looking for a full career.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17So, effectively, they are leaving way before they wanted to.
0:13:17 > 0:13:22So what we do here in the recovery centre is bring them in,
0:13:22 > 0:13:27get their mindset on recovery, and look at, instead of fixing bayonets
0:13:27 > 0:13:29and advancing on the enemy,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32to try and get them independent, re-skilled,
0:13:32 > 0:13:37retrained and doing something really useful in a civilian life.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40How many have you had come through since the doors opened?
0:13:40 > 0:13:42The doors opened in July '11.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46We've had over 900 we've helped in some way, shape or form.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- And, of course, they can come back, I presume...- Absolutely.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- ..as many times as they need. - Absolutely right.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Each soldier has been given the Queen's shilling,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56er, and no matter what,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59they were going to lay down their life for Queen and country.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03So I think they deserve the best we can give them to assist them
0:14:03 > 0:14:07to transition and recover into civilian life.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09CHAINSAW BUZZES
0:14:15 > 0:14:18In amongst the 30 acres of woodland that surround Tedworth House,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21the natural world is having a profound impact
0:14:21 > 0:14:23on the recovering soldiers.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27'Bombardier Andrew Deans is getting hands-on with nature by
0:14:27 > 0:14:32'bird-ringing with Simon Tucker from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.'
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Have you always had an interest in wildlife?
0:14:34 > 0:14:36To be honest, not in particular, no.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38But since coming through the, erm, recovery process,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41it's really good to get out in the open.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Especially confidence as well, it's getting out
0:14:43 > 0:14:46and getting amongst people if you've kind of got away from that.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- Andrew, would you like to hold the bird?- Yeah, definitely.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54- He might nip. That's it. Nice, there you go.- OK.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59- Look at that, you're a natural! This is your first week here.- It is.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Can I ask you, how did you have your injury?
0:15:02 > 0:15:06I was checking on the guys in the lookout towers,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and we got struck by an RPG.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Caused a bit of a chain reaction
0:15:10 > 0:15:15and started causing all the blood vessels in my brain to close up,
0:15:15 > 0:15:20so they had to do the equivalent to a heart bypass on my brain.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24So, coming to somewhere like Tedworth,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27with activities like this, must be wonderful.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Yeah, it feels good that you're being looked after.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33And then open up this hand and he'll just fly off.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38For some recovering soldiers like Andrew,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41the woodland provides a well-needed breathing space,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44but for others, it points the way to a new career.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Dave Turner from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust uses the careful
0:15:49 > 0:15:53management and conservation of this landscape to inspire the troops.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01There's a lot to be said for the green outdoors as therapeutic,
0:16:01 > 0:16:03just a good feeling of wellbeing,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06because it does have a healing effect, I'm convinced of it.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09I've been in woodlands for 20-odd years, but it still gives me
0:16:09 > 0:16:11that buzz and wow factor when walking into woodland.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Here we are on the edge of Salisbury Plain, the army is all around us,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18helicopters in the sky, tanks we can hear rumbling away in the distance.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22For some people who come to Tedworth, that must feel quite
0:16:22 > 0:16:24comforting and familiar, but for others,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26I imagine it could be a real problem.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29A lot of people do suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and they have different trigger factors.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33So we give them the support we need but say,
0:16:33 > 0:16:34"If you feel more comfortable
0:16:34 > 0:16:36"then just retreat back into the house."
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Can you identify any real success stories
0:16:38 > 0:16:40you've had over the last few years?
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Yeah, one particular person would be Michael Day.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46He's now come out of the armed services, he's actually a veteran.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49He engaged in the process, went on his chainsaw, got a course,
0:16:49 > 0:16:54and is now practically using and implementing those skills.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57But for Michael, it's been a challenging road to recovery
0:16:57 > 0:17:00after experiencing so much so young.
0:17:00 > 0:17:07I was a sniper and I was involved in an explosion with a grenade.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10The grenade actually exploded probably three feet away from me.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- So where that chainsaw is? - Pretty much so, yeah.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18It damaged my back quite badly.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23Took a lot of shrapnel to both legs, buttocks, and my right side
0:17:23 > 0:17:28of my temple, which has resulted in me having a mild brain injury.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Were you suffering from post-traumatic stress?
0:17:31 > 0:17:32Yes, I wasn't sleeping,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36I wasn't coping very well with the fact
0:17:36 > 0:17:38I wasn't going to be able to do my job anymore,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42and I knew that day was going to come when I had to hand in the
0:17:42 > 0:17:48green kit, and that was one of my biggest demons, not accepting that.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52I didn't really think I was employable anywhere.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I didn't think I could do anything else.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Being a sniper, there's not really many jobs on the outside
0:17:57 > 0:17:59where you can use them skills.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01No.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03But here we are in this wonderful bit of woodland.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07As a sniper you'd have been trained to exist here without us
0:18:07 > 0:18:09being able to see you.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Yet here we are now enjoying this in a very different sort of way.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17You clearly have an empathy with this kind of setting.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22I spent many hours just walking, and enjoying being in the woods,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24and I feel at home in the woods.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28I have always liked being outside cos it's my job,
0:18:28 > 0:18:33but being in a woods as quiet as this is soothing.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Michael's experience in these woodlands was not only therapeutic,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42but the chainsaw and brushcutter skills he learned here
0:18:42 > 0:18:46have given him a whole new future to look forward to.
0:18:46 > 0:18:54I have...gotten hold of some wood. Donated to me by a very kind fellow.
0:18:55 > 0:19:01I gave him my idea to create a place for disadvantaged young children
0:19:01 > 0:19:08to come and learn what I learnt, and that was teamwork, humour, respect.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12In the future, it'll hopefully be running courses from there.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- So you've gone from being pupil to teacher.- Yes.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30What I've seen so far here at Tedworth House is that
0:19:30 > 0:19:33nature can be a wonderful healer.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Nobody's pretending that the woods here can offer
0:19:35 > 0:19:39a cure for what the young men and women have been through,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43but as we've seen, it puts many on the right road to recovery.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01The slopes of Snowdonia and the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog were
0:20:01 > 0:20:05transformed by the boom of the slate industry in the late 1800s.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11As the slate market slumped, many found employment in a new industry.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Nuclear.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15That is Trawsfynydd Power Station.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17It was the first nuclear power plant in Wales,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19and the only one in the UK to be built inland.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22It's innovative, it's certainly striking,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25and it's nestled in the shadows of the Rhinogydd Mountains.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Thought by many to be a modernist masterpiece,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31it was designed by Sir Basil Spence,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35the architect most famous for the New Coventry Cathedral.
0:20:38 > 0:20:44Opened in 1965, in its lifetime it generated 69 terawatt hours
0:20:44 > 0:20:49of electricity - that's enough to boil 600 billion kettles.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54It was switched off in 1991 after 26 years of service,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56but in order for this place to be transformed,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00ready for the next phase of its life, it needs to be decommissioned.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02That's a process that takes almost a century.
0:21:05 > 0:21:06In the long shutdown process,
0:21:06 > 0:21:11the real nasty stuff has been sent to Sellafield for processing.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14This phase of decommissioning is removing and storing low
0:21:14 > 0:21:16and intermediate-level waste.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Rory Trappe has worked here during and since its operational life.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Take me back then to when you were a 16-year-old lad,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29because you came here, first job, what was it like?
0:21:29 > 0:21:31It was quite a shock, really.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The heat of the turbine hall, the smells of the place...
0:21:34 > 0:21:36It's a building that people have quite strong views on,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39because it is striking. Aside from what it is.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43You work here, you live here, what do you think of it?
0:21:43 > 0:21:45I do have a hobby as a photographer.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47It's a fantastic feature in any photograph.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48Others say it's a monstrosity.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51You look at it from any of the hills around here,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53and then you can see when you're looking down on the structure,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56it does tend to blend in quite nicely.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Do you think that's something local people would say as well?
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Not necessarily. No.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Erm, some people locally think, "Two concrete blocks,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07"just get rid of 'em." But I see it slightly differently.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Over the next ten years or so, the plant will be transformed again.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15The roofs will be lowered,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18the buildings left in a passive state known as care and maintenance,
0:22:18 > 0:22:23and the site simply monitored for a further 50 years or more.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Decommissioning is a long and slow process,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30but hopefully in time, nature will return here. And you know what?
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Some of the UK's most thriving wildlife reserves are in the most
0:22:34 > 0:22:38surprising places, as Ellie found out when she went to Canvey Island.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Industry and urban landscapes as far as the eye can see.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54The shorelines of the Thames Estuary aren't exactly
0:22:54 > 0:22:59the sort of places you'd expect to find much life, let alone wildlife.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03What happens when oil refineries, landfills
0:23:03 > 0:23:07and industrial sites like these come to the end of their useful life?
0:23:07 > 0:23:12Well, this site has been abandoned for more than 40 years,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16and it looks like it hasn't been cared for at all in that time.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19But that couldn't be further from the truth.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Places like this are known as brownfield sites,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and the conventional wisdom is to build on them.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33But they're finding a new lease of life as nature reserves,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and some of them are up there with the best.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Of the UK's top five sites for rare and endangered species,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44only three are traditional nature reserves.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49The other two are brownfield sites. Both of those are here in Essex.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52This one on Canvey Island is the best.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Get this - there is more biodiversity here, per square foot,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59than on any other site in the UK.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06This area used to be a coastal grazing marsh,
0:24:06 > 0:24:11but in the 1960s it was decided to build an oil refinery here.
0:24:11 > 0:24:16Changing circumstances meant it was never finished, and in 1973
0:24:16 > 0:24:21the builders and developers moved out, and nature moved back in.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28Now its evolution is being monitored by Sarah Henshall from Buglife.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30- Hi, Sarah. How are you doing? - Good, thank you.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34We're looking for some of the really rare bumblebees that live here.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- Got it!- There we go. - What's this one?
0:24:38 > 0:24:40This is a brown banded carder bee.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43It's one of our rarest bee species, and it's a really cute one,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46as you can see. It's really fluffy and ginger,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50and it's got lots of brown bands on its abdomen, hence its name.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54We've got 1,400 different species of invertebrates or insects here,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56and the reason why these sites are important is
0:24:56 > 0:24:58because we've lost more of our natural habitats in the wider
0:24:58 > 0:25:02landscape, and sites like these are mimicking wildflower meadows,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04heathlands, sites like that.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07It's covered in sandy Thames dredgings, and that's perfect
0:25:07 > 0:25:12- habitat and substrate for insects and wildflowers.- That was a great find.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Well caught. We'll let it go.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20- Need every single one of them out there, don't we?- We do.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23The value of brownfield sites has only really been
0:25:23 > 0:25:26recognised in the past decade so no-one knows much about how to look
0:25:26 > 0:25:31after them, but they are a valuable asset, so how do we protect them?
0:25:33 > 0:25:34Conservationist Alan Roscoe
0:25:34 > 0:25:37is running an experiment here to find out.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42- What are you doing there? - Ah, hello, Ellie.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I'm using a thermal camera here to measure how much heat we're
0:25:45 > 0:25:48getting off these bare patches of ground. The reason for that,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52a lot of the insects here really enjoy having these bare scrapes,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54this exposed substrate,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56so they can bask in the sunshine and warm themselves up.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59This plot here is actually part of a trial we're doing to
0:25:59 > 0:26:01look at how we manage brownfields.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04If this was a woodland or a fenland or a sand dune, we'd know roughly
0:26:04 > 0:26:08how to manage it, cos somebody's written a book somewhere about it.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09Brownfields, we really don't know.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- It's kind of a new area of conservation, this.- It is.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Brownfields, I think, are probably the biggest slice of luck
0:26:15 > 0:26:18that conservation has had in the UK in the past 20 years.
0:26:18 > 0:26:19They're absolutely fabulous.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22But in order to maintain the value of these sites,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25we have to know how to manage them, and that's what we're doing here.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28So what does the trial involve, and what's it going to tell you?
0:26:28 > 0:26:32If we look here and also behind us, we've got three trial areas,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and essentially what's happened is, the vegetation has been removed.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Either a little bit, a medium amount, or in this case,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40underneath our feet here, a lot.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43So what we're not doing is we're going to measure how much
0:26:43 > 0:26:47vegetation comes back, and whether we get the species we actually want.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50The transformation of Canvey Wick from oil refinery
0:26:50 > 0:26:53to site of special scientific interest is complete,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56but it's happened almost by accident.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59The same can't be said about another site just along the river
0:26:59 > 0:27:01towards London.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Here, a new nature reserve has been created from scratch
0:27:05 > 0:27:07from very unpromising beginnings.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Ever since Victorian times,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13London's rubbish was brought 30 miles down the Thames by barge
0:27:13 > 0:27:18and dumped in one of the largest landfill sites in Western Europe.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22A million tonnes of it a year in a never-ending stream.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27Two years ago, the landfill site closed, but the barges still come.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Not bringing rubbish from our bins anymore, but instead bringing
0:27:30 > 0:27:34the waste from the big tunnelling project in the city.
0:27:34 > 0:27:39The chalk and the soil from that gets used to cap this vast area.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42The capping process was started just 18 years ago,
0:27:42 > 0:27:46and since then plants and animals have been colonising it.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49They've had a little help from their friends.
0:27:49 > 0:27:50Some grass was seeded,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54and reptiles from some of the major developments nearby were rehoused.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Now this whole end of the site, 120 acres of it,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02has been turned into Thurrock Thameside Nature Park.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10The reserve is being surveyed by Lisa Smart, the reserve manager,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14and Darren Tansley, a mammal expert from Essex Wildlife Trust.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18See if they've got anything. Darren and Lisa, how are you doing?
0:28:18 > 0:28:20You all right? Has it sprung?
0:28:20 > 0:28:21Yeah, this one has.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25You can see the door's down so I'm assuming there's something in there.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28What we're going to do is tease the bedding out
0:28:28 > 0:28:30and hope the animal will come out with it.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35- Just see what we get. - Ooh! Any movement? Exciting.
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Yes, there we go.
0:28:38 > 0:28:44Ah, now, that's not necessarily what we'd expect in a grassland area,
0:28:44 > 0:28:49but wood mice are common everywhere. He's gone quite quiet there.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51That's not a sign that he's calm, that's a sign he's a bit stressed.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55- Right, so we need to crack on. Righty-ho.- Just going to let him go.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57- Wheee!- And he's off.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01That's one new species added to the list,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04but it's not just mammals they're looking for.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06We're on a reptile hunt.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09- We are, hopefully, anyway. - Do I need those gloves?
0:29:09 > 0:29:13You do, yes, that's just in case we're lucky enough to find an adder.
0:29:13 > 0:29:14Which we should hopefully do today
0:29:14 > 0:29:17because there are plenty on the site.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21But I don't need the gloves, because it's not an adder we find.
0:29:22 > 0:29:23Yes!
0:29:27 > 0:29:32Oh, fabulous! What a beaut. These experiences always lift my spirits.
0:29:32 > 0:29:33I love this.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35From a personal point of view,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37what is it about this site that you love, Darren?
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Well, I mean, it's seeing animals like this,
0:29:40 > 0:29:41it's fantastic, isn't it?
0:29:41 > 0:29:44You very rarely get a chance to see something like this, do you,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46so close to an urban environment.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48- It's fantastic.- Yeah.
0:29:48 > 0:29:49I mean, the local people here
0:29:49 > 0:29:53have had to put up with it being a landfill site for about 40 years,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56and now to have a site that's going to be restored
0:29:56 > 0:29:58to something that's going to support things
0:29:58 > 0:30:01like slowworms and reptiles and the short-eared owls
0:30:01 > 0:30:02is just amazing for them.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05We've got another over 600-700 acres
0:30:05 > 0:30:06to come along to us,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09so, you know, it's going to be amazing.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12There you go.
0:30:12 > 0:30:13Lovely.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Aw, what a beaut.
0:30:20 > 0:30:21The transformation of this place
0:30:21 > 0:30:23from landfill site to nature reserve,
0:30:23 > 0:30:27where I've seen slowworms, skylarks and wood mice,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29has been truly remarkable,
0:30:29 > 0:30:35and it's a great example of how we can rethink our brownfield sites
0:30:35 > 0:30:38and how quickly our land can recover.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49In the heart of Snowdonia,
0:30:49 > 0:30:53Llyn, or Lake, Trawsfynydd stretches for five miles
0:30:53 > 0:30:54and covers 1,200 acres.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59It's actually a man-made reservoir,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01originally built in 1928
0:31:01 > 0:31:04for the Maentwrog hydro-electric power station.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09The water level was actually raised here in the 1960s
0:31:09 > 0:31:11to provide water for the cooling process
0:31:11 > 0:31:14that used to happen at the nuclear power plant.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Now, behind it, there is actually a hydro power plant,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19and it was generating electricity
0:31:19 > 0:31:2140 years before Trawsfynydd,
0:31:21 > 0:31:23and it will continue to do so for decades to come.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Wildlife is returning to the lake,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30insects and invertebrates are on the up -
0:31:30 > 0:31:35that's made Llyn Trawsfynydd a great place for fish and fishing.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37Today is a big competition,
0:31:37 > 0:31:39the Welsh Women International Fly Fishing.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42I'm catching up with Rhys Llewellyn,
0:31:42 > 0:31:46to find out why the lake is popular with fishermen and fisherwomen.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50It's a wonderful fishery because it's quite diverse.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52It's not your normal reservoir,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55it's not particularly deep, it's shallow,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58it's got little bays. It's a fairly natural-looking lake.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01And the fish in here, it's not easy, it's a challenging lake.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03But because it's a beautiful lake,
0:32:03 > 0:32:05and it's got so many features, it's a pleasure to fish.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07What can you fish for?
0:32:07 > 0:32:08Well, we've got rainbow trout,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11we've got a natural head of brown trout as well,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13but there are also some pike in here,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16some fairly large pike, and we fish for them as well.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17Biggest fish you've ever caught?
0:32:17 > 0:32:19Well, I've caught massive fish,
0:32:19 > 0:32:23but the biggest fish I've caught in here was about 27lbs, a pike.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27- 27lbs?! How big's that? - That's...between the eyes.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30No, it's about that size, I reckon.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34I believe the right reaction is, "Whoa!" That is an incredible fish.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Why is this such a good place, then, for competitions?
0:32:36 > 0:32:38Because it's getting a reputation
0:32:38 > 0:32:40for even some international competitions, isn't it?
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Yeah, well, we're lucky to host the ladies' international at the moment,
0:32:43 > 0:32:47and I think the reason for that is because it's a challenging lake,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51so not everybody can just turn up and catch fish one after the other.
0:32:51 > 0:32:52People have to move.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55These are moving now to get into position to fish.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58They have to move, they have to work for their fish,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00and it separates the wheat from the chaff, if you like.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02It really sorts out the better fishermen.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Fishing isn't the only pastime gaining popularity in these parts.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10The track around the lake,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12as well as the slopes around the old mines,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14are criss-crossed with trails
0:33:14 > 0:33:17to cater for a growing number for mountain-bikers
0:33:17 > 0:33:19of all ages and all abilities.
0:33:20 > 0:33:21Lanhydrock in Cornwall
0:33:21 > 0:33:25is one of the National Trust's most popular properties.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27Tourists go there in their thousands
0:33:27 > 0:33:30for a little slice of Victorian life.
0:33:30 > 0:33:31But now the 19th-century treasure
0:33:31 > 0:33:34is undergoing a very 21st-century transformation
0:33:34 > 0:33:36and I went along to find out.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Cornwall is one of the country's top holiday destinations,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50a playground for those who love sand, sea and surf.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58But there's more to this county than just the bucket-and-spade brigade.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Here there's something for everyone.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Take a country house just south of Bodmin, for instance.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Lanhydrock is the National Trust's third most popular property.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11People come here to see what life was like
0:34:11 > 0:34:13in this grand Victorian house
0:34:13 > 0:34:16and to experience the peace and tranquillity
0:34:16 > 0:34:17of a 1,000-acre estate.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24But now this 19th-century treasure
0:34:24 > 0:34:27is embarking on a huge 21st-century project.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31They're building more than six miles of family-friendly cycle trails
0:34:31 > 0:34:33that wind through the woods.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36- DIGGER WHIRRS - And I am here to help.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42This is one of ten cycle trails
0:34:42 > 0:34:45being built in the southwest with European funding.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Although it doesn't look like it now,
0:34:48 > 0:34:52the plan is for conservation and recreation to co-exist in harmony.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56Angela Proctor's the person in charge
0:34:56 > 0:34:59of delivering this challenging project.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04The trails are very much aimed at families and novice cyclists,
0:35:04 > 0:35:06so we've got a loop here of green trail,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08which is the easiest trail,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10it's wide, flat, fairly smooth.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12And then we've got a lot of blue trail,
0:35:12 > 0:35:14which is for the slightly more advanced cyclists.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16- Little bit of red. - And a little bit of red.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19- Just a taster of the more difficult trail.- For the thrill-seekers.- Yes.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22But also we do have a cycle skills area
0:35:22 > 0:35:25where kids can come and develop their cycle skills,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28and the skills area also includes a balance-bike track,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31so even the really dinky little kids on their balance bikes
0:35:31 > 0:35:33can come and practise their cycling skills.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35One of the advantages of these cycle routes
0:35:35 > 0:35:37is that they'll take people
0:35:37 > 0:35:40into areas of woodland inaccessible on foot.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Not only that,
0:35:42 > 0:35:43wildlife's set to benefit too,
0:35:43 > 0:35:45like the estate's bat population.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Matt, there are already 12 species of bat here, I believe?
0:35:50 > 0:35:52It's a real hotspot for bats here at Lanhydrock.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55We've got really old woodlands, really old trees,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58loads of crevices and cracks that the bats roost in.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00We've also got young trees and plantations like this
0:36:00 > 0:36:02where we don't have those crevices and cracks
0:36:02 > 0:36:04so, by putting the boxes up,
0:36:04 > 0:36:06we'll have the ideal places for the bats to roost.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Right, let's get this one put up, then.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10Chris is ready and poised.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12- Thanks, Matt.- OK.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14There you are, Chris. Oh, that's heavier than I thought.
0:36:14 > 0:36:1830 of these bat boxes are going to be put up along the cycle track
0:36:18 > 0:36:20and it's a track that I suspect
0:36:20 > 0:36:22is going to be pretty popular with people too.
0:36:22 > 0:36:23And why do I think that?
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Because just around the corner in Cardinham Woods
0:36:26 > 0:36:30another part of this project is already up and running.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Once you've mastered the trails at Lanhydrock,
0:36:35 > 0:36:37this is the place to come.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39It's only been open seven months,
0:36:39 > 0:36:43but it's already attracted 30,000 riders.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47You'd think that would deter people who want a quiet walk in the woods,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50but not here, because there literally is something for everyone.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53There are four walking trails over there, one for all abilities,
0:36:53 > 0:36:55and then there are the cycle tracks.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59So, walkers stick to those paths, my bike and I head this way.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11These trails aren't just about getting people out and about,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14there's the environment to think about too.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17This was one of the first areas in the country
0:37:17 > 0:37:19to be hit by larch disease -
0:37:19 > 0:37:24a cause for sorrow they've managed to turn into an opportunity.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28- Hello, John.- Hi, Helen.- You all right?- Yeah, not too bad, and you?
0:37:28 > 0:37:30So talk me through what you're doing here, then.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Two years ago we had to fell 20 hectares of Cardinham Woods
0:37:34 > 0:37:35due to the larch disease.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Cardinham Woods is designated as an ancient woodland site,
0:37:39 > 0:37:44so we're obliged to restock those areas with broadleaf trees.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46And what have you actually planted there?
0:37:46 > 0:37:48We've got oak and we've got cherry.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50And then, within the plantation,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53you've got natural regeneration coming up.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56So you've got birch, rowan, holly, etc.
0:37:56 > 0:37:57So, at the end of it,
0:37:57 > 0:38:01we will have a mixed, diverse, broadleaf woodland.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06Not all of the clear-felled areas have been replanted.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Here, the undergrowth's being reduced
0:38:08 > 0:38:12so that a habitat for a threatened species can be developed.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14The pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly
0:38:14 > 0:38:16was once widespread in the UK,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19but its numbers have declined rapidly in recent decades.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23A butterfly conservation area has been created for it
0:38:23 > 0:38:25on the other side of the valley
0:38:25 > 0:38:28and now the Forestry Commission is giving it some extra help
0:38:28 > 0:38:31by establishing a food source in between the cycle trails
0:38:31 > 0:38:34that snake back and forth across this slope.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36- Can I be of any assistance? - Of course you can.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40- If you could pass me the top turf there...- OK.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43And butterflies will particularly enjoy what's in here, will they?
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Yeah, basically the pearl-bordered fritillary,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47which is the one we're looking to get here,
0:38:47 > 0:38:49the larvae of the butterfly and the caterpillar
0:38:49 > 0:38:52basically feed off the leaves of the dog violet,
0:38:52 > 0:38:54which is what this is.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56And once it's eaten a leaf,
0:38:56 > 0:38:59it will basically just bask itself down in the vegetation down here
0:38:59 > 0:39:01in the sun
0:39:01 > 0:39:03and then just pupate into the butterfly in April.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05It's mad to think, though, isn't it,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07that the butterflies can sit here, can feed, can breed,
0:39:07 > 0:39:11and there's mountain-bikers crashing around, but they'll be fine.
0:39:11 > 0:39:12They'll be fine, yeah.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14And it's actually helped us to manage this area
0:39:14 > 0:39:17because of the compartments that we've got.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19It just now separates this whole bank,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22this whole south-facing bank, into little management compartments.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26So every year we can just manage one little section over the year
0:39:26 > 0:39:28to create a mosaic of habitats.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33Nothing alters the countryside
0:39:33 > 0:39:35as regularly or as dramatically as the weather.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39As 2012 drew to a close,
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Adam reflected on the effect
0:39:41 > 0:39:44the changing seasons had on his farm.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49It's almost the end of another farming year,
0:39:49 > 0:39:53and the autumn seemed to come and go so quickly.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55As a farmer, we're often rushing around,
0:39:55 > 0:39:57but it's lovely sometimes
0:39:57 > 0:40:01just to stand and take in the wonderful scenery that we work in,
0:40:01 > 0:40:03and the autumn's got to be one of my favourites.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05With that lovely soft light
0:40:05 > 0:40:07reflecting on all those autumn covers
0:40:07 > 0:40:11and some amazing mushrooms we get down this valley.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13But now the leaves have all gone
0:40:13 > 0:40:15and the trees are bare
0:40:15 > 0:40:17and winter's on us.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24Luckily we have a natural stream that cuts this valley in half.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27During the hot summer months this offers a cool retreat
0:40:27 > 0:40:28for many of my livestock,
0:40:28 > 0:40:32especially the Highlands, with their long, shaggy coats.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36As well as the fresh, cool water,
0:40:36 > 0:40:41the waterside edges provide lots of lush greenery for the animals to eat.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43But as soon as winter comes, it all changes.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48This is the Windrush, that runs into the Thames,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50and what was a small trickle during the summer months
0:40:50 > 0:40:53has now become a bit of a torrent.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55The water level has really risen.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59This is a really lovely spot on the farm
0:40:59 > 0:41:01where this waterfall gushes over the wall here
0:41:01 > 0:41:04and, during the summer, it's an archway of leaves.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08All the bushes and trees just surround it.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10And then the winter comes, the leaves fall off,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12and it opens up to the light
0:41:12 > 0:41:15and the water starts to flow faster as the rain comes.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22The cattle still enjoy coming down to the stream
0:41:22 > 0:41:25in the winter, obviously, to get a drink, cos it never freezes.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26And they're quite brave,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29they'll plough through the mud and plunge around in the water.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31There's one doing it over there now.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34And, of course, the dogs love to play in the stream as well.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40But not all my animals get to stay outside during the winter.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42I like to bring some of my vulnerable young stock in.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47These are my White Park cattle.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50Some believe they were introduced to the country by the Romans
0:41:50 > 0:41:52and then, when the Romans left Britain,
0:41:52 > 0:41:54they left some of their animals behind
0:41:54 > 0:41:58and the White Parks ended up isolated in some of the parklands,
0:41:58 > 0:42:01the royal parklands, where the kings and knights
0:42:01 > 0:42:04used to hunt them on horseback with dogs and spears.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Stunning-looking beasts, they've got this lovely black nose
0:42:07 > 0:42:09and black eyes and black ears.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Sadly I've lost a few to TB over the last few years
0:42:12 > 0:42:15and recently had a TB test and lost two more.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18One that was a calf that I bottle-fed last year
0:42:18 > 0:42:21when its mother had to be slaughtered because of TB,
0:42:21 > 0:42:23and another one was Kylie,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26who was one of my White Park oxen
0:42:26 > 0:42:28that I'd trained for a film. So sad.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46We've separated these calves from their mothers.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48They no longer need their mothers' milk.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51We'll be feeding them on silage and cattle nuts now.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53And they're about six months old,
0:42:53 > 0:42:55there's three females and then a young bull calf
0:42:55 > 0:42:58that we'll sell to another White Park breeding herd.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02Just got to get them loaded into the trailer and off to the shed.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Go on, then, babies.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Go on, there's good babies. Go on.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Many of my barns lie empty during summer and autumn.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24They're completely lifeless until winter arrives,
0:43:24 > 0:43:27when we need to use every inch of them.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37Right, this is their winter home.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Steady, steady, steady.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44There we go. They'll just mix in with the other calves now.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46We've got Belted Galloways, Highlands and Gloucesters.
0:43:46 > 0:43:50They might miss their mums for a day or two but they'll soon settle down.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52And they'll stay in these yards now for the winter
0:43:52 > 0:43:55and we'll turn them out on the grass in the spring.
0:43:55 > 0:43:56And we'll feed them on the silage
0:43:56 > 0:43:58and then we'll bed them down with wheat straw
0:43:58 > 0:43:59and give them cattle nuts,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02and that's what the guys are doing next door at the moment.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04I can hear them bedding down the cattle, so I'll give them a hand.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08In my dad's day, three of us would have done this by hand
0:44:08 > 0:44:11but, thanks to this machine, we hardly need to get our hands dirty.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14The rotating blades propel the straw out of the front,
0:44:14 > 0:44:18carpeting the barn floor. Well, and the animals.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20With a quick make-over and some cattle nuts, it is
0:44:20 > 0:44:22soon transformed into a lovely home.
0:44:22 > 0:44:23Very different now.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27MOO!
0:44:29 > 0:44:34My hardy Highland cattle spend all year outside - whatever the weather.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36But they still need a bit of TLC.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Just like the other winter housing,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46this old barn provides shelter at this time of year.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50And this fresh bale of silage will certainly keep my Highlands happy.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00At this time of year, the grass is nearly all gone.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02And what is left has a very low nutrient value.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05I'm dropping this bale of silage in for the Highlands
0:45:05 > 0:45:09and silage is grass we cut in the summer and it was wrapped in
0:45:09 > 0:45:14plastic and basically pickles it and retains its high sugars and proteins.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16It's very good for the cattle in the winter.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19They are keen on it - some are running down the hill to get to it.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21Others have already started feeding on it here.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24And the Highlands are lovely animals, very hardy.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27They'll survive come rain, sleet or snow in the winter.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31They have these great big thick coats but I'm soft on them.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34They have a shelter to get into if it gets really bad.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42But it's not just my long-haired animals that can cope with
0:45:42 > 0:45:43the life in the great outdoors.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46Pig, pig, pig!
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Just bedding down these pigs.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53Pigs have got hair on their bodies but very thick skin as well,
0:45:53 > 0:45:56and that's what keeps them nice and warm and we have these shelters
0:45:56 > 0:46:00for them to get out of the rain, bed them down with a bit of straw...
0:46:02 > 0:46:04And pigs like being outdoors.
0:46:04 > 0:46:08But this wet weather and the rain has just been horrible,
0:46:08 > 0:46:11turning the place into a quagmire - so muddy.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17There's one sow gone in there already.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19And she will pick the straw up with her mouth
0:46:19 > 0:46:23and move it around to make a bed. And they will eat a bit of straw too.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26And now the boar has gone in...
0:46:26 > 0:46:28PIGS GRUNT You can hear her talking to him!
0:46:28 > 0:46:31They grumble away to one another.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33They're quite chatty, really!
0:46:35 > 0:46:38Our animals keep us busy, as do our arable fields.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41We've a variety of crops growing in 1,000 acres.
0:46:41 > 0:46:46When the seasons change, we are often faced with new challenges.
0:46:46 > 0:46:50Arable farming and growing crops is very dependent on the weather
0:46:50 > 0:46:51and this year has been incredibly difficult.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54We had a very wet harvest that affected
0:46:54 > 0:46:57the quality of the grain but also the yield. And we have a rotation.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01It goes oilseed rape, then wheat and then barley.
0:47:01 > 0:47:02So there's wheat growing in here now,
0:47:02 > 0:47:05but last year the crop in here looked very different.
0:47:07 > 0:47:11Last autumn, we planted oilseed rape in this field.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14As soon as the spring arrived, it began to grow at a phenomenal rate.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17It's the fastest-growing crop on the farm.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21By the middle of May, over the course of a couple of weeks,
0:47:21 > 0:47:24it started to flower and transform this whole landscape.
0:47:26 > 0:47:27When the flowers faded,
0:47:27 > 0:47:31we sprayed the crop to protect the valuable seed pods.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37As they died back, and the seed swelled, I kept a close eye on it
0:47:37 > 0:47:41to make sure the seed pods were progressing like they should.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44After a very wet summer, it eventually dried out
0:47:44 > 0:47:46and turned golden.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48When conditions were right,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51it was all hands to the deck to get the crop harvested.
0:47:51 > 0:47:55The combine worked overtime to clear the field before the rain came.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59As the combine swept across the crop in a cloud of dust, it churned
0:47:59 > 0:48:03its way up and down the field leaving nothing but the bare stalks behind.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08But as soon as the oilseed rape was in the shed, there was
0:48:08 > 0:48:10no time to waste.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13We had to put this field back into good use so it was cultivated
0:48:13 > 0:48:15and planted again.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18And now we've got wheat growing in here and I'm praying for a good
0:48:18 > 0:48:23growing season with plenty of sunshine and a bumper harvest.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28But for now, I'm taking shelter like the rest of my animals.
0:48:31 > 0:48:35- HELEN:- Adam and the transformations that happen year in, year out
0:48:35 > 0:48:37in his own back yard.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41In a few minutes' time, I'll be back at the slate mine
0:48:41 > 0:48:44to find out how they're transforming the site to get ready
0:48:44 > 0:48:46for a new generation of visitors. But before all that,
0:48:46 > 0:48:49it's time for the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.
0:51:08 > 0:51:12Snowdonia, Wales's big box-office mountain range.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15It's where I've been looking at the transformations that have
0:51:15 > 0:51:17changed this landscape -
0:51:17 > 0:51:21from the slate mines that made towns like Blaenau Ffestiniog great
0:51:21 > 0:51:24to 20th-century industries like nuclear power.
0:51:25 > 0:51:29All have played their part in this evolving landscape.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32Now it's the turn of another - tourism.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35And it's already changing the landscape.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41Blaenau Ffestiniog and this corner of Snowdonia is carving out
0:51:41 > 0:51:45a name for itself as an all-round outdoor centre.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48These old mines and quarries are being transformed
0:51:48 > 0:51:53into an adrenaline-fuelled playpark for a new generation of visitor.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58People pay good money to zoom above the land down these wires.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01Sean Taylor is in charge of a new venture.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05This is going to be, Helen, the largest zip zone in the world.
0:52:05 > 0:52:10- Over 8km of wire.- You say zip zone, how is that different to a zip line?
0:52:10 > 0:52:14Well, we have three zip lines and each zip line can have four
0:52:14 > 0:52:17people side-by-side so it's a complete and utter shared experience.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20Does the world really need another zip wire, because there's one
0:52:20 > 0:52:23only three quarters of a mile from here which is quite impressive?
0:52:23 > 0:52:27We decided we want to slow people down so they are going slightly
0:52:27 > 0:52:29slower so they can see this magnificent...scenery.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31- HELEN LAUGHS - That's ironic -
0:52:31 > 0:52:33to slow people down on a zip wire!
0:52:33 > 0:52:38- How fast will they be going on this slow one?- You're only going 60mph.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41- Only 60mph dangling on a thin piece of wire.- 16mm, I'll have you know.
0:52:41 > 0:52:43Sorry!
0:52:43 > 0:52:46After months of construction, weeks of testing,
0:52:46 > 0:52:49I'm the very first customer on the new zip lines.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51How far is that drop?
0:52:51 > 0:52:54- About 500 foot.- It's quite intense, isn't it?- Ah, just a little bit!
0:52:54 > 0:52:57If we weren't using this, could you use this for anything else?
0:52:57 > 0:52:59No, this is completely dead land.
0:52:59 > 0:53:03They've taken all the best materials out. So this is worthless.
0:53:03 > 0:53:07- How far is it?- This one is our middle wire and this is 850m.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10OK. And I get to race against my colleagues. Jim, good luck.
0:53:10 > 0:53:12- Thank you!- Godspeed.- Yeah, and you.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16He said that quite serious, like this is intense.
0:53:16 > 0:53:22- It's meant to be fun, Jim!- When you say Godspeed, everyone gets serious!
0:53:27 > 0:53:31Just going to tie these up a little bit so you're sitting more upright.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33We don't want you laying down.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36I can imagine some people sitting at home thinking this
0:53:36 > 0:53:39looks like a nightmare, but you feel quite secure in it.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42It is secure, isn't it?!
0:53:42 > 0:53:45- It's just like a rocking seat hanging from a tree.- Oh.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49Only this tree is going to be going 850m over a disused quarry at 60mph.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53- Perfect. How's that?- Yeah, good. - Nice and secure? Ready to go?
0:53:53 > 0:53:55- Yeah, thanks.- Perfect.
0:53:55 > 0:53:59OK, everybody's feet on the floor for me.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01OK. Gates are open.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06That's scary! Ah! What's happening to me?!
0:54:10 > 0:54:12HELEN SCREAMS
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Whooo!
0:54:25 > 0:54:28SHE LAUGHS
0:54:28 > 0:54:30Thank you very much.
0:54:30 > 0:54:35That was amazing! Ah, brilliant. Thank you!
0:54:35 > 0:54:40Ah! That was brilliant fun. Brilliant fun.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43What a wicked way to see the landscape and take it all in.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47You see so much in 30 seconds. It might look scary, but it's not.
0:54:49 > 0:54:5260mph sounds fast, but I was on the line long enough
0:54:52 > 0:54:56to get my heart racing and admire the views from miles around.
0:54:58 > 0:55:02It's going to transform the way visitors see Snowdonia.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10There is one final surprise Sean has in store for me.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13This is called Bounce Below. Now, where do I begin?
0:55:16 > 0:55:19Putting a zip wire over a redundant slate mine is already quite
0:55:19 > 0:55:24an extreme form of diversifying, but this takes it to a whole new level.
0:55:24 > 0:55:29We're in 100-foot cavern, and this is a trampoline.
0:55:29 > 0:55:30It's one of three.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33It's not yet in use by the general public,
0:55:33 > 0:55:34but we've been allowed special access.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Sean said I could go in here.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39Oh, this is nerve-racking!
0:55:39 > 0:55:43I've done some random things in my time, but this is up there.
0:55:43 > 0:55:45It is safe, isn't it?
0:55:45 > 0:55:47This is unbelievable.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49It's such a weird feeling because you think,
0:55:49 > 0:55:53"I shouldn't be here because this is just a drop."
0:55:53 > 0:55:56Between us and the drop, it's just this springy net.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59I am going to try it! Argh! Yeah, I'm still alive.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04I think the camera crew is starting to feel a little bit sick!
0:56:05 > 0:56:09You don't like heights, do you?
0:56:09 > 0:56:12That's right, jump with me. Jump with me!
0:56:15 > 0:56:16I think I'd better stand still
0:56:16 > 0:56:19because everybody at home is probably feeling sick by now,
0:56:19 > 0:56:22but trust me, this is definitely worth a bounce.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28The thing that I love about this most of all is that somebody
0:56:28 > 0:56:32somewhere said, "A trampoline down a mine? That's a mad idea!"
0:56:32 > 0:56:35And somebody else must have said, "Let's do it anyway!"
0:56:37 > 0:56:39Argh!
0:56:40 > 0:56:43That's it from me in Snowdonia, but next week Matt and Ellie
0:56:43 > 0:56:45will be in and around Port Talbot.
0:56:45 > 0:56:50Matt will be getting up close with a strange and unusual animal,
0:56:50 > 0:56:51Ellie will be finding out
0:56:51 > 0:56:54how water is powering the latest outdoor craze.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56But from me, in Snowdonia, goodbye!