0:00:04 > 0:00:08Hello and a very warm welcome to a brand-new series of Landward.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10From now all the way through to Christmas,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13we'll bring you the best stories from the Scottish countryside.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15This week, I'm heading to the Borders...
0:00:15 > 0:00:16on this.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37TRAIN HORN HONKS
0:00:37 > 0:00:39The recently opened Borders Railway
0:00:39 > 0:00:42is expected to attract a whole host of new people to the area.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45So what better time to bring the team down
0:00:45 > 0:00:48to get a taste of what this beautiful part of the country has to offer?
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Sarah will be discovering the secrets behind Scotland's best beef farm.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Now, a little bird told me that, um...
0:00:58 > 0:01:00you're so passionate about Aberdeen Angus
0:01:00 > 0:01:03that there was a wedding present...?
0:01:03 > 0:01:06I'm heading to Sir Walter Scott's Abbotsford estate
0:01:06 > 0:01:08to explore the little-known legacy
0:01:08 > 0:01:11of one of Scotland's most famous authors.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Scott wrote that he wrote books in order to pay for more land,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17in order to plant trees.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20And Euan's taken to the hills with man's best friend
0:01:20 > 0:01:23to discover a unique Borders sport.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25- DOGS YAP AND BARK - This is hound trailing.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Many people arriving in the Borders
0:01:34 > 0:01:37will head straight for the fishing on the River Tweed.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41But our Euan has been having a SHOCKING time in the water.
0:01:44 > 0:01:50The River Tweed, or just Tweed if you live locally, runs for 96 miles.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53It rises at Tweed's Well in the Borders and enters the sea
0:01:53 > 0:01:56at Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Add to that all the tributaries and the burns,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01then looking after this river is quite a task.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09People come from all over the world to fish here.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11And it's the job of the Tweed Foundation
0:02:11 > 0:02:14to make sure there's plenty to catch.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18I'm joining them on one of their regular checks on fish numbers.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22And I'm hoping to get an answer to one of nature's greatest mysteries.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27And it all starts in burns like this.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- Kenny.- Oh, hi.- How do you do? - How are you?
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Right, I've got my net, I've got my bucket,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35I've got my wellies. What are we going to do?
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Today, we're going to be electrofishing,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40which is a method of surveying juvenile fish numbers.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42We're up here in the Kelphope Burn,
0:02:42 > 0:02:43which is the top of the Leader Water,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45one of the major tributaries of the River Tweed,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47and we're going to have a look
0:02:47 > 0:02:48at what's there in terms of the fish numbers.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53'Biologist Kenny Galt's hi-tech backpack contains a battery
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'which puts 180 volts into the water.'
0:02:56 > 0:02:58It's using electricity, which is normally illegal,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01- but we've a special licence to do it.- Good.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05'The electric current immobilises the fish for a short time,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'making them easier to catch and to count.'
0:03:09 > 0:03:11So we're on. And, straight away, you can see the fish coming down.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14- Oh, goodness me.- And just lift the scoop, and there you go.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Wow! Look at that!
0:03:17 > 0:03:19That's almost instant.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24And, as you see, as soon as the fish come out of the electric current,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26they regain control of their own muscles
0:03:26 > 0:03:28and do their best to try and get out of the scoop.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29And we'll do one more sweep.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31If you get right in next to the bank here,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33there'll be a lot of fish hiding under the cover.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Now just sweep it down.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40And there you go, and lift.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41Wow!
0:03:42 > 0:03:45So why is this method so good for catching the fish?
0:03:45 > 0:03:46In here, we're in a shallow stream,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49the fish are hiding under the stones, under the bank,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51they don't see you coming, and you can get right in next to them,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54it works at relatively short range.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'Once all the fish are collected, it's time for the measuring,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00'and that's where biologist Ronald Campbell comes in.'
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Ronald. How do you do?
0:04:05 > 0:04:09- I've got you some fish.- Good. - Lots of fish.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10- There we go.- Aye.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Trout, 62.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Trout, 53.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19'The team have been doing more than just measuring species and length.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23'They've been helping to solve one of nature's mysteries.'
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Trout, 53.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29So are they going to be sea trout or brown trout?
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Well, that is the big question.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35That's actually the big problem for this sort of survey work.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Because we can find lots and lots of little trout,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39but we don't actually know what it means.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Does it mean there's a good spawning stock of brown trout
0:04:42 > 0:04:45or does it mean there's a good spawning stock of sea trout?
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Cos I always thought they were the same thing.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50And it was a great mystery and it was kind of in the lap of the gods
0:04:50 > 0:04:52whether fish decided to go to sea or stay in the river.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Well, they are the same species,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57but they have two different ways of life.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Now, as you say, it's a bit of a mystery as to why
0:05:01 > 0:05:04some go to sea and why some stay behind.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08But the team, along with Napier University,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11have been carrying out isotope testing,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13which goes some way to solving that mystery,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15determining if the juvenile fish
0:05:15 > 0:05:18are the offspring of sea or brown trout.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22So that's a trout, 71.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25So you know where they come from, but you still don't know
0:05:25 > 0:05:28- if they're going to turn into brown trout or sea trout?- We don't.
0:05:28 > 0:05:29Er...trout, 70.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32But to know where they've come from will be a great help.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It also helps us to interpret our electrofishing results.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39So here, we've got a lovely piece of burn, the Kelphope Burn.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Is it being populated by sea trout or brown trout?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45In the whole catchment of the Tweed,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47where are the brown trout? Where are the sea trout?
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Or are they all just mixed up together?
0:05:49 > 0:05:52It's rather important from a fisheries management point of view.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54So, hopefully, one day, we will know
0:05:54 > 0:05:57what triggers some of these young fish to go to sea
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and some to stay in the river.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03But, today, Ronald's satisfied that the stocks are good and healthy,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05so just one last thing to do.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Well, here we go. The fish going back in the water...
0:06:11 > 0:06:14..seemingly unfazed by the whole adventure.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18And, hopefully, in a few years' time,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21they'll make some lucky angler a great catch.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Ronald and Kenny may be securing the Tweed's future,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36but the river's played an important role in the Borders' past.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38One of our greatest writers, Sir Walter Scott,
0:06:38 > 0:06:40built his home on its banks
0:06:40 > 0:06:44and developed an estate that inspired him throughout his life.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49You may think you know Sir Walter Scott.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54He's commemorated in the largest monument in the world
0:06:54 > 0:06:56dedicated to a writer.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Edinburgh's Waverley station is named after his famous novels.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08And his face graces our nation's banknotes.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15But there was a side to Scott you may not be familiar with.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17He was a lover of nature,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21finding in it creative inspiration and a way to fight depression.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25He also used it to socially and economically improve the Borders.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32As a child, Scott was sent to his grandparents' farm near Kelso
0:07:32 > 0:07:35to recuperate from an illness.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38It was an experience he never forgot.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Scott became fascinated with the local folk tales and legends.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49And his love of the area and its stories
0:07:49 > 0:07:53led him to buying a run-down farmhouse near Melrose.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56He then converted that into this grand mansion
0:07:56 > 0:07:58and estate at Abbotsford.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04'The whole summer I spent digging, levelling, draining
0:08:04 > 0:08:06'and planting trees at Abbotsford.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11'It will be a pretty place one day, who so may live to see it.'
0:08:15 > 0:08:19These gardens would keep Scott busy after many a morning writing.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21Hi, Pippa.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25'Pippa Coles has studied the history within these walls.'
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Now, Scott designed these gardens, didn't he?
0:08:27 > 0:08:29What would you say his vision was?
0:08:29 > 0:08:32His vision was to do something quite different -
0:08:32 > 0:08:35to go back to Renaissance times and medieval times
0:08:35 > 0:08:40and create a series of rooms close to his baronial castle.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Scott wrote, at one point in his diary, that he wrote books
0:08:44 > 0:08:48- in order to pay for more land, in order to plant trees.- Uh-huh.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53So, as far as Scott was concerned, the focus of his life,
0:08:53 > 0:08:58the wellspring of refreshment, creative refreshment,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00was his woodlands and his garden.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03- Mm. So hugely important to him? - Yeah, yeah.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Scott's depression was well-documented.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Do you think Abbotsford and the way he created it
0:09:07 > 0:09:09helped with his mental wellbeing?
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Yes, very much.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Scott traced the relationship between keeping fit,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17being in a green space, being in nature,
0:09:17 > 0:09:21his diet and his sense of wellbeing
0:09:21 > 0:09:23and being able to control his depression,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25which dogged him most of his life.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33'Fighting with this fiend is not always the best way to conquer him.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38'I have always found exercise and the open air better than reasoning.'
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Scott loved walking in his woods. His diaries are full of them.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49He once wrote, "My heart clings to the place I have created.
0:09:49 > 0:09:55"There is scarce a tree on it that does not owe its being to me."
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Scott wanted to share the benefits of his estate
0:09:57 > 0:10:02with the local community, providing not just recreation but jobs as well.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05That's a tradition which lives on.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09- Philip, how you doing?- All right, Dougie? Not bad. Yourself?
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Yeah, very well. Can I give you a hand lopping the rhododendrons?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Certainly can, there you go.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16'Philip Munro is the estate ranger.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20'Today, he's getting some help clearing the dreaded rhododendrons.'
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Tell me about the folk you've got working here today.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24Today, we've got Gala Works -
0:10:24 > 0:10:29it's a charity, part of the Tomorrow's People initiative,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32which is helping young people gain experience and develop skills
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and hopefully help them with their future careers.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Do you think something like this that's going on -
0:10:37 > 0:10:40local people getting involved, helping out in the gardens -
0:10:40 > 0:10:43does this fit into his idea of what should be happening at Abbotsford?
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Absolutely. I think he'd be quite pleased
0:10:45 > 0:10:47if he could see what was going on today.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49You know, Abbotsford becoming part of the community
0:10:49 > 0:10:51and encouraging people to come out here,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54not just to enjoy the gardens and grounds but to help out
0:10:54 > 0:10:57and, you know, get a sense of ownership of it, too.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59'Well, that's all good in theory.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01'But what does it mean for the volunteers?'
0:11:01 > 0:11:04So, Sian, tell me, what do you think the long-term benefits will be
0:11:04 > 0:11:07for you, getting involved in something like this?
0:11:07 > 0:11:08It's experience for gardening
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and, if I want to take up gardening, I've got experience.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14And working in a group as well must be pretty good fun.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15Yeah, it's pretty positive.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18It's quite fun to work in a group cos I'm meeting new people,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22I'm getting out of my comfort zone to talk to them and everything.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29Sir Walter Scott believed strongly in sharing his beautiful woodlands.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32He once said...
0:11:32 > 0:11:36"Not one of my young trees has ever been cut,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40"nor a fence trodden down, or any kind of damage done
0:11:40 > 0:11:46"in consequence of the free access that all the world has to my place."
0:11:46 > 0:11:50I reckon he'd be delighted that, almost two centuries after his death,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54thousands of people still come here to admire these wonderful trees.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Now, just 15 miles south of Abbotsford is Hawick,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05historic hub of the Borders textile industry.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Things haven't been easy for the trade in recent years,
0:12:08 > 0:12:09but Sarah's about to discover
0:12:09 > 0:12:13that there are still those making a global success of it.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21These are the knits which have been keeping us warm for generations.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24And they're rather fashionable, too.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Famous names like Pringle, Lyle & Scott
0:12:26 > 0:12:31and Lochcarron all had their humble beginnings in the Borders.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36It was in the 18th century that textile manufacturing began here
0:12:36 > 0:12:38on a commercial scale.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Galashiels had tweed and tartan.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44And here in Hawick, hosiery.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Hawick was an ideal place to develop a textile industry -
0:12:49 > 0:12:52the Slitrig Water and River Teviot
0:12:52 > 0:12:55could power industrial machinery and wash wool,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and its position between Edinburgh and Carlisle
0:12:58 > 0:13:02meant finished garments could be easily distributed.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04All around Hawick, you can see evidence
0:13:04 > 0:13:06of the town's textile trade.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Mill buildings, workers' houses, dye works.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11And, today, I'm heading in here.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Peter Scott has been employing the locals of Hawick since 1878.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21And, despite some ups and downs over the years,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24it remains dedicated to the town where it all started.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Alistair Young is the current operations manager.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33That's what they first started making,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36which, essentially, was undergarments.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37- For a man?- For a man.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Woollen outerwear wasn't really part of the in vogue at the time,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45whereas underwear was - it needed to be functional as well as warm
0:13:45 > 0:13:47because no central heating in the 1800s.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50And what type of products do you make now?
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Well, pretty much, we're into outerwear, knitwear.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58We create products into Australasia, the Far East.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00We've now just opened doors in the US as well.
0:14:00 > 0:14:0430% to the Chinese market, which is bucking the trend,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06cos generally it's imports from China.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10It's heartening that Peter Scott's export trade is on the up because in
0:14:10 > 0:14:15the 1970s and '80s the local textile industry was in decline.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20Overseas competition hit hard and many mills closed.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Today, that overseas competition
0:14:23 > 0:14:26now owns a number of the big Borders names.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Pringle are based in Hong Kong,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Barrie has been bought by French fashion giant Chanel,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35and Peter Scott itself is now in Korean hands.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40The company still make use of traditional Border skills, however.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Jackie Pullin and Morgan Wilson are hand stitching
0:14:43 > 0:14:45and I'm trying to help.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47So, Morgan, you're an apprentice.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49- Mm-hm.- And how long have you been working?
0:14:49 > 0:14:52- Roughly ten months now.- So what do you do?- I'm a body linker.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53What's that?
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I don't know how else to explain it than the greasy section.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58It's putting your front panel, back panel
0:14:58 > 0:15:00and your sleeves into a jumper.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03And it's obviously a highly-skilled job,
0:15:03 > 0:15:05skills which I have none of, obviously.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09- You're just about to correct everything I've done.- I will, yes.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12So the old ways still have a place in today's factory
0:15:12 > 0:15:17but, in order to survive, Peter Scott are also embracing new technology.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23Technical manager Mark Lyons is showing off their latest bit of kit.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27This is the Rolls-Royce of knitting machines, the absolute cutting edge.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29This is the whole garment technology.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32It enables an entire garment to be created in one
0:15:32 > 0:15:36knitting action and almost the finished garment
0:15:36 > 0:15:37comes out of the bottom.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39And how long will it take to complete?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- 30 minutes to 90 minutes at the most.- OK.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Wow. That means there's just enough time for me to rake through
0:15:49 > 0:15:52the company's archive room and its decades of fashion.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58The '40s.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03The '60s.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10And the decade that style forgot. The '80s.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Only an hour later
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and the all-in-one jumper is ready to come off the machine.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20And there we go. Ta-dah.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22So we've met the ladies who do everything by hand,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24very intricate and traditional.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27- Yeah.- How important is it that you also use this technology?
0:16:27 > 0:16:31I think this machine embraces the newest methods of manufacture,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33which enable us to compete
0:16:33 > 0:16:36and create a garment that we couldn't create before.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38And traditional Scottish manufacture
0:16:38 > 0:16:40doesn't create this type of garment.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44It's been a real pleasure to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse
0:16:44 > 0:16:47at one of the Borders' and Scotland's
0:16:47 > 0:16:48most important industries.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Old mill towns have not had it easy in recent years.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Jobs have been, and continue to be, lost.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59But what is so great is to see the workmanship that continues
0:16:59 > 0:17:04to exist here and that young people still see a future in textiles.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12Making Landward, we travel all over Scotland.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15And when we're out and about, we want to find out what the locals think is
0:17:15 > 0:17:18the best thing about their patch.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22This week, as we're celebrating all things Borders, I want to know,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25what's the best thing about Peebles?
0:17:25 > 0:17:27The scenery.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30I would say the Crown.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Community. There's lots of things going on.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- Traquair House...- Good answer. - ..down the road.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- We had our honeymoon there 21 years ago.- Fantastic.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Yeah, all the independent shops, I would say.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47They have a fantastic little Caldwell's there
0:17:47 > 0:17:50and they sell gluten-free ice cream and wafers.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51Would you agree with that?
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Is that your daughter saying that's the best thing about the place?
0:17:54 > 0:17:56No, the best thing about the place for me is the people
0:17:56 > 0:17:59because they all look very cheerful and happy.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Which is not very often the case.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07It's a great place to live.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Only 20 miles from Edinburgh, if you have to go there.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13I think the best thing about Peebles is the outdoors.
0:18:13 > 0:18:14So do I.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20As a keen cyclist, I think the best thing about Peebles
0:18:20 > 0:18:24are the mountain bike trails at Glentress.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27And don't take my word for it - they've won lots of awards.
0:18:31 > 0:18:32Now, that is good fun.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Next week, I'll be on two wheels of a different kind
0:18:35 > 0:18:40as I go in search of Scotland's finest road for motorcycling.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44In the meantime, I think I'm heading back up.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45Oh, my goodness me.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50And you can see a couple of images from my marathon trip around some of
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Scotland's most stunning scenery on our Facebook page, where you can leave
0:18:54 > 0:18:59us your thoughts on the programme or suggestions for future stories.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02If you don't use Facebook, you can e-mail us.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Now, we couldn't come to the Borders and not check out the cattle.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Sarah is visiting Wedderlie Farm in Berwickshire to meet
0:19:16 > 0:19:18an award-winning herd of Aberdeen Angus.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The ancestors of this herd
0:19:23 > 0:19:27have wandered these hills for more than a century,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31and it's 100 years which have seen great changes in agriculture.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35One of the areas that has thrived is our understanding of genetics.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39That knowledge has been put to good use on this farm.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42And fingers crossed, we're going to see some evidence of that today.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50So, anything happening?
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Not at the moment but I'll keep an eye out for most of the day.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57'These carefully bred cows are indoors
0:19:57 > 0:20:00'because they're about to give birth.
0:20:00 > 0:20:05'We're hoping to witness a special moment with farmer Wanda Hobbs.'
0:20:05 > 0:20:09- So you operate... You know, you calve twice a year?- Yes, we do.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11- Is that unusual?- It is.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18I think there's advantages of calving twice a year for Wedderlie.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20It's all year round that we have bulls available to
0:20:20 > 0:20:25- sell to the customer.- And it's all year round income?- Yes.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28But as well as their own breeding programme,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32genetic material can come from unexpected places.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34A little bird told me that you're
0:20:34 > 0:20:39so passionate about Aberdeen Angus that there was a wedding present.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41- That's right.- Yeah, come on, talk me through that.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46Five embryos were given to Andy and myself from Canada.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50This unusual gift has helped Wedderlie Farm
0:20:50 > 0:20:55achieve the prestigious title of Scotch Beef Farm of the Year,
0:20:55 > 0:20:56and you can see why.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00But this farm is a family affair.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05THEY CHAT
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Mum and Dad Marion and John Tilson
0:21:08 > 0:21:11have nurtured this herd for many years.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15They're a popular breed at the moment. Yours are award winning.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Do you think that's why yours are so sought after at the moment?
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Why would you say yours...? What's the USP of your herd?
0:21:22 > 0:21:24- They perform. - JOHN CHUCKLES
0:21:24 > 0:21:26You know, under most circumstances.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29And they do what they say on the tin.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32I think it takes many years to build up a herd
0:21:32 > 0:21:36and once you're there you have to... Attention to detail,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40very selective. If they're not performing, we eliminate them.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43That may sound harsh,
0:21:43 > 0:21:47but John and Marion believe that, by only breeding animals with premium
0:21:47 > 0:21:51genetic traits, they're keeping the herd strong and successful.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Back as the shed, it seems the cows are in no hurry
0:21:56 > 0:21:57to bring on the next generation.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04Fortunately, this little guy was born yesterday and it's tag time.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08MOOING
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- Sore? A little bit.- Yes.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Tagging complete, it's back to Mum.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20So how busy are you expecting to be over the next few weeks?
0:22:20 > 0:22:25- Yeah, fairly busy with cows calving and...- All hands on deck?
0:22:25 > 0:22:26Yes, all hands on deck.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Everyone will muck in together and just get on with the job.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Well, in true Landward style, we missed the big moment.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35I've got no doubt that, when we leave,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- a calf will be born.- I'm sure.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Mention a sport and the Borders, my mind immediately goes to rugby.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49But Euan's been looking into an old sporting tradition
0:22:49 > 0:22:52that you might not be quite so familiar with.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58Something out of the ordinary is happening in the hills
0:22:58 > 0:22:59near Newcastleton.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04It's been going on for more than 200 years.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07But southern Scotland and northern England are the only
0:23:07 > 0:23:10parts of the UK where you can witness it.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12This is hound trailing.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14DOGS YELP
0:23:24 > 0:23:25Hound trailing started
0:23:25 > 0:23:28when two fox-hunting gentleman
0:23:28 > 0:23:30argued over whose dog was the fastest.
0:23:30 > 0:23:31So they put on a race.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36The sport was soon taken up by farm and factory workers
0:23:36 > 0:23:39as a cheaper alternative to trailing with horses.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43The dogs race over eight miles or so of rough country,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46following a trail of man-made scent.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49And laying the trail today is Ashley Horn.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56- Hiya.- How are you doing?- Hi.- This is it, is it?- This is it.- Wow.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00- Nothing fancy to it.- The ultimate teabag.- It is a big teabag!
0:24:00 > 0:24:01- A very smelly one.- So...
0:24:01 > 0:24:03HE SNIFFS
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Paraffin, I'm getting here?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Paraffin, aniseed and oil, all mixed up together.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It just seems to be the best concoction of what
0:24:09 > 0:24:10lays on the ground.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13If they follow that scent they'll get their food at the end
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- and that's what they learn.- So if it all goes wrong, it's your fault?
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Anything goes wrong, my fault.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19- If the dogs go wrong direction, I get the blame.- Good luck.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Excellent.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25'Enthusiastic dog owners gather most weekends between March
0:24:25 > 0:24:28'and October for races like this.'
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- Who's this?- This is Daz.- Wow.
0:24:31 > 0:24:32He's lovely.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36'Competing today is Jenny Horn's dog, Daz.'
0:24:36 > 0:24:37What's his chances?
0:24:37 > 0:24:42His chances are very good today because he's dropped down a class
0:24:42 > 0:24:44because he's had a few injuries this year.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46- So I've dropped him down a class.- Good boy.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50I'm no expert but I expected a foxhound type animal
0:24:50 > 0:24:51and this is very, very different.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Over the decades, they have been bred and they've been bred finer,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57more racy. OK?
0:24:57 > 0:24:59He's like a greyhound with attitude isn't he?
0:24:59 > 0:25:01That's right. Well, that's right.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05They are the ultimate athlete of the canine world.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08And they will stop at nothing to get back
0:25:08 > 0:25:10to a nice tasty bite on the finish.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13- So it's a lot of pride at stake? - Oh, yes.- You'd like to win this?
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Well, everybody likes to win.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18But it isn't the winning, it's the taking part.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20I'd say it's the winning. Come on.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26'There are five races this afternoon featuring various classes of hound
0:25:26 > 0:25:28'from puppies to veterans.'
0:25:33 > 0:25:36- So is any tactics involved in this?- No, not really.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37You go as fast as you can.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40It is truly an amazing spectacle, isn't it?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45The dogs are flying over the course
0:25:45 > 0:25:49but, for some, following the scent isn't as easy as it looks.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Do you get nervous at this point? You've done all you can now.
0:25:55 > 0:25:56When Daz was a puppy
0:25:56 > 0:26:01and he won 31 trails, I couldn't sleep the night before.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02But you can sleep now?
0:26:02 > 0:26:07I'm all right now because he's nothing to prove, has he?
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Driving the dogs onto the finish is the thought of some tasty grub,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14and Daz is in for a treat.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17- What have you got? - It's chicken and pasta.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Does Daz like that?
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Yeah. They don't look at it, actually, they just gulp it down.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24- So what about yours? - I've got pasta...- Look at that.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29- ..some sardines...- And a bit of fairy cake as well.- Yes.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Each to his own, I suppose, but it certainly seems to be working.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37THEY CALL OUT TO DOGS
0:26:48 > 0:26:51As you saw, that was a pretty tense finish, but we do have the winner.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53- Tracey, congratulations. - Thank you very much.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55And what's the dog's name?
0:26:55 > 0:26:57- Tyler.- Tyler. He's not even out of breath.- No, he's not.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00He's had a good little race.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Goodness me, that was a really close finish.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04It was. Really good finish.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08- Were you confident?- Oh, no. Just take it as it comes
0:27:08 > 0:27:11with the dogs. I'm pleased to bits with him, though.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16No gold medal for Daz and Jenny, but it's still a podium finish.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- Heroic second.- Yes. He ran very well.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21I'm very happy with him and he's come in safe and sound.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23- That's the main thing.- It was a close finish, though, wasn't it?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25It was a close finish. Very exciting.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28- That's what it's all about. - He seems exhausted.- Yes, he is.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30You would be and all if you'd run round there.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31'Never mind running,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35'I'd be exhausted even walking round that course.'
0:27:35 > 0:27:38So there you have it, a great Borders' tradition
0:27:38 > 0:27:42in truly stunning countryside. Daz here is a real star.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44But I've recently got a new puppy called Bracken.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46She's a working golden retriever.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49She's got a fair bit of speed but definitely hasn't got the stamina.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51But what she does love is the camera.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54And I'll be introducing her to the Landward audience a little bit
0:27:54 > 0:27:56later in the series. Eh?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Yes, can't wait to see young Bracken in action.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03In the meantime, for me, I'm heading back to Edinburgh.