0:00:26 > 0:00:27Winter...
0:00:27 > 0:00:31when stillness descends and the landscape is transformed.
0:00:34 > 0:00:39The season when the days are short, cold and crisp
0:00:39 > 0:00:42and, for our wildlife, their only options are to sleep,
0:00:42 > 0:00:44feed or flee.
0:00:49 > 0:00:54Winter is the harshest of seasons. Tough going, no matter where you are
0:00:54 > 0:00:57in the British countryside, and nowhere more so
0:00:57 > 0:01:00than right here, in the Scottish Highlands.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07But why do we get the winters we do? Are we the only country that can go
0:01:07 > 0:01:11from wash-out to white-out overnight?
0:01:11 > 0:01:14This makeshift map holds the answers and, with the help
0:01:14 > 0:01:18of my trusty, and, quite frankly, glamorous assistant, John Hammond,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21we'll be explaining why the geography of our country is unique.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26And this potato is key to our understanding.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30It will also explain how farmers are able to feed us
0:01:30 > 0:01:32throughout the winter months.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Carrots! We can't get enough of them.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40In fact, we eat 700,000 tonnes every year.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44On this farm in Suffolk, they work hard to make sure the humble carrot
0:01:44 > 0:01:47is on the menu, whatever the weather.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53It's our coast that's taken a battering this year,
0:01:53 > 0:01:58bringing misery for some, creating opportunity for others.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02It's now that nature takes over, reclaiming it's shoreline,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04grabbing it back from the tourists,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and it's also a time when the locals can let their hair down
0:02:07 > 0:02:10and get out into these big waves that only winter brings.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15On our journey from the Highlands of Scotland
0:02:15 > 0:02:18to Suffolk's fields of gold
0:02:18 > 0:02:20and the deserted beaches of Cornwall,
0:02:20 > 0:02:25we'll see how our land is touched by this bleak, but beautiful, season.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Winter...
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Short days and sombre skies.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42The countryside turns black and white
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and our wildlife has to tough it out.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49But Mother Nature has a plan.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Winter blooms like snowdrops thrive. Migrating birds
0:02:52 > 0:02:54from colder climates fly in
0:02:54 > 0:02:59and native species put on spectacular seasonal shows.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06And our farms can't stop, either. There's work to do.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10That low sun... Well, it lights up the stark landscape
0:03:10 > 0:03:12like nowhere else on Earth.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Of course, the winter you get
0:03:15 > 0:03:18depends on the weather and the location.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26I've come to the area of Britain
0:03:26 > 0:03:30where winter is at its most extreme.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34These are the Cairngorm Mountains and it's the closest you can get
0:03:34 > 0:03:37to Arctic conditions in the UK.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Winter here can be stunningly beautiful -
0:03:42 > 0:03:47snow-dusted mountains and sparkling, ice-coated valleys.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51But don't be fooled. It is full-on.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55The Cairngorms are officially the coldest and windiest place
0:03:55 > 0:03:58in Britain. The lowest temperature ever recorded was just...
0:03:58 > 0:04:02Whoo! See what I mean?! ..Just over there, in Braemar...
0:04:02 > 0:04:07Oh, here we go! ..At minus 27.2 degrees Centigrade,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11and the highest wind speed was here, on the summit of Cairngorm,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14at 173 miles per hour.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18For most of Britain, these Arctic conditions are a rarity,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22though winter does sometimes like to shock us.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26For two months in 1963, most of the country
0:04:26 > 0:04:29was frozen solid, under a layer of snow.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34And it has other extremes, as the west coast has seen this month -
0:04:34 > 0:04:38crashing seas and devastating floods.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40While in the East, storms are nothing new.
0:04:40 > 0:04:46In 1953, tidal surges engulfed countryside and town,
0:04:46 > 0:04:47submerging whole communities.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53This split-personality season somehow brings with it both power
0:04:53 > 0:04:55and inspirational beauty,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59like here in the Cairngorms, where a sudden break in the weather
0:04:59 > 0:05:01can change everything.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04This is such a glorious view.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07This light - and, in fact, the entire scene -
0:05:07 > 0:05:09changes every few seconds,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13with the clouds and the mist moving so fast across the sky,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16but I guess that's the British weather for you -
0:05:16 > 0:05:17entirely unpredictable.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22So, what are the forces that affect our weather?
0:05:22 > 0:05:25After all, it is a national obsession.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Tilted back from the sun on the Earth's axis,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Britain in winter is a thing of beauty...
0:05:40 > 0:05:42..be it still,
0:05:42 > 0:05:43destructive,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46bitter or benign.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51The only thing we can take for granted is it's always different
0:05:51 > 0:05:52and like no other.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58I've come to meet BBC meteorologist and all-round weather geek
0:05:58 > 0:06:04John Hammond, to find out what makes Britain's winters so very "British".
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Well, well, well,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08- you and your maps, John!- Well, you know, as we're in Wendover Woods,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12I thought I'd bring us closer to nature. It's a whopper, isn't it?
0:06:12 > 0:06:16It certainly is! All right, tell me what affects our winter weather.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20We are uniquely situated, atmospherically.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23One of the reasons forecasting in this country is so difficult
0:06:23 > 0:06:26is because it changes every day, the weather. The reason for that,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29we're on the edge between two distinctly different air masses,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32generated by the cold Continent to the East,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35which gets very, very bitter in the winter, much milder air
0:06:35 > 0:06:38to the West generated by the warm Atlantic Ocean.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40- And we're stuck in the middle? - Yeah. These two air masses
0:06:40 > 0:06:43are battling it out in the skies above us every day.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45That's what makes forecasting so difficult, but I would say that!
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Course you would! You're a hero!
0:06:47 > 0:06:50In the grand scheme of things, this little island of ours
0:06:50 > 0:06:52is pretty far north.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55But when you compare our winter weather to countries
0:06:55 > 0:06:59on similar latitude, there's quite a difference.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02OK, we've drawn this line right the way across the British Isles.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06In fact, right over Wendover Woods, here, which is 52 degrees North.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09That's 52 degrees north of the Equator.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12In other words, it's closer to the North Pole than the Equator.
0:07:12 > 0:07:19Now, remember 52 degrees, because if I give you this flag here
0:07:19 > 0:07:24and this dainty pair of ice skates, if you'd like to put it on Sochi.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28Sochi, of course, is hosting the Winter Olympics this year.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Sochi - 43 degrees North, so it's a good deal further south
0:07:32 > 0:07:34than here in the UK.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37But we're not going to be hosting the Winter Olympics in the UK,
0:07:37 > 0:07:38not in the short term, anyway.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41So, it's a lot colder, even though it's a lot further south.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44OK, there are some mountains at Sochi, but I can give you
0:07:44 > 0:07:48another example. If we put this flag over on Hudson Bay.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Polar bears enjoy snow every year almost every day,
0:07:52 > 0:07:57and temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees. This part of Canada
0:07:57 > 0:08:00is on exactly the same latitude as...
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Blackpool.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Now, I know we complain sometimes of it being a bit bracing
0:08:04 > 0:08:08by the seaside, but it doesn't get down to minus 30 degrees
0:08:08 > 0:08:12and I haven't seen any polar bears roaming the beach at Blackpool.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17How come, if we share such similar latitudes,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20our winters aren't as cold as Russia?
0:08:20 > 0:08:25The first reason is that the UK is surrounded by water.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Water actually keeps us warm. The sea doesn't cool down very quickly
0:08:29 > 0:08:32during the course of the winter, so that's one very important factor.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34The other one is that,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38to the west of us, we have this huge body of ocean, the Atlantic,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41which, again, stays pretty warm.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Over on the eastern side, it's land
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and land gets cold very, very quickly.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Now, we have the benefit of winds from the West
0:08:50 > 0:08:55and it blows across our shores and it keeps us ever so balmy.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59However, we do have one problem with these winds. They're quite moist
0:08:59 > 0:09:03and they generate quite a lot of rain across the UK.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08Very occasionally, the winds flip around and come in from the East.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12That has a dramatic effect on us, because it turns it a lot, lot
0:09:12 > 0:09:16colder across the UK, and we're reminded
0:09:16 > 0:09:19just how far north we actually are.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23'So, let's have a closer look at this island we call home.'
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Welcome to Battleground Britannia. We use this word "battleground".
0:09:29 > 0:09:30Another word is "front".
0:09:30 > 0:09:33You hear "front" coming up on weather forecasts all the time,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36because it is exactly what goes on in the atmosphere. You have these
0:09:36 > 0:09:41warring air masses and they just do act like warring battalions.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44If I put on the warm air coming in from the West -
0:09:44 > 0:09:47the warm army, if you like - bringing high temperatures,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50but a lot of moisture, over on your side,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53let's bring in the cold weather fronts coming in from the East.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56You can see the air masses are converging over the UK.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59This happens a lot across the country in winter time.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04You've got cold, you've got moisture, and that means one thing.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Let me introduce the white stuff.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10- That's where snow comes from?- Yeah. Doesn't happen that often in the UK,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12but, when it does, we know all about it.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16Heavy snow, disruptive snow and blizzards.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19And is this what happens when we experience storm surges
0:10:19 > 0:10:20and galeforce winds?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Absolutely, because all sorts of extreme weather across our UK
0:10:23 > 0:10:28are exactly due to fighting air masses taking place over our shores.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36These storm surges are felt most keenly on our coast.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Here, great tides crash into the shore, and, when they retreat,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42they leave rich treasures.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51The North Cornwall coast, where the prevailing winds
0:10:51 > 0:10:55and warm currents of the Gulf Stream act like a huge conveyor belt,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58dropping all kinds of things on our beaches.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Where I live in the Cotswolds, I'm totally landlocked,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04so I love coming to the beach to get my sea fix,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08particularly at this time of year, when it's so wild and unpredictable.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Even familiar places look very different.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13And it's now that nature takes over,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17reclaiming its shoreline, grabbing it back from the tourists.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20And it's also a time when the locals can let their hair down
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and get out into these big waves that only winter brings.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27If you've got the right gear for the cold and are good enough
0:11:27 > 0:11:28to handle the conditions,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32winter storms out in the Atlantic mean that surfers will find
0:11:32 > 0:11:36some of the best and most consistent waves at this time of year.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40'Dom Clarke knows all about the effect of storms on our coastline
0:11:40 > 0:11:43'and the objects that end up where the sea meets the land,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45'known as a strand line.'
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- Hi!- Pretty severe out there! - Yeah, some pretty big waves.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51And I suppose these winter storms are bringing it in?
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Yeah, low pressure after low pressure at the moment.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56So, what is a strand line, Dom?
0:11:56 > 0:11:58A strand line is where debris
0:11:58 > 0:12:03from the sea gets washed up to the furthest point
0:12:03 > 0:12:05of where the tide can get to.
0:12:05 > 0:12:06And what sort of stuff do you find?
0:12:06 > 0:12:08There's a lot of rubbish in here, isn't there?
0:12:08 > 0:12:12One of the big things that you find is what we call sea nuts,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14and that's a hazelnut.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- Who knows where it's come from. - Could've come from anywhere.
0:12:17 > 0:12:18It really could have.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Are the winter strand lines very different to the summer?
0:12:20 > 0:12:24We get a lot more wood washed ashore at this time of year.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And, as you can see, giant logs over there.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It's a big bit of timber, isn't it?
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Yeah, it's thrown around like matchsticks in the ocean.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32Is that a cuttlefish?
0:12:32 > 0:12:36That is a cuttlebone, yes. That is sort of your classic cuttlebone.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39You get a lot of these washed up after storms as well.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- They sell them in pet stores for...- Budgies, yeah.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47And what they actually used to do is grind up the body of it,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50the bone itself, and put it into toothpaste
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- as an abrasive to clean your teeth. - Incredible!
0:12:53 > 0:12:55There you go, I never knew that.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00'Dom's not the only person exploring the strand line for bounty.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02'His friend Susie Ray is an artist
0:13:02 > 0:13:06'who turns what she finds on the shore into works of art.'
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- Hi, Susie, good to see you. - Hello, Adam. Hey, Dom!
0:13:10 > 0:13:13My word, you've got a lot more in your buckets than I've got in mine!
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Oh, there's just tons of stuff out there today. The storms are amazing.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- Do you want to hold that bucket? - That's a big cuttlefish there!
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- Yeah!- And whelk eggs. - Whelk eggs?! Incredible!
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Yeah, they look man-made. Some people think they are.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29They look a lot like bubble wrap, packaging, so that's what
0:13:29 > 0:13:32a lot of people assume that they are and they'll put them in the bin.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35This one is some hornwrack. This is really great stuff.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38We do some fantastic art stuff with that.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- That's beautiful, isn't it? - That's really amazing.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I've got here a couple of sea beans.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46That comes from tropical America or the West Indies.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51And it comes on the Gulf Stream, via the North Atlantic Drift,
0:13:51 > 0:13:56and what's amazing is that they can float for up to 19 years.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58- Goodness me!- Amazing.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00- Shall we take this back to your studio?- Absolutely.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Can't wait to show you what to do with them.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04You've got to go back surfing. Surf's up!
0:14:04 > 0:14:06THEY LAUGH
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Have you got everything you need? Oh, there we go.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10- Dropped a few bits.- OK, thank you.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13'Susie's home and studio are within shouting distance
0:14:13 > 0:14:15'of the strand line.'
0:14:16 > 0:14:19- Oh, hang on.- Got a little friend!
0:14:19 > 0:14:22'She grew up on the south Cornish coast, where
0:14:22 > 0:14:26'she first developed her love of beachcombing and the natural world.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33'Now, her home's filled with treasures from the beach.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39'She's going to show me how to use a 19th-century Japanese
0:14:39 > 0:14:43'printing technique to transform flotsam into works of art.'
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Just be bold. Mix up lots of paints.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49More blue than black, I'd say.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Just get it on. - Give it that nice tinge.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54And it always comes out differently, every one you do.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57So just get your scallop shell and cover it in paint. That's it.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Just get it in there. OK, that's really good. Nearly there.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03- Is that enough paint on that?- Yeah.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Lift that up and put that onto this sheet here,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07so you don't have the edges.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11- That's it.- Like that, is that OK? - Yes. Keep one hand on it.- Yeah...
0:15:11 > 0:15:14And then just smooth it down with your fingers.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16That's it. That's it.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Working right to the edge. Always keep that hand on if you can.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24- You don't want creases.- No.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27It's the edges you need.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28Yeah.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31OK, now... That's it. Just do...
0:15:31 > 0:15:33- The big reveal?- The big reveal.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36- Look at that. - Oh, yes! That's not bad.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40That's not bad, especially for a first attempt. That's brilliant.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41Getting a bit...
0:15:41 > 0:15:43'So, while I perfect the technique
0:15:43 > 0:15:45'using more of our morning's finds...'
0:15:45 > 0:15:47I'm quite enjoying this.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51'..Susie's showing me what an expert can achieve on a whole John Dory.'
0:15:52 > 0:15:56Right, I think we can have a go at pulling back the sheet and see.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57OK. It's exciting!
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Oh, no pressure(!)
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- Right, are we ready?- Yeah.- OK.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- And there we go.- That is wonderful!
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Well, here we are. This is a result of my day at the seaside.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Actually, I'm quite pleased with those.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21Not bad for an old farm boy.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Could end up in my bathroom.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26'The objects used in Susie's art
0:16:26 > 0:16:28'have been on an extraordinary journey,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32'from distant continents and from the seabed.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34'It's all thanks to the winter storms that leave them
0:16:34 > 0:16:36'like gifts on our shores.'
0:16:41 > 0:16:43At the summit of the Cairngorm mountain range,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47temperatures drop well below freezing for much of the winter.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Even in the valleys, it's so cold, huge lochs freeze over.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56The River Spey carves its way through this landscape,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00carrying with it icy waters from the mountains on either sides.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04It creates marshland which eventually open up into Loch Insh.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08That's where I'm heading right now, on a canoe safari.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15'My guides are canoeist Graeme Shilland
0:17:15 > 0:17:19'and Highland Council Ranger Duncan MacDonald, who assures me that,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22'for some of Mother Nature's hardy children,
0:17:22 > 0:17:26'these chilly waters are home sweet home.'
0:17:26 > 0:17:28It's such an epic landscape!
0:17:28 > 0:17:33- Look, the sun's on the Monagh Lea. - Wow!
0:17:33 > 0:17:35- Fabulous.- This is glorious!
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Isn't this something?
0:17:37 > 0:17:41Surrounded by trees and mountains. Welcome to Loch Insh.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44It's beautiful. No wonder this is good for wildlife here.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46It's fabulous.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48There's trees, there's marshland, tons of fresh water.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52This great swelling of the loch provides quite a lot
0:17:52 > 0:17:58of sheltered water for all kinds and all manners of wildlife.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01From ducks and geese in the winter time,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03and through the breeding season as well.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05- There's so much life still here. - There is!
0:18:05 > 0:18:07And beneath us, as well.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12Loch Insh is famous, I suppose, for its Arctic char, which is
0:18:12 > 0:18:17this trout-like fish that is a remnant of the last great
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Ice Age, when populations in Britain
0:18:20 > 0:18:22were then cut off as the ice retreated.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25They love these really cold, dark waters.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27What do you get, in terms of winter birds?
0:18:27 > 0:18:30We're getting Whooper Swans in from Iceland.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33But here, in the depths of winter,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37what we're waiting for is this loch to freeze solid.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40- Wow.- That happens every year.- Really?
0:18:40 > 0:18:43So, even though the river's flowing through here,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46this water here will freeze completely solid.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55I'm feeling fairly chilly after being out on the loch,
0:18:55 > 0:19:00but clearly wildlife still thrives, even in this harsh Cairngorm winter.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03But, if I want to get up close to some of the animals that make
0:19:03 > 0:19:05these freezing waters their home,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09I'm going to need to downsize to a lochan or pond,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12where I'm hoping to catch some winter wildlife.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22'I'm with Dr Patrick Walsh from the University of Edinburgh.'
0:19:24 > 0:19:26This is an odd time of year to be pond dipping, isn't it?
0:19:26 > 0:19:29A little bit, a little bit. It depends on what you're looking for.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32I guess it's what surprises people, that even though it's
0:19:32 > 0:19:35the bleak midwinter, there is quite a lot of life under the water?
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Yeah, there will be. It depends on the area, obviously.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41But we'll see if we can find some here.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45'We're hunting for creatures living in the muddy waters.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48'Patrick's been researching how some tadpoles are able to delay
0:19:48 > 0:19:51'growing legs and turning into frogs in the summer.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55'Instead, they prefer to spend the winter as tadpoles.'
0:19:56 > 0:19:58So, tadpoles from the same generation,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00one might become an adult and one might...
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Not decide, but will become an overwintering tadpole?
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Exactly. It'll be from the same pond in the same area.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Some of them will carry through development whereas some of them
0:20:09 > 0:20:12within the same pond will stop the development more or less
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- as soon as they become free-swimming and hatching out of their eggs.- Wow.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18And then stay at that stage, getting bigger and bigger and bigger
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and then going through their metamorphosis,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23the development, in the following spring.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25So your research aims to answer that question -
0:20:25 > 0:20:29- why some do, why some don't?- We're still trying to figure that out.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31They're actually halting their development
0:20:31 > 0:20:34so it seems to be a strategy or a plan to get through
0:20:34 > 0:20:37the winter as a larva rather than going through metamorphosis
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and coming out as a juvenile.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Yeah, I've got some life. I've got some, something's...
0:20:46 > 0:20:49What have we got there? Some nymph of some sort.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54Yeah, it's a larval stage of...probably a dragonfly.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'And Patrick has another interesting find.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02'He caught this overwintering newt tadpole called an eft
0:21:02 > 0:21:04'a couple of days ago.'
0:21:04 > 0:21:07They have a breeding season that lasts
0:21:07 > 0:21:11basically from about April through till August.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13So there's eggs being deposited all through the year
0:21:13 > 0:21:16and some of those ones laid in August don't obviously hatch
0:21:16 > 0:21:19and develop before the winter so it's a little bit more common
0:21:19 > 0:21:21to see these guys, but still unexpected.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24You don't often think to see something that people refer to
0:21:24 > 0:21:27as being cold-blooded surviving through the winter.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Absolutely, you don't expect nearly so much life
0:21:30 > 0:21:31through such a cold month.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'This newt and the other insects we found prove that
0:21:34 > 0:21:39'even in the depths of winter, life goes on in these icy waters.'
0:21:44 > 0:21:47While some of our smallest wildlife can cope
0:21:47 > 0:21:51in Britain's coldest place, what about us humans?
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Most of us retreat indoors,
0:21:53 > 0:21:58but one man positively embraces the challenges this season brings.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Chris Townsend has taken the term "going for a walk"
0:22:02 > 0:22:04to its absolute extreme.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11At 64, he's spent his life taking long-distance walks
0:22:11 > 0:22:16through the planet's most wild, remote and beautiful places.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Like the 2,700-mile Pacific Crest Trail.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23But he always comes back here to the Cairngorms.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27The Cairngorms are as magnificent as any place that I've been.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Winter's my favourite season in the Cairngorms
0:22:33 > 0:22:38because under snow, the mountains are more majestic,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42they're wilder and they're more unspoiled
0:22:42 > 0:22:45because all the signs that you get in summer -
0:22:45 > 0:22:48cairns, paths and so on - have all disappeared
0:22:48 > 0:22:51so it's like the mountains are brand new again.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Even in the most severe of winters, there are thaws in the Cairngorms.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59This year's been unseasonably warm.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04Well, today, it's very windy. Very windy indeed.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Which isn't unusual for the Cairngorms in winter,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10but it's also surprisingly mild.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15I'm getting a reading of nine degrees, but I'll see...
0:23:16 > 0:23:18..what the wind speed is.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20WIND WHISTLES Whoo!
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Yeah, that's up to 30mph now.
0:23:26 > 0:23:3130 is the speed at which you notice the wind when walking.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Chris's first long-distance walk was from Land's End to John O'Groats.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42He doesn't count the Pennine Way, a mere 267 miles(!)
0:23:42 > 0:23:47It took him ten weeks to walk from one end of the country to the other.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52I felt really pleased because it was the first long-distance walk
0:23:52 > 0:23:54and I completed it, so that was obviously good,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57but I also felt disappointed because it had ended.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01If there'd been another thousand miles, I'd have felt quite happy,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04but when you stand at John O'Groats and look out at the ocean, you know
0:24:04 > 0:24:06there really isn't anywhere else to go.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11'I think the longest winter trip I've done in the Cairngorms
0:24:11 > 0:24:15'is a week, but you could stay out longer than that.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'The physical challenge is simply, you know,
0:24:20 > 0:24:25'you've got to be fairly fit. I don't find any mental challenges.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28'When I'm out here, you know, I feel at home,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31'I feel I'm in the right place.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35'Mental challenges are in cities and driving and things like this.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37'They're much tougher than being out here.'
0:24:39 > 0:24:41This is a wonderful area for wildlife.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45I've just seen what is probably the largest flock of ptarmigan
0:24:45 > 0:24:47that I've ever seen in the Cairngorms.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50This time of year, of course, they're white
0:24:50 > 0:24:53so they're camouflaged against the snow.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Even in winter, Chris enjoys sleeping outdoors,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58so he has to find somewhere relatively dry,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02flat and near water to pitch what he calls a tent.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05It looks more like a tarpaulin to me!
0:25:06 > 0:25:08I now have shelter.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14I know some people like being... They feel safest camping
0:25:14 > 0:25:18when they're enclosed, but I prefer not to be.
0:25:18 > 0:25:24Even tents with zip doors, I only do up the door if absolutely essential,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27cos I want to feel part of the outside.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32RAIN PATTERS
0:25:32 > 0:25:391:15 and I've just been woken up by really big gusts of wind
0:25:39 > 0:25:44shaking the shelter. It's also lashing down with rain.
0:25:44 > 0:25:50I hope that this will, er, calm down a little soon,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52and I can go back to sleep.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59He might be outdoors in the middle of winter,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01but some things don't change.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Chris still goes to the effort of making coffee to warm him up
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and fuel his onward journey.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Then it's time to load house and home on his back
0:26:08 > 0:26:12and head out into the wild country once again.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17I'd say to people, even if they're only going to take a short stroll
0:26:17 > 0:26:22away from the road into a natural forest, do that.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25It really is different when you're out there.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Some of us aren't as roughty-toughty as Chris.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Even through all those extra layers,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45we feel it more than any other season.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I've been getting to the bare bones of what makes our winters
0:26:48 > 0:26:52the way they are, from the cold snaps to the wash-outs
0:26:52 > 0:26:54with meteorological maestro, John Hammond,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58who's a mine of information when it comes to wintry wisdom.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03- I've brought this to warm you up. - Thank you very much.- A jacket potato.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06- A hot jacket potato?- Yeah. I'll explain that in a moment.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Any other surprises up your sleeve?
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Well, I have, as a matter of fact, yeah,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13because some people don't realise that the temperature
0:27:13 > 0:27:15actually falls all the way through the night
0:27:15 > 0:27:18so that the coldest time of the night is actually after dawn.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19In the middle of winter,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21that means eight or nine o'clock in the morning.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Just at the time when people are getting out of bed,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26- having a shower, getting naked. - Yeah, I know!
0:27:26 > 0:27:29It's coldest in the morning. A few other things.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31For example, you might think the lowest temperatures
0:27:31 > 0:27:34during the course of the year is at the winter solstice.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36The longest night, the shortest day.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38That's not the case because there's a lag.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41It gets colder and colder and colder through the winter,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43so the coldest months are actually January, February,
0:27:43 > 0:27:45sometimes even March.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47- THAT'S when you should go on holiday.- Yeah.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50- Why have I got a potato in my hand? - A-ha, I'm glad you asked me that
0:27:50 > 0:27:53because a potato is a little bit like the Earth, if you like.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55The surface of the Earth might start off very warm.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57During the autumn, though, it cools down,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00in the winter, it gets colder and colder and colder.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03But, with my knife, if I cut...
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- Such a Boy Scout! - Well, be prepared and all that.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11If I cut through the surface of the potato, underneath...
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- It's still warm.- It's still warm, there's steam coming out
0:28:15 > 0:28:18and that's just what happens, really, in the winter time
0:28:18 > 0:28:21with the Earth. The ground surface gets colder and colder
0:28:21 > 0:28:24and colder, but underneath, you only have to go
0:28:24 > 0:28:26a few centimetres and it's several degrees warmer.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Farmers use this to their advantage.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30They plant the crops and during the course of the winter,
0:28:30 > 0:28:32although the surface is frosty and snowy,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36underneath, we retain the warmth and plants continue to grow.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39You know what? You're a magician.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42A potato, a knife, and you've explained the winter to me.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46- Hey presto, it's magic. - Can we go home now?- Yes, come on.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50While Julia heads inside for a cup of tea
0:28:50 > 0:28:52and a now-lukewarm jacket potato,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I'm heading out for the winter vegetable harvest.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02Across Britain, our hardiest vegetables stubbornly
0:29:02 > 0:29:04stand their ground against the worst
0:29:04 > 0:29:07that our winter weather can throw at them.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Thick-skinned celeriacs...
0:29:15 > 0:29:18bulletproof Brussels...
0:29:18 > 0:29:20cast-iron caulis.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24These tough nuts of the vegetable world know how
0:29:24 > 0:29:26to look after themselves,
0:29:26 > 0:29:30and they keep Britain's larder well-stocked till spring.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Perfect for coping with the cold are the root vegetables,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38like carrots...
0:29:38 > 0:29:40and swede.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Underground, the heat of the sun lingers longer than on top,
0:29:45 > 0:29:49while the soil provides protection against frost.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53On the Suffolk coast, Ian Hall grows both carrots and parsnips.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55As one is hardier than the other,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58they need farming slightly differently.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01This variety is Eskimo,
0:30:01 > 0:30:02and we grow them,
0:30:02 > 0:30:05just, really, this time of year.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Right, OK, and as the name suggests, then,
0:30:07 > 0:30:09it's good for the winter, Eskimo?
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Yeah, it's got a little bit more frost tolerance
0:30:11 > 0:30:12than traditional varieties.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14How cold can they go?
0:30:14 > 0:30:17- Up to about minus seven.- OK.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20If you get any colder than that, for any prolonged period,
0:30:20 > 0:30:22that splits down the carrot.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24How does that compare to parsnips?
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Well, we've had temperatures round here down here down to minus 20.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30Parsnip's been fine in the ground.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32It just sits there, lays dormant,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36and when the temperature warms up, it seems to be fine.
0:30:38 > 0:30:39So, these Sunday roast staples
0:30:39 > 0:30:42can both withstand sub-zero temperatures.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45But the carrot needs a little more mollycoddling
0:30:45 > 0:30:47when winter really bites.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51So, Ian snuggles them up under a duvet of straw and plastic.
0:30:52 > 0:30:57Look under there, you'll see, these have been strawed about three weeks.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00And once we get to midwinter, we can experience
0:31:00 > 0:31:03temperatures of minus ten, minus 15,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- so the straw will keep that frost out.- I see, yeah.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09You're not stingy, are you, with the amount of straw you put on?
0:31:09 > 0:31:14We put about 20 tonne an acre of straw on, which can,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17will keep out up to minus 20 frost.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Looks quite cosy under there, doesn't it?
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Just get under there, hunker down under the straw!
0:31:27 > 0:31:29But it's not just farmed winter veg
0:31:29 > 0:31:32that can tolerate the season's harsh conditions.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36There's life in the wilds of our countryside, too.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41Paul Foster's a chef who collects wild produce on the Suffolk coast.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44For him, winter supplies a unique range of flavours.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47And he finds plenty of hardy morsels.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52So, this is sea purslane, one of my favourite sea vegetables.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55It grows where you'll find samphire, in marshes.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57It's got a lovely, salty flavour.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00In the winter, it's quite sparse pickings
0:32:00 > 0:32:03but if you look hard enough, you'll find some lovely stuff.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12This is the Alexander seed. As you can see, it comes
0:32:12 > 0:32:16when the Alexander turns to what's called a skeleton.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19When it's in its second year, it has these lovely, black seeds.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22I was surprised to see it after the floods they've had here,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25so it's a real good find, to get this.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34- Paul, was it a successful forage? - Yeah, it was a brilliant forage.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37- We found loads of stuff. - What have you got, then?
0:32:37 > 0:32:40I've got some young Alexander seeds, which are really nice and delicate.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43The seeds which come up in the second year, and I've got
0:32:43 > 0:32:45- some sea purslane from the marshes as well.- Oh, OK.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48And are all these kind of enhancers for a dish
0:32:48 > 0:32:50or would you use any of them as a main?
0:32:50 > 0:32:54The Alexander's great as its own ingredient in its own right.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57The Alexander seed I use as a spice,
0:32:57 > 0:32:58it's great with chocolate.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02And the sea purslane, it's great in a salad, raw, when it's young,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04or blanched with fish, it's perfect.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Ooh, that sounds good. And what are your thoughts on carrots?
0:33:07 > 0:33:08I've got some beautiful carrots here,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11- pretty much fresh out the ground. - I love carrots. Really versatile.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Great ingredient, you can do them from starter to dessert,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16and I should be able to cook something really nice for you today.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Yeah? Good! Right, well, listen,
0:33:18 > 0:33:20I think you're going to cook something up
0:33:20 > 0:33:23for what is going to be a very special performance,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25because I've heard, and this is remarkable,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28you can do a phenomenal thing with the carrot,
0:33:28 > 0:33:30and, quite frankly, I can't wait to have a go.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32So, I tell you what, I'll leave those with you
0:33:32 > 0:33:34and see you in a little while.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36OK, thank you.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39It's not exactly a carrot concerto,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43but I'll just say we do have an orchestra and we do have carrots.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46Find out what on earth I'm on about later.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55From the farmlands of Suffolk's east coast to the Highlands of Scotland.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Here, the terrain is unforgiving.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01While most things struggle to cope and adapt to winter,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03there's one breed of cattle
0:34:03 > 0:34:06that's able to thrive in these harsh conditions.
0:34:07 > 0:34:08The Highland.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15The herd I've come to see are particularly special.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18They're the Queen's own cattle that live on her Scottish estate,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Balmoral Castle.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24For me, this is a perfect, picture-postcard scene,
0:34:24 > 0:34:30with these fantastic Highland cattle, set below the Scottish mountains.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33It's a warm, sunny winter's day today.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36The weather up here can get incredibly harsh and I've come
0:34:36 > 0:34:39to find out how on earth these cattle can manage up here.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45In 1953, the Queen introduced a small herd here.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48And today, they've grown to be one of the best in the UK.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Stockman Dockie Ormanston looks after the royal herd.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58There's not much he doesn't know about farming this ancient breed.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Dockie, he's looking lovely. Thanks for bringing him out.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06- How old's this one?- He's just about 20 months, 22 months.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- He's well grown, isn't he? - He seems to have done very well.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11- We're very pleased with him at the moment.- Lovely.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13And does the Queen come out and look at them much?
0:35:13 > 0:35:16Well, we're in the fields in front of the castle,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18so they see them all the time when they go past.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20And I know she adores her Highland ponies.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Does she have the same empathy for Highlands?
0:35:22 > 0:35:24I'm not very sure about that!
0:35:24 > 0:35:25ADAM LAUGHS
0:35:25 > 0:35:28- They certainly like to eat them, anyway!- Ha-ha!
0:35:28 > 0:35:30I see you've still got a bit of snow on the tops.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Well, if you were here a day ago,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34we had about an inch of snow down here.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36So, you're just a day late.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37THEY LAUGH
0:35:39 > 0:35:42Conditions in the Scottish Highlands can be pretty severe.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47Temperatures can fall below minus 20, with snow often a metre deep.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50But these Highlands are born survivors.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52These animals have got incredible coats.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55You can see this long hair on the surface,
0:35:55 > 0:35:59and the sleet and rain and snow will just run off that.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03And then underneath is this downy fluff, like a duvet, wonderful
0:36:03 > 0:36:07for insulating all that warmth that's coming off the bull's body.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- So, tell me what the front bit, this fringe, is called.- The Dossan.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13The Dossan. I'm always pronouncing it wrong.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15That's to keep the snow out his eyes.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17ADAM LAUGHS
0:36:17 > 0:36:21And the hair is all over him. It goes right inside his ears.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25And then right down his legs to the tips of his toes.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Just a great, big bundle of hair,
0:36:28 > 0:36:30keeping him incredibly warm.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35So, come minus 15, minus 20 degrees, chucking it down with snow,
0:36:35 > 0:36:39they'll just stand out there, solid, happy as anything.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44This bull is part of a 60-strong herd and, at the moment,
0:36:44 > 0:36:48they're making the most of the mild weather, grazing on pasture.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54I've got five Highlands at home but it's lovely to see such a big herd.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55They look magnificent.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Normally, we'd have them down on rougher ground,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00or up on the banks, let them forage for themselves.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03If the snow does get deep and stuff like that, they can forage,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06pick with their feet, their horns, just rake the snow away.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10- They seem to be quite versatile at doing most things.- Real survivors.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12They are. They are. Yeah.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14And we calf them in February time.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17- So they can be calving out in pretty cold conditions?- No bother at all.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20When the calves are born, they're all fluffy and hairy, aren't they?
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Just like teddy bears.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Dockie supplements their feed with silage, a pickled grass.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34He's enjoying making a mess of that!
0:37:34 > 0:37:37As long as it's the silage bale, not me, it's fine!
0:37:37 > 0:37:39ADAM LAUGHS
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Well, it's been a real treat for me to come up to Scotland
0:37:41 > 0:37:43and see them in their homeland.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47With their amazing coats, they do look absolutely wonderful.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Although, today, it's like Cornwall. I don't know what the fuss is about.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53I thought you Scots were supposed to be tough!
0:37:53 > 0:37:55What can... What can we say?
0:37:55 > 0:37:58We just laid on this, just for you!
0:37:58 > 0:38:00THEY LAUGH
0:38:00 > 0:38:01It'll snow tomorrow!
0:38:19 > 0:38:23Andy Goldsworthy is one of the UK's foremost environmental artists.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28He works all over the world, in wood and stone and ice.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31But, when winter comes, he returns to his Scottish home.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44Well, I like to spend most of December, January
0:38:44 > 0:38:49and February in Dumfriesshire, because when we do get snow
0:38:49 > 0:38:52and ice, I like to be here for that.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Whilst there is this expectation or this idea
0:38:57 > 0:39:01that winter equates with snow and ice, it's not always the case.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05Especially in Britain. This is a very mild climate.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07But when it does get cold,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10there's that intensity about that weather condition,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13the fact that it's not going to be there for that long
0:39:13 > 0:39:15when it's sub-zero temperatures,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and it does provoke an intense response from me as an artist.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21It's a very creative time to work with
0:39:21 > 0:39:26and it does allow me to do things that I couldn't do normally.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36I've worked in this place many times.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41I'm kind of attracted to the wall, the now-derelict wall.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45And with there being a gap, there's this space to fill.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48So, it's asking to be filled.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50This one was with branches.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55I've gapped this section with ice, three times now.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00The first one, I laid it horizontally.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05The second time I placed it vertically.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10And then the last one was actually kind of an explosion of ice
0:40:10 > 0:40:13that just kind of radiated from the centre.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21When you get sunlight on it, it's just an amazing place.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24And you can see now how the light
0:40:24 > 0:40:27is just kind of animating these branches
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and giving them such a sense of movement and flow.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Light is very important to this place
0:40:34 > 0:40:37and to the works that I make here. They to respond to that.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01These are grass stalks that are obviously getting whiter,
0:41:01 > 0:41:04now they're dead, and getting bleached.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07And there's a strong sense of falling water and these lines
0:41:07 > 0:41:12of the water as it's seeping through the ground and over the rocks.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15And I'm just wanting to draw that,
0:41:15 > 0:41:17to understand that kind of drop.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20And it's a drawing, it's drawing water,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23just like the water is drawn through the landscape, these grass stalks
0:41:23 > 0:41:28are drawing that movement, trying to understand that movement.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40It's quite strong. And then when I try to separate these,
0:41:40 > 0:41:42they're almost glued together.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45And just look at this here.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47See the water, there? It's really beautiful.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52This is the same process
0:41:52 > 0:41:55that creates the icicles that I work with.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58If it's cold then this is the place I come to work with the ice
0:41:58 > 0:42:01and the icicles.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03In the early days, I harvested the icicles
0:42:03 > 0:42:06and would make sculptures from them on top of the rocks
0:42:06 > 0:42:09and freeze one icicle to another,
0:42:09 > 0:42:11and when I'm doing that,
0:42:11 > 0:42:15I will often have an icicle in my mouth that I'm sucking on,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18and as I hold one to another, I'll spit onto the end of it
0:42:18 > 0:42:21in a form of spit-welding that I've perfected for ice, you know?
0:42:21 > 0:42:24And then there's that moment when you have to let go.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27And is it going to hold? And I have had so many collapses here,
0:42:27 > 0:42:30you can imagine, working with something like ice.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Winter is a very, very important and creative time for me.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44The freedoms that sub-zero temperatures give me are enormous.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49The cold becomes like a glue where I can stick one piece of ice to
0:42:49 > 0:42:51another. And the colder it is, the quicker I can do it.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54So the quicker I can make work, the more I can do,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57so the colder it is, it actually is a fantastic thing.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03It's important for me to work with the land as a whole.
0:43:03 > 0:43:08And that means working with those things that don't last.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12I can't just work... I don't want to work with just wood or stone.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16And I do want to understand the flesh of nature, not just its bones.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18Some of the great things that I've done
0:43:18 > 0:43:21have come out of fighting something,
0:43:21 > 0:43:24to realise actually what's happening is more interesting than the thing
0:43:24 > 0:43:27I'm trying to make, and to allow those changes to occur.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31And that happens most acutely with winter.
0:43:31 > 0:43:35Learning to work with the British winter is one of the most
0:43:35 > 0:43:39difficult things that I can imagine, because it is so elusive.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41And that's its beauty.
0:43:49 > 0:43:53Andy is not alone in finding the art of winter difficult to capture.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55It also presents challenges
0:43:55 > 0:43:58for wildlife cameraman Richard Taylor-Jones.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02When I'm in Scotland, three species really come to mind
0:44:02 > 0:44:06and that's the red squirrel, the red deer and the crested tit.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09And winter is THE best time to film them, I think,
0:44:09 > 0:44:11because of one simple thing.
0:44:11 > 0:44:12They're hungry.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24So, a very friendly group of conservationists
0:44:24 > 0:44:27have come to the woodland here and they've set up a feeding station.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30You've got this lovely big mesh of peanuts here,
0:44:30 > 0:44:32which the birds are going to absolutely love,
0:44:32 > 0:44:35and then just over behind me we have a squirrel feeding box.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38The squirrel will come and sit on this platform here,
0:44:38 > 0:44:40use its head to flip the lid up
0:44:40 > 0:44:43and get to the lovely peanuts inside.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51Well, it hasn't taken long before we've got coal tits...
0:44:54 > 0:44:56..which are distinctive by the lovely white stripe
0:44:56 > 0:44:58down the back of their head.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01And they're all... Look at this!
0:45:01 > 0:45:04Masses of long-tailed tits.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09They've almost... They've completely taken over the feeder.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12And actually, the crested tit, the bird I was after,
0:45:12 > 0:45:15has just snuck in whilst I wasn't looking.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17And it's over by the squirrel feeder.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19It's gone underneath the squirrel feeder.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21And is feeding that way
0:45:21 > 0:45:26because the long-tails have just completely hogged the bird feeder.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34The crested tits are a real treat.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37They're a specialist of the Caledonian pine forests,
0:45:37 > 0:45:41and there are probably only about 1,500 breeding pairs
0:45:41 > 0:45:43in the whole of the UK.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46They're quite common here, in Scotland,
0:45:46 > 0:45:50but, you know, nationally, they're incredibly scarce.
0:45:50 > 0:45:55So, an absolute treat and a real symbol of the Scottish woods here.
0:45:59 > 0:46:01(Here he goes!)
0:46:09 > 0:46:11Lovely, lovely animal.
0:46:15 > 0:46:20Now, you'll notice that there's actually a bit of grey in his coat,
0:46:20 > 0:46:23and that's not because he's halfway between a red or a grey squirrel.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26This is what happens to red squirrels in the winter time.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29They have a summer coat, which they moult out in the autumn
0:46:29 > 0:46:33for a thicker, warmer, winter coat that has a greyish tinge to it.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39And he's doing exactly what I'd hoped.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42He's using his head to flip up that lid
0:46:42 > 0:46:44and reach down to grab some nuts.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49Now, you can hear the road, you can hear cars whizzing behind me.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53It just goes to show you. These aren't difficult animals to see.
0:46:53 > 0:46:55You could just park up, pop out
0:46:55 > 0:46:58and see this very, very easily for yourself.
0:47:07 > 0:47:12Red squirrels and crested tits, tick. Two down, one to go.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15The red deer. And I have a plan.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23I've had a tip that just 15 minutes away on a grouse estate,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26I'm guaranteed great shots.
0:47:30 > 0:47:35How's about that for a truly Scottish winter scene?
0:47:35 > 0:47:38A beautiful herd of red deer stags.
0:47:38 > 0:47:42There have got to be at least 20 up there. And these are wild animals.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45Normally I'd never be able to get this close to them.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48But there's a very good reason why I can.
0:47:48 > 0:47:50And it's all down to the keeper here.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16You can see that there's one of the stags here who has
0:48:16 > 0:48:18a really curved antler at the top.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20He's called Droopy, apparently.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23And the reason that he's got the antler like that
0:48:23 > 0:48:25is probably that it was damaged when it was growing.
0:48:25 > 0:48:30It's a very soft material as it initially comes out of the head,
0:48:30 > 0:48:34and it probably just got a knock and it sent it in the wrong direction.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37But, of course, the stag will lose those antlers
0:48:37 > 0:48:40and then grow a whole new set next summer.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44So it's a deformity that probably isn't going to cause him
0:48:44 > 0:48:47a problem for long, if it's even caused him a problem at all.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52So, there you go. Three animals in one day.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55Red squirrels, red deer and crested tits.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58It just goes to show that winter can be a great time
0:48:58 > 0:49:00to get out and watch wildlife.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16We've travelled the length and breadth of Britain,
0:49:16 > 0:49:19seeing how winter grips our land,
0:49:19 > 0:49:21from the dramatic landscape of the Scottish Highlands,
0:49:21 > 0:49:23to the salty, sea air of Cornwall.
0:49:23 > 0:49:25From wildlife,
0:49:25 > 0:49:27to wild beauty.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30I've been in Suffolk, seeing how farmers and foragers
0:49:30 > 0:49:32make the most of this season.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34While chef Paul Foster's been finding
0:49:34 > 0:49:36the ingredients for an alfresco feast,
0:49:36 > 0:49:38I've been out in the fields,
0:49:38 > 0:49:41harvesting some of the hundreds of thousands of carrots
0:49:41 > 0:49:44we eat each year. There were a few spare, though,
0:49:44 > 0:49:46so time for a seasonal musical interlude.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49MUSICAL WHISTLE
0:49:51 > 0:49:54On carrot, Tim Cranmore...
0:49:59 > 0:50:01..and Clare Graham.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03TRUMPETTING BLAST
0:50:05 > 0:50:08Soloing on the butternut squash, it's Zebedee Tonkin.
0:50:12 > 0:50:15THEY PLAY "COUNTRYFILE" THEME
0:50:15 > 0:50:17These professional musicians
0:50:17 > 0:50:20have taken the idea of five-a-day to a whole new level.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23They've formed The London Vegetable Orchestra
0:50:23 > 0:50:27and I'm going to be making up the quartet, with my Eskimo carrot.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29FANFARE CONCLUSION
0:50:29 > 0:50:32How tremendous! The Countryfile theme tune!
0:50:32 > 0:50:35How wonderful to see you all! I have to ask the obvious question
0:50:35 > 0:50:40of why? Why, how and when did this all start?
0:50:40 > 0:50:43I think "why"... The question's really "why not?"
0:50:43 > 0:50:47You know, kids are told not to play with their food, so we're trying to
0:50:47 > 0:50:49change things up a little bit.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52Playing with your food can mean more than just throwing it around.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54So we've decided to make some instruments out of it.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57Yours is half-carrot, half-butternut squash?
0:50:57 > 0:50:59Yes, a mix and match. We have a mouthpiece,
0:50:59 > 0:51:02which is pretty much the same as a brass instrument mouthpiece.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05We stick that on the end of this, which acts in the same way
0:51:05 > 0:51:09as a trumpet would to a mouthpiece - amplifies the sound.
0:51:09 > 0:51:13And when you go shopping, do you shop in a different way now?
0:51:13 > 0:51:16Very much so! I've got some... I've built up some really good
0:51:16 > 0:51:19relationships with our local greengrocer.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21When I walk in, they know exactly what to expect now.
0:51:21 > 0:51:25- And what you're after?- Exactly. They know that I'll walk out
0:51:25 > 0:51:27with a lot of vegetables and probably not eat most of them.
0:51:30 > 0:51:31Brilliant!
0:51:34 > 0:51:37Tim Cranmore's a professional recorder maker.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41He'll help me fashion my carrot, to join this vegetable medley.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44Right, then, Tim. So, I have the drill, obviously.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47I'm going to now bore a hole through the middle of the carrot?
0:51:47 > 0:51:48That's right.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54Brilliant. OK, clear out the coleslaw.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58- Yeah! It's a good way of making coleslaw!- It is, yeah.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01- So, then up through the bottom? - That's right.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05Yep! It's gone all the way through.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08'The exact recipe for a carrot recorder
0:52:08 > 0:52:11'is a closely-guarded secret that I've promised to keep a lid on.'
0:52:13 > 0:52:15We've got the body of the carrot,
0:52:15 > 0:52:19we've got the bore - the hole down the middle - and the window.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23'As Tim puts the finishing touches to my instrument,'
0:52:23 > 0:52:26over in his rather unconventional makeshift kitchen,
0:52:26 > 0:52:30Paul's busy catering for an intrigued audience.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42His braised Eskimo carrots,
0:52:42 > 0:52:44with goat's curd and winter sea vegetables,
0:52:44 > 0:52:48served alongside... what else but carrot juice?
0:52:48 > 0:52:50It's all going down a treat with the locals...
0:52:50 > 0:52:53ORCHESTRA REHEARSES
0:52:56 > 0:53:00..but everyone's hungry to hear the vegetable entertainment,
0:53:00 > 0:53:02with their newest member on recorder.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06Welcome, everyone. Are you all enjoying your food?
0:53:06 > 0:53:10- Is it nice?- Yes.- It's all been foraged within a few miles of here,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13so I hope you really are enjoying it. Anyway, can I introduce you all
0:53:13 > 0:53:15to this afternoon's entertainment?
0:53:15 > 0:53:18This is The London Vegetable Orchestra.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22Tonight, there's going to be one extra vegetable - that's me -
0:53:22 > 0:53:26and this is our rendition of Build Me Up, Butternut.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28LAUGHTER
0:53:28 > 0:53:31- Are we ready?- Ready, everyone?
0:53:31 > 0:53:33- MATT TOOTS - Sorry.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35Ready? I'm ready now.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37MUSIC STARTS
0:53:37 > 0:53:39Stop laughing.
0:53:41 > 0:53:47ALL PLAY "Build Me Up, Buttercup"
0:54:14 > 0:54:15APPLAUSE
0:54:15 > 0:54:20Oh, look at that! Thank you ever so much for that heartfelt applause.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23It's been wonderful. Music has never tasted so good.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25Mmm.
0:54:25 > 0:54:26LAUGHTER
0:54:32 > 0:54:34We've explored the fairy-tale beauty
0:54:34 > 0:54:37and the fight for survival in wintertime.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42We've seen how our creatures revel in the season,
0:54:42 > 0:54:44great and small.
0:54:45 > 0:54:49We've seen extreme weather and extreme adventures.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53But so often, even the toughest conditions
0:54:53 > 0:54:56bring out the very best in our winter countryside.