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Water is our most precious natural resource. | 0:00:30 | 0:00:34 | |
There's not a plant or animal on earth that can do without it. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:37 | |
Our landscape is shaped by it. | 0:00:39 | 0:00:41 | |
Livelihoods depend on it. | 0:00:43 | 0:00:45 | |
Water provides homes for wildlife. | 0:00:47 | 0:00:49 | |
It's a place for recreation and a source of inspiration. | 0:00:51 | 0:00:55 | |
Today, I'll be exploring the mighty Kielder Water | 0:00:57 | 0:01:00 | |
and finding out how the wet stuff shapes our lives. | 0:01:00 | 0:01:02 | |
We'll also meander through the archives, | 0:01:07 | 0:01:09 | |
dipping a toe into previous watery worlds we've explored. | 0:01:09 | 0:01:13 | |
We'll travel the UK, looking at rivers and reservoirs... | 0:01:14 | 0:01:17 | |
..lochs, lakes and canals, and the life that ripples through them. | 0:01:19 | 0:01:24 | |
From the time Ellie enjoyed the birdlife, | 0:01:27 | 0:01:29 | |
as she paddled along the River Bann... | 0:01:29 | 0:01:31 | |
They look like sentry men. | 0:01:32 | 0:01:34 | |
-Yeah, exactly. -Waiting, knowing there's food underneath. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:38 | |
..when Anita visited the world's first artificial surfing lake... | 0:01:38 | 0:01:42 | |
Paddle, paddle, paddle! | 0:01:42 | 0:01:44 | |
Woohoo! | 0:01:44 | 0:01:46 | |
..and when Adam met a farmer | 0:01:48 | 0:01:49 | |
who spent more time on a boat than a tractor. | 0:01:49 | 0:01:51 | |
-This has got to be a pretty unusual job in farming. -Yes, pretty unique. | 0:01:53 | 0:01:57 | |
There's not many farmers go to work on a boat, I'm sure. | 0:01:57 | 0:01:59 | |
But that's the beauty of it, you're out here every day on the lough. | 0:01:59 | 0:02:02 | |
Water is essential to life. | 0:02:14 | 0:02:15 | |
And nowhere in the UK has more of it than this place - | 0:02:18 | 0:02:22 | |
Kielder Water in Northumberland. | 0:02:22 | 0:02:24 | |
In fact, it holds more than any other man-made lake | 0:02:25 | 0:02:29 | |
in Northern Europe - 200 billion litres. | 0:02:29 | 0:02:33 | |
Like many of our reservoirs, | 0:02:33 | 0:02:35 | |
it was created to meet the demands of a booming industrial economy. | 0:02:35 | 0:02:39 | |
Looking at this vast body of water now, | 0:02:42 | 0:02:45 | |
it is hard to imagine that not that long ago, | 0:02:45 | 0:02:48 | |
it was a valley full of villages and farms. | 0:02:48 | 0:02:52 | |
In 1975, though, the building of that dam | 0:02:52 | 0:02:54 | |
changed this landscape forever. | 0:02:54 | 0:02:56 | |
Plans for the reservoir swept away all before it. | 0:03:01 | 0:03:05 | |
Local people living in the valley | 0:03:05 | 0:03:07 | |
lost their homes and farms to the water. | 0:03:07 | 0:03:09 | |
At 5.5 miles long and 52 metres at its deepest point, | 0:03:12 | 0:03:17 | |
it took almost two years to fill up. | 0:03:17 | 0:03:19 | |
Jonty Hall is truly part of Kielder's history. | 0:03:20 | 0:03:24 | |
Not only is he the facilities manager | 0:03:24 | 0:03:26 | |
but, as a boy, he pushed the button to flood the reservoir | 0:03:26 | 0:03:30 | |
before it was officially opened by the Queen in 1982. | 0:03:30 | 0:03:33 | |
I congratulate all those who play a part in the conception | 0:03:34 | 0:03:39 | |
and construction and management of the scheme. | 0:03:39 | 0:03:41 | |
APPLAUSE | 0:03:41 | 0:03:43 | |
I'm meeting him underneath the reservoir, | 0:03:43 | 0:03:46 | |
in the belly of the beast. | 0:03:46 | 0:03:47 | |
Well, this is some tunnel. | 0:03:49 | 0:03:50 | |
So we are underneath the reservoir. | 0:03:50 | 0:03:52 | |
-Yeah. -How much water is above our heads? | 0:03:52 | 0:03:54 | |
So above our heads, roughly about 50 metres. | 0:03:54 | 0:03:56 | |
I've just got short of breath! | 0:03:58 | 0:04:00 | |
There's definitely no cracks down here, is there? | 0:04:00 | 0:04:02 | |
Well, no. No, it's really well looked after, believe me. | 0:04:02 | 0:04:05 | |
-Yeah. -And that is your job, but way back when, | 0:04:05 | 0:04:08 | |
it was your job to help this dam start backing up in the first place. | 0:04:08 | 0:04:12 | |
Yeah, so back in 1979, | 0:04:12 | 0:04:16 | |
I was chosen because I was the oldest kid at Kielder School, | 0:04:16 | 0:04:19 | |
so I was chosen to press the button. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:22 | |
And did you, at the time, appreciate what a big deal that was? | 0:04:22 | 0:04:25 | |
Yeah, I think I did. I mean, nine years old, | 0:04:25 | 0:04:27 | |
travelling up and down the valley | 0:04:27 | 0:04:29 | |
and seeing all of the work taking place, | 0:04:29 | 0:04:31 | |
and hearing your mum and your dad talking about it and everybody else, | 0:04:31 | 0:04:34 | |
so it was, it was a massive thing back then. | 0:04:34 | 0:04:36 | |
How did the news go down that the valley would be flooded? | 0:04:36 | 0:04:40 | |
It was met with a bit of optimism, but also a bit of... | 0:04:40 | 0:04:44 | |
It's a white elephant, you know. | 0:04:44 | 0:04:46 | |
Is the water really needed? | 0:04:46 | 0:04:48 | |
So, for the people who lived in the valley, | 0:04:48 | 0:04:50 | |
this valley was going to be flooded, | 0:04:50 | 0:04:52 | |
and the house where they grew up | 0:04:52 | 0:04:54 | |
or where they lived was going to be basically covered in water, | 0:04:54 | 0:04:57 | |
and they were never, ever going to be able to go back | 0:04:57 | 0:05:00 | |
-and see that again. -So what happened to those people? | 0:05:00 | 0:05:02 | |
They were compensated for losing their property and their land, | 0:05:02 | 0:05:05 | |
and they also built some new houses down on Falstone, | 0:05:05 | 0:05:08 | |
and they had the chance to buy those properties. | 0:05:08 | 0:05:11 | |
Obviously now, a couple of generations on, | 0:05:11 | 0:05:13 | |
how is the reservoir received locally now? | 0:05:13 | 0:05:16 | |
Now it's looked at... | 0:05:16 | 0:05:18 | |
A major provider. | 0:05:18 | 0:05:19 | |
Kielder can supply water to 80% of the north-east. | 0:05:19 | 0:05:23 | |
We never have any water restrictions or hosepipe bans. | 0:05:23 | 0:05:26 | |
It's certainly an impressive structure. | 0:05:28 | 0:05:30 | |
I feel like I'm in a James Bond film, | 0:05:30 | 0:05:31 | |
but I'm definitely more comfortable above the surface. | 0:05:31 | 0:05:34 | |
-Can we go back up? -Of course we can, yeah. -Lead the way. -Off we go. | 0:05:34 | 0:05:37 | |
So, if this place supplies eight out of ten homes in the north-east, | 0:05:43 | 0:05:47 | |
I bet Matt Baker grew up drinking water from Kielder. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:50 | |
The reservoir here not only provides a life source for locals, | 0:05:53 | 0:05:57 | |
but a whole host of wildlife. | 0:05:57 | 0:06:00 | |
I'll be hearing more about that a bit later on. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:02 | |
But first, we're off to Scotland. | 0:06:03 | 0:06:06 | |
A while back, Matt visited the stunning Loch Lomond. | 0:06:06 | 0:06:09 | |
On one of its tiny islands, he met some rather unusual farmers | 0:06:09 | 0:06:14 | |
who made the most of their watery surroundings. | 0:06:14 | 0:06:17 | |
Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater lake in the UK, | 0:06:22 | 0:06:26 | |
covering around 27 square miles. | 0:06:26 | 0:06:28 | |
And what better way to explore this place than in one of these? | 0:06:32 | 0:06:36 | |
Wow. The nose goes up slightly as the power kicks in. | 0:06:40 | 0:06:44 | |
This seaplane flies regularly from Glasgow to Loch Lomond, | 0:06:44 | 0:06:47 | |
and with water for a runway, | 0:06:47 | 0:06:49 | |
we can take off and land wherever we like. | 0:06:49 | 0:06:52 | |
David West is my pilot. | 0:06:52 | 0:06:54 | |
David, you've flown jumbos all over the world, | 0:06:56 | 0:06:59 | |
so how does zipping around here in a seaplane on Loch Lomond compare? | 0:06:59 | 0:07:04 | |
I've got to tell you, um... | 0:07:04 | 0:07:06 | |
-..I love this. -Do you? | 0:07:06 | 0:07:07 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:07:07 | 0:07:09 | |
I'm not saying any more than that, I absolutely adore this. | 0:07:09 | 0:07:12 | |
It's that mix of seamanship, airmanship, | 0:07:12 | 0:07:15 | |
and look at the landscape. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:16 | |
It's just amazing, it really is. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:19 | |
It is the oddest feeling as we're coming into land that we're just... | 0:07:19 | 0:07:23 | |
We're heading in to water. | 0:07:23 | 0:07:24 | |
-And we're on. -Thank you so much. | 0:07:26 | 0:07:28 | |
No, it's a pleasure to have your company. | 0:07:28 | 0:07:31 | |
The loch is dotted with many small islands, | 0:07:32 | 0:07:34 | |
some of which are no bigger than a rock. | 0:07:34 | 0:07:36 | |
Only two are inhabited, and having got the lie of the land, | 0:07:36 | 0:07:40 | |
I've dropped in on the smaller of the two, Inchtavannach. | 0:07:40 | 0:07:43 | |
I'm meeting some four-legged island residents and their owners - | 0:07:45 | 0:07:48 | |
the appropriately named Roy Rogers and his partner, Susan Gell. | 0:07:48 | 0:07:52 | |
Apparently, their horses like nothing better | 0:07:52 | 0:07:55 | |
than a swim in the loch. | 0:07:55 | 0:07:57 | |
But first, I need to get to know the animals better. | 0:07:57 | 0:08:00 | |
Roy, how are you doing? All right? | 0:08:00 | 0:08:02 | |
-Hello. -Good to see you. Is there room for a small one in there? | 0:08:02 | 0:08:04 | |
-Yes, absolutely. -I'm sure she'll let you join us. | 0:08:04 | 0:08:06 | |
Hello, my darling. | 0:08:06 | 0:08:08 | |
-This is Rosa. -Rosa. | 0:08:08 | 0:08:09 | |
I have to say, Roy, you have the most incredible existence. | 0:08:09 | 0:08:13 | |
Of all of the farms and the crofts that I've visited, this one, | 0:08:13 | 0:08:17 | |
it has to be one of the most exciting. | 0:08:17 | 0:08:18 | |
-How big is the island? -It's about 200 acres, | 0:08:18 | 0:08:21 | |
it's about a mile long, roughly, by a quarter of a mile wide. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:24 | |
Is there anyone else on it, then? | 0:08:24 | 0:08:26 | |
-Apart from yourself? -No, just us. Just us. | 0:08:26 | 0:08:27 | |
-Just how we like it. -Just you and the horses. Ah! | 0:08:27 | 0:08:30 | |
I think, well, for me, it's... | 0:08:30 | 0:08:32 | |
To give you an idea, my parents always said I'd be a recluse | 0:08:32 | 0:08:34 | |
when I was a kid, | 0:08:34 | 0:08:35 | |
when I was brought up for a while in the Highlands in Scotland. | 0:08:35 | 0:08:38 | |
And horses came along quite late in life, | 0:08:38 | 0:08:40 | |
I was 48 before I started with horses. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:42 | |
Right. And is that where the swimming comes from, then? | 0:08:42 | 0:08:44 | |
-Because... -Sort of. -..you've got a stretch of water | 0:08:44 | 0:08:47 | |
between you and the mainland, | 0:08:47 | 0:08:48 | |
so you've got to get from one to the other. | 0:08:48 | 0:08:50 | |
Well, it sort of came in that way, as I'd certainly seen, you know, | 0:08:50 | 0:08:53 | |
these types of people who work with horses | 0:08:53 | 0:08:55 | |
doing that sort of thing, and they just do it naturally. | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
-Yeah. -But it was primarily because we wanted to get to the other side! | 0:08:57 | 0:09:01 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:09:01 | 0:09:02 | |
Aren't you a beautiful girl? | 0:09:02 | 0:09:03 | |
She's saying, "Can I go for a swim?" | 0:09:03 | 0:09:05 | |
Well, it's not your turn today, is it? | 0:09:05 | 0:09:07 | |
No, it'll be Shoshoni getting her regular swimming exercise | 0:09:07 | 0:09:11 | |
in a very fresh loch. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:12 | |
Is that you being acclimatised, Susan? | 0:09:15 | 0:09:17 | |
Or Shoshoni? | 0:09:17 | 0:09:18 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:09:18 | 0:09:20 | |
-Is it nippy? -Just a bit. | 0:09:20 | 0:09:23 | |
Seems like a very long way away, Roy. | 0:09:23 | 0:09:26 | |
No, only takes about four minutes or so. | 0:09:26 | 0:09:28 | |
And Shoshoni's a pretty powerful swimmer, so it won't take long. | 0:09:28 | 0:09:31 | |
-Yeah. -We have literally swum hundreds of them there. | 0:09:31 | 0:09:33 | |
In the winter, though? | 0:09:33 | 0:09:34 | |
-Yeah, actually, we've done it at all times. -In the winter as well, yeah? | 0:09:34 | 0:09:37 | |
Yeah, we've done it with the snow coming down and all sorts. | 0:09:37 | 0:09:40 | |
Susan's not so keen these days! | 0:09:40 | 0:09:41 | |
-If Susan's got to get in the water, I'm not surprised! -Yes. | 0:09:41 | 0:09:45 | |
Whoa, this is the moment. | 0:09:46 | 0:09:48 | |
Here we go, it's getting deeper. | 0:09:48 | 0:09:49 | |
And she's swimming now, is she? | 0:09:52 | 0:09:56 | |
-Yeah. -There she is. | 0:09:56 | 0:09:58 | |
What a good girl! | 0:09:58 | 0:10:00 | |
And so the technique here, Susan, is just, | 0:10:00 | 0:10:02 | |
what, just to keep her straight with the lead? | 0:10:02 | 0:10:04 | |
Yes. The main thing is, when we first started swimming, | 0:10:04 | 0:10:08 | |
they try and use the boat as a little safety zone, | 0:10:08 | 0:10:11 | |
so we usually have to push them out away from the boat, | 0:10:11 | 0:10:15 | |
and it's getting the distance from the boat that's the important thing. | 0:10:15 | 0:10:19 | |
And, I mean, it is a wonderful form of exercise, this, anyway, isn't it? | 0:10:19 | 0:10:22 | |
Oh, it's absolutely brilliant, yeah. | 0:10:22 | 0:10:24 | |
If you've got a lame horse, you can just keep them fit by swimming. | 0:10:24 | 0:10:28 | |
She sounds like she's taking quite a lot of air there! | 0:10:28 | 0:10:30 | |
-SNORTING -Yeah. -She's OK, though? | 0:10:30 | 0:10:32 | |
Yeah? That's the way they breathe. Because they close, | 0:10:32 | 0:10:34 | |
they swallow, so they hold themselves... | 0:10:34 | 0:10:36 | |
You know yourself, when you swallow, you do that. | 0:10:36 | 0:10:39 | |
And then they're breathing through their nose... | 0:10:39 | 0:10:41 | |
-Oh, OK. -..rather than through their mouths. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:43 | |
Almost there. It's an incredible rate that she's swimming at. | 0:10:43 | 0:10:47 | |
She swims fairly fast. | 0:10:47 | 0:10:48 | |
Some of the other horses swim a lot slower than her. | 0:10:48 | 0:10:51 | |
-Yeah. -She's one of the fastest. | 0:10:51 | 0:10:53 | |
And you can see as well, she's very buoyant in the water. | 0:10:53 | 0:10:56 | |
Her bum sticks up in the water. | 0:10:56 | 0:10:57 | |
That's it, yeah, yeah. | 0:10:57 | 0:10:58 | |
Some of the horses, they sink quite low down. | 0:10:58 | 0:11:01 | |
Yeah, yeah. And I think she's got her feet down now, has she? | 0:11:01 | 0:11:04 | |
-Yeah, that's her down now. -She has? -The loch's quite high just now. | 0:11:04 | 0:11:07 | |
Normally this little bit's all land. | 0:11:07 | 0:11:10 | |
Back in Northumberland, my exploration of Kielder continues. | 0:11:27 | 0:11:31 | |
And there's a lot of ground to cover. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:33 | |
The reservoir holds more water | 0:11:36 | 0:11:37 | |
than any other man-made lake in Northern Europe. | 0:11:37 | 0:11:40 | |
And it's surrounded by the UK's biggest man-made forest. | 0:11:41 | 0:11:46 | |
Which is a winning combination when it comes to wildlife. | 0:11:46 | 0:11:50 | |
Crossbills, ospreys, otters all thrive here. | 0:11:50 | 0:11:54 | |
In fact, it's home to half of Britain's red squirrel population. | 0:11:54 | 0:11:58 | |
One species did completely die out, but after 30 years, | 0:11:58 | 0:12:01 | |
Ratty is making a return. | 0:12:01 | 0:12:04 | |
Water voles were once a common sight at Kielder Water, but by the 1990s, | 0:12:08 | 0:12:13 | |
they'd pretty much disappeared. | 0:12:13 | 0:12:15 | |
More than 90% of our water vole population has died out, | 0:12:17 | 0:12:20 | |
making them the UK's fastest-declining land mammal. | 0:12:20 | 0:12:24 | |
But locals here will soon see them back on the banks. | 0:12:24 | 0:12:26 | |
The Restoring Ratty project here at Kielder | 0:12:30 | 0:12:33 | |
is the UK's biggest-ever reintroduction | 0:12:33 | 0:12:35 | |
of the endangered species to one location. | 0:12:35 | 0:12:38 | |
The Forestry Commission, | 0:12:40 | 0:12:41 | |
the Tyne Rivers Trust and the Northumberland Wildlife Trust | 0:12:41 | 0:12:45 | |
are all working together to make it happen. | 0:12:45 | 0:12:48 | |
I'm hoping Paul Pickett can tell me more | 0:12:48 | 0:12:49 | |
about why they vanished in the first place. | 0:12:49 | 0:12:53 | |
There's two main reasons. The first reason is habitat loss. | 0:12:54 | 0:12:58 | |
Fragmentation due to tree planting right up to the water's edge | 0:12:58 | 0:13:01 | |
stopped the water vole colonising new areas. | 0:13:01 | 0:13:04 | |
The second reason is mink. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:06 | |
They devastated the watercourses here. | 0:13:06 | 0:13:09 | |
And they just kill everything, they're such an efficient killer. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:11 | |
And how important are water voles to this ecosystem? | 0:13:11 | 0:13:14 | |
They're really important, because they provide a food source. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:18 | |
Everything eats water voles. | 0:13:18 | 0:13:20 | |
Herons will eat water voles, otters will take water voles. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:24 | |
They're a really important food source. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:25 | |
And they're important botanically, as well. | 0:13:25 | 0:13:27 | |
Because they will carry seed and plant matter into the burrows | 0:13:27 | 0:13:31 | |
and spread plants up and down the river system. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:33 | |
So they're good for diversity, as well. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:36 | |
What's the state of play with mink? | 0:13:36 | 0:13:37 | |
Is it safe to reintroduce water voles now? | 0:13:37 | 0:13:39 | |
That's a really good question. The mink seem to have disappeared. | 0:13:39 | 0:13:42 | |
We've been surveying here. | 0:13:42 | 0:13:44 | |
Why? Probably because they're a product | 0:13:44 | 0:13:47 | |
of their own success, really. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:49 | |
They've depleted their food source. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:51 | |
There probably is still one or two about, but not in any great numbers. | 0:13:51 | 0:13:55 | |
So how confident are you about reintroducing water voles? | 0:13:55 | 0:13:58 | |
Extremely confident now. | 0:13:58 | 0:14:00 | |
We've got thousands of hectares of open space, areas like this, | 0:14:00 | 0:14:05 | |
wetland areas, we've got bogs, | 0:14:05 | 0:14:07 | |
we've got mires in the forest and they're ideal for water voles now. | 0:14:07 | 0:14:10 | |
The project started two years ago, | 0:14:16 | 0:14:18 | |
and there have already been nearly 600 water voles | 0:14:18 | 0:14:21 | |
released back to Kielder's waters. | 0:14:21 | 0:14:23 | |
Healthy animals were donated from sites in the North Pennines, | 0:14:23 | 0:14:26 | |
the North York Moors and The Trossachs in Scotland, | 0:14:26 | 0:14:29 | |
where their numbers are high. | 0:14:29 | 0:14:30 | |
They were then taken down to Devon to breed, | 0:14:31 | 0:14:34 | |
before they returned to the watery world here at Kielder. | 0:14:34 | 0:14:37 | |
But to make sure their future is safe, | 0:14:39 | 0:14:41 | |
the Restoring Ratty team need to keep monitoring | 0:14:41 | 0:14:44 | |
for the presence of mink. | 0:14:44 | 0:14:46 | |
OK, what have we got here? | 0:14:50 | 0:14:52 | |
This is one of the wildlife platforms | 0:14:52 | 0:14:54 | |
that we've put in around the north of the forest, | 0:14:54 | 0:14:56 | |
in all the river systems. | 0:14:56 | 0:14:57 | |
And they're basically just to check for mink. | 0:14:57 | 0:15:00 | |
-OK. -That was their original use. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:02 | |
Is there any chance there's been a mink in there? | 0:15:02 | 0:15:04 | |
We can have a look. We can certainly have a look. | 0:15:04 | 0:15:06 | |
Oh. So what is that? | 0:15:09 | 0:15:11 | |
It's just a... | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
Basically, it's a basket that sits in the water to keep moist. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:17 | |
It's an oasis, and a sand-and-clay mix on top. | 0:15:17 | 0:15:21 | |
So it's great. If anything goes over, it leaves a really good print. | 0:15:21 | 0:15:24 | |
Right. | 0:15:24 | 0:15:25 | |
-And a really obvious print, as well. So there's nothing on there. -No. | 0:15:25 | 0:15:28 | |
I wouldn't expect there to be in this weather, to be honest. | 0:15:28 | 0:15:30 | |
-OK. -During the summer, we'll have more rafts out. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:32 | |
Probably 100 rafts throughout the north of the forest. | 0:15:32 | 0:15:35 | |
And we also have camera traps, as well. | 0:15:35 | 0:15:37 | |
These are working 24 hours. | 0:15:37 | 0:15:39 | |
So if anything appears, then we've got it, and we know what's there. | 0:15:39 | 0:15:43 | |
So, an exciting time for the water voles, hopefully? | 0:15:43 | 0:15:45 | |
-Yeah. Certainly will be, yeah. -Roll on, spring. | 0:15:45 | 0:15:49 | |
-Roll on, the spring. -And lots and lots of baby water voles. | 0:15:49 | 0:15:52 | |
Finding ways to live alongside wildlife can only be a good thing. | 0:16:04 | 0:16:07 | |
And last summer, Anita visited Woodberry Wetlands, | 0:16:09 | 0:16:12 | |
a reservoir in the heart of Hackney in North London, | 0:16:12 | 0:16:16 | |
where drinking water and wildlife are natural neighbours. | 0:16:16 | 0:16:20 | |
Once upon a time, this place was all barbed wire and fences, | 0:16:22 | 0:16:26 | |
but lucky Londoners have just gained access to it for the first time | 0:16:26 | 0:16:30 | |
in more than 180 years. | 0:16:30 | 0:16:32 | |
Built in the 19th century, | 0:16:36 | 0:16:37 | |
the reservoir was always closed to the public. | 0:16:37 | 0:16:40 | |
Until recently. | 0:16:40 | 0:16:42 | |
Working with Thames Water, | 0:16:44 | 0:16:46 | |
London Wildlife Trust has carefully built an urban oasis. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:50 | |
One local lad taking full advantage of the new access is Nathan Legall. | 0:16:51 | 0:16:56 | |
So, Nathan, a Londoner born and bred and now a wildlife ranger. | 0:16:57 | 0:17:01 | |
Yeah. I'm here, working on the reserve | 0:17:01 | 0:17:03 | |
and helping to protect this for nature and for local people. | 0:17:03 | 0:17:07 | |
Why is it so important to have something like this | 0:17:07 | 0:17:10 | |
in the heart of a city? | 0:17:10 | 0:17:12 | |
So, green space in London is very precious. | 0:17:12 | 0:17:16 | |
When you come from the main road, | 0:17:16 | 0:17:17 | |
you would not expect to see this spectacle of wildlife | 0:17:17 | 0:17:20 | |
that we have here. | 0:17:20 | 0:17:21 | |
People always come here and when they come through the main entrance, | 0:17:21 | 0:17:24 | |
they have to stand there just simply in awe. | 0:17:24 | 0:17:26 | |
Having a reserve like this | 0:17:26 | 0:17:28 | |
right in the heart of London is almost unheard of. | 0:17:28 | 0:17:32 | |
Yeah. | 0:17:32 | 0:17:33 | |
We're in zone two of London, | 0:17:33 | 0:17:34 | |
literally, get off the Tube at Manor House, zone two, | 0:17:34 | 0:17:37 | |
and walk ten minutes down the road, and here you are. | 0:17:37 | 0:17:39 | |
You could put it on your tourist trail of London, couldn't you? | 0:17:39 | 0:17:42 | |
You could go and see Buckingham Palace, | 0:17:42 | 0:17:44 | |
Houses of Parliament, jump on a Tube, Woodberry Wetland Reserve. | 0:17:44 | 0:17:47 | |
-Absolute must-see. -SHE LAUGHS | 0:17:47 | 0:17:50 | |
This group of grandparents and grandchildren | 0:17:53 | 0:17:55 | |
visit as often as possible. | 0:17:55 | 0:17:57 | |
So, Carol, how important is it to have this on your doorstep? | 0:17:57 | 0:18:00 | |
It's really important. | 0:18:00 | 0:18:01 | |
Some of these children, well, most of the children haven't got gardens. | 0:18:01 | 0:18:04 | |
They haven't got these facilities, | 0:18:04 | 0:18:06 | |
and we're very fortunate and we've never looked back. | 0:18:06 | 0:18:08 | |
We come here about twice a week | 0:18:08 | 0:18:10 | |
and the children love it. | 0:18:10 | 0:18:12 | |
They get so much out of it, it's untrue, you know. | 0:18:12 | 0:18:15 | |
This is the garden that I never had. | 0:18:15 | 0:18:17 | |
-What have we got? -A snail. | 0:18:18 | 0:18:20 | |
A snail? | 0:18:20 | 0:18:22 | |
There we go. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:23 | |
There's one local resident with a view I can't wait to see. | 0:18:24 | 0:18:29 | |
Daphne Hart has lived here for nearly 40 years. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:32 | |
-Amazing. -Wait till I open the window. | 0:18:32 | 0:18:35 | |
-There you go. -Wow. | 0:18:36 | 0:18:38 | |
What an incredible view. | 0:18:38 | 0:18:40 | |
Yeah. I love it. I absolutely love it. | 0:18:40 | 0:18:42 | |
I don't have to go for a ride to the country. | 0:18:42 | 0:18:46 | |
I've got it all here. I've got the greenery, I've got the water. | 0:18:46 | 0:18:49 | |
Words can't explain how I feel. | 0:18:50 | 0:18:52 | |
I think it's phantasmagorical. | 0:18:52 | 0:18:54 | |
-SHE LAUGHS -My own words, I think... | 0:18:54 | 0:18:57 | |
-That's a great word. -It is. It is wonderful, | 0:18:57 | 0:19:00 | |
and whoever comes up here cannot believe, | 0:19:00 | 0:19:03 | |
that, you know, with this view... | 0:19:03 | 0:19:04 | |
-Mm. -My mother used to say, when she used to come up here, | 0:19:04 | 0:19:08 | |
she said, "You need never be depressed. | 0:19:08 | 0:19:10 | |
"Because you look out this window and you have all the four seasons." | 0:19:10 | 0:19:14 | |
And I feel so privileged to be able to live here. | 0:19:14 | 0:19:17 | |
You are very, very lucky. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:19 | |
-Yeah. -Now let's just have a look at the wildlife. | 0:19:19 | 0:19:21 | |
-Yeah. -Look at those beautiful birds. -Yeah, yeah, yeah. | 0:19:21 | 0:19:23 | |
-And we're in London. You know... -That's... | 0:19:23 | 0:19:26 | |
I can't believe we're in Hackney. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:28 | |
-Yeah. -I can't believe it. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:30 | |
-Would you ever move? -Never. | 0:19:30 | 0:19:32 | |
Never, never, never, never. | 0:19:32 | 0:19:34 | |
-Never move. -I don't live too far away, | 0:19:34 | 0:19:36 | |
so I'm going to pop in for a cup of tea every now and again, just for... | 0:19:36 | 0:19:39 | |
For the conversation, obviously. | 0:19:39 | 0:19:40 | |
-Oh, shut up. -The company and... -Yeah, yeah, yeah, schmoozer! | 0:19:40 | 0:19:43 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:19:43 | 0:19:45 | |
What an unexpected gem right in the heart of the city. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:58 | |
We're off to County Antrim in Northern Ireland now, | 0:20:03 | 0:20:06 | |
where you never seem to be too far away from water. | 0:20:06 | 0:20:09 | |
A while ago, Ellie was there on a wildlife safari, | 0:20:09 | 0:20:12 | |
taking in the waterfowl and fish that thrive in its rivers and lochs. | 0:20:12 | 0:20:17 | |
This beautiful river is the Lower Bann, | 0:20:20 | 0:20:22 | |
stretching 36 miles along the boundary | 0:20:22 | 0:20:26 | |
of Londonderry and Antrim, | 0:20:26 | 0:20:28 | |
and there's only one way to see it. | 0:20:28 | 0:20:30 | |
Boosting my paddle power are Robin and Chris, | 0:20:30 | 0:20:33 | |
who've been messing about in boats here for years. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:35 | |
I'm ready. | 0:20:35 | 0:20:37 | |
So when you're paddling, Ellie, | 0:20:37 | 0:20:38 | |
just do, like, a stroke and then let it glide almost for a while. | 0:20:38 | 0:20:41 | |
-You see how quick we're going now without even paddling. -Yeah. | 0:20:41 | 0:20:44 | |
Are these sand martins here? | 0:20:46 | 0:20:48 | |
-I think so, yeah, yeah. -Yeah? -Yeah. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:50 | |
The River Bann is famed for its birdlife. | 0:20:52 | 0:20:55 | |
Even here, where it feels quite industrial, | 0:20:58 | 0:21:00 | |
it's still very much surrounded by nature. | 0:21:00 | 0:21:02 | |
Yeah, plenty of greenery here, isn't there? | 0:21:02 | 0:21:04 | |
Indeed. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:05 | |
Once an important route for commerce, | 0:21:06 | 0:21:08 | |
these days, the river is a great place for leisure. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:12 | |
My guide, Chris Scott, helped create the Lower Bann Canoe Trail, | 0:21:12 | 0:21:16 | |
which we're following today. | 0:21:16 | 0:21:17 | |
As we approach the eel fishery, | 0:21:20 | 0:21:22 | |
I can't help feeling we're being watched. | 0:21:22 | 0:21:24 | |
There are five herons circling around here. | 0:21:25 | 0:21:27 | |
They know that there's food in there for them. | 0:21:27 | 0:21:29 | |
Yeah, definitely looking for a snack, all right. | 0:21:29 | 0:21:31 | |
There's six herons now. Yeah, they're all over. | 0:21:31 | 0:21:34 | |
Look at them all lined up like that! | 0:21:35 | 0:21:36 | |
They look like sentry men. | 0:21:36 | 0:21:38 | |
Yeah, exactly. Statues. | 0:21:38 | 0:21:39 | |
Statues, waiting, knowing there's food underneath. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:42 | |
That's amazing. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:43 | |
All of a sudden we're in the countryside. | 0:21:54 | 0:21:56 | |
Goes from grey to green very quickly. | 0:21:56 | 0:21:58 | |
-Yeah, yeah. -Chris, have you done the trail? | 0:21:58 | 0:22:00 | |
I have indeed, yeah. It's a fantastic trip now. | 0:22:00 | 0:22:02 | |
How long is it? | 0:22:02 | 0:22:04 | |
I always say to people, you know, you can do it in two days at a push, | 0:22:04 | 0:22:07 | |
but, you know, why not do it in three, and spend two nights? | 0:22:07 | 0:22:09 | |
There's some gorgeous campsites along the way, | 0:22:09 | 0:22:11 | |
so you can really chill out and take it all in. | 0:22:11 | 0:22:14 | |
-How long did you do it in? -I did it in three. | 0:22:14 | 0:22:16 | |
-Enjoyed it, took your time. -Absolutely. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:19 | |
And that's really what this trip's about, | 0:22:22 | 0:22:24 | |
taking your time to take it all in. | 0:22:24 | 0:22:27 | |
I've seen more herons here than I've ever seen before. | 0:22:29 | 0:22:31 | |
-Yeah. -It's good... | 0:22:31 | 0:22:33 | |
I think we take it for granted now, the herons, actually. | 0:22:33 | 0:22:35 | |
-Yeah. -It's funny you saying it. | 0:22:35 | 0:22:37 | |
It's a sign that there's loads of food. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:38 | |
It's great. | 0:22:38 | 0:22:40 | |
This is so blissful. | 0:22:40 | 0:22:42 | |
This is my mindful moment right here. | 0:22:43 | 0:22:46 | |
Wildlife water. | 0:22:46 | 0:22:47 | |
Amazing place to breathe. | 0:22:49 | 0:22:52 | |
I love it. | 0:22:52 | 0:22:53 | |
I could do this all day. | 0:22:54 | 0:22:56 | |
But first, I make a stop near Portnagh, a busy holiday-makers hub. | 0:22:58 | 0:23:02 | |
I'm meeting Stephen Douglas from Waterways Ireland, | 0:23:03 | 0:23:06 | |
who is going to tell me about the river's past. | 0:23:06 | 0:23:10 | |
Stephen, how are you doing? | 0:23:10 | 0:23:11 | |
-Hello, Ellie. Nice to meet you. -You too. I've been on a great journey. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:14 | |
It's the same sort of paddle strokes | 0:23:14 | 0:23:16 | |
that would've been made 10,000 years ago, | 0:23:16 | 0:23:18 | |
when man first settled in Ireland, along the lower banks of the Bann. | 0:23:18 | 0:23:21 | |
So they were hunter gatherers, | 0:23:21 | 0:23:23 | |
and they would've used the canoes | 0:23:23 | 0:23:24 | |
and skin boats to travel upstream to hunt and fish. | 0:23:24 | 0:23:28 | |
These flints are typical of the hoard of flints that has been found, | 0:23:28 | 0:23:32 | |
actually, along the River Bann. | 0:23:32 | 0:23:34 | |
-Oh, yeah. -There's a real history there. | 0:23:34 | 0:23:36 | |
The river became important again in the mid-1800s as a commercial route. | 0:23:37 | 0:23:42 | |
The locks that were built to allow freight survive to this day. | 0:23:42 | 0:23:46 | |
The stone delivered on-site | 0:23:46 | 0:23:48 | |
and would've had to have been handcrafted | 0:23:48 | 0:23:50 | |
by the stonemasons on-site. | 0:23:50 | 0:23:52 | |
And you can see how good a job they have done. | 0:23:52 | 0:23:54 | |
And standing up well to the test of time. | 0:23:54 | 0:23:56 | |
Absolutely, 160 years later in a water-based environment. | 0:23:56 | 0:23:59 | |
-Yeah. -It's a testament to the skill and craftsmanship | 0:23:59 | 0:24:02 | |
of the people who constructed the locks. | 0:24:02 | 0:24:04 | |
Absolutely. But this lock, it's a little bit worse for wear. | 0:24:04 | 0:24:07 | |
It's seen some years' use, this one. | 0:24:07 | 0:24:09 | |
Well, you're absolutely right, Ellie. | 0:24:09 | 0:24:11 | |
This is one that we've programmed for replacement, and, in fact, | 0:24:11 | 0:24:14 | |
we're constructing a new balance beam for this | 0:24:14 | 0:24:16 | |
in our shed across the way. | 0:24:16 | 0:24:18 | |
Inside the 21st century work shed, a little piece of history. | 0:24:22 | 0:24:26 | |
Hi, there. How are you doing? | 0:24:28 | 0:24:29 | |
-Hi, Ellie. How are you? -I'm all right, thanks. | 0:24:29 | 0:24:31 | |
-I'm good. -Good. -These plans look pretty old. | 0:24:31 | 0:24:33 | |
Yes, they are. They're very old. | 0:24:33 | 0:24:35 | |
The plan of the gate, actually, | 0:24:35 | 0:24:36 | |
was originally back in the sort of late 1800s. | 0:24:36 | 0:24:40 | |
Wow. | 0:24:40 | 0:24:41 | |
And then the reprint in 1931. | 0:24:41 | 0:24:43 | |
-So these are the best plans for the job. -Yes. -Pretty much. | 0:24:43 | 0:24:46 | |
-Feet and inches, yeah. -Feet and inches, so old units, as well. | 0:24:46 | 0:24:49 | |
Yeah. | 0:24:49 | 0:24:51 | |
Some safety goggs. | 0:24:51 | 0:24:53 | |
-Yes. -Right, what's this? | 0:24:53 | 0:24:55 | |
This is for the big crossbeams that go in. | 0:24:55 | 0:24:57 | |
-So it's got to be accurate? -Yes, have to be accurate. | 0:24:57 | 0:24:59 | |
Dead on. OK, so that one's done. | 0:24:59 | 0:25:01 | |
-That one's in the process. -This is how they would do it. | 0:25:01 | 0:25:03 | |
This is probably how they would have done it years and years ago. | 0:25:03 | 0:25:06 | |
Still a hammer and chisel, pretty much? | 0:25:06 | 0:25:07 | |
Still a hammer and chisel at this stage. | 0:25:07 | 0:25:09 | |
-Would you like to have a go now? -Yeah, I would. | 0:25:09 | 0:25:11 | |
-OK. -I can't go wrong, can I? | 0:25:11 | 0:25:14 | |
-No. -Not today, please. | 0:25:14 | 0:25:16 | |
OK. | 0:25:16 | 0:25:17 | |
Oh, I'm not going anywhere. | 0:25:17 | 0:25:19 | |
Let's get digging. | 0:25:19 | 0:25:20 | |
OK. I bet I get some lush splinters out of this. | 0:25:24 | 0:25:27 | |
-Yeah. -I love splinters. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:29 | |
There's still plenty of work to do, | 0:25:32 | 0:25:34 | |
but it's time for me to be on my way. | 0:25:34 | 0:25:36 | |
From the rivers of County Antrim to the lakes of Snowdonia now, | 0:25:47 | 0:25:51 | |
where Joe met an artist for whom water is not just an inspiration, | 0:25:51 | 0:25:55 | |
but also an integral part of his work. | 0:25:55 | 0:25:58 | |
We all love to walk through picturesque landscape | 0:26:09 | 0:26:12 | |
and take in the beauty of the place, | 0:26:12 | 0:26:14 | |
but do we really appreciate all that we encounter? | 0:26:14 | 0:26:18 | |
Well, I've come here to Snowdonia to meet an artist | 0:26:18 | 0:26:20 | |
whose work is truly connected to the landscape | 0:26:20 | 0:26:23 | |
and intended to give passers-by an enhanced vision | 0:26:23 | 0:26:25 | |
of the world around them. | 0:26:25 | 0:26:27 | |
Anthony Garratt is a contemporary artist who's renowned | 0:26:33 | 0:26:36 | |
for his large-scale outdoor installations. | 0:26:36 | 0:26:39 | |
He creates these dramatic works in the landscapes | 0:26:39 | 0:26:42 | |
where they are ultimately displayed. | 0:26:42 | 0:26:44 | |
He's taking on his greatest challenge to date. | 0:26:44 | 0:26:47 | |
Two paintings, High and Low, | 0:26:47 | 0:26:49 | |
will be exhibited in two contrasting locations here in Snowdonia. | 0:26:49 | 0:26:53 | |
-Anthony, how are you doing? -Hi, Joe, very well. How are you? | 0:26:54 | 0:26:56 | |
-Good to see you. -And you. | 0:26:56 | 0:26:57 | |
This looks amazing. And an epic backdrop, as well. | 0:26:57 | 0:27:01 | |
It is an epic backdrop. Yeah, you've got these beautiful mountains | 0:27:01 | 0:27:04 | |
at the top and then this aggressive quarry at the bottom. | 0:27:04 | 0:27:06 | |
-It's an exciting spot. -Tell me the idea behind this. | 0:27:06 | 0:27:09 | |
Very rare to see a painting exhibited outdoors. | 0:27:09 | 0:27:12 | |
It's a unique way of seeing a painting | 0:27:12 | 0:27:14 | |
because the weather changes each day. | 0:27:14 | 0:27:16 | |
It has a life of its own and it's open to everyone as well. | 0:27:16 | 0:27:19 | |
So there's no hiding it away in a white box. | 0:27:19 | 0:27:21 | |
This is out for everyone to see. | 0:27:21 | 0:27:23 | |
So these will be exhibited outside for how long? | 0:27:23 | 0:27:25 | |
For weeks, months? | 0:27:25 | 0:27:26 | |
So this project is called High and Low | 0:27:26 | 0:27:28 | |
and it's going to be exhibited for about five months, | 0:27:28 | 0:27:31 | |
one on the flanks of Mount Snowdon on a lake, | 0:27:31 | 0:27:33 | |
and this one is going to be hanging down in a slate cavern | 0:27:33 | 0:27:35 | |
500 feet underground. | 0:27:35 | 0:27:37 | |
So they explore the highs and the lows of Snowdonia | 0:27:37 | 0:27:39 | |
and the heritage of the mining, as well. | 0:27:39 | 0:27:41 | |
So on Snowdon, you've got the old copper mine | 0:27:41 | 0:27:43 | |
and here, you've got the slate-mining industry, | 0:27:43 | 0:27:45 | |
so that's a nice tie as well. | 0:27:45 | 0:27:47 | |
-Look, I want to see you work. -Yeah. | 0:27:47 | 0:27:48 | |
-Get stuck in. -So I can get painting. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:51 | |
For Anthony, it's important to use natural materials | 0:27:54 | 0:27:57 | |
connected to the landscape, such as copper and slate. | 0:27:57 | 0:28:00 | |
-Perfect. There we go. -I'd hang it up now. | 0:28:01 | 0:28:03 | |
It looks great! | 0:28:03 | 0:28:05 | |
I'll have to get you to sign this. | 0:28:06 | 0:28:09 | |
You OK there for a couple of hours? | 0:28:09 | 0:28:11 | |
Yeah, this is probably where I'm most useful, I think. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:13 | |
This painting represents the low part of the project | 0:28:16 | 0:28:19 | |
and will be displayed in the belly of Llechwedd Slate Mine. | 0:28:19 | 0:28:22 | |
It's not just Anthony working on these installations. | 0:28:27 | 0:28:30 | |
He has a team of more than 20 people | 0:28:30 | 0:28:32 | |
helping him realise his final vision. | 0:28:32 | 0:28:34 | |
Anthony's other painting, High, is finished and ready to put in place. | 0:28:36 | 0:28:40 | |
We are carrying it to its final destination, | 0:28:41 | 0:28:44 | |
floating on the Lake Llyn Llydaw, | 0:28:44 | 0:28:45 | |
under the shadow of Mount Snowdon. | 0:28:45 | 0:28:48 | |
Let's take a look at it. | 0:28:49 | 0:28:50 | |
This is your moving team. | 0:28:51 | 0:28:53 | |
-It is indeed. -Hello, everyone. ALL: -Hi. | 0:28:53 | 0:28:55 | |
Everyone feeling strong? | 0:28:55 | 0:28:56 | |
-Yeah, yeah. -So how far has it got to go? | 0:28:56 | 0:28:59 | |
-Half a mile. -Half a mile? | 0:28:59 | 0:29:02 | |
Right, shall we give it a go, then? | 0:29:02 | 0:29:03 | |
200 years ago, miners walked this track, | 0:29:07 | 0:29:10 | |
and, being true to the history of the place, | 0:29:10 | 0:29:12 | |
the team are following in their footsteps, | 0:29:12 | 0:29:14 | |
transporting the painting to its new home. | 0:29:14 | 0:29:16 | |
Brilliant. Thanks very much, everyone. | 0:29:21 | 0:29:23 | |
And we're down. Good job. | 0:29:23 | 0:29:26 | |
Anthony, carrying it around there really hits home | 0:29:26 | 0:29:28 | |
that this is a team effort. This isn't about a solo artist. | 0:29:28 | 0:29:31 | |
The painting is quite a small element | 0:29:31 | 0:29:33 | |
of the whole project, really. | 0:29:33 | 0:29:34 | |
I mean, there's a couple of shipwrights, Mark and Loz, | 0:29:34 | 0:29:36 | |
who have been designing and building this for months. | 0:29:36 | 0:29:39 | |
It's taken a lot of effort from a big team, which is great. | 0:29:39 | 0:29:42 | |
So the final thing is to launch a massive painting | 0:29:42 | 0:29:44 | |
into the middle of a lake? | 0:29:44 | 0:29:46 | |
Indeed, just beneath the summit of Snowdon. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:48 | |
-You don't see that very often, do you? -Exactly. | 0:29:48 | 0:29:50 | |
-I'm excited. -Right, let's crack on. | 0:29:50 | 0:29:53 | |
The shipwrights, Mark and Loz, are getting ready | 0:29:54 | 0:29:56 | |
for the launch at the water's edge. | 0:29:56 | 0:29:58 | |
-Hi, guys. How's it going? -Hi. -Good. | 0:29:58 | 0:30:00 | |
So this frame here that's going to hold the canvas | 0:30:00 | 0:30:02 | |
is your construction? | 0:30:02 | 0:30:03 | |
It is, yeah. This was quite a big challenge, yeah. | 0:30:03 | 0:30:06 | |
Because we had to keep it light, so it could all be carried up. | 0:30:06 | 0:30:09 | |
You've seen all the carrying that's gone on. | 0:30:09 | 0:30:11 | |
-Yeah. -We're going to get all this lot set up by the water's edge. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:14 | |
-OK. -And then get ready to do some more lifting. | 0:30:14 | 0:30:17 | |
-And carrying. -Shall we have a go at getting it down to the lake, then? | 0:30:17 | 0:30:20 | |
-Can we get some more help? -Yes, let's do, wave some people in. | 0:30:20 | 0:30:23 | |
So now we need the painting. | 0:30:23 | 0:30:24 | |
-Oh, yeah, the painting. -We're going to pick it up. | 0:30:24 | 0:30:26 | |
-Yeah. -Take it down to the framework. | 0:30:26 | 0:30:28 | |
Take it flat down. | 0:30:28 | 0:30:29 | |
And then we'll stand it up, | 0:30:29 | 0:30:31 | |
and then we'll make the rest up when we get there. | 0:30:31 | 0:30:33 | |
-And then who knows? -Who knows? Indeed. | 0:30:33 | 0:30:36 | |
One, two, three. | 0:30:36 | 0:30:37 | |
This is such a surreal view, | 0:30:39 | 0:30:41 | |
looking out across this giant artwork | 0:30:41 | 0:30:43 | |
and just seeing five heads around me. | 0:30:43 | 0:30:46 | |
And up. Somebody get ready with the clamp. | 0:30:46 | 0:30:48 | |
It's taken so much effort to get to this moment, | 0:30:49 | 0:30:52 | |
but will it actually float? | 0:30:52 | 0:30:54 | |
There she blows! | 0:31:01 | 0:31:02 | |
It's a curious sight, watching this giant canvas glide across the lake, | 0:31:06 | 0:31:11 | |
and, after all the hard work, it's finally in place. | 0:31:11 | 0:31:16 | |
-So there it is. -It is. | 0:31:16 | 0:31:17 | |
You must be very proud? | 0:31:17 | 0:31:19 | |
Yeah, it feels amazing. I'm sort of fed up with looking at the painting, | 0:31:19 | 0:31:22 | |
so it's quite nice to have it out there! But it looks amazing. | 0:31:22 | 0:31:26 | |
It shows it had to be that big. | 0:31:26 | 0:31:27 | |
It's the biggest freestanding canvas you've ever worked on. | 0:31:27 | 0:31:30 | |
Yeah, it's huge, but it does look small. | 0:31:30 | 0:31:33 | |
Wow. Well done. | 0:31:33 | 0:31:35 | |
-Thank you. -Good work. -Thanks for your help. | 0:31:35 | 0:31:38 | |
I'm pleased it's worked out so well. It's beautiful. | 0:31:38 | 0:31:40 | |
It's not just in Wales | 0:31:49 | 0:31:51 | |
where art, water and the landscape have joined forces. | 0:31:51 | 0:31:55 | |
Kielder Water here in Northumberland | 0:31:55 | 0:31:57 | |
has inspired many with its watery charms. | 0:31:57 | 0:32:00 | |
Kielder has been inspiring artists for years, | 0:32:07 | 0:32:10 | |
and, dotted throughout this landscape, | 0:32:10 | 0:32:12 | |
there are a series of really interesting sculptures. | 0:32:12 | 0:32:15 | |
Lots of them have a special relationship with water. | 0:32:15 | 0:32:17 | |
Like the Wave Chamber here. | 0:32:22 | 0:32:24 | |
Peter Sharpe is the curator. | 0:32:26 | 0:32:28 | |
He commissioned this and many of the works on the water. | 0:32:28 | 0:32:31 | |
Tell me about the wave chamber, then. | 0:32:33 | 0:32:35 | |
Well, what it does is it captures the light off the waves, | 0:32:35 | 0:32:39 | |
so it's a camera obscura. | 0:32:39 | 0:32:41 | |
It's got a lens and a mirror at the top | 0:32:41 | 0:32:42 | |
and the light bouncing off the waves out there | 0:32:42 | 0:32:45 | |
gets projected inside, | 0:32:45 | 0:32:47 | |
so you get your own little Cinemascope display in there | 0:32:47 | 0:32:50 | |
when you shut the door. | 0:32:50 | 0:32:52 | |
It's very, very dark, and you have to get your eyes used to it. | 0:32:52 | 0:32:55 | |
So what's the idea, then? | 0:32:55 | 0:32:56 | |
Is it to get people to get a different experience of the water? | 0:32:56 | 0:32:58 | |
Yeah, when the artist came here, | 0:32:58 | 0:33:00 | |
he was really interested in the way the light | 0:33:00 | 0:33:02 | |
sort of bounces off the waves, | 0:33:02 | 0:33:03 | |
so what he wanted to do was to sort of isolate that experience. | 0:33:03 | 0:33:07 | |
-Well, there's a sensational light out here... -Fantastic. | 0:33:07 | 0:33:09 | |
..but I'm going to see if I can enjoy a bit of focus. | 0:33:09 | 0:33:13 | |
Right, so, we go in. | 0:33:13 | 0:33:15 | |
Shut the door. | 0:33:19 | 0:33:20 | |
So the idea is just to focus on what we can hear, and...? | 0:33:22 | 0:33:26 | |
Yeah, and wait for your eyes to adjust to the light. | 0:33:26 | 0:33:28 | |
We needed a bit more sun, | 0:33:33 | 0:33:35 | |
but with a bit of creative licence, you get the idea. | 0:33:35 | 0:33:38 | |
A place like this really makes those senses just open up. | 0:33:41 | 0:33:44 | |
-Let's go. -Out we go. | 0:33:46 | 0:33:48 | |
It is very dark in there, | 0:33:48 | 0:33:50 | |
but it kind of makes you focus down, doesn't it, | 0:33:50 | 0:33:53 | |
and just think about one thing? | 0:33:53 | 0:33:55 | |
It does. I think it's very easy to just sort of move too quickly | 0:33:55 | 0:33:58 | |
through the landscape and not really stop and look. | 0:33:58 | 0:34:02 | |
It's an experience, isn't it? | 0:34:02 | 0:34:04 | |
It is. It is. | 0:34:04 | 0:34:05 | |
Many of the works here are by internationally famous artists, | 0:34:06 | 0:34:10 | |
and they provide an unexpected surprise | 0:34:10 | 0:34:12 | |
when spotted from the water. | 0:34:12 | 0:34:14 | |
Do you need art in a stunning landscape like this? | 0:34:16 | 0:34:19 | |
It's beautiful, anyway. | 0:34:19 | 0:34:21 | |
It's interesting, having installations | 0:34:21 | 0:34:25 | |
that also act as vantage points or shelters or seating. | 0:34:25 | 0:34:30 | |
They help kind of focus the environment so... | 0:34:30 | 0:34:32 | |
..one of the things that the artworks do here | 0:34:34 | 0:34:36 | |
is that they provide different ways of thinking about the landscape. | 0:34:36 | 0:34:40 | |
We're just seeing a belvedere appearing here. | 0:34:43 | 0:34:46 | |
-OK. -That piece of work looks like a very tiny little jewel | 0:34:46 | 0:34:49 | |
in the distance, but when you're up close, it's got a lot of presence. | 0:34:49 | 0:34:52 | |
Look at that. That's cool! | 0:34:52 | 0:34:54 | |
It's quite an unusual thing. | 0:34:54 | 0:34:55 | |
The flash of orange in the distance is called 5502. | 0:34:57 | 0:35:01 | |
They built it, and it's, like, walls and seats and a kind of roof, | 0:35:02 | 0:35:06 | |
but they're facing in different directions | 0:35:06 | 0:35:08 | |
so the reason it's kind of orange, kind of red like that, | 0:35:08 | 0:35:11 | |
is they wanted to make it feel like | 0:35:11 | 0:35:13 | |
it was a very manufactured sort of industrial structure, | 0:35:13 | 0:35:16 | |
and they describe it as a sort of manufactured architecture | 0:35:16 | 0:35:19 | |
in a manufactured landscape, so it's a sort of reflection on the fact | 0:35:19 | 0:35:23 | |
that all of the landscape around here | 0:35:23 | 0:35:25 | |
is all designed on a computer, really. | 0:35:25 | 0:35:27 | |
-It's man-made, isn't it, yeah? -Man-made. | 0:35:27 | 0:35:29 | |
It would take days to get around all of the sculptures on these shores, | 0:35:31 | 0:35:36 | |
but one of my favourites puts me back on dry land. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:39 | |
This is Silvas Capitalis, | 0:35:51 | 0:35:53 | |
which is affectionately known as The Head. | 0:35:53 | 0:35:56 | |
Now, the idea is it listens to and it watches out | 0:35:56 | 0:35:59 | |
on the ever-changing watery world. | 0:35:59 | 0:36:02 | |
It's brilliant. | 0:36:02 | 0:36:03 | |
Water may look beautiful and provide inspiration for many, | 0:36:13 | 0:36:16 | |
but for those whose livelihoods revolve around it, | 0:36:16 | 0:36:19 | |
things aren't always as straightforward as they seem - | 0:36:19 | 0:36:23 | |
as Adam found out when he visited County Fermanagh | 0:36:23 | 0:36:25 | |
in Northern Ireland last summer. | 0:36:25 | 0:36:27 | |
The picturesque Lough Erne. | 0:36:37 | 0:36:39 | |
It's one of the largest freshwater lakes in the UK. | 0:36:39 | 0:36:42 | |
The vast expanse of water flows for 50 miles | 0:36:43 | 0:36:46 | |
right through the heart of County Fermanagh. | 0:36:46 | 0:36:49 | |
It's made up of more than 150 islands, | 0:36:50 | 0:36:53 | |
and during the summer, when the grass is flourishing, | 0:36:53 | 0:36:56 | |
livestock make the most of the island's pastures. | 0:36:56 | 0:36:59 | |
And I've been told to expect the unexpected, | 0:37:00 | 0:37:03 | |
and I'm very excited about it | 0:37:03 | 0:37:04 | |
because this is far from your classic farming landscape. | 0:37:04 | 0:37:07 | |
You won't find many tractors out here. | 0:37:07 | 0:37:09 | |
Stockman Andrew Gallagher has an unusual daily commute, | 0:37:14 | 0:37:17 | |
travelling around the loch by boat. | 0:37:17 | 0:37:20 | |
Hi, Andrew. Can I climb in? | 0:37:20 | 0:37:22 | |
Andrew works for the RSPB, managing livestock for conservation grazing. | 0:37:23 | 0:37:28 | |
Their aim is to promote birdlife. | 0:37:28 | 0:37:30 | |
This has got to be a pretty unusual job in farming? | 0:37:32 | 0:37:34 | |
Yes, pretty unique. Not many farmers go to work on a boat, I'm sure. | 0:37:34 | 0:37:37 | |
That's the beauty. Often, you're out here every day on the lough. | 0:37:37 | 0:37:40 | |
-How many cattle? -There's about 140 cattle, | 0:37:40 | 0:37:42 | |
give or take, on the islands. | 0:37:42 | 0:37:44 | |
In the summer, it must be beautiful, mustn't it? | 0:37:44 | 0:37:46 | |
Oh, it's deadly. You couldn't beat it. | 0:37:46 | 0:37:48 | |
You could spend all day on the loch. | 0:37:48 | 0:37:49 | |
-Even if you've got no cattle to see. -And you're moving some cattle today. | 0:37:49 | 0:37:52 | |
Yes, we are bringing across five cows and two calves. | 0:37:52 | 0:37:55 | |
-I'm looking forward to seeing that. -Yes, it should be good. | 0:37:55 | 0:37:57 | |
Livestock has been transported around the loch | 0:38:00 | 0:38:03 | |
for at least 1,000 years. | 0:38:03 | 0:38:04 | |
Fred Ternan was the last person to be born | 0:38:06 | 0:38:08 | |
on one of Lough Erne's islands. | 0:38:08 | 0:38:10 | |
He has some interesting family footage from the 1950s | 0:38:10 | 0:38:14 | |
of how they used to swim the cattle between the islands. | 0:38:14 | 0:38:17 | |
The end of the rope was passed to a man in the boat, | 0:38:17 | 0:38:19 | |
and then the boat was rowed out a bit from the shore | 0:38:19 | 0:38:22 | |
and, as you can see, | 0:38:22 | 0:38:23 | |
the cow doesn't really want to go swimming at all, | 0:38:23 | 0:38:25 | |
but eventually the cow is pulled up close | 0:38:25 | 0:38:27 | |
to the back of the boat, where it will be held, | 0:38:27 | 0:38:30 | |
and swims quite contentedly along behind the boat. | 0:38:30 | 0:38:32 | |
Who is in the boat here? | 0:38:32 | 0:38:33 | |
This is my father rowing the boat and that's myself as a little boy. | 0:38:33 | 0:38:36 | |
-It must've been exciting? -It was indeed. | 0:38:36 | 0:38:38 | |
It was good fun when you're small. | 0:38:38 | 0:38:40 | |
And the cows could swim all right, then? I've never seen a cow swim. | 0:38:40 | 0:38:43 | |
Oh, no, they could swim, | 0:38:43 | 0:38:44 | |
and, in fact, they can swim without being on a rope, as well. | 0:38:44 | 0:38:47 | |
Providing they know where they're going, | 0:38:47 | 0:38:48 | |
they can get across. | 0:38:48 | 0:38:50 | |
But it's much safer to have them on a rope | 0:38:50 | 0:38:51 | |
to ensure that they don't swim off in their own direction, | 0:38:51 | 0:38:54 | |
and then you've got to round them up again. | 0:38:54 | 0:38:56 | |
The cattle were traditionally transported | 0:38:58 | 0:39:00 | |
on a special boat called a cot. | 0:39:00 | 0:39:02 | |
Today, livestock are still being moved on a boat | 0:39:03 | 0:39:06 | |
based on this ancient design. | 0:39:06 | 0:39:08 | |
They are nice and quiet, aren't they? | 0:39:13 | 0:39:15 | |
Yes. They will stand now quiet. | 0:39:15 | 0:39:17 | |
Admiring the scenery, the same as us... | 0:39:17 | 0:39:18 | |
-Lovely. -..till they get across. | 0:39:18 | 0:39:20 | |
Right, let's go, Skipper. | 0:39:20 | 0:39:22 | |
ENGINE STARTS | 0:39:22 | 0:39:24 | |
Ah, we seem to be stuck. | 0:39:26 | 0:39:27 | |
Are we grounded? | 0:39:29 | 0:39:30 | |
Do you want me to jump off and push? | 0:39:30 | 0:39:32 | |
So just by moving the weight of the cattle... | 0:39:34 | 0:39:36 | |
-That's all it takes. -Getting it off the bottom. | 0:39:36 | 0:39:38 | |
There we go. We are away now. | 0:39:38 | 0:39:40 | |
How far have we got to take these? | 0:39:50 | 0:39:52 | |
We are just taking these across the lough over to that pen over there. | 0:39:52 | 0:39:54 | |
They are beautiful islands, aren't they? | 0:39:54 | 0:39:56 | |
-How many are there? -There's over 150 altogether. | 0:39:56 | 0:39:59 | |
Incredible to think that people lived on them all, isn't it? | 0:39:59 | 0:40:01 | |
-Yes, it's mad. -Doing this job in the old wooden boats. | 0:40:01 | 0:40:04 | |
Yeah, towing them across and all sorts. | 0:40:04 | 0:40:06 | |
Do you swim them occasionally? | 0:40:06 | 0:40:08 | |
No, never, no. We've not went down that route. | 0:40:08 | 0:40:10 | |
In the summer sunshine, Lough Erne is looking at its best. | 0:40:17 | 0:40:21 | |
Even the cattle seem to be enjoying the view. | 0:40:21 | 0:40:24 | |
It's almost 30 degrees, so it's a good job we're surrounded by water. | 0:40:27 | 0:40:31 | |
The cows know exactly how to cool down. | 0:40:31 | 0:40:35 | |
You must have seen some sights or have some interesting stories? | 0:40:36 | 0:40:38 | |
Oh, yeah. Last week, we had the Highland bull on one island | 0:40:38 | 0:40:42 | |
and we had heifers on another island. | 0:40:42 | 0:40:44 | |
It was about half a mile across. | 0:40:44 | 0:40:46 | |
And I came back onto the island with the heifers, and there he was, | 0:40:46 | 0:40:48 | |
standing looking at me, the big bull. He had swam, let's say | 0:40:48 | 0:40:51 | |
half a mile across the lough himself and onto the island. | 0:40:51 | 0:40:53 | |
-To get in with the heifers? -To get in with the heifers, yeah. | 0:40:53 | 0:40:56 | |
That's a long swim, isn't it? | 0:40:56 | 0:40:57 | |
-Isn't it? -So he could just smell them on the wind. | 0:40:57 | 0:40:59 | |
He smelt them on the wind, and away he went. | 0:40:59 | 0:41:01 | |
What happens if the boat sinks, then, Andrew? | 0:41:10 | 0:41:12 | |
If the boat sinks, I'm taking that cow's tail | 0:41:12 | 0:41:14 | |
and you choose whichever one you want. | 0:41:14 | 0:41:16 | |
Just grab a tail and they'll take you ashore? | 0:41:16 | 0:41:18 | |
I don't know where you'll land, | 0:41:18 | 0:41:20 | |
but you'll land on dry ground somewhere... | 0:41:20 | 0:41:22 | |
-THEY LAUGH -..and that's all that matters. | 0:41:22 | 0:41:24 | |
It's not long before land is in sight. | 0:41:26 | 0:41:29 | |
With the promise of summer pastures and fresh grass ahead, | 0:41:32 | 0:41:35 | |
the cattle don't hang around. | 0:41:35 | 0:41:36 | |
It's a quick leap of faith into the water... | 0:41:38 | 0:41:40 | |
..and finally the cattle are rewarded | 0:41:47 | 0:41:49 | |
with as much grass as they can eat. | 0:41:49 | 0:41:52 | |
They're certainly enjoying that, Andrew. | 0:41:52 | 0:41:54 | |
Yeah, there's tonnes here for them, plenty of good grass. | 0:41:54 | 0:41:56 | |
They'll be here now until October, | 0:41:56 | 0:41:58 | |
so they'll be in good shape by the time that comes around. | 0:41:58 | 0:42:00 | |
It's beautiful, isn't it? | 0:42:00 | 0:42:02 | |
The cattle love all this fresh grass, | 0:42:05 | 0:42:08 | |
but their grazing also benefits others species on the islands. | 0:42:08 | 0:42:11 | |
I'm meeting with conservationist Amy Burns, from the RSPB. | 0:42:13 | 0:42:16 | |
There's certainly plenty of grass here, Amy, isn't there? | 0:42:17 | 0:42:20 | |
There is, yeah, plenty, which is part of the reason | 0:42:20 | 0:42:22 | |
we put the cattle out onto the islands, you know. | 0:42:22 | 0:42:24 | |
There's no other way we could manage this, apart from grazing, so... | 0:42:24 | 0:42:28 | |
And you want it for the birds, grazed down? | 0:42:28 | 0:42:30 | |
Yes, curlew, which would have been widespread | 0:42:30 | 0:42:33 | |
across the UK and Ireland, | 0:42:33 | 0:42:35 | |
now that have suffered really significant declines, | 0:42:35 | 0:42:37 | |
we're trying to help bring back from the brink really, here in Fermanagh. | 0:42:37 | 0:42:40 | |
But also birds like lapwing and snipe | 0:42:40 | 0:42:42 | |
that are associated with farmland, | 0:42:42 | 0:42:44 | |
and what we're trying to achieve with the grassland | 0:42:44 | 0:42:46 | |
is to get it into suitable nesting conditions for the birds. | 0:42:46 | 0:42:49 | |
So we want a variation of height in this sward, | 0:42:49 | 0:42:51 | |
so species like curlew will prefer a taller sward, | 0:42:51 | 0:42:54 | |
maybe about 30cm. Lapwing like it very short, of about five. | 0:42:54 | 0:42:58 | |
-And is it working? -It is. | 0:42:58 | 0:42:59 | |
It's working really well. | 0:42:59 | 0:43:01 | |
We've had some fantastic success, | 0:43:01 | 0:43:02 | |
and our numbers keep going up year-on-year | 0:43:02 | 0:43:04 | |
because of the management that we do on these islands. | 0:43:04 | 0:43:06 | |
-So this is a safe haven, really? -It is. You know, | 0:43:06 | 0:43:09 | |
it's probably one of the best spots in the whole of Northern Ireland, | 0:43:09 | 0:43:12 | |
I think, you know, for breeding waders. | 0:43:12 | 0:43:14 | |
There's no time to hang around. | 0:43:14 | 0:43:16 | |
At the other side of the lough, | 0:43:16 | 0:43:18 | |
some sheep are patiently waiting THEIR turn. | 0:43:18 | 0:43:20 | |
But this might not be plain sailing, | 0:43:20 | 0:43:22 | |
as sheep really aren't keen on water. | 0:43:22 | 0:43:24 | |
-How many have you got in here? -There's about 12 ewes in here. | 0:43:24 | 0:43:27 | |
-OK. -Yeah. -Shall I stand this side? | 0:43:27 | 0:43:29 | |
You stand that side there, yeah. | 0:43:29 | 0:43:31 | |
Farmer Mark Thompson has made this crossing with his flock many times, | 0:43:32 | 0:43:36 | |
so we're in safe hands. | 0:43:36 | 0:43:37 | |
-Not great swimmers? -No, they hate water. | 0:43:40 | 0:43:43 | |
And if you try to swim the sheep, | 0:43:43 | 0:43:44 | |
they're likely to drown, aren't they, | 0:43:44 | 0:43:45 | |
particularly when they've got a full fleece on? | 0:43:45 | 0:43:47 | |
A full fleece on, like, as you say, | 0:43:47 | 0:43:49 | |
it just sucks in the water straightaway. | 0:43:49 | 0:43:51 | |
You know, a cow is different. Cows, their bellies can float, | 0:43:51 | 0:43:53 | |
whereas the sheep will not do it, they don't like it. | 0:43:53 | 0:43:55 | |
Warm summer sun and woolly coats are not a good combination, | 0:44:01 | 0:44:05 | |
so we need to get them into the shade as soon as possible. | 0:44:05 | 0:44:08 | |
Well, they seem pretty keen. | 0:44:09 | 0:44:10 | |
Oh, yeah, yeah, they were mad to get to the grass now | 0:44:10 | 0:44:12 | |
and a wee bit of shelter. | 0:44:12 | 0:44:13 | |
Well, it's a wonderful summer holiday for your sheep and cattle | 0:44:19 | 0:44:22 | |
-on this beautiful island. -Oh, yeah. | 0:44:22 | 0:44:23 | |
And a perfect habitat for the birds, it couldn't be better. | 0:44:23 | 0:44:26 | |
Oh, yeah. Like you say, it both complements well, | 0:44:26 | 0:44:28 | |
it both works together well, so it does. | 0:44:28 | 0:44:30 | |
Of course, we couldn't have a programme about water | 0:44:39 | 0:44:42 | |
without one of us getting wet. | 0:44:42 | 0:44:44 | |
And when it comes to surfing, | 0:44:44 | 0:44:46 | |
it seems you don't have to be at the mercy of the Atlantic | 0:44:46 | 0:44:48 | |
to catch a wave, | 0:44:48 | 0:44:50 | |
as Anita found out when she visited a new water world in Snowdonia. | 0:44:50 | 0:44:54 | |
Snowdonia National Park is one of Britain's largest protected areas, | 0:44:57 | 0:45:01 | |
covering more than 800 square miles. | 0:45:01 | 0:45:04 | |
It's home to the highest peak in Wales - Mount Snowdon. | 0:45:04 | 0:45:08 | |
I'm in Dolgarrog in the River Conwy Valley | 0:45:09 | 0:45:12 | |
right on the eastern edge of the park. | 0:45:12 | 0:45:14 | |
This part of the country has some of Britain's most dramatic | 0:45:17 | 0:45:20 | |
and mountainous landscapes, attracting visitors all year round, | 0:45:20 | 0:45:24 | |
and I'm here to check out one of its latest attractions. | 0:45:24 | 0:45:27 | |
That is Surf Snowdonia, the world's first artificial surf lagoon. | 0:45:27 | 0:45:32 | |
This extraordinary place has been built on the site | 0:45:44 | 0:45:47 | |
of a former aluminium factory. | 0:45:47 | 0:45:49 | |
Where some just saw a derelict wasteland, | 0:45:49 | 0:45:51 | |
Andy Ainscough and his dad Martin | 0:45:51 | 0:45:53 | |
saw an opportunity to ride the waves. | 0:45:53 | 0:45:56 | |
The idea is insane, but just looking at it, you sort of think, well, | 0:45:57 | 0:46:01 | |
of course this should be here. | 0:46:01 | 0:46:02 | |
So why did you and your dad decide to do it? | 0:46:02 | 0:46:05 | |
It was the ideal site, really. | 0:46:05 | 0:46:06 | |
We're not too close from the big populations, | 0:46:06 | 0:46:08 | |
but we're in a beautiful part of Snowdonia, | 0:46:08 | 0:46:11 | |
with power next door from a power station. | 0:46:11 | 0:46:13 | |
And surfing is probably the UK's biggest growing watersport | 0:46:13 | 0:46:16 | |
and it was something I was really passionate about. | 0:46:16 | 0:46:18 | |
So we did it. | 0:46:18 | 0:46:19 | |
Six months of development turned into 12 months, | 0:46:19 | 0:46:21 | |
and then we opened in 2015. | 0:46:21 | 0:46:23 | |
It's absolutely fantastic. | 0:46:23 | 0:46:24 | |
What's the technology, then? How does the wave work? | 0:46:24 | 0:46:27 | |
We've got a big motor at one end, and a return wheel at the far end. | 0:46:27 | 0:46:30 | |
And almost what's like a snowplough | 0:46:30 | 0:46:32 | |
that runs between the middle and creates the wave. | 0:46:32 | 0:46:34 | |
We create a wave of two metres in height every 90 seconds. | 0:46:34 | 0:46:37 | |
So the same wave every time at the push of a button. | 0:46:37 | 0:46:40 | |
This old industrial site has undergone a complete transformation | 0:46:43 | 0:46:48 | |
to turn it into an ecologically sensitive surfers' paradise. | 0:46:48 | 0:46:52 | |
How much of a consideration has the environment been, | 0:46:52 | 0:46:55 | |
because you are in this very spectacular part of the world? | 0:46:55 | 0:46:58 | |
Yeah, this was a factory for almost 100 years, | 0:46:58 | 0:47:01 | |
and when it closed in 2007, it was left derelict. | 0:47:01 | 0:47:03 | |
We came in and cleaned up the land, | 0:47:03 | 0:47:05 | |
pumped out all the oils and solvents, | 0:47:05 | 0:47:07 | |
completely broke up all the concrete and used it in our construction | 0:47:07 | 0:47:11 | |
-to make the basis for our buildings. -So you recycled quite a lot? | 0:47:11 | 0:47:13 | |
Yeah, we recycled pretty much all the concrete on-site. | 0:47:13 | 0:47:16 | |
The water's recycled. | 0:47:16 | 0:47:18 | |
That comes from the hydropower station, | 0:47:18 | 0:47:20 | |
from the pipes down from the mountains. | 0:47:20 | 0:47:22 | |
And I've noticed it's not bright blue. | 0:47:22 | 0:47:24 | |
It's kind of a sandy colour underneath it. | 0:47:24 | 0:47:26 | |
Yeah, we always wanted the liner to match the River Conwy. | 0:47:26 | 0:47:29 | |
We're only about half a mile from the River Conwy which is tidal, | 0:47:29 | 0:47:32 | |
which is sand-coloured at low tide, so we had to match that. | 0:47:32 | 0:47:35 | |
We're just on the edge of the National Park, | 0:47:35 | 0:47:37 | |
so the way this looks is very important. | 0:47:37 | 0:47:40 | |
Because when you do have a look at it from up high, | 0:47:40 | 0:47:42 | |
it does blend in really nicely. | 0:47:42 | 0:47:44 | |
I mean, I've always wanted to surf. | 0:47:46 | 0:47:48 | |
Honestly, I thought it would be somewhere like Costa Rica, | 0:47:48 | 0:47:50 | |
not Snowdonia. | 0:47:50 | 0:47:53 | |
But I'm here, and I guess | 0:47:53 | 0:47:54 | |
I'm going to have to give it a go at some point. | 0:47:54 | 0:47:57 | |
But before I dip my toe in the water, | 0:47:59 | 0:48:01 | |
I want to find out about something else on this site | 0:48:01 | 0:48:03 | |
that's pretty special. | 0:48:03 | 0:48:05 | |
It's not just the surfers | 0:48:05 | 0:48:07 | |
who are making the most of this environment. | 0:48:07 | 0:48:10 | |
The landscape and wildlife around the surf lake | 0:48:10 | 0:48:12 | |
is also being carefully looked after. | 0:48:12 | 0:48:14 | |
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the site | 0:48:16 | 0:48:18 | |
is one of the habitats being managed by a team | 0:48:18 | 0:48:20 | |
from Natural Resources Wales. | 0:48:20 | 0:48:23 | |
Hi, how are you doing? | 0:48:23 | 0:48:25 | |
Sian Williams and Matthew Ellis have been involved with the project | 0:48:25 | 0:48:28 | |
from the start, working closely with Andy | 0:48:28 | 0:48:31 | |
to help protect the natural environment. | 0:48:31 | 0:48:33 | |
So, what are the specific environmental considerations | 0:48:33 | 0:48:36 | |
for this area? | 0:48:36 | 0:48:37 | |
So, obviously, you know, we've got the main River Conwy | 0:48:37 | 0:48:39 | |
just over here. | 0:48:39 | 0:48:41 | |
There's important mussel beds in the estuary, | 0:48:41 | 0:48:43 | |
and also bathing water there as well, | 0:48:43 | 0:48:45 | |
so it's really important for us to protect the water quality | 0:48:45 | 0:48:48 | |
and also the biodiversity in the area. | 0:48:48 | 0:48:50 | |
We've got a nature reserve next door, | 0:48:50 | 0:48:52 | |
a Site of Special Scientific Interest here as well. | 0:48:52 | 0:48:55 | |
And why is it important to have kept this bit of the factory? | 0:48:55 | 0:48:59 | |
This part of the factory supports the lesser horseshoe bat. | 0:48:59 | 0:49:01 | |
It's a very important area for the lesser horseshoe bat, | 0:49:01 | 0:49:04 | |
is the Conwy Valley, | 0:49:04 | 0:49:06 | |
with a number of nationally important roosts, | 0:49:06 | 0:49:08 | |
and this was used by the bats for hibernation. | 0:49:08 | 0:49:11 | |
-I need to see them. -Here they are. | 0:49:11 | 0:49:13 | |
So this is an example of what they look like? | 0:49:13 | 0:49:16 | |
BATS CHIRP | 0:49:16 | 0:49:18 | |
Oh, they're so cute. | 0:49:18 | 0:49:19 | |
-Oh, they're fantastic. -Aren't they? | 0:49:19 | 0:49:21 | |
-They sound like R2-D2. -Yes. | 0:49:21 | 0:49:23 | |
And what kind of environment does a lesser horseshoe bat | 0:49:24 | 0:49:27 | |
like to be in? | 0:49:27 | 0:49:28 | |
Lesser horseshoe bats like a connected landscape | 0:49:28 | 0:49:30 | |
with a mosaic of habitats, | 0:49:30 | 0:49:31 | |
which includes woodlands, hedgerows, streams. | 0:49:31 | 0:49:36 | |
Do they mind surfers? | 0:49:36 | 0:49:37 | |
They don't mind surfers at all. | 0:49:37 | 0:49:39 | |
And have you both had a go at surfing? | 0:49:39 | 0:49:41 | |
-Not yet. -Hopefully soon. | 0:49:41 | 0:49:43 | |
Soon? You've got to. | 0:49:43 | 0:49:45 | |
-It's right there. -It's a nice day today. I'm quite tempted. | 0:49:45 | 0:49:47 | |
Jo Dennison is head coach at Surf Snowdonia, | 0:49:52 | 0:49:55 | |
the perfect person to help me catch a wave. | 0:49:55 | 0:49:58 | |
You will probably see a wave coming towards you. | 0:49:58 | 0:50:00 | |
When it gets another board's length away, | 0:50:00 | 0:50:02 | |
you're going to start to paddle. So look forwards, | 0:50:02 | 0:50:05 | |
nice, long, strong paddles, like that. | 0:50:05 | 0:50:09 | |
-Paddle. -That's it. | 0:50:09 | 0:50:11 | |
-Lean back. -Yeah. -And from here, I'm just going to take two steps. | 0:50:11 | 0:50:14 | |
-OK. -So, I'm going to go one, two and then surfing position. -OK. | 0:50:14 | 0:50:18 | |
OK, so just try it. | 0:50:18 | 0:50:20 | |
-That's not going to work. -That's not going to work. | 0:50:21 | 0:50:24 | |
Do I look like I know what I'm doing? | 0:50:24 | 0:50:26 | |
Here we go. | 0:50:26 | 0:50:28 | |
All right, here we go. | 0:50:34 | 0:50:36 | |
Paddle, paddle, paddle. | 0:50:41 | 0:50:43 | |
SHE SQUEALS | 0:50:44 | 0:50:46 | |
SHE SCREAMS | 0:50:49 | 0:50:50 | |
SHE LAUGHS | 0:50:51 | 0:50:53 | |
That was awesome! | 0:50:55 | 0:50:56 | |
SHE LAUGHS | 0:50:56 | 0:50:59 | |
That was amazing. | 0:50:59 | 0:51:01 | |
It's great to see how this unique facility | 0:51:01 | 0:51:03 | |
has breathed new life into the region, | 0:51:03 | 0:51:06 | |
transforming a heavily polluted industrial site | 0:51:06 | 0:51:09 | |
into a haven for wildlife and people. | 0:51:09 | 0:51:11 | |
I'll be heading back out there shortly, but first, | 0:51:17 | 0:51:19 | |
let's find out weather-wise if it's going to be perfect | 0:51:19 | 0:51:22 | |
for getting out and about on the water | 0:51:22 | 0:51:24 | |
or if it will be better for ducks. | 0:51:24 | 0:51:25 | |
Here's the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead. | 0:51:25 | 0:51:28 | |
Water is our most important natural resource. | 0:52:09 | 0:52:13 | |
We've seen how it gives life, | 0:52:13 | 0:52:15 | |
provides livelihoods and is a source of inspiration. | 0:52:15 | 0:52:19 | |
And, of course, when it comes to recreation, it's good, clean fun. | 0:52:20 | 0:52:25 | |
-Hello! ALL: -Hi. | 0:52:25 | 0:52:28 | |
It is freezing, but that will not stop these guys | 0:52:28 | 0:52:31 | |
getting their fresh-air fix. | 0:52:31 | 0:52:33 | |
Freezing is sort of an understatement, | 0:52:34 | 0:52:36 | |
but they're not the only ones out on the reservoir today. | 0:52:36 | 0:52:39 | |
The local Scout centre often runs outdoor activities for youngsters | 0:52:44 | 0:52:48 | |
and the Calvert Trust make sure everyone can enjoy the water here | 0:52:48 | 0:52:52 | |
by providing experiences that are accessible to all. | 0:52:52 | 0:52:56 | |
This boat has been designed to give easy access to wheelchair users, | 0:53:00 | 0:53:04 | |
and for Doug Paulley, it's given him a new lease of life. | 0:53:04 | 0:53:07 | |
How difficult is it for you, normally, | 0:53:09 | 0:53:11 | |
to get out into the countryside? | 0:53:11 | 0:53:12 | |
It can be very difficult to get out. | 0:53:12 | 0:53:14 | |
I mean, I live in a care home and I don't have my own transport. | 0:53:14 | 0:53:17 | |
And even without that, getting out and about in a wheelchair | 0:53:17 | 0:53:20 | |
and being able to get to places can be really difficult. | 0:53:20 | 0:53:23 | |
So, yeah, it's a real difference coming here | 0:53:23 | 0:53:26 | |
in that they make it easy to come out and about on the water, | 0:53:26 | 0:53:29 | |
and to go around the forest and see beautiful things. | 0:53:29 | 0:53:33 | |
They give me a go on the steering every so often, | 0:53:33 | 0:53:36 | |
and go exploring around all the edges of the lake. | 0:53:36 | 0:53:38 | |
-Yeah, it's really good. -It is years since I've been at Kielder. | 0:53:38 | 0:53:41 | |
Just tell us a bit more about it. | 0:53:41 | 0:53:43 | |
-What do you love about it? -It's an entirely artificial environment, | 0:53:43 | 0:53:46 | |
but, also, it's one of the most, despite that, | 0:53:46 | 0:53:49 | |
it is one of the most unspoiled environments as well. | 0:53:49 | 0:53:51 | |
So it's great being able to be somewhere that is so remote. | 0:53:51 | 0:53:55 | |
It's weird being somewhere without any mobile phone coverage, though. | 0:53:55 | 0:53:58 | |
-It's liberating, though, isn't it? -It kind of is, it kind of is, yeah. | 0:53:58 | 0:54:01 | |
It certainly stretches you. | 0:54:01 | 0:54:02 | |
It seems like you've got a good gang, | 0:54:02 | 0:54:04 | |
and I can tell everybody's keen to get back out on the water, | 0:54:04 | 0:54:07 | |
so would you like me to get out of your way, | 0:54:07 | 0:54:08 | |
Sally, so you can enjoy the rest of the day? | 0:54:08 | 0:54:10 | |
-Yes, please! -Yes, I'm off. THEY LAUGH | 0:54:10 | 0:54:13 | |
I thought so. Right, enjoy yourselves, guys. | 0:54:13 | 0:54:15 | |
-Nice to meet you. -Bye. | 0:54:15 | 0:54:16 | |
They've got 27 miles of shoreline to explore. | 0:54:19 | 0:54:23 | |
No wonder they want me out of the way. | 0:54:23 | 0:54:25 | |
And after all that rowing, I'm sure this lot will sleep well tonight. | 0:54:27 | 0:54:31 | |
Well, we've seen just how important water can be | 0:54:34 | 0:54:36 | |
in shaping not only our landscape, but our lives. | 0:54:36 | 0:54:40 | |
A precious natural resource that we can all appreciate. | 0:54:40 | 0:54:44 | |
Well, that's it from me on Kielder Water. | 0:54:48 | 0:54:51 | |
Thanks, Guy. Cheers, Graham. | 0:54:51 | 0:54:53 | |
Next week, Matt will be in the Lothian and Borders of Scotland | 0:54:53 | 0:54:56 | |
where he'll be meeting the community | 0:54:56 | 0:54:58 | |
that saved its local lifeboat from going under. | 0:54:58 | 0:55:00 | |
All right, Graham, let's make some wash. | 0:55:00 | 0:55:03 | |
Ooh. Brilliant. Ta-ta. | 0:55:04 | 0:55:07 | |
SHE SQUEALS | 0:55:07 | 0:55:08 | |
SHE LAUGHS | 0:55:08 | 0:55:09 | |
We ARE making wash! | 0:55:09 | 0:55:11 |