0:00:27 > 0:00:29Hello and a very warm welcome
0:00:29 > 0:00:31to a brand-new series of The Adventure Show.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34This is now the tenth year of us bringing you the best
0:00:34 > 0:00:37adventure sports action from Scotland and around the world,
0:00:37 > 0:00:42and let me tell you this past decade has been quite a journey.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47- Oh.- Hello! - Jimmy Dee from Dundee. I'm here.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51Simple, straight climb, far too easy. That was great I'm knackered.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54HE SHOUTS, CROWD CHEERS
0:00:54 > 0:00:56I don't think anything can be tougher than this.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58A brilliant race,
0:00:58 > 0:01:00if only to do just once.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04I have paddled the river before but all of a sudden my butterflies
0:01:04 > 0:01:08are coming and it's trying to get them into formation and stuff.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11So once again we are going to invite you to dump
0:01:11 > 0:01:15and leave the morning commute, squeeze yourself into a wet suit
0:01:15 > 0:01:19and some Lycra, and join us for a world of adventure and adrenaline.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22We will also be following your exploits on what
0:01:22 > 0:01:25we like to call "the big trip", where ordinary people
0:01:25 > 0:01:28take on extraordinary challenges, all in the name of adventure.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32But first we are launching our new series right
0:01:32 > 0:01:36here on the River Tay in Highland Perthshire, for the premier event
0:01:36 > 0:01:41in the Scottish kayak calendar, the Grandtully Canoe Slalom.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44It's a really impressive place to come when the water level is like this.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46You really know why you are doing canoe slalom.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48It's very high, the water's moving really fast.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51It's really challenging and very physical when it's like this.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55You see technical bits that are just a lot of fun,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58especially this cross down the bottom is so, so tiring.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Also in this month's show we are swapping paddles for pedals,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07as we join someone who is making his living from just one wheel.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Life is about creating yourself through what you do,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14and for me it's street unicycling helps me do that.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18And join me later for one of the wildest
0:02:18 > 0:02:20of wild weekends you can have anywhere.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25But that is all to come. We are here at Grandtully for the Premier Slalom.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27We will be covering the canoe and the kayak class,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30and I am delighted to say we will have Olympic gold medallist
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Tim Baillie on hand to offer an expert opinion.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34- How are you doing?- Yeah, good thanks.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Excellent. Now, the first thing I notice about this year,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Tim, there's a lot of water in the river.
0:02:39 > 0:02:40How will that affect the race, do you think?
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Yeah, we have been really lucky with the river level this year
0:02:43 > 0:02:46cos generally it's more fun when it's higher,
0:02:46 > 0:02:47it's more of an adventure.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50And it means it's very powerful, it's quite unforgiving,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52it's really quite physical.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55You have got to be paddling as hard as you can to make some of
0:02:55 > 0:02:58the crosses, but you have also got to be very subtle with the way you angle
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and edge your boat, because there is lots of little creases and waves
0:03:01 > 0:03:03and if you can use them you can make the distance,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05and if you don't pick them up, regardless of how hard you
0:03:05 > 0:03:08paddle, you are not going to make the distance.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Originally from Aberdeen, Tim has been paddling
0:03:10 > 0:03:14since the age of three. The highlight of his career was that gold medal
0:03:14 > 0:03:18at the 2012 London Olympics in the double canoe C2 class.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Now 33-years-old,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25he has retired from the pressures of competitive paddling, but he has put
0:03:25 > 0:03:29on his wet suit once again to show us the challenges of this course.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33His first attempt didn't quite go to plan, which isn't perhaps
0:03:33 > 0:03:37surprising, as he tackled these full-on conditions in a boat
0:03:37 > 0:03:41he is not familiar with, a double-bladed kayak.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45I actually borrowed the boat and the paddles, to be fair to myself,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48but I got a bit caught out in the middle there,
0:03:48 > 0:03:49and, yeah, caught an edge and very quickly
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I thought, "I'm going to have to do a support stroke,"
0:03:52 > 0:03:55and then I thought, "All right I need to remember how to roll here."
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- And, of course, this is in a kayak, this is in a K boat.- Yeah, happily,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00I raced kayak until I was 23,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and I think the instinct was still there, so that was all right.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05So we are on the course now, through gate one, talk us through it.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Yeah, gate one, two, three is relatively simple,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11it's just a case of keeping the drive on, and picking up the waves.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And I guess so high in the course, you are looking to be quite efficient
0:04:15 > 0:04:22as well. It's a nice wave here, just out of gate five to surf out to six.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25It's what we call a ferry glider, it's where you are crossing
0:04:25 > 0:04:27the flow with your bow at a slight upstream angle.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31And that's just like a long straight ferry, tip six to seven.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Try and get your bow down a bit into gate eight.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38And there you see I got actually a pretty nice break-out.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40It's quite a big wave surf there...
0:04:40 > 0:04:42As you're just leaning into that,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44just letting the waves do all the work there.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46If you can pick up the water
0:04:46 > 0:04:49and get it to push you where you want to go, it's much less work.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52I am coming down now to the absolute crux move on the course,
0:04:52 > 0:04:57which is the cross from the red gate 13, above the green pole, 14,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and across to the other red gate, 15.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01So what I am going to try
0:05:01 > 0:05:05and do is get as close to the green pole here as I can. Sadly, I've
0:05:05 > 0:05:09got nowhere near it and that means I'm going to fall even lower now.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13So quite hard work to stay high in the river there, yeah?
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Yeah, I mean I've done a really... definitely not a good job of this.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19And you can see there I am fighting
0:05:19 > 0:05:22and paddling all the way up the eddy. The last three gates are quite
0:05:22 > 0:05:25a nice little tactical float, I guess you'd call it.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29You can't really go much faster there than you're going,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31you just need to be a bit neat to get the gates.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35But that cross 13 to 15, I knew I was trying to avoid that.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38And knowing it is just one part of it, actually doing it is
0:05:38 > 0:05:42fairly difficult, fairly physical and really skilful as well.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44So, yeah, it's going to be a big move.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47We are kicking off the action with the women's kayak discipline
0:05:47 > 0:05:52known as K1. The rules are simple - fastest down the course wins.
0:05:52 > 0:05:57Each paddler has two runs, it's the best time from either that counts.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00If you hit a gate there is a two-second penalty,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Miss one and there is a massive 50 seconds added to your time.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08We are joining the women on their first run. Commentating with me
0:06:08 > 0:06:13today are Duncan McCallum, and giving us that expert's eye, Tim Baillie.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16And its under-23 paddler Alice Haining from Selkirk
0:06:16 > 0:06:19now at the top of the course.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22So Alice, she's a local girl, she knows the river well.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Based in Nottingham now,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27but she has spent years here training over the years.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31So very quick generally. A good balance of the strength
0:06:31 > 0:06:34and power to make it stick, but also the subtle boat skills to
0:06:34 > 0:06:37really make sure the boat's tracking well.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40And it's just such a powerful river today that you can't really
0:06:40 > 0:06:43give it an inch cos it will take a mile.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45And very nicely done on that upstream gate,
0:06:45 > 0:06:50as Alice has to push back across this huge water here in the river today.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53And big, big white water catching her.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57She is looking extremely strong into this upstream gate.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Struggling a little bit with the power, neatly through that.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05And then cutting back across into the downstream gate,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07looks like a little touch there.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Back into the nice calm water here, and then a massive ferry
0:07:11 > 0:07:15glide across the river. Very, very full conditions.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19They haven't managed to practise this course,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22this is an event which is pretty much done onsite.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24They can inspect it from both banks,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26but they are not allowed to paddle it.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29So really all these strokes are the first time
0:07:29 > 0:07:33she will have done them on the river. Nicely up through 15, the calm
0:07:33 > 0:07:37water and cutting back in to three or four downstream gates, nicely done.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40There is a big kicker there that is trying to push
0:07:40 > 0:07:43her on to the contact, she has managed that well.
0:07:43 > 0:07:49And downstream, through the finish at 116.11, that's a pretty good time.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Next up its Mallory Franklin from Berkshire.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Mallory is one of the female athletes who is actually doubling up
0:07:57 > 0:07:59today and racing in C1 and K1.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Probably, to be fair to her, C1 might be normally her stronger class.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08The move through gate three to four is pretty important to stay
0:08:08 > 0:08:11good there and efficient, and then there is a big move from five to
0:08:11 > 0:08:14six. You have got to put on a lot of speed to get the wave, to get to six.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17But then just as you are coming to six the wave wants to spit you
0:08:17 > 0:08:19out too far, so you have got to hold off a wee bit,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21be a little bit subtle through the gate.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25And then fire off really hard again to get to seven. I think
0:08:25 > 0:08:30she will be kind of not too unhappy with it, given the conditions.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34She is definitely looking to challenge the top girls.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Another big move at nine,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38I actually capsized there yesterday practising it.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43It's a big wave there, you have got to try and work hard to get on it.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47She will probably be fairly satisfied, given how difficult the course is today.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Onto the bottom parts of the course now, just five gates to go.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Mallory's looking solid as she works her way over towards gate 15.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Now, she must keep herself
0:09:00 > 0:09:03focused for the final three downstream gates.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05You can't really pick up much time on this section,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08just a question of getting through cleanly,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Under the bridge, end in sight.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Mallory has made it down. 119.92, with two penalty points.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18That puts her into second place behind Alice.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Into the top of the course now is 21-year-old Beth Latham.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Beth is from Yorkshire and is based in Nottingham, as most of the
0:09:27 > 0:09:30GB paddlers are, some moving to London, of course,
0:09:30 > 0:09:31and she has been in
0:09:31 > 0:09:36the under-23 GB team, and the senior women's team for the last year.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Up through that gate, quite nice.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42With a result of seventh in the World Cup last year in Cardiff,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45a fantastic, fantastic position for her.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49And back onto the course, straight down through these downhill gates.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52With the full width of the river being used today with such
0:09:52 > 0:09:57a huge depth of water, and Beth so far looking very, very strong.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Another big full river crossing here
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and the course setters are making use of this high water.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07When the river is as high as this it's a very, very physical test.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11It takes a lot of energy to batter with the flows anywhere, where you
0:10:11 > 0:10:14have got to make a cross, or in your eddy water, you have got to really
0:10:14 > 0:10:18put a lot of effort in, so some really promising paddling there.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21I think the key is to be efficient with your effort
0:10:21 > 0:10:24and to be strategic, choose where you are going to put the effort in.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27So, for instance, you can see the flow is going really quickly
0:10:27 > 0:10:30downstream. Once you are in the flow, it is not that necessary to
0:10:30 > 0:10:34sprint hard down the river because you are being taken there for free.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Oh, and that's not so good, she looks like she has just caught that.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40There is a little stopper there,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43it's pushed her much further down than she would've liked and she has
0:10:43 > 0:10:48a long, long paddle into uphill 15. That has cost her quite some time.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52But the three sprint gates down into the end, yeah,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56and she is now into the finish with the time of 119.91.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59So that puts Beth into second place,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02with only one paddler to come, Fiona Pennie.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Fiona is the reigning European Champion, she won that race in Krakow
0:11:07 > 0:11:11last year, and she is a fantastically powerful female athlete.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14And she is local, she is from Crieff,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16she knows this river really well.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Looking pretty strong, very, very focused, very determined to win.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And moved to London to take and train on the Olympic course,
0:11:25 > 0:11:30and has been there a little while now, so this is a nice return home for her.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Huge, huge water here.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35And rather than maybe looking as fluid as some of the girls,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Fiona looks like she is trying to fight her way through the water than use the water form.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42But she is very strong, she won't run out of strength,
0:11:42 > 0:11:47but maybe, maybe not taking the best use of the water or the best line.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Coming down here through 12, looking strong.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56And down into this tricky uphill 13 where the water suddenly
0:11:56 > 0:11:58gets very slow.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01she looks like she has just tapped a rock there
0:12:01 > 0:12:03with the left-hand paddle.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Trying to sprint up, keeping the nose of the boat straight
0:12:06 > 0:12:10up in the river and that will keep you in line for this gate.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Oh, that's not so good - she looks like she's just caught that.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18There is a little stopper there, it's pushed her much further down
0:12:18 > 0:12:19than she would have liked.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22And she has a long, long paddle into uphill 15.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25That has cost her quite some time.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28She looked like she was on a cracking run, and then, once again,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32just the power of the water between 14 and 15 really blew her away.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35And it's going to be interesting to see who has got the lead after
0:12:35 > 0:12:36first runs.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Yeah, and into the finish at 117.01,
0:12:40 > 0:12:45that puts her just behind Alice into second place.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48And that first run down the course proved to be pivotal, with none of
0:12:48 > 0:12:53the top women being able to improve on their time on their second runs.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56So at the end of this women's K1 event, the results
0:12:56 > 0:12:59looked like this. Beth Latham, from south of the border was third
0:12:59 > 0:13:03with a time of 119.91 seconds.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Fiona Pennie took second with 117.01.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10But out in the lead by just under a second, Alice Haining was
0:13:10 > 0:13:13the fastest paddler here today at Grandtully with a time
0:13:13 > 0:13:18of 116.11, making it a Scottish one-two on the podium today.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23It's just nice to have done all my hard winter's training
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and come out with a good outcome to open the season with.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29It's pretty physical, like after my first run
0:13:29 > 0:13:32I stopped after the finish and I was just like, "Oh, my God I can't
0:13:32 > 0:13:37"move my arms," because once you stop it just hits you.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40But it's nice to know you have worked hard as well.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43It's my first Prem win as well.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45So it's a nice way to open up the season.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Well, congratulations to Alice Haining, a paddler
0:13:49 > 0:13:52we have featured quite a lot on The Adventure Show over
0:13:52 > 0:13:57the years. Great to see her getting a victory.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03It may be exciting on the water, but it's exciting in the city, too.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06We are heading to the capital now to meet Jason Auld.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11A lot of my life has been about trying to stand out in some way,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13shape or form.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17And it's absolutely a philosophy that I would preach to other
0:14:17 > 0:14:18people as well.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22He is a founding member of Voodoo Unicycles, the UK's only
0:14:22 > 0:14:27extreme one-wheel team, and someone who is passionate about the sport.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Even when it means learning on the job.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32That was just to show how hard it is.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38It's very hard to be
0:14:38 > 0:14:40original in this day or age, very, very hard.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44I wouldn't say that what we do, what I do is original, per se,
0:14:44 > 0:14:50but it's taking something established and doing your own thing with it.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53You know, people always go on about trying to find themselves.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58I don't think life is about finding yourself, I think it's about forging yourself.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00It's about creating yourself through what you do.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05And for me, street unicycling helps me do that.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07OK, here we go.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Whilst you will normally see Jason on the streets of Edinburgh,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20last year he and the Voodoo Unicycle team decided to head
0:15:20 > 0:15:23north to the Highlands to see what was on offer
0:15:23 > 0:15:26elsewhere in Scotland, and they took a camera with them.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29We had a rough route planned out,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32but none of us had really been in that part of the world before.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37I was born and raised in Edinburgh, so I am absolutely a proud Scotsman
0:15:37 > 0:15:42but I had never seen that part of the country, so it was quite eye-opening.
0:15:42 > 0:15:48What ultimately we wanted to do was tackle a diverse range
0:15:48 > 0:15:53of environments. We had all seasons in one week, it was incredible.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56We were up a mountain in Skye and it was snowing,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59and then we came down and it was bright sunshine. We were
0:15:59 > 0:16:04on beaches with water that I honestly have never seen that colour before.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06And then you go up north and you see the Highlands
0:16:06 > 0:16:09and you are like, "Wow, this is really what Scotland is."
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Scotland isn't Edinburgh Castle and tartan tat on the Royal Mile.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15I mean it's...it really blew my mind,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18it really changed my perception of the whole place.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22More or less the first question that people ask me
0:16:22 > 0:16:25about our Highlands video is about Mike on Kylesku Bridge.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Obviously, that was the jewel in the crown of the whole thing.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33It was the last shot. It's the last shot for a reason, it was crazy!
0:16:33 > 0:16:37And the way that played out was quite funny, actually. Myself and
0:16:37 > 0:16:41the film maker were in a separate van from Mike and the rest of the guys.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43And we were talking it over the whole climb,
0:16:43 > 0:16:48and we were like, "Who is going to tell Mike's mum if Mike dies?"
0:16:48 > 0:16:50I know that sounds really sombre,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53but these things go through your head, and if Mike had fallen off
0:16:53 > 0:16:56the bridge we probably would have had to take him home in a cardboard box.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01We got there and we decided that we weren't going to let him do it,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04we thought, "It's not worth it, we can throw some more shots in there."
0:17:04 > 0:17:06The other guys had already shot it,
0:17:06 > 0:17:10so we were kind of like thankful that we didn't have to see it in person.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13I mean, after that there was a few close-up shots taken
0:17:13 > 0:17:17and we had to see Mike on the railing again, and it was quite hairy.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21It's kind of weird when you see one of your mates basically hovering
0:17:21 > 0:17:26over impending doom, but, yeah Mike's confidence
0:17:26 > 0:17:28far exceeded his fear.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Believe me, if Mike thought he was going to die by riding on that
0:17:33 > 0:17:36bridge he wouldn't have been up there. He has ridden far thinner
0:17:36 > 0:17:40things a couple of feet off the ground, so in essence all he needed
0:17:40 > 0:17:45to do was replicate that skill a few hundred feet in the air.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48So we all think about worst-case scenario.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50And I think when you do what we do, when you put yourselves
0:17:50 > 0:17:56in risky situations, you have to turn that voice off a little bit.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59There is a large part of me and there is probably a large
0:17:59 > 0:18:02part of the guys on my team that are spurred on by... It kind of lights
0:18:02 > 0:18:06a fire under them when people tell them what they are doing isn't
0:18:06 > 0:18:10cool or worthwhile, and you just kind of want to prove these people wrong.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Wah-ah-ah!
0:18:12 > 0:18:15As I have said before in this programme, really,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18really don't try this at home, please!
0:18:20 > 0:18:23If that leaves you exhausted, here is something more relaxing,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26but a big adventure nonetheless,
0:18:26 > 0:18:31as we join Cameron McNeish on an unusual wild weekend.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Get your planning right and it's possible to escape to what
0:18:41 > 0:18:45looks like a lunar landscape, where, in the absence of any detailed maps,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49walking is still a journey of exploration.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54And yet you can now travel here easily from Scotland.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56I am on a wild weekend,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59although I am kind of stretching the definition of weekend into
0:18:59 > 0:19:03maybe four or five days, because this is a very special place.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08This was the very heart of the ancient Hittite empire.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11It was then colonised by Persians
0:19:11 > 0:19:16and later became one of the biggest provinces of ancient Rome.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I am in Turkey, in Cappadocia. And I have to say
0:19:19 > 0:19:24it's one of the most bizarre and surreal landscapes that
0:19:24 > 0:19:26I have ever walked through.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Cameron's companion to this amazing place is Koray Ata,
0:19:38 > 0:19:42someone as unusual as the landscape itself.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46This whole region which your eye sees around is created by wind,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49fire, and earth, and water, of course.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53All the four elements are actively playing a role in creating this area.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57About two million years ago, many volcanoes around here,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02they erupted, and they filled all this region with about 150
0:20:02 > 0:20:07- metres of tufa. This is what they call tufa.- Tufa is this rock.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- Is this rock.- It's a pale-coloured rock.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13It's actually just ash, it's the ash of a volcano.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17So these materials which are spat out from the volcano's crater, for
0:20:17 > 0:20:22like 50, 40, hundreds of kilometres away from its originated place.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27But when they cool they make a pressure on the tufa which is
0:20:27 > 0:20:31beneath, so when the water and the wind erodes the tufa, what stays for
0:20:31 > 0:20:38you is the stone on the top and the erosion which creates these shapes.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49- This is remarkable. Is this caused by erosion?- By erosion.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Not usually, actually. Mostly by winter erosions,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55when the rain freezes in the minus degrees,
0:20:55 > 0:21:00and expands and makes the rocks break and fall down.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02It makes a perfect shelter, it's a natural shelter.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04But I would be worried about that falling down.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08As long as you are not in winter, and it's not minus degrees,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11you shouldn't be afraid of that falling down.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21I first came here when I was 16, with my family,
0:21:21 > 0:21:26and I was like, "Wow, this is crazy! I have never seen something like this."
0:21:26 > 0:21:32But this was just a short visit, and it's only after the university
0:21:32 > 0:21:36that I really get interested in more deeper history,
0:21:36 > 0:21:41and discovering, exploring not only the known Cappadocia, but
0:21:41 > 0:21:46the alternative Cappadocia, the Cappadocia like here. This place,
0:21:46 > 0:21:50I will bring you to more like this because this is what I love.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Koray, how long have you been guiding?
0:21:56 > 0:22:01Now it's eight years. I was in the academy, in the university, doing a
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Masters degree about History, Ancient History. I was having fun in uni.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09So what made you change from the academic life to becoming
0:22:09 > 0:22:11a man of the hills?
0:22:11 > 0:22:14OK, one morning I woke up and I couldn't move,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17I couldn't wake up, I couldn't say a word.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19I was trying to speak
0:22:19 > 0:22:23but all I was saying was just some weird noise like, "Abla, abla, abla."
0:22:23 > 0:22:29And so they actually found that I got a blood clot in my brain.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30A blood clot in your brain?
0:22:30 > 0:22:36A blood clot in my brain, which paralysed my part of speech control.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40And they said that I am very, very lucky I am still alive,
0:22:40 > 0:22:44and they said it's only because I am young that I am still alive.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49And they said that you must be ready that you will never be able to
0:22:49 > 0:22:51speak again.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04So I said, "Oh, come on, Koray. Tomorrow you wake up,
0:23:04 > 0:23:05"you're fine again, that's it."
0:23:05 > 0:23:10So one month, one and a half month, I couldn't say any word,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13then I started to speak.
0:23:13 > 0:23:19Then I said, "I am 25 years old and is this really what I wanted to do,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23"like be behind a desk writing all the time?"
0:23:23 > 0:23:27I mean, I love history, but is this really what I want?
0:23:27 > 0:23:32So that blood clot and that situation made you reassess your whole
0:23:32 > 0:23:33- lifestyle?- Sure, yeah.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42The winter sun is just dipping down towards the horizon now,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and we are coming to the end of our first walk with Koray.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48And what a sensational walk it's been.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51I honestly can say that I can't remember a walk that has excited me
0:23:51 > 0:23:55just as much as this. Around every corner there has been something new.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57And Koray has promised us
0:23:57 > 0:24:02another one for tomorrow that is going to be equally as sensational.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12I like to mix the walks on my wild weekends with as many eating
0:24:12 > 0:24:16opportunities as possible, so I have come along to this traditional
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Turkish restaurant where I hope the ladies will perhaps allow me
0:24:20 > 0:24:24to help them, and we will see how it all ends up. Fingers crossed.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Could you ask the ladies what we are making?
0:24:31 > 0:24:35THEY SPEAK TURKISH
0:24:35 > 0:24:42- Now they are rolling leaves. they have inside rice, bulgur, mint...- Mint.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- And...- Onion?- Yeah, onion.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49And parsley. Parsley, yeah.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52- Would you like to know how they prepared those?- Yeah.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56THEY SPEAK TURKISH
0:24:59 > 0:25:04They put salt between and let it for about three weeks, saltwater
0:25:04 > 0:25:07and so they become ready in a jar.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09And they are ready for this process.
0:25:09 > 0:25:15OK, so just roll, you don't have to tuck it in.
0:25:15 > 0:25:21- Just roll it as tight as possible. - Just roll.- Not quite so good at that.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23HE LAUGHS
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Well, I am not really sure how helpful I was, but it looks
0:25:26 > 0:25:30really good and I am most certainly looking forward to eating it.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36I was expecting a simple plate of ravioli,
0:25:36 > 0:25:40but this looks like the start of a complete Turkish banquet.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44OK, thank you. Round two, ha-ha!
0:25:44 > 0:25:47This is the yoghurt topping.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51Mm! I have to say the hospitality here has been fantastic.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54If you think Turkish cooking is nothing more than kebabs,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58you are completely wrong. This is wonderful.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07Welcome back to the wild white water here at Grandtully. We are
0:26:07 > 0:26:09now moving on to the canoe class.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12And there are differences between that and the K or kayak class we
0:26:12 > 0:26:16have already seen, so we asked former winner here and current Olympic
0:26:16 > 0:26:20champion Tim Baillie to explain to us how both classes measure up.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Now, the most obvious difference with the canoe category is that you
0:26:24 > 0:26:28use a single-bladed paddle like this one, and in the kayak
0:26:28 > 0:26:32category, which we also call K1, you use a double-bladed paddle.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Because I am used to paddling in a canoe I am going to try
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and demonstrate the C1, and we have got
0:26:37 > 0:26:40the European Champion, Fiona Pennie, who is going to demonstrate the K1.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44When I look at a course, I know that I have both blades to play with,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46but when I look at it from a C1 point of view
0:26:46 > 0:26:48I have to think about the line
0:26:48 > 0:26:52a bit more, I have to pronounce the line I am actually going to do more.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56And then I have to think about where I might be stronger, actually
0:26:56 > 0:26:59staying on the on side rather than going to the crossbar stroke,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03so when you are taking the single blade over to the other side.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06I mean, it's not maybe totally obvious
0:27:06 > 0:27:08when we are actually in the boats,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11but in a canoe boat I am kneeling in that boat, and obviously you are
0:27:11 > 0:27:15sitting in your kayak, it's quite a key difference because the weight of your legs
0:27:15 > 0:27:19in the front gives the boat a lot more forward speed and tracking.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22I have noticed when I paddle the C1 it's far easier to pivot
0:27:22 > 0:27:25the boat because I don't have the weight in the front of my boat,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27my legs aren't there, they are underneath me when I am kneeling.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31I guess coming out of the break-out was quite a key area,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35where for you having the good power of the kayak, having both legs,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38you could cut a really direct line and take a spin option.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Whereas, for myself, I wasn't really making it
0:27:41 > 0:27:44when I tried to go the direct line, so I ended up going out much higher.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47But then, because the boat pivots so easily,
0:27:47 > 0:27:49I could actually pull the move forwards when I did it
0:27:49 > 0:27:53and you see there I managed to just about get it forwards.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56I am quite sure I couldn't get to that skill whether I had one,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59two or 20 blades on my paddle.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Now we are catching up with the men's C1 class, one blade only.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07With the absence of Olympic medallist, Scotland's David Florence,
0:28:07 > 0:28:13this year's event is a chance for the up-and-coming young paddlers
0:28:13 > 0:28:16to make their mark, and most of them are from south of the border.
0:28:16 > 0:28:2020-year-old Ryan Westley doesn't underestimate the challenge
0:28:20 > 0:28:22this Scottish river poses.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25I live in Nottingham, train there and down Lee Valley,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29a very predictable... a much slower-moving river.
0:28:29 > 0:28:30It's a completely different sport.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33We're used to nipping in behind stoppers. Here you've
0:28:33 > 0:28:36got to play with the waves, you don't really know what's going on.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39There's rocks that you don't really expect, it's just fast,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42a lot prettier, obviously, and a bit more dangerous in certain
0:28:42 > 0:28:46places, so it gets your heart pumping a little bit in a different way.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Another determined canoeist with an eye on getting to the
0:28:50 > 0:28:53top of this sport is 17-year-old Sam Ibbotson.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56He is a sixth-form student, also based in Nottingham.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58A large part of it is probably pretty physical.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Obviously, the size of the water is quite big.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03There is quite a few crosses,
0:29:03 > 0:29:07but I'd say there is a good bit of skill in there in being able to pick up
0:29:07 > 0:29:11those waves, and being able to use them to your advantage.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14We are picking up the action on the second run for the C1 class,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17and it's Sam Ibbotson now on the water.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21He is currently lying in second place after the first run.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Sam is a super-exciting young talent,
0:29:24 > 0:29:26and it seems like he has been a junior for ages.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29He has got two older brothers that were both paddlers as well,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32and he has just benefited from coming through as the youngest.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36The C1 category is definitely the toughest class to be racing in,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38with the difficulty in getting propulsion.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41And on top of that the wind has been blowing up on second runs here,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44and it is really coming and going and gusting very strongly.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47He has always been there with his family
0:29:47 > 0:29:50and racing on good water from a very young age, and now he has had
0:29:50 > 0:29:54a bit of a growth spurt and put on a bit of height, he is very quick.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58That looks like another pretty tidy run from him.
0:29:58 > 0:30:03Neatly done, and into a nice trench between two big waves here,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06beautifully done, beautiful line.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11Popping out of that just to get this slower gate on upstream 13,
0:30:11 > 0:30:14and very, very neat into that.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19A big sprint right across the river, having to
0:30:19 > 0:30:24take in one of the downstream gates here, through that very neatly.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28And a nice high line taking him close in to 15, and you just get
0:30:28 > 0:30:32pushed downstream very, very quickly there with that big water,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35and you shouldn't fight against that, you need to let it take you.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39And then when you are in to 15 sprint up very close to that.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Looks well done.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44And then three downstream gates.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Good line from Sam here, fantastic,
0:30:47 > 0:30:48fantastic paddle.
0:30:48 > 0:30:53And that takes him through the finish at 124.57.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55He did just pick up
0:30:55 > 0:30:58two penalty points and that puts him in second place.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02At the top of the course now,
0:31:02 > 0:31:04let's see what 20-year-old Ryan Westley
0:31:04 > 0:31:06can make of these conditions.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Had a great first run, currently in the lead. Let's see
0:31:09 > 0:31:12if he can maintain that position.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Oh, it looked like a touch there, downstream gate four,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20winds blowing five all over the place.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22But he is through it clean, nicely done,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25heading across the river now.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Working very hard.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32Quick dip under six, over to the next upstream gate.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Such difficult conditions in this heavy water today for the canoe
0:31:35 > 0:31:39class, but he has got through this one very nicely indeed.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44Very exciting run from number four, Ryan Westley, there,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46he has absolutely charged down the course.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49He has been taking very direct lines, working hard
0:31:49 > 0:31:51and really bossing the water about.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54I think probably the first athlete that has matched
0:31:54 > 0:31:56the physicality of the water today.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Ryan seems to be really be
0:31:58 > 0:32:01finding his form which is a very good time for it in the run-in to
0:32:01 > 0:32:03senior selection at the end of the month in London.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06But, yeah another really good run from him there,
0:32:06 > 0:32:11just a slight bit slower but he is still holding the overall lead.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14So he has got to be happy at this stage.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Yeah, it's a time of 113.85, with two penalty points.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20No improvement on his first run, but he is
0:32:20 > 0:32:24still at the top of the leaderboard with just one paddler still to come.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Last down the course is 21-year-old Adam Burgess,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30sitting in third place after run one, so will be keen
0:32:30 > 0:32:33to improve on that.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36Adam Burgess, number three, in GB colours,
0:32:36 > 0:32:43he is really putting in a good, clean paddle here at the top of the course.
0:32:43 > 0:32:48Beautifully rotating around on that single blade.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52You can see the concentration on his face.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Maybe not quite as strong as some of the other paddlers,
0:32:55 > 0:32:57but technically absolutely brilliant.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00And with the big water here today, that might well put him
0:33:00 > 0:33:05in a winning run. Nice and close there, through there.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Looks slightly more awkward with the paddle on the right-hand side
0:33:08 > 0:33:11rather than the left, but controlled it well.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Slightly slower here, and he is going to have to sprint very far
0:33:17 > 0:33:20up into this to get enough power and enough height.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Through all the little twigs and reeds,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25he has just clipped a couple of them with the paddle, though.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29And taking far too much time before setting himself up.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34Yeah, Adam's a really fast, very exciting paddler to watch.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37But I think today he has just struggled with the power
0:33:37 > 0:33:42of the water a little bit, and he looked like he was on a good run.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45But then he got stuck on a bit of a treadmill at gate 14,
0:33:45 > 0:33:48he really wanted to make sure he got on the highway from 14 to 15,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51but he just got stuck in the eddy in the middle.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55And he will probably be disappointed not to have got in tighter there.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58He was just going backwards when he was trying to catch the wave.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01And that meant that he actually got spun out on the eddy line at
0:34:01 > 0:34:0415 as well, and he will have dropped a heap of time there against Ryan.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Coming over the finish line,
0:34:06 > 0:34:10he is across in 127.02, just faster than his first run.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13He does look pretty pleased with that even though it is not enough
0:34:13 > 0:34:16to improve on his current position.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18So the results in the men's C1 are,
0:34:18 > 0:34:22as we have seen Adam Burgess finished the race in third place.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Ahead of him in second place is Sam Ibbotson, with his fastest
0:34:25 > 0:34:30run of 122.75, but first place went to Ryan Westley with
0:34:30 > 0:34:36a commanding performance and an outstanding time of 114.65.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40It's crazy - all the waves, big waves as you are coming down,
0:34:40 > 0:34:41really inconsistent, going everywhere.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44It's really hard to keep the boat tracking online.
0:34:44 > 0:34:45Just with the width of the river
0:34:45 > 0:34:49and the speed of the water you have got to put in a lot of effort across.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52I had two really good runs, silly touches on the same gate
0:34:52 > 0:34:54but ended up with the win which is what I came here for
0:34:54 > 0:34:57and it's a lovely way to kick off the season.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Honestly, it looks like a canoe car park around here.
0:35:00 > 0:35:05Congratulations to Ryan Westley - winner in the C1 category.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08Now I am sure you all remember the Great British success
0:35:08 > 0:35:10at the Olympics in the C2 category,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12with gold and silver medals for Team GB,
0:35:12 > 0:35:16but we understand that the Olympic future of C2 is in doubt,
0:35:16 > 0:35:20with the IOC considering removing C2 as an Olympic discipline.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24With competitors planning their Olympic dreams years, if not
0:35:24 > 0:35:29decades, ahead, this is a particular blow for younger paddlers.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Now they have only one attempt left for Olympic glory.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35It is a big shame because, yeah, we would be coming in to
0:35:35 > 0:35:37our prime for 2020 basically. We would be the right age.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40We would have been paddling for a long time,
0:35:40 > 0:35:43and obviously we only started less than a year ago.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46So it's, yes, it's still a very new thing to us
0:35:46 > 0:35:48and a lot to learn before 2016.
0:35:48 > 0:35:5219-year-old Zak Franklin races in a C2 boat
0:35:52 > 0:35:54with C1 winner Ryan Westley.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57For them, it's meant a significant change in their approach.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Obviously, for us, recently starting C2, we were looking more 2020, 2024.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04So it's just meant we had to step up our timeline a bit,
0:36:04 > 0:36:05and work a bit harder.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08And we had a bit of a chat about it when we found out that it
0:36:08 > 0:36:11wasn't going to be in 2020, and we decided we would go for 2016.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14With it being so close, it's only like two years
0:36:14 > 0:36:16of hard training and we may make it, we may not.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18But it's worth a shot really.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21It's a shame but I think it's still worth pushing for 2016.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25In today's race, Zak and Ryan showed they have the potential for
0:36:25 > 0:36:27a shot at an Olympic medal,
0:36:27 > 0:36:31finishing first, two seconds ahead of their nearest rivals.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35It's not all bad news for canoeists though.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39It's proposed that women's C1 will be elevated to Olympic status.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43Now this is an event that was only introduced a few years ago.
0:36:43 > 0:36:48Now with the focus on Tokyo 2020, standards will go much higher.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54And in today's race, the women were really put through their paces.
0:36:54 > 0:36:5718-year-old Kimberley Woods from Rugby is one of the most
0:36:57 > 0:37:01experienced women in C1, and had a great run down the river.
0:37:01 > 0:37:08She hit one gate but had the fastest time by far - 144.11 seconds,
0:37:08 > 0:37:10with two added for that touch.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14So with the total time of 146.11, she was leading the field
0:37:14 > 0:37:17by a massive 24 seconds at the start of the second run.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Rachel Houston is just 17 years old and from Perth -
0:37:22 > 0:37:26one of the new generation of rising Scottish stars.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28Despite missing two gates on her first run,
0:37:28 > 0:37:34her second was much cleaner and she finished with a time of 161.27.
0:37:35 > 0:37:3919-year-old Mallory Franklin also had a tough first run.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42A medallist in the World Championship last year,
0:37:42 > 0:37:45she performed much better second time down
0:37:45 > 0:37:48and finished with a time of 148.85.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Yet the fastest time of the day went to Kimberley Woods
0:37:52 > 0:37:54with that unbeatable first run.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57C1 Women is quite a strong field.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00I guess all you have to do is put in the best run that you can,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02and I had quite a solid run to start with.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06And there was a lot of mistakes going on with other people
0:38:06 > 0:38:09so I was quite lucky that that happened.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11So confirmation of those results.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Third was Rachel Houston with a time of 161.27.
0:38:15 > 0:38:21Second place went to Mallory Franklin with a time of 148.85.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25And Kimberley Woods' first run of 146.11
0:38:25 > 0:38:27was enough to secure her the top spot.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Congratulations to Kimberley,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34and hopefully that display of talent will stand us in good stead
0:38:34 > 0:38:38when the event becomes an Olympic discipline in 2020.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41More action from the water to come, but first we are heading back to
0:38:41 > 0:38:45Turkey to find out what else Cameron got up to on his wild weekend.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01We have wakened this morning to a very different kind of weather.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03From the nice sunny weather yesterday,
0:39:03 > 0:39:05this morning is more like Scotland.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08It is actually quite chilly and blowing just a wee bit.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12But Koray has brought me to a very different kind of landscape today.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Yesterday we were wandering through trees and it was all very pretty,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19this is much starker, different colours of rocks.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21And I am getting quite excited about what we are
0:39:21 > 0:39:24going to see down here, it looks quite interesting.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27This is one of my favourite places in all the Goreme region,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30because now we are walking down to one of the most special churches
0:39:30 > 0:39:33which is possible to see here in Goreme.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35OK, well, let's go and do it. Let's see it.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54This is called the Red Pit, or as we say - Kizilcukur.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Which is one of the most important places here in Goreme region.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01It's not only important because of its natural beauty,
0:40:01 > 0:40:03but also its historical beauty.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Because here are some very important churches.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08And we will start with my favourite one
0:40:08 > 0:40:11which is called the Uzumlu, or the Great Church.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13And that's just here, that big rock.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16It all looks like big rocks, as long as you are not inside.
0:40:20 > 0:40:21It's a very old church.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24The frescos inside are from the 8th century.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26- 8th century?- 8th century AD.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28So almost 1,200 years old.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34And one very special fresco makes this unique in all Cappadocia.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36And that's the St Simeon fresco.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40St Simeon is a very holy saint, holy man.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42He spent all his life on one column,
0:40:42 > 0:40:46and so his fresco is only found here.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48- So that's him on the column. - That's him on the column.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50When you say he sat on the column,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52you are talking about one of these fairy towers.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55No, no, no just the column, a Roman column.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57He just sat on a Roman column all the time?
0:40:57 > 0:40:59He spent all his life there.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04I have seen and heard some amazing things over the years,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08but the thought of a man sitting on top of a Roman column
0:41:08 > 0:41:10all his life, that really takes the biscuit.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18This landscape provided an ideal hiding place
0:41:18 > 0:41:20for a persecuted population.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24As well as places for worship, the Christians needed to ensure
0:41:24 > 0:41:28that where they lived and produced their food was also secret.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31This was one of the most important
0:41:31 > 0:41:34productions for the Cappadocia people.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37Right, so what are all these little shelves for?
0:41:37 > 0:41:41These, Cameron, are the pigeon houses, or the pigeon nests.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45They were taking fertilizers out of the pigeons.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49They were eating their eggs, using their meat like chickens.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52It's much more protective to use the pigeon instead
0:41:52 > 0:41:56of the chicken, because a chicken would immediately point
0:41:56 > 0:42:01to people living in that place. That's what they wanted to avoid.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05They didn't want anyone to know that they are living in that place.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07It's a production place for the pigeons.
0:42:09 > 0:42:14At least this is what you think when you first come inside.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18But if you follow me, I will show you something else about this place.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- Oh, right, well lead on. - Mind your head here.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25- Oh, it's a flight of steps.- Yes. - I hadn't noticed the steps.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28And they are long steps.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31This is extraordinary!
0:42:31 > 0:42:34It's just, you would never know from outside that this was here.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38You couldn't have the slightest idea that here was something like that.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41But this is more than just a church, it's like a cathedral.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43It is a church, but it is like a cathedral.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46It is the biggest one you can find here in the valley.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50You know, this makes me feel like Indiana Jones.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55- It's that sense of discovery. - It's a sense of discovery.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Do you have any idea at all how this was carved out?
0:42:58 > 0:43:03What is certain is that they started from the top,
0:43:03 > 0:43:07so they were not digging from down, out and up, up.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10They were starting from the high point and coming down,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13so all the soil was sent out, while they were digging,
0:43:13 > 0:43:18and then down, out, another hole, another window, out.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20So they were going from up to down.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23The other way, it would be impossible to make anyway.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26What amazes me is how perfect the architecture is,
0:43:26 > 0:43:29these beautiful aligned arches.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33I totally agree, and also for me it's just like a wonder
0:43:33 > 0:43:36because these people were not sophisticated architects.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40This is different. You don't use the usual material,
0:43:40 > 0:43:43you are just carving, it needs experience.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46So it's something which passed from generation to generation
0:43:46 > 0:43:48for these people.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56It's just fascinating for me every time I come to Cappadocia.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00It gives you so many clues about your ancestry.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04Christians, Romans, Hittites - all are my ancestors.
0:44:04 > 0:44:07Everybody who lived here is my ancestor.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10So these are all remains of them, of course I am proud of them.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14Of course I am proud of my country. I am happy to be here.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17This is not only for me, this is for all of humankind, all of mankind.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26What a special wild weekend that was.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29If you want to find out about walking in Cappadocia
0:44:29 > 0:44:31and travel to Turkey,
0:44:31 > 0:44:33or any of the other items featured on the Adventure Show,
0:44:33 > 0:44:35as ever, follow us on Facebook.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42Now it's back to the white water.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46Scottish athletes have proved we can get to the very top of the sport
0:44:46 > 0:44:50but it requires total commitment and dedication.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52We joined two ambitious young paddlers -
0:44:52 > 0:44:54Bradley Forbes-Cryans from Edinburgh,
0:44:54 > 0:44:57and this year's winner in the K1 Women's class -
0:44:57 > 0:45:0020-year-old Alice Haining from Selkirk.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Alice has now moved south of the border to Nottingham
0:45:03 > 0:45:07in order to combine studying with an intensive training regime.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11We caught up with her on a brief visit back home to the Borders.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13I have got a dream to go to the Olympics,
0:45:13 > 0:45:16to go to the World Championships, and to be on the senior team.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20And I will keep on driving for that. I've got time on my side.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24I've got at least ten years, if I can do it, and that's loads of time.
0:45:24 > 0:45:30And I enjoy the sport so much that I just want to keep on doing it.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32I do it every day.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35I have been doing it every day since I was ten years old
0:45:35 > 0:45:38and it's still not boring to me.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40In spite of her win at Grandtully,
0:45:40 > 0:45:43Alice hasn't made the GB team this year.
0:45:43 > 0:45:45Her mum knows that with stiff competition her
0:45:45 > 0:45:48future could be uncertain.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50She was close to making the team.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53So when you have got six people wanting a team place,
0:45:53 > 0:45:56three have to be disappointed, and three are going to get in.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00And I think to make reserve would be her best place
0:46:00 > 0:46:03if she didn't make the team. I think that's really fantastic.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10I would like her to get a couple of years of study under her belt,
0:46:10 > 0:46:13because you need something to fall back on.
0:46:13 > 0:46:17She has got lots of good assets and I think you need to be
0:46:17 > 0:46:21using your mind, you need to think about the future.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23Canoeing is such an unpredictable sport -
0:46:23 > 0:46:27it's whoever can lay it down on the day.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31With moving to Nottingham just in June, I have built up my skill base
0:46:31 > 0:46:37so much that I have acquired a lot of techniques.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40And now it's just being consistent.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43But I won at Grandtully, which is great.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45It's my first Prem win, and on a home site.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48I got promoted to Prem there as well.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50So it's all happened in Scotland,
0:46:50 > 0:46:53which is really nice since I am Scottish.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56It's a great feeling. I wouldn't want it any other way.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Another young Scot who is aiming for the top is 19-year-old
0:47:01 > 0:47:03Bradley Forbes-Cryans.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05He is on the GB Potential Podium Programme
0:47:05 > 0:47:09which targets athletes who could make it to the Olympics.
0:47:09 > 0:47:13We joined him on one of his training sessions with coach Neil Shanks.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16When I started out my career as a strength and conditioning coach,
0:47:16 > 0:47:19the first ever athlete I came across was Bradley
0:47:19 > 0:47:23as a young 13, 14-year-old.
0:47:23 > 0:47:25He was still in school and just learning his trade.
0:47:27 > 0:47:33I think the main step up was in 2012 when I made my first junior final.
0:47:33 > 0:47:38That was when I kind of decided my school work wasn't going great
0:47:38 > 0:47:41so I thought I would really take the opportunity to give it a go.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48Monday to Friday, I am in the gym at least once a day.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51Three of those sessions are weightlifting
0:47:51 > 0:47:56and Olympic lifts, and the other two sessions are just recovery.
0:47:56 > 0:47:58Where I come in for about an hour, an hour and a half,
0:47:58 > 0:48:03and just do some stretching and muscle activation.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06During the kayak, he is going to get in different positions,
0:48:06 > 0:48:08which is just going to strain muscles.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10So what we are doing is just mobilising up the tissues
0:48:10 > 0:48:12and allowing them to be more free.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15So when we go in to position with a bar
0:48:15 > 0:48:17he is not restricted by flexibility.
0:48:19 > 0:48:21He has got a really good work ethic, he trains hard,
0:48:21 > 0:48:23he follows guidance from coaches.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27And I think that's going to put him in good stead for the future.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30We will be finding out how Bradley gets on in today's race shortly.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32One thing's for sure though,
0:48:32 > 0:48:36he is determined to make a real impact on this sport.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39At the end of the summer, I plan to move down to London
0:48:39 > 0:48:42to join in properly with the GB programmes.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44Open up.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47It will definitely be a benefit living there because that is
0:48:47 > 0:48:51where selection is every year, through races on the course.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58Hopefully we will see some of those younger paddlers
0:48:58 > 0:49:01challenging for honours in the major events soon.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03Next up, we are going to see how the big guns do it
0:49:03 > 0:49:06here on the River Tay in the Men's K1.
0:49:07 > 0:49:11On the first run down the course, many of the kayakers struggled
0:49:11 > 0:49:13with the tough conditions.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16Hopefuls Zak Franklin, Steffan Walker,
0:49:16 > 0:49:19and Bradley Forbes-Cryans all missed gates.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23Just two paddlers were really able to challenge the water,
0:49:23 > 0:49:29seasoned pro Huw Swetnam was the fastest with a time of 104.45,
0:49:29 > 0:49:34while Joe Coombs came in just behind him in 105.57.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37We are joining the paddlers for their second run
0:49:37 > 0:49:39as Joe Coombs takes to the water.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43So we are straight into the action here with 22-year-old Joe Coombs.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47He is a fulltime professional athlete based in Nottingham.
0:49:47 > 0:49:52And he had a really good time in his first run of 105.57.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55He is looking to improve that. It put him in second place.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01And very nicely done through number five.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07Good high line there to take him in to six and seven.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10Quite good from Joe here.
0:50:13 > 0:50:14Very nicely done through there.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Slightly slower than maybe he would have liked in to that gate,
0:50:17 > 0:50:19the upstream gate.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22But he has found a good line to go right across the whole
0:50:22 > 0:50:25of the river to the right hand bank.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28Oh, he is a little bit low there.
0:50:30 > 0:50:34Very slow and ponderous coming out of this gate
0:50:34 > 0:50:38into the downstream again, but neatly done.
0:50:42 > 0:50:49Hugging the bank there in fairly calm water, reading the water well.
0:50:49 > 0:50:51And he hasn't set himself up too high here.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54He is going to get pushed very, very far down
0:50:54 > 0:50:57coming in to this difficult upstream gate.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00Joe was the one athlete in the Men's Kayak who actually pinned
0:51:00 > 0:51:03the cross from gate 13 to gate 15 on the first runs.
0:51:03 > 0:51:08And that was reflected in his overall second place after the first runs.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11And unfortunately there, I think he had a pretty decent run
0:51:11 > 0:51:16generally, but he couldn't recreate that amazing cross 13, 14, 15.
0:51:16 > 0:51:18And so his second run is a fair bit slower.
0:51:18 > 0:51:21He will be a bit disappointed not to improve and take the overall lead.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26Joe crosses the line in a time of 110.12,
0:51:26 > 0:51:30which means he is still in second place at the moment.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33Next on the course is Steffan Walker from mid-Wales,
0:51:33 > 0:51:35another under 23-year-old paddler.
0:51:35 > 0:51:39Had a dreadful first run, struggled on the bottom of the course
0:51:39 > 0:51:43and couldn't make it back up the river to upstream gate 15,
0:51:43 > 0:51:45so that finished off his chances for that run.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48And he has decided to conserve his energy so he could give it
0:51:48 > 0:51:50all the second time around.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53This run looking much, much better.
0:51:53 > 0:51:57Very clean and precise paddling in the top half of the course.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00Over to gate six and on to seven.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04Now let's see how he gets on with upstream gate eight.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07Very tidy indeed.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09Heading in to the big water now.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13Nice glide over that wave.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16Seems much more in tune with the river this time around.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21Massive improvement from Steffan there. He had a fairly,
0:52:21 > 0:52:25I am sure he would admit it, abysmal first run with four gates missed.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28Been pushing the course around pretty well,
0:52:28 > 0:52:30and not the best cross, the 15.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33But certainly, given that he would probably have good pace
0:52:33 > 0:52:37on the rest of the course, I think that's a competitive effort there.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39Really clean there, very quick.
0:52:39 > 0:52:43Managed to maintain his power output right to the end.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47Coming over the finish line, Steffan is across in 104.79.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51Good enough for second place, for now anyway.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53So just sprinting through the start now,
0:52:53 > 0:52:56number eight, Bradley Forbes-Cryans from Edinburgh.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59A young Scottish hopeful here, age 19,
0:52:59 > 0:53:01had a really terrible first run.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04He missed five gates completely and whacked another three.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07The big water he is finding a little bit difficult.
0:53:07 > 0:53:11And it looks to me as though he is putting the paddle in too
0:53:11 > 0:53:14close to the boat which makes it very, very hard to control.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19Better. This is better than the first run for sure.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23And that's nicely done,
0:53:23 > 0:53:25coming across the river nice and quick,
0:53:25 > 0:53:27in to the middle three gates.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29Good line.
0:53:29 > 0:53:33And quite close in to this upstream gate. Neatly done.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35Just maybe a little bit slow out of that,
0:53:35 > 0:53:38but you have to come all the way across the river again
0:53:38 > 0:53:42through this big, big channel into this upstream gate which catches
0:53:42 > 0:53:46many people out because the water suddenly goes slow and very hard.
0:53:47 > 0:53:52So through ten neatly, and then you've got two downstream
0:53:52 > 0:53:56gates in the middle of the river. He's ducked under that quite well.
0:53:56 > 0:53:57Looking tired,
0:53:58 > 0:54:01lacking, maybe, the real power you need
0:54:01 > 0:54:03for these very, very heavy water conditions.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08Bradley, I'm sure, will be disappointed with his
0:54:08 > 0:54:11day's racing now, really. He's a favourite Scottish athlete,
0:54:11 > 0:54:17he was top British junior last year and he's really in surging form.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20But today wasn't really his day, even though he enjoys the river
0:54:20 > 0:54:23when it's high like this. He's struggled with this.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26Just the same crux move for everyone is this
0:54:26 > 0:54:29cross at the bottom - 13, 14, 15.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32And just probably without that loss he'd be right up there,
0:54:32 > 0:54:34but he's just shed a bit of time.
0:54:36 > 0:54:40Comes across the line in 106.02, currently puts him
0:54:40 > 0:54:42into fourth place.
0:54:43 > 0:54:45Zak Franklin now on the course,
0:54:45 > 0:54:49winner with his partner Ryan Westley in C2.
0:54:49 > 0:54:53He's another under-23 paddler. He's been competing for over ten years,
0:54:53 > 0:54:56so he does have the experience to draw on.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00Looking very strong as he works his way through upstream gate eight
0:55:00 > 0:55:02in to the big water,
0:55:02 > 0:55:06taking a good straight line between the waves, over to ten.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08That does look fast.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12The time to beat is still Huw Swetnam's 104.45.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17Yes, it's hard to find fault on Zak's run so far, as he heads
0:55:17 > 0:55:19across the river,
0:55:19 > 0:55:22trying to keep the boat as high as possible, nice.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25A lot of the athletes are running similar pace for most of the course,
0:55:25 > 0:55:28and then it's all coming down to 13, 14, 15...
0:55:28 > 0:55:31And crucially, if you can get neat into 15, then it's worth
0:55:31 > 0:55:35a lot of time, and Zak, he was pretty well in contact there
0:55:35 > 0:55:39through the... He's upped his game and a fairly good run, managed
0:55:39 > 0:55:43to keep a bit of boat speed running and carry that out to the flow.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47Coming across to the line, it's going to be very close indeed!
0:55:47 > 0:55:48104.21.
0:55:48 > 0:55:53Just a fraction faster than Huw Swetnam's first run,
0:55:53 > 0:55:57so the pressure's now on Huw at the top of the course.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00So Huw, having heard that he's just lost his lead time here to
0:56:00 > 0:56:04a competitor in the second run, has really got to pull it out of the bag
0:56:04 > 0:56:08if he's wanting to win this, but he is a very seasoned competitor.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Has been competing at the highest level of the sport for many
0:56:11 > 0:56:13years throughout the world.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16So looking good, looking really, really powerful here.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18He's very tight into the gates,
0:56:18 > 0:56:23and not fazed by the high water. That's what experience gives you.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Looking for all the fast pieces that work,
0:56:25 > 0:56:28and then the slower bits of water that you can guide yourself through.
0:56:28 > 0:56:31And looking extremely strong and confident here.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36He's one of the older athletes racing today. He's been
0:56:36 > 0:56:39racing here for years and years, knows the river really well.
0:56:39 > 0:56:43And he is also a pretty rangy guy, pretty big, and very, very fit,
0:56:43 > 0:56:45so he should know what he's doing.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49He's been pushing the course around pretty well.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52I spoke to him between rides and he was pretty unhappy with
0:56:52 > 0:56:55his bottom cross. We had a little bit of a chat about it,
0:56:55 > 0:56:58and I can probably claim to have coached him on it.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00Quite a conservative climb out of gate 13,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03but then a very, very aggressive and direct run across through
0:57:03 > 0:57:0614 and into 15. I think it's a massive improvement.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10I mean, he knew what he was trying to do anyway, like everyone does -
0:57:10 > 0:57:12it's just on this run, having had the chance to eye it up
0:57:12 > 0:57:16on his first run, he's really got his eye in and pinned it there.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19104.21's the time to beat,
0:57:19 > 0:57:22and it's looking like he's well inside that.
0:57:22 > 0:57:26Over the line it's 102.95 with no penalties.
0:57:26 > 0:57:30What an amazing performance. Huw Swetnam is the clear winner.
0:57:31 > 0:57:36So, at the end of two gruelling runs, the results look like this.
0:57:36 > 0:57:39Steffan Walker came in third
0:57:39 > 0:57:41with a time of 104.79.
0:57:41 > 0:57:43Second place went to Zak Franklin
0:57:43 > 0:57:45in 104.21, but out in the lead,
0:57:45 > 0:57:48completing this incredibly taxing
0:57:48 > 0:57:52course in 102.95, it's Huw Swetnam.
0:57:52 > 0:57:54Definitely the second run felt really nice.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57The first run I thought actually felt quite awful at the bottom,
0:57:57 > 0:58:01until I discovered everyone felt like that.
0:58:01 > 0:58:05Tim did have a little word with me. I spoke to him about that move.
0:58:05 > 0:58:08He talked me through the line to take for second runs,
0:58:08 > 0:58:10and helped me out. Cheers, Tim.
0:58:11 > 0:58:15I don't think anyone will forget gates 13, 14,
0:58:15 > 0:58:17and 15 for a very long time.
0:58:17 > 0:58:21Glad I wasn't competing. I'd be heading past Perth by now.
0:58:21 > 0:58:23And that's it for this month's Adventure Show.
0:58:23 > 0:58:27Join us next time in Fort William, where the best mountain bikers
0:58:27 > 0:58:30from around the globe will converge for the Mountain Bike World Cup.
0:58:30 > 0:58:33Until then, thanks for your company. Bye for now.