Transport Compilation Countryfile


Transport Compilation

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The Lake District, a land of superlatives.

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It's home to England's highest mountain...

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..its deepest stretch of fresh water

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and its longest stretch -

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Windermere, jewel of the Lakes and a tourist magnet.

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Every year, 16 million people come to the Lake District National Park

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and they all have to get here

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and once they're here, they've all got to get around.

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In this special edition of Countryfile,

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I'll be looking at different modes of transport.

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And hopping on to some of them.

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And while I'm here, I'll be looking back at some of the best ways

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to travel that we have featured on Countryfile.

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Keep your head down, that's the key, isn't it?

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Like the time Matt learnt the ropes off the Furnace Peninsula.

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Let's go sailing!

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Or when Julia saddled up in Grizedale Forest.

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Ouch.

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Woo-hoo!

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'And what happened to me when I revisited my youth.'

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Riding like the wind!

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The Lake District is a unique corner of England.

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Nearly 900 square miles of dramatic scenery,

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rough-hewn mountains,

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fells and valleys that stretch as far as the eye can see.

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My journey begins at Windermere's southern tip.

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I'm travelling north by steam train, historic boat

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and sheer effort to get to Orrest Head for a view that inspires

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everyone who climbs to the top.

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There are all sorts of ways to get round the Lake District

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but the vast majority of visitors come by car.

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And it's been that way ever

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since the internal combustion engine was invented.

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The gradients here were used for testing the first cars

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and the Lakes themselves provided perfect conditions

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for the water speed record-breaking attempts

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of Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald.

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Both men are commemorated in the Lakeland Motor Museum.

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Altogether, they captured 21 world land and water speed records.

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Donald was tragically killed

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attempting to break 300 miles an hour on nearby Coniston Water

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one cold January day in 1967.

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But they weren't the only ones to travel the Lakes in unusual craft.

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This vehicle could also go on water

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but it would never break any speed records.

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It could, though, do seven knots out on the lake

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and 70 miles an hour on the roads.

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Engineer Chris Lowe is going to tell me all about it.

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-Hi, Chris.

-Hello.

-It looks more car than boat.

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How do you make it waterproof?

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Well, there is a lever on each door here, which squeezes this

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large rubber seal, and then once you're in the water,

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just down here, is a little handle that engages the propeller.

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-Oh, right. And it works, does it?

-It does.

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Did anybody actually use it round here?

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There was an identical one on Belle Island

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in the middle of Windermere, the only inhabited island.

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The owners there wanted to go north up to Ambleside.

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In the lake, up to the north, out they come.

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Or wherever they fancy going that morning.

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-And do you just steer it with the normal car wheel?

-It does.

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It just steers with the wheels in the water.

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It has no separate rudder.

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So, not very precise then?

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Not particularly but OK on a quiet lake.

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Not so good in the North Sea.

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-Good for escaping the police if you want to.

-Absolutely.

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You have got a lot of traditional family cars here, haven't you, Chris?

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Yes. Most of our customers, they don't want to see Ferraris and

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the like, they want to see the car they grew up in the back seat of.

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The car their uncle had,

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those family holidays from the 1950s and '60s.

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-Like this A35, eh?

-Complete with folding boat.

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But if you couldn't afford a full-size car,

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you could always go with a motorbike and sidecar.

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Traditional 1950s family transport.

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Dad and Mum on the motorbike, and then the youngsters in here.

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-In the days before seat belts.

-Absolutely.

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Well, as a young man, I couldn't afford a car

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but I did love my motorbike.

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It wasn't anywhere near as big or as powerful as this one

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but last July I went to the Isle of Man, famous for its TT races,

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for a little ride down memory lane.

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I was in my late teens when I first came here to watch the TT races.

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I came on my bike and this was it. My BSA Bantam 125.

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Not very fast but I was tremendously proud of it.

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And that is my sister sitting on the back there. She didn't come with me.

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I came with a pal who had a much bigger bike,

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and he had to keep stopping so I could catch up.

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And, for old times' sake, I want to get back on one.

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Well, I never thought I would see one of these again.

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It's your lucky day, John.

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As you might expect, there is no shortage of bikes on the island

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and vintage bike collector Tony East has

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brought along a couple of classic Bantams from 1949 and 1953.

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I don't think today's generation realise just how important

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Bantams were, Tony, to the likes of you and me.

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No, they were absolutely vital.

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-Everybody used to go to work on them.

-All you could afford.

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-Yes.

-And they were all this green colour, weren't they?

-Mist green.

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-And everybody wanted a Bantam.

-They did.

-There's me on mine.

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-Well, that's absolutely fantastic.

-Did you have one?

-Yes, I had one.

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Did you come to the Isle of Man to watch the races?

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Yeah, I used to come in the '60s.

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I'd go round the circuit - not on race days, of course -

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like everybody does.

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But the Bantam was a bit slow going up the mountain.

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There were some dodgy bits, weren't there?

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-Remember that bridge?

-Yeah, Ballaugh Bridge.

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Over 30 miles an hour over Ballaugh,

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particularly on these things, and you'd leave the ground.

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Years ago, they used to station a police sergeant there with

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his white helmet, with his stick, and you went over too fast - whack!

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On your backside, just to teach you a lesson.

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And there were some pretty flash bikes around, weren't there?

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Not just the ones competing but the spectators bringing theirs as well.

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-They looked down their noses a bit at us Bantam riders.

-Oh, yeah.

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Us Bantam riders, yes.

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They'd forgotten that they'd probably owned them in the past.

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I think they stopped being made in the early '60s.

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But the noise of the engine is something I'll always remember.

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-Yes, you do.

-Any chance of going for a spin?

-Of course there is.

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ENGINE REVS NOISILY

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Well, it's 50 years since I last rode a BSA Bantam

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but they do say you never forget how to ride a bike.

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Let's hope they're right.

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Woo-hoo!

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HE LAUGHS

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This is fantastic!

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Oh, the years are rolling back.

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This is instant transport to the days of my youth.

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The freedom that the Bantam gave us all in those days.

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We must be doing about 30 miles an hour now.

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-This is life, isn't it?

-Yes.

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This is really moving as far as a Bantam's concerned.

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Riding like the wind!

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Whoa, bending it over a little bit.

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Not done that for a while.

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I had forgotten just what fun it is. What great fun.

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'And I'm not the only one who thinks so.

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'For the last 105 years,'

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these quiet island lanes have been overrun by leather-clad bikers

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ready to take on the challenge of the TT course.

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Not for nothing has it been called

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one of the greatest motorcycle sporting events in the world.

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What I would love to do is re-ride the 37-and-three-quarter-mile

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course like I used to all those years ago.

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But I have only ever been round it on a dear old Bantam,

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so maybe this time something a little bit more powerful.

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Something like this. A Supertrike.

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Now I can let somebody who really knows the course

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do the driving and I can sit back and enjoy.

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As a passenger for once, I get to admire the views.

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And what views they are, whatever the weather.

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The course snakes through picturesque villages and stunning countryside

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and up towards the summit of the island's only mountain, Snaefell.

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'It's bends like this, known as the hairpin,

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'that challenge the most experienced of riders.'

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-Exhilarating, Andy. Thank you very much indeed.

-My pleasure.

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-It's my pleasure.

-It really makes you realise, doesn't it,

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just how demanding this course is?

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Yes, it's 37 and three quarter miles long and it's very much

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man and machine against the course.

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And it seems to me to be much faster than it was in my day.

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Certainly, there are certain things being done to the course

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all the time that improve the speed and improve the safety

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of the course as well, which is the most important thing.

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So, what's the top speed these days?

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They're doing well over 200 miles an hour in certain places.

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Around here is roughly the fastest part of the course,

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coming down off the mountain.

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-Well, onwards, Andy.

-Onwards.

-Onwards.

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There's no doubt that on race days the Isle of Man is a great

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showcase for motorcycling skills.

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But the Lake District can provide its fair share

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of thrills on two wheels.

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And you don't need an engine to experience them.

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Long before the car was invented,

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people were travelling round the Lake District by bicycle.

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Well, bikes really opened up the Lakes, didn't they,

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-to ordinary people?

-Absolutely.

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There was a huge boom in cycling in the 1880s.

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This is a Penny Farthing that the young gentlemen tended to ride.

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They'd bring them up on the train and travel the route ways

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of the Lake District, enjoying the scenery.

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-And for the, shall we say, more sensible gentleman...

-Uh-huh.

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..you have three wheels on your tricycle here.

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A safety version of the Penny Farthing, really?

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-Absolutely. It's a little difficult to get on.

-How DO you get on?

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You turn backwards and then you put your right foot on the right pedal

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and lift yourself up into position.

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HE GROANS

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-It's not so easy, is it?

-Certainly not. Not all that comfortable either.

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-Have you worked out the steering?

-No, no idea.

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-As you turn the handle, say, clockwise...

-This one?

-Yeah.

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..the front wheel turns one way and the back wheel turns the other.

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Very simple. And how did you know where to go?

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Because there weren't guides in those days, were there?

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They had little guide books.

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It shows you the steepness of the hills.

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Very important, especially on something like this.

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And also the locations of the friendly inns,

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cos not everybody liked the newfangled bicycle and tricycle.

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-Why not?

-They thought they would scare the horses

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and they were more old-fashioned, like their horses and carriages.

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And cycling in the Lakes is still as popular as ever.

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Just beyond those fells, there is the Grizedale Forest,

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the Lake District's biggest stretch of woodland

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and, last August, Julia went there and jumped into the saddle to see

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just how much fun you can have on two wheels.

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Ouch!

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'Grizedale is famed for its excellent cycling,

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'with bespoke cycle tracks both on and off-road. '

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There are about a dozen trails for riders of just about every ability.

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Beginners, riders in good health, it says here,

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proficient mountain bikers, experts.

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And this is a sinuous, adrenalising section

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of single-track descent with a leg-burning climb.

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Oh, no thank you.

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Sounds like really hard work.

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'I'm off to explore the flatter parts of this enchanting forest

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'and, best of all, I get to soak up the views along the way.

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'And, no, not just those views.

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'There are some rather more curious ones here too.'

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Couldn't resist.

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MUSIC BOX MUSIC TINKLES

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That's quite spooky, isn't it?

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I know what Matt Baker would say now.

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He'd say, "That's a bit of a wind-up."

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In 1977, Grizedale became the UK's first forest for sculptures.

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Very ahead of its time.

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Many of the early sculptures have decayed

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but the Forestry Commission is working

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with the next generation of artists

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to develop new works.

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They are beautiful.

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Fantastic piece, isn't it?

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What does it represent then, Hayley?

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Well, I think the real sort of inspiration behind the work is

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the forest environment itself.

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All the sculptors that came here have made pieces in response

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to particular locations that they found.

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-And it's carved out of wood, isn't it?

-That's right.

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A lot of the artists that came here

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made work from natural materials in the forest.

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So wood and stone are the most often found materials.

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This would be timber from the forest and it is a carved piece

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and it has actually been preserved by being wet all the time,

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believe it or not.

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It's a bit counter-intuitive but because it doesn't get wet

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and then dry out, that's actually making the wood last longer.

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And how many pieces have you got

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scattered around and throughout the forest?

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There are about 60 works in the forest at the moment.

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If I wanted to do a tour of every single work of art within the forest

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how long do you think it would take me?

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Well, we reckon about three days to get around all of them

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so it's maybe a holiday rather than a day visit

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-if you want to see all of them.

-Favourite? Your favourite?

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Oh, there's lots.

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Lots for different reasons as well and at different times of year.

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But I think the work behind this is fantastic

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cos all the excitement and drama of the landscape

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has been incorporated into the work.

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-Can we just have five minutes just to look at it?

-Yeah.

-OK.

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Just five minutes, though.

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If I want to make it round to the rest of them

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I'd better get pedalling.

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Grizedale Forest has dozens of purpose-built biking trails

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for all abilities.

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Well, I've had a little whirl on the red trail

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and I have to say, I think that's probably about my limit.

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That is the much tougher black trail, the toughest of them all,

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and I'm going to leave that to the professionals.

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I don't want to scrape my knee.

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It hurts when you get the grit under your skin.

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This trail is a magnet for adrenaline junkies.

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The pros can pick up speeds

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of more than 40 miles an hour down these runs.

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Local biker Paul Noble runs a bike shop in the heart of the forest.

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I know I said that this was a tough track but, really,

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how tricky is it, Paul?

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It's not that unsafe once you've learnt how to look after yourself.

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But it'd be dangerous if you were a novice

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-and tried to have a go?

-Absolutely. Yes, absolutely.

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If you just turned up here on any old bike and threw yourself at it,

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you'll end up in a pile and it won't be nice.

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It's a real community project, this, isn't it? Built with love.

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It was indeed, yeah.

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It was something that the locals wanted and they really badly wanted

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and the Forestry gave them permission to build it

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and helped with it and it turned out it was a real community project.

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We had lads as young as 12

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and people as old as 60s helping out with it.

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It's a superb addition to the forest, no doubt.

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Oh! Speedy Gonzales!

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It certainly looks great fun whizzing downhill but...

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If you don't fancy struggling up these hills by pedal power

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and sitting for hours in a car just doesn't appeal,

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well, you could always let the train take the strain.

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The next stage of my journey revisits the glorious age of steam.

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The Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway is run as a tourist attraction now

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but in its day it serviced a thriving industrial centre

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right here at the southern end of Windermere.

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Day-trippers and holiday-makers soon cottoned on

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to the delights of this place, and they flocked here

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from the mill towns of Lancashire and from far beyond.

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And they still come.

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In fact, people come here from as far away as China

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to travel on these historic trains. And it's not hard to see why.

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WHISTLE BLOWS

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After the line closed in 1967,

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it was bought by the manager of a Lancashire cotton mill, Austin Maher.

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I'm here to meet his son, Mike, who's now the managing director.

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Mike, how come your dad bought a railway, then?

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That's a very good question. I think opportunity knocked, really.

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He was always very enthusiastic, right from being a child,

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very enthusiastic railwayman.

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He had a railway at the bottom of the garden, practically.

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As he got older, and had the ability

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to buy himself a camera, he set off filming

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locally and elsewhere on the basis that steam was going to die out.

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This was about 1960.

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He didn't just take pictures of steam trains, he took pictures of you too.

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He did, yes, some delightful pictures of little me. Yes.

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And you have more or less now inherited your father's enthusiasm

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-for steam trains.

-I appear to have done, yes.

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I think I talked myself into it, really.

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When I first started at the railway in 1981, my dad bought me

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a chainsaw and I started tidying up

0:19:150:19:18

because at that time you wouldn't have been able to see anything.

0:19:180:19:21

The trees were brushing the side of the train, really.

0:19:210:19:24

We managed to push it back to the fence line and now we've got a view

0:19:240:19:28

and I don't get my chainsaw out very often now, I am pleased to say.

0:19:280:19:33

There's something magical, isn't there, about a steam train?

0:19:330:19:36

People always have the windows open. You can smell the smoke.

0:19:360:19:40

The grit and the smell of sulphur, yes. They are magical things.

0:19:400:19:45

Steam trains live on,

0:19:450:19:46

captivating the minds of people of all ages and of all nationalities,

0:19:460:19:50

especially those of us lucky enough to remember them in all their pomp.

0:19:500:19:54

But transport doesn't need to be from a bygone age

0:19:560:19:59

to lure people into the countryside,

0:19:590:20:01

as Ellie discovered when she headed to Loch Lomond,

0:20:010:20:04

the winter before last.

0:20:040:20:05

Not many people brave these waters at this time of year.

0:20:070:20:10

Biting cold and rain keep the hordes of tourists away,

0:20:100:20:13

leaving it unusually peaceful.

0:20:130:20:16

But even cold weather like this doesn't deter the locals

0:20:160:20:20

because they found an eco-friendly way of breathing life

0:20:200:20:23

back into the loch on a winter's day.

0:20:230:20:26

These electric scooters are a more familiar sight around cities,

0:20:320:20:36

but here in Scotland they've found a new use for them - offroading.

0:20:360:20:39

Right, it's my turn now.

0:20:390:20:41

Apparently, it's one of the best ways to see the loch.

0:20:410:20:44

-All right there, Ben.

-Hello.

0:20:440:20:46

So get me started on one of these.

0:20:460:20:48

Right, first things first, you need one of these to protect your head.

0:20:480:20:52

You stand with your feet on each of these contact points.

0:20:520:20:56

If you start to lean forward slightly and move your weight

0:20:560:21:00

beyond where the wheels are touching the ground,

0:21:000:21:02

-it'll start to roll forwards.

-Off I go!

-It's got no brakes.

-Oh...

0:21:020:21:06

..so if you kept going, you might get wet.

0:21:060:21:08

-So, if you just centre your weight again.

-Just stand up a bit more.

0:21:080:21:11

There you go. Are you going to take me to see the sights?

0:21:110:21:15

-Yes, we'll go for a ride along the beach, round the woods.

-Let's do it.

0:21:150:21:19

Ben leads loch safaris on these and I need the practice,

0:21:240:21:27

as later I'll be racing Matt on one.

0:21:270:21:30

It's a funny thing cos it's now being associated with

0:21:300:21:32

the skateboarding crowd,

0:21:320:21:34

which isn't necessarily what you'd expect from these things.

0:21:340:21:37

Generally, it's the people that snowboard, skateboard,

0:21:370:21:40

BMX, skiers, they're the ones that want to try the new stuff.

0:21:400:21:44

The good thing is they're not noisy, not churning out fumes,

0:21:440:21:48

-they're not petrol-based.

-No petrol, they don't churn up the ground

0:21:480:21:52

cos you can't wheelspin them.

0:21:520:21:54

If you manage to do a wheelspin, you're doing something wrong.

0:21:540:21:57

-How fast do they go?

-About 12.5mph.

-Oh, dizzy speeds!

-Yes.

0:21:570:22:02

Let's just say, hypothetically speaking,

0:22:020:22:04

I wanted to beat somebody at a race -

0:22:040:22:07

Matt Baker - what would be your tips for me to win?

0:22:070:22:11

We could sort something out that means that you will definitely win.

0:22:110:22:14

-Dirty tactics?

-Yeah.

-That's more like it.

0:22:140:22:17

Don't tell Matt, but the speed of these scooters can be restricted

0:22:170:22:21

to a measly 6mph.

0:22:210:22:23

Now, Ben has promised me a spectacular view of Loch Lomond.

0:22:290:22:33

Oddly, though, he seems to be taking me to the nearest tee.

0:22:330:22:37

But this is no ordinary golf course.

0:22:370:22:39

It's part of the national park and we've been given special permission

0:22:390:22:43

to explore it in this way.

0:22:430:22:45

Ho-ho! Look at the view!

0:22:450:22:47

-Incredible, isn't it?

-That's awesome, even on a rainy day.

0:22:470:22:50

-Almost makes me want to convert to golf.

-Nearly.

-Not really.

0:22:500:22:54

I love that!

0:22:540:22:57

The site of this golf course is so special

0:22:570:23:00

it has its own countryside ranger, James Elliott.

0:23:000:23:03

-Hi, James. How are you doing?

-Hi, Ellie, how are you?

-I'm good.

0:23:030:23:07

Apologies for the random arrival. I'll have to power this thing down.

0:23:070:23:10

What are you doing here?

0:23:100:23:12

I'm planting some oak trees here along with some other

0:23:120:23:15

native broadleaves just to replace these Sitka spruce

0:23:150:23:18

that have been recently felled.

0:23:180:23:20

What's wrong with the spruce? Why have they come down?

0:23:200:23:23

Spruce are actually non-native to Britain.

0:23:230:23:25

They provide pretty poor habitat for wildlife.

0:23:250:23:29

Oakwood, on the other hand, has the most biodiverse habitat in Britain.

0:23:290:23:33

You've got quite an unusual job - you're a ranger at a golf course.

0:23:330:23:36

That's quite specific, isn't it?

0:23:360:23:38

Yes, it might seem unusual, but when you think about it,

0:23:380:23:40

this golf course takes up a very large chunk of land.

0:23:400:23:43

Only a proportion of that is actually used for the game of golf.

0:23:430:23:46

The rest of it, we've got woodlands, wetlands, native grasslands.

0:23:460:23:51

And the landscape here is amazing.

0:23:510:23:53

Where we are at the moment is

0:23:530:23:55

right on the boundary between the Highlands and the Lowlands.

0:23:550:23:59

-Right here?

-Yes.

0:23:590:24:01

So, going back 450 million years ago,

0:24:010:24:03

these were two different continents.

0:24:030:24:05

They came together and if we look at the islands going right across

0:24:050:24:09

the loch, that's the crumple zone of where these two continents met.

0:24:090:24:13

-It's amazing, isn't it?

-Yes, it's fantastic.

0:24:130:24:16

It's all very well admiring it from up here,

0:24:160:24:18

but it's time to get myself back to shore for the big race.

0:24:180:24:22

Look at this, Highlands... Lowlands.

0:24:220:24:25

Whay! Highlands...

0:24:250:24:28

Lowlands. SHE LAUGHS

0:24:280:24:31

And Ben is going to be our umpire.

0:24:310:24:34

You are going to love this.

0:24:340:24:35

-Where is the other half of your quad?

-Oh, no, no!

0:24:350:24:39

-This is completely different. Do you want a quick lesson?

-I do! Why not?

0:24:390:24:43

Why not two more wheels? So stand on first.

0:24:430:24:46

-How do you go forwards, then?

-Lean your whole body forward.

0:24:460:24:49

-We're going to go for a race, if you're up for it.

-Yes!

0:24:490:24:53

Where are we going to race? First round the loch?

0:24:530:24:55

No, first to the end of the big, big puddle.

0:24:550:24:58

-Ben is going to start us off.

-Oh, hello, Ben! I didn't see you there!

0:24:580:25:03

Can I get you both level, so it's a fair, even playing field?

0:25:030:25:07

-Are you ready?

-Ready.

-Go!

0:25:070:25:09

-And there's the lean.

-Yeah, have some of that!

0:25:090:25:13

-I'm slowing down.

-Do you want me to wait for you, Matt?

0:25:130:25:17

How do you make it go faster? I'm hanging over the bars, it keeps...

0:25:170:25:21

-I'm leaning forwards and it's...

-It's a first on Countryfile!

0:25:210:25:25

-I'm beating Matt at something!

-Oh!

-Here comes a puddle!

0:25:250:25:29

Ooh-la-la-la-la! I win! Woo-hoo!

0:25:300:25:35

Ooh, here he comes, slowly. WHISTLES

0:25:360:25:40

Proper leaning forwards, this is rubbish!

0:25:400:25:44

How were you going that fast?

0:25:460:25:49

-Do you know what, Matt?

-What?

-I've got to tell you something.

0:25:490:25:52

-Go on. Have you got a little trick?

-I had the limiter taken off mine.

0:25:520:25:57

-You're kidding me.

-It's dirty play, it's dirty play!

-What a surprise.

0:25:570:26:02

Right, can we swap now and I have a go on one without the limiter?

0:26:020:26:05

It's only fair.

0:26:050:26:07

Well, this train's got a limiter on it,

0:26:100:26:12

it's only allowed to do 25 miles an hour maximum.

0:26:120:26:16

Usually it's round about 17 miles an hour.

0:26:160:26:18

Time to see the grass grow.

0:26:180:26:20

I'm on my way through the Lake District,

0:26:210:26:24

following a route that's been travelled for well over 100 years.

0:26:240:26:29

The railway was built to link up with the steamers on Windermere.

0:26:290:26:33

They were also a product of the Industrial Revolution.

0:26:330:26:36

At the time, not everyone was pleased about them.

0:26:360:26:39

In the 1840s, one of the Lake District's most famous residents,

0:26:430:26:46

William Wordsworth, campaigned vigorously against plans

0:26:460:26:50

for Windermere to have its first steamer.

0:26:500:26:52

He didn't get his way

0:26:520:26:54

and the steamers have been plying their genteel trade ever since.

0:26:540:26:59

In a moment, I'll be following in royal footsteps as I hop aboard.

0:27:020:27:06

Before then, here's what's still to come

0:27:060:27:09

on this special travel edition of Countryfile.

0:27:090:27:12

We look back at Matt's turn in a very special boat.

0:27:140:27:17

That thing is going at the pace of nature though,

0:27:170:27:19

that's the beauty of it.

0:27:190:27:21

-The pace of the wind, yes.

-Yes.

0:27:210:27:22

Remember when Ellie took to the Pennine Way

0:27:240:27:26

with one of our greatest poets?

0:27:260:27:28

And we journey again in style with Katie on Evesham's Blossom Trail.

0:27:300:27:35

For me, part of the appeal of this trail

0:27:350:27:37

is the picturesque countryside that it passes through.

0:27:370:27:40

It is incredibly pretty.

0:27:400:27:42

For the next stage of my journey,

0:27:440:27:46

I've stepped on board a boat with a royal pedigree.

0:27:460:27:49

In 1956, the Queen came to the Lake District

0:27:500:27:53

as part of the long-running celebrations to mark her Coronation.

0:27:530:27:57

And she and the Duke of Edinburgh sailed on this very boat, the Teal.

0:27:570:28:02

Here on Windermere,

0:28:030:28:05

they're still waiting for the Queen to make a return visit.

0:28:050:28:08

In the meantime, Windermere has visited the Queen.

0:28:080:28:11

I'm talking to the local man who was chosen to be its skipper

0:28:120:28:16

when one of its boats joined the flotilla

0:28:160:28:19

in Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee pageant.

0:28:190:28:22

He's Captain Ron Walker.

0:28:220:28:24

-You took part, didn't you, in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations...

-Yes.

0:28:240:28:28

-..with one of these boats?

-Yes, we had the Queen Of The Lake,

0:28:280:28:33

which was a traditional Windermere launch.

0:28:330:28:37

The other connection was that Prince Charles had been on it when he came

0:28:370:28:42

up to open the businesses after the floods, the floods from Cockermouth.

0:28:420:28:46

It was quite an experience and honour to be asked to go as skipper on the boat.

0:28:480:28:52

The Queen Of The Lake was hoisted out of the water

0:28:530:28:56

and transported by road to London, where she proudly took her place

0:28:560:28:59

in the biggest party seen on the Thames

0:28:590:29:02

since the monarchy was restored with Charles II 350 years ago.

0:29:020:29:07

One of my, I suppose, greatest memories

0:29:080:29:10

was the sheer number of people.

0:29:100:29:15

And there were so many umbrellas.

0:29:150:29:17

And every time we went under a bridge,

0:29:170:29:19

the enthusiasm was fantastic.

0:29:190:29:21

But what an honour for a Lake District boat

0:29:210:29:25

to be in the Diamond Jubilee parade.

0:29:250:29:28

It was, it was the honour of being able to go and skipper the boat.

0:29:280:29:32

This boat, the Teal, was built just a few miles west of here

0:29:360:29:39

in Barrow-in-Furness, one of the country's great shipbuilding centres.

0:29:390:29:44

Last summer, Matt went to Barrow to find out all about renovating

0:29:440:29:49

a little boat and building some very big ones.

0:29:490:29:52

Now, this is the Royal Navy's latest submarine.

0:29:540:29:57

It's nearing completion and it's absolutely massive.

0:29:570:29:59

'Making these magnificent machines here not only takes advantage

0:30:000:30:04

'of generations of local shipbuilding talent,

0:30:040:30:07

'but also the make-up of the surrounding land.'

0:30:070:30:10

The banks of the Barrow sit on a deep water channel

0:30:140:30:16

which means big ships and submarines can sail in and out of here

0:30:160:30:20

to the open sea.

0:30:200:30:22

This area is constantly on the move.

0:30:220:30:24

And this channel is only kept open

0:30:240:30:27

by the lads I'm about to meet.

0:30:270:30:29

'The crew of the Norma

0:30:310:30:33

'are part of a team of dredgers who work all year round

0:30:330:30:35

'to keep this 40-foot deep channel clear.

0:30:350:30:39

'I'm heading out to get a closer look at her,

0:30:390:30:42

'with the man in charge of the operation.'

0:30:420:30:45

What's Norma up to out here, Bob?

0:30:450:30:48

The Norma is a plough vessel.

0:30:480:30:50

It's about ten metres wide

0:30:500:30:52

and this is the final process in the dredging campaign this year.

0:30:520:30:56

What's been going on in the past few weeks?

0:30:560:30:59

The main channel dredgers are much bigger vessels

0:30:590:31:02

and they come in and take up the material off the bottom.

0:31:020:31:06

This tends to leave quite deep furrows,

0:31:060:31:09

a bit like a ploughed field,

0:31:090:31:10

-on the bottom of the channel...

-I'm with you.

0:31:100:31:13

-..Which we like to level off.

-That's where the Norma comes in?

0:31:130:31:16

That's absolutely it.

0:31:160:31:17

How much stuff are you taking out, then?

0:31:170:31:19

It's quite a lot. It's well in excess of a million tonnes this year.

0:31:190:31:23

'It was the clearing of this deep-sea channel

0:31:250:31:28

'that secured Barrow's place as the shipbuilding capital

0:31:280:31:31

'of this coast.

0:31:310:31:32

'But as Barrow rose,

0:31:340:31:36

'it was at the cost of its smaller neighbour, Ulverston.'

0:31:360:31:40

So fine were the boats that were built in Ulverston, they were sold all over the country.

0:31:400:31:44

But as the deep waters of Barrow lured more industrial, bigger loads,

0:31:440:31:48

the boatyards in Ulverston were forced to close

0:31:480:31:51

and up until recently,

0:31:510:31:53

it was thought all trace of the vessels built there

0:31:530:31:56

had been lost.

0:31:560:31:58

'That was until one woman stumbled across the story

0:32:000:32:03

'of the Hearts of Oak -

0:32:030:32:04

'the last boat to set sail from Ulverston shipyards.'

0:32:040:32:08

Jennifer, how did your connection with the Hearts Of Oak start?

0:32:080:32:11

You're not exactly a mad boat fan, are you?

0:32:110:32:13

I certainly aren't, no.

0:32:130:32:15

It quite horrifies me, really, to think of going in deep water.

0:32:150:32:19

The boat? Well,

0:32:190:32:21

we began in 1977, when I visited an old man called John Wilson,

0:32:210:32:25

who lived quite near us.

0:32:250:32:27

He told us about Hearts of Oak and showed me a picture of it.

0:32:270:32:31

I kept thinking about Hearts of Oak

0:32:310:32:34

and that she was built in Ulverston.

0:32:340:32:37

I thought, "Really, she needs restoring."

0:32:370:32:40

Did you know where she was?

0:32:400:32:41

Not at that stage, no.

0:32:410:32:43

My husband and I got on the trail

0:32:430:32:45

and we just kept on looking.

0:32:450:32:47

A series of coincidences and good luck,

0:32:470:32:51

and we eventually found her.

0:32:510:32:53

'The Hearts of Oak was built by this man,

0:32:540:32:56

'John Randall McLester,

0:32:560:32:58

'the last apprentice of the Ulverston shipyards.

0:32:580:33:01

'When she set sail in 1912,

0:33:010:33:04

'she was a thing of beauty.

0:33:040:33:06

'Almost a century later,

0:33:060:33:08

'when Jennifer set eyes on her,

0:33:080:33:10

'she was a weather-beaten wreck.

0:33:100:33:12

"Bonfire condition" probably is the best thing

0:33:120:33:15

we could say.

0:33:150:33:17

The guy who owned her said if he hadn't contacted me,

0:33:170:33:20

he was going to set fire to her.

0:33:200:33:22

'Thanks to Jennifer,

0:33:220:33:24

'far from becoming firewood,

0:33:240:33:25

'this last link to Ulverston's glorious past

0:33:250:33:28

'was saved.

0:33:280:33:30

'Jennifer bought her for just £1,

0:33:300:33:32

'but helped raise over £80,000

0:33:320:33:35

'to pay for three years of painstaking restoration.'

0:33:350:33:38

And here she is, look.

0:33:430:33:44

In all of her glory.

0:33:440:33:46

She's absolutely beautiful.

0:33:460:33:49

Yes, she's a wonderful boat.

0:33:510:33:54

Quite a history. Yeah.

0:33:540:33:56

And now I have the chance to set sail on her

0:33:590:34:02

as I hitch a ride over to Peel Island.

0:34:020:34:04

-How are you doing, lads, all right?

-OK!

0:34:040:34:06

'The crew are all volunteers,

0:34:060:34:08

'keen amateurs who've fallen in love with the idea

0:34:080:34:11

'of sailing a vintage cutter.

0:34:110:34:13

'And I'm keen to find out more about her.'

0:34:130:34:17

-She was a prawner?

-Yeah.

0:34:170:34:18

Morecambe Bay prawner.

0:34:180:34:20

-It's not too far away.

-Morecambe Bay's just over there, yeah.

0:34:200:34:23

We're on the corner of it.

0:34:230:34:25

How would she have worked and why is she the design she is?

0:34:250:34:28

She would have typically been worked by a man and his son.

0:34:280:34:32

They're built like this for speed,

0:34:320:34:34

to get out on the tide and back on the same tide

0:34:340:34:39

to get the catch back

0:34:390:34:41

because there was no refrigeration.

0:34:410:34:43

Is there any significance with the red sails?

0:34:430:34:45

Yes, it's tradition.

0:34:450:34:47

And they look nice!

0:34:470:34:50

I believe they used to treat the sails,

0:34:500:34:52

the fishermen of the time, with stuff like red lead

0:34:520:34:56

and linseed oil.

0:34:560:34:57

That gave them the colour to cause them to last.

0:34:570:35:00

I understand there's quite an interesting technique to stop

0:35:000:35:03

-it from tipping over.

-Yeah! Stones - do you want to have a look?

0:35:030:35:06

Yeah, if we can.

0:35:060:35:08

Right, you just chucked it along there.

0:35:120:35:15

Lead would be ideal

0:35:150:35:17

but we can't afford lead.

0:35:170:35:19

-Do they go the full length of the hull?

-They do.

0:35:190:35:21

-I might jump up there and do a bit of rope-pulling with Gordon.

-OK.

0:35:210:35:26

Gordon, you look a picture there!

0:35:310:35:33

It's pleasant out here, isn't it?

0:35:330:35:35

You do look at home. It looks like we have a little bit of wind here.

0:35:350:35:38

We're actually sailing. Pleasant change.

0:35:380:35:40

Very gently, but we are actually sailing.

0:35:400:35:42

Show me the ropes, quite literally.

0:35:420:35:45

'I'll try and help the lads tack -

0:35:450:35:48

'that's moving the sail to change direction.'

0:35:480:35:50

Keep your head down - that's the key, isn't it?

0:35:500:35:52

So undo these, Gordon?

0:35:520:35:53

Yes, cast off the jib...

0:35:530:35:55

-This one as well?

-Yes. Cast them both off.

0:35:550:35:57

Tighten those up.

0:36:000:36:01

'That felt like plain sailing.

0:36:020:36:05

'There's only one small problem.'

0:36:050:36:06

-Peel Island's that way.

-'Fraid so.

0:36:060:36:09

THEY LAUGH

0:36:090:36:10

'So it's take two on the turning.'

0:36:100:36:13

Just a nice full flow in the sail.

0:36:130:36:15

'This time, things are heading in the right direction.'

0:36:150:36:18

Good, we are going the right way now.

0:36:220:36:25

We should be there for midnight(!)

0:36:250:36:27

You go at the pace of nature, though.

0:36:270:36:29

-Yes.

-That's the beauty of it.

-The pace of the wind, yes.

0:36:290:36:33

I think we're going a little faster than the wind

0:36:350:36:38

but not by very much.

0:36:380:36:40

Here on Windermere I'm travelling sedately up to Bowness.

0:36:410:36:45

Chances are it's still quicker than travelling by car

0:36:450:36:48

along busy lakeside roads.

0:36:480:36:50

I'm going to have a chat with the man in charge, Ken MacLeod.

0:36:500:36:54

Can I squeeze past, Captain Ken? Not a lot of room in your wheelhouse.

0:36:540:36:57

It's pretty tight today.

0:36:570:36:59

What a big wheel you have! It's enormous, isn't it?

0:36:590:37:03

That's the standard wheel. It's been there

0:37:030:37:05

since it was built in 1936.

0:37:050:37:07

Some of these huge cruise liners these days

0:37:070:37:10

have tiny little wheels to steer with.

0:37:100:37:12

No such technology on here.

0:37:120:37:15

This is chain-driven from here right to the back of the boat.

0:37:150:37:17

There's a cog and chains...?

0:37:170:37:20

It runs along the deck head

0:37:200:37:22

down to the rudder at the back of the boat.

0:37:220:37:25

Is it easy to steer?

0:37:250:37:26

It's fairly easy.

0:37:260:37:28

It does have a kick now and again, just off-centre

0:37:280:37:30

but then you pull it back again, it's not a problem.

0:37:300:37:33

-Am I allowed to have a go?

-Absolutely. It's all yours.

0:37:330:37:36

You've got a few passengers back there.

0:37:360:37:39

You just keep an eye I'm doing the right thing.

0:37:390:37:41

So...what should I do, then?

0:37:410:37:44

Avoid the shore, basically?

0:37:440:37:46

Avoid the shore, avoid the other vessels.

0:37:460:37:49

Try and keep it in a straight line.

0:37:490:37:51

Not a lot of traffic at the moment, is there?

0:37:510:37:54

It's very quiet today,

0:37:540:37:56

but in the summer weekends, there's a lot of yacht races -

0:37:560:37:59

up to 2,000 boats out there

0:37:590:38:01

and we have to give way to all the sailboats.

0:38:010:38:03

This big boat has to give way to little sailboats?

0:38:030:38:06

Anything with a sail on, I have to give way to.

0:38:060:38:08

So with lots of races going on,

0:38:080:38:11

it's entertaining!

0:38:110:38:13

-You really have to keep your eye open.

-We're OK today.

0:38:130:38:16

This is the perfect way to get around Windermere.

0:38:220:38:26

But if you're going into the countryside in your car,

0:38:260:38:29

do it style...

0:38:290:38:30

..like Katie did a couple of springtimes ago.

0:38:310:38:34

'I'm in Worcestershire to see first-hand

0:38:370:38:40

one of nature's most impressive displays.'

0:38:400:38:43

For me, it's one of the most uplifting signs of spring,

0:38:430:38:47

and Worcestershire is one of the best places to see it - blossom.

0:38:470:38:51

'This picturesque corner of Britain, packed full of fruit trees,

0:38:540:38:58

'has long been famed for its colourful flourishings.

0:38:580:39:01

'I'm driving the famous Vale of Evesham Blossom Trail,

0:39:030:39:06

'and waiting for me on the route is the mastermind behind it, Angela Tidmarsh.'

0:39:060:39:11

So, Angela, how popular is the Blossom Trail?

0:39:130:39:17

It's really popular. We've been doing this for 28 years.

0:39:170:39:20

It's very much a natural attraction,

0:39:200:39:22

so we're really guided by the weather.

0:39:220:39:25

As you can see, around this area, we have no blossom at the moment.

0:39:250:39:28

I didn't like to say, "Where's the blossom?!"

0:39:280:39:31

We have apple blossom coming out, but last week,

0:39:310:39:34

there was lots of plum blossom. It's very, very early this year,

0:39:340:39:37

which is surprising, given the harsh winter we had.

0:39:370:39:39

It started off as an eight-mile trail

0:39:390:39:42

and now it's almost a 50-mile trail.

0:39:420:39:45

So somewhere on the Blossom Trail, you will find trees in blossom.

0:39:450:39:49

How many people come each year?

0:39:500:39:52

It's so difficult to say because obviously it's a self-drive trail.

0:39:520:39:56

But we estimate that thousands each year come and visit.

0:39:560:39:59

We know we have an awful lot of coach visitors as well.

0:39:590:40:02

We have Blossom tour guides who can go on the coaches coming in

0:40:020:40:05

and this year we've got 35 guided tours going out.

0:40:050:40:09

We believe it is the only blossom trail in this country.

0:40:120:40:15

We believe there's only four in the world.

0:40:150:40:17

-People go to Japan, don't they?

-They do, yeah.

0:40:170:40:20

-Why go to Japan when you can come to Evesham?

-Exactly, yes.

0:40:200:40:22

And they only have cherry blossom there, we have all sorts.

0:40:220:40:25

-Cherry, pear, plum and apple.

-Fantastic.

0:40:250:40:28

'A little further along the trail, there are plenty trees in bloom,

0:40:310:40:35

'from the bright, showy pink of the ornamental cherry

0:40:350:40:38

'to white apple blossom.'

0:40:380:40:40

But what's the reason for all this?

0:40:420:40:44

What's the scientific explanation for blossom,

0:40:440:40:47

and why does it appear every year in spring?

0:40:470:40:50

'Horticulturist John Edgeley knows all there is to know.

0:40:540:40:57

'He will talk me through

0:40:590:41:01

'just what part this glorious floral display plays

0:41:010:41:04

'in turning these flowers into fruit.

0:41:040:41:06

'It's all about pollination.'

0:41:060:41:09

The insects, which could be honey bees, bumble bees,

0:41:090:41:11

any other wild bees,

0:41:110:41:13

are attracted by the colour and the scent.

0:41:130:41:16

They're attracted down the petal into the nectary,

0:41:160:41:19

and as they go in, they rub the pollen on the stamens

0:41:190:41:23

against the stigma, which is the female part,

0:41:230:41:26

and either pollinate that flower

0:41:260:41:27

or go to other flowers and pollinate those as well.

0:41:270:41:30

And then that ultimately goes on to creating fruit?

0:41:300:41:33

It will do. The pollen germinates a bit like seed germinates

0:41:330:41:38

and that then will form pips

0:41:380:41:40

and that, in turn, will give us fruit.

0:41:400:41:43

For me, part of the appeal of this trail

0:41:500:41:52

is the picturesque countryside it passes through.

0:41:520:41:55

It is incredibly pretty.

0:41:550:41:57

'Fladbury is typical of the villages that dot the route.

0:42:020:42:05

'But the quaint serenity of this peaceful, idyllic scene

0:42:050:42:09

'belies a hidden history.'

0:42:090:42:11

Because in World War II, the enemy was right here.

0:42:140:42:17

The Germans were in our orchards, and they were picking our fruit.

0:42:170:42:20

'The Bloor family owned the farm here at the time.

0:42:220:42:25

'They could see the Germans from their bedroom windows.

0:42:250:42:29

'John Bloor remembers it well.'

0:42:290:42:31

They were prisoners of war and they came over here after D-Day

0:42:320:42:36

into this big camp that was built

0:42:360:42:40

actually for the Americans,

0:42:400:42:42

who were here until V-Day.

0:42:420:42:45

So they went and the Germans came.

0:42:450:42:48

How did you know the enemy was so close at hand?

0:42:480:42:50

We must have heard they were arriving,

0:42:500:42:52

I don't know how.

0:42:520:42:54

But this is the first lot of German prisoners to come.

0:42:540:42:58

I went upstairs, feeling a bit scared -

0:42:580:43:01

I'd never seen a German before -

0:43:010:43:03

and took this photograph.

0:43:030:43:05

-That's great, you've captured history. How old were you?

-14.

0:43:050:43:08

'And as soon as they arrived, these prisoners were put to work.'

0:43:100:43:14

They mostly worked on the farms.

0:43:140:43:16

We had this land here.

0:43:160:43:18

We employed up to 17 at one time, I think

0:43:180:43:22

Doesn't sound like a very bad existence

0:43:220:43:25

for a prisoner of war to come here and to be working on the farms.

0:43:250:43:28

It wasn't, really, no.

0:43:280:43:29

'Today, the blossom on these fruit trees

0:43:290:43:32

'still draws thousands of visitors to the Vale of Evesham

0:43:320:43:35

every spring.'

0:43:350:43:36

'The blossom may have gone for this year but all those orchards would

0:43:380:43:43

'still make a great subject for the Countryfile photographic competition.

0:43:430:43:47

'The theme for this year's competition is

0:43:490:43:51

'"our living landscape".'

0:43:510:43:54

We want pictures that capture the beauty

0:43:540:43:56

of the British countryside, all the wonderful life,

0:43:560:44:00

the fantastic scenery that you find within it.

0:44:000:44:03

CAMERA CLICKS

0:44:050:44:06

CAMERA CLICKS

0:44:070:44:08

The 12 best photographs chosen

0:44:080:44:10

by our judges will make up the Countryfile calendar

0:44:100:44:13

for 2014.

0:44:130:44:16

CAMERA CLICKS

0:44:160:44:18

We'll also have an overall winner who'll be able to choose photographic equipment

0:44:180:44:23

to the value of £1,000.

0:44:230:44:26

Whoever takes the picture that the judges like best

0:44:260:44:29

will be able to pick equipment worth £500.

0:44:290:44:32

CAMERA CLICKS

0:44:340:44:36

The Countryfile photographic competition is not open to professionals

0:44:360:44:40

and because we want every entry to be an original,

0:44:400:44:43

they mustn't have won any other competition.

0:44:430:44:46

You can send in up to four photos

0:44:460:44:49

and they must have been taken in the UK.

0:44:490:44:51

And please could you send in hard copies,

0:44:510:44:54

not e-mails or computer files.

0:44:540:44:57

CAMERA CLICKS

0:44:570:44:58

'Write your name, address and a daytime and evening

0:44:580:45:01

'phone number on the back of each photo,

0:45:010:45:03

'with a note of where it was taken.

0:45:030:45:06

'Then send your entries to:'

0:45:060:45:09

The full terms and conditions are on our website,

0:45:180:45:21

which is where you'll also find details of the BBC's code of conduct

0:45:210:45:24

for competitions.

0:45:240:45:25

Our closing date is Friday, 26th July.

0:45:250:45:30

I'm sorry, but we can't return any entries.

0:45:300:45:33

If you're thinking of entering the competition,

0:45:330:45:35

we have some pretty useful tips coming up in just a moment.

0:45:350:45:39

Before that, will the weather be picture-perfect

0:45:390:45:41

in the week ahead? Let's find out with the Countryfile forecast.

0:45:410:45:44

.

0:47:490:47:56

'On this special edition of Countryfile,

0:48:070:48:10

'I've journeyed in style through the Lake District.

0:48:100:48:14

'I've glided up Windermere on a genteel steamer.

0:48:140:48:17

'I've trundled through the countryside on a train from a bygone era.'

0:48:170:48:21

WHISTLE BLOWS

0:48:210:48:24

'And now, in time-honoured fashion, it's...'

0:48:240:48:27

Shanks' pony. The best way to see the Lakes is on foot,

0:48:270:48:31

and I'm off up there for one of the grandest views

0:48:310:48:34

in all the Lake District.

0:48:340:48:36

'I'm heading to the top of Orrest Head,

0:48:360:48:38

'the first fell ever climbed by the legendary walker Alfred Wainwright.

0:48:380:48:42

'It's just a mile from Windermere town, but a world away.'

0:48:420:48:46

It's a bit of a climb,

0:48:480:48:49

but not as challenging as the Pennine Way,

0:48:490:48:52

as Ellie discovered last winter.

0:48:520:48:54

'Mind you, she didn't do the walk all on her own.'

0:48:560:49:00

Few have managed to complete the whole walk.

0:49:000:49:02

I won't even attempt it.

0:49:020:49:04

But one brave soul who did just that and wrote about it along the way

0:49:040:49:08

was one of our national treasures, poet Simon Armitage.

0:49:080:49:12

"Then it's back to the work,

0:49:130:49:15

"to the acid acres,

0:49:150:49:17

"to wade through waterlogged peat,

0:49:170:49:19

"trawling the breeze,

0:49:190:49:22

"carding the air for threads of sheep wool

0:49:220:49:25

"snagged on the breeze."

0:49:250:49:26

'In 2010,

0:49:260:49:28

'Simon set off on a journey that was a lifetime's ambition

0:49:280:49:31

'and would test the strength of local hospitality.'

0:49:310:49:34

It was a bit of a gamble. I set off without any money in my pocket.

0:49:340:49:37

'To find out how he got on with that journey,

0:49:390:49:41

'I've arranged to meet him here at Ickornshaw Moor

0:49:410:49:44

'and we're retracing some of his last steps.'

0:49:440:49:47

It's a really hard walk.

0:49:470:49:49

It's not in any way a glamorous walk

0:49:490:49:52

or one of these new boutique walks.

0:49:520:49:55

It's a difficult slog across pretty tough terrain.

0:49:550:49:59

Why did you do it?

0:49:590:50:01

Well, the southern part of the Pennine Way

0:50:010:50:04

goes through the village of Marsden where I was born and brought up.

0:50:040:50:08

So it had always been part of my consciousness -

0:50:080:50:11

there'd always been this regular influx of hikers

0:50:110:50:14

coming through the village as I was growing up.

0:50:140:50:17

It was a bit odd, cos when I showed my dad what I was taking,

0:50:170:50:19

he said, "You don't need any of that stuff, just take a bin bag

0:50:190:50:22

"to pull over your head when it rains."

0:50:220:50:25

-That's optimistic!

-Yeah, well, books, obviously some water...

0:50:250:50:30

-Good old-fashioned map.

-Good old-fashioned map.

0:50:300:50:33

-Excellent for orienteering.

-Whistle.

0:50:330:50:35

-Did you need it?

-I didn't.

0:50:350:50:37

I did blow it a couple of times but only for fun.

0:50:370:50:40

-A compass.

-What else have we got in there?

-Notebook.

0:50:400:50:43

-Essential for a poet.

-Absolutely.

0:50:430:50:46

-GPS unit.

-Ah.

0:50:460:50:48

I thought I wouldn't need this

0:50:480:50:50

and it had to come out on day two. I got lost in the Cheviots.

0:50:500:50:54

-You were glad of it then?

-Yeah.

0:50:540:50:57

If I hadn't had it, the whole thing would have gone pear-shaped.

0:50:570:51:00

'One of the images that inspired Simon's poetry

0:51:030:51:05

'were the black huts dotted across this stretch of the landscape.

0:51:050:51:09

'They're thought to be old shooting huts.'

0:51:090:51:11

"Above Ickornshaw, Black Huts

0:51:110:51:13

"are raised against damp

0:51:130:51:16

"on footings of red brick,

0:51:160:51:18

"landlocked chalets lashed to the bedrock

0:51:180:51:21

"with steel guy-ropes

0:51:210:51:23

"and telegraph wire braced for Atlantic gales."

0:51:230:51:27

'It was poetry that financed Simon's 19-day journey along

0:51:270:51:31

'the Pennine Way.

0:51:310:51:33

'Having left home without any cash,

0:51:330:51:35

'he offered recitals in return for bed and board.'

0:51:350:51:37

Every night, I gave a reading.

0:51:370:51:40

I passed the cap around and just said to people,

0:51:400:51:44

-"Put in whatever you think I was worth."

-Oh!

0:51:440:51:47

And I made my way on that.

0:51:470:51:50

'Just beneath us is the village of Cowling,

0:51:500:51:54

'where one particular couple remembers this weary, weather-beaten poet

0:51:540:51:57

'doing a reading in their sitting room.'

0:51:570:52:00

He'd done 20 miles from Malham

0:52:000:52:01

and the last five miles was a lot of climbing,

0:52:010:52:05

and so he wasn't in the best condition at all.

0:52:050:52:08

Bit sweaty!

0:52:080:52:10

'Well, he's back here today

0:52:110:52:13

'with a bit more vigour, more poetry

0:52:130:52:15

'and an audience ready and waiting.'

0:52:150:52:17

Handmaidens,

0:52:170:52:20

humble courtiers,

0:52:200:52:22

yes-men in silver wigs,

0:52:220:52:25

they stoop low at the path's edge,

0:52:250:52:28

bow to the military parade

0:52:280:52:30

of boot and stick.

0:52:300:52:33

You won't find many silvered wigs here in the Lake District,

0:52:350:52:39

but you will find lots of boots and sticks.

0:52:390:52:42

'I'm meeting a photographer who knows a lot about capturing

0:52:440:52:47

'movement out in the countryside.'

0:52:470:52:49

Jon, good to see you.

0:52:490:52:51

You're an expert in taking action pictures in the great outdoors.

0:52:510:52:55

What tips have you got for our viewers

0:52:550:52:58

who would like to do those kind of pictures for the photographic competition?

0:52:580:53:02

The first thing I'd say is just that "action"

0:53:020:53:04

is a very wide variety of subject.

0:53:040:53:06

It's not just the traditional sporting action.

0:53:060:53:09

I have some examples here which include

0:53:090:53:13

both some sporty shots but also some more general shots

0:53:130:53:15

which still show a lot of action movement in the outdoors.

0:53:150:53:18

One of the points I think this illustrates is

0:53:180:53:21

the patience you need, even for fast action sometimes.

0:53:210:53:24

How long did you wait for that one?

0:53:240:53:26

I was sitting at the side of the trail for at least 20 minutes.

0:53:260:53:29

So the message is wait, wait, wait for the right moment?

0:53:290:53:32

Yes, you have to be patient but also on the ball, ready to go.

0:53:320:53:36

What else have you got to show us?

0:53:360:53:39

There's a very different example of a kayaker.

0:53:390:53:41

One of the most important things with action photography

0:53:410:53:44

is the shutter speed.

0:53:440:53:46

If people are going to experiment with one thing on the camera,

0:53:460:53:49

it would be the shutter speed.

0:53:490:53:50

What kind of speed did you use for this picture?

0:53:500:53:53

That one would be, I think, a thousandth of a second.

0:53:530:53:56

The importance of that to me is really not so much

0:53:560:53:59

freezing the motion of the kayaker himself

0:53:590:54:01

but the water around him,

0:54:010:54:03

because that is what gives the shot its real dynamism, I think.

0:54:030:54:07

That's a beautiful photograph.

0:54:080:54:10

That's not maybe what everyone would consider as an action photo,

0:54:100:54:14

but it still deals very much with movement.

0:54:140:54:17

Here the exposure is something like five or six seconds.

0:54:170:54:21

And it gives this smoothed-out, kind of flowing quality.

0:54:210:54:25

Obviously, for a shot like that, you need a tripod or some means

0:54:250:54:28

-of supporting the camera really solidly.

-What did you use?

0:54:280:54:32

One of my favourite bits of photographic gear

0:54:320:54:34

is a very simple beanbag.

0:54:340:54:36

If you balance the beanbag, you can get just as stable a picture

0:54:360:54:41

as you can with a tripod.

0:54:410:54:42

Let's get to the top and see what we can see from there.

0:54:420:54:45

The weather's not all that promising today.

0:54:450:54:48

We'll see what it's like. You don't have to have perfect weather conditions

0:54:480:54:52

to get a perfect picture, do you?

0:54:520:54:53

'From the top of Orrest Head you get a 360-degree panorama,

0:55:040:55:08

'which takes in the Langdales,

0:55:080:55:10

Troutbeck Valley and even Morecambe Bay, if the weather plays ball.

0:55:100:55:14

And who can resist reaching for the camera?'

0:55:180:55:20

Well worth the climb, Jon. What a fantastic view, isn't it?

0:55:230:55:27

It certainly is, yes. You're in the land of great views here,

0:55:270:55:31

but this is certainly one of the most celebrated.

0:55:310:55:33

Today we've had all kinds of weather.

0:55:330:55:36

We've had rain, a bit of sunshine, lots of grey sky.

0:55:360:55:39

It's changing almost every second, isn't it?

0:55:390:55:41

For me, it's almost more interesting than if it was

0:55:410:55:44

a boring sunny day when everything's green and the sky is blue.

0:55:440:55:48

But if you were here taking a photograph professionally,

0:55:480:55:51

how many pictures would you take?

0:55:510:55:53

I think it's a mistake to think that

0:55:530:55:56

the route to success is just shooting hundreds of pictures, willy-nilly.

0:55:560:55:59

It's much more about thinking before you shoot.

0:55:590:56:03

People often say to me, "I've only got a point-and-shoot camera."

0:56:030:56:06

I tend to think point-and-shoot is not a type of camera,

0:56:060:56:10

it's a state of mind.

0:56:100:56:12

The mistake that people make

0:56:120:56:13

is not just looking and thinking before they point and shoot.

0:56:130:56:18

'Some good advice for anyone sending in photos to our competition.

0:56:190:56:23

'No matter how you get to the Lake District

0:56:230:56:26

'or however you travel once you're here,

0:56:260:56:29

'it's views like this that make it all so worthwhile.'

0:56:290:56:33

And that's it from the Lake District.

0:56:360:56:38

Next week, Countryfile will be in the Cambrian Mountains,

0:56:380:56:41

one of Wales' best-kept secrets.

0:56:410:56:44

Matt will be rounding up Welsh mountain sheep

0:56:440:56:46

in traditional style

0:56:460:56:47

and I'll be joining some of the locals

0:56:470:56:50

finding new ways of capturing the ancient landscape,

0:56:500:56:52

so hope you can join us then. Bye for now.

0:56:520:56:55

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0:57:160:57:19

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