- 2 days ago
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00Give it a go and you might see something that's going to be amazing.
00:05OK. Oh, wow, OK.
00:08It's the oh, wow moment.
00:10There's an oh, wow moment at every star party.
00:13Oh, you've got it, though. Oh, my goodness.
00:49Well, the sun may have gone down, but we've timed this just right.
00:52Because we're in the North York Moors, at the heart of one of the UK's dark sky reserves.
00:58And at this time of year, it plays centre stage to the dazzling North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales Dark
01:04Skies Festival.
01:05And while everyone else is off to bed, we're here to experience the dark skies in all its glory.
01:12And see nature after dark.
01:14So let's hope the weather's kind and the skies get a little bit clearer.
01:20The North York Moors is one of seven dark sky reserves in the UK, offering some of the finest stargazing.
01:28Everyone is encouraged to keep light pollution low, allowing the night sky to shine and nocturnal wildlife to thrive.
01:37And the Dark Skies Festival offers a unique chance to experience it all.
01:42How long have you been excited about doing the night walk?
01:45Quite a few days.
01:47The days. And what else do you think you might see?
01:49Maybe a hedgehog.
01:50Yeah, that would be fantastic.
01:53So if you want to do that for real, you'll need to turn all the lights off.
01:56Let's go into dark mode.
01:57OK.
02:00It is so really dark and it's actually quite nice, isn't it?
02:04Yeah, it is.
02:05And as the sun rises, Adam's meeting young apprentices used to getting up at the crack of dawn.
02:12It looks like you've got a sweat on, Charlie.
02:13I'm working hard.
02:15He's only 16 years old and he's really putting in a lot of effort. He's confident. I can just see
02:20how this experience will set him up for life.
02:32As the sun goes down and most of us start thinking about heading to bed, a whole new world is
02:39coming to life as our nocturnal animals begin their night shift.
02:43But too much artificial light can put their hunting, feeding and survival skills at risk, making them vulnerable to predators.
02:53True dark skies are rare, with only a few of us living beneath them.
02:58But at Danby Lodge National Park Centre, one group is working to highlight this issue with night walks during the
03:05Dark Skies Festival.
03:07Led by ReConnect's Outdoor Learning Officer Jonathan Green and North York Moors National Park Authority Senior Ecologist Elspeth Ingleby,
03:16the aim is to reveal the extraordinary world that emerges after dark and engage the community across the moors.
03:25Elspeth, Jonathan, lovely to see you.
03:26Hi there.
03:27It's really important to inspire people that there are actually things that go on when we switch the lights off.
03:32We see so much artificial light now out because we need it in order to be able to see.
03:37But actually a lot of our creatures that are out and about, they're not used to it.
03:41They want it to be completely dark because that's what they rely on.
03:44So they're having to adapt to this new world that we're creating for them.
03:47And what do you hope to achieve from taking the families out tonight?
03:51We're just going to hope that people become inspired to keep the lights off,
03:56to understand that actually unnatural light can have a terrible impact upon the natural world.
04:01and we only really need light exactly where we need it.
04:05As night approaches, so do the families, bringing with them anticipation.
04:13How long have you been excited about doing the night walk?
04:16Quite a few days.
04:17The days? Days of excitement?
04:19Yeah, it's been really looking forward to it.
04:22What do you like about being outdoors?
04:25You can see all different kinds of nocturnal creatures.
04:29And what else do you think you might see?
04:30Maybe a hedgehog?
04:32We could, yeah. That would be fantastic.
04:37Darkness has fallen.
04:40Right then, folks, come on out.
04:42And everybody is issued with red headlamps,
04:45which are kinder to nature, as well as humans.
04:49We're not going to use the white light, OK?
04:52The reason for that is that white light can really affect our night vision.
04:56Our pupils contract and it takes a good while for them to go back out again, OK?
05:02Right, if we're all ready to go, let's make a start, shall we?
05:09We're heading into the deep, dark woods of the North York Moors.
05:15So why have animals evolved to be nocturnal?
05:18Mainly for safety.
05:20They can hide a lot easier when it's dark and it means that they don't get eaten.
05:25However, saying that, a lot of animals have actually evolved nocturnal instincts
05:29so that they can go hunting and not be seen whilst they're hunting as well.
05:33And what proportion of animals are nocturnal?
05:36The majority, really.
05:38So the vast majority of invertebrates, but also most of our mammals.
05:4270% of our mammals pretty much are nocturnal.
05:44So actually most things are coming out just as we're going to bed.
05:47And what's the impact of light pollution on animals?
05:53Well, effectively it completely disrupts their typical patterns.
05:57So most of our wildlife is adapted to either be in the dark
06:00and therefore they'll respond to the moon when it's out or starlight,
06:05but also really adapt to that very high level of darkness.
06:09If we have artificial light, they're going, what is this?
06:13Is this daylight? Is it the moon?
06:15It completely changes their behaviour patterns.
06:18And darkness is really important for us too.
06:21If you're exposed to lots of artificial light,
06:23it can really affect your health and wellbeing.
06:25So actually getting familiar and used to being in darkness again
06:28is really important to us as human beings.
06:32Our night-time adventure begins at the woodland floor.
06:37Ooh, this looks very pretty.
06:41Wow, what have we got?
06:42We do, of course, have lots and lots of snowdrops.
06:44And as we all know, flowers are pollinated by insects
06:47and we often think of bees doing that,
06:50which, of course, they do and they do an amazing job of it.
06:52But we also get moths and we do get nocturnal insects
06:55that pollinate as well.
06:57So white flowers aren't particularly bright and exciting
07:00to a bee during the daytime,
07:01but they do stand out really, really well at night.
07:04So it's probably going to have flies and other things
07:07and it's all coming in and starting to pollinate these species.
07:12Another important feature of the forest floor
07:15is the deadwood left behind from fallen trees.
07:19Just because this tree's died doesn't mean it's dead.
07:22Actually, there's a huge amount of life in here.
07:25It's absolutely thriving like a skyscraper of insects and bugs
07:29and fungi and other things.
07:32And the wood lice, this is their job,
07:35is actually to recycle this entire log and they'll eat it all up.
07:40And they're one of the few creatures that can actually do it.
07:42Well, these are our natural recyclers.
07:44If it wasn't those little creatures doing this job,
07:47logs would sit here for a very, very long time
07:49before they're biodegraded.
07:50They would also not necessarily go straight back into the soil.
07:54The nutrients wouldn't be recycled.
07:56And they are food for lots of other animals as well.
07:59So they are food for certain types of spiders and beetles.
08:05And are they affected by extra light pollution?
08:08Not that the light harms them in any way
08:10or makes them more vulnerable to predation,
08:12but because they avoid it,
08:13they just won't come out because they think it's daytime.
08:16And so they'll stay hidden away
08:18and maybe not utilising opportunities to forage and feed.
08:22So they won't grow so quickly.
08:23So we can make sure we're keeping artificial light
08:25away from shining on logs and trees and things like that.
08:28That'll help all of these animals
08:30to go about their normal night-to-night activity
08:33without any fear.
08:36Our woodlands are also the perfect hunting grounds
08:39for one of the greatest predators of the night sky,
08:42the barn owl.
08:45Glad we've got the torches.
08:47Right then, guys, come and gather round over here.
08:50There's a little bit of a flat area.
08:51Tony found an owl pellet.
08:53Once an owl's had his dinner of mice or voles or shrews
08:57or even small birds,
08:59they gobble them up.
09:02But they can't digest the fur,
09:05the hair and the feathers or the bones.
09:08So just like a cat spits out a hairball,
09:11an owl spits out a pellet.
09:14And it's not just owls that do it as well.
09:15Lots of birds of prey do it.
09:17You can see all of these teeny-tiny animal bones.
09:22So that's a little jaw bone from a little mouse
09:24or from a little vole.
09:26We know it's from a rodent, though,
09:27because these yellow teeth at the front,
09:29they don't stop growing.
09:30They continue to grow over and over again.
09:32Sometimes find little shrew bones,
09:34little shrew jaws,
09:36and they've got lots and lots of little teeth.
09:38Yesterday I saw a barn owl
09:40on the end of this last week
09:43when it was coming over my head.
09:45Oh, wow, you're so lucky.
09:47Isn't it amazing when you see a barn owl, though?
09:50They're so magical, aren't they?
09:51Absolutely beautiful.
09:53How can we better look after our nocturnal animals?
09:56I think that as long as we're providing space for nature
09:59and making sure there's loads of wild bits of our garden
10:03and wild bits of the environment
10:04so that they can have plenty of food to eat
10:06and places to hunt
10:08and we're not filling the environment with unnatural light,
10:13I think that's going to be a start.
10:14Do you reckon we can find a way to get on together?
10:16Oh, I think that we can.
10:17What do you guys think?
10:18Yay!
10:33Across the North York moors,
10:35another dark skies festival hotspot is Sutton Bank.
10:40Here, the teams are working together
10:42to protect this rare sight
10:43by changing just one thing,
10:46lights.
10:47We've all done it.
10:48Looked up to the stars on a clear night.
10:50It's something that connects us all
10:52but light pollution is threatening to take that away from us.
11:00Mike Houghton is the dark skies project lead.
11:03He's got his work cut out for him,
11:06tackling light pollution one bulb at a time.
11:11So, where are we right now?
11:13So, we're at the southern edge
11:14of the North York moors National Park,
11:16International Dark Sky Reserve
11:17and we're looking west towards Thirsk,
11:20towards the Yorkshire Dales.
11:21It's a fantastic view during the day
11:23but at night, as we're looking at it now,
11:25we're starting to see quite a lot of light pollution
11:27which totally changes the landscape
11:28and is quite worrying for us.
11:30Who does light pollution affect?
11:31Light pollution affects everybody
11:32and every living thing
11:33from pollinators
11:35to bats
11:36to birds
11:36right the way at the food chain.
11:38What are the biggest causes of this light pollution?
11:40Well, first of all, we're really high up.
11:41If we can see light from here
11:43shining at us
11:44then it's really poorly angled light
11:46creating sky glow, glare, light spill.
11:50Second, the colour temperature of the light.
11:51Blue-white LED light
11:52is the light that's most harmful
11:54to humans and to wildlife
11:56because it mimics daylight
11:57and it affects our natural sleep-wake cycles,
12:00what we call our circadian rhythms.
12:01And what if we don't change
12:05the way that we're doing things?
12:07What will that look like
12:08in, say, 10 years' time?
12:10Places like dark sky reserves,
12:12they're the only places you can go
12:13to enjoy a truly dark sky.
12:16Those precious areas
12:17are getting more precious and rarer.
12:20A child born today
12:21who can see 250 stars from where they live
12:24at the current rate of increase in light pollution
12:26will only see 100 stars by the time they're 18.
12:29It's really sad
12:30because I can remember
12:31as a child being brought up
12:33in the middle of nowhere
12:34in the Scottish borders
12:35going out and just seeing
12:37a beautiful clear sky
12:38and obviously clearly quite privileged
12:39to be able to see that.
12:41Yeah, and that's what people
12:42come to National Parks for,
12:43you know, to experience that
12:44and that jaw-dropping wow moment.
12:47So how do you monitor the skies?
12:48So we have satellite imagery
12:50and then we've got a bunch
12:51of intrepid volunteers
12:52who go out at wee small hours
12:54of the morning
12:54taking those readings.
12:57Mike is taking me to Sutton Bank
12:59Star Observation Hub
13:01to meet volunteers David and Nigel
13:03who work through the night
13:04to collect this data.
13:06So tell me a little bit
13:07about what you guys do.
13:09Why do you go out
13:10in the wee small hours
13:11freezing cold?
13:12It's the stars.
13:13Yeah?
13:14They just draw you out.
13:15It's just something really special.
13:17It's so awe-inspiring
13:18when you see the whole of the night sky
13:20above you
13:21and the Milky Way.
13:22And wildlife as well,
13:23you know,
13:24I park up in the middle of the woods sometimes
13:25and deer will just walk past the car
13:28and, you know,
13:28you'll get out
13:29and you'll hear the owls screeching.
13:30It's just a different world,
13:32you know,
13:32it's one that most people don't see
13:33but it's so important
13:34that we keep it
13:35and improve it.
13:36Yeah, so how are you doing that?
13:38Well,
13:38we have to go out
13:39and survey the whole of the park
13:40with these sky quality meters.
13:43OK.
13:43To do that for real,
13:44we'll need to turn all the lights off.
13:46Let's go into dark mode.
13:47OK.
13:48The camera crew switched to using
13:50an infrared night camera
13:52to film us in the darkness.
13:54So I just have to
13:56see it in the dark
13:57and take it
13:58and then just point it up to the sky.
13:59Point it straight up.
14:01So it's really, really sensitive.
14:02It'll pick up any amount of light
14:04so that's why we need to be
14:05in really dark conditions
14:06to get these readings.
14:07So I've got 20.3,
14:08is that good?
14:09We're normally hoping for
14:1021.2 or above
14:12as an international dark sky reserve
14:14but we've got fairly low cloud today.
14:16We can see the odd car coming past.
14:18We can see a little bit
14:19of sky glow over there.
14:21It is so really dark
14:22and it's actually quite nice, isn't it?
14:24Yeah, it is.
14:25This data is then combined
14:27with satellite information
14:28to form an accurate
14:30light pollution map of the UK.
14:32Where you see the yellow
14:33and even the red areas
14:34is the very worst light pollution.
14:37What we don't want
14:38is Scarborough and Whitby
14:39light pollution to get worse
14:40or along the A170 at the bottom.
14:42It will in effect shrink
14:44the dark skies area
14:45of the National Park.
14:46So how are you helping
14:47like some of these areas
14:48become dark sky areas?
14:51So we do a lot of work
14:52with communities
14:53within the North York Moors
14:54National Park
14:55encouraging them to think about
14:56how they use their light.
14:57So the mantra is
14:58only like what you need,
15:00when you need it
15:01and at a level
15:01that's suitable to that need.
15:03The problem isn't light itself,
15:06it's how we use it.
15:07Brighter doesn't always mean better.
15:10So this is an example
15:11of an early LED light.
15:13You can see how bright that is,
15:15how blue-white it is.
15:16We see it in lots of farms.
15:17It's not shielded.
15:18It doesn't have any control
15:20over the light distribution.
15:21It's just indiscriminate.
15:22Best thing you can do
15:23is just tilt it down
15:24and then switch it off
15:25when you don't need it.
15:26But it's still not
15:27the right colour temperature.
15:28If we then look at
15:29a dark sky-friendly light...
15:31Oh, yeah.
15:32It's so much warmer, isn't it?
15:33But it's also down.
15:34Yeah.
15:34There's no light
15:35going above the horizontal there.
15:37I can feel the difference
15:38in my eyes.
15:39Like the last one,
15:39you could feel almost
15:40that pain of like,
15:41oh, that's really bright.
15:42We all need light as humans.
15:43It's just using that light
15:44sensitively and responsibly.
15:49Some of the brightest places
15:50in rural Britain
15:52aren't just villages or towns.
15:53They can also be farms.
15:57In nearby Bransdale,
15:58some hill farmers
15:59have day jobs
16:00to help make ends meet
16:01before tending
16:02to their livestock at night.
16:05So Mike and his team
16:06are hoping to help farmers
16:07Kat and Adrian Dousland
16:09change how they light their land.
16:13The lights that are on
16:14are quite bright
16:15and I think given that
16:16we do quite a bit
16:18of farming at night,
16:19especially through winter
16:20and through lambing season,
16:22the lights are on
16:22for a longer stock period.
16:23We have a few bats
16:24in the sheds and owls
16:26and I think the glare
16:27naturally going across
16:29actually will be affecting
16:30the wildlife that we have
16:31on the farm as well.
16:32And hopefully if we get
16:33the lighting right,
16:34it supports that
16:35but it allows you to operate
16:36and do what you need to do at night.
16:37We'll want to encourage them.
16:38We don't want to sort of
16:39scare them off.
16:40Where would you like to start?
16:41Well, I think we'll start
16:42at the horse area.
16:46So we're bringing the shires in
16:48as late as possible
16:49to wash their legs off.
16:51Keen to sort of try
16:52and get something
16:52that will pinpoint to the ground
16:54so we can actually sort of
16:54see what we're washing off.
16:57So rather than lots of glare
17:00really high up,
17:01does that give you
17:02the sort of light
17:02that you're looking for?
17:03Yeah, a lot better.
17:05There's no shadow.
17:06It's fixed on where we're looking.
17:07It's in the working area,
17:08isn't it?
17:08Yeah, where we need to be.
17:09So yeah, that's a good
17:10starting point, definitely.
17:14What is that light
17:15trying to do for you?
17:16It's basically
17:17lighting this area
17:18for us to be
17:19backwards and forwards,
17:20carrying feed,
17:21moving livestock.
17:23You think it lit up
17:24because it's light
17:24but actually you get that glare
17:26so when you're walking
17:27you're actually looking
17:27at the ground
17:28because you can't see
17:29in front of you.
17:34Straight away
17:34that's a lot more powerful.
17:36You know, you can see
17:36that warm white,
17:37it's still what we class
17:39as a dark sky friendly light
17:40because you've got no light
17:41going above the horizontal.
17:43What are your thoughts
17:43now on that light?
17:44I mean, definitely
17:45a lot more coverage
17:46over the yard.
17:46Yeah, definitely a lot better.
17:48So we'll maybe remove
17:49the real glaring one
17:50that was there
17:51so we can get it right
17:51for the yard
17:52and we can get it right
17:53inside and we've cracked it.
17:54It could very well work though.
17:56You can see the benefits
17:57all around, can't you?
17:58And how it's going to
17:59affect obviously us
18:00working, livestock
18:01and the environment.
18:06Even in our most remote landscapes
18:08like the North York Moors
18:10darkness can't be taken
18:12for granted.
18:13But if all goes to plan
18:14Mike hopes that
18:16dark sky friendly lighting
18:17will be rolled out
18:19across the country
18:19helping to reduce light pollution
18:21and support local wildlife.
18:34As farm lights
18:35are turned off
18:36for the night
18:36the day is just beginning
18:38for Adam
18:39who's at Craven Cattle Mart
18:40in Skipton.
18:42While the sun is just rising
18:44over the Yorkshire Moors
18:45many people
18:46at home
18:47will be reaching
18:48for their first cuppa
18:49but here
18:50livestock lorries
18:51and trailers
18:52are arriving
18:52stock is being unloaded
18:54and work is well underway.
18:59Craven Cattle Mart
19:00has a long trading history
19:01dating back 130 years
19:03a true cornerstone
19:05of rural life
19:06here in North Yorkshire.
19:09Today
19:09alongside the auctioneers
19:11and farmers
19:11a new generation
19:13is learning the trade
19:15and soaking up
19:16everything this important
19:17environment can teach them
19:18about farming
19:19and working life.
19:23Rebecca
19:25Charlie
19:27Joe
19:29and Tom
19:30are general farm worker
19:32apprentices
19:33from Craven College
19:35spending two days
19:36a week here
19:37putting in a full shift
19:39to gain hands-on experience
19:41with their day
19:42starting long before
19:43any college lectures begin.
19:47Morning Charlie.
19:48Morning.
19:49I understand you're
19:50one of the new apprentices.
19:51I am indeed.
19:52So what are you doing here
19:52just dusting up the pens?
19:53Just dusting up the pens.
19:55It's just to keep the animals
19:56clean as they come in.
19:57For you getting up
19:58early in the morning
19:59is that a problem?
20:00No.
20:00Because it's an early start
20:01isn't it?
20:01No bother
20:02straight out of bed eh?
20:03Are you?
20:03Always.
20:04Are you plenty of 16 year olds
20:05still alive with a head
20:06on the pillow?
20:07There will be
20:07there will be.
20:08You should always get up
20:09and be raring to go.
20:10Gee you've got to be
20:11passionate about what you do.
20:12Yeah.
20:12So you from a farming background?
20:13No not one bit.
20:15None of my family
20:15are farmers at all.
20:16So what got you into it?
20:18You just see all these people
20:19doing little bailing
20:20and lambing sheep
20:21and you just see
20:22all the chapters
20:22driving about
20:23and I thought
20:24just wanted to give it a go
20:25and see what happens.
20:27And what's the dream?
20:28What's the goal?
20:29Have a nice big farm
20:30in Scotland eh?
20:31Wow you've got big dreams.
20:32You've got to.
20:33You've got to dream big
20:33when you're in this game.
20:34What would you have?
20:35Sheep or cattle?
20:35Cattle by a mile.
20:37Would you?
20:37Maybe get some big
20:38highland cattle?
20:39No no.
20:40Some nice beef Angus cattle.
20:41Would you?
20:42Proper meat cows.
20:42They have nice good strong calves.
20:44You can fatten them well
20:45and they're just nice
20:46and tidy to work with.
20:47Yeah sure.
20:48There's lots of lovely sheep
20:49running off the trailer there.
20:50Why don't you like sheep?
20:52They're just not the easiest
20:53things to work with.
20:54Lambing when it's snowing
20:55and you've got to catch them.
20:56They're not the nicest things.
20:58You'd much prefer
20:59to stick with cattle.
20:59By a mile.
21:00By a mile.
21:01I'm a sheep man you see.
21:02No I wouldn't
21:03go near him if I had to.
21:06Well there's plenty more sheep
21:08that need to come in
21:09off the docks today.
21:11Go on lads.
21:12Go on lads.
21:15Do you count in ones or twos?
21:16I count in twos.
21:17Yeah.
21:19For those with big farming
21:21dreams like Tom
21:23the market isn't a place
21:24to count sheep
21:25to fall asleep.
21:27Go on lads.
21:29It's a place to count
21:30the learning opportunity
21:31every shift brings.
21:34So how long have you been
21:35doing this then Tom?
21:36About 18 months I think.
21:38And in your time here
21:39have you had any mess ups
21:40you've got things wrong?
21:41There's definitely been
21:42a few notable ones.
21:43I remember one time
21:44we had a cow out
21:44in the car park.
21:45Oh did you?
21:46That's definitely
21:46not our best moment
21:47but working here
21:49you learn
21:50there's all the things
21:51so you learn
21:51how to avoid it.
21:53And any proud moments?
21:54Oh plenty.
21:55Like selling
21:55us own land
21:56and stuff like that.
21:57My grandad fetches
21:58all of them here
21:59he's a sheep farmer
22:00so that's always a great
22:01feeling to go through
22:02the ring
22:03with our own stock.
22:05You're obviously
22:05in college as well
22:06but what sort of
22:07practical skills
22:08have you learned here?
22:09Well when I first came
22:10off the first time
22:11in I would admit
22:11I was fairly shy
22:12you know
22:13you didn't want to
22:13mess up
22:14in front of all
22:14these people
22:15because they all
22:15know my family
22:16and it's a lot
22:17of responsibility really
22:18so I've definitely
22:19come round from
22:19when I started.
22:20So you've really
22:20matured and grown
22:21into yourself?
22:22I feel so yeah.
22:24With fewer young people
22:25finding a way
22:26into farming
22:27and rural jobs
22:28Craven Cattlemart
22:29joined forces
22:30with a local college
22:31in 2023
22:32to open a new
22:33type of apprenticeship
22:34scheme
22:34and tutor
22:36Graham Taylor
22:36sees the difference
22:37it's making every day.
22:40With the apprentices
22:41how often are they
22:42in college
22:42or out at work?
22:43They come into college
22:44once a fortnight
22:45and then the rest of the time
22:47they're on farm placements.
22:48And in the market environment
22:49what sort of skills
22:50are they learning
22:51that they wouldn't
22:52out on the farm?
22:52Well I say
22:53definitely animal welfare
22:55they learn a little bit
22:56about farm records
22:57because they have to
22:57collect licenses.
22:59I say the biggest thing
23:00I think is the communication
23:01and working alongside
23:02other people
23:03because often
23:03they can be in a farm
23:04environment with just one
23:05employer and maybe nobody else.
23:11today's auctions
23:12include ewes
23:13with lambs at foot
23:16rearing calves
23:18and prime sheep.
23:21There we go
23:21holding you up.
23:23Go on then lambs.
23:24Come on.
23:25It's Rebecca's job
23:26to make sure
23:26every lot
23:27is present and correct
23:28before entering
23:29the sail ring.
23:32it's just
23:32like a chain
23:33of animals
23:34running past
23:35and you're keeping
23:35an eye on them all.
23:36Yeah.
23:37So what have you got there?
23:38It's a list
23:39of everyone
23:40that's come in today
23:41how many they've got
23:42and if they've got
23:43any like
23:44sorting preferences
23:45or anything
23:45that they want doing.
23:46There's quite a few
23:47different breeds
23:47coming through.
23:48Yeah we have a lot
23:49of variety.
23:50We have a lot of
23:51mules
23:52and got a lot
23:53of scotty black faces
23:54some weeks
23:55and others.
23:56Some good quality animals.
23:57Yeah.
23:58You can see
23:59that a lot of people
24:00take pride
24:00in their animals
24:02and what they do.
24:12Over here
24:13these lambs
24:14are absolutely
24:15tremendous
24:15incredible
24:16conformation.
24:17They look like
24:18Beltex
24:19Texel crosses
24:20with great
24:21big back ends
24:22and big
24:23thick backs.
24:24They'd probably
24:25weigh
24:2550,
24:2655 kilos
24:27and
24:28sail extremely
24:29well I
24:29expect
24:30maybe 160
24:31quid.
24:34As one of
24:35Northern England's
24:35busiest markets
24:37handling more
24:38than a quarter
24:38of a million
24:39livestock each
24:40year
24:40apprentices
24:41quickly learn
24:42what quality
24:43looks like
24:45and how to
24:46group sheep
24:47into sail lots
24:48ready to go
24:48under the hammer.
24:51How are you
24:52selecting them
24:53just on size?
24:54Just on
24:54size and
24:55shaping the meat
24:55quantity more
24:56than anything.
24:57Yeah.
24:58I want the ones
24:59with the best
24:59meat with me.
25:00And that's
25:01because they'll be
25:02put into separate
25:02pens for the buyers
25:03when we're selling
25:04to make it
25:04fairest on the
25:05farmer and the
25:06buyer.
25:06Yeah.
25:07Certainly learn your
25:08stuff.
25:08off just another skill
25:09to have isn't it
25:09there?
25:09Yeah.
25:10One seventy-five
25:11a little bit of
25:12seventy-five
25:12a little bit of
25:12seventy-five
25:12a little bit of
25:13seventy-five
25:13a little bit of
25:14seventy-two
25:14a little bit of
25:15four seventy-five
25:16a little bit of
25:16a little bit of
25:17seventy-six pounds
25:17six-eight.
25:19From up here
25:19you can see why
25:21teamwork and timing
25:22is so important.
25:24Behind the scenes
25:25the apprentices
25:25are getting their
25:26livestock in with
25:27care and speed.
25:29And over there
25:31Ted, the auctioneer
25:32is driving the
25:33charts.
25:34And of course
25:35for the farmer
25:36the stakes are real.
25:37Their money's on the
25:38line.
25:39So it's important
25:39to get it right.
25:44Ted, it's pretty
25:48fast-paced isn't it?
25:49Oh, mark it,
25:50they is.
25:50They can have
25:51150 to 200
25:52vendors turning up
25:53the sheep.
25:54So, you know,
25:55there's a lot of
25:55pressure on these
25:56young'uns to keep
25:56the sheep coming
25:57at the auctioneer
25:58keep the sheep
25:59going out of the
25:59ring and putting
25:59the right pens.
26:00So the work of
26:01the apprentices is
26:02fairly critical to
26:03what you're doing?
26:03It is.
26:04They're customer
26:04facing.
26:05You know, they
26:06have the first
26:06point of contact
26:07when a farmer
26:08turns up on the
26:08dock in the
26:09morning.
26:09Yeah, how many
26:09you got in?
26:11Only ten.
26:15Joe, so I just
26:16saw you're talking
26:17to the farmer
26:17just now.
26:18Yeah.
26:19Is that important
26:19that you can meet
26:20farmers while you're
26:21out here working?
26:22Yeah, it is, yeah.
26:23Get your name out
26:23there.
26:24And is it likely
26:25that someone like
26:26that would give you
26:26work in the future?
26:28Yeah.
26:28Who I'm talking to
26:30does give me work?
26:31Last year, Joe's
26:33big brother Harvey
26:33along with fellow
26:34apprentice Ellen
26:35became the very first
26:37to graduate from
26:37the programme
26:38and continued into
26:39employment across
26:40the land-based
26:41sector.
26:41Ellen, I don't
26:42want to disturb you
26:43too much because
26:43you're very busy
26:44but what are you
26:44doing here?
26:45What's your job?
26:46So basically this
26:47reads all the
26:48individual tags that
26:48all the sheep have.
26:49They've all got,
26:50they're all individual
26:50numbers.
26:51So as they run up
26:52they scan the lamb
26:53and the mum
26:54and then it all
26:54goes on to the
26:55system.
26:56How hard has it
26:57been finding work
26:57as a young woman
26:58in farming?
26:59It's difficult to be
27:00fair because a lot
27:01of people it's always
27:02still the big thing
27:03around, oh it's
27:04the man's world.
27:05Especially if you
27:06come from a non-farming
27:07background and want
27:07to get into it.
27:08From working here
27:09it helps a lot
27:10because I've met
27:11people here that
27:12have gone on to
27:14help me find other
27:14jobs or work for
27:15them.
27:17So I currently work
27:17on three different
27:18farms, one being
27:18dairy, one sheep and
27:20then one cattle and
27:21sheep as well and
27:21calf rearing as well.
27:23It's different,
27:24something different
27:25every day, it's
27:25never the same thing
27:26that goes on.
27:27You love it?
27:28I love it.
27:29I wouldn't change it
27:29for the world.
27:32I can really see how
27:34the apprenticeship here
27:35is a gateway to the
27:36world of proper work.
27:38Gaining real experience
27:39and practical skills.
27:42Exactly what Charlie's
27:43doing.
27:45So where would these
27:46calves have come from
27:47then Charlie?
27:48Come from any big
27:49dairy farms that are
27:50taking the cows off
27:51the calves and then
27:51some of these big
27:52buyers will buy them
27:53and fatten them and
27:54put them in stock
27:55sales.
27:56They're just pretty
27:56much the middle man.
28:01Looks like you've got
28:02a sweat on Charlie.
28:03I'm working out.
28:05He's only 16 years old
28:06and he's really putting
28:07in a lot of effort.
28:08Completely gets the
28:09market system, he's
28:10confident.
28:11I can just see how
28:12this experience will set
28:13him up for life.
28:15From the first trailer at
28:17dawn to the final strike
28:19of the gavel, this is how
28:22experience is built, one
28:25early start at a time.
28:27And in farming, there are
28:30plenty of those to go
28:31around.
28:37As the gates of the
28:38livestock market close, I'm
28:40over in the east of the
28:41county to see how our
28:43nocturnal wildlife cope when
28:45light pollution hits.
28:53Once darkness protected our
28:56countryside, but as our
28:58nights grow brighter, the
29:00effects on our wildlife means
29:02that it's being pushed into
29:03unfamiliar and often
29:05dangerous territory.
29:06And here at Whitby Wildlife
29:07Sanctuary, those changes are
29:09showing up at the door.
29:12Founder Alexandra Smith has
29:14spent more than 16 years
29:16caring for injured wildlife
29:18and often sees firsthand how
29:20our brighter night skies can
29:22affect them.
29:24Who do we have here, Alex?
29:26Hello.
29:26So this is one of our barn
29:28owl patients we have in at the
29:30moment.
29:30He was hunting alongside a busy
29:33road and was hit at night.
29:35And how is he doing?
29:36What's the prognosis?
29:37He's doing okay.
29:38He's had his wings strapped for
29:39a couple of weeks now and we're
29:41going to be removing the
29:42strappings today and redoing it
29:43and see how that wing is
29:45peeling.
29:46Road traffic accidents we see
29:47quite commonly with birds of
29:49prey, owls in particular.
29:50And is that due to light
29:52pollution or...?
29:53Yeah, we found that a lot of
29:55birds prey, like owls, for
29:57example, are doing more hunting
29:58in areas where there is light
30:01pollution, so roadsides and
30:03verges.
30:04And the reason for that is their
30:06prey is more attracted to these
30:08areas because the vegetation and
30:10the insects the prey eat are
30:12attracted to these areas.
30:13Road verges are well lit and
30:15warmer and natural light attracts
30:17insects, which will attract the
30:19prey.
30:19So that's where the owls will
30:22follow.
30:22So they end up hunting in areas
30:23not suitable and this is what
30:26leads them into danger and this
30:27is how they end up getting
30:28struck by cars.
30:30So I've just took that old
30:31strapping off and I just want to
30:33see how that wing is feeling.
30:34What do you think?
30:35How's it looking?
30:36It's not bad.
30:37It's pretty good, actually.
30:39It is going to need a re-strap,
30:41which I'll do for him and then
30:42I'll pop him back in there.
30:44He'll have had enough.
30:45Hopefully in a couple more weeks
30:46I'll be able to move him out to
30:47our bar now flight and so we can
30:49start practising and exercising
30:50that wing.
30:51So it's a process.
30:52There's quite a few steps to
30:53take before they're fit enough
30:55to go back out.
30:56And how long would that roughly
30:57take for this little one?
30:59On average, on average each
31:01wildlife casualty is here maybe
31:03about a month before they're able
31:04to be released.
31:05So it's, you know, when we're
31:07taking in around 3,000 a year
31:09that's, you need a lot of space.
31:13The sanctuary currently houses
31:15more than 300 injured animals,
31:18including one of the UK's
31:19most vulnerable nocturnal creatures.
31:22So we are inside our small
31:24mammals cabin, which is used
31:25mostly for our hedgehogs.
31:27Every single day, all these
31:29hedgehogs are cleaned out daily.
31:31So a number of our volunteers
31:32have already been in and done
31:33most of these hedgehogs.
31:34We've still got just a few to do
31:35in this cabin.
31:36These hedgehogs only get handled
31:38during cleaning and when we need
31:40to get their cages topped up
31:42with fresh food and water
31:43and if they're being assessed
31:44for any of their injuries.
31:46When you reach in, just use your
31:47hands to cup around the hedgehog
31:49and lift him up into a ball
31:50and he will, he should be,
31:53he should be compliant.
31:55He knows what he's doing.
31:57Oh my goodness.
31:59Nice and firm, round.
32:01Hi, little one.
32:03That's it.
32:03Rolled into a ball and then we
32:05want to move quickly to the box
32:07there.
32:08Perfect.
32:09Lovely.
32:10And then we'll pop him down
32:11in the box.
32:13Lovely.
32:14So clean box for him
32:16and he can be in there
32:19whilst I'm cleaning out his cage.
32:22Cleaning out of the hedgehogs
32:24is fairly straightforward.
32:25It's just quite time consuming
32:26because we've got about 30 hedgehogs
32:28here at the moment
32:29so it does take up
32:31quite a big chunk of the day.
32:32Is that an average number
32:33or is that quite high?
32:34It's actually low.
32:36I mean, we all know
32:36the hedgehog is a declining species
32:39in the UK and struggling.
32:40There's a number of reasons
32:40why the hedgehog population
32:42is declining.
32:43Habitat loss is certainly
32:44a really big one
32:46with habitat loss
32:47has brought more housing
32:49which brings all its own
32:51hazards and difficulties
32:52for hedgehogs.
32:53Light pollution included.
32:55And is there anything
32:56we can do in the spaces
32:57that we inhabit
32:58whether that's town, country
33:00to look after these little ones
33:01a bit more?
33:01If we're considering light pollution
33:03specifically, something as simple
33:05as just making sure
33:07your gardens are nice
33:07and dark at night.
33:08Turn your garden lights off.
33:10Not just for hedgehogs
33:11but animals like bats as well.
33:13Little changes like that
33:14can have a really big impact.
33:16This one's having
33:17a really good explore.
33:18Yes, I think he's probably
33:19ready to go back in
33:20and get back into that nest.
33:21So it's just confidently
33:23and quickly.
33:24There we go.
33:25Okay.
33:26You've got a firm grip
33:27around his body.
33:27Perfect.
33:28Lovely.
33:31And you're back.
33:32There you go.
33:34It's not just small animals
33:36in the sanctuary's care.
33:38Alex is also looking after
33:39two roe deer,
33:41one who was affected
33:42by artificial lights.
33:45So what have we got here?
33:47So this is Gino and Buck,
33:51our two young deer
33:53that are going to be
33:54released this evening.
33:55And how did they end up here?
33:57Gino, she was found
33:59as a collapsed newborn fawn.
34:02Very dehydrated
34:03in a really poor way.
34:04It was very touch and go
34:05in the beginning.
34:06And Buck came in
34:07just a little bit later
34:08as a fawn that got hit
34:10by a car, dusk time.
34:12And is that a common injury
34:14for deers that end up
34:15with you here?
34:16Very common.
34:17Deer are often quite active
34:19at night, at dusk, at dawn.
34:21Traffic can be quite confusing
34:23to them.
34:24Artificial lighting
34:25and traffic lights,
34:27bright lights can be
34:28confusing and dazzling to them.
34:30So we do see a lot
34:31of traffic accidents
34:32coming here.
34:33Unfortunately for many deer
34:35it isn't a good ending
34:37which is what makes cases
34:39like Buck even more
34:41successful.
34:42and happy because
34:42it's lovely to see
34:43the ones that do
34:44make it through.
34:45So what's the plan
34:46for them today Alex?
34:47So they're ready to go
34:48and we've got our
34:49release site ready
34:50and crates ready
34:51and they're very fit
34:52healthy deer.
34:54What does it take
34:55to get these two
34:56back into their
34:57natural habitat?
34:58There's a small team
34:59of us that will be
34:59going in with blankets.
35:01We're going to be
35:02trying to get them
35:02covered over,
35:03keep them calm,
35:05get them crated up,
35:06hopefully swiftly
35:07and smoothly
35:09to keep them
35:10as stress free
35:10as possible.
35:12Dusk is approaching
35:13which is the deer's
35:15most active time of day.
35:17It's crucial they're
35:17caught and released
35:19during this time
35:19to help them settle
35:21in to their new
35:22surroundings.
35:23I'm sorry darling,
35:24you're going to love it
35:25though, I promise.
35:27nice and quick,
35:28well done.
35:29Yeah, cover the whole
35:30crate.
35:35All right, down.
35:37With Gino and Buck
35:38safely caught,
35:40the race is on
35:40to get them
35:41to their new home
35:42before nightfall.
35:53Over the past 50 years,
35:55deer numbers
35:56have risen sharply.
35:58That means releasing
35:59them back into the wild
36:00has to be agreed
36:02with the landowner,
36:03as many estates
36:04actively manage
36:06their deer populations.
36:08last year,
36:09an estimated
36:10350,000 deer
36:12were culled
36:13across the UK.
36:14So it's vital
36:15that Gino and Buck
36:17are released somewhere
36:19they won't add pressure
36:20to the local herd.
36:25They're not light,
36:27are they?
36:27No, they're not.
36:28And there's two
36:28of them in here.
36:29OK.
36:32Well, you definitely
36:32wouldn't want to do
36:33this solo,
36:33would you?
36:34No, team effort.
36:37Just here, do you think?
36:38OK.
36:39Right.
36:40I'm going to check
36:41in front.
36:42Yeah.
36:43You just lift that up.
36:45I'm ready.
36:48OK.
37:09But you can see
37:10they're just
37:11having a good look
37:12at their new landscape.
37:18And considering
37:19what they've just
37:19been through.
37:22Come on.
37:23But...
37:26They're very relaxed.
37:33I think someone's
37:34settling in quite nicely
37:35to their new home.
37:37Should probably
37:38leave them to it.
37:40As sometimes happens
37:42with rehabilitated animals,
37:44these two found themselves
37:46drawn back to the sanctuary.
37:48So instead,
37:49Alex is lining up
37:50a move to a wildlife park
37:52where they'll join
37:53an established herd
37:54with more room to roam
37:56and plenty
37:57of new friends.
38:04As the sun goes down,
38:06the lights of villages
38:07around the North York
38:08moors come on.
38:09But for some villages,
38:11the lights are different
38:12than others.
38:14Honby is one of the first
38:16dark skies villages
38:17in the UK
38:18where locals have installed
38:20more than 80 night sky
38:22friendly lights.
38:22By day,
38:24this village is a popular
38:25spot with photographers.
38:27But it's after dark
38:28that it really comes to life.
38:31I'm on my way
38:32to meet a local photographer
38:34who relies on these dark skies
38:36to capture some incredible sights.
38:40It's skies like these
38:42that draw people here
38:43each year
38:44for the North York Moors
38:46Dark Skies Festival
38:47and inspire photographers
38:49like local Brinton Darnell
38:51to capture them.
38:56So we're here
38:57in a dark sky area
38:59which is so beautiful.
39:00It's a beautiful church
39:01and graveyard surroundings.
39:03Do you find it quite peaceful
39:04being here,
39:04taking photos?
39:05To begin with,
39:06it was quite scary.
39:07Yeah, I can imagine that as well.
39:08Yeah.
39:09I remember when I first started,
39:10there was one night
39:10I didn't even dare
39:11get out of the car
39:12and slowly I just
39:14became less scared
39:15of the dark.
39:15So how did you get
39:16into photography?
39:16One of my best friends
39:18sold me his SLR camera.
39:21I used to practice
39:22in the backyard
39:22at my parents' house.
39:24I didn't even know
39:24a camera worked
39:25and I just jumped
39:26straight in the deep end.
39:27It's just so rewarding.
39:28If you've got
39:29a crystal clear night,
39:30sometimes you might
39:31only get one night a month.
39:32I usually just pick
39:33the brightest star
39:34in the sky.
39:35Like sometimes
39:36it's even a planet.
39:37And just sit in the dark
39:38path for an hour
39:39and just let your eyes adjust.
39:41Now we're in,
39:42you've got eyes
39:42like an owl.
39:43You do just naturally
39:44adapt to it.
39:45It just takes time.
39:46You've just learnt
39:47over time
39:47to see in the dark.
39:48Yeah, just patience.
39:49What would be like
39:50the perfect night for you?
39:51Just dramatic conditions really.
39:53I mean,
39:54I think probably
39:54one of my best memories
39:55was on the beach
39:56with a couple of friends.
39:57It was a Gemini's meteor shower
39:59and this bright green fire bulb
40:01basically just lit
40:02the whole sky up
40:02behind the clouds
40:03and my friends
40:04actually ducked
40:05because it was
40:06that intense.
40:07So what's your involvement
40:08with the Dark Sky Festival?
40:10I think it all started
40:11back in 2018
40:12when I ended the competition
40:13and won it
40:14with a photo
40:15of Whitby Lighthouse
40:16just catapulted from there
40:17I got asked to
40:18show pieces
40:19in the Inspired by Gallery
40:20at Danby
40:21and then I got into
40:22doing time-lapse
40:24and video
40:24and I did a time-lapse
40:26of Orion floating over
40:27the owl
40:28in Hornby Village
40:29and I just caught
40:30a bit of sky glow
40:31and a meteor.
40:33What does it mean
40:34to you to be involved
40:34in the festival?
40:36It gives me incentive
40:37to keep doing it really.
40:38It's quite hard
40:39to motivate yourself
40:39sometimes
40:40to get out there
40:41when you're tired
40:42from physical work
40:43all day
40:43but it's nice
40:44to be appreciated
40:45the work to be appreciated.
40:46So if people
40:47are wanting to get a shot
40:48what would be your
40:48top tips for them?
40:50I'd spend more
40:51on a tripod
40:52than I would on a camera
40:53you don't want
40:54the camera to move
40:54and I would sort of
40:56advise just using
40:57a short timer
40:58when you hit that button
40:59because you can cause
41:00a shake on the camera
41:01just from pressing it.
41:03Lens warmers
41:03are often needed
41:05especially from doing
41:06a four or five hour
41:07time lapse.
41:08It's not worse
41:09than like a lamp
41:09slowly steaming up
41:10and you're not
41:11knowing about it
41:11and ruining
41:12the whole night's work
41:13and the less light
41:14pollution
41:14the more
41:15you can capture
41:16from the sky.
41:17So it's pretty
41:18cloudy conditions
41:20tonight
41:20there's no stars
41:21in the sky
41:22is it good
41:22to take photos
41:23like this?
41:23It's not ideal
41:24but I suppose
41:25you have to treat
41:25each situation
41:26as it is
41:27and work with
41:27what you've got
41:28so nights like
41:29tonight
41:29you could do
41:30some super long
41:30exposures
41:31and get cloud
41:32movement.
41:34So you're going
41:35to teach me
41:35how to be a
41:36photographer?
41:36Yeah
41:37I think you've
41:37got real takes
41:40this is my first
41:41time
41:42so I'd always
41:42get the aperture
41:43as wide open
41:44as you can
41:44and what does
41:45that change?
41:46It just changes
41:46the amount of
41:46light that the
41:47lens is allowing
41:48in turn the focus
41:49until you've got
41:50pin sharp stars
41:51okay
41:53just turn it
41:56see I think
41:57that's sharp
41:57but I bet it's not
41:58that looks good
41:58to me
41:59yeah
41:59yeah
42:00alright we'll
42:01lock that in
42:01place
42:01press down
42:02just like
42:03one push
42:04yep
42:04push it
42:05right in
42:07and then when
42:07you hear that
42:08click
42:08it means it's
42:09finished
42:09it's done it
42:10that exposure
42:11was four seconds
42:11long
42:13look at that
42:14that's actually
42:15not bad
42:15for a beginner
42:16thank you
42:17I think it's
42:17pretty good
42:18it's kind of
42:18like a bit
42:18haunting isn't it
42:19it is yeah
42:20I mean the
42:21foreground's just
42:21spot on
42:22do you think
42:23this will win
42:23an award
42:24just maybe
42:32well cloudy
42:33conditions here
42:34tonight means
42:34not ideal for
42:35stargazing but
42:36what does the
42:37weather hold for
42:37us all in the
42:38week to come
42:39here's your
42:39Countryfile forecast
42:49hello many of
42:50us have enjoyed
42:51some warm
42:52spring weather
42:52over the last
42:53week and you'll
42:54be wondering
42:54if you've got
42:55more of the
42:55same in the
42:56week ahead
42:56not so much
42:57as we'll see
42:58in just a
42:58moment
42:59today though
42:59has been
43:00decent
43:00there's some
43:01cloud working
43:01in across
43:02England and
43:02Wales but
43:03plenty of
43:03sunshine
43:04initially in
43:05the morning
43:05now last
43:06week we set
43:07the highest
43:08temperature of
43:08the year so
43:08far in all
43:09four
43:09home nations
43:10but these
43:11temperatures
43:12not that
43:12remarkable
43:13they're still
43:13around three
43:14or four
43:14degrees away
43:14from the
43:15all-time
43:16March record
43:17as toasty
43:17as they
43:17were
43:18now overnight
43:19tonight we've
43:19got a weak
43:20weather front
43:20that's pushing
43:21its way
43:21southwards and
43:22eastwards
43:22bringing a
43:22lump of
43:23cloud an
43:23odd spot
43:23of rain
43:24from that
43:24as it
43:25clears
43:25through
43:25could see
43:26a few
43:26fog patches
43:27towards
43:27south east
43:28England
43:28but some
43:29clearer skies
43:29will follow
43:30to Scotland
43:31Northern Ireland
43:31Northern England
43:32and here
43:32it's going
43:33to be a
43:33cold night
43:34with some
43:34patches of
43:35frost
43:35developing
43:36in rural
43:36areas
43:37now the
43:37reason the
43:38weather's been
43:38fine over
43:39recent days
43:39is down to
43:40the Azores
43:40high pressure
43:41and that's
43:41been pushing
43:43its way
43:43into our
43:43shores
43:44it's going
43:44to be with
43:45us for
43:45England and
43:45Wales again
43:46on Monday
43:46bringing more
43:47fine weather
43:48in fact I think
43:49for most of us
43:49it'll get off
43:50to a bright
43:50start
43:51quite chilly
43:51for Scotland
43:52and Northern
43:52Ireland
43:53and here
43:53we'll see the
43:54cloud thicken
43:55through the
43:55day
43:55ultimately
43:56rain and some
43:57strong winds
43:57will push into
43:58the northwest
43:58of Scotland
43:59by the end
43:59of the day
44:00the mildest
44:01weather will be
44:02across England
44:02and Wales
44:03with temperatures
44:03in the
44:04warmest spots
44:05climbing up to
44:05about 16
44:07or I think in
44:08Scotland
44:08given that
44:09cold start
44:10to the day
44:10and then the
44:11cloud coming
44:12over the top
44:12of that cold
44:13air
44:13now heading
44:14into the middle
44:15part of the week
44:16this low pressure
44:17well to the north
44:17of the UK
44:18pushes towards
44:19Norway
44:19why am I
44:20telling you
44:20about that
44:20well once
44:21that's moved
44:22towards Norway
44:23it will send
44:24a surge
44:24of cold air
44:25southwards
44:26right across
44:27the whole of
44:28the UK
44:28dumping our
44:29temperatures
44:29now that said
44:30Tuesday will
44:31still be quite
44:31mild across
44:32the far south
44:32of England
44:33and Wales
44:33we've got this
44:34weather front
44:34across central
44:35portions
44:36bringing heavy
44:36rain
44:37quite squally
44:38winds with
44:38that
44:38and then
44:39behind that
44:39we'll see
44:40sunshine
44:40and blustery
44:41showers
44:41for Scotland
44:42and Northern
44:42Ireland
44:42the winds
44:43could be
44:43strong enough
44:44to bring
44:44some localised
44:45disruption
44:45you might
44:46see some
44:46speed restrictions
44:47on the
44:47seven crossing
44:48for example
44:49mild in the
44:50south
44:50but turning
44:50colder
44:51through the
44:51day in
44:51the north
44:52and colder
44:52still
44:52into Wednesday
44:54cold enough
44:55for some
44:55hill snow
44:55to return
44:56to Scotland
44:56quite high up
44:57in the mountains
44:58above 300 metres
44:59elevation
44:59you might see
45:00several centimetres
45:01of snow
45:01building up
45:02at lower
45:03elevation
45:03you're more
45:04like to see
45:04sleet showers
45:06or hailstorms
45:07I think they're
45:07going to be
45:07quite widespread
45:08now there will
45:09be some strong
45:10gusty winds
45:10that will really
45:11knock the edge
45:11off those
45:12temperatures
45:12and the
45:13temperatures
45:13will be dropping
45:14below average
45:15for the time
45:15of year
45:15so it's going
45:16to feel a lot
45:17colder
45:17than it has
45:18done
45:18I suppose in
45:19the sunshine
45:19it will still
45:20feel okay
45:20there's a bit
45:21of warmth
45:21of course
45:22in the sun
45:22at this time
45:22of the year
45:23now heading
45:24into Thursday
45:25the strongest
45:25winds will be
45:26feeding down
45:26the North Sea
45:27that means for
45:28northern and
45:29eastern Scotland
45:29down the eastern
45:31coast of England
45:31that's where you're
45:32most likely to come
45:33across showers
45:33and again plenty
45:34of those showers
45:35will have hail
45:36maybe a little bit
45:37of sleet in
45:38sunshine towards
45:39the southwest
45:40it turns cloudier
45:41later in the day
45:42for West Scotland
45:43and Northern Ireland
45:44as well
45:44it will be another
45:45chilly day for March
45:47we end the week
45:48with further changes
45:49in our weather pattern
45:50as this next area
45:51of low pressure
45:52moves in off the Atlantic
45:53the winds will start
45:54coming in more
45:54from a west or
45:55northwesterly direction
45:56so it won't be
45:57quite as cold
45:57now Friday
45:58we'll see this band
45:59of rain push
46:00eastwards across
46:01all areas
46:01sunny spells
46:02and blustery showers
46:03follow
46:04and again there
46:04could be a bit of hail
46:05mixed in with some
46:06of those showers
46:07temperatures just
46:08coming up closer to
46:10average for the time
46:11of the year
46:11so this week we'll see
46:12some big changes of
46:13weather turning cold
46:14for all of us
46:15midweek
46:23back on the north york moors
46:26we're discovering
46:27why protecting our dark
46:28skies matters
46:29it's the stars
46:31yeah
46:31they just draw you out
46:33it's just something
46:34really special
46:35it's so awe-inspiring
46:36and what's lost
46:37when we don't
46:38if we have artificial light
46:40they're going
46:41what is this
46:42is this daylight
46:42is it the moon
46:43it completely changes
46:45their behaviour patterns
46:46but it's not just
46:48wildlife that's affected
46:49people working through
46:51the night
46:52need to adapt too
46:59when darkness descends
47:01most of us start winding down
47:03for the day
47:04but for the rnli crew at whitby
47:07that's when some of their
47:08toughest calls come in
47:10because as night falls over the
47:12yorkshire coast
47:13the sea becomes a far less
47:15predictable place
47:17richard dowson
47:18is the station's coxswain
47:20and he has worked
47:21with the rnli
47:22for 23 years
47:25his colleague
47:26leah hunter
47:27is a volunteer
47:29who also runs
47:30her own surf school
47:31and is training
47:32as a paramedic
47:35we've got about 29
47:37volunteers on the crew
47:38at the moment
47:39we've got solicitors
47:40we've got joiners
47:41they can come from
47:42any walk of life
47:42to join us
47:43we do train
47:44our own casualty carers
47:46the rnli
47:46but if we do need
47:47somebody on a shout
47:48who's got that
47:49medical background
47:50or you know
47:51that ability
47:52like leah's training
47:52as a paramedic
47:53having somebody
47:54with that background
47:55knowledge is absolutely
47:56essential
47:57about 12 years ago
47:59i witnessed a shout
48:00a rowing boat
48:01had capsized
48:02and i knew a few
48:03of the crew members
48:04at the time
48:04i thought
48:05it looks pretty cool
48:06what they're doing
48:06and i want to try
48:08to be a part of that
48:10so training's
48:11every week
48:12we're going to go out
48:13this evening
48:13we're going to take
48:14our man overboard
48:15dummy
48:16also known as fred
48:17and then we're going
48:18to practice for the crew
48:19on recovering
48:21that casualty
48:22from the water
48:22with the added
48:24challenge of the darkness
48:28it's very important
48:29we're training
48:30in the dark
48:30a lot of the shouts
48:31we get at night
48:32are quite similar
48:33to the ones we have
48:34during the day
48:36but the darkness
48:37throws a whole
48:37other element
48:38into it
48:39that we've got
48:40to deal with
48:40so be that
48:41keeping light
48:43into a minimum
48:44to utilise
48:45our night time
48:46vision
48:47we operate
48:48under red lights
48:49inside the vessel
48:50and it can take
48:52up to 30 minutes
48:53for you to establish
48:54your full night time
48:56vision really
48:56just getting a feel
48:57for the boat
48:58as well in the dark
48:59you can't always see
49:00the waves coming at you
49:01switch wires
49:03and buttons
49:03and things like that
49:04you know
49:04you can't always see
49:05them very well
49:06at night
49:06so it's just kind of
49:07knowing where
49:07everything's situated
49:09on the boat
49:11I've got Matt
49:12as a mechanic
49:13but the mechanic
49:14on board
49:15also does the
49:15communications
49:16we have Leah
49:17who's going to be
49:17on the helm
49:19so she'll be
49:20getting instructions
49:21from myself
49:22and the navigator
49:23on our course
49:24and where we're going
49:25we've got Max
49:26who's going on the radar
49:27because we can only see
49:29so far ahead of us
49:30with our night time
49:31vision
49:32and radar
49:32can see a lot
49:33lot further
49:34and then we've got Tom
49:35who will be sat at the back
49:36at the navigator's position
49:37and he'll ultimately be
49:39plotting a route
49:40to our location
49:41and then giving us
49:42the instruction
49:43on how to get there safely
49:44Leah this is our final leg
49:47at this speed
49:48we've got approximately
49:48two minutes to run
49:49I will start slowing you down
49:51just when we get
49:52to the final waypoint
49:53if Tom and Max
49:54if you can go
49:55on the deck
49:56and Leah
49:57if you can be the spotter
49:58with that searchlight
50:00we've got rigged
50:00starboard side there
50:01alright
50:02I'll operate the one
50:03on the upper steering position
50:04and then once we've got
50:06eyes on
50:07if you can then go
50:09on the lock and tackle
50:10yeah to hoist him out the water
50:12okay
50:13once out on deck
50:14the team not only need to
50:16navigate the darkness
50:17but the unpredictable seas
50:19and high winds
50:21we've got eyes on
50:24eyes on
50:25got him
50:26so we're directing the coxswain
50:28to the casualty in the water
50:29at the moment
50:31we're utilising the searchlight
50:33and we'll keep eyes on them
50:34at all times
50:36and then the coxswain
50:37will come up with a plan of action
50:38alright
50:39so Tom
50:39if you get the lines out
50:41from under here
50:41alright
50:42you're going to go
50:43on this forward cleat
50:44Max you go on the aft one
50:45yep
50:46we'll go for a rough weather recovery
50:50right I'm clipped on
50:51clipped on
50:52alright you're going to do
50:53the bottom rail then Max
50:54yep
50:54just one metre away
50:58contact
51:01that's okay
51:02get him in the slings
51:05okay
51:06right you're ready to lift
51:07ready to lift
51:08right
51:08hold him in
51:13okay Leah
51:14yep
51:15keep him there Maxie
51:16yep
51:21can you hear me
51:25no response to voice
51:28any response to pain
51:29do a trap squeeze
51:30no response to pain
51:32okay the patient is unconscious
51:33we're all trained quite highly
51:35in casualty care
51:36and big sick little sick
51:38is like our assessment
51:39on the state of what we think
51:41a casualty is
51:42so if the little sick
51:44maybe we can put a blanket
51:45around them
51:46sit them in one of the seats
51:47bring them back to the station
51:49give them a nice warm cup of tea
51:50if they're big sick
51:51then maybe they need evacuating
51:53and for further treatment
51:55in hospital or something like that
51:57not breathing
51:58not breathing
51:59no breath
51:59unresponsive
52:00unresponsive
52:01ineffective
52:01start CPR
52:03red
52:05unresponsive male
52:06start CPR
52:07request a helicopter
52:07then we'll have an helicopter come in
52:09helicopter
52:10if that had have been
52:12a real life situation
52:13it was very much
52:15on the ball as it were
52:17as far as the standard
52:18operating procedure goes
52:19there would have just been
52:21that more
52:21element of urgency
52:23so the quicker we can get there
52:25and get them out
52:25and get them warmed up
52:26start that casualty care process
52:29the better really
52:30we achieved what we set out to
52:32so I'm more than happy
52:49with the glow
52:50from our towns and cities
52:52becoming ever more widespread
52:53places to see the heavens
52:55in all their glory
52:56become rarer
52:57making Damby Lodge
52:59National Park Observatory
53:00and the Dark Skies Festival
53:02more important than ever
53:04this might just be
53:06my perfect moment
53:07to start learning
53:08about mapping
53:09the astronomical skies
53:13Richard Darn
53:14is a renowned astronomer
53:15and worked with
53:17the National Parks team
53:18to help them achieve
53:19dark sky reserve status
53:23Richard, what is so special
53:25about this location?
53:26Well, it's a rarity, isn't it?
53:28Somewhere that's actually
53:29dark at night
53:30and I mean
53:30we've gotten used to light
53:31all through our cities
53:32and towns
53:33and even the countryside
53:34some areas are getting
53:34much more lit
53:35than there were
53:36but when you come to somewhere
53:37truly dark
53:38and here we are
53:38on the northern edge
53:39of the North York Moors
53:40you look up
53:41and even on a cloudy night
53:42their sky looks dark
53:44it's just full of wonder as well
53:45and when you get a clear sky of course
53:47that's what excites people
53:49that's the reason why
53:50dark skies are really important
53:51How rare are skies like this
53:54above the UK?
53:55Well, they're getting rarer
53:57and they're getting rarer
53:57across Europe
53:58and the world indeed
53:59the world's brightening
54:00because of the amount of light
54:01that we're putting into it
54:03so we still have dark places
54:05but the battle's on to protect them
54:07and also perhaps to reverse that trend
54:09so more people can show in the wonder
54:11that we have above here
54:12on a clear night
54:13And what is so special
54:16and precious about those dark skies?
54:18We just see all sorts of things
54:20so if you live in a town or a city
54:22you'll be lucky to see
54:2310 to 20 stars, literally
54:24I mean, some kids are probably
54:26going up not knowing
54:27there are stars
54:28You know, you come here
54:29on the same night
54:30it could be up to a 2000s
54:31We see the northern lights
54:33quite regularly here
54:34it's beautiful
54:35We see the Milky Way here
54:37you just simply can't see
54:38the Milky Way from built-up areas
54:40You know, a lot's been lost
54:42but there's still a battle to be fought
54:43and we can still protect these areas
54:45and again, roll back the tide hopefully
54:48And is this place open
54:49for everyone to come in
54:51and view the stars?
54:52Yeah, so what we'll do
54:53we've got trained astronomers here
54:55that are experts in interpreting the stars
54:57for people that know nothing
54:58and, you know, what a great night
55:00when you come in
55:01and you find out all those things
55:02you've always wanted to learn
55:03but this is a public facility
55:05it's meant for the public, yeah
55:06so people will come along
55:07book into events
55:08So if you're just starting to stargaze
55:11what are we looking out for?
55:13Where can we begin?
55:14Well, if it's this time of year
55:16so we're talking about winter, spring
55:17time of year
55:18I mean, everybody's eyes at Jupiter
55:20so the telescope, even though it's cloudy
55:22it's pointing at where Jupiter is
55:24super, super bright
55:25there's only the moon
55:26that can really be brighter or Venus
55:28and Venus is not in the sky
55:29so super, super bright
55:31and this time of year
55:32look out for the hourglass shape
55:33a constellation of the southern horizon
55:35this is Orion
55:36complete with Orion's belt
55:38everybody sees it
55:40even in a city
55:40you'll probably see it as well
55:42and once you've got that starting point
55:44do you find
55:45once people can
55:46make a few things out
55:47they get hooked in?
55:48Absolutely
55:49everybody gets hooked in
55:50eventually
55:50yeah, once you see these things
55:53most people have always wanted to see them
55:55even older people
55:55we get coming along
55:56just, they've never had that hunger
55:58satisfied in a way
56:00It may be cloudy tonight
56:02but with the observatory's
56:04high-tech kit
56:06I'm hoping
56:07to spot something special
56:10Right, if you'd like to come in here
56:12Marguerite
56:13let's see what we can see
56:15of course we're going to have to withdraw
56:17the observatory roof
56:20so it comes right across
56:22a few tons there
56:25and it reveals
56:26a rather lovely
56:28what was seemingly cloudy
56:30night sky
56:31but
56:32Richard, that's amazing
56:33I think we might be able to see Jupiter
56:37and it might be worth a look
56:39off you go
56:40Is it already focused?
56:42Yeah, we're pointing it where Jupiter should be
56:44so
56:45give it a go
56:46and you might see
56:47something that's going to be amazing
56:50Fingers crossed
56:51Fingers crossed
56:54Slightly move your eye round
56:55get a bit closer
56:58So
56:58so is the
57:00the round
57:02dot I can
57:03oh wow
57:04okay
57:05It's the oh wow moment
57:08There's an oh wow moment
57:09at every star party
57:10Oh, I've got it there
57:11Oh my goodness
57:12That was the oh wow
57:13Whoa
57:15Yep, so there it is
57:17400 million miles away
57:18Jeez
57:19About ten times
57:21the diameter of the earth
57:22Big ball of gas
57:23Oh my goodness
57:24Oh my goodness
57:25And the biggest planet of the lot
57:26I cannot believe
57:28that I am seeing that
57:29It's hard to believe
57:30it's actually there
57:31It's a full globe
57:32It's a different world altogether
57:33And knowing how large
57:35Jupiter is
57:36to see it so close
57:38My goodness
57:40And so perfect as well
57:43But there you go
57:44That's something
57:44most people
57:45have never ever seen
57:46Wow
57:47One more thing
57:49chalked off your bucket list
57:50Oh my goodness
57:54What a special place
57:55I could definitely
57:56get hooked on stargazing here
57:58And having seen Jupiter
57:59that much closer
58:00for the first time
58:01Just incredible
58:03Well, from the stars
58:04of the North York Moors
58:05to St Michael's Mount
58:07in Cornwall
58:07next week
58:11This is your problem
58:12And it's a big problem
58:13So when the tree
58:13has been falling
58:14over the wind
58:15the root mass
58:16has come and swept
58:17into the tunnel
58:19It's a beast
58:20It's big
58:21It is huge
58:22You know, she's very important
58:23She is very important
58:24She's very lovely
58:27Oh, what was that?
58:28There
58:28That was a chuff
58:29I didn't see it
58:31unfortunately
58:31You're doubting me
58:32aren't you
58:33and I'm doubting myself now
58:36Hope you can join us then
58:37Goodbye
58:41On a six-month expedition
58:43get up close to
58:44Africa's magnificent
58:45felines
58:46Big Cats 24-7
58:47on BBC iPlayer
58:49where it's the perfect time
58:50for a spring clean
58:51Stacey Solomon returns
58:52to sort your life out
58:54You can watch the new series now
58:55Next to the island of Anglesey
58:57on the north coast of Wales
58:59for Antiques Rocher
59:00Thank you