0:00:26 > 0:00:30The Yorkshire Dales, where intricate dry-stone walls criss-cross
0:00:30 > 0:00:34a landscape of remarkable beauty and distinctive character.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38Swaledale, Wensleydale, Wharfedale and Nidderdale
0:00:38 > 0:00:41all familiar names to the many visitors
0:00:41 > 0:00:43who fall in love with the area,
0:00:43 > 0:00:45whatever the weather.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48We've had a bit of snow here and it is mightily cold.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Most of our feathered and furry friends have taken cover
0:00:51 > 0:00:55against the winter chill, but there is one bold little mammal
0:00:55 > 0:00:58that will make an appearance for the right food.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01For me, that would be chocolate cake. For them, it's these...
0:01:01 > 0:01:02Hazelnuts.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05I'm more of a cheese man,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08so I'll be looking into the history of a famous one.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11These are the ruins of Jervaulx,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17The monks who prayed here were also farmers.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Sheep grazed their land and, from the sheep, they got milk and cheese.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24And it's believed the monks had a special recipe that was
0:01:24 > 0:01:27the forerunner of Wensleydale cheese.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30And I'll be seeing if we can recreate that original recipe
0:01:30 > 0:01:33on this spot, all these centuries later.
0:01:33 > 0:01:39Tom's on a farm in Devon, checking on the prospects for the coming year.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43These empty barns should be full of cattle, but the torrential rain
0:01:43 > 0:01:47of last year means the farmer can no longer afford to keep them.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51He's had to sell up. Will the hardship be as bad in 2013?
0:01:51 > 0:01:53I'll be investigating.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57And, on his farm, Adam's got a brand-new helper.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59It's coming a bit misty now but at times,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02the snow can make the landscape look beautiful.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04But for me as a farmer, all the extreme weather has caused us
0:02:04 > 0:02:07all sorts of problems, but it's not this man's fault.
0:02:07 > 0:02:08I hope not, Adam, anyway!
0:02:08 > 0:02:11John Hammond, BBC weather forecaster, he's come to the farm
0:02:11 > 0:02:14so I can tell you all about how the weather has been affecting us,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17and while you're here, I'll get you to feed some sheep, too.
0:02:17 > 0:02:18Look forward to it.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30A landscape peppered with the ruins of ancient abbeys
0:02:30 > 0:02:34is a striking reminder of an important era in Yorkshire's history.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38The Dales were once a stronghold of Cistercian monks.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Jervaulx Abbey, on the edge of the Dales,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44was one of eight they built round here nine centuries ago.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The monks were robed in white, just as the ruins are today,
0:02:48 > 0:02:53and they had a significant impact on both the countryside and its people.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55For the monks here at Jervaulx,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58agriculture was a major part of their lives.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02And they were particularly renowned for their sheep and their horses.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06For almost 400 years, this blend of piety
0:03:06 > 0:03:09and commercial farming was a powerful force.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11But it came to an end in 1537,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15when Henry VIII seized the estate and blew up the abbey.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Today, there are just ruins, but this tranquil place does provide
0:03:20 > 0:03:24a home for more than 180 species of wildflower,
0:03:24 > 0:03:29and some of them still manage to add a little touch of colour, even now,
0:03:29 > 0:03:30in the depths of winter.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35'I'm meeting with monastic scholar Glyn Coppack, who can give me
0:03:35 > 0:03:39'an insight into what life was really like here for the monks.'
0:03:41 > 0:03:43There's certainly a bleak majesty
0:03:43 > 0:03:45about this place in the snow, isn't there?
0:03:45 > 0:03:46It's beautiful.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48You can see everything. It's so clear.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Just how big would this building have been, in its heyday?
0:03:52 > 0:03:54The buildings covered about two acres.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Outside that two acres, there's another 78.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00These abbeys are built on agriculture.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02They're the first great corporations.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04They brought capital in an area
0:04:04 > 0:04:07which was essentially a peasant occupation.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09So, they did things on a scale
0:04:09 > 0:04:11which hadn't been seen since the Roman times.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13And where are we now? What was this place?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16This is the cloister. This is the monks' living room.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20- This was at the very heart of the monastery, then.- Absolutely.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23MONASTIC CHANTING
0:04:24 > 0:04:27And what have we got here, Glyn?
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Well, this was the chapterhouse.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32They came here to confess their faults,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35to receive punishment and to do business.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39And would these stone slabs around here be where the monks sat?
0:04:39 > 0:04:41They are indeed,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45with the Abbot sitting in the middle of the east wall
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- on a slightly higher seat. - What, up there?- That's right.
0:04:48 > 0:04:49On the wall in front of us.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52And, at his feet, the graves of his predecessors.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56So, he sat with his feet on dead abbots?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Well, that's where his authority came from.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05The Cistercians lived frugally, observing rules of poverty
0:05:05 > 0:05:09and simplicity, and were restricted to a single meal each day.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12And this is the meat kitchen.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17- When was this built, then? - Round about 1400.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21You say "meat kitchen", but I thought Cistercians were vegetarians.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Well, they were until the end of the 13th century,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- when the Pope decided they could eat meat.- And is that a fireplace there?
0:05:27 > 0:05:31- It was indeed.- It's enormous! It's huge, isn't it?- It is.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Presumably, there would've been a spit across here?
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Oh, yes, and the evidence for that is, to either side,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39we have a little box, like this.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42There was a man sitting in here, sheltered from the fire,
0:05:42 > 0:05:43turning the handle.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47- And they probably had a whole cow on here!- Probably! Yes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- They were great cheesemakers, weren't they, the monks here?- Yeah.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Is it possible that Wensleydale cheese
0:05:53 > 0:05:55could've started on this very spot?
0:05:55 > 0:05:57It could have done.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01They ran herds of sheep and cows. They were great innovators.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03And we know they ate a lot of cheese.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07I'd be very surprised if they weren't involved somewhere.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11This wild Yorkshire setting was the perfect backdrop for the monks,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14as they dedicated their lives to prayer, study,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16farming and cheesemaking.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21Now, a local artisan cheesemaker, Iona Hill, is following their lead.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- Hello, Iona.- Hello, John.- Well, this is certainly a first, isn't it?
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Making cheese at Jervaulx Abbey for the first time in 500 years.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It certainly is, but I'd hope that the monks
0:06:31 > 0:06:34made it in their dairy with a roof and four walls!
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- And a bit warmer weather, as well! - I'd hope so, yes.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39And, what stage are you at, at the moment?
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Well, I've added my starter culture and I've added rennet,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and now I'm going to cut it, so it's set,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48so we'll form curds and whey.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52- You're now going to cut it?- I am. - Now is that looking good to you?
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Yes, it certainly is, it's just moving around a little too much.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- I'll be back later, if that's OK, to give you a bit of a hand.- OK.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02But first, living in the countryside may seem idyllic,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05but for a growing number of people in the UK,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08rural life has become a daily struggle,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10and Tom has been discovering why.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13CROWD SINGS FOLKSY TUNE
0:07:19 > 0:07:22It's a chilly night in the county of Devon,
0:07:22 > 0:07:26but here in the village of Wimpole, they're letting their hair down.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29This is a wassail, a festival to banish the doom and gloom
0:07:29 > 0:07:35of winter, and wake up the fruit trees in the hope of a better year.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And, after the last 18 months, they're really going to need it.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45FOLKSY SINGING CONTINUES
0:07:52 > 0:07:54For many in the countryside,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57there hasn't been much to sing about recently.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Last autumn, Devon farmer Barry Butler had to make
0:08:03 > 0:08:06one of the toughest decisions of his life.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11In here, we had youngsters, we had young weaned calves and young stock.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14In here was our stock bull,
0:08:14 > 0:08:19and here, we had a cow and a calf, with the calf creep in the corner.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Now you've just got the cockerel
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- and the harem left there. - That's right. Yes. Sad, isn't it?
0:08:24 > 0:08:27COCKEREL CROWS
0:08:27 > 0:08:31After 30 years, Barry was forced to sell his entire herd
0:08:31 > 0:08:34of award-winning Aberdeen Angus beef cattle.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37And this is the reason.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41A year of wet weather has ruined many of his fields.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Tom, you've got to be a bit careful, here.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Don't go over there, cos you'll sink knee-deep.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52I mean, can you get cattle or a tractor even through this?
0:08:52 > 0:08:56No, we haven't been able to get a tractor on this field all year.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00- Is this the only field that's like this?- No, they're all like this.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02This is the problem that we've got.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04So you decided that this was
0:09:04 > 0:09:08really no longer any good as cattle country any more?
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Well, it's just not viable. I can't... What can you do?
0:09:11 > 0:09:13They can't come out on this.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15As soon as they come out on this, they'll sink.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19The grass won't be edible any more, it'll just be a mud patch.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23As a farmer, surely you're used to the vagaries of the weather,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26- aren't you?- We are, but this is really, really serious.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Really serious.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31To get this back in any state,
0:09:31 > 0:09:35we need a drought, a really strong, long drought.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37With his fields flooded,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Barry's only option would have been to keep his cattle indoors.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44But that would have meant buying in expensive feed.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48The price of feed has rocketed - this is hard feed.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53And we haven't made enough forage to keep them going.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54What do you do? I don't know.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57How did it feel to sell them?
0:09:57 > 0:09:59It's 30 years of our life
0:09:59 > 0:10:03breeding what we consider to be really top-quality stock.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08We've shown for years, and it was heart-rending, it really was.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12My wife Judy couldn't come out of the house. She couldn't see them go.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14It was very, very sad.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17It really was. But what can we do?
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Guess what? It's raining again.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Farmers like Barry feel like they've endured 18 months of winter,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32like last summer never really happened.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35It's hit dairy farmers, poultry,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38soft fruit, sheep farmers,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40even beekeepers.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Few in the countryside can escape the consequences
0:10:43 > 0:10:46of nearly the wettest year on record.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52It's not just been the weather.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Living in the countryside means coping with poorer transport links,
0:10:55 > 0:10:59higher fuel bills and a lack of nearby services
0:10:59 > 0:11:00like schools and hospitals.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03When you add all those together,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05it's reckoned that for a similar lifestyle,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08you need to earn £2,700 more
0:11:08 > 0:11:11if you live in the countryside than if you live in the town.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16And don't let the desirable homes and gorgeous views
0:11:16 > 0:11:19blind you to a reality that there are some people
0:11:19 > 0:11:22in the country who are really struggling to get by.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29One in six households in rural areas is now below the poverty line.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31But there is some relief.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34The Trussell Trust is opening three new food banks a week,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37offering free basic supplies to those in need.
0:11:37 > 0:11:42- It's three children, isn't it?- Well, two and a half but we say three.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Could we have a food box made up, please,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47for one adult and three children?
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Working alongside them, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution
0:11:51 > 0:11:55offers financial advice and support to farming families.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Liz Hall's one of their welfare officers.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Sometimes when you turn up at farms,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03are people in really quite straitened circumstances?
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Oh, yes. Just despair, really. Depression is an awful thing.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08I see quite a lot of people
0:12:08 > 0:12:11that are very depressed, whether or not it's been diagnosed.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Sometimes, when you turn up to a farm, can it be quite an emergency?
0:12:14 > 0:12:18In the past, I've given away my sandwiches. It's useful to have that.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20That's extraordinary,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23cos people think about farmers growing food for themselves.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Yet sometimes they haven't got enough for the weekend?
0:12:25 > 0:12:29The thing is, a farmer doesn't get a weekly wage, like a lot of people.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30He may be waiting for a cheque.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Sometimes you need to give them the means to eat over a few days.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36That's right.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39So, even in the heart of the countryside,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42help is on its way for those who are really struggling.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Just getting by in the countryside has always been tough for some.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49But after the 18-month winter we seem to have had,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52many people - whoa! - are almost completely swamped.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55And, as I'll be reporting later,
0:12:55 > 0:12:59the aftershock in 2013 could be even worse.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09This week, we're exploring the Yorkshire Dales.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13An unlikely hotspot, you might think, for this little fella -
0:13:13 > 0:13:15the red squirrel.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18I'm in Woodale,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20heading to a patch of forest that's a stronghold for the reds.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23But that's not the case everywhere in the Dales.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Red squirrels are native,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30and once thrived across our British woodlands.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Just four American grey squirrels were introduced to Britain in 1876,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39and they bred like, well, squirrels,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43and that led to a devastating decline in our native reds.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48As well as out-competing the reds for food, the grey squirrel
0:13:48 > 0:13:52carries a pox which, whilst not fatal to them, will kill a red.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02I'm meeting wildlife photographer Simon Phillpotts
0:14:02 > 0:14:05at a spot where they've been clinging on.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09- There he is. Hello, Simon.- Hi, Julia. - I'm ready for my master class.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Lovely to meet you.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- So, you've got all the kit? - We're all ready to go.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17- That one's yours, the big one there.- I feel very privileged!
0:14:17 > 0:14:21'I'm also hoping to get my first snap of a red squirrel.'
0:14:21 > 0:14:22Aren't we very exposed out here?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Shouldn't we be hidden in the bushes?- No, not really.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27This is the best location in terms of light,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31because it's quite open woodland, and the squirrels really don't mind.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34As long as they can come and find their food, they're happy.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38- Is it OK to feed them?- Yes.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41This is actually quite a young pine forest,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43so in terms of natural food,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46a lot of the cones aren't fully developed yet,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49so they do need some supplementary feeding to help them through winter.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53- Is this camera idiot-proof? - Yeah, we're all ready to go!
0:14:53 > 0:14:55The exposure's set.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59All you're going to have to do is make sure you get the centre
0:14:59 > 0:15:01focus point on the squirrel.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Then you can fire away.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Now we just have to wait.
0:15:10 > 0:15:11No squirrels yet,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15but the birds are definitely enjoying the free banquet.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20It doesn't take long, though.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Here he comes.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25The first one makes its entrance.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- Here we go.- Ooh! Come on, little cheeky thing.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40In just a few minutes, three or four are running around.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45They're quick movers, aren't they? They do a sort of smash-and-grab,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47they come and get the nut, and they're off!
0:15:47 > 0:15:51They just come and grab a hazelnut, and then they take it away
0:15:51 > 0:15:54and put it in a private store hidden away from all the other squirrels.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01They're so quick, all I seem to capture are bushy red tails.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04It would be nice if at least one posed for me.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13- If only he'd just turn around! - LAUGHS
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- Ah, that's a beautiful pose. - Showing off now.- Oh, yeah, they do.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Finally, I get my picture.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28I'm quite chuffed with that.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35But what's the future for red squirrels in Yorkshire?
0:16:37 > 0:16:40At the moment, greys are mainly Southerners,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43whilst the reds cling on to more northern locations.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48A frontline now runs right through the Yorkshire Dales.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Simon is part of a new group that wants to make more
0:16:50 > 0:16:52of the area's red-squirrel territory.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58'Another member of the group living right on the grey-squirrel border
0:16:58 > 0:17:00'is Anthony Bagshaw.'
0:17:00 > 0:17:02So, Anthony, this is such a new squirrel group,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04- you haven't even got a name yet? - We haven't.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- So how long have you been here?- We've been here just on 20 years now.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12And what was the squirrel landscape like when you arrived?
0:17:12 > 0:17:16When we arrived, we had red squirrels up the dale that way.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19We had grey squirrels on that side of us.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23And we took the view that, if we could control the greys,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26we would protect those reds up there,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- and if we were really lucky, we might get a red here.- And?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31And...we did!
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Four years ago, we seemed to have got rid of all the greys,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39and then a red turned up. Shortly after that, we had two reds,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42then we started having litters here.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46These are the squirrels from that litter, filmed just before the snow.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Without really intending to,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Anthony has helped this farm become a red-squirrel stronghold.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Now he hopes the new community group will help to widen
0:17:58 > 0:18:01the reds' territory even further.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04What is the aim of the group? What's your ambition?
0:18:04 > 0:18:08We want to get as many of the local people involved as possible
0:18:08 > 0:18:11so that we can do three things, really.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14One is to monitor the greys and the reds.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19The second is to help control the greys, and then the third thing is
0:18:19 > 0:18:23to feed and encourage the reds to spread out into the community.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28One of the most important things that they want to do is to encourage
0:18:28 > 0:18:32locals to report their sightings of both grey and red squirrels.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Today, Matt Neale from the Yorkshire Dales National Park has come along
0:18:38 > 0:18:41to help Anthony set up his own squirrel-monitoring system.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48- Matt, we're here to help!- Hello, there!- That looks like a feeder.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52The idea of the feeder is to try to attract squirrels to this location.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54And the idea is we're going to try to find out
0:18:54 > 0:18:57if we've got red squirrels or greys visiting this location.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59And have you seen one of these in action before?
0:18:59 > 0:19:02We haven't had one of these here before.
0:19:03 > 0:19:04Time to fix it to the tree.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10With the feeder firmly attached, now for the high-tech monitoring device -
0:19:10 > 0:19:13a bit of plastic pipe.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15And that's the sticky pad?
0:19:15 > 0:19:18And we've got the sticky pad, OK, so we take the backing off now.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22And then we push that just up inside in this end...
0:19:24 > 0:19:29..like so. And you can just see the sticky pad up that end.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32So as the squirrel comes along the branch, goes through the tube
0:19:32 > 0:19:35to get the food, it'll hopefully leave its hair.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Matt's brought along a sample from another site.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40You can't always tell which squirrel's been through
0:19:40 > 0:19:43just by relying on the colour, because both squirrels
0:19:43 > 0:19:46moult at different times of year and have colour variations.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48There's lots of shading going on.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51So we take them away and examine these pads under a microscope,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53and then that tells us whether it's red or grey.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57And these kind of systems are just so important, aren't they, for you?
0:19:57 > 0:19:59They are, because if we know if we've got red squirrels
0:19:59 > 0:20:02or grey squirrels in an area, then that helps us
0:20:02 > 0:20:05and other bodies advise landowners on the best way to manage woodlands.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Future habitat management is going to be one of the key measures
0:20:09 > 0:20:12to ensuring we have a sustainable red squirrel population.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18This little box is going to be a fantastic monitoring system
0:20:18 > 0:20:21to find out if, indeed, there are any greys left in the area,
0:20:21 > 0:20:26how many there are and whether or not it's going to stay red. We hope so.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37'While I've been meeting one of our most loved wild animals,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39'Jules has been following in the footsteps
0:20:39 > 0:20:41'of one of Britain's most famous vets.'
0:20:46 > 0:20:49'With their rolling hills, seemingly endless stone walls
0:20:49 > 0:20:53'and remote farms, the Dales are, of course, James Herriot country.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'Written by real-life vet Alf Wight, the James Herriot books
0:20:58 > 0:21:03were 'semi-autobiographical tales of a 1930s vet in Yorkshire.'
0:21:06 > 0:21:10In reality, Alf Wight actually worked in Thirsk,
0:21:10 > 0:21:11up on the edge of the Dales,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15but it was here in Askrigg that the stories really came to life.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Back in the 1970s,
0:21:17 > 0:21:21this entire place was transformed into the fictional Darrowby,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25for the hit TV series, All Creatures Great And Small,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28and this building behind me, well, THAT was Herriot's home.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37I'm sorry, Mr Handshaw, this cow has a broken pelvis...
0:21:38 > 0:21:41..and damaged nerve endings as well, I shouldn't wonder.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47'Just a stone's throw from Askrigg is a real-life veterinary practice
0:21:47 > 0:21:50'run by married couple Davinia Hinde and Michael Woodhouse.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54'So is life as a Dales vet
0:21:54 > 0:21:58'still anything like James Herriot's classic anecdotes?'
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- Nice to see you. - Pleased to meet you.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05'I'm giving Davinia a hand with her first patient of the day,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08'Minnie, who's in for a blood test.'
0:22:08 > 0:22:10There we are, Minnie. Right...
0:22:10 > 0:22:12There we are, good girl.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Now, Minnie here, I suppose, represents, you know,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18the classic small-animal moment in the day of a working vet,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20but you are a mixed practice,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23and that's something that you were very keen on getting into.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Absolutely. We wanted to be working within a genuinely mixed practice.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28We're 85% large animals,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30so after this, I could be off calving a cow
0:22:30 > 0:22:33or doing a Caesarean or whatever. It's a very mixed day,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36which is just really nice to have that variety in your life.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Did the Herriot stories inspire you, like it did many vets?
0:22:38 > 0:22:42I am one of the, sort of, sad ones, that it was the Herriot stories.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45And is it the romantic dream that you hoped it would be?
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Erm...it has its romantic moments,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50but it also has its chaotic moments, as well.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54- But it must also have its heartbreaking moments.- It does.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56One of the worst things, putting farmers' dogs down,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59cos they spend more time with their dogs than with their wives,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01many of them, so they're always very upset.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04'The waiting room is now full, so I'm leaving Davinia to it,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07'to join Michael out on his rounds.'
0:23:07 > 0:23:09- Michael!- Hello.- Hey, mate.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- You all right? - How are you? All set?- Yep.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Well, lovely day to see the Dales.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19- Absolutely. Minus six.- Minus six! - THEY LAUGH
0:23:20 > 0:23:24We're heading down to a herd that milks
0:23:24 > 0:23:28just over 100 pedigree Holstein cows.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Oh, nice! OK, yeah.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32It's a routine fertility visit,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34so we're looking to see if cows are in calf.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Erm, we're looking to see if cows aren't in calf,
0:23:37 > 0:23:42why they're not in calf and cows that haven't been seen in heat.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Here we are.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57- Alan, hello, nice to see you, sir. - How d'you do?- How are you?
0:23:57 > 0:24:00- Fine, thank you.- How many are we going to look at today?
0:24:00 > 0:24:04- There's eight today. We're just hoping they're all in calf.- Yes.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- It's the one's that are not in calf that we're looking for.- Yeah.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- Right, then, who's our first client? - She's waiting.- Oh, she's here!
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Right!
0:24:16 > 0:24:18- What's the news, Michael? - She's pregnant.- Yeah.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23We have black fluid with a white circle,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25and then there's a fine white line running round it.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27That's the little baby calf.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29I can just about see his heart flicking away.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- It's absolutely amazing. Next! - LAUGHS
0:24:38 > 0:24:41She's got a huge cyst on her ovary.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44- Really?- See that big black circle?
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Yeah. That's the cyst, is it?
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Yeah, each one of those squares is a centimetre,
0:24:48 > 0:24:52so it's one, two, three, four centimetres across.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56What we're going to do is we'll put a progesterone implant device in
0:24:56 > 0:24:59that sits in for a week,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02and then when they take that back out,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06hopefully, the cow gets rid of the cyst and then comes back into heat.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Right, Alan, she's done.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19'Michael's routine visits not only mean checking for pregnancies,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21'but they're also aimed at making sure
0:25:21 > 0:25:24'the cows are in optimum health for getting in calf.'
0:25:26 > 0:25:30Your relationship with the vet, with Michael here, is crucial, isn't it?
0:25:30 > 0:25:35Oh, it is, yes. We used to do this monthly, we've gone to fortnightly.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40- If there's anything wrong, we catch them, you know, sooner.- Yeah.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42So is it...it's economy of time,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46and it's worth having Michael in on a more regular basis?
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Yeah, even though they do charge a lot.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- JULES LAUGHS - You see, I was waiting for that!
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Getting dragged out of bed at five o'clock in the morning
0:26:00 > 0:26:03when it's minus four outside or whatever,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06to go and calve somebody's cow - it isn't great fun.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09It's very satisfying when you've done it.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14That was all rather interesting, actually.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Quite nice to see one of your clients, as well,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- with his lovely Holsteins. They were nice.- Very nice, very good farm.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Yeah. But in terms of the sort of characters that you get
0:26:23 > 0:26:26to meet here, I mean, again, going back to the Herriot books,
0:26:26 > 0:26:31I mean, they are full of people that, really, you kind of wonder
0:26:31 > 0:26:34if we'd ever see again. Do you have anyone like that up here on the...?
0:26:34 > 0:26:36We've got a few characters, haven't we?
0:26:36 > 0:26:39I don't think they've all died out, as yet, have they?
0:26:39 > 0:26:42No, no, there's some of the traditional ones still out there.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44We're not just vets, either, are you?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46You spend part of your time being social workers and...
0:26:46 > 0:26:49- Oh, a lot of your time being social workers.- Really?- Yeah.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51GP. "Will you have a look at me gammy finger?"
0:26:51 > 0:26:53LAUGHTER
0:26:53 > 0:26:56- Marriage counsellor. - Marriage counsellor, yes!
0:26:56 > 0:26:59- And that's all this week!- Yeah!
0:27:07 > 0:27:11When Alf Wight put pen to paper all those years ago,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14I wonder if he really knew that he'd be creating a character
0:27:14 > 0:27:17that would go on to inspire generations of young men and women
0:27:17 > 0:27:21to share his passion for animals and their welfare.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24When it comes to James Herriot, it's perfectly clear
0:27:24 > 0:27:28that his spirit is alive and well here in the Yorkshire Dales.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35For nearly 400 years,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38the Cistercian monks of Jervaulx Abbey farmed here.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41They were very much part of the community in Wensleydale,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44which was to give its name to a well-known cheese.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47And their legacy lives on, because they could have brought
0:27:47 > 0:27:49the original recipe from France.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53We're recreating it today, using, as they did,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55not cow's milk, but sheep's.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57So what stage are we at?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00OK, we've just taken the whey off and we've got ourselves
0:28:00 > 0:28:02a nice little block of our ewe's milk Wensleydale.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04We could add the salt, I think.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Have you been making cheese for a long time?
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Actually, no, I'm a relative newcomer.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I've only been making cheese for little over four years.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13What did you do before then?
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Oh, goodness! I was a chartered accountant!
0:28:16 > 0:28:20- Well, that's a bit different, isn't it?- Certainly is, yes.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22But give me cheese any day.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25You don't need all of this, so just going to put a little bit in,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29and then we're going to crumble it up and that's our version of milling,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- which means you just get the salt evenly distributed.- Yeah.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- There we go, that's enough. - And what happens after this, then?
0:28:35 > 0:28:39After we've finished milling this and mixing the salt in thoroughly,
0:28:39 > 0:28:43we're going to put this into a mould, with a cheesecloth,
0:28:43 > 0:28:45and then it's ready to put into...
0:28:45 > 0:28:48- What, a cheesecloth like this one? - Absolutely, yes.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53- So is that enough mixing yet? - Yeah, I think it is, yes.
0:28:55 > 0:28:56Thanks.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01- You see, it's almost starting to set already.- It is, isn't it?- Yeah, yeah.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05This is the lovely bit about cheese. It starts off being milk
0:29:05 > 0:29:07and then it sets and then you cut it and...
0:29:07 > 0:29:10- Keeps transforming itself, doesn't it?- Absolutely.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Now it starts going back together again. There we go.
0:29:13 > 0:29:18So we're pretty close to having a Wensleydale cheese now, aren't we?
0:29:18 > 0:29:20We are, indeed, yes. Yes, we are.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25If we put some weight on it, in about 24 hours we'll have a firm cheese.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29And when you're making Wensleydale sheep cheese commercially,
0:29:29 > 0:29:31- do you do it in exactly the same way?- Yes, we do.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Same process, same stages, slightly larger quantities
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and in a much warmer place. But let me show you one I made earlier.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Right.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43This is our matured ewe's milk Wensleydale.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45- That's a fine-looking cheese. - Would you like some?
0:29:45 > 0:29:48- Ooh, yes. Can I have a nibble? - Absolutely. There you go.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50Mmm, thank you.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- Oh! That is very strong, isn't it?- Yes, it is.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57It's matured, it's aged, yes.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01I've just realised that not only are we making cheese today,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03we're making history,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05because this is the first time for nearly 500 years
0:30:05 > 0:30:10that a Wensleydale cheese has been made in the grounds of this abbey.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- Yes, you're right, absolutely. - How about that?- Fantastic, isn't it?
0:30:14 > 0:30:15Brilliant!
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Now, we've been hearing how a tough 2012 only added to the problems
0:30:28 > 0:30:31faced by many of Britain's farmers.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33So will 2013 be any better?
0:30:33 > 0:30:35Here's Tom.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40The so-called "18-month winter"
0:30:40 > 0:30:43has taken its toll on the British countryside.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45For farms, especially the smaller ones,
0:30:45 > 0:30:49the dreadful weather, combined with the high price of animal feed,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51has brought real hardship,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54not just for farmers, but for their workers, too.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58That's Louie just arriving here on the farm for work
0:30:58 > 0:31:00and he commutes about five miles every day.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08'Louie Cornish is part of the future of agriculture.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11'He's a 17-year-old apprentice on this farm in Devon.
0:31:11 > 0:31:17'But poor buses and low wages mean he needs a subsidised scooter.'
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- They look pretty keen, they look pretty ready for it.- They're ready.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Tell me about this moped scheme - how does that work?
0:31:23 > 0:31:28Well, basically it costs £22 a month...a week, sorry,
0:31:28 > 0:31:32and they give you a moped and they service it all for you every month.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36- Who's "they"?- This is Wheels to Work, Devon Wheels to Work.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Why is it you decided for a career in farming?
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Well, I just love being outdoors, really.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45It's nice to be out in the fresh air and it's just animals.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49'Money is tight for Louie, but his situation could be worse
0:31:49 > 0:31:53'if it wasn't for a body called the Agricultural Wages Board.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56'Set up after the War, it looks after the pay
0:31:56 > 0:31:59'and conditions of farm workers in England and Wales.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03'But the benefits the board brings have an uncertain future.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05'The government wants to abolish it.'
0:32:05 > 0:32:08The abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board could mean
0:32:08 > 0:32:12apprentices like Louie lose around £1 an hour,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15and farm workers' unions are furious.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19'The union Unite claims 136,000 workers
0:32:19 > 0:32:22'and their families could be affected.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25'DEFRA says getting rid of the board will help ensure a viable
0:32:25 > 0:32:30'future for agriculture, increasing flexibility and decreasing red tape.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33'But it does accept the abolition could take more
0:32:33 > 0:32:38'than £250 million out of the rural economy in the next ten years.'
0:32:39 > 0:32:42So it's my job to stop them coming out of this gap here?
0:32:42 > 0:32:44- It is, yeah, you protect that gap there.- OK.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48'But scrapping the Wages Board could reduce outgoings
0:32:48 > 0:32:51'for farmers like Louie's boss, Steve Wooldridge.'
0:32:52 > 0:32:55It tells you if they're going to have one lamb,
0:32:55 > 0:32:57two lambs or maybe three or more.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00- So this is a pretty critical moment for the yield...- It is really.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03- ..for the welfare of the whole farm. - Yeah, that's right.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07'Like most livestock farmers, Steve suffered from the bad weather,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09'forcing him to buy in expensive feed.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12'He had been doing well from higher meat prices,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15'but now, even those are starting to fall.'
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Yeah, bring that one on, Tom, yeah? That's right.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21So what's last year been like, overall?
0:33:21 > 0:33:24The lamb prices at the moment have dropped quite significantly.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28- We was up to nearly £90 last year. - £90 last year and how much now?
0:33:28 > 0:33:32- Just over 60 now, at the moment. - It's dropped 30 quid.- Yeah.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36That makes a huge difference to your bottom line, I guess, does it?
0:33:36 > 0:33:38- It does, yeah. - And who's working on this farm?
0:33:38 > 0:33:43Well, it's me, mainly. Then, me dad's still quite active.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47And then we've just taken on an apprentice.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50And out of all those people who actually gets a wage?
0:33:50 > 0:33:53I'm afraid it sounds a bit bad but...
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Louie's the only one that's getting paid, basically.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05'One of the people who works without a wage is Steve's wife, Rose.'
0:34:05 > 0:34:08One of the changes that's coming in this year
0:34:08 > 0:34:11is the probable abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Now, you've got a worker here, an apprentice, Louie.
0:34:14 > 0:34:15What do you think about that?
0:34:15 > 0:34:18When we first looked into taking on an apprentice,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20we obviously looked at the national minimum wage
0:34:20 > 0:34:23and then realised that the agricultural wage was slightly more.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25It doesn't seem quite fair.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28I guess it would perhaps be more feasible
0:34:28 > 0:34:31for some people to take on an apprentice at the minimum wage,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33rather than the agricultural rate.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37'Despite the planned abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41'Steve and Rose have decided they won't drop Louie's wages,
0:34:41 > 0:34:43'but that's not an easy decision
0:34:43 > 0:34:46'when you're struggling with your own finances.'
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Last year, we didn't make any profit, at all,
0:34:48 > 0:34:50and it's not looking good for this year, either.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52So how do you get by?
0:34:52 > 0:34:56- Tax credit.- Really?- Yeah, we have to claim, unfortunately.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59We'd rather not, but that's the only way that we could exist as a family.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02The business pays our bills, but, you know,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05we have to have something to buy food and clothes with,
0:35:05 > 0:35:06so we have to claim tax credit.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14'Rose and Steve were both born into farming families
0:35:14 > 0:35:17'and are determined to plough on.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20'But how long before there's light at the end of the tunnel?
0:35:22 > 0:35:26'Stuart Burgess is from the Commission for Rural Communities.'
0:35:27 > 0:35:30My own take on this is that a number of the small farmers
0:35:30 > 0:35:32may well go out of business.
0:35:32 > 0:35:38The farms that will basically survive will be the bigger farms,
0:35:38 > 0:35:43who can actually cope with the changing patterns of weather
0:35:43 > 0:35:45and the rise and fall of prices.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48It's the small farmer that finds it more and more difficult.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Is there a brighter horizon for farmers and the farming industry?
0:35:52 > 0:35:56The medium and long-term future, I think, is pretty bright,
0:35:56 > 0:36:00mainly because we have to feed more people.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02The world population is rising
0:36:02 > 0:36:05and we're going to have to grow far more food ourselves.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09So I think if people can hang in there, then it is bright.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15'Here at least, the pregnancy scans are going well.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17'With a bit of luck,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20'there'll be plenty of healthy lambs, come the spring.'
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Reasons for at least half a smile?
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Well, a little bit of a smile, maybe, yeah!
0:36:24 > 0:36:26We've got more work to do here.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30'But with thousands of mainly small farms now closing down each year,
0:36:30 > 0:36:34'can people like Steve really afford to hang on
0:36:34 > 0:36:36'in the hope of better days to come?'
0:36:46 > 0:36:51The ruins of Jervaulx Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales are privately owned.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54They were bought back in 1971 by the Burdon family,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56along with surrounding land.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59It came as a shock a few years later when government inspectors
0:36:59 > 0:37:03labelled the abbey the most unsafe ruins in Britain.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Since then, the family, with a lot of time and money,
0:37:06 > 0:37:10have managed to conserve the abbey, so the public can enjoy
0:37:10 > 0:37:12and explore this tranquil place.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Responsibility for the abbey's never-ending upkeep
0:37:17 > 0:37:20lies with landowner Ian Burdon.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22- Good to see you, Ian.- All right. Hello, there, how are you?
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Now, it must have been a heck of a task turning
0:37:25 > 0:37:29such a dangerous place into somewhere that's safe for visitors.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32Weren't you tempted just to let the place fall down?
0:37:32 > 0:37:33In one word - extremely!
0:37:35 > 0:37:39But it's a place where, if you found Jervaulx, you know Jervaulx,
0:37:39 > 0:37:42you learn to love Jervaulx, and it's grown on us
0:37:42 > 0:37:44and hopefully, the work we've done,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47we've managed to maintain it and preserve it.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52What we like to try and do is let people come in through here,
0:37:52 > 0:37:54dawn till dusk, and use their imagination as to
0:37:54 > 0:37:58where they would be and what would have been happening in the area
0:37:58 > 0:38:02where they're standing and things like that, and just wander round.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09It's cost over £400,000 to make sure Jervaulx is safe for visitors.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12But there's always more to do.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14So, what was this, Ian?
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Well, this is the south transept of the church in Jervaulx
0:38:18 > 0:38:20and this is our last phase of work.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Because, you can see, we've got the ivy growing up the walls here.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27So, what will happen? Will a whole wall come down?
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Well, what we do when we see a phase like this, what we do -
0:38:31 > 0:38:33it's a long, long process -
0:38:33 > 0:38:36but we make a template of wood round the frame of the door
0:38:36 > 0:38:40and then we'll take out the ivy from the top and then,
0:38:40 > 0:38:45stone by stone, we will remove and we will number or letter,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48and then we'll bring everything right down to ground level
0:38:48 > 0:38:51because we've got to get at the root system of the ivy.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Then we'll have it back to exactly how it was before -
0:38:54 > 0:38:58without the ivy, without the saplings. And...
0:38:58 > 0:38:59How long will that take?
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Well, I hope to do it in my lifetime.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Thanks to Ian and his family,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08these glorious ruins should be secure for the future.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Truly, a labour of love.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29On his farm in the Cotswolds, Adam's had his fair share of problems
0:39:29 > 0:39:33with the weather over the last year, and it's not getting any easier.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36With recent heavy falls of snow,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39he's got his work cut out just trying to keep everything in check.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57I've just got to catch one of these sheep.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00I've noticed there's a bit of wire stuck in its wool.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03I'll leave you there, Boo. Pearl...that's it.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07Dolly, you come, too. Stay there, Boo. Stay...
0:40:07 > 0:40:10It's amazing, these ewes, when they're out on the grass
0:40:10 > 0:40:14that's covered in snow, they'll paw the ground, to get the grass.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17There's a few doing it now. Right, I'll just round them up.
0:40:17 > 0:40:18HE WHISTLES
0:40:26 > 0:40:29At one time, I was looking for a new sheepdog but I've been working
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Pearl quite a bit lately and she's actually got a lot better
0:40:32 > 0:40:34and become quite a useful little dog.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36You're a good girl now, aren't you?
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Not a bad dog.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43There it is.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48That's it.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Just a bit of old wire. I don't know where that's come from,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55but it had got caught up around its leg and it just came off.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57So, job done.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05I'm heading back to the farmyard to check on some new arrivals.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12SQUEALING
0:41:14 > 0:41:17This sow has given birth to nine little piglets.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20They're Gloucestershire Old Spots - one of my favourite breeds of pigs.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22What do you reckon, Boo? Isn't he lovely?
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Pigs quite often squeal when you pick them up,
0:41:24 > 0:41:27calling for their mums, but they'll soon settle down.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Pigs are quite tough, but we bring our sows in to give birth,
0:41:30 > 0:41:32in these stables.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34The other adults are wading around in the snow.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38There's an awful lot of farmers with pigs outdoors in big herds
0:41:38 > 0:41:40that you might see when you drive round the countryside,
0:41:40 > 0:41:44and they've had terrible times in the wet weather, in the flooding,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46and now, the ground's frozen
0:41:46 > 0:41:49and they're having to cart water to all those pigs. Not easy.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07As a farmer, I'm always checking out the forecasts
0:42:07 > 0:42:10so that we can plan the jobs we're doing on the farm.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12I really rely on the forecasters -
0:42:12 > 0:42:14people like BBC weatherman John Hammond.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18It's trying to be nudged out of the way by these weather fronts
0:42:18 > 0:42:21coming in off the Atlantic, heralding a change in the weather.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23I've actually invited him to the farm,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26to find out what's going on with our weather systems.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33'John's familiar to us as a weatherman,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36'but he also has a real empathy with farmers.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39'That's because he's from farming stock.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41'I want to know what's been going on with our weather.'
0:42:43 > 0:42:46- Well, it's great that you're here, John.- I'm loving it.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Absolutely in my element, to be honest. Thank you for inviting me.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51We've had an amazing year.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52Droughts in March,
0:42:52 > 0:42:55and then all that wet weather through the summer.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58We had a very difficult harvest, yields were poor, quality was bad,
0:42:58 > 0:43:01- really awkward autumn, and now this big freeze.- Yeah.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05It does seem to be we're going into a spell of rather more extreme
0:43:05 > 0:43:07and prolonged weather spells.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11I can show you exactly what we think is going on with a bit of a diagram.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13- Shall I show you? - What, in the snow?- Yeah.
0:43:13 > 0:43:18You see, basically, if we look at the northern hemisphere - whoa! -
0:43:18 > 0:43:21- like that, and the UK is probably somewhere like that.- OK.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24- Now, you've heard of the jet stream, maybe?- Yes.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27That's that fast-moving ribbon of air which goes
0:43:27 > 0:43:31across the northern hemisphere, and that's the dividing line
0:43:31 > 0:43:35between the cold, Arctic air and tropical air to the south.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Along this jet stream, we tend to get our weather systems,
0:43:38 > 0:43:40our highs and lows.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42What seems to be happening now,
0:43:42 > 0:43:46perhaps due to climate change, global warming,
0:43:46 > 0:43:49is that the ice caps, of course,
0:43:49 > 0:43:52are beginning to melt up at the North Pole.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55That means there's not so much contrast between
0:43:55 > 0:43:58the Polar latitudes and the Tropics,
0:43:58 > 0:44:00and because we haven't got so much contrast,
0:44:00 > 0:44:03the jet stream is much weaker,
0:44:03 > 0:44:05and instead of going in a relatively straight line,
0:44:05 > 0:44:07it's tending to do a lot of this -
0:44:07 > 0:44:10meandering around aimlessly, like that.
0:44:10 > 0:44:15We can either, in the UK, be stuck on the warm, dry side
0:44:15 > 0:44:18for quite a long time, or then stuck on the cold
0:44:18 > 0:44:20and wet side for a prolonged time,
0:44:20 > 0:44:24so we tend to sort of lurch from one prolonged extreme to another,
0:44:24 > 0:44:28and that's what's causing this blockage in the weather system,
0:44:28 > 0:44:32and so we get these more prolonged spells. That's the current thinking.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36And as a farmer, that is just something we'll have to get used to.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39You need something to moan about, don't you?
0:44:41 > 0:44:42When the weather's like this,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45we have to make sure all our animals are well-fed.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01- There we are. Some sheep nuts. - Ah, this brings back memories, Adam!
0:45:01 > 0:45:03So your family were farmers?
0:45:03 > 0:45:06Yeah, most of my family are, or were, farmers, yeah.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09My memories of this time of year is doing just this -
0:45:09 > 0:45:12with a handful of nuts, feeding in the snow.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15Why didn't you go into farming? Why the weather?
0:45:15 > 0:45:18It was really that I was fascinated with the weather, from aged four.
0:45:18 > 0:45:2130 years later, I'm on the telly, so it's great.
0:45:21 > 0:45:25But if my face doesn't fit any more, I can always go back to farming!
0:45:25 > 0:45:28Oh, it's easy. You can drop straight back into it, no trouble.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32Just remind me, we're feeding these nuts, we have a bale out there,
0:45:32 > 0:45:33so why are we doing both?
0:45:33 > 0:45:35Well, the grass is obviously covered by the snow,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38so they've got nothing to eat, as far as the grass goes.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41The forage is good, that silage, but some of these are pregnant
0:45:41 > 0:45:44and we need to give them some of these high-protein nuts to help them
0:45:44 > 0:45:46grow the lambs inside them,
0:45:46 > 0:45:51and they also need a bit of extra sustenance, cos it's so cold.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53The funny thing is, although I'm not a farmer,
0:45:53 > 0:45:56it's still in my mind all the time.
0:45:56 > 0:45:57When I'm doing TV forecasts,
0:45:57 > 0:45:59I'm always thinking about how it might impact
0:45:59 > 0:46:03on the farming communities, so when I'm doing the Countryfile forecast,
0:46:03 > 0:46:06sometimes I'm stood there thinking, "The weather's going to be
0:46:06 > 0:46:10"quite humid, quite close, in June, July, it's maggoty weather!"
0:46:10 > 0:46:13And although YOU know what I'm talking about,
0:46:13 > 0:46:17if I said "maggoty weather" on the telly, other people might not know.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20But, as you know, maggoty weather means you've got a lot of blow flies
0:46:20 > 0:46:23in the summer and, when there's a lot of heat and humidity,
0:46:23 > 0:46:26they tend to lay their eggs on the wool and that causes maggots.
0:46:26 > 0:46:28And hence, maggoty weather.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31Well, maggoty weather's a while off yet.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33But right now, I've got an animal
0:46:33 > 0:46:37originating from a very hot climate, that I'm keen to show John.
0:46:41 > 0:46:43Well done, brilliant.
0:46:45 > 0:46:46Are these particularly rare, Adam?
0:46:46 > 0:46:50Not really. They're a Sicilian donkey, so they're a smaller type.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54Sicilian?! In this weather?! I'm feeling sorry for them already.
0:46:54 > 0:46:56They like a bit of this fodder, to keep them warm,
0:46:56 > 0:46:58keep their bellies full.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Do you know that on the back of every donkey is a cross in the fur?
0:47:01 > 0:47:04- Oh, yeah. I can see them. - And they say - the wives' tale is -
0:47:04 > 0:47:06it's where Jesus rode on the back of an donkey.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09- Oh! Old wives' tale.- You know what's coming next, don't you?
0:47:09 > 0:47:11I know all about that. Go on. Fire away!
0:47:11 > 0:47:12What are all the weather ones?
0:47:12 > 0:47:17Right, I'll give you the ones that are complete rubbish, first of all.
0:47:17 > 0:47:21Cows lying down in the field, it'll rain, standing up, it won't.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24I don't think there's any scientific evidence to say that's correct.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26There are one or two quite good ones, actually.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29Ice in November, to stand, a duck,
0:47:29 > 0:47:32the rest of the winter will be slush and muck.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34Now, "ice in November, to stand, a duck",
0:47:34 > 0:47:36that means lots of frozen ponds
0:47:36 > 0:47:39so, if you get a really cold spell in November,
0:47:39 > 0:47:43by the law of averages, the rest of winter, probably, quite mild.
0:47:43 > 0:47:45So there's a bit of truth in that one, perhaps.
0:47:45 > 0:47:46Another very good one, actually,
0:47:46 > 0:47:49is our old favourite - red sky at night, shepherd's delight.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52Actually, because red sky in the evening,
0:47:52 > 0:47:54that means that the sun is reflecting off some very high cloud.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57Quite often that's at the back of a weather front,
0:47:57 > 0:48:00so if the weather front's clearing away, the next day will be fine
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and sunny and in the morning, if you've got a red sky in the morning
0:48:03 > 0:48:06that means it could be a weather front approaching and that means
0:48:06 > 0:48:07that day will be rather wet.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10Bit of truth in that one. You have to pick and choose.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24This week, we're in the Yorkshire Dales.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30While John's been making cheese using medieval techniques,
0:48:30 > 0:48:33I've come to Castle Bolton, which was partly ruined
0:48:33 > 0:48:35during the Civil War.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38Here, they're keen to bring the Middle Ages back to life
0:48:38 > 0:48:40on the estate.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43Constructed in 1399, the castle was a hub of activity,
0:48:43 > 0:48:46nestled deep within the Yorkshire Dales.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49And then, civil war broke out. The walls came under attack
0:48:49 > 0:48:52and you can still see the damage today.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57Despite being half-ruined,
0:48:57 > 0:49:01the castle has stayed in the same family throughout its long history.
0:49:02 > 0:49:03Tom Orde-Powlett now has
0:49:03 > 0:49:06the enormous responsibility for its upkeep.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09- Morning, Tom.- Morning, Julia. Welcome.- Ooh, it's a chilly one!
0:49:09 > 0:49:12- Yeah! You're wrapped up nice and warm.- Feeding time!
0:49:12 > 0:49:14Absolutely, yes. Would you give me a hand?
0:49:14 > 0:49:17- Yeah, they look quite heavy. - Take care.- Give us one. There we go.
0:49:19 > 0:49:24'Tom wants to return the castle to how it was in its medieval heyday.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27'The cost of rebuilding is too much to even consider
0:49:27 > 0:49:29'so he has other plans.'
0:49:31 > 0:49:35- So, here they are - the wild boar. - Ah!- Pleased to see us!
0:49:35 > 0:49:37SQUEALING
0:49:37 > 0:49:40- Very noisy! - Would you like to feed them?
0:49:40 > 0:49:43- You show me first.- OK, sure.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45'These can be dangerous animals
0:49:45 > 0:49:48'so an electric fence keeps them safely inside.'
0:49:51 > 0:49:54Ooh, sorry, I got a few of your pigs on the head there.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59- Why have you gone for boar?- I'm trying to get more and more things
0:49:59 > 0:50:02that are relevant to the castle and the history of it.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04So, obviously, boar are a very iconic medieval species.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07- And it's what would have been here. - Yeah.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09So, very much in keeping with the local area.
0:50:10 > 0:50:14'Tom's grand plan is to reintroduce animals to the estate
0:50:14 > 0:50:16'that would've been here in medieval times.'
0:50:16 > 0:50:18We've got Pip, the merlin...
0:50:18 > 0:50:21- Pip, the merlin.- ..which is the smallest European falcon.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23And why the merlin?
0:50:23 > 0:50:25One of the biggest events in the castle's history
0:50:25 > 0:50:27was Mary, Queen of Scots staying here for six months,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30in her imprisonment, and she loved flying merlins.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33She obviously really enjoyed seeing them flying in their
0:50:33 > 0:50:36natural environment, rather than just watching them on a perch.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38And, Tom, what sort of temperament is she?
0:50:38 > 0:50:40Well, she's a little bit nervous at the minute.
0:50:40 > 0:50:42This process that we're in now is called manning.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45Each year, we put them away at the end of the season,
0:50:45 > 0:50:47- get them back out and they've to retrain.- Right.
0:50:47 > 0:50:51- So back to square one, almost?- We've only just got her out, actually.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57Another animal that was naturally abundant on the estate
0:50:57 > 0:50:59during that period was salmon.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03The River Ure runs through the castle grounds.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06It was once a popular spot for salmon fishing.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11Pollution in the Humber meant that, for the majority
0:51:11 > 0:51:15of the 20th century, very few were caught on the Bolton Estate.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Now, with pollution levels much lower,
0:51:21 > 0:51:24more salmon have been returning to the river.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30Tom and two others have formed the River Ure Salmon Trust.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33David Bamford is the river manager.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36Afternoon, gents.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38'They hope to help boost numbers of salmon in the area
0:51:38 > 0:51:42'by protecting the river habitat and restocking.'
0:51:42 > 0:51:43It's a swimming pool.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46Certainly is! Not one I'd like to swim in today, though.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49- There are salmon in there. - Yes, three big salmon in there
0:51:49 > 0:51:51- and they've got to go back in the river.- How does it work?
0:51:51 > 0:51:54We've got to drop the water level first, then we're going to chase them
0:51:54 > 0:51:58- around with nets.- Sounds flawless(!) - There's a lot to look forward to.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02Caught in late autumn, the female salmon in this pool
0:52:02 > 0:52:04were on their way upstream to spawn.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08Why are the salmon in here, anyway?
0:52:08 > 0:52:11We caught those salmon on rod and line in the autumn,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14we stripped the eggs out of them and now these are hen fish,
0:52:14 > 0:52:16female fish that are recovering.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18Why do you strip them of their eggs in here?
0:52:18 > 0:52:20Why don't you let them spawn naturally?
0:52:20 > 0:52:23The greatest loss, really, with the fish laying its eggs,
0:52:23 > 0:52:26is between the eggs being laid and the eggs hatching.
0:52:26 > 0:52:32So we can get a 95% hatch rate, or we have done in previous years.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35There might be only a 1% hatch rate in the river.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39Now the water's down to a foot, it's time to try and catch the fish.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44This restocking process isn't permitted on all rivers,
0:52:44 > 0:52:46but if there's been a loss of spawning ground,
0:52:46 > 0:52:48it's sometimes allowed.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53- What's the plan, Dave?- Well, we'll try and ambush them in the corner.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57- That's the plan, anyway.- There's one over here.- OK. We'll have a go.
0:52:57 > 0:53:03- Come along.- Two-pronged attack.- Yes. That's it.- When she goes, she'll go.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06Ooh, blimey. The problem is you can't move the nets as quickly
0:53:06 > 0:53:09- as they can move under the water! - No, you can't.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12'Surrounding them in the corner, we go for it.'
0:53:12 > 0:53:14Ooh, here we go...
0:53:16 > 0:53:17Whay!
0:53:17 > 0:53:22- You got it!- I got one!- Yeah, pass it up to Richard.- There you go, Richard.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25- There we go. That's one.- Number one! - Number one. Well done.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30Why do you keep them in the tank for a month?
0:53:30 > 0:53:32Why don't you just release them straight away?
0:53:32 > 0:53:35It gives them bit of time to recover. Obviously, we've anaesthetised them
0:53:35 > 0:53:38and stripped the eggs out them and it's very stressful for them.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42- So it's just better if we... - Recuperation.- Recuperation, yeah.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44'The next salmon also heads for a corner
0:53:44 > 0:53:48'so it doesn't take long to get her netted, too.'
0:53:48 > 0:53:50Yay, look at that!
0:53:50 > 0:53:51That's 1-1 now!
0:53:51 > 0:53:54Cornered beautifully!
0:53:54 > 0:53:57With the fish safely transported to the vehicle and oxygen
0:53:57 > 0:54:01flowing through the water, it's time to head off to the river.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07We're releasing them at a spot close to where they were caught.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10Ready for their swim.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13Yes. Ready for the big swim and, hopefully, they'll come back
0:54:13 > 0:54:15and spawn again in 2014.
0:54:15 > 0:54:16Fingers crossed, anyway.
0:54:17 > 0:54:21There she goes. Come on, beauty. Are you sad to see them go?
0:54:21 > 0:54:23I am, but she's going back to the right place now.
0:54:24 > 0:54:29- Yeah!- There she goes. She's away. - She's off!- Yup! There she goes,
0:54:29 > 0:54:33- off to the North Sea. Well done. - That is lovely.- That's brilliant.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37Very, very nice. Well, that is it from a snowy Yorkshire.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39Next week we're in North Cornwall
0:54:39 > 0:54:42and Matt's having a bit of a go at Cornish wrestling.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44Don't worry, he likes getting thrown around a bit.
0:54:44 > 0:54:45See you, then. Bye!
0:55:07 > 0:55:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd