Episode 4 Landward

Hello and a very warm welcome to Landward, your weekly expedition to

meet the people and place that's make the Scottish countryside tick.

In a moment I'll prepare an island for an influx of bird watching

enthusiasts. First, here's what else is coming up on the programme:

Egg producers under threat from cheap imports. You see that on the

shell, it's Scotland. If you buy that you know it's a Scottish egg.

Look for the lion and the SCO and you won't go wrong. Exploring

Britain's biggest reed bed. It's one of the main sites for breeding

bearded tits. We have pairs of marsh harrier too. The science

behind sporting superfoods. You can go and buy beetroot juice and

personally I don't think it tastes very good, but if you want the

effect, maybe it's worth it. The Isle of May, which lies five

miles off the Fife coast is a paradise for bird watchers. For

five months of the year it's visited by thousands of seabirds an

the people who come to see them. I joined the team helping to prepare

the island for the summer rush. This summer the Isle of May will

see a huge influx of visitors. In total there will be over 200,000

seabirds on the island. Between April and September, over 9,000 of

us are coming to see them. Preparing to meet the visitors is

one man, Dave Pickett. So it seemed only fair to give him a hand to get

the place in order. How are you Dave? Hi, welcome to the Isle of

May. Thank you very much. Did you have a bit of a wet crossing?

was a wee bit soggy yes. You'd better come up for a cup of tea and

dry off. I won't argue with that. Dave, tell me what's your role

here? The job is a reserve manager. There's three aspects to the work

there. One is that I do some of the bird counting. We do counts every

year to see how the populations are going. Another part of the job is

we meet-and-greet every boat that comes to introduce the island to

people when they arrive. The third aspect is that really I'm a bit a

janny. I have to look after the buildings that we run as a field

station. The Isle of May is one of the top places in the UK, if not in

the world, for seabird research. What specifically are we doing

today? Well, we've got eight volunteers coming over for the

weekend and we've got a list of tasks for them to tackle. There's

plenty to do to get everything ready for the first visitor boat on

Sunday. Now, I've finished my coffee, I should give you a hand.

But just ten more minnits the sun will be fine for me.

The mission, if you choose to accept it this afternoon is paint

the visitors centre, every winter it gets battered by the storms and

the weather. The paint starts to peel. We want it looking smart.

Then we have a stretch of boardwalk that's rotting. That needs to be

pulled up and a new bit put n. -- in. If you want to be

destructive, these are pretty rotten. So if you want to do your

best. Just try to knock them out, yeah? Yes! One down. Is this the

first time you've been to the Isle of May? It is, it's my very first

time. Why Dow come and volunteer? personally do it because I did work

in conservation and I'm hoping to get back into conservation. I love

being in the outdoors. It's fresh air, always good company. It's like

minded people. You get fitter as well as a result. I'm getting there.

I also get a tan! They're getting on with us behind us. If I just

swing this thing again. Watch your back there.

Here we go. Oops! Obviously did that for the

camera, the comedy effort. Maybe I should try something a little less

dangerous. It's a real hive of activity today. Why is it important

that people come here and volunteer and help before the season really

starts? Well, we're setting up the island to receive visitors. We get

these 9,000 visitors a year. We think it's important that this

isn't just a visitor afraction -- attraction. We want people to get

more out of it than that. We'd like them to go home, first of all, with

an understanding of what they've seen. But also maybe a desire to do

something for seabirds themselves. You described yourself as something

of a janitor. It's not a bad place to be a janitor when the weather's

like this? It is. It's pretty fantastic really. You live right in

amongst all of the wildlife, so you've got puffins at your back

door. Sometimes they end up in your house. It's an intensive experience

where you're in contact with nature the whole time. You can't get much

better than that. Absolutely. Getting back to painting the toilet

though. Right, OK. I know my place. I first came here to the Isle of

May around 15 years ago. I was intrigued by the beauty of the

place and the real sense of isolation despite the fact it's

only a few miles off the coast of Fife. Today, to be part of that

volunteer group, preparing the island for visitors, to maybe have

their first experience of the island, well, it was well worth the

It's just over three months until the London Olympics, an event that

may inspire a future generation of sports stars. Over the next three

weeks, Nick will look at the science behind sports nutrition and

preparing some surprising dishes. For me, food is a passion. It's my

job and something I absolutely love. But as a keen cyclist, I'm also

aware it's fuel. The human body is a complex machine and to maximise

its performance, you have to get the nutrition just right. Over the

next three weeks, I'm going to be finding out the latest scientific

research and giving a tasty spin to sports nutrition. Tipton stip a

professor in sports science, based at Stirling university and has

advised the International Olympic Committee and FIFA on nutrition.

I'll be taking Kevin's advice and using it to create a delicious

starter, main course and dessert. There are actually a few things

lately getting a lot of attention. One of them would be nitrates.

Nitrates have a bad wrap from the stand point of cancer and when you

read about them in processed foods, but it certain vegetables, for

example, the nitrates are actually offering some efficiency when

people are exercising. They're able to go a bit harder using less

oxygen. What food types are high in nitrates and what Dow recommend?

One of the main ones is beetroot. People are selling beetroot juice

supplements. Personally I don't think it tastes very good, but if

you want the effect, maybe it's worth it. I'm looking to develop a

dish with a high beetroot content. What I'm thinking about is a

traditional eastern European soup called borscht, would that be the

kind of thing to start this meal with? It sounds like that would be

fine. I've had a lot of experience with borscht myself. I like it.

Yeah, I think you could do that. I'm going to start the soup with

butter, I should use oil, but it's a small a. Butter and it's so tasty,

a small a. Butter and it's so tasty, so in it goes.

Add the vegetables and allow tem to soften. -- them to soften. A pinch

of cumin seeds, slice the beetroot to help it cook quickly. I'm using

a consomme, a beef stock, which is traditional with borscht. Make sure

it's low in salt, though. I'm going to season the soup with

salt and pepper and then I'm going to leave it to simmer for about an

hour. At which time it will be ready to liquidise. Serve with a

dollop of low fat creme fraiche and chopped chives.

It's a beautiful, vibrant colour, but what does it taste like?

There's the earthiness of the beetroot with the muskiness of the

cumin in there. I tell you what I'd rather have next time I go out on

my bike, that or a sports drink, the borscht wins every time.

Still to come: Adventurer Andy Torbet begins a new journey

exploring by kayak. Johnny takes through beautiful

parts of Perthshire and parts of Perthshire and

Stirlingshire. And an unusual harvest on the river tai.

Scottish egg producers are facing a threat to their livelihood. While

our farmers have responded to an EU directive banning barren battery

cages, competitors across the channel have ignored the ban. This

means they can produce eggs much cheaper than Scottish producers.

Every day in the UK we consume 32 million eggs. Add that up over a

year and you get the mindboggling figure of 11.5 billion. But how

much do we know about where our Arctic Cosmos -- archive: Eggs,

millions of eggs. Now subject to mass production. From the day the

chicks are hatched, millions never know what freedom is. The natural

life out of doors isn't their birth right in the Twentieth Century. The

battery system was imported to this country from America in the 1950s.

As the 21st sench ray proched concerns over animal welfare grew

and the battery system came under increasing scrutiny. By the

beginning of this year, the EU had brought in new legislation to

improve living conditions for caged hens. It's all about welfare.

They've got a lot more space. There's 750 square cms per bird, as

opposed to the old system of 550. There's 60 birds in this colony. An

old cage would have had more. They have perchs in the cage. They have

a scratching area at end of the system there. Then at the end there,

they have a wee curtained off area, going in there to lay their eggs.

Farms like this one have made a substantial investment in making

sure their operations meet the new standards. But not all member

states have been so quick to comply. There are around 25 million hens

being kept in illegal cages across the continent. The UK as a whole

have spent �400 million to comply with the directive. We have to be

protected from imports coming in from abroad that are not compliant

with the directive. Which member states are not complying? There's

quite a few, the big ones are France, Italy, Spain - that's the

big EU members not compliant. nation, we consume far more eggs

than we produce. Last year alone, the UK imported more than two

billion eggs to make up the short fall. The problem is how do we know

that the eggs we're importing are not produced in illegal cages?

certainly don't expect to get any product that's come from eggs that

have been raised illegally. What's key in this situation is the

strength of your supply relationships. We've worked with

all these people for a very long time and they Noah we expect. So we

say to them, this is what we would like from you. We will audit you,

be in no doubt. That's as far as you can go. We are looking in the

future to uegz DNA technologies, not only would we know where the

egg came from, but we would be able to use those technologies to

determine what kind of systems those hens had been raised in.

Identifying where fresh eggs are produced is easy. All you have to

do is look for the lion stamp. But when it comes to processed foods

like these, it's not that simple. That's the loophole, if it says SCO

on the shell that's Scotland. If you buy that you know it's a

Scottish egg. If the egg was produced in France, it had to be

processed in France and used within France. The big problem is if they

can put it into a cake or something like that, export the cake. It's an

area that needs to be tightened up. Traceability needs to be improved.

It is something that we're trying The new legislation banning battery

cages is a step in the right direction malwelfare. Unless all

the EU members comply, the message from the industry is clear - your

when houses in order. If you have a comment about

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

with us, please send an E mail now, the weather here at is brisk,. What

about the prospects for this Hello. All week it has been

sunshine and showers and no change as we head into the week some hefty

showers around as well. They hail and thunder, all thanks tho this

low pressure slap, bang at the moment. So, for tomorrow, there'll

be. The best of afternoon showers come with the risk of hail and

thunder T Met Office has a yellow warning in place slow ed flood ing

there will be sunnier the Northern Isles cloudier skies and showers

continue. Rain for Shetland and Then any that fade away will be

light compared to the afternoon. Overnight lows not too bad. One or

two sheltered Glenns. As we look for the second half of the weekend,

that system starts to track towards the near continent, leaving a

better day on Sunday, but another low on its way behind. For Sunday,

generally another day of sunshine and showers.

Perhaps temperatures up a notch as well. Winds staying light. Into

next week, once again the April showers will continue across the

whole of the country. There's that area of low pressure tracking

towards the southern half of the British Isles. If that ridge to the

north of it edges further north, then we could see heavy rain across

Dumfries & Galloway. Away from here it will be another day of sunshine

and showers and showers lighter compared to tomorrow. On Tuesday

that low pressure pulls to France. So we will continue to see showers

fed in towards us. The mobile unstable air is away from us.

Temperatures between eight to 13 Celsius. The winds fresh on

occasion from a north-easterly direct. For Wednesday, once again

sunshine and showers. Showers light and highs around 13 Celsius. That's

D Last year Andy Torbet took us around Scotland underwater. For the

next few weeks he will travel by kayak.

Hi I'm Andy Torbet. This is my kayak. I originally got into

kayaking to get too and from the snorkelling sites I visit. I have

been doing it two years. I have found it is great to access parts

of the countryside and the coastline that few people ever get

to see. It is easy to get started. You can pick up the basics straight

away. This is a kayak. You shouldn't

mistake it for a canoe. They are closed boats with a small cockpit.

Canoes are bigger and open all the way down. With a kayak you have a

twin-bladed paddle. With a canoe only a single-bladed paddle.

Today, I'm going on an easy run. I'll be joining the river fourth

and finishing in Stirling. It is a gentle river and relatively

straightforward. The journey takes you through some of the most

beautiful parts. There is always something interesting to see.

There are a few sets of small rapids. These makes for points of

interest and fun, rather than danger.

You still need your wits about you though.

If you do come across a tricky section of river and feel it is

beyond your capability, there's an easy soe luegs. This is a --

solution. This is a way to pick up your Kay yobg and carry it past the

obstacle. This is a sea kayak. It is a lot heavier.

We go past this striking castle. It is a location from Monty

Python's Holy Grail. We see all sorts of wildlife,

particularly as we past the safari park.

Eventually, the river joins the forth and widens as it goes under

the M9 and into Stirling itself. After four hours, we reach today's

ultimate destination - Stirling Bridge. In 1297 William Wallace

defeated the English forces. This stone bridge was built around 1500.

For 400 years it was the lowest crossing point on the river.

Of course, if you want to get across the river these days, you

can use the modern crossings. Next weekly go out to the intimidating

Reed beds are one of the richest wildlife habitats. They form along

estuaries. Here in Scotland we can boast the biggest reed bed in

The Tay reed bed is the largest area of continuous reads in Britain.

Over 400 hectares that stretch along the inner estuary of the Tay.

It's believed the reed bed was originally planted by monks more

than 500 years ago, but was extended by prisoners captured

during the nap Pollyonic wars. The prisoners were made to build these

dykes out into the estuary, allowing the land behind them to

silt up, so contain the perfect conditions for growing reads.

In the summer, when the reads are green, they are full of birds,

floating through the lush tangle of growth.

When the reeds are brown and dormant, it is the perfect time to

harvest them for thatch. Graham, what a machine! Where did

you get it? It's a Danish-built machine. We have operated this very

machine for 30-plus years now. It's a bit like me, a bit long in the

tooth. Is it temperamental? Yes, you can see the conditions it works

in. It can be at times. It seems to go on for miles? The area is 420

hectares. Of that we manage probably about 50 hectares Bihar

vester. We also manage some areas by the roller. Graham used to run

his own business, now he works full-time for the conservation body

the RSPB. It is such an important habitat that the RSPB bought his

machine and employed Graham to make sure that the harvesting continued.

In the early days, we were competing against probably imports

from France, Belgium, Holland, but as communications and Internet and

that progressed, the reed is coming from Russia, China, all over,

virtually. I finished purely because there was that such

competition from foreign reed and you are competing against cheap

labour from abroad. Now the site is managed to be the best possible

site for birds. The reeds are sold to thatchers. This is finished.

This is reedy to go to the thatchers. This has been through

the -- ready to go to the thatchers. Each bunch would cover one square

foot of the roof. On a breezy day like today it is difficult to spot

any birds in the reads. -- reeds. I am assured they are here. We have

several pairs of marsh harrier on site. We have little birds hiding

well. Why don't you leave it to grow naturally. Tits like a

variable age structure. They like the older to nest in. They can hide

their nests about. They like the open areas and the younger growth

to feed on. That is why Graham is cutting it now? Yes. When Graham

was first cutting reeds, there were several large blocks within that.

Now we are doing smaller blocks different years. We have got a very

different cycle now. With such a good reason for harvesting, how

could I not lend a hand? Well, I have seen it being done and

it looks relatively simple. I have a sneaking feeling it isn't. Is it

hard work, Graham? You probably cut each day about three tonnes worth

of reed. Anything I need to know? Glasses and gloves because it can

be very sharp. And make it tidy? And make it tidy!

We're off! And now they are coming thick and

fast. I tell you what, those bearded tits better appreciate

their nice, new feeding ground! The amazing reed bed habitats of

the Tay. Before the tide comes in here and I get wet feet, time to

tell you what is coming up next week.

The challenge of meeting a renewable energy target.

The jumpers that defined generations of North-East fishermen.

We were dealing with very severe weather. Very, very cold. It kept

you warm. And Andy Torbet paddles under the bridges. It gives you a