:00:30. > :00:35.where the mighty River Wye flows through Wales and England.
:00:36. > :00:39.The landscape doesn't get much more beautiful than this.
:00:40. > :00:42.But this is an area that that's better known for its books
:00:43. > :00:45.than its looks. This is the Hay Festival,
:00:46. > :00:47.one of the country's biggest and best literature festivals.
:00:48. > :00:50.We're going to be meeting some of the writers here and exploring
:00:51. > :00:54.the themes here at the festival and in the countryside around us.
:00:55. > :00:58.Tom asks if we've fallen out of love with organic food.
:00:59. > :01:02.The premiums we had been promised weren't there.
:01:03. > :01:13.The financial smart thing to do then was to revert back to conventional.
:01:14. > :01:17.Adam's getting a hi-tech view of his farm.
:01:18. > :01:23.600 grams. That's incredibly light, isn't it? Very lightweight.
:01:24. > :01:27.And John is joined by Deborah Meaden and Simon King to launch this
:01:28. > :01:33.year's Countryfile Photographic Competition.
:01:34. > :01:37.It's quite cosy and quite warm in here.
:01:38. > :01:56.It is. It sure is. And a little claustrophobic!
:01:57. > :02:05.The River Wye meandering through fields, past towns.
:02:06. > :02:10.that straddles the English-Welsh border and we're based today
:02:11. > :02:14.in Hay-on-Wye, home to the famous festival.
:02:15. > :02:18.It's one of the UK's biggest and best-known literary festivals.
:02:19. > :02:22.We'll be soaking up the atmosphere, meeting the odd writer and
:02:23. > :02:28.finding literary inspiration in the surrounding countryside.
:02:29. > :02:31.People come from all over the world to lap up the atmosphere at
:02:32. > :02:35.the festival. There are all sorts of events and talks and
:02:36. > :02:38.a wide range of things to get involved in.
:02:39. > :02:42.At this year's festival, there's a strong countryside theme and
:02:43. > :02:48.Hannah Marshall from the Woodland Trust is going to tell me more.
:02:49. > :02:51.Hannah, it wouldn't be a British festival without pouring rain.
:02:52. > :02:54.And very fittingly, we're sitting on sunny deckchairs!
:02:55. > :02:58.Why not? Tell me about what the Woodland Trust are doing here at the
:02:59. > :03:01.festival. So, here at the festival, we're launching our charter for the
:03:02. > :03:05.woods and trees, it's a relaunch of the 800-year-old charter.
:03:06. > :03:08.It's a way to engage the public in planting trees,
:03:09. > :03:11.in telling us the stories and what memories they have of trees.
:03:12. > :03:14.We're giving away free trees to anybody that wants them and
:03:15. > :03:16.wants to sign the charter. What we're going to do is we're
:03:17. > :03:19.going to record their postcodes and we're actually going to create
:03:20. > :03:21.a map of where the trees are all going to be planted.
:03:22. > :03:24.And then from there, we're going to record that into
:03:25. > :03:27.our 64 million tree planting target for 2025.
:03:28. > :03:30.What are the trees that you've got on offer for people to take away?
:03:31. > :03:31.So we've got a silver birch next to you,
:03:32. > :03:34.which is a beautifully tall, fast-growing tree. Yes, yes.
:03:35. > :03:37.We've got Rowan, which is absolutely stunning for the wildlife,
:03:38. > :03:39.with those beautiful red berries. Oh, yeah.
:03:40. > :03:43.because I've got north-facing garden that's clay soil.
:03:44. > :03:46.It's a gardener's dream(!) Stunning. That's a difficult one.
:03:47. > :03:49.We'd probably go with a goat willow for that one.
:03:50. > :03:53.It should hopefully do well with the moist clay, if it sort of gets a
:03:54. > :03:56.bit waterlogged, and it'll be great for the local bees and wildlife.
:03:57. > :03:59.Lovely. Add me to the map. I'll take my willow away. Perfect.
:04:00. > :04:02.All right, I'll see you soon. Thank you. Thank you.
:04:03. > :04:05.'The rural setting of the festival is a key part of its charm,
:04:06. > :04:10.'where you'll bump into old friends.. .' Jules! Ellie!
:04:11. > :04:14.You absorb all the countryside getting here. Yeah.
:04:15. > :04:17.Cos it's, you know... It feels quite a remote place.
:04:18. > :04:22.I've never been to Hay before and I like wild swimming and everyone
:04:23. > :04:25.was like, dip in the river, and get yourself in amongst some books.
:04:26. > :04:27.Deep immersion in the countryside! Yeah!
:04:28. > :04:30.This year marks the festival's 30th anniversary.
:04:31. > :04:34.Peter Florence has been involved since the start.
:04:35. > :04:38.The festival's grown a bit in the 30 years.
:04:39. > :04:42.Well, yeah, but it's in really important ways exactly the
:04:43. > :04:47.It started out as a sort of gathering.
:04:48. > :04:51.You put down a picnic rug, you say, "Come and have a meal, tell
:04:52. > :04:55.and it's just a bigger picnic rug now.
:04:56. > :04:58.Why is it important that it's in this rural setting?
:04:59. > :05:02.It's almost impossible not to look at all this green and think -
:05:03. > :05:05.it's so beautiful, it's so liberating.
:05:06. > :05:10.you want to throw yourself into the landscape.
:05:11. > :05:14.What's the impact on the town and on the countryside of all these
:05:15. > :05:17.people descending for the festival? There have been moments when
:05:18. > :05:20.it's been tested. The big thing came in 2001 -
:05:21. > :05:23.we had foot and mouth outbreak four miles down the road,
:05:24. > :05:25.and we knew it was sort of game over and we called
:05:26. > :05:29.a public meeting and the Young Farmers said, no - if you go down,
:05:30. > :05:34.so they ran the footbaths for all the people to walk over
:05:35. > :05:40.they managed to man all the gates and all the public footpaths.
:05:41. > :05:44.They took ownership of the festival and it became not
:05:45. > :05:46.a kind of cultural thing, but a community thing.
:05:47. > :05:50.And restoring this place back to life without the festival,
:05:51. > :05:54.You come back in six weeks' time, the sheep will be back,
:05:55. > :06:05.the grass will be beaten down, it'll be a field again.
:06:06. > :06:08.There's plenty on offer besides books.
:06:09. > :06:11.Young minds can get to grips with all sorts of activities.
:06:12. > :06:16.There's herb brushes. This one's made out of mint.
:06:17. > :06:19.Ella, can you give me some advice on how to do this?
:06:20. > :06:24.What do I need to do? You have to get the end like this, that bit...
:06:25. > :06:29.Yeah. ..into a colour and wipe on the paper.
:06:30. > :06:32.Hi, Sarah. Hello. What are you making here?
:06:33. > :06:38.So these are based on Guatemalan worry dolls, but without the worry.
:06:39. > :06:41.So they're just something to tell your stories to.
:06:42. > :06:45.Are you guys quite inspired by the countryside, then? Yeah.
:06:46. > :06:48.Our Gran lives in the countryside, so we love going up to see her.
:06:49. > :06:53.'Later, I'll be heading off with a well-known children's
:06:54. > :06:57.'illustrator on a very special wildlife safari, but first...'
:06:58. > :07:03.the amount of land being farmed organically has been dropping.
:07:04. > :07:08.So are farmers falling out of love with organics, and if so, why?
:07:09. > :07:18.30 years ago, and a green revolution was taking place.
:07:19. > :07:21.It was set to change the face of farming.
:07:22. > :07:26.From cosmetics to crops, the organic movement promised, for those who
:07:27. > :07:34.could afford it, a bounty of health, taste and environmental benefits.
:07:35. > :07:37.And as many began to question industrial farming methods
:07:38. > :07:41.and what was going on our skin and in our food,
:07:42. > :07:50.It was expected to revolutionise our farms and food and some
:07:51. > :07:54.famous faces were predicting big things for it.
:07:55. > :07:57.One prediction is that by the year 2000,
:07:58. > :08:08.20% of all British agriculture will be grown organically.
:08:09. > :08:11.But far from revolutionising our agriculture,
:08:12. > :08:14.the amount of land used to grow organic food
:08:15. > :08:19.has actually fallen by a third here in the UK in the last seven years.
:08:20. > :08:24.Now, John may have predicted 20%, but we're not even close.
:08:25. > :08:33.In fact, right now, just 3% of our farmland is organic.
:08:34. > :08:38.given that the worldwide organic market is now worth ?60 billion
:08:39. > :08:43.and here in Britain, we account for almost 2 billion of that.
:08:44. > :08:53.So, if the demand is there, why aren't farmers rushing to meet it?
:08:54. > :09:00.Well, Dai Evans did. He owns a 300-acre sheep farm in West Wales.
:09:01. > :09:04.In 2008, he converted to organic, but just six years later,
:09:05. > :09:12.What is it that got you into organic farming in the first place?
:09:13. > :09:16.Well, about 15 years ago, the Welsh Assembly announced that they
:09:17. > :09:22.had a target of having 20% of Welsh farmers farming organically.
:09:23. > :09:25.We looked at the options and the package they were offering
:09:26. > :09:31.and we decided that was the way to go for us then as a family farm.
:09:32. > :09:35.Was it partly an ideological motive as well?
:09:36. > :09:37.That it would be good for the wildlife, the landscape?
:09:38. > :09:42.Obviously, we are interested in caring for our environment,
:09:43. > :09:46.so that we pass on to the next generation the land then in
:09:47. > :09:57.But changing to organic farming isn't easy.
:09:58. > :10:00.It's a two-year process known as conversion.
:10:01. > :10:03.In that time, you can't use artificial chemicals or
:10:04. > :10:08.fertilisers, but you can't call your produce organic either.
:10:09. > :10:10.For Dai, it was a tough time, but once finished,
:10:11. > :10:14.he'd expected to get more cash for his new organic lambs.
:10:15. > :10:17.The premiums we had been promised weren't there.
:10:18. > :10:20.We could see in our local supermarket then really that
:10:21. > :10:24.the cost of organic meat was higher, but the supermarkets weren't
:10:25. > :10:30.prepared to pass on the extra money that they received to the farmer.
:10:31. > :10:34.'And losing out on sales wasn't Dai's only problem.'
:10:35. > :10:37.There was a lot of farms that converted to organic.
:10:38. > :10:43.The old adage of supply and demand then and the meat then that
:10:44. > :10:49.was available for the supermarkets to buy, there was an oversupply.
:10:50. > :10:52.How did you feel about getting out of it?
:10:53. > :10:58.I just realised then that the market wasn't what it was perceived
:10:59. > :11:03.to be initially and the financial smart thing to do then was to
:11:04. > :11:09.Would you go back to being an organic farmer?
:11:10. > :11:13.We would want more guarantees that we would be financially
:11:14. > :11:19.rewarded then for our efforts once we were organic again.
:11:20. > :11:22.'And it's not just sheep farmers struggling.
:11:23. > :11:26.'Beef farmers rearing chemical-free cattle are working harder for
:11:27. > :11:32.'Arable farmers are battling disease and unpredictable demand.
:11:33. > :11:36.'And with costs of organic feed continually increasing,
:11:37. > :11:45.'even dairy farmers are feeling the pinch.'
:11:46. > :11:48.The simple fact is that in some areas, organic farming is
:11:49. > :11:55.becoming increasingly difficult and farmers are dropping out.
:11:56. > :11:58.So, can organic farming really work here in the UK?
:11:59. > :12:02.She's Head of Farming at the Soil Association.
:12:03. > :12:06.Don't these figures overall suggest that it's tough to make money
:12:07. > :12:08.out of organic farming? Some people have tried it,
:12:09. > :12:11.haven't really made much money, and have gone out of it again.
:12:12. > :12:14.Isn't that the reality? I think farming is tough.
:12:15. > :12:16.But organic farming is particularly tough.
:12:17. > :12:20.Um, I would say if you are an organic beef-and-sheep farmer,
:12:21. > :12:23.there's not a huge amount of difference.
:12:24. > :12:26.I think if you're an organic arable farmer, the requirement in terms
:12:27. > :12:32.of timing is far more stringent than, say, for a non-organic farmer.
:12:33. > :12:35.Why do you think there has been this pretty steep drop in the area
:12:36. > :12:38.of land under organic farming in recent years?
:12:39. > :12:40.I think there's been a lag effect after the recession
:12:41. > :12:46.many retailers decided that consumers wouldn't want to
:12:47. > :12:49.buy organic food, so they reduced the shelf space available.
:12:50. > :12:52.And hence, organic food sales fell because it just wasn't available.
:12:53. > :12:56.Farmers took that message and they started to come out of organic.
:12:57. > :12:58.What's happening now is we're seeing that reverse,
:12:59. > :13:03.as the demand for organic food is now in its third year of growth.
:13:04. > :13:07.'but can they make it work and meet the demand?'
:13:08. > :13:12.diversity is key and by that I mean having a range of different
:13:13. > :13:17.crops and also in many cases having livestock, as well as crops.
:13:18. > :13:19.Are you getting the government support that you need?
:13:20. > :13:23.Well, at the moment, farmers who want to go into conversion benefit
:13:24. > :13:26.from support under the Countryside Stewardship scheme,
:13:27. > :13:28.which takes them through the two years of conversion.
:13:29. > :13:32.'There is other funding to help farmers through conversion,
:13:33. > :13:36.'but the Soil Association say in the UK that's lower than much
:13:37. > :13:39.'of Europe. In Denmark, for instance, the government plans
:13:40. > :13:43.'to double the amount of organic land by 2020 and payments there
:13:44. > :13:49.I think there's a real need for support,
:13:50. > :13:52.in terms of helping farmers who want to go organic in understanding
:13:53. > :13:55.how to farm organically. And what are you doing,
:13:56. > :13:57.as the Soil Association, to help organic farmers?
:13:58. > :14:02.We've been running it now for over seven years.
:14:03. > :14:05.And that takes about 20 people a year who want to come in to
:14:06. > :14:10.Where are you seeing the green shoots of organic farming recovery?
:14:11. > :14:12.Where the organic farmer themselves can see
:14:13. > :14:16.Essentially, an independent route to market.
:14:17. > :14:19.And that works well for smaller businesses - especially,
:14:20. > :14:33.Organic farming uses a lot of labour and on a larger farm,
:14:34. > :14:43.so do smaller holdings have the key to growing more organic veg?
:14:44. > :14:48.Jamie Carr thinks so. He trained with the Soil Association.
:14:49. > :14:51.With no farming in his blood, but brimming with passion, he
:14:52. > :14:58.started his own organic smallholding in Oxfordshire, growing veg.
:14:59. > :15:03.Nice to see you. You've got a very vigorous-looking crop going here.
:15:04. > :15:07.Can I give you hand at all? Yeah, yeah, go for it. What am I doing?
:15:08. > :15:11.Well, we're just pinching and twisting tomatoes, so if you
:15:12. > :15:15.see where there's one growing out of the elbow, just snap that off.
:15:16. > :15:21.Simple as. Why did you get into organic farming?
:15:22. > :15:24.Ideological reasons. I think this is the way forward for agriculture.
:15:25. > :15:27.You can grow incredible amounts of crops.
:15:28. > :15:32.You can grow four, five crops in the same spot.
:15:33. > :15:35.So my two acres has suddenly become ten.
:15:36. > :15:41.I'm probably taking about maybe ?600 profit a month.
:15:42. > :15:44.That's considerably less than the average income.
:15:45. > :15:48.It is, but I've only been going since October, most of which
:15:49. > :15:51.time, I've been building polytunnels, planting things.
:15:52. > :15:55.what we're working on now will actually be on the market. Exactly.
:15:56. > :15:58.Making you a little bit more money. I don't think it's too bad.
:15:59. > :16:02.I struggle to work out how you can do organic on a really,
:16:03. > :16:07.The way that big arable operations are run,
:16:08. > :16:12.it feels to me too removed from all the bits that make organic work.
:16:13. > :16:16.You know, a really close observation of soil,
:16:17. > :16:18.how things interact and all this sort of stuff,
:16:19. > :16:22.so I think we need a lot more farmers on small operations,
:16:23. > :16:28.So, how am I doing? Have I ruined your crop? Dented your income?
:16:29. > :16:32.Um, they... I think I'll go back over them, but they look OK!
:16:33. > :16:37.I'm sure you'll go back and check them!
:16:38. > :16:40.And maybe Jamie's on to something and the future of our organic
:16:41. > :16:44.farming is in the hands of smallholders, driven by their
:16:45. > :16:57.passion and belief that their way really is the good life.
:16:58. > :17:00.SEAN: Our landscape has been inspirational to artists and writers
:17:01. > :17:10.Here at the Hay Festival, I'm meeting teenagers from all
:17:11. > :17:15.over Wales, chosen from hundreds to take part in the Beacons Project,
:17:16. > :17:19.an initiative to nurture and inspire the next generation of
:17:20. > :17:25.And the festival is perfectly placed, surrounded by
:17:26. > :17:29.stunning countryside, to bring out the budding writer in all of us.
:17:30. > :17:33.Some of you don't look like you like walking. I'm not sure.
:17:34. > :17:35.LAUGHTER There's a glum face there, no?
:17:36. > :17:46.Leading the workshop is local author Tom Bullou,
:17:47. > :17:50.who grew up on a farm not far from here.
:17:51. > :17:57.The landscape has played a big part in all of his writing.
:17:58. > :18:00.And today, he's sharing his love of his home turf with some of
:18:01. > :18:08.My favourite thing about storytelling is just creating a
:18:09. > :18:12.whole new world and being somewhere different, like you can escape.
:18:13. > :18:16.It can help us become closer, more empathetic,
:18:17. > :18:25.What could tell you that we're on the Wales-England border?
:18:26. > :18:28.Sheep. Sheep, yeah. No, no. It's a good point.
:18:29. > :18:33.The sheep, absolutely. It looks a bit sunnier over there!
:18:34. > :18:41.This workshop is all about getting the students to explore their
:18:42. > :18:49.And to put those responses into words.
:18:50. > :18:54.They're trying to capture fleeting moments, rapidly changing.
:18:55. > :18:57.A mist moves in that transforms the landscape.
:18:58. > :19:04.And just go through each of your senses in turn and think
:19:05. > :19:13.I'm heading down the hill where the mist has cleared to grab
:19:14. > :19:19.We're looking at some young writers who are spending most of
:19:20. > :19:22.their time in tents down in Hay Festival at the moment.
:19:23. > :19:26.And writers who are familiar with this landscape to some extent,
:19:27. > :19:32.But I think it's important to bring them up here and ask them to
:19:33. > :19:35.really look at the landscape that's surrounding them and use
:19:36. > :19:41.so think about what smells they might be able to pick up here,
:19:42. > :19:44.think about what the ground feels like, what the air feels like,
:19:45. > :19:47.what the cold feels like. Yeah, yeah. And it's been dramatic.
:19:48. > :19:50.The change has been dramatic. I mean, you think, 20 minutes ago,
:19:51. > :19:52.we couldn't see a couple of metres in front of us.
:19:53. > :19:55.But you know, if you're going to write about this part of the world,
:19:56. > :20:05.a dynamic landscape and the weather reflects that.
:20:06. > :20:08."The rain was sniping through the unfurling fern,
:20:09. > :20:11."shuddering the red globe flowers of the wimberries.
:20:12. > :20:15."As they came to the common and the sheep dispersed among the quarries,
:20:16. > :20:17."the wary yearlings and the bare hawthorns,
:20:18. > :20:23."Oliver crossed the rutted lane and turned his back to the wind
:20:24. > :20:31.The Beacons Project is developing confidence in young people.
:20:32. > :20:35.It's really good to see experienced writers like Tom sharing
:20:36. > :20:38.their knowledge and encouraging the next generation to build
:20:39. > :20:46."Peculiar, enigmatic, untamed, liberated.
:20:47. > :20:52."The horses' refined box fringes, sculpted, yet untouched."
:20:53. > :20:57."The cold is almost comforting, biting her bare hands as she sits.
:20:58. > :21:00."Yet the mist is restrictive, almost opaque,
:21:01. > :21:12.Right, it's that time of year again -
:21:13. > :21:15.the Countryfile Photographic Competition for 2017
:21:16. > :21:25.Here's John with this year's theme and details of how to take part.
:21:26. > :21:32.Wilderness Britain, a landscape barely touched by human presence.
:21:33. > :21:39.The best our islands have to offer in any weather, in any season.
:21:40. > :21:43.Vistas which often only wild animals see.
:21:44. > :21:46.A huge challenge for anyone with a camera,
:21:47. > :21:55.It's time to launch the Countryfile Photographic Competition.
:21:56. > :21:58.Our theme this year is Call Of The Wild.
:21:59. > :22:01.And we want you to grab your cameras, your smartphones,
:22:02. > :22:09.and capture the British countryside and its wildlife at their very best.
:22:10. > :22:13.We've been called to the wilds of deepest Dorset.
:22:14. > :22:19.RSPB Arne is a sparkling gem on the edge of Poole Harbour.
:22:20. > :22:22.It's a place loved by award-winning wildlife presenter and
:22:23. > :22:27.cameraman Simon King, whose work takes him all over the world.
:22:28. > :22:32.And Dragons' Den mainstay and keen amateur photographer
:22:33. > :22:36.Deborah Meaden will also be giving her verdict on your entries.
:22:37. > :22:43.Luckily for Countryfile, both Deborah and Simon are once
:22:44. > :22:48.again in when it comes to judging our competition.
:22:49. > :22:52.Well, we've got a fantastic location for launching the competition
:22:53. > :22:55.this year. Maybe we'll go for a little photo safari in a moment.
:22:56. > :22:58.Let's do it. But our theme this year is Call Of The Wild,
:22:59. > :23:01.so what do you make of that, Deborah?
:23:02. > :23:04.Oh, it speaks to me because I actually get that tug towards
:23:05. > :23:08.nature, not just look at it, and that's what it says to me,
:23:09. > :23:11.Call Of The Wild, what does that mean to you?
:23:12. > :23:14.Well, I think the keyword there is wild.
:23:15. > :23:18.So for me, wilderness, as you were saying, Deborah, is what moves
:23:19. > :23:22.me, what motivates me, what touches me and what ignites my soul.
:23:23. > :23:26.It's a sense that we can be part of a landscape that is much as
:23:27. > :23:31.Now, let's go for a little safari, shall we?
:23:32. > :23:45.There are magnificent places all over the county, but Arne really
:23:46. > :23:51.is a standout reserve because of its diversity in such a small space.
:23:52. > :23:56.And it's got keystone species that you just absolutely associate
:23:57. > :24:03.with this sort of landscape, you hardly ever see anywhere else.
:24:04. > :24:08.'First stop on our safari is to try out equipment most of us
:24:09. > :24:13.'already have on us - smartphone cameras.
:24:14. > :24:16.'The insects of this freshwater pond are tricky to snap,
:24:17. > :24:20.'so a clip-on macro lens really helps.'
:24:21. > :24:24.Your minimum focus on the phone as it stands might be say 15cm,
:24:25. > :24:29.That's not close enough to get it filling the frame.
:24:30. > :24:32.This attached means you can get even closer. Ah!
:24:33. > :24:45.On my mobile phone, Simon, I can't zoom in and out. I don't know why.
:24:46. > :24:48.To be honest with you, there are some phones where you can
:24:49. > :24:53.just what looks like zoom in on the image, by expanding the image.
:24:54. > :24:57.What you are doing is cropping in on your existing number of pixels.
:24:58. > :25:00.I wouldn't do it because you can crop in later.
:25:01. > :25:03.All you're going to end up doing is actually getting a grainy picture.
:25:04. > :25:10.'Whatever your wildlife calling, can I remind you
:25:11. > :25:14.'that pictures of pets are not allowed, nor are zoo animals.
:25:15. > :25:18.'And any images of UK wildlife in captivity
:25:19. > :25:40.Whatever you photograph, please do it responsibly.
:25:41. > :25:42.Take care not to disturb any creatures,
:25:43. > :25:52.Next, Simon's taking us to one of his favourite spots to try
:25:53. > :25:57.They're mid price, with good zoom lenses.
:25:58. > :26:01.How close would I have to get with this camera to get quite a close up?
:26:02. > :26:04.This one, I think, has got about a 30X zoom, so actually,
:26:05. > :26:06.you could get a pretty good shot already.
:26:07. > :26:15.'RSPB Arne is home to a laid-back herd of 200 sika deer.'
:26:16. > :26:18.We do get an awful lot of deer pictures sent in.
:26:19. > :26:20.So it has to be different, doesn't it?
:26:21. > :26:23.Absolutely. The one that's going to catch the eye. Absolutely.
:26:24. > :26:25.You're right. You're looking for more.
:26:26. > :26:34.time at all four corners of the frame.
:26:35. > :26:36.How are you doing, Deborah, with your bridge camera?
:26:37. > :26:39.Well, I'm not sure I've got the special one.
:26:40. > :26:41.But actually, what I love about this is it's
:26:42. > :26:47.so light that it's really easy just to manoeuvre and hold still and...
:26:48. > :26:50.And of course, what we're looking for are wonderful pictures of
:26:51. > :26:53.the countryside, not necessarily with wildlife.
:26:54. > :26:57.Well, actually, I've just taken some pictures of this really gorgeous...
:26:58. > :27:03.I looked up and thought it just looks lovely.
:27:04. > :27:06.Do you think you've got what it takes to enter?
:27:07. > :27:13.We'll be looking at every one of the many thousands of entries
:27:14. > :27:16.that you send in and picking the very best for our Countryfile
:27:17. > :27:19.calendar, which goes on sale later this year in aid of
:27:20. > :27:24.Buy one and you'll get some amazing photos to look at on your
:27:25. > :27:29.And of course, as usual, we'll have an overall winner,
:27:30. > :27:35.voted for by you, our Countryfile viewers.
:27:36. > :27:38.Not only will that picture grace the cover of our calendar, the winner
:27:39. > :27:44.will receive a voucher for ?1,000 to be spent on photographic kit.
:27:45. > :27:47.The person who takes the judges' favourite photo will receive
:27:48. > :27:52.a voucher for ?500, also to be spent on equipment.
:27:53. > :27:56.And specialist kit can be a godsend in trying to snap elusive
:27:57. > :28:03.In goes the camera. And this? Yes, please, yeah.
:28:04. > :28:06.'Arne is home to one of Britain's rarest birds,
:28:07. > :28:09.'the Dartford warbler. They're hard enough to see,
:28:10. > :28:13.It's quite cosy and quite warm in here.
:28:14. > :28:19.It is. It sure is. And a little claustrophobic.
:28:20. > :28:23.'Patience is certainly a virtue when it comes to photography in the wild
:28:24. > :28:30.'and Simon will be back later to await his camera-shy subject.
:28:31. > :28:34.'But in the meantime, let's get his expert opinion on how
:28:35. > :28:40.'successfully Deborah and I captured our walk on the wild side today.'
:28:41. > :28:42.Well, here's one I got on the mobile.
:28:43. > :28:44.And it was what you were saying, Simon,
:28:45. > :28:48.because I took a big wide shot but then if you crop it, you see?
:28:49. > :28:51.Yeah, nice frame. That's lovely. There's the damsel fly.
:28:52. > :28:54.And it almost looks as though it's been caught in a net, doesn't it?
:28:55. > :28:57.Yeah, with the reflected reed. Yeah, yeah.
:28:58. > :28:59.That's a very good tip. Now, Deborah. What about yours?
:29:00. > :29:02.Well, I did mine with the bridge camera, of course.
:29:03. > :29:06.You've got a good eye on this, Simon, but I quite like this one.
:29:07. > :29:08.That's actually quite a nice composition.
:29:09. > :29:10.Yeah, and the way she's actually looking straight...
:29:11. > :29:13.People talk about thirds in pictures and if you're dividing your
:29:14. > :29:15.picture into thirds, this is the classic example.
:29:16. > :29:18.You've got your lower third, centre and the upper third.
:29:19. > :29:23.Centre of interest with the log in the middle. Deer at the bottom.
:29:24. > :29:25.And I like the position of the three heads as well.
:29:26. > :29:28.Yeah. Well, thank you very much, both of you.
:29:29. > :29:33.And see you for the judging. Looking forward to it.
:29:34. > :29:36.Well, why not go on your own photographic safari and enter
:29:37. > :29:42.You can submit up to three photographs that fit our theme,
:29:43. > :29:49.We need your name, address and a contact number, written on
:29:50. > :29:54.the back of the print, with a note of where the picture was taken.
:29:55. > :30:14.The competition closes at midnight on Friday, the 21st of July.
:30:15. > :30:18.Because we're looking for a really fresh crop of pictures,
:30:19. > :30:21.I'm afraid those that have won previous national competitions
:30:22. > :30:25.are not allowed, and neither is the work of professionals.
:30:26. > :30:30.and I'm afraid that it's just not possible
:30:31. > :30:37.The full terms and conditions are on our website,
:30:38. > :30:40.where you'll also find details of the BBC's code of conduct
:30:41. > :30:48.The competition closes at midnight on Friday, the 21st of July,
:30:49. > :30:52.so that means you've got just under five weeks to send in your entries.
:30:53. > :30:59.So why not heed the call of the wild and get those shutters clicking?
:31:00. > :31:05.Did he capture Arne's camera-shy Dartford warblers?
:31:06. > :31:18.ELLIE: We've been taking a look round the Hay Festival,
:31:19. > :31:21.one of the biggest celebrations of books and words in the country,
:31:22. > :31:25.and there's one author I'm keen to meet.
:31:26. > :31:28.He's funny, he's clever, he's handsome...
:31:29. > :31:32.I just hope he's as nice in real life as he is on the telly.
:31:33. > :31:35.'Scuse me, would you mind signing my programme?
:31:36. > :31:42.What are you doing at a literary festival? Can you read?!
:31:43. > :31:46.Luckily, there are also professionals around.
:31:47. > :31:51.well-known for the Horrible Histories series,
:31:52. > :31:53.has turned his hand to wildlife with his latest book,
:31:54. > :32:04.And we're off spotting animals of our own.
:32:05. > :32:07.Even though we're just a short hop from the hustle and bustle
:32:08. > :32:11.of the festival here, it feels like a world away.
:32:12. > :32:14.A world that's full of curious creatures.
:32:15. > :32:18.Hi, Martin. Hi, how are you? All right. And you? Very well indeed.
:32:19. > :32:20.Got some beautiful cows here. They're quite well-known.
:32:21. > :32:23.I thought you were all about the lesser-known animals.
:32:24. > :32:26.Yeah, I guess I've been drawing the more exotic animals
:32:27. > :32:31.Well, shall we do a local safari, and we'll see some of the small
:32:32. > :32:33.and wonderful creatures from around here? Brilliant! Good.
:32:34. > :32:37.And draw as we go? I think so. All right, thank you. Here's a pencil.
:32:38. > :32:41.'We're in the Woolhope Dome area of Herefordshire,
:32:42. > :32:45.'where farmer and conservationist Mark O'Brien is showing us around.'
:32:46. > :32:49.Mark, your farm seems to be a haven for wildlife.
:32:50. > :32:52.Yeah, that's just because there's an abundance of different habitats,
:32:53. > :32:55.and also in these woods, we're doing a lot of copsing
:32:56. > :32:58.to help the rare invertebrates in the wood.
:32:59. > :33:01.Fantastic. So you're managing it sympathetically.
:33:02. > :33:03.We've got rare wood white butterflies
:33:04. > :33:05.along this woodland path here, so would you like to see some?
:33:06. > :33:07.Yeah. Have you seen one of those before? No, no!
:33:08. > :33:15.Wood white butterflies are on the wing right now,
:33:16. > :33:17.but you'll be lucky to catch a glimpse -
:33:18. > :33:22.They seem to be out when the sun is out, they're on the wing then,
:33:23. > :33:25.so we're just going to have to try and draw when we see them,
:33:26. > :33:27.or from our imaginations. How about that?
:33:28. > :33:31.so I can kind of remember what they were when they were still.
:33:32. > :33:34.This is proper safari sketching, isn't it? Yeah, yeah.
:33:35. > :33:37.Quite angular little bodies, and then, really,
:33:38. > :33:41.kind of overlapping wings when they stop.
:33:42. > :33:44.Often it's the male that we see out on the wing,
:33:45. > :33:46.and they've got this dark edge to their forewing,
:33:47. > :33:51.That's how you tell a male from a female. Like a shadow. Yeah.
:33:52. > :33:55.That's so fluttery. Here we go. Please keep still!
:33:56. > :34:00.Just for a moment. Come on, this way, this way. Wait for it...
:34:01. > :34:06.That's it, no, I've got... That's like a heart shape, that wing. Yeah.
:34:07. > :34:09.That's got to come down there much more.
:34:10. > :34:13.Just the slightest bit of pale markings showing through
:34:14. > :34:18.So this would be how a child would draw it. That's good.
:34:19. > :34:21.Children draw really well! SHE LAUGHS
:34:22. > :34:23.Look, I've got... I've got a shape. You've got that beautiful wing.
:34:24. > :34:26.That sort of heart-shaped thing, and then... It IS quite heart-shaped.
:34:27. > :34:29.That was a hard one to start with. Next time we'll be luckier.
:34:30. > :34:33.I reckon. OK. Let's try the next one.
:34:34. > :34:43.There's probably about 15 of the nests in old trees
:34:44. > :34:49.How fabulous. It's stunning. Shall we do a bit of sketching?
:34:50. > :34:51.People might not have heard of wild honeybees.
:34:52. > :34:54.They're essentially as a cultivated honeybee,
:34:55. > :34:57.but just not managed by people, is that so? Exactly, exactly.
:34:58. > :35:00.Well, I like my exotic stuff, but this has shown me
:35:01. > :35:05.that there's amazing, amazing creatures right on your doorstep.
:35:06. > :35:09.Shall we move on and see what else there is?
:35:10. > :35:17.The countryside around Hay-on-Wye is home to a huge variety of wildlife.
:35:18. > :35:20.You could easily get lucky and see a barn owl,
:35:21. > :35:28.The next animal on our safari is a real superstar.
:35:29. > :35:34.Definitely on the lesser-spotted list in recent years.
:35:35. > :35:37.OK, David, we've got a nest in here.
:35:38. > :35:41.Small-mammal recorders Denise Foster and her colleague David Lee
:35:42. > :35:50.regularly checking the nest boxes in the area.
:35:51. > :35:55.Hi, Ellie, yes, we have, we've got two in this box. Wow!
:35:56. > :35:59.as you can see, they're quite grey in colour.
:36:00. > :36:01.Is this the first time you've ever seen one? Yeah.
:36:02. > :36:04.This time of year, they're eating caterpillars and insects,
:36:05. > :36:06.and they're normally high up in the canopy,
:36:07. > :36:08.so we're extremely lucky to find these two in this box today.
:36:09. > :36:10.They're hard to spot at the best of times, aren't they,
:36:11. > :36:14.And what's the monitoring you're doing?
:36:15. > :36:17.We just sort of weigh them and then sex them, so male and female,
:36:18. > :36:26.We'll leave you to it. Thank you so much! OK. See you later. Thank you.
:36:27. > :36:30.'This time, we're relying on photographs to draw from.'
:36:31. > :36:34.Not sure about my interpretation skills, but I'll do my best.
:36:35. > :36:38.I'm a cartoonist - I don't draw realistically ever.
:36:39. > :36:41.You've done that thing that artists do way you draw an egg
:36:42. > :36:42.and you draw a box, and you've actually then
:36:43. > :36:47.It's that thing of kind of seeing the shapes in the thing
:36:48. > :36:52.Like, a cow is basically a box with a pointy bit at the front. Yeah.
:36:53. > :36:55.Slugs are easy. SHE CHUCKLES
:36:56. > :36:59.All you need is a pad and pencil, and the great outdoors,
:37:00. > :37:08.and you, too, can head out on your own lesser-spotted safari.
:37:09. > :37:11.Now, the lack of rainfall in the last few months
:37:12. > :37:14.has been a worry for farmers up and down the land.
:37:15. > :37:28.But Adam's seeing how high tech can help.
:37:29. > :37:31.ADAM: So far, this year has been one of the driest in a decade.
:37:32. > :37:35.Some areas of the UK have had a fifth of their normal rainfall.
:37:36. > :37:40.As farmers, we're in the lap of the gods sometimes,
:37:41. > :37:44.especially when it comes to the weather and pests and diseases.
:37:45. > :37:53.we can work with Mother Nature to get the best out of our crops.
:37:54. > :37:56.'Farming may be one of our oldest industries, but in this digital age,
:37:57. > :38:02.'many farmers now rely on advances in agricultural technology.'
:38:03. > :38:06.Here on our farm, the crops are kept in check by an agronomist.
:38:07. > :38:11.and he walks the fields with our arable manager, and then advises
:38:12. > :38:15.on seed varieties, fertiliser, and crop-protection products.
:38:16. > :38:18.But some farmers are taking to the skies
:38:19. > :38:26.to pinpoint areas that need attention.
:38:27. > :38:30.Paul O'Shea and David Caplin get a bird's-eye view of the crops
:38:31. > :38:37.using this bit of kit that Paul's just putting together.
:38:38. > :38:45.Hello. How are you doing, OK? Yes, good thanks.
:38:46. > :38:47.My word, this looks very exciting. What have we got here?
:38:48. > :38:50.This is a professional mapping drone that we use primarily
:38:51. > :38:52.in the construction industry, but more recently,
:38:53. > :38:56.we've recognised that it has its uses in the agricultural market.
:38:57. > :38:59.It basically identifies healthy crop from dying crop. Brilliant.
:39:00. > :39:02.Now, I'm not highly technical, so how does it work?
:39:03. > :39:05.Well, we upload a flight plan on our computer,
:39:06. > :39:09.It's fully autonomous - we throw it in the air,
:39:10. > :39:11.it flies the fields, and captures data at the same time.
:39:12. > :39:14.The drones I've seen are like little helicopters,
:39:15. > :39:19.Yes, they're multi-rotors - this is what's called a fixed wing.
:39:20. > :39:22.It's a lot lighter, it can go longer distances,
:39:23. > :39:24.and therefore it can gather more data.
:39:25. > :39:27.Can I hold it? Yes, you sure can. 600 grams.
:39:28. > :39:29.That's incredibly light, isn't it? It is very lightweight.
:39:30. > :39:31.ADAM CHUCKLES Basically polystyrene!
:39:32. > :39:33.Can we see it in the air? We sure can.
:39:34. > :39:45.If you stand back, we'll get it up for you. OK.
:39:46. > :39:58.As the drone soars to a height of 120 metres,
:39:59. > :40:02.it will follow a flight plan up and down our fields.
:40:03. > :40:06.and with the help of a special camera,
:40:07. > :40:12.Paul is able to convert the images into a colour index called NDVI.
:40:13. > :40:15.I really need a science bod to explain the basics to me,
:40:16. > :40:21.So, this leaf from the crop is a nice, healthy green.
:40:22. > :40:24.This one here is less healthy, more of a yellowy colour,
:40:25. > :40:29.is reflecting very strongly in the colour green.
:40:30. > :40:33.It's not reflecting so strongly in the red colour or the blue colour.
:40:34. > :40:39.so this one is reflecting slightly less green and slightly more red.
:40:40. > :40:41.That's why it appears yellow in colour.
:40:42. > :40:43.And our NDVI camera is trying to detect the difference
:40:44. > :40:47.That's all very clever, but can I not see that with my naked eye -
:40:48. > :40:50.where there's yellow and where there's green?
:40:51. > :40:52.You can, yes, but it'll take you quite a while
:40:53. > :40:56.So the advantage of the drone is it flies at about 60 miles an hour,
:40:57. > :41:00.and it can cover that distance in a lot shorter time.
:41:01. > :41:11.It sounds like this device can save us farmers a lot of time and energy.
:41:12. > :41:21.An agronomist who I've been working with for the last 25 years.
:41:22. > :41:24.Hi, Jim. Hi, Adam. My word, look at you with your computer.
:41:25. > :41:27.How things have changed over the years we've been working together!
:41:28. > :41:29.It's moved on a bit, hasn't it? It really has!
:41:30. > :41:34.How can this be used, then? How can you benefit from the drone?
:41:35. > :41:39.Currently we do use satellite imagery
:41:40. > :41:45.Now, a drone is able to usurp to some degree the satellite imagery,
:41:46. > :41:48.because it's not dependent on cloud level.
:41:49. > :41:51.The other advantage is that its resolution is much higher
:41:52. > :41:55.You know, they're small enough and beginning to become cheap enough
:41:56. > :41:57.for farmers to actually own themselves.
:41:58. > :42:00.Even though Jim has known these fields for donkey's years,
:42:01. > :42:04.the eye in the sky is giving him a view he otherwise wouldn't have.
:42:05. > :42:07.He's going to show me how he can pinpoint a problem area.
:42:08. > :42:15.It's called an Umbelliferae, but in basic terms, wild carrot. Right!
:42:16. > :42:22.Now, we know we've got to strip down this edge of the field,
:42:23. > :42:25.and to be fair, it wouldn't take any great determination
:42:26. > :42:27.to work out where to put the sprayer.
:42:28. > :42:31.But if we'd had this strip out in the middle of the field, and...
:42:32. > :42:33.not exactly forgotten where it was, but couldn't work out exactly
:42:34. > :42:36.where it was, a big thick strip of this in the middle of a field
:42:37. > :42:40.A lot of wet seed, which is difficult to deal with,
:42:41. > :42:42.causing a lot of problems in storage.
:42:43. > :42:45.So, we would know where we had to go and put the sprayer.
:42:46. > :42:48.The sprayer could go out, spray off without doing the whole field,
:42:49. > :42:53.It's about that accuracy for you, isn't it? It is.
:42:54. > :42:55.Not putting the wrong stuff in the wrong place.
:42:56. > :42:57.It's all about that, because you imagine what it's like
:42:58. > :42:59.trying to wade out through this crop.
:43:00. > :43:01.Trying to work out where that strip is
:43:02. > :43:04.out in the middle of the field would take an enormous amount of effort.
:43:05. > :43:09.It is, and this is a short crop compared to some!
:43:10. > :43:12.You know, so, the ability of that drone to pinpoint
:43:13. > :43:22.where the problem is is hugely useful from our point of view.
:43:23. > :43:24.Using drones as a tool to survey our crops
:43:25. > :43:30.but can also be good for the environment,
:43:31. > :43:35.and a useful weapon in the fight against dry conditions.
:43:36. > :43:41.The sprayer has been programmed to target those problem areas.
:43:42. > :43:45.They say that the definition of a good farmer is a man outstanding
:43:46. > :43:47.in his field, which basically means we'll never get away
:43:48. > :43:51.from walking our crops, but it's been great seeing the drone
:43:52. > :43:56.The progression of technology in agriculture is just extraordinary,
:43:57. > :43:58.and what's important is that we make the most of it
:43:59. > :44:21.SEAN: Back in Hay-on-Wye, the literary festival is in full swing.
:44:22. > :44:24.There's a feast of books to feed the mind,
:44:25. > :44:26.but it's my grumbling tummy I need to sort out,
:44:27. > :44:27.and I think I've found the right place.
:44:28. > :44:33.Hay Festival might be all about the books,
:44:34. > :44:37.in supporting local food producers, too,
:44:38. > :44:43.and there's plenty of good local food to tickle the tastebuds.
:44:44. > :44:46.Recent years have seen a surge in the popularity of venison,
:44:47. > :44:49.but one Welsh farm was way ahead of the curve,
:44:50. > :44:57.selling the meat here at Hay for the past 30 years.
:44:58. > :45:01.This sheep-farming family took the bold and brave decision
:45:02. > :45:06.to switch from rearing small, woolly animals to keeping much larger ones.
:45:07. > :45:13.You wouldn't mess with one of those, would you? No.
:45:14. > :45:16.They caught the venison bug on a trip to New Zealand,
:45:17. > :45:21.Andrew and Elaine now farm a 300-strong herd of deer in the
:45:22. > :45:26.They're so graceful, aren't they? Just elegant.
:45:27. > :45:29.But difficult to round up, I guess. No, not too bad.
:45:30. > :45:34.Would we be in this field during rutting season?
:45:35. > :45:37.Not in the rutting September time, no, it would be, you know,
:45:38. > :45:40.it wouldn't be a safe place to be. Are they just dangerous anyway?
:45:41. > :45:43.Looking at the - well, the antlers on those. No, they're...
:45:44. > :45:45.They could do some damage, couldn't they?
:45:46. > :45:48.As long... We see them most days, so they become familiar with us,
:45:49. > :45:52.Venison is becoming quite fashionable now,
:45:53. > :45:54.but you were doing this back in the '80s.
:45:55. > :46:00.It's very popular, you know, chefs, telly programmes raise the profile.
:46:01. > :46:02.Is it a seasonal meat? In the same way as sheep.
:46:03. > :46:07.Historically it was, but because we're in a farmed environment,
:46:08. > :46:14.we've got a consistent supply of a good product all year round.
:46:15. > :46:16.It's been a busy week for the Morgans,
:46:17. > :46:18.but now they're ready for the festival.
:46:19. > :46:20.Your tomatoes are a bit thick, aren't they?
:46:21. > :46:24.I think I'm better at front of house. Yeah, I reckon so, too.
:46:25. > :46:29.And their daughter, Megan, really knows how to crack the whip.
:46:30. > :46:31.So, salad first. Yeah, how much of this do we put in?
:46:32. > :46:34.Oh, not too much. Is that going to ruin all your profits?
:46:35. > :46:38.Yeah. Not too much now. One slice of tomato, not too many.
:46:39. > :46:43.so can one of these burgers slip off the conveyor belt into my plate?
:46:44. > :46:46.Oh, if you work hard enough today, maybe.
:46:47. > :46:49.So, the burgers, where are they? Just in the middle one there.
:46:50. > :46:55.I have to say, they look very nice today. Oh. Just today? Every day.
:46:56. > :46:59.I picked out a really good one for you there.
:47:00. > :47:02.Are you having the burger with the salad?
:47:03. > :47:07.Whilst the Morgans made the move from sheep to dear,
:47:08. > :47:17.Martin and Juliet Noble share an anniversary with the Hay Festival.
:47:18. > :47:20.It was 30 years ago on a farm not far from here that they
:47:21. > :47:25.became the first commercial producers of sheep's milk ice cream.
:47:26. > :47:29.you made the switch from cow's milk to sheep's milk.
:47:30. > :47:33.Well, we did that because actually we were new to farming when
:47:34. > :47:37.we started milking sheep and we didn't really know how to milk cows,
:47:38. > :47:41.and I suppose the whole investment in equipment was much higher.
:47:42. > :47:45.And we'd read a book that told us that from sheep, you could get...
:47:46. > :47:46.From dairy sheep, you could get milk,
:47:47. > :47:52.And then we started to make ice cream quite soon afterwards.
:47:53. > :47:56.How did it go down 30 years ago, sheep's milk ice cream?
:47:57. > :47:59.Well, it was slightly challenging, we used to have sheep's milk written
:48:00. > :48:01.on all our signs and things, and every now and again you would see
:48:02. > :48:04.people in the queue and they would spot it and go,
:48:05. > :48:06."Oh, it sheep's milk." And they'd leave the queue.
:48:07. > :48:09.We spent a lot of time trying to get people into the queue.
:48:10. > :48:12.What are customers like here at Hay?
:48:13. > :48:14.Well, Hay customers are, you know, they're right up for it.
:48:15. > :48:17.And also, because we've been here 30 years, loads of people come,
:48:18. > :48:23.You must feel really proud that the people keep coming back.
:48:24. > :48:27.Certainly, ice cream is a lovely thing to do,
:48:28. > :48:30.people are always happy when they buy ice cream.
:48:31. > :48:32.Does it make any difference that it's sheep's milk?
:48:33. > :48:36.Does it taste any different to normal ice cream? No.
:48:37. > :48:41.They just capture such good, different flavours.
:48:42. > :48:45.It's not quite as rich as cow's milk.
:48:46. > :48:51.do I rummage around the book stores looking for a literary bargain?
:48:52. > :48:56.Or do I spend my pennies on an ice cream?
:48:57. > :49:00.but fingers crossed it will be over the next week.
:49:01. > :49:14.Let's find out from the Countryfile five-day forecast.
:49:15. > :49:22.It's a case of, be careful what you wish for. The place to be was along
:49:23. > :49:27.the coast today, eating an ice cream. A bit of fair weather cloud
:49:28. > :49:32.in Scotland, but a beautiful day, hardly a cloud in the sky for
:49:33. > :49:39.Cornwall. In the south-east, it was the hottest day of the year so far,
:49:40. > :49:43.32 Celsius in Greater London. The heat was fairly extensive today
:49:44. > :49:47.across England and Wales, high 20s and low 30s, as you can see. Just
:49:48. > :49:53.the far north-west, a little more disappointing, with cloud and
:49:54. > :49:58.showery outbreaks of rain continuing. The hot air has been
:49:59. > :50:01.sitting to the south of that weather front, behind it, fresher
:50:02. > :50:08.conditions. That will play a subtle part as we move into Tuesday. That
:50:09. > :50:12.front in the south-west is still producing showery outbreaks of rain
:50:13. > :50:17.and poor visibility on the coast. Further south, a humid, sticky night
:50:18. > :50:21.for trying to sleep. It will be a warm start to Monday morning, hardly
:50:22. > :50:27.a cloud in the sky again and the temperatures are set to rocket. The
:50:28. > :50:30.weather front slowly sinks its way south into central Scotland, but for
:50:31. > :50:35.the bulk of the country, a dry and sunny story, with just the outside
:50:36. > :50:39.chance of catching a shower if the heat triggers them off, but they
:50:40. > :50:45.will be fleeting. Temperatures could be up to 31 Celsius. With light
:50:46. > :50:49.breezes, it could feel pretty hot, even close to the coast. Clouding
:50:50. > :50:53.over a little into Northern Ireland and Central Scotland as we go into
:50:54. > :50:56.the day, from that weather front. The Northern Isles and the Western
:50:57. > :51:00.Isles will see some brightness tomorrow, maybe just a shower, but
:51:01. > :51:06.certainly better than it has been. The weather front will sink South
:51:07. > :51:11.overnight from Monday into Tuesday. Nothing in terms of rain, but behind
:51:12. > :51:18.it is a cold front, so fresher air. Mid-teens into Scotland, mid-to high
:51:19. > :51:23.20s into Scotland. It stays hot and humid to the south of that front.
:51:24. > :51:26.That front clears through as we move into Wednesday and allows this front
:51:27. > :51:32.of moving from the Atlantic, which could trigger sharp potentially
:51:33. > :51:38.thundery downpours. It will steadily push its way to the East, but ahead
:51:39. > :51:41.of it, a good deal of dry weather, with that heat remaining in the
:51:42. > :51:47.south-east. A little fresher to the north-east with the breeze from the
:51:48. > :51:51.sea. These two weather fronts are straddled across the country, known
:51:52. > :51:57.as a broad warm sector, and that will drag in hot air out of the
:51:58. > :52:02.south-east. On Thursday, we could see temperatures around 30 Celsius
:52:03. > :52:06.and above, but it is a fleeting heat, because behind that front,
:52:07. > :52:14.fresher air, and many will see high teens and low 20s. An area of low
:52:15. > :52:17.pressure moves in on Friday to the north-west, bringing increasing wind
:52:18. > :52:23.and heavy rain for a time across the Northwest and into Northern Ireland.
:52:24. > :52:29.It will weaken as it pushes east, so no substantial rainfall for England
:52:30. > :52:32.and Wales. A more pleasant feel, albeit on the breezy site. That is
:52:33. > :52:34.the theme as we go into next weekend. Some cooler days and
:52:35. > :52:46.fresher nights. And it is a case We are at the Hay literary festival
:52:47. > :52:50.in the beautiful Wye Valley. Thinkers and writers from all over
:52:51. > :52:53.the world have gathered to share ideas in the most perfect
:52:54. > :52:57.rural setting. I've been exploring the
:52:58. > :52:59.countryside round about, and the wildlife safari I did
:53:00. > :53:04.earlier has left me wanting more. There's one creature I'm
:53:05. > :53:08.dying to see. My pursuit started back in
:53:09. > :53:14.March up in North Wales, where I only saw them from
:53:15. > :53:17.a distance. I'm headed for Herefordshire,
:53:18. > :53:29.countryside to stir the spirit. And for a lover of wildlife,
:53:30. > :53:35.a kind of paradise. Ecologist Nigel Hand shares
:53:36. > :53:38.my passion. He's been studying these elusive
:53:39. > :53:41.animals for a decade. If anyone can get
:53:42. > :53:44.me close to an adder, it's him. Hi, Nigel, how are you? Hello.
:53:45. > :53:47.Good to see you. Nice to meet you. So, what's your method for tracking
:53:48. > :53:50.down the adders, then? Well, bizarrely, I can smell them
:53:51. > :53:55.on site, which sounds a bit odd. Can everyone smell them, or have you
:53:56. > :53:58.just got a particular sense for it? I think I've been working round
:53:59. > :54:00.them so long now. Is that the only method?
:54:01. > :54:03.No, I have another method, actually. Radio telemetry.
:54:04. > :54:06.This looks more technical. So I have a receiver and an aerial,
:54:07. > :54:11.and we put a tag on a snake. And then we type its number in
:54:12. > :54:14.and pick up the signal of the So you've tagged
:54:15. > :54:19.a number of snakes around this site? We've tagged ten snakes on this
:54:20. > :54:21.site, and we've been following
:54:22. > :54:23.them around since early April. So which one are we going
:54:24. > :54:25.to go and track? We are going to go track 299,
:54:26. > :54:29.which is a female. OK. The sun's out,
:54:30. > :54:37.so she might be basking. 'Right now,
:54:38. > :54:40.299 could have shed her skin, 'which means she may have cast off
:54:41. > :54:44.the tracking device, too. 'We can't be sure of what we'll
:54:45. > :54:49.find.' We're very close now.
:54:50. > :54:55.Do I need to keep quiet? 34. It's really exciting!
:54:56. > :55:00.SHE WHISPERS: I like this. I guess with those very
:55:01. > :55:02.distinctive zigzag markings, in this dead bracken,
:55:03. > :55:05.she'd be so well camouflaged. I think she's curled up in there,
:55:06. > :55:08.Ellie, actually. 'On with the special bite-proof
:55:09. > :55:14.gauntlets.' Oh, my goodness, Nigel,
:55:15. > :55:20.you're so good at finding them. I'm just going to grab her,
:55:21. > :55:24.just to have a quick look at her condition and see how close she is
:55:25. > :55:27.to shedding her skin, Ellie. You can see the tag there on her
:55:28. > :55:29.quite clearly. Yes, it's put on with
:55:30. > :55:32.a medical tape, Ellie, and the aerial is
:55:33. > :55:34.about 12 centimetres. Oh, I see. It looks almost like it's
:55:35. > :55:36.gone under the skin, And it doesn't change
:55:37. > :55:40.the way they behave? Not at all, we've seen them
:55:41. > :55:43.combating, in courtship and mating,
:55:44. > :55:45.and even feeding with the tags on, so it doesn't seem to impair
:55:46. > :55:48.their behaviour. we've pulled her out of the very
:55:49. > :55:53.humid part of the dead bracken. At this time of year, when they're
:55:54. > :55:56.coming to shed their skins, they need that humidity to help
:55:57. > :56:00.soften the skin. Today or tomorrow, she's probably
:56:01. > :56:02.going to shed her skin. So we'll be finding another tag
:56:03. > :56:05.at some point. That's really exciting,
:56:06. > :56:07.getting this close to one, isn't it? That was so cool,
:56:08. > :56:10.seeing her so close up! Do you still get the buzz even
:56:11. > :56:13.all these years on? It doesn't leave you, actually.
:56:14. > :56:16.I think every snake is a new snake. Nigel's research
:56:17. > :56:22.has shown that males travel greater distances than females during
:56:23. > :56:25.the breeding season. And where adders come
:56:26. > :56:28.face-to-face with humans, like here on this golf course,
:56:29. > :56:32.Nigel's work is helping landowners manage their patch for
:56:33. > :56:37.these rare animals. There are an estimated 100,000 adult
:56:38. > :56:42.adders in the UK, a number which has massively declined in recent
:56:43. > :56:46.years, mainly due to habitat loss. But they're pretty
:56:47. > :56:48.oblivious to humans, which is why they can peacefully
:56:49. > :56:53.coexist here alongside the golfers. If we leave them alone,
:56:54. > :57:00.they should do us the same courtesy. The Wye Valley is
:57:01. > :57:12.a landscape full of surprises. Back at the Hay Festival, we've got
:57:13. > :57:18.a big surprise of our own to share. Please put your hands together for
:57:19. > :57:21.the Countryfile presenters Good evening, everybody.
:57:22. > :57:29.Good evening. Thank you very much to the
:57:30. > :57:33.Hay Festival for having us. And thank you to everybody who
:57:34. > :57:36.has bought the Countryfile calendar for 2017. Yes,
:57:37. > :57:41.sales last year were staggering. You've helped us raise
:57:42. > :57:44.a truly unbelievable amount for Children in Need.
:57:45. > :57:49.And that figure is... It's a staggering amount going to
:57:50. > :58:03.Children In Need, and it's a record-breaker for us,
:58:04. > :58:06.too. And if you'd like to take part in
:58:07. > :58:10.next year's calendar, by entering our photographic competition,
:58:11. > :58:13.all the details are on our website. Next week, I'll be taking a look at
:58:14. > :58:16.some of our working animals, including the robots that are
:58:17. > :58:20.changing the face of falconry. Not to be missed.
:58:21. > :58:22.I'm sure you'll all agree. Thanks so much for having us.
:58:23. > :58:24.Bye-bye. Goodbye. The BAFTA award-winning comedian
:58:25. > :59:11.returns, The BAFTA award-winning comedian
:59:12. > :59:17.returns, some of his finest
:59:18. > :59:21.and funniest moments.