0:00:34 > 0:00:37The Lake District, a land of superlatives.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43It's home to England's highest mountain...
0:00:46 > 0:00:50..its deepest stretch of fresh water
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and its longest stretch -
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Windermere, jewel of the Lakes and a tourist magnet.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Every year, 16 million people come to the Lake District National Park
0:01:00 > 0:01:02and they all have to get here
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and once they're here, they've all got to get around.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11In this special edition of Countryfile,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13I'll be looking at different modes of transport.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17And hopping on to some of them.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20And while I'm here, I'll be looking back at some of the best ways
0:01:20 > 0:01:23to travel that we have featured on Countryfile.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Keep your head down, that's the key, isn't it?
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Like the time Matt learnt the ropes off the Furnace Peninsula.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Let's go sailing!
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Or when Julia saddled up in Grizedale Forest.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Ouch.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37Woo-hoo!
0:01:38 > 0:01:41'And what happened to me when I revisited my youth.'
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Riding like the wind!
0:01:58 > 0:02:01The Lake District is a unique corner of England.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06Nearly 900 square miles of dramatic scenery,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08rough-hewn mountains,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12fells and valleys that stretch as far as the eye can see.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16My journey begins at Windermere's southern tip.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19I'm travelling north by steam train, historic boat
0:02:19 > 0:02:23and sheer effort to get to Orrest Head for a view that inspires
0:02:23 > 0:02:24everyone who climbs to the top.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34There are all sorts of ways to get round the Lake District
0:02:34 > 0:02:38but the vast majority of visitors come by car.
0:02:38 > 0:02:39And it's been that way ever
0:02:39 > 0:02:43since the internal combustion engine was invented.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The gradients here were used for testing the first cars
0:02:47 > 0:02:50and the Lakes themselves provided perfect conditions
0:02:50 > 0:02:53for the water speed record-breaking attempts
0:02:53 > 0:02:56of Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Both men are commemorated in the Lakeland Motor Museum.
0:03:00 > 0:03:06Altogether, they captured 21 world land and water speed records.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07Donald was tragically killed
0:03:07 > 0:03:11attempting to break 300 miles an hour on nearby Coniston Water
0:03:11 > 0:03:15one cold January day in 1967.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21But they weren't the only ones to travel the Lakes in unusual craft.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23This vehicle could also go on water
0:03:23 > 0:03:25but it would never break any speed records.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28It could, though, do seven knots out on the lake
0:03:28 > 0:03:30and 70 miles an hour on the roads.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Engineer Chris Lowe is going to tell me all about it.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- Hi, Chris.- Hello. - It looks more car than boat.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39How do you make it waterproof?
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Well, there is a lever on each door here, which squeezes this
0:03:42 > 0:03:45large rubber seal, and then once you're in the water,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48just down here, is a little handle that engages the propeller.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52- Oh, right. And it works, does it? - It does.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Did anybody actually use it round here?
0:03:54 > 0:03:55There was an identical one on Belle Island
0:03:55 > 0:03:58in the middle of Windermere, the only inhabited island.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01The owners there wanted to go north up to Ambleside.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03In the lake, up to the north, out they come.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Or wherever they fancy going that morning.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08- And do you just steer it with the normal car wheel?- It does.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10It just steers with the wheels in the water.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12It has no separate rudder.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14So, not very precise then?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Not particularly but OK on a quiet lake.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Not so good in the North Sea.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- Good for escaping the police if you want to.- Absolutely.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26You have got a lot of traditional family cars here, haven't you, Chris?
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Yes. Most of our customers, they don't want to see Ferraris and
0:04:29 > 0:04:32the like, they want to see the car they grew up in the back seat of.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33The car their uncle had,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36those family holidays from the 1950s and '60s.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- Like this A35, eh? - Complete with folding boat.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42But if you couldn't afford a full-size car,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44you could always go with a motorbike and sidecar.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Traditional 1950s family transport.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Dad and Mum on the motorbike, and then the youngsters in here.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- In the days before seat belts. - Absolutely.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Well, as a young man, I couldn't afford a car
0:04:57 > 0:04:59but I did love my motorbike.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03It wasn't anywhere near as big or as powerful as this one
0:05:03 > 0:05:07but last July I went to the Isle of Man, famous for its TT races,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09for a little ride down memory lane.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16I was in my late teens when I first came here to watch the TT races.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21I came on my bike and this was it. My BSA Bantam 125.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Not very fast but I was tremendously proud of it.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28And that is my sister sitting on the back there. She didn't come with me.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I came with a pal who had a much bigger bike,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33and he had to keep stopping so I could catch up.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36And, for old times' sake, I want to get back on one.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Well, I never thought I would see one of these again.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42It's your lucky day, John.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45As you might expect, there is no shortage of bikes on the island
0:05:45 > 0:05:48and vintage bike collector Tony East has
0:05:48 > 0:05:52brought along a couple of classic Bantams from 1949 and 1953.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58I don't think today's generation realise just how important
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Bantams were, Tony, to the likes of you and me.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02No, they were absolutely vital.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- Everybody used to go to work on them.- All you could afford.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10- Yes.- And they were all this green colour, weren't they?- Mist green.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14- And everybody wanted a Bantam. - They did.- There's me on mine.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17- Well, that's absolutely fantastic. - Did you have one?- Yes, I had one.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Did you come to the Isle of Man to watch the races?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Yeah, I used to come in the '60s.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I'd go round the circuit - not on race days, of course -
0:06:24 > 0:06:25like everybody does.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28But the Bantam was a bit slow going up the mountain.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31There were some dodgy bits, weren't there?
0:06:31 > 0:06:33- Remember that bridge? - Yeah, Ballaugh Bridge.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Over 30 miles an hour over Ballaugh,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38particularly on these things, and you'd leave the ground.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Years ago, they used to station a police sergeant there with
0:06:41 > 0:06:46his white helmet, with his stick, and you went over too fast - whack!
0:06:46 > 0:06:48On your backside, just to teach you a lesson.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51And there were some pretty flash bikes around, weren't there?
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Not just the ones competing but the spectators bringing theirs as well.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57- They looked down their noses a bit at us Bantam riders.- Oh, yeah.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Us Bantam riders, yes.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02They'd forgotten that they'd probably owned them in the past.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05I think they stopped being made in the early '60s.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08But the noise of the engine is something I'll always remember.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- Yes, you do.- Any chance of going for a spin?- Of course there is.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14ENGINE REVS NOISILY
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Well, it's 50 years since I last rode a BSA Bantam
0:07:19 > 0:07:22but they do say you never forget how to ride a bike.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Let's hope they're right.
0:07:26 > 0:07:27Woo-hoo!
0:07:27 > 0:07:29HE LAUGHS
0:07:29 > 0:07:30This is fantastic!
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Oh, the years are rolling back.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37This is instant transport to the days of my youth.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43The freedom that the Bantam gave us all in those days.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47We must be doing about 30 miles an hour now.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- This is life, isn't it?- Yes.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55This is really moving as far as a Bantam's concerned.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Riding like the wind!
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Whoa, bending it over a little bit.
0:08:06 > 0:08:07Not done that for a while.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14I had forgotten just what fun it is. What great fun.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18'And I'm not the only one who thinks so.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20'For the last 105 years,'
0:08:20 > 0:08:24these quiet island lanes have been overrun by leather-clad bikers
0:08:24 > 0:08:27ready to take on the challenge of the TT course.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Not for nothing has it been called
0:08:29 > 0:08:32one of the greatest motorcycle sporting events in the world.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37What I would love to do is re-ride the 37-and-three-quarter-mile
0:08:37 > 0:08:40course like I used to all those years ago.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46But I have only ever been round it on a dear old Bantam,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49so maybe this time something a little bit more powerful.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Something like this. A Supertrike.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Now I can let somebody who really knows the course
0:08:58 > 0:09:01do the driving and I can sit back and enjoy.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10As a passenger for once, I get to admire the views.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14And what views they are, whatever the weather.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18The course snakes through picturesque villages and stunning countryside
0:09:18 > 0:09:22and up towards the summit of the island's only mountain, Snaefell.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27'It's bends like this, known as the hairpin,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30'that challenge the most experienced of riders.'
0:09:39 > 0:09:43- Exhilarating, Andy. Thank you very much indeed.- My pleasure.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- It's my pleasure.- It really makes you realise, doesn't it,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48just how demanding this course is?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Yes, it's 37 and three quarter miles long and it's very much
0:09:51 > 0:09:53man and machine against the course.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56And it seems to me to be much faster than it was in my day.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Certainly, there are certain things being done to the course
0:09:58 > 0:10:01all the time that improve the speed and improve the safety
0:10:01 > 0:10:03of the course as well, which is the most important thing.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05So, what's the top speed these days?
0:10:05 > 0:10:08They're doing well over 200 miles an hour in certain places.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Around here is roughly the fastest part of the course,
0:10:11 > 0:10:12coming down off the mountain.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- Well, onwards, Andy. - Onwards.- Onwards.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25There's no doubt that on race days the Isle of Man is a great
0:10:25 > 0:10:28showcase for motorcycling skills.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31But the Lake District can provide its fair share
0:10:31 > 0:10:33of thrills on two wheels.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36And you don't need an engine to experience them.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Long before the car was invented,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43people were travelling round the Lake District by bicycle.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Well, bikes really opened up the Lakes, didn't they,
0:10:47 > 0:10:48- to ordinary people?- Absolutely.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51There was a huge boom in cycling in the 1880s.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53This is a Penny Farthing that the young gentlemen tended to ride.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56They'd bring them up on the train and travel the route ways
0:10:56 > 0:10:58of the Lake District, enjoying the scenery.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01- And for the, shall we say, more sensible gentleman...- Uh-huh.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05..you have three wheels on your tricycle here.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08A safety version of the Penny Farthing, really?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- Absolutely. It's a little difficult to get on.- How DO you get on?
0:11:11 > 0:11:16You turn backwards and then you put your right foot on the right pedal
0:11:16 > 0:11:18and lift yourself up into position.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21HE GROANS
0:11:21 > 0:11:25- It's not so easy, is it?- Certainly not. Not all that comfortable either.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Have you worked out the steering? - No, no idea.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31- As you turn the handle, say, clockwise...- This one?- Yeah.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34..the front wheel turns one way and the back wheel turns the other.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Very simple. And how did you know where to go?
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Because there weren't guides in those days, were there?
0:11:39 > 0:11:40They had little guide books.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42It shows you the steepness of the hills.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Very important, especially on something like this.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48And also the locations of the friendly inns,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51cos not everybody liked the newfangled bicycle and tricycle.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- Why not?- They thought they would scare the horses
0:11:54 > 0:11:58and they were more old-fashioned, like their horses and carriages.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03And cycling in the Lakes is still as popular as ever.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Just beyond those fells, there is the Grizedale Forest,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11the Lake District's biggest stretch of woodland
0:12:11 > 0:12:15and, last August, Julia went there and jumped into the saddle to see
0:12:15 > 0:12:18just how much fun you can have on two wheels.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Ouch!
0:12:21 > 0:12:24'Grizedale is famed for its excellent cycling,
0:12:24 > 0:12:26'with bespoke cycle tracks both on and off-road. '
0:12:28 > 0:12:31There are about a dozen trails for riders of just about every ability.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Beginners, riders in good health, it says here,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36proficient mountain bikers, experts.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39And this is a sinuous, adrenalising section
0:12:39 > 0:12:42of single-track descent with a leg-burning climb.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Oh, no thank you.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Sounds like really hard work.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51'I'm off to explore the flatter parts of this enchanting forest
0:12:51 > 0:12:54'and, best of all, I get to soak up the views along the way.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58'And, no, not just those views.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01'There are some rather more curious ones here too.'
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Couldn't resist.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14MUSIC BOX MUSIC TINKLES
0:13:18 > 0:13:20That's quite spooky, isn't it?
0:13:22 > 0:13:25I know what Matt Baker would say now.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27He'd say, "That's a bit of a wind-up."
0:13:33 > 0:13:38In 1977, Grizedale became the UK's first forest for sculptures.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39Very ahead of its time.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Many of the early sculptures have decayed
0:13:43 > 0:13:46but the Forestry Commission is working
0:13:46 > 0:13:48with the next generation of artists
0:13:48 > 0:13:49to develop new works.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53They are beautiful.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Fantastic piece, isn't it?
0:13:59 > 0:14:01What does it represent then, Hayley?
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Well, I think the real sort of inspiration behind the work is
0:14:04 > 0:14:06the forest environment itself.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09All the sculptors that came here have made pieces in response
0:14:09 > 0:14:11to particular locations that they found.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- And it's carved out of wood, isn't it?- That's right.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15A lot of the artists that came here
0:14:15 > 0:14:18made work from natural materials in the forest.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21So wood and stone are the most often found materials.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25This would be timber from the forest and it is a carved piece
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and it has actually been preserved by being wet all the time,
0:14:28 > 0:14:29believe it or not.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It's a bit counter-intuitive but because it doesn't get wet
0:14:31 > 0:14:34and then dry out, that's actually making the wood last longer.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36And how many pieces have you got
0:14:36 > 0:14:38scattered around and throughout the forest?
0:14:38 > 0:14:41There are about 60 works in the forest at the moment.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45If I wanted to do a tour of every single work of art within the forest
0:14:45 > 0:14:47how long do you think it would take me?
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Well, we reckon about three days to get around all of them
0:14:50 > 0:14:52so it's maybe a holiday rather than a day visit
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- if you want to see all of them. - Favourite? Your favourite?
0:14:55 > 0:14:56Oh, there's lots.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Lots for different reasons as well and at different times of year.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01But I think the work behind this is fantastic
0:15:01 > 0:15:03cos all the excitement and drama of the landscape
0:15:03 > 0:15:06has been incorporated into the work.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09- Can we just have five minutes just to look at it?- Yeah.- OK.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Just five minutes, though.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18If I want to make it round to the rest of them
0:15:18 > 0:15:19I'd better get pedalling.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Grizedale Forest has dozens of purpose-built biking trails
0:15:29 > 0:15:30for all abilities.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Well, I've had a little whirl on the red trail
0:15:35 > 0:15:37and I have to say, I think that's probably about my limit.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41That is the much tougher black trail, the toughest of them all,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44and I'm going to leave that to the professionals.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45I don't want to scrape my knee.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48It hurts when you get the grit under your skin.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53This trail is a magnet for adrenaline junkies.
0:16:02 > 0:16:03The pros can pick up speeds
0:16:03 > 0:16:06of more than 40 miles an hour down these runs.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Local biker Paul Noble runs a bike shop in the heart of the forest.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17I know I said that this was a tough track but, really,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19how tricky is it, Paul?
0:16:19 > 0:16:22It's not that unsafe once you've learnt how to look after yourself.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24But it'd be dangerous if you were a novice
0:16:24 > 0:16:26- and tried to have a go? - Absolutely. Yes, absolutely.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29If you just turned up here on any old bike and threw yourself at it,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31you'll end up in a pile and it won't be nice.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40It's a real community project, this, isn't it? Built with love.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41It was indeed, yeah.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44It was something that the locals wanted and they really badly wanted
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and the Forestry gave them permission to build it
0:16:47 > 0:16:50and helped with it and it turned out it was a real community project.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51We had lads as young as 12
0:16:51 > 0:16:53and people as old as 60s helping out with it.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56It's a superb addition to the forest, no doubt.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Oh! Speedy Gonzales!
0:17:03 > 0:17:08It certainly looks great fun whizzing downhill but...
0:17:09 > 0:17:12If you don't fancy struggling up these hills by pedal power
0:17:12 > 0:17:16and sitting for hours in a car just doesn't appeal,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19well, you could always let the train take the strain.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25The next stage of my journey revisits the glorious age of steam.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30The Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway is run as a tourist attraction now
0:17:30 > 0:17:34but in its day it serviced a thriving industrial centre
0:17:34 > 0:17:36right here at the southern end of Windermere.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Day-trippers and holiday-makers soon cottoned on
0:17:42 > 0:17:45to the delights of this place, and they flocked here
0:17:45 > 0:17:48from the mill towns of Lancashire and from far beyond.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50And they still come.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54In fact, people come here from as far away as China
0:17:54 > 0:17:58to travel on these historic trains. And it's not hard to see why.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00WHISTLE BLOWS
0:18:00 > 0:18:02After the line closed in 1967,
0:18:02 > 0:18:07it was bought by the manager of a Lancashire cotton mill, Austin Maher.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10I'm here to meet his son, Mike, who's now the managing director.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Mike, how come your dad bought a railway, then?
0:18:14 > 0:18:20That's a very good question. I think opportunity knocked, really.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25He was always very enthusiastic, right from being a child,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27very enthusiastic railwayman.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30He had a railway at the bottom of the garden, practically.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33As he got older, and had the ability
0:18:33 > 0:18:36to buy himself a camera, he set off filming
0:18:36 > 0:18:41locally and elsewhere on the basis that steam was going to die out.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43This was about 1960.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54He didn't just take pictures of steam trains, he took pictures of you too.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57He did, yes, some delightful pictures of little me. Yes.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06And you have more or less now inherited your father's enthusiasm
0:19:06 > 0:19:10- for steam trains. - I appear to have done, yes.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I think I talked myself into it, really.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15When I first started at the railway in 1981, my dad bought me
0:19:15 > 0:19:18a chainsaw and I started tidying up
0:19:18 > 0:19:21because at that time you wouldn't have been able to see anything.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24The trees were brushing the side of the train, really.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28We managed to push it back to the fence line and now we've got a view
0:19:28 > 0:19:33and I don't get my chainsaw out very often now, I am pleased to say.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36There's something magical, isn't there, about a steam train?
0:19:36 > 0:19:40People always have the windows open. You can smell the smoke.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45The grit and the smell of sulphur, yes. They are magical things.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46Steam trains live on,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50captivating the minds of people of all ages and of all nationalities,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54especially those of us lucky enough to remember them in all their pomp.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59But transport doesn't need to be from a bygone age
0:19:59 > 0:20:01to lure people into the countryside,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04as Ellie discovered when she headed to Loch Lomond,
0:20:04 > 0:20:05the winter before last.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Not many people brave these waters at this time of year.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Biting cold and rain keep the hordes of tourists away,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16leaving it unusually peaceful.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20But even cold weather like this doesn't deter the locals
0:20:20 > 0:20:23because they found an eco-friendly way of breathing life
0:20:23 > 0:20:26back into the loch on a winter's day.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36These electric scooters are a more familiar sight around cities,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39but here in Scotland they've found a new use for them - offroading.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Right, it's my turn now.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Apparently, it's one of the best ways to see the loch.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46- All right there, Ben.- Hello.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48So get me started on one of these.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Right, first things first, you need one of these to protect your head.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56You stand with your feet on each of these contact points.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00If you start to lean forward slightly and move your weight
0:21:00 > 0:21:02beyond where the wheels are touching the ground,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- it'll start to roll forwards. - Off I go!- It's got no brakes.- Oh...
0:21:06 > 0:21:08..so if you kept going, you might get wet.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- So, if you just centre your weight again.- Just stand up a bit more.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15There you go. Are you going to take me to see the sights?
0:21:15 > 0:21:19- Yes, we'll go for a ride along the beach, round the woods.- Let's do it.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Ben leads loch safaris on these and I need the practice,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30as later I'll be racing Matt on one.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32It's a funny thing cos it's now being associated with
0:21:32 > 0:21:34the skateboarding crowd,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37which isn't necessarily what you'd expect from these things.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Generally, it's the people that snowboard, skateboard,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44BMX, skiers, they're the ones that want to try the new stuff.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48The good thing is they're not noisy, not churning out fumes,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52- they're not petrol-based.- No petrol, they don't churn up the ground
0:21:52 > 0:21:54cos you can't wheelspin them.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57If you manage to do a wheelspin, you're doing something wrong.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02- How fast do they go?- About 12.5mph. - Oh, dizzy speeds!- Yes.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Let's just say, hypothetically speaking,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07I wanted to beat somebody at a race -
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Matt Baker - what would be your tips for me to win?
0:22:11 > 0:22:14We could sort something out that means that you will definitely win.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- Dirty tactics?- Yeah. - That's more like it.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Don't tell Matt, but the speed of these scooters can be restricted
0:22:21 > 0:22:23to a measly 6mph.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Now, Ben has promised me a spectacular view of Loch Lomond.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37Oddly, though, he seems to be taking me to the nearest tee.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39But this is no ordinary golf course.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43It's part of the national park and we've been given special permission
0:22:43 > 0:22:45to explore it in this way.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Ho-ho! Look at the view!
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- Incredible, isn't it? - That's awesome, even on a rainy day.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54- Almost makes me want to convert to golf.- Nearly.- Not really.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57I love that!
0:22:57 > 0:23:00The site of this golf course is so special
0:23:00 > 0:23:03it has its own countryside ranger, James Elliott.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- Hi, James. How are you doing?- Hi, Ellie, how are you?- I'm good.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Apologies for the random arrival. I'll have to power this thing down.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12What are you doing here?
0:23:12 > 0:23:15I'm planting some oak trees here along with some other
0:23:15 > 0:23:18native broadleaves just to replace these Sitka spruce
0:23:18 > 0:23:20that have been recently felled.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23What's wrong with the spruce? Why have they come down?
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Spruce are actually non-native to Britain.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29They provide pretty poor habitat for wildlife.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Oakwood, on the other hand, has the most biodiverse habitat in Britain.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36You've got quite an unusual job - you're a ranger at a golf course.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38That's quite specific, isn't it?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Yes, it might seem unusual, but when you think about it,
0:23:40 > 0:23:43this golf course takes up a very large chunk of land.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Only a proportion of that is actually used for the game of golf.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51The rest of it, we've got woodlands, wetlands, native grasslands.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53And the landscape here is amazing.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Where we are at the moment is
0:23:55 > 0:23:59right on the boundary between the Highlands and the Lowlands.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- Right here?- Yes.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03So, going back 450 million years ago,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05these were two different continents.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09They came together and if we look at the islands going right across
0:24:09 > 0:24:13the loch, that's the crumple zone of where these two continents met.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- It's amazing, isn't it? - Yes, it's fantastic.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18It's all very well admiring it from up here,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22but it's time to get myself back to shore for the big race.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Look at this, Highlands... Lowlands.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Whay! Highlands...
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Lowlands. SHE LAUGHS
0:24:31 > 0:24:34And Ben is going to be our umpire.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35You are going to love this.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39- Where is the other half of your quad?- Oh, no, no!
0:24:39 > 0:24:43- This is completely different. Do you want a quick lesson?- I do! Why not?
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Why not two more wheels? So stand on first.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49- How do you go forwards, then? - Lean your whole body forward.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- We're going to go for a race, if you're up for it.- Yes!
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Where are we going to race? First round the loch?
0:24:55 > 0:24:58No, first to the end of the big, big puddle.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03- Ben is going to start us off.- Oh, hello, Ben! I didn't see you there!
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Can I get you both level, so it's a fair, even playing field?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09- Are you ready?- Ready.- Go!
0:25:09 > 0:25:13- And there's the lean. - Yeah, have some of that!
0:25:13 > 0:25:17- I'm slowing down.- Do you want me to wait for you, Matt?
0:25:17 > 0:25:21How do you make it go faster? I'm hanging over the bars, it keeps...
0:25:21 > 0:25:25- I'm leaning forwards and it's... - It's a first on Countryfile!
0:25:25 > 0:25:29- I'm beating Matt at something! - Oh!- Here comes a puddle!
0:25:30 > 0:25:35Ooh-la-la-la-la! I win! Woo-hoo!
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Ooh, here he comes, slowly. WHISTLES
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Proper leaning forwards, this is rubbish!
0:25:46 > 0:25:49How were you going that fast?
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- Do you know what, Matt?- What? - I've got to tell you something.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57- Go on. Have you got a little trick? - I had the limiter taken off mine.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02- You're kidding me.- It's dirty play, it's dirty play!- What a surprise.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Right, can we swap now and I have a go on one without the limiter?
0:26:05 > 0:26:07It's only fair.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Well, this train's got a limiter on it,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16it's only allowed to do 25 miles an hour maximum.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Usually it's round about 17 miles an hour.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Time to see the grass grow.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24I'm on my way through the Lake District,
0:26:24 > 0:26:29following a route that's been travelled for well over 100 years.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33The railway was built to link up with the steamers on Windermere.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36They were also a product of the Industrial Revolution.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39At the time, not everyone was pleased about them.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46In the 1840s, one of the Lake District's most famous residents,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50William Wordsworth, campaigned vigorously against plans
0:26:50 > 0:26:52for Windermere to have its first steamer.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54He didn't get his way
0:26:54 > 0:26:59and the steamers have been plying their genteel trade ever since.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06In a moment, I'll be following in royal footsteps as I hop aboard.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Before then, here's what's still to come
0:27:09 > 0:27:12on this special travel edition of Countryfile.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17We look back at Matt's turn in a very special boat.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19That thing is going at the pace of nature though,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21that's the beauty of it.
0:27:21 > 0:27:22- The pace of the wind, yes.- Yes.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Remember when Ellie took to the Pennine Way
0:27:26 > 0:27:28with one of our greatest poets?
0:27:30 > 0:27:35And we journey again in style with Katie on Evesham's Blossom Trail.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37For me, part of the appeal of this trail
0:27:37 > 0:27:40is the picturesque countryside that it passes through.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42It is incredibly pretty.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46For the next stage of my journey,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49I've stepped on board a boat with a royal pedigree.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53In 1956, the Queen came to the Lake District
0:27:53 > 0:27:57as part of the long-running celebrations to mark her Coronation.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02And she and the Duke of Edinburgh sailed on this very boat, the Teal.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Here on Windermere,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08they're still waiting for the Queen to make a return visit.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11In the meantime, Windermere has visited the Queen.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16I'm talking to the local man who was chosen to be its skipper
0:28:16 > 0:28:19when one of its boats joined the flotilla
0:28:19 > 0:28:22in Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee pageant.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24He's Captain Ron Walker.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28- You took part, didn't you, in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations...- Yes.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33- ..with one of these boats? - Yes, we had the Queen Of The Lake,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37which was a traditional Windermere launch.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42The other connection was that Prince Charles had been on it when he came
0:28:42 > 0:28:46up to open the businesses after the floods, the floods from Cockermouth.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52It was quite an experience and honour to be asked to go as skipper on the boat.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56The Queen Of The Lake was hoisted out of the water
0:28:56 > 0:28:59and transported by road to London, where she proudly took her place
0:28:59 > 0:29:02in the biggest party seen on the Thames
0:29:02 > 0:29:07since the monarchy was restored with Charles II 350 years ago.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10One of my, I suppose, greatest memories
0:29:10 > 0:29:15was the sheer number of people.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17And there were so many umbrellas.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19And every time we went under a bridge,
0:29:19 > 0:29:21the enthusiasm was fantastic.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25But what an honour for a Lake District boat
0:29:25 > 0:29:28to be in the Diamond Jubilee parade.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32It was, it was the honour of being able to go and skipper the boat.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39This boat, the Teal, was built just a few miles west of here
0:29:39 > 0:29:44in Barrow-in-Furness, one of the country's great shipbuilding centres.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49Last summer, Matt went to Barrow to find out all about renovating
0:29:49 > 0:29:52a little boat and building some very big ones.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Now, this is the Royal Navy's latest submarine.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59It's nearing completion and it's absolutely massive.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04'Making these magnificent machines here not only takes advantage
0:30:04 > 0:30:07'of generations of local shipbuilding talent,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10'but also the make-up of the surrounding land.'
0:30:14 > 0:30:16The banks of the Barrow sit on a deep water channel
0:30:16 > 0:30:20which means big ships and submarines can sail in and out of here
0:30:20 > 0:30:22to the open sea.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24This area is constantly on the move.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27And this channel is only kept open
0:30:27 > 0:30:29by the lads I'm about to meet.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33'The crew of the Norma
0:30:33 > 0:30:35'are part of a team of dredgers who work all year round
0:30:35 > 0:30:39'to keep this 40-foot deep channel clear.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42'I'm heading out to get a closer look at her,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45'with the man in charge of the operation.'
0:30:45 > 0:30:48What's Norma up to out here, Bob?
0:30:48 > 0:30:50The Norma is a plough vessel.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52It's about ten metres wide
0:30:52 > 0:30:56and this is the final process in the dredging campaign this year.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59What's been going on in the past few weeks?
0:30:59 > 0:31:02The main channel dredgers are much bigger vessels
0:31:02 > 0:31:06and they come in and take up the material off the bottom.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09This tends to leave quite deep furrows,
0:31:09 > 0:31:10a bit like a ploughed field,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13- on the bottom of the channel... - I'm with you.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- ..Which we like to level off. - That's where the Norma comes in?
0:31:16 > 0:31:17That's absolutely it.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19How much stuff are you taking out, then?
0:31:19 > 0:31:23It's quite a lot. It's well in excess of a million tonnes this year.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28'It was the clearing of this deep-sea channel
0:31:28 > 0:31:31'that secured Barrow's place as the shipbuilding capital
0:31:31 > 0:31:32'of this coast.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36'But as Barrow rose,
0:31:36 > 0:31:40'it was at the cost of its smaller neighbour, Ulverston.'
0:31:40 > 0:31:44So fine were the boats that were built in Ulverston, they were sold all over the country.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48But as the deep waters of Barrow lured more industrial, bigger loads,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51the boatyards in Ulverston were forced to close
0:31:51 > 0:31:53and up until recently,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56it was thought all trace of the vessels built there
0:31:56 > 0:31:58had been lost.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03'That was until one woman stumbled across the story
0:32:03 > 0:32:04'of the Hearts of Oak -
0:32:04 > 0:32:08'the last boat to set sail from Ulverston shipyards.'
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Jennifer, how did your connection with the Hearts Of Oak start?
0:32:11 > 0:32:13You're not exactly a mad boat fan, are you?
0:32:13 > 0:32:15I certainly aren't, no.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19It quite horrifies me, really, to think of going in deep water.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21The boat? Well,
0:32:21 > 0:32:25we began in 1977, when I visited an old man called John Wilson,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27who lived quite near us.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31He told us about Hearts of Oak and showed me a picture of it.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34I kept thinking about Hearts of Oak
0:32:34 > 0:32:37and that she was built in Ulverston.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40I thought, "Really, she needs restoring."
0:32:40 > 0:32:41Did you know where she was?
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Not at that stage, no.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45My husband and I got on the trail
0:32:45 > 0:32:47and we just kept on looking.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51A series of coincidences and good luck,
0:32:51 > 0:32:53and we eventually found her.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56'The Hearts of Oak was built by this man,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58'John Randall McLester,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01'the last apprentice of the Ulverston shipyards.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04'When she set sail in 1912,
0:33:04 > 0:33:06'she was a thing of beauty.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08'Almost a century later,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10'when Jennifer set eyes on her,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12'she was a weather-beaten wreck.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15"Bonfire condition" probably is the best thing
0:33:15 > 0:33:17we could say.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20The guy who owned her said if he hadn't contacted me,
0:33:20 > 0:33:22he was going to set fire to her.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24'Thanks to Jennifer,
0:33:24 > 0:33:25'far from becoming firewood,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28'this last link to Ulverston's glorious past
0:33:28 > 0:33:30'was saved.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32'Jennifer bought her for just £1,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35'but helped raise over £80,000
0:33:35 > 0:33:38'to pay for three years of painstaking restoration.'
0:33:43 > 0:33:44And here she is, look.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46In all of her glory.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49She's absolutely beautiful.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54Yes, she's a wonderful boat.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Quite a history. Yeah.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02And now I have the chance to set sail on her
0:34:02 > 0:34:04as I hitch a ride over to Peel Island.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06- How are you doing, lads, all right? - OK!
0:34:06 > 0:34:08'The crew are all volunteers,
0:34:08 > 0:34:11'keen amateurs who've fallen in love with the idea
0:34:11 > 0:34:13'of sailing a vintage cutter.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17'And I'm keen to find out more about her.'
0:34:17 > 0:34:18- She was a prawner?- Yeah.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Morecambe Bay prawner.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- It's not too far away.- Morecambe Bay's just over there, yeah.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25We're on the corner of it.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28How would she have worked and why is she the design she is?
0:34:28 > 0:34:32She would have typically been worked by a man and his son.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34They're built like this for speed,
0:34:34 > 0:34:39to get out on the tide and back on the same tide
0:34:39 > 0:34:41to get the catch back
0:34:41 > 0:34:43because there was no refrigeration.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Is there any significance with the red sails?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Yes, it's tradition.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50And they look nice!
0:34:50 > 0:34:52I believe they used to treat the sails,
0:34:52 > 0:34:56the fishermen of the time, with stuff like red lead
0:34:56 > 0:34:57and linseed oil.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00That gave them the colour to cause them to last.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03I understand there's quite an interesting technique to stop
0:35:03 > 0:35:06- it from tipping over.- Yeah! Stones - do you want to have a look?
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Yeah, if we can.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Right, you just chucked it along there.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Lead would be ideal
0:35:17 > 0:35:19but we can't afford lead.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- Do they go the full length of the hull?- They do.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26- I might jump up there and do a bit of rope-pulling with Gordon.- OK.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Gordon, you look a picture there!
0:35:33 > 0:35:35It's pleasant out here, isn't it?
0:35:35 > 0:35:38You do look at home. It looks like we have a little bit of wind here.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40We're actually sailing. Pleasant change.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Very gently, but we are actually sailing.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Show me the ropes, quite literally.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48'I'll try and help the lads tack -
0:35:48 > 0:35:50'that's moving the sail to change direction.'
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Keep your head down - that's the key, isn't it?
0:35:52 > 0:35:53So undo these, Gordon?
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Yes, cast off the jib...
0:35:55 > 0:35:57- This one as well? - Yes. Cast them both off.
0:36:00 > 0:36:01Tighten those up.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05'That felt like plain sailing.
0:36:05 > 0:36:06'There's only one small problem.'
0:36:06 > 0:36:09- Peel Island's that way.- 'Fraid so.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10THEY LAUGH
0:36:10 > 0:36:13'So it's take two on the turning.'
0:36:13 > 0:36:15Just a nice full flow in the sail.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18'This time, things are heading in the right direction.'
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Good, we are going the right way now.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27We should be there for midnight(!)
0:36:27 > 0:36:29You go at the pace of nature, though.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33- Yes.- That's the beauty of it. - The pace of the wind, yes.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38I think we're going a little faster than the wind
0:36:38 > 0:36:40but not by very much.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Here on Windermere I'm travelling sedately up to Bowness.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48Chances are it's still quicker than travelling by car
0:36:48 > 0:36:50along busy lakeside roads.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54I'm going to have a chat with the man in charge, Ken MacLeod.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Can I squeeze past, Captain Ken? Not a lot of room in your wheelhouse.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59It's pretty tight today.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03What a big wheel you have! It's enormous, isn't it?
0:37:03 > 0:37:05That's the standard wheel. It's been there
0:37:05 > 0:37:07since it was built in 1936.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Some of these huge cruise liners these days
0:37:10 > 0:37:12have tiny little wheels to steer with.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15No such technology on here.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17This is chain-driven from here right to the back of the boat.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20There's a cog and chains...?
0:37:20 > 0:37:22It runs along the deck head
0:37:22 > 0:37:25down to the rudder at the back of the boat.
0:37:25 > 0:37:26Is it easy to steer?
0:37:26 > 0:37:28It's fairly easy.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30It does have a kick now and again, just off-centre
0:37:30 > 0:37:33but then you pull it back again, it's not a problem.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36- Am I allowed to have a go? - Absolutely. It's all yours.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39You've got a few passengers back there.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41You just keep an eye I'm doing the right thing.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44So...what should I do, then?
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Avoid the shore, basically?
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Avoid the shore, avoid the other vessels.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Try and keep it in a straight line.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Not a lot of traffic at the moment, is there?
0:37:54 > 0:37:56It's very quiet today,
0:37:56 > 0:37:59but in the summer weekends, there's a lot of yacht races -
0:37:59 > 0:38:01up to 2,000 boats out there
0:38:01 > 0:38:03and we have to give way to all the sailboats.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06This big boat has to give way to little sailboats?
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Anything with a sail on, I have to give way to.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11So with lots of races going on,
0:38:11 > 0:38:13it's entertaining!
0:38:13 > 0:38:16- You really have to keep your eye open.- We're OK today.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26This is the perfect way to get around Windermere.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29But if you're going into the countryside in your car,
0:38:29 > 0:38:30do it style...
0:38:31 > 0:38:34..like Katie did a couple of springtimes ago.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40'I'm in Worcestershire to see first-hand
0:38:40 > 0:38:43one of nature's most impressive displays.'
0:38:43 > 0:38:47For me, it's one of the most uplifting signs of spring,
0:38:47 > 0:38:51and Worcestershire is one of the best places to see it - blossom.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58'This picturesque corner of Britain, packed full of fruit trees,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01'has long been famed for its colourful flourishings.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06'I'm driving the famous Vale of Evesham Blossom Trail,
0:39:06 > 0:39:11'and waiting for me on the route is the mastermind behind it, Angela Tidmarsh.'
0:39:13 > 0:39:17So, Angela, how popular is the Blossom Trail?
0:39:17 > 0:39:20It's really popular. We've been doing this for 28 years.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22It's very much a natural attraction,
0:39:22 > 0:39:25so we're really guided by the weather.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28As you can see, around this area, we have no blossom at the moment.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31I didn't like to say, "Where's the blossom?!"
0:39:31 > 0:39:34We have apple blossom coming out, but last week,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37there was lots of plum blossom. It's very, very early this year,
0:39:37 > 0:39:39which is surprising, given the harsh winter we had.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42It started off as an eight-mile trail
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and now it's almost a 50-mile trail.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49So somewhere on the Blossom Trail, you will find trees in blossom.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52How many people come each year?
0:39:52 > 0:39:56It's so difficult to say because obviously it's a self-drive trail.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59But we estimate that thousands each year come and visit.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02We know we have an awful lot of coach visitors as well.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05We have Blossom tour guides who can go on the coaches coming in
0:40:05 > 0:40:09and this year we've got 35 guided tours going out.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15We believe it is the only blossom trail in this country.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17We believe there's only four in the world.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20- People go to Japan, don't they? - They do, yeah.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22- Why go to Japan when you can come to Evesham?- Exactly, yes.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25And they only have cherry blossom there, we have all sorts.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28- Cherry, pear, plum and apple. - Fantastic.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35'A little further along the trail, there are plenty trees in bloom,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38'from the bright, showy pink of the ornamental cherry
0:40:38 > 0:40:40'to white apple blossom.'
0:40:42 > 0:40:44But what's the reason for all this?
0:40:44 > 0:40:47What's the scientific explanation for blossom,
0:40:47 > 0:40:50and why does it appear every year in spring?
0:40:54 > 0:40:57'Horticulturist John Edgeley knows all there is to know.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01'He will talk me through
0:41:01 > 0:41:04'just what part this glorious floral display plays
0:41:04 > 0:41:06'in turning these flowers into fruit.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09'It's all about pollination.'
0:41:09 > 0:41:11The insects, which could be honey bees, bumble bees,
0:41:11 > 0:41:13any other wild bees,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16are attracted by the colour and the scent.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19They're attracted down the petal into the nectary,
0:41:19 > 0:41:23and as they go in, they rub the pollen on the stamens
0:41:23 > 0:41:26against the stigma, which is the female part,
0:41:26 > 0:41:27and either pollinate that flower
0:41:27 > 0:41:30or go to other flowers and pollinate those as well.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And then that ultimately goes on to creating fruit?
0:41:33 > 0:41:38It will do. The pollen germinates a bit like seed germinates
0:41:38 > 0:41:40and that then will form pips
0:41:40 > 0:41:43and that, in turn, will give us fruit.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52For me, part of the appeal of this trail
0:41:52 > 0:41:55is the picturesque countryside it passes through.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57It is incredibly pretty.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05'Fladbury is typical of the villages that dot the route.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09'But the quaint serenity of this peaceful, idyllic scene
0:42:09 > 0:42:11'belies a hidden history.'
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Because in World War II, the enemy was right here.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20The Germans were in our orchards, and they were picking our fruit.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25'The Bloor family owned the farm here at the time.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29'They could see the Germans from their bedroom windows.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31'John Bloor remembers it well.'
0:42:32 > 0:42:36They were prisoners of war and they came over here after D-Day
0:42:36 > 0:42:40into this big camp that was built
0:42:40 > 0:42:42actually for the Americans,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45who were here until V-Day.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48So they went and the Germans came.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50How did you know the enemy was so close at hand?
0:42:50 > 0:42:52We must have heard they were arriving,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54I don't know how.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58But this is the first lot of German prisoners to come.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01I went upstairs, feeling a bit scared -
0:43:01 > 0:43:03I'd never seen a German before -
0:43:03 > 0:43:05and took this photograph.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08- That's great, you've captured history. How old were you?- 14.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14'And as soon as they arrived, these prisoners were put to work.'
0:43:14 > 0:43:16They mostly worked on the farms.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18We had this land here.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22We employed up to 17 at one time, I think
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Doesn't sound like a very bad existence
0:43:25 > 0:43:28for a prisoner of war to come here and to be working on the farms.
0:43:28 > 0:43:29It wasn't, really, no.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32'Today, the blossom on these fruit trees
0:43:32 > 0:43:35'still draws thousands of visitors to the Vale of Evesham
0:43:35 > 0:43:36every spring.'
0:43:38 > 0:43:43'The blossom may have gone for this year but all those orchards would
0:43:43 > 0:43:47'still make a great subject for the Countryfile photographic competition.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51'The theme for this year's competition is
0:43:51 > 0:43:54'"our living landscape".'
0:43:54 > 0:43:56We want pictures that capture the beauty
0:43:56 > 0:44:00of the British countryside, all the wonderful life,
0:44:00 > 0:44:03the fantastic scenery that you find within it.
0:44:05 > 0:44:06CAMERA CLICKS
0:44:07 > 0:44:08CAMERA CLICKS
0:44:08 > 0:44:10The 12 best photographs chosen
0:44:10 > 0:44:13by our judges will make up the Countryfile calendar
0:44:13 > 0:44:16for 2014.
0:44:16 > 0:44:18CAMERA CLICKS
0:44:18 > 0:44:23We'll also have an overall winner who'll be able to choose photographic equipment
0:44:23 > 0:44:26to the value of £1,000.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29Whoever takes the picture that the judges like best
0:44:29 > 0:44:32will be able to pick equipment worth £500.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36CAMERA CLICKS
0:44:36 > 0:44:40The Countryfile photographic competition is not open to professionals
0:44:40 > 0:44:43and because we want every entry to be an original,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46they mustn't have won any other competition.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49You can send in up to four photos
0:44:49 > 0:44:51and they must have been taken in the UK.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54And please could you send in hard copies,
0:44:54 > 0:44:57not e-mails or computer files.
0:44:57 > 0:44:58CAMERA CLICKS
0:44:58 > 0:45:01'Write your name, address and a daytime and evening
0:45:01 > 0:45:03'phone number on the back of each photo,
0:45:03 > 0:45:06'with a note of where it was taken.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09'Then send your entries to:'
0:45:18 > 0:45:21The full terms and conditions are on our website,
0:45:21 > 0:45:24which is where you'll also find details of the BBC's code of conduct
0:45:24 > 0:45:25for competitions.
0:45:25 > 0:45:30Our closing date is Friday, 26th July.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33I'm sorry, but we can't return any entries.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35If you're thinking of entering the competition,
0:45:35 > 0:45:39we have some pretty useful tips coming up in just a moment.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Before that, will the weather be picture-perfect
0:45:41 > 0:45:44in the week ahead? Let's find out with the Countryfile forecast.
0:47:49 > 0:47:56.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10'On this special edition of Countryfile,
0:48:10 > 0:48:14'I've journeyed in style through the Lake District.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17'I've glided up Windermere on a genteel steamer.
0:48:17 > 0:48:21'I've trundled through the countryside on a train from a bygone era.'
0:48:21 > 0:48:24WHISTLE BLOWS
0:48:24 > 0:48:27'And now, in time-honoured fashion, it's...'
0:48:27 > 0:48:31Shanks' pony. The best way to see the Lakes is on foot,
0:48:31 > 0:48:34and I'm off up there for one of the grandest views
0:48:34 > 0:48:36in all the Lake District.
0:48:36 > 0:48:38'I'm heading to the top of Orrest Head,
0:48:38 > 0:48:42'the first fell ever climbed by the legendary walker Alfred Wainwright.
0:48:42 > 0:48:46'It's just a mile from Windermere town, but a world away.'
0:48:48 > 0:48:49It's a bit of a climb,
0:48:49 > 0:48:52but not as challenging as the Pennine Way,
0:48:52 > 0:48:54as Ellie discovered last winter.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00'Mind you, she didn't do the walk all on her own.'
0:49:00 > 0:49:02Few have managed to complete the whole walk.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04I won't even attempt it.
0:49:04 > 0:49:08But one brave soul who did just that and wrote about it along the way
0:49:08 > 0:49:12was one of our national treasures, poet Simon Armitage.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15"Then it's back to the work,
0:49:15 > 0:49:17"to the acid acres,
0:49:17 > 0:49:19"to wade through waterlogged peat,
0:49:19 > 0:49:22"trawling the breeze,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25"carding the air for threads of sheep wool
0:49:25 > 0:49:26"snagged on the breeze."
0:49:26 > 0:49:28'In 2010,
0:49:28 > 0:49:31'Simon set off on a journey that was a lifetime's ambition
0:49:31 > 0:49:34'and would test the strength of local hospitality.'
0:49:34 > 0:49:37It was a bit of a gamble. I set off without any money in my pocket.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41'To find out how he got on with that journey,
0:49:41 > 0:49:44'I've arranged to meet him here at Ickornshaw Moor
0:49:44 > 0:49:47'and we're retracing some of his last steps.'
0:49:47 > 0:49:49It's a really hard walk.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52It's not in any way a glamorous walk
0:49:52 > 0:49:55or one of these new boutique walks.
0:49:55 > 0:49:59It's a difficult slog across pretty tough terrain.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01Why did you do it?
0:50:01 > 0:50:04Well, the southern part of the Pennine Way
0:50:04 > 0:50:08goes through the village of Marsden where I was born and brought up.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11So it had always been part of my consciousness -
0:50:11 > 0:50:14there'd always been this regular influx of hikers
0:50:14 > 0:50:17coming through the village as I was growing up.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19It was a bit odd, cos when I showed my dad what I was taking,
0:50:19 > 0:50:22he said, "You don't need any of that stuff, just take a bin bag
0:50:22 > 0:50:25"to pull over your head when it rains."
0:50:25 > 0:50:30- That's optimistic!- Yeah, well, books, obviously some water...
0:50:30 > 0:50:33- Good old-fashioned map. - Good old-fashioned map.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35- Excellent for orienteering. - Whistle.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37- Did you need it?- I didn't.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40I did blow it a couple of times but only for fun.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43- A compass.- What else have we got in there?- Notebook.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46- Essential for a poet.- Absolutely.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48- GPS unit.- Ah.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50I thought I wouldn't need this
0:50:50 > 0:50:54and it had to come out on day two. I got lost in the Cheviots.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57- You were glad of it then?- Yeah.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00If I hadn't had it, the whole thing would have gone pear-shaped.
0:51:03 > 0:51:05'One of the images that inspired Simon's poetry
0:51:05 > 0:51:09'were the black huts dotted across this stretch of the landscape.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11'They're thought to be old shooting huts.'
0:51:11 > 0:51:13"Above Ickornshaw, Black Huts
0:51:13 > 0:51:16"are raised against damp
0:51:16 > 0:51:18"on footings of red brick,
0:51:18 > 0:51:21"landlocked chalets lashed to the bedrock
0:51:21 > 0:51:23"with steel guy-ropes
0:51:23 > 0:51:27"and telegraph wire braced for Atlantic gales."
0:51:27 > 0:51:31'It was poetry that financed Simon's 19-day journey along
0:51:31 > 0:51:33'the Pennine Way.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35'Having left home without any cash,
0:51:35 > 0:51:37'he offered recitals in return for bed and board.'
0:51:37 > 0:51:40Every night, I gave a reading.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44I passed the cap around and just said to people,
0:51:44 > 0:51:47- "Put in whatever you think I was worth."- Oh!
0:51:47 > 0:51:50And I made my way on that.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54'Just beneath us is the village of Cowling,
0:51:54 > 0:51:57'where one particular couple remembers this weary, weather-beaten poet
0:51:57 > 0:52:00'doing a reading in their sitting room.'
0:52:00 > 0:52:01He'd done 20 miles from Malham
0:52:01 > 0:52:05and the last five miles was a lot of climbing,
0:52:05 > 0:52:08and so he wasn't in the best condition at all.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10Bit sweaty!
0:52:11 > 0:52:13'Well, he's back here today
0:52:13 > 0:52:15'with a bit more vigour, more poetry
0:52:15 > 0:52:17'and an audience ready and waiting.'
0:52:17 > 0:52:20Handmaidens,
0:52:20 > 0:52:22humble courtiers,
0:52:22 > 0:52:25yes-men in silver wigs,
0:52:25 > 0:52:28they stoop low at the path's edge,
0:52:28 > 0:52:30bow to the military parade
0:52:30 > 0:52:33of boot and stick.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39You won't find many silvered wigs here in the Lake District,
0:52:39 > 0:52:42but you will find lots of boots and sticks.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47'I'm meeting a photographer who knows a lot about capturing
0:52:47 > 0:52:49'movement out in the countryside.'
0:52:49 > 0:52:51Jon, good to see you.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55You're an expert in taking action pictures in the great outdoors.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58What tips have you got for our viewers
0:52:58 > 0:53:02who would like to do those kind of pictures for the photographic competition?
0:53:02 > 0:53:04The first thing I'd say is just that "action"
0:53:04 > 0:53:06is a very wide variety of subject.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09It's not just the traditional sporting action.
0:53:09 > 0:53:13I have some examples here which include
0:53:13 > 0:53:15both some sporty shots but also some more general shots
0:53:15 > 0:53:18which still show a lot of action movement in the outdoors.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21One of the points I think this illustrates is
0:53:21 > 0:53:24the patience you need, even for fast action sometimes.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26How long did you wait for that one?
0:53:26 > 0:53:29I was sitting at the side of the trail for at least 20 minutes.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32So the message is wait, wait, wait for the right moment?
0:53:32 > 0:53:36Yes, you have to be patient but also on the ball, ready to go.
0:53:36 > 0:53:39What else have you got to show us?
0:53:39 > 0:53:41There's a very different example of a kayaker.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44One of the most important things with action photography
0:53:44 > 0:53:46is the shutter speed.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49If people are going to experiment with one thing on the camera,
0:53:49 > 0:53:50it would be the shutter speed.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53What kind of speed did you use for this picture?
0:53:53 > 0:53:56That one would be, I think, a thousandth of a second.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59The importance of that to me is really not so much
0:53:59 > 0:54:01freezing the motion of the kayaker himself
0:54:01 > 0:54:03but the water around him,
0:54:03 > 0:54:07because that is what gives the shot its real dynamism, I think.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10That's a beautiful photograph.
0:54:10 > 0:54:14That's not maybe what everyone would consider as an action photo,
0:54:14 > 0:54:17but it still deals very much with movement.
0:54:17 > 0:54:21Here the exposure is something like five or six seconds.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25And it gives this smoothed-out, kind of flowing quality.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28Obviously, for a shot like that, you need a tripod or some means
0:54:28 > 0:54:32- of supporting the camera really solidly.- What did you use?
0:54:32 > 0:54:34One of my favourite bits of photographic gear
0:54:34 > 0:54:36is a very simple beanbag.
0:54:36 > 0:54:41If you balance the beanbag, you can get just as stable a picture
0:54:41 > 0:54:42as you can with a tripod.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45Let's get to the top and see what we can see from there.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48The weather's not all that promising today.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52We'll see what it's like. You don't have to have perfect weather conditions
0:54:52 > 0:54:53to get a perfect picture, do you?
0:55:04 > 0:55:08'From the top of Orrest Head you get a 360-degree panorama,
0:55:08 > 0:55:10'which takes in the Langdales,
0:55:10 > 0:55:14Troutbeck Valley and even Morecambe Bay, if the weather plays ball.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20And who can resist reaching for the camera?'
0:55:23 > 0:55:27Well worth the climb, Jon. What a fantastic view, isn't it?
0:55:27 > 0:55:31It certainly is, yes. You're in the land of great views here,
0:55:31 > 0:55:33but this is certainly one of the most celebrated.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36Today we've had all kinds of weather.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39We've had rain, a bit of sunshine, lots of grey sky.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41It's changing almost every second, isn't it?
0:55:41 > 0:55:44For me, it's almost more interesting than if it was
0:55:44 > 0:55:48a boring sunny day when everything's green and the sky is blue.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51But if you were here taking a photograph professionally,
0:55:51 > 0:55:53how many pictures would you take?
0:55:53 > 0:55:56I think it's a mistake to think that
0:55:56 > 0:55:59the route to success is just shooting hundreds of pictures, willy-nilly.
0:55:59 > 0:56:03It's much more about thinking before you shoot.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06People often say to me, "I've only got a point-and-shoot camera."
0:56:06 > 0:56:10I tend to think point-and-shoot is not a type of camera,
0:56:10 > 0:56:12it's a state of mind.
0:56:12 > 0:56:13The mistake that people make
0:56:13 > 0:56:18is not just looking and thinking before they point and shoot.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23'Some good advice for anyone sending in photos to our competition.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26'No matter how you get to the Lake District
0:56:26 > 0:56:29'or however you travel once you're here,
0:56:29 > 0:56:33'it's views like this that make it all so worthwhile.'
0:56:36 > 0:56:38And that's it from the Lake District.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41Next week, Countryfile will be in the Cambrian Mountains,
0:56:41 > 0:56:44one of Wales' best-kept secrets.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46Matt will be rounding up Welsh mountain sheep
0:56:46 > 0:56:47in traditional style
0:56:47 > 0:56:50and I'll be joining some of the locals
0:56:50 > 0:56:52finding new ways of capturing the ancient landscape,
0:56:52 > 0:56:55so hope you can join us then. Bye for now.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd