0:00:40 > 0:00:43Hello, and welcome to a brand new series of The Adventure Show,
0:00:43 > 0:00:47bringing you all the best action from the greatest adventure races from across Scotland.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51And that includes, today, the Grandtully Canoe Slalom
0:00:51 > 0:00:54and this is one of the UK's premiere kayak and canoe races -
0:00:54 > 0:00:56with the conditions the way they are today,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00it should prove to be an extremely exciting and fun weekend of paddling.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04No doubt about it, because the last few wildcard places for the British team are up for grabs,
0:01:04 > 0:01:09and if you don't make the British team, you're not going to the London Olympics next year.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11I don't think we're going to make it.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12- I am.- You reckon?- I am. We're going back out to practice.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14You've got some practice to do.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17I'm going to give it up. My Olympic dream's over.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21In the back of my mind, all the time, is that you're working towards London 2012,
0:01:21 > 0:01:25and our whole programme, the coaching set-up and the funding,
0:01:25 > 0:01:30is geared towards producing results at the Olympic Games.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32So it's all just poles and water -
0:01:32 > 0:01:35I'm sure that there's probably a few more nerves,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39when it comes to important races like selection, the Europeans, the World Championships,
0:01:39 > 0:01:44where your funding and canoeing career relies on those results,
0:01:44 > 0:01:49you can only do what you can do and you have to go out and try the best on that run.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Later in this programme, we'll be visiting a community
0:01:52 > 0:01:59in the west coast of Scotland that hosts one of the most unusual triathlons you'll find anywhere.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03And in the first of a brand new feature of Wild Weekends,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07we'll be heading into an undiscovered corner of Tuscany with Cameron McNeish.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Oh!
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Ho! Ho!
0:02:11 > 0:02:15That's all to come, but first we're straight into the deep end with the canoe slalom and Grandtully.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19If you love adventure, then this is the show for you.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Now, Duncan and I have just battled our way down this course in a canoe,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28that's a single-bladed paddle and kneeling down.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31The kayakers, they have a double-bladed paddle and they get to sit.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33I reckon that's much more comfortable, because my legs...
0:02:33 > 0:02:36- I'm in agony!- Vipond, you're going in the wrong direction!
0:02:36 > 0:02:41Well, at least I'm still in the boat, which is no mean triumph,
0:02:41 > 0:02:44but the professionals have everything to play for.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Later this year, there's the World Championships in Slovakia
0:02:47 > 0:02:50and next year, it's the big one,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52the Olympics, where there's high hopes for the Scots.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Historically, paddlers do much better at their home Olympics.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00We give them a lot more support, and it raises the profile of the sport.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03We've been very proud in the past. I think the last Olympics,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06there was a Scot in every boat that was selected for the GB team.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11Is it likely there's going to be Scots in each boat this time, or are we kind of falling away in UK terms?
0:03:11 > 0:03:14I think that there are Scots up there in every boat,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18every category this year, but it's not cut and dried there will be Scots.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22There's a lot of competition at the top, which is good for the sport.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24And also in terms of the importance of this event this year,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28because if you do well here there are wildcard places available.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33Could you explain exactly what it means, in terms of wildcards, potentially for the Olympics?
0:03:33 > 0:03:38They allow access to selection this year, and if you get selected for the British team this year,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41you're automatically in the selection event for the Olympics next year.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42I'd really like to get a wildcard -
0:03:42 > 0:03:45I'd just really like a chance to race on London again.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48There is a wee bit of pressure.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50I'm confident in getting it.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53It'll be a good achievement if I do get it,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and it means I will get to race down in London.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Just because you were good before, doesn't mean you'll be good for the next season, you know?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Everyone's got to have their breakthrough at some point.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06For me, I spent years being an up-and-coming athlete,
0:04:06 > 0:04:10with great, world-class performers ahead of me, but at some point
0:04:10 > 0:04:15we have to have a race to see who's the best that year and I had my breakthrough year.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Some other younger paddler's going to have it this year or next year, or some point in the future.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22The rules of this sport are simple.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25The winner is the one with the fastest run down the river,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28but if you touch a gate there two-second penalty.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Miss one and there's 50 seconds added to your time.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34We're kicking off the action with the women's kayak event and,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38at the top, Fiona Pennie has had a difficult start to her year with illness,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41but she's still the one to beat.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45I'm not expecting too much this weekend. We'll see how it goes.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50And you know, going to selection, well hopefully this rest will have actually done me some good.
0:04:50 > 0:04:56It's been shown before, some people go out for injury or illness before a big competition,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00and they'll come back even better in the race, so you know,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03I'm hoping that's what happens with me.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07There's a number of young up-and-coming paddlers snapping at Fiona's heels,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11including Bethan Latham from the Bradford & Bingley Club
0:05:11 > 0:05:15and 16-year-old Mallory Franklin from the Shepperton Club in Surrey.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19I'm at a reasonable standard, and I've just got to get a good result
0:05:19 > 0:05:22this weekend, and hopefully I'll be in the junior team,
0:05:22 > 0:05:27so racing in Bosnia in both boats - that's the main reason I'm here.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30I mean, when you see somebody like Fiona, who's been at the top
0:05:30 > 0:05:36of her game for many, many, many years, do you see yourself wanting to go down that route as well?
0:05:36 > 0:05:41Yeah, I'd really like... I'm only 16 at the moment, so I've got quite a few years
0:05:41 > 0:05:47to be able to get to that point and yeah, it would be really nice to be able to be at her level,
0:05:47 > 0:05:52anything like her age, preferably obviously younger, and be able to be doing that maybe when I'm 20.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55But I've still got many years now, so it would be nice.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Mallory had an absolutely superb first run, coming down the river
0:05:59 > 0:06:03with no penalty points and a fast controlled line.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Fellow under-18 paddler Bethan Latham
0:06:06 > 0:06:11was just a second slower down the course, but she touched two gates,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13giving her a four-second penalty.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Pre-race favourite Fiona Pennie had the fastest run down the course,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21but she also touched two gates and lost four seconds off her time.
0:06:21 > 0:06:30So after the first run, it looks like this - in third place is Bethan Latham with a total time of 113.65.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33That four-second penalty means Fiona Pennie is currently lying
0:06:33 > 0:06:36in second with 109.56.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41But out in front is young Mallory Franklin with 108.97.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44But there's still that second run to come.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49The fastest time from either run counts, so still all to play for.
0:06:49 > 0:06:56We're picking up the action as current leader Mallory Franklin comes down the course.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01Keeping it nice and clean as she batters down, as the wind really starts to pick up here.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Mallory Franklin was leading after the first run.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Mallory was quite tentative through this session in her first run.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15This is the second of two runs and she's picked better lines this time.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Oh, I spoke too soon there!
0:07:18 > 0:07:22She just battered on to 8. That's a two-second penalty.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Mallory paddling here today in K1 Class,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31which is the double-edged paddle.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Sitting down, but she's already qualified in C1,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38the canoe class, of course, when you kneel the single-bladed paddle.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40So, very happy on the water, this young girl.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45What can she do in the bottom half of the course?
0:07:45 > 0:07:47It's always a big decision to make,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51whether you try and blast down and risk hitting the gates, or keeping
0:07:51 > 0:07:55it nice and clean, and hope that somebody else hits on the way down,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59but this course today has been set up so there's lots of options,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01lots of decisions to be made and if you make the right ones,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03you'll get down fast and clean.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Make the wrong ones and you're going to get some penalty points.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10But Mallory Franklin is making the right decisions so far,
0:08:10 > 0:08:16as she powers back up the river for the gate 17 towards the bottom of the course.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20She's got 18 and 19 to go through and then that will be all over for her.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Unfortunately for Mallory, that's not as fast as her first run
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and she's picked up those two penalties,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32but her previous time of 108.97 still counts.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Will it be enough to keep her in that top spot?
0:08:36 > 0:08:39So sprinting into the start of the course
0:08:39 > 0:08:41is Bethan Latham.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Bethan Latham lying third.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Quite a good credible third,
0:08:47 > 0:08:52after her first run as a junior and under-18 paddler.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56A girl with a great future in the sport.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Very, very fast. Nice technical paddling, going
0:08:59 > 0:09:02across that rough water, especially with this wind making it difficult.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06These gates are all over the place now and the wind's gusting 30,
0:09:06 > 0:09:0940 miles an hour now, making it very difficult.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14You need to give yourself a bit more of a margin, so you don't hit these.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18And that's very, very strong paddling.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22And she has to keep high, just to catch that.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Quite difficult to see it and very nicely done.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28So Beth's so far,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32great top half of the course, and now into a slightly more
0:09:32 > 0:09:36technical second half, where the water is a little bit smoother,
0:09:36 > 0:09:41but the gates are in positions where the water comes from fast to slow water, all the time.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44You're having to compensate and accelerate and decelerate,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47to make sure your lines are absolutely perfect, so downhill
0:09:47 > 0:09:52in the 14, 15 and 16. She's come a little bit wide.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It might be a bit of a struggle for her to come across.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00She's done that well, and needs to be quite high into gate 17.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Go on, fast hands, come on. Pull through it.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07And that's very nicely done from Beth.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12Yes, a really strong run, 107.55 and no penalties,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15puts her ahead of Mallory Franklin and into first place.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18All eyes now are on the last competitor.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22So, on the course now, Fiona Pennie, No 1.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27Britain's representative at the Olympics in Beijing.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32She did the fastest run last time in the first run down, but she had
0:10:32 > 0:10:35two hits, which meant four seconds added on to her time,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37so lying in second place.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42She wasn't hugely happy, but knows what to do to get down the fastest.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45She knows what to do to win this competition.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49She's won it so many times before, Fiona Pennie.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51A wee limbo through 6,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and now through 7.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59She had a hit here before, but she's clean through 6, 7 and 8.
0:10:59 > 0:11:04See the speed she goes there, big breakout, lovely, then.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07The bow up into the river, and use the speed of the river
0:11:07 > 0:11:09and work hard to get across for 10.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11She's through comfortably.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16Again, stick the bow into the river, she does, down to 11.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Then a couple of big strokes down to 12
0:11:21 > 0:11:24and a wee bit of a limbo there to get through 12,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27but she manages it, and she manages it clean.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30This is an impressive run for Fiona Pennie, it really is.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Now, she clips clean though 13 and 14.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Now 15 is moving about, but she manages to get past it, as is 16.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46This could well be a winning run from Fiona Pennie,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50if she keeps this clean and gets up through 16 and puts the power on
0:11:50 > 0:11:53to ferry her round across to 18
0:11:53 > 0:11:54and then the after-burners go on.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Sprint to the line. Look at that.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01That's very impressive indeed from the British Olympian.
0:12:03 > 0:12:04And what a run that is.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07The fastest clean run of the day.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10So a look at the final result in the Women's K1.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Mallory Franklin's first run of 108.97 was her best,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16but only secured her third place.
0:12:16 > 0:12:22Second is Bethan Latham, with her second run time of 107.55.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26But a superb run from Fiona Pennie to take top spot today,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29in a time of 105.89.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33I was hoping that I could come out with a win but, you know, obviously depending how I did
0:12:33 > 0:12:37physically, going down the course and, yeah, fortunately on that second run I managed to pull it out,
0:12:37 > 0:12:42just went down and made sure I didn't get any touches and it was enough to do it in the end.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45So was there a big physical difference in between run one
0:12:45 > 0:12:50and run two, because after the end of run one, you looked pretty wiped out and white.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Yeah, it was quite hard work, but the second run was equally as hard.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57I just managed to keep away from the poles.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02Still to come, we've got the nail-biting action of the men's canoe and kayak competitions,
0:13:02 > 0:13:07but first we're going to leave the white water here at Grandtully
0:13:07 > 0:13:11and introduce you to a brand new feature on The Adventure Show - the Wild Weekend.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16We're going to be exploring some exciting destinations for a short adventurous break and we'll start
0:13:16 > 0:13:20with Cameron McNeish, as he discovers the wild side of Tuscany.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31On a wet, windy day in Scotland, the thought of hopping on a plane
0:13:31 > 0:13:34and heading to Europe for a weekend of adventure is irresistible.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38And what lies ahead is full of surprises.
0:13:38 > 0:13:44Over the next two days, I'll be put through my paces, not just on foot, but also on a mountain bike.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50And I'll be checking out my cordon bleu potential.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Go on, look at that.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55I've been very fortunate over the years in that I've been able
0:13:55 > 0:13:59to go off and explore some of the wild areas of the world,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02places where sunshine is virtually guaranteed.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06A couple of years ago, I was invited across here to Tuscany in Italy
0:14:06 > 0:14:10and where I expected to find fields of marigolds and sunflowers,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14little villages with pink roofs and nice easy gentle rambles,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18what I discovered was a mountain range called the Apuane Alps,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22an area with a wealth of adventurous activities on offer,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24from mountaineering to hangliding.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28And do you know this, I'd never even heard of the Apuane Alps.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30I didn't even know they existed.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32I think the only reason people might have heard of them is because
0:14:32 > 0:14:37most of the white marble comes from just over the hill there at Cararra.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- I've heard of that, yeah, Cararra Marble.- Yeah. Michelangelo.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44- Michelangelo.- Michelangelo built the road into the quarry.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Three years building a road, just to get into the quarry, yeah.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Jamie Reynolds and his partner Ailsa were born and bred in Scotland,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54but seven years ago, they decided to move from their home in Perthshire
0:14:54 > 0:14:58to start a new life in the mountains of Northern Italy.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00It's surprisingly easy to get there.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Just a short, cheap flight to Pisa and then a couple of hours drive
0:15:04 > 0:15:09to the Col Di Lavacchio, and a perfect wild weekend.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Here Jamie and Elsa have converted a farmhouse,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15which provides a fantastic base for my exploration of the Apuane Alps.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18A lot of people have this dream of coming and living
0:15:18 > 0:15:20in Tuscany in a place like this.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21There are still stresses and strains
0:15:21 > 0:15:26and it just takes a walk in the hills to sort all that out.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Which is my view exactly.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32So I'm only too happy to head straight up into the mountains.
0:15:32 > 0:15:38There's no shortage of walks here, so Jamie suggested we head out for the day and see what this landscape
0:15:38 > 0:15:42has to offer, and here you are literally stepping into the past.
0:15:42 > 0:15:48I love the fact you can go up the hill and see old folk cutting hay with scythes.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50I mean, it's unheard of in Britain now,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53but it means is you get all those lovely wild flower meadows
0:15:53 > 0:15:57and things that still exist, rather than huge fields of silage.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Oh, I'm warming up now. It's beautiful, isn't it?
0:16:07 > 0:16:13Now we're getting a good view of the mountain, just over here,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and this is where the Gruppo Valanga, the Partisan Brigade
0:16:16 > 0:16:21hung out during the war and they were sheltered by a lovely old lady called Mamma Viola
0:16:21 > 0:16:26and then betrayed, and 2,000 German soldiers advanced on their camp.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Which is just round the other side.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32And it took, there was a battle for about 10 hours,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35and eventually 20 of them were caught
0:16:35 > 0:16:39and they were killed and pushed over the edge of a big cliff.
0:16:39 > 0:16:40Good grief. Isn't it extraordinary,
0:16:40 > 0:16:45you come to a place of such natural beauty and you don't think there's any sort of darkness like that
0:16:45 > 0:16:46and yet history's full of it, isn't it.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51There's a lot round here. When we get further on in the walk, we'll look down on where
0:16:51 > 0:16:56the Germans as a reprisal killed 584 women and children,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00and it was kind of hushed up.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04In fact, just after we got here was the war crimes trial for that atrocity.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11We're walking through a classic limestone landscape,
0:17:11 > 0:17:17containing centuries-old forests, deep valleys and rugged mountain peaks.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Where are we Jamie, can you just point out where we are?
0:17:19 > 0:17:23OK, we're here, finally out of the woods.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27- And now we've got a few options, but I think we'll take the middle option.- OK.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30There's a little scramble here that we can see - Foce di Valli,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34and there's this beautiful green slope that we can see,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37which run the other side of the hill here.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42Looking at this map, it's interlaced with all these red routes and they're numbered.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45What sort of variety is there in the walking, in the terrain here?
0:17:45 > 0:17:51Low level rambles, through beautiful little villages, but as you can see, the terrain is quite steep.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55- Yeah.- So on the whole, you have to expect a pretty hard day.
0:17:55 > 0:18:01If there's been landslips, if trees have come through the winter, it is very easy to stumble off.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07- Now, you mentioned something about a refugio.- It's just around the corner!
0:18:07 > 0:18:09I know you're desperate for a coffee.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Well, Italian coffee's a bit special, isn't it?
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Where's the dog?
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Come on, Finn.- Hey, girl.
0:18:21 > 0:18:27We certainly have plenty of bothies in Scotland, but you can't go to a bothy and get a nice espresso.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29If I wanted another one, what do I ask for when I go in there?
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- Un'altro, per favore.- OK.
0:18:32 > 0:18:39- But if you're really wicked, you could say corretto - "corrected coffee". Con rum.- What's that?
0:18:39 > 0:18:41You get rum on top.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43- Oh, rum in! - I thought that would appeal.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47Yeah, yeah. I was going to ask you, what's Italian for a plate of chips?
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Un piatto di patatine fritte.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Patatine fritte, that's easy to remember, OK.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56- Cheers.- Cheers.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02This is undoubtedly a fantastic area.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Is there any sort of designation here? Any sort of protection?
0:19:06 > 0:19:11It's a regional park, so as such, there's a restriction on the amount of building that can go on.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14People look after it, I think the local people are very proud of it.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- What is there here in terms of wildlife?- If you bring a dog with you, very little!
0:19:18 > 0:19:21But normally, we would see mufloni,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23the big wild sheep with the curly horns.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27Ibex, deer. The deer population's growing, so they're just beginning
0:19:27 > 0:19:30to talk about the need for a cull.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32There are hoards of wild boar in the woods.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Other than that, there are eagles, buzzards,
0:19:35 > 0:19:40and of course, the symbol of the regional park, the Cornish Chough.
0:19:40 > 0:19:41The Cornish Chough?
0:19:41 > 0:19:43- The Cornish Chough. - I never expected that.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Oh, a little scramble.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56A little scramble here. It's not technically difficult or anything,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58but just enough to make you use your hands from here.
0:19:58 > 0:20:05Yeah, quite often I just say, you know, give me your sticks, throw them up or something.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07And people feel a bit more secure.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12At the same time, I've had a number of clients, who come through.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13They would never have attempted this at home.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Oh, look at that - four legs good, two legs bad.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22In terms of tradition, is there a tradition of music in this particularly area?
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- Well, Puccini was born just down there.- Of course.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28And everybody has a point of view about opera.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33Our plumbers used to come in singing opera. Everybody goes, everybody has an opinion.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37There's a summer festival of Puccini's works down on the lake, and that's part of the fun.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40There are summer festivals in every little town.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Some of them are medieval, and everybody dresses up in medieval garb.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46The thing that ties them all together, of course, is food.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48They're very keen on their food.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51So am I. I can understand.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Well, I think we're being rewarded for our patience, Jamie.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Wait a few minutes and it changes, a bit like Scotland, you know.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Anyway, this is what I came for.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09What you're seeing at the moment is a ridiculous amount of growth,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11but it's also a very exciting time.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16Every day, you can see something new bursting into life and that's...
0:21:16 > 0:21:18quite invigorating.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22In the summer, it tends to dry off. You get,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26not extreme heat, because we're quite high here, so you do pick up
0:21:26 > 0:21:29the little breezes and things, takes the edge off the heat.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32And this is where a lot of the Italians come to escape the heat down in the plains.
0:21:32 > 0:21:39So, we're quite lucky, but you can guarantee a good couple of months of good, strong sunshine.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Is there anything that would tempt you back to Scotland?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49An interesting question, because most people ask, what do we miss?
0:21:49 > 0:21:53And of course you miss friends, you miss family,
0:21:53 > 0:21:58and unbelievably, you miss that steady Scottish drizzle.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- You don't, do you?- I do, yeah,
0:22:00 > 0:22:06because the rain here tends to be quite torrential. There is something magical about Scotland.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25What a fantastic climax to a walk. This is so impressive.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27It's a spectacle.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Monte Forato, eh?
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Beautiful. Yeah. There's a little group of hamlets over the way there called San Pelligrinetto.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37And legend has it that San Pelligrino had a fight with the devil here,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41and he picked up this enormous boulder, and threw it at the devil.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44And such was the force of his throw, that when the devil caught it,
0:22:44 > 0:22:49he was thrust through the ridge here and created this arch.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51I tell you, Jamie, this has been, it's been a fantastic walk. What now?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54We have to get down off.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58- A big, long knee-trembling descent. - It's a knee cruncher, this one.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Oh, well, let's do it, maybe we'll get an ice-cream at the bottom.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Oh, yeah, good idea that. Or a beer, perhaps.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Oh, well, both.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08We'll be rejoining Cameron McNeish,
0:23:08 > 0:23:12as he explores more of hidden Tuscany later in the programme.
0:23:18 > 0:23:24Back here at the riverside at Grandtully, we're now on to the single-bladed canoe classes,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26where competitors kneel in their boats.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29And as Duncan and I discovered earlier on, that's not too comfortable.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33There's an ongoing bicker between the Canadian and the kayak paddlers,
0:23:33 > 0:23:37which is the more technical discipline, and everyone has their own opinion.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39I would say, as a Canadian paddler,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41the obvious difference is that you've only got a single blade,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45so what a kayak can do on two blades, the Canadian athlete must do on one,
0:23:45 > 0:23:50which inevitably I would suggest, makes things a bit more difficult.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54The Canadian athlete kneels, because anyone who's sat on anything in water, will realise that
0:23:54 > 0:23:59the higher you sit up in the boat, or whatever you're sat on, the more unstable you become.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03But by being a little bit higher, it also gives you greater range of the strokes.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08- You can reach further and more powerfully.- It not only enables you to be a little bit more powerful,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12but enables you to do on one blade, what another athlete might have to do
0:24:12 > 0:24:16with two blades, or a combination of strokes.
0:24:16 > 0:24:21Olympic silver medallist David Florence hasn't been able to make it to Grandtully this year.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25He's already got a place in the British team, but there's still fierce competition,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28as canoeists battle it out to join him in the squad.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Today, everyone's chasing vital points.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34I've had quite a poor start to the season and some those races
0:24:34 > 0:24:37in Wales that are natural rivers as well, I've had some trouble
0:24:37 > 0:24:39with hitting the rocks on the bottom.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43Here, I guess, I'm a bit more aware of it, and being careful
0:24:43 > 0:24:45where I know it's shallow.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51I tend to try and not think about the competition
0:24:51 > 0:24:56at all and just think of it as just another training day
0:24:56 > 0:25:01and just focusing on the first few gates and once I'm off then,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03that's me on my run, focussed in.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08Today's conditions are very tricky for the C1 canoeists and at the end
0:25:08 > 0:25:13of their first time down the river, no paddler managed a clean run.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17Under-23 competitor Adam Burgess was fast, but he picked up
0:25:17 > 0:25:22eight penalty points, so came in third place with a time of 111.07.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Aaron Cruickshank, another under-23 paddler, started off well,
0:25:25 > 0:25:32but with four penalties, he came in second in 109.62.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Thomas Quinn picked up two penalties,
0:25:34 > 0:25:41but he was fastest down the course, so he's currently sitting in first place with a time of 102.13.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45But the big surprise on this run is last year's winner, Adam Marshall.
0:25:45 > 0:25:51He went round a gate the wrong way and that's left him trailing in 15th place.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Remember, it's the fastest time from either run that counts.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59So all this could change on the second run down the river.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01There's everything still to play for.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05So this is Aaron Cruickshank.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08He's lying in second place after the first run and he had
0:26:08 > 0:26:12a penalty in his first run, so he's a fast boy down this course.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16In the blue and white boat,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19favoured by the Olympic silver medallist David Florence.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21In fact, that is one of David Florence's own boats
0:26:21 > 0:26:23he's paddling just now.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29Aaron, an under-23 paddler for the CR Cats, that's his club.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Now, going through the fastest part of the course here,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38which is 6, 7 and 8, but very, very bouncy, as you can see.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43Some competitors who are used to competing on our artificial course,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46are saying the river in that middle section,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48bizarrely enough, is a fairly bouncy section,
0:26:48 > 0:26:53and the bow of the boat really goes flying about all over the place,
0:26:53 > 0:26:54slapping off the waves.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57But Aaron Cruickshank is keeping this pretty clean.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05Very nice, and a lot of shouts of "Go on, Aaron!"
0:27:05 > 0:27:09He's a talented paddler, this guy, really, really good
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and really fast, to be in second place after his first run
0:27:12 > 0:27:17with a two-second penalty is impressive. He's got what it takes to win here.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Will this be the run? Oh, a hit on 15, though.
0:27:20 > 0:27:21Tried a little limbo to get through.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24It didn't work. Caught it with the buoyancy aid.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Right, he'll work hard now.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33He'll know he's got a two-second penalty to make up.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Will it be enough for him?
0:27:35 > 0:27:38A fast run, but in fact, the judges decided that Aaron
0:27:38 > 0:27:43touched two gates, and that made a total time of 108.22.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Not enough to push Thomas Quinn off that top spot.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52Ryan Westley starting the second run
0:27:52 > 0:27:54and that's clean in the first two,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57and it's quite a complex bit of water here.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02He looks like he's got that nicely done.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Very tight through and neat through to gate 4
0:28:05 > 0:28:07and then you have to keep high here.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12There's a little wave - got to either let the boat ride over that,
0:28:12 > 0:28:17or kick across the river before, to get lined up for these three downstream gates,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21making sure the boat and you don't get pushed up by one of the pillows
0:28:21 > 0:28:24into these gates.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26And a quick ferry glide.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30You need to tilt the boat slightly with your hips,
0:28:30 > 0:28:35so that the upstream edge is lifted above the water.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Stops the risk of capsizing, as I discovered yesterday.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48So, a long, strong pull into this upstream gate, which
0:28:48 > 0:28:51is looking pretty strong in the lower part of the course so far.
0:28:51 > 0:28:57So he's leaning downstream and the water pushes the boat around.
0:28:57 > 0:28:58And he's messed that gate up.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Looks quite good, well spun.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06And then 14, 15 and 16.
0:29:06 > 0:29:11Just a little zigzag, snaking its way down the central part
0:29:11 > 0:29:15of the river here in Grandtully, and then tough little pull
0:29:15 > 0:29:18into that 17, which sits in a bit of an eddy.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21It's very slow water there. And the slow water means
0:29:21 > 0:29:25you have to apply more power to get into the lower part of the course.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27And that's a good run from Ryan.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31His total time, including a two-second penalty is 108.67,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33just slower than Aaron Cruickshank's second run,
0:29:33 > 0:29:37but enough to push him up to third place.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41And here's our leader after the first run, Thomas Quinn.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46Well, what's he doing here? Looks to be...
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Oh, he's missed the gate!
0:29:49 > 0:29:50He's out. He's missed the gate.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Oh, that's really disappointing for Thomas Quinn.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56He missed the gate at the top there. It's a 50-second penalty.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59He knew he was leading after the first run.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Disappointing, because he will have wanted to improve on his first time,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05but he won't be able to.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08It's all over for him.
0:30:08 > 0:30:14With his first run time of 102.13, he's still sitting in the top spot,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17but there's still two paddlers to come.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21So, into the top part of the course, there's Adam Burgess,
0:30:21 > 0:30:25who's lying fourth after the first run on this course,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28and he's got two downstream gates
0:30:28 > 0:30:32and then quite a difficult spin.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34You have to tip the boat downstream,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38spinning the paddle, come across the rough water into the upstream gate 4
0:30:38 > 0:30:41and then another crossing of the main part of the water.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Lots and lots of air in the white water there.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48And that looks very nice - he took a very nice line, quite low
0:30:48 > 0:30:51into 6 and 7, and the bow is pointing downstream
0:30:51 > 0:30:53and he's doing very, very well.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55This is a nice strong run
0:30:55 > 0:31:00from No 3, Adam Burgess.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Just has to kick the boat up.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05There's a fast bit of water there,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08and that's nicely done too.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Quite complicated paddling.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13Lots of little strokes there to get you in the right line
0:31:13 > 0:31:19and then a pull down into these two upstream gates.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23So, not really a full ferry glide, you ride on this rough water,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26hit the gate. Oh, he's just tapped it with his paddle.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28He was a bit too quick.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32The paddle was a little too high.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35But a very, very solid run so far.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39Into the downstream, taking up with your left shoulder.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42A quick pull into the red gate.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45A little slow, there. He might be tiring a little bit
0:31:45 > 0:31:48in the lower part of the course, but Adam, a very strong paddler,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50and that looks like a good run.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53A fantastic run there for Adam Burgess.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58With two penalty points, his total time is 100.87 and that means
0:31:58 > 0:32:03he's currently lying in first place, with just one paddler left to come.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09At the top of the course, putting the power on is Adam Marshall.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12He will be very disappointed with his first run, because he managed
0:32:12 > 0:32:15to go round a gate the wrong way and got a 50-second penalty,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18so really, his first run didn't count at all.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22It's all about what he can do here and he's putting the work in.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24Big stroke, big fast power strokes, as he comes down to 6.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28He'll turn it round and then use the power and speed of the river,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31to get in to 7. Get in the right place, as you come down into 8,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35and that's pretty fast, that's looking good for Adam Marshall.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38There's a little break out for the upstream gate.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Oh, and a big clatter there!
0:32:40 > 0:32:46That's just a bit disappointing for Adam.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Got to put that behind you and carry on down through the course.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Gate number 13, he managed to go round the wrong way last time,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55so he's approaching 12 now.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58And he'll have been told what he did wrong last time.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01And he'll know what to do.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Think about it, Adam.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Yep, he's done it right this time, so that's him all the way through.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09He's got a two-second penalty, but if he's fast enough,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11it should be enough for him.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15You can see he's working so hard to get well on this one.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19Oh, a little bit of that spin there, which could have slowed him down.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24This such a hard gate here, 17, because you're energy levels
0:33:24 > 0:33:27are getting low by that point.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Oh, and he's just chucked it. What's happened?
0:33:30 > 0:33:32What has happened there?
0:33:32 > 0:33:36Oh, my goodness! He's massively disappointed.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Smacked the water with his paddle. He must have missed the gate.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43I'm not entirely sure what happened with Adam Marshall,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46but he was just furious with himself there.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49And that shows the pressure these guys are under.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Adam Marshall had a fast run, until those last two gates, then it all went wrong.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57But no-one's quite sure why he decided to quit.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00So, at the end of the race, the results look like this.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05Adam Cruickshank finished in third place with a time of 108.22.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Thomas Quinn's first run time of 102.13
0:34:08 > 0:34:10was good enough for second place.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14But the winner today, with that fantastic second run
0:34:14 > 0:34:17is Adam Burgess, with a time of 100.87.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21It's always my favourite site to race, so it means a lot,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24and I've never won a premier race up here before, as well.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27My grandma's from the area as well, so she's very proud.
0:34:27 > 0:34:33I guess I'm coming into form a bit now, like I had a good selection last weekend, for the under-23 team,
0:34:33 > 0:34:35won this race today.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38I've already got my wildcard going into senior selection, so yeah,
0:34:38 > 0:34:42I'm feeling really good to go and challenge those guys for the places.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Well, were going to leave Grandtully now and rejoin Cameron McNeish in
0:34:45 > 0:34:49the hills of Tuscany, where I hope he's having a great, wild weekend.
0:34:57 > 0:35:03The Apuane Alps region's an undiscovered gem, but it's not just the mountains that are fantastic.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08The whole way of life here is somehow slower and a bit more relaxed.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12But there's no shortage of adventure in this wild weekend. Oh ho ho!
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Ooh! Whoo! Whoo-hoo!
0:35:18 > 0:35:20Whoa ho ho!
0:35:22 > 0:35:25That's quite hard work. It certainly is.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Wow, Jamie, what a view.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35- Not bad, is it?- Oh, it's wonderful.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39That's the Apuane, where we were walking. This is a little bit more gentle,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41though it doesn't feel like it.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43It's kind of like the Cairngorms in the West Coast.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45These are softer and rounder.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48And they're quite jagged.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50I wouldn't like to mountain bike at those tracks over there.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54I think I'll give that a miss, but this is good. This is lovely.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58A few pot holes. Ow! Ow! Ow!
0:35:58 > 0:36:02Even when you haven't been on a bike for a bit, it's all right.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05How popular is this area, not for people like us,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08but for serious mountain bikers, the guys who are really into it?
0:36:08 > 0:36:10- Oh, it's growing in popularity. - Ouch!
0:36:10 > 0:36:14There are some steep descents and lots of rock hopping at nights.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18- You've even got the terminology. - Well, my brother did a lot of it.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21I've always thought he's rather mad. This just confirms it.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25Whoa, sorry, Jamie.
0:36:25 > 0:36:31One of the delights of staying at the Col Di Lavacchio, is that Jamie's partner Ailsa is a cordon bleu cook,
0:36:31 > 0:36:35which doesn't help my waistline, but sure does taste good.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39The only trouble is, she's coerced me into cooking today's authentic pizza.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41That's the bad news for everyone.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45The good news is that that there's a superb outside oven,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47fired up and ready to go.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51This is proper pizza, Italiano style.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56At the moment when you singe your eyebrows, your fringe, everything.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02- This looks quite energetic. - Yup, round,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- and firm.- OK, yes.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Don't be scared of it.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Give it lots of flour,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13crispy, not stodgy and filling.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16And you want to be able to eat a whole pizza and not really notice that you've had it.
0:37:16 > 0:37:21- Right, I'm going to spread some semolina on here.- Semolina? - Yeah.- What does that do?
0:37:21 > 0:37:24It's just, well it doesn't absorb it, so it's easy to pick it up.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26I haven't had semolina since I was a kid.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Right, so there's your demonstrator.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32OK, that's what I've got, that's what I thought I've got to aim for.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36- Another one, identical and yeah, get stuck in.- OK, thank you.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39OK, here we go. You got this now, isn't it good?
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Note the action. Maybe I'm not putting enough pressure on.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44That's better, isn't it?
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Now this is, this is getting a bit more oblong than round.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Oh, that's better.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51How's that coming? What do you think?
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Good. Keep going.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58- Can you remember the first pizza you ever made?- We'd only made pizzas
0:37:58 > 0:38:03in a conventional oven and of course you make them up and you put them on a tray
0:38:03 > 0:38:06and you put all the toppings on hours in advance.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09We couldn't get the paddle underneath, as it all goes soggy.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12And so the whole thing was a complete disaster.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15I think we ended up making lots of calzone. That's pretty good.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17- Is that all right?- Yeah, that's good.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- OK, Jamie, I think we're ready for the fire.- OK.
0:38:23 > 0:38:29He's putting the fire to the side, so that you can put the pizza on to the hot floor of the oven.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33- And that's what you're cooking on, straight on to the hot stone. - Now can I start spreading this one?
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Yes, you can just give it a sort of mix and then put a couple of spoons on.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42It's olive oil, rosemary and garlic.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44Wow, it's smells absolutely great.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47And that's before it's even cooked.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49- That's masses of... - Is that too much?
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Verging on it.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53It'll be challenging to lift it up.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55Will it?
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Yes. This might be your, your...
0:38:57 > 0:38:59- Bete noir?- Yeah.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03- Can I help you put some of these on then?- Yes.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Oh, no, I'm getting peckish.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11So, we're going to put some of this on.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15And then,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18now, if you put it in.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22OK, I want you to put it in there, about there and you just shove.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27Is that a technical term?
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Yeah. Just, that's it. Good. Excellent.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Wow, it's puffing up round the edges.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Yep, yep, you want it to be brown like that all round.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38What we might have to do now in a minute is just slightly turn it.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42What sort of temperature are we talking about here?
0:39:42 > 0:39:43400 Celsius.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Oh, gosh, yeah.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Right, there you go. In again.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Just, get it right on.
0:39:51 > 0:39:56- Give it a shove. - OK, ready, here we go. Look at that!
0:39:59 > 0:40:02- And voila.- Very good. - That's not bad, is it?
0:40:02 > 0:40:04That is not bad for a first attempt.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Isn't that good? Do you think I might have cordon bleu potential?
0:40:07 > 0:40:10I don't think this is cordon bleu really,
0:40:10 > 0:40:15but I can see you could start up a pizzeria in Newton Moor.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18- You think so?- Wouldn't that be great, with Pete.- A new career opportunity.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21- Look at that, isn't it good? - Ooh, am I trying it?
0:40:21 > 0:40:25I just say, go on, yes, yeah, I dare you. Yeah, good.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Well done, me! And you, Ailsa!
0:40:34 > 0:40:38And to find out more details about Cameron's Wild Weekend,
0:40:38 > 0:40:41including information about how you get to the Apuane Alps,
0:40:41 > 0:40:45with all the news about what we're up to, follow us on Facebook.
0:40:52 > 0:40:58For every event we cover on The Adventure Show, there are many more we could feature.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01A particularly unusual one involves the local community
0:41:01 > 0:41:06in the beautiful surroundings of the West Coast village of Gairloch.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11The Tollaidh Triathlon is now in its third year and has a real sting in its tail.
0:41:11 > 0:41:17It's the brainchild of Paul Tattersall, one of Britain's top climbers, who now lives in the area.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Given his background, you might think he designed the event
0:41:21 > 0:41:23especially to help people like himself.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28It should be a climber that wins.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33I don't want to see some fast runner who's not a climber
0:41:33 > 0:41:35winning the Tollaidh Triathlon.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38The event is made up of a 10K run,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40followed by a 22K bike ride,
0:41:40 > 0:41:46and then it's that climb against the clock, which makes for a spectacular finish.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53Perhaps not surprisingly, in its first year, race organiser Paul Tattersall was the winner.
0:41:53 > 0:41:58But insiders say he needs to do more this year to retain the title.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01He hasn't been cycling much over the winter.
0:42:01 > 0:42:06But he's... Well, he hurt himself running the other day, so...
0:42:06 > 0:42:08I don't know.
0:42:08 > 0:42:14- It's not looking good, is it? - What makes this event special and also gives it some needle,
0:42:14 > 0:42:18is that it's the local people and their friends who compete
0:42:18 > 0:42:21to test themselves against each other.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24And the nerves are beginning to show.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28I cycle every day, but never, I've never raced, ever.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31Paul's kind of talked me into it, really.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35I started climbing and got to know him pretty well, and it's...
0:42:35 > 0:42:40Yeah, I didn't do much before I started climbing, so it's really been good to -
0:42:40 > 0:42:43the fitness is going to be really good for me, anyway.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46My daughter's just told me to calm down, which is not a good sign.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50Anyone can be the champ. The champ is just the fastest time.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55So with male, female, junior, everyone's in the same melting pot.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04It's a lot of effort.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Listening to us, you wouldn't think so, but I think
0:43:07 > 0:43:10people try pretty hard, actually.
0:43:10 > 0:43:15It's more fun, you know, fun gained through the competition, but it'll be good.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18And they're just out there to try hard and it actually doesn't matter.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Nobody's bothered really who wins.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25Nobody seems to have told the competitors that.
0:43:25 > 0:43:31At the first transition, from run to bike, there's a strong competitive edge.
0:43:31 > 0:43:35- Where's my bike?- This bit's going to be savage. So we'll see.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Still looking forward to this?
0:43:38 > 0:43:39That hurts.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45I'm tired. That's the worst bit for me though.
0:43:45 > 0:43:46I can enjoy this bit, maybe.
0:43:46 > 0:43:50I'm giving them a chance.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53I'm still talking.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55It's hard work.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00What are you doing?
0:44:00 > 0:44:05I've four years' preparation and training, going and getting a puncture right at the start.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08- It's really flat. - I'll see you later, folks.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15We're just taking it quite chilled out really. We're quite relaxed,
0:44:15 > 0:44:18we can finish in 13 miles, doesn't matter what time we do it in!
0:44:18 > 0:44:22So it looks quite nice. It looks like a very nice cycle, actually.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25Pretending to know what I'm doing.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27It is very windy though.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30I'll get behind you.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33This is hard.
0:44:33 > 0:44:38Way out in front, 33-year-old David Wilby is setting an incredible pace.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40Runner up in last year's triathlon,
0:44:40 > 0:44:42his main passion is cycling,
0:44:42 > 0:44:46so it's not surprising he's in his element on this leg of the race.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50But there's still the climb to come, where anything can happen.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54This event may be short, but it is brutal.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57- Can't believe I have to run up that hill the now.- Yeah.
0:44:57 > 0:45:02Terrible. Where am I going, over that stile?
0:45:02 > 0:45:09The clock doesn't stop till the competitors touch the crag and the race organiser is flagging.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12You want to feel what my calves feel like!
0:45:21 > 0:45:26Rock climbs are graded for their difficulty and the harder the route,
0:45:26 > 0:45:31the more points you get, but you must complete the climb in under five minutes.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35So this decision could make all the difference to the leaderboard.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Go on, Stuart.
0:45:38 > 0:45:42You get two attempts to lead a route.
0:45:42 > 0:45:49And the harder the climb is in difficulty, the more minutes you get knocked off.
0:45:49 > 0:45:54For example, there a 6B up there, you'll get ten minutes knocked off for it.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58There's a 7B, you'll get 25 minutes knocked off for it,
0:45:58 > 0:46:00off your run-cycle time.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02Bit of a mistake there.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06Went on the wrong route, so 7A.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08I thought I was on a 6B!
0:46:08 > 0:46:10It wasn't good.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12The minute you touch this rock right here.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15No, come on! Start again.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18You're touching the rock.
0:46:20 > 0:46:25When I lose to my daughter, I might call it a day.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29And that's almost it for this year's triathlon.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33All that's left to work out, is the final times and this year's winner
0:46:33 > 0:46:38of that prestigious trophy, the Golden Carabiner.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40The champion this year, David Wilby.
0:46:42 > 0:46:47And confirmation of that result, the champion this year is David Wilby.
0:46:47 > 0:46:49Well done to him.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57Back at Grandtully, it's time for one of the most competitive events of the day.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00The men's kayak has the largest field and once again,
0:47:00 > 0:47:03the Scots are right of the top of this class.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05We do really well at these events,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08so what makes a great paddler?
0:47:08 > 0:47:10There isn't really a blueprint.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12We have athletes here, you're obviously aware of Campbell Walsh,
0:47:12 > 0:47:16who's not the biggest lad in the world, but he's very powerful.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19We have some paddlers, we have another British athlete
0:47:19 > 0:47:21who's been on the national team, Huw Swetnam.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23He stands about six foot, two.
0:47:23 > 0:47:27Weighs in at probably 85 kilos. So you have both ends of the spectrum.
0:47:27 > 0:47:33So there isn't really a blueprint and that makes it a little bit frustrating for the coaches,
0:47:33 > 0:47:37but it also makes it exciting and challenging, because you can never write anybody off.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39If you look at Olympic gymnasts,
0:47:39 > 0:47:45for instance, they're all very much of a muchness, in terms of size and shape.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49Is that because canoeing is not that advanced, or is it still a sport where there's enough variance
0:47:49 > 0:47:51on the water and enough variance in the courses,
0:47:51 > 0:47:56that somebody one size will work well and another size will work well on another course?
0:47:56 > 0:48:00I think it's exactly that. I think that in order to be a top performing athlete in the sport of canoe slalom,
0:48:00 > 0:48:03you not only need to be technically and physically good,
0:48:03 > 0:48:08but you need to be psychologically good and when you bring those three variables into it,
0:48:08 > 0:48:13to varying degrees, then the outcome is always different. So you get a mixture of all sorts of athletes.
0:48:13 > 0:48:18Rob Neave from the Stafford & Stone Club is currently in fourth place,
0:48:18 > 0:48:21coming down clean in a time of 97.36.
0:48:21 > 0:48:27In third place, with a time of 95.12, is under-23 paddler Joe Clark.
0:48:27 > 0:48:31Huw Swetnam's in second place, with a time of 94.97.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33And 4/100ths of a second faster,
0:48:33 > 0:48:37Campbell Walsh just managed to take the top spot.
0:48:37 > 0:48:39This is how it looks at the end of the first run.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41But remember the winning time
0:48:41 > 0:48:45can come from either run, so the race is still wide open.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51On the course now is another paddler from the Stafford & Stone Club -
0:48:51 > 0:48:52Robin Vasey.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55Top section of the course gives lots of options for the paddlers to take.
0:48:55 > 0:49:00There is a decision to be made about gates 3, 4 and 5.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02Robin powers across to 6.
0:49:02 > 0:49:08This really is a speedy part of the course, really fast water.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11Does look like a straight line though them all,
0:49:11 > 0:49:14but 8 is the one that's been catching people out.
0:49:18 > 0:49:23But he's cleanly through that and looking pretty fast, as well.
0:49:23 > 0:49:27Backwards through 10, get the speed back on for 11.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31Began competing back in 1998, so he has lots of experience.
0:49:31 > 0:49:34Scrub it off quickly for 12.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38Now, this is looking pretty impressive.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43Started paddling when he was nine. Loves the thrill of racing.
0:49:44 > 0:49:49Important to keep momentum going on the downstream gates, 14, 15 and 16.
0:49:49 > 0:49:53At this point, the body really starts to hurt with all that effort
0:49:53 > 0:49:55at the top part of the course,
0:49:55 > 0:50:00but this is looking a very fine, clean, fast run.
0:50:00 > 0:50:04No penalty points. But can he beat those first run times
0:50:04 > 0:50:06from Campbell Walsh and Huw Swetnam?
0:50:08 > 0:50:13Yes, a great time from Robin, 94.88, puts him into the lead.
0:50:16 > 0:50:17This is No 10, Rob Neave,
0:50:17 > 0:50:20and he's one of the guys looking for that wildcard place
0:50:20 > 0:50:24to be qualified for selection for the British team.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27Looking to do something today,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30looking to do something impressive today.
0:50:30 > 0:50:35His first run was OK, but he needs to improve. He needs
0:50:35 > 0:50:38to really get a move on in this run.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45Let's see what he's got. That's good.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48Cleanly through 6, 7 and 8...
0:50:50 > 0:50:53..and nice and tight on 9. Very good.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57Stay nice and high in the river for 10.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59Yeah, he's through.
0:50:59 > 0:51:04Good. So Rob's doing the job at the moment, but how's his speed?
0:51:06 > 0:51:10A lot of time can be made up or lost in this bottom half of the course.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15There's the two upstream gates, 10, 12 and 15, really sap your energy.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20And number 14, 15 and 16, looks very straightforward...
0:51:20 > 0:51:23In and out of the speed of the river and trying to keep control
0:51:23 > 0:51:26without going too far down.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30Yeah, Rob's managed pretty well there.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32Ferry gliding across to 17.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38Powering back up and then over 18
0:51:38 > 0:51:40and on to the finish. But that's a disappointing run
0:51:40 > 0:51:46for Rob Neave with a time of 100.59, including that two-second penalty.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49He's not done enough to better his first run time.
0:51:49 > 0:51:54So Joe Clark on the top of the course, the first
0:51:54 > 0:51:59round time of 93.12, leaving him in the top five.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05A Stafford & Stone paddler in the under-23 squad.
0:52:05 > 0:52:10Looking very much today to try and get that wildcard place.
0:52:12 > 0:52:16So far so good. Popped over that wave into a dip,
0:52:16 > 0:52:19which then accelerates him out of the water.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24Trying to use few, long, powerful strokes.
0:52:26 > 0:52:30And then all the time using your knees and your hips to turn the boat
0:52:30 > 0:52:33in combination with the paddle strokes one, two, three,
0:52:33 > 0:52:36four, five strokes to come out of it, maybe a little bit too high.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40And then turning the boat with his knees
0:52:40 > 0:52:45around there, to line the boat up into the lower part of the course.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47Pretty fast.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49I don't think it's quite as fast as his first run.
0:52:49 > 0:52:54He missed there, couple of 10ths, slightly slow coming out of that.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59Lost too many strokes in here,
0:52:59 > 0:53:02but good paddling all the same.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08And now it's all a matter of just keeping up the power,
0:53:08 > 0:53:10ignoring the pain in your arms,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13trying to get rid of that lactic feeling of burn,
0:53:13 > 0:53:18gritting your teeth and coming through the last gate,
0:53:18 > 0:53:22to the finish. That's a great run for Joe Clark and 94.31 takes him
0:53:22 > 0:53:27from third to current first place, but it's not over yet.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30We've still Campbell Walsh and Huw Swetnam to come.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34At the top of the course,
0:53:34 > 0:53:38No 4, Huw Swetnam paddles for Norman & Peak UK.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40Second place after the first run.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44He's got it in the locker to win this. No doubt about it.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47Hugely talented. He's won here before a few years back.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50Knows this river very, very well indeed.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54Not as well as Campbell Walsh, who's next to come, but
0:53:54 > 0:53:59he has done well in years gone by, and he knows what to do to win this.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01Really working hard. It's good to see.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08No 4 on him. Such a lot of experience.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11Competed in the British team for years, has Huw.
0:54:11 > 0:54:16Just using the speed of the river there. And a little bit of a limbo.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20This is good. This looks fast.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22Keeping it nice and clean. You see how he goes through 10.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24Facing downstream. Some of the paddlers in the past
0:54:24 > 0:54:28have gone through that backwards and then you have to pedal it round,
0:54:28 > 0:54:33and that all costs time, but Huw is doing it very sweetly indeed.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37So what has he got in the last part of the course?
0:54:37 > 0:54:39There's 13 upstream gate.
0:54:39 > 0:54:41Power across to 14.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44And you've got three in a row, a little S-bend.
0:54:44 > 0:54:4614, 15 and 16.
0:54:46 > 0:54:50Still a lot of work required to get round them though,
0:54:50 > 0:54:53and then a ferry glide to 17, the last upstream gate.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55And he's done that pretty well.
0:54:55 > 0:55:00Looks impressive for Huw Swetnam, looks very impressive indeed.
0:55:02 > 0:55:07An excellent time. 92.74, puts Huw into the top spot.
0:55:07 > 0:55:12So, Campbell Walsh needs to give it everything he can to win this race.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14And here's Campbell.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17He'll really want to do well in this second round.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21He hit a gate, incurred a two-second penalty.
0:55:24 > 0:55:28And it is a joy to watch this boy paddle.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31In a class of own. Look how high he is on that gate, in comparison,
0:55:31 > 0:55:35he was a full two-thirds of a boat length ahead,
0:55:35 > 0:55:38or higher up and closer to the gate than everyone else.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41And it didn't even look like a bump there,
0:55:41 > 0:55:43he just went straight through it.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46And Campbell,
0:55:46 > 0:55:47Olympic medallist,
0:55:47 > 0:55:52didn't do too well in the last Olympics,
0:55:52 > 0:55:57but everything is on line for the World Championships this year.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01And only two and a half strokes there, where other people are taking
0:56:01 > 0:56:03up to five or six to get through.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08Very strong. You can see him flicking his hips,
0:56:08 > 0:56:12as well as using the paddle to try and accelerate as fast as he can.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14And a long, strong push off that rock
0:56:14 > 0:56:18into the gate - 13.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22And very fast. I mean, it is remarkable, the difference
0:56:22 > 0:56:25when you watch somebody absolutely at the peak of their game.
0:56:25 > 0:56:29And Campbell is powering through here. This is by far the best run
0:56:29 > 0:56:32we've seen, I think, so far on the river.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35A little bit slow there, maybe.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38Slightly laboured, but...
0:56:38 > 0:56:44coming through the last gate to finish in a time of 91.57.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46And that's more than enough.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49Campbell's at the top of the leader board, and this is how it finished.
0:56:49 > 0:56:54Robin Vasey comes in fourth with 94.88.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57Joe Clarke takes third place in 94.31.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59A former winner here at Grandtully,
0:56:59 > 0:57:03Huw Swetnam has managed a second place with 92.74.
0:57:03 > 0:57:08But with a time of 91.57, that superb final run of Campbell's
0:57:08 > 0:57:11shows why he is still at the very top of this sport.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13It felt very, very difficult on the first run.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16Physically, it's a tough work-out there, the water's quite fast today.
0:57:16 > 0:57:21And the course designers have set a real physical challenge and I was suffering a wee bit at the bottom,
0:57:21 > 0:57:24but the second run, I felt a lot better and actually bags of energy,
0:57:24 > 0:57:27I was really happy with that second run, that was a good run.
0:57:27 > 0:57:28And I was happy.
0:57:28 > 0:57:31That's nearly it, but just before we leave you, some information
0:57:31 > 0:57:33about next month's programme.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37We will be giving you the best advice on what's the most appropriate gear
0:57:37 > 0:57:39for heading out into the Scottish hills.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42Some of us go to the tops of mountains. Some of us walk by lochs.
0:57:42 > 0:57:48When you're heading out into the hills, what's the right kind of pack for your back?
0:57:48 > 0:57:50What are the best kind of layers to keep you warm?
0:57:50 > 0:57:52Or cool?
0:57:52 > 0:57:55A jacket can set you back 350 quid.
0:57:55 > 0:57:57Or you can pick one up for 50.
0:57:57 > 0:58:02So what's the difference? How much do you really need to spend to get a decent pair of walking boots?
0:58:02 > 0:58:06And what's the best stove to take for those nights out under the stars?
0:58:06 > 0:58:09Starting next month in a brand new set of features, we'll give you
0:58:09 > 0:58:15all you need to know about clothing and gear as we put it through its paces out and about in the hills.
0:58:15 > 0:58:18Well, that really is it for this month's Adventure Show.
0:58:18 > 0:58:21Next month we'll be heading north to Fort William for all the action from the Mountain Bike World Cup.
0:58:21 > 0:58:27From all of us on the Adventure Show, bye for now and enjoy the great outdoors.
0:58:41 > 0:58:44Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:44 > 0:58:47E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk