Episode 11 Landward

Hello. A warm welcome to Landward, visiting the people and places that

make Scotland's countryside tick. In a moment, Euan will take a trip

to London by fishing boat. First, here's what else is coming up on

the programme. Campaigners against wind turbines set out their

arguments. The main issues we have are the vibration which comes

through the walls. It moves pictures. Also, through the floor,

We join the battle against the spread of a deadly tree disease.

can be spread in air currents, water, on feet, animals. And Nick

is back in the woods cooking up some rustic food. This is the food

of the God. You being godlike, Nick, I'm going to give awe big piece!

Back in 2006, the BBC series Trawlermen documented the working

lives of fishermen from Peterhead as they battled the elements to

bring home their catch. Jimmy Buchan was the star of the siries

and has become the face of the fishing industry. Euan joined him

as he left his home port on a different type of trip.

It's teatime on a Sunday evening here in Europe's busiest fishing

port. Peterhead. I'm here to join the crew of Britain's best known

trawler, skippered by Britain's best known skipper. Jimmy, how are

you? Welcome on board. We have a good trip lined up? We'll have an

excellent voyage. Flat calm all the way? Hopefully! Maybe! Every day,

fish he men from Peterhead and the far north-east of Scotland leave

port and begin a treacherous journey into some of the cruelest

seas in the world. Jimmy Buchan shot to fame when he appeared on

the BBC observational documentary Trawlermen. Over four series, the

programme followed Jimmy and his crew fishing in the unforgiving

North Sea as they chased their catch.

Hopefully today's voyage will be sedate.

We're off to London to sail up of the shames to Tower Bridge. There

are a few reasons for this. I'm launching my book on 2nd June which

is a great opportunity for me. But we're also doing a fundraiser for

the fishermen's mission. We have skippers and processors with us

going down to promote Scottish sea foods. The Admiral of the fleet,

John Buchan, I've left him in command. It is a great opportunity

to just give the whole fishing Well on course southbound and we

encounter another trawler from Peterhead, the Fear Not. They gift

us a small sample of that day's catch. What have you got in here?

It is a mixed bag. Beautiful lemon soles. Fresh crab? A few lemons.

Some mackerel. I think I'll tip out the rest and see what's in here.

turbot! A basket of the best fish. These are just hours old. Doesn't

get better than this or fresher. For Jimmy, fishing was in the blood.

Some early fishing trips awakened Jimmy's love of the sea.

grandfather and great grandfathers were fishing people on my father's

side. My father was always very seasick. It miss add generation.

Coming right up through school, the one focus was I'd always wanted to

go to sea but be the skipper. First boat was a wooden boat. I was young.

26 years old. I had a whole lifetime ahead of me. It was go or

pus. You'd nothing to lose. You through your life savings into it.

The fish was in the sea. It was a case of you being paid for the hard

work you put in. Jimmy made a decision to fish for langoustines.

And this is now Britain's best- known fishing boat. During the

nineties, the EU reduced radically the amount of haddock, cod and

whiting we could catch. As a young ambitious skipper, I was looking

for new opportunities. I thought the way forward was to sell the

white fish boat and catch higher valued species which, at that time,

the quota did not bother. I was looking for new opportunities.

Amity II was the both that fit the bill. -- boat that fit the bill.

We're just negotiated round the Isle of Dogs. We've just passed the

Millennium Dome. We're just proceeding to Tower Bridge. Can

airaway Wharfe's just behind us. Db Canary Wharf. It was an amazing

240-mile journey. Over the next four days, Jimmy and his crew try

to put Scottish seafood on the English culinary map.

We've got a story to tell here. To me, this is a once in a lifetime

opportunity. I just hope we are successful and we can proudly leave

London saying we've done our best for ourselves and for the fishing

industry. There's some pressure on just now. If I get asked wrong, my

street credibility's ruined! Last week, Nick had the dubious honour

of eating a worm omelette. This week, he's hoping his instructor

has something a little more Last week, Patrick and I prepared

an earth worm omelette. Today, thankfully, we'll be preparing

something which sounds more palatable but just as wild. Unlike

worms, this is something I would be happy to eat. It's brown trout. A

rare delicasy. But I've never had it cooked in bark before. That's

what we're going to do right now. Patrick, trout cooked in bark.

You've just took that off the tree. What kind of bark is this? Ash bark.

Non-toxic, fresh, green and there's a lot of moisture in there. That

will help steam the fish. Wet and sticky? Yeah, it'll keep the fish

nice and moist. We'll pop the fish in once we've filleted it, close it

over. Sit it in the coals, block off the ends and let the fire do

the rest. We have to make sure we don't burn all the way through.

Cooking time's critical. Gas mark 4! Does that look like gas mark 4

yet? Not yet, will be when we're ready. Fish is gutted. I'll stuff

the inside cavity with nice shredded swees sisley. To give it

an aniseed flavour? I'm aiming for a 10 out of 10 here. A little gold

star! We'll see. We'll go for it, then. Let's go. Swees sisley can be

found Attwoodland edges. It is easy to confuse with poisonous hem lock,

so, unless you're absolutely certain, don't pick it. Stones go

there just to seal it. To fish for wild brown trout, you must have the

permission of the person who owns the fishing rights of that

particular stretch of river. And respect the closed season. In areas

where stocks of wild trout are unpressure, fishing for rainbow

trout at a stocked fishry is a better option. This is the food of

the gods. And you being godlike, Nick, I'm going to give awe big

piece. There we go. How's that, Nick? Fantastic. Slide that in

there. Would you like a spoon? I noticed I got the small one. I'm

getting worried about this! Indeed you have. This has to give me a ten

out of ten. What do you call it in the trade? Three stars? Wow! Brown

trout. That's delicious. I'm loving that. So joysy and moist. For me,

very slightly overcooked. But that's a personal thing. That's

beginning to sound like a nine, Nick. I any think you're right. It

is a nine. It's so good it has erased the memory of the worm!

I get a certificate? I'd like a star on my joder. Next week'

woodland feast is wood pigeon. Still to come, the battle to save

our woodlands from an invisible threat. We need to up our game in

terms of biosecurity. How many people go pruning from one day to

the next and don't think about sterilising their tools. And we

continue our sailing trip. Now we have the marina here, we make a

small profit and we employ one full-time harbour master.

Back in April, we had an item about the financial incentives available

for farm tors erect wind turbines on their land. We asked for your

comments and were inundated with people keen to put their argument

across against the spread of wind turbines in our countryside. They

are one of the most contention issues of the countryside. Whether

you view them as the answer to our nej needs or a blot on the

landscape, the appearance of wind turbines divides rural communities.

When we asked what you thought about this story, you got in touch

in kpwrour droves. And one group who responded were concerned about

wind turbines. A group of residents who are worried about the rapid

spread of wind turbines in Aberdeenshire. Do you know whren

the penny's tropd as far as the planners are concerned about the

sheer concentration of it On the group's website is a map of all

potential wind turbines at various stages of the planning process.

There is a problem with tur bind in this area. In other areas they tend

to be windfarms. Here in Aberdeenshire, they are spot

developments of one to generally three turbines. That explains how,

at the moment, there is in excess of 700 turbine applications. In

Aberdeenshire, the minute business tans from residents is 400 metres.

If you go to Fife, it is two kilometres. How do you respond to

the allegation you're anymore business? We are not. We have them

in our backyard already. What we are concerned about for the

residents of Aberdeenshire is they require a better level of

protection which they get at the present moment. One local resident

who claims to have been detrimently affected by a turbine close by is

Steve Peer. The main issues we have are the vibration. It comes through

the walls, moves pictures. Also, through the floor. And because it

comes through the floor, if you're laid in bed, you sometimes get

vibration through the mattress which causes you loss of sleep.

Stephen believes the vibrations have affected his health.

suffered with headaches. Got naurbgs at times, vomiting. But, as

soon as I got out of the pressure that seems to be generated around

the property, an got each two or three miles away, it would lift off

and I'd suddenly feel better. you hearing or feeling this 100% of

the time? No, this is the problem. That's what so hard to explain to

people. It happens just at the oddest of times. We've had two to

three months with nothing. No complaint, no noise. Then you have

a month where almost every day of the month, it's giving you an

annoyance. The issue of vibration and impact on people, is the

subject of much debate between wind turbine manufacturers and

campaigners against windfarms. We spoke to the farmers who own the

turbine. They say they are surprised to hear there has been a

complained, neighbours living far closer to the turbine have not

experienced any of these effects and they are happy to meet with

Stephen to discuss any of his issues. We also spoke to

Aberdeenshire council who said as part of the planning conditions

imposed on the development, the owner's obliged to carry out

monitoring to identify any issues. But it is not just the impact of

turbines on neighbours which causes concern. Their efficiency has also

been called into question. Earlier this year, the John Muir trust

jointly issued a report which disputed the figures on the

productivity of wind. The Government and developers say

turbines can be expected to produce 30% of their total potential

capacity. The trust report says the average between 2008 and 2010 was

just 24%. The author of the report is a well known campaigner against

turbines and windfarms. Does that not neglect eight his findings?

Stuart young is a very well represented compiler of data on

windfarms. He started doing this out of an interest. That doesn't

neglect eight it. Nobody says they are in favour of the windfarms so

their data's rubbish. The Government's relying on them to

provide information. Shouldn't farmers have the right to put

turbines up on their land? It is their right. The question they have

to consider is whether the subsidies are so high that this

cannot be sustained and there will be a retrospective cutting of

subsidies. It has happened in Denmark and Germany. People have

been left high and dry. You can achieve almost anything if you

throw enough public money at it. The If you have a comment about

anything you see on the programme or have a wonderful story to tell,

please drop us an email: The weather here is glorious. Warm,

slightly breezy but just fine. But what about the prospects of this

weekend and beyond. To find out, weekend and beyond. To find out,

here's the weather forecast. In the Showers and unshine were the order

of the week this week. Today was quite a nice day for many of us. As

we head into Saturday, longer periods of rain around. Some

showers and it will be quite cloudy. If we take a look at the pressure

chart for tomorrow, we can see this pressure. It will bring rain into

the north-east. We can see that on the map. The rain pushing into

north of Dundee around Aberdeen and invrness. Longer periods of rain

and showers. Some brighter periods too. Let's take a closer look at

the temperatures. In the south-west, we'll see the best of any

brightness. Temperatures 14 Celsius. Through the central belt about 14

or 15 Celsius. Further north, with the cloud and rain, if you are

heading to Rockness there will be rain. A touch cooler around 12 or

13 Celsius. If you're heading out into the hills, the southern part,

that's where we'll see the best conditions. Not too many showers.

Temperatures around 5 Celsius on the peaks. Further north and east,

more showers and rain. We may even see some hill fog. Temperatures

generally around 5 Celsius on the summits. If you're heading to the

waters in the west, wind will be force three to four. Visibility

will be good. Towards the east, winds will be force 3 to 4. Sea

state slight and visibility good. Heading into tomorrow evening and

overnight, many of the showers will die out apart from in the north-

east corner where there will be further showers and rain. Another

chilly night. Lows of 5 or 6 Celsius. On Sunday, the pressure

chart shows a dry and clear day but that low pushing up from the south.

Dry and clear for many with sunnier spells. Temperatures about 13 or 14.

But here's that low pushing from the south-west bringing the rain in

the second part of Sunday. A mixed bag, showers, rain and sunnier

spells. Into Monday and looking at the pressure chart we can see this

low hovering above us bringing very unsettled weather. Rain and wind

will plague most parts. A very wet start to the working week. It will

be quite chilly too. Temperatures only around 11 or 12 Celsius. The

winds picking up too. Into Tuesday, that low pushes away towards Norway.

A drier and brighter day before this low heads towards us into the

middle of next week. Generally on Tuesday a dry and bright day for

many of us with temperatures around 15 or 16 Celsius. Into Wednesday,

we have that low that I mentioned heading from the west. That will

bring wetter conditions. Some showers too. Staying very unsettled.

showers too. Staying very unsettled. That's the Landward weather.

Last week, Euan visited the boat building port of MacDuff. This week,

as he continues his journey along the north-east coast he's dropping

in on his home harbour where the leisure industry has taken over

from fishing. We've just left the fishing port of

MacDuff and we are heading just along the coast to another fishing

village. But one that's taken a very different approach for the

future. We're going to White Hills. The marina is where I moor my boat.

The harbour's owned by the community and managed by nine

commissioners from the village. At the end of the nineties, they

decided the only way for the harbour to survive was to turn it

into a marina. Alan Downey is one of the commissioners. But his day

job is running a fish processing business. His family have been in

the trade for years.Ment. What was d like when you were a boy in here.

Was it full of boats? It was full of fishing boats coming and going.

On a daily basis. We came down at nights when we were kids. Give the

boats a hand to land. There was always something going on at the

harbour. That's why your family business is founded here. We are

the one fish processors left. At one time there were six. There was

only one or two fishing boats left when the commissioners decided they

should try to remedy the situation to keep the harbour a vibrant part

of the village, which it is. They applied for ECC funding. They had

money at that time and they turned it into the marina we see today.

How big a step was that? I imagine a lot of traditionalists were

against it? I think they were all realists. The fibbing was never

going to come back to what it was. It was do or die. Once the money

was spent that would have been the harbour in disrepair. Now we have

the marina here we make a small profit every year and employ one

full-time harbour master. Are you surprised how successful it's been?

I am but yet not surprised. We're on a tight ship. The harbour master

does a great job. We get a lot of visitor passing trade which are

really impressed by the village. They like the village. We've a nice

Fish and Chip shop opened up the road. They can get a meal. Another

couple of restaurants in the village. It does the village good.

H Next week, I'll sail to the beautifully preserved 17th century

harbour of Portsoy. Once a den of smuggling, now home to the Scottish

traditional boat festival. A disease which devastated

thousands of hectares of oak trees in California's come to Scotland.

There's no cure for what's commonly known as sudden oak death. For

triworkers have no alternative than to fell trees in order to stop the

spread of the disease. Sarah joined the battle front on the west coast.

It's been hailed as the foot-and- mouth of the forest. It is a highly

contagious disease with no known cure. Trees which are infected have

to be feld immediately. The is disease earned the name sudden oak

death in America where devastated populations of wild oak. Here in

Britain, it appears to have spared the mighty oak and has mainly been

found in rode den drons and Japanese lar much trees. It is a

fungus like patogen. It is a plant destroyer. It is very apt. It is at

the moment, something like 2,200 hectares have had confirmed in

fegss in the whole of the UK. In Scotland, we've had 1.5 hectares of

confirm infection. We certainly don't want to be complacent about

that. It can be spread in air currents, water, on feet, animals.

Mountain bikes, for instance. You can't lock the disease down. We

have to be very vigilant that this doesn't creep beyond boundaries and

become as extensive as happened elsewhere in Great Britain.

first case to be found in a Scottish lar much plantation was

here in Argyll. As you can see, all the trees have been feld to stop

the disease from spreading. The for industries commission notified us

they'd found the disease in the larch trees. They put an order on

this area to be feld, extending to three acres. Less than four miles

from the feld larch plantation is home to an historic collection of

trees and plants. It is owned and run by the National Trust for

Scotland who have already found the disease in the garden. We found the

first infected plant in 2007. Since that time, we've probably found

another 80 or so. So, I assume it was greeted as bad news. What was

the reaction? Yes, it was a concern. At that stage, it was still quite a

new disease. People didn't really know just what range of plants it

wee affect. It has been a big learning curve for us. We're under

Government instruction. For every infection we find, to clear the

plant. Completely on the site and burn all the rubbish on the site so

there's no risk of spreading it any further round the garden.

understand you have quite a big larch that you're keen to preserve

and protect? Yes, we have a standard Japanese larch within the

garden which provides an important role in terms of shelter for the

plant collection. There is a wider shelter belt beyond that. If the

worst comes to the worst and the larch got infected we could cope

but it would be a new phase for the garden if that was to happen.

possible to contain the disease if you have to. But, eradicating it

will not be easy. We need to up our game in terms of biosecurity. How

many people will prune in one garden one day and another garden

the next and even think about sterilising their tools. It is

about doing sensible things. We know the spores can be in the mud.

If you're leaving a site, you don't want to leave it and carry that mud

to somewhere else. We'll let people know as and when we get further

infections. I think we probably will. There's a degree of

inevitability about that. Our task and what we're focusing on is rapid

detection and quick action so we can contain this disease and keep

it under sufficient control that we can manage it and learn to live

with it into the future. An on going battle to save our trees.

Next week on Landward, we meet the farmer preparing to host tens of

thousands of music fans. Young farmers get a taste of farming in

one of Africa's poorest countries. They are out with hoes and machetes.

Their clothes are soaked in sweat. They keep on working. And Euan

continues his sailing trip along the harbours of the north-east

coast. There was ones is pects the bigger illegitimate business

because it was a great smuggling port.