🌄 Countryfile (1988) - Season 38 Episode 16: "Custodians of the Peaks"
Journey into the heart of Britain's breathtaking uplands. In this special episode, Countryfile explores the Peak District and surrounding landscapes, meeting the farmers, conservationists, and communities who protect these iconic hills for future generations. From ancient traditions to modern challenges, discover what it truly means to be a custodian of the countryside.
🔹 Episode Highlights:
• [Hook: "Meet the hill farmers preserving centuries-old grazing practices"]
• Conservation in action: restoring peatlands, protecting wildlife, managing footpaths
• Community voices: local stories of pride, pressure, and perseverance
• Stunning cinematography: sweeping vistas, hidden valleys, and seasonal beauty
• Expert insights: balancing tourism, agriculture, and environmental stewardship
🔹 Series Info:
• Format: Rural Documentary / Countryside Lifestyle / Environmental Series
• Original Network: BBC One / BBC iPlayer / International Syndication
• Series Launch: 1988 | Season: 38 | Episode: 16 - "Custodians of the Peaks"
• Presenters: [Add current presenters: e.g., John Craven, Ellie Harrison, Adam Henson, etc.]
• Setting: Peak District & UK Uplands – Rural England
• Language: English (Original Audio)
• Runtime: ~60 minutes (full) | Clip/Highlight version: ~10-15 min
🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to Countryfile recaps & countryside podcasts on BBC Sounds, Spotify.
👉 Enjoying the series? Hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and comment: "What's YOUR favorite UK countryside spot? 👇🌄" Turn on notifications 🔔 so you never miss the next rural adventure!
#Countryfile #CountryfileBBC #CustodiansOfThePeaks #RuralDocumentary #BBCOne #PeakDistrict #CountrysideTV #S38E16 #UKLandscape #BingeWatch #Conservation #BritishCountryside
⚠️ Copyright Disclaimer: This video is shared for promotional, review, and informational purposes only. All rights to "Countryfile" belong to BBC Studios and BBC One. This upload complies with Fair Use guidelines (Section 107, U.S. Copyright Act). No copyright infringement intended.
Journey into the heart of Britain's breathtaking uplands. In this special episode, Countryfile explores the Peak District and surrounding landscapes, meeting the farmers, conservationists, and communities who protect these iconic hills for future generations. From ancient traditions to modern challenges, discover what it truly means to be a custodian of the countryside.
🔹 Episode Highlights:
• [Hook: "Meet the hill farmers preserving centuries-old grazing practices"]
• Conservation in action: restoring peatlands, protecting wildlife, managing footpaths
• Community voices: local stories of pride, pressure, and perseverance
• Stunning cinematography: sweeping vistas, hidden valleys, and seasonal beauty
• Expert insights: balancing tourism, agriculture, and environmental stewardship
🔹 Series Info:
• Format: Rural Documentary / Countryside Lifestyle / Environmental Series
• Original Network: BBC One / BBC iPlayer / International Syndication
• Series Launch: 1988 | Season: 38 | Episode: 16 - "Custodians of the Peaks"
• Presenters: [Add current presenters: e.g., John Craven, Ellie Harrison, Adam Henson, etc.]
• Setting: Peak District & UK Uplands – Rural England
• Language: English (Original Audio)
• Runtime: ~60 minutes (full) | Clip/Highlight version: ~10-15 min
🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to Countryfile recaps & countryside podcasts on BBC Sounds, Spotify.
👉 Enjoying the series? Hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and comment: "What's YOUR favorite UK countryside spot? 👇🌄" Turn on notifications 🔔 so you never miss the next rural adventure!
#Countryfile #CountryfileBBC #CustodiansOfThePeaks #RuralDocumentary #BBCOne #PeakDistrict #CountrysideTV #S38E16 #UKLandscape #BingeWatch #Conservation #BritishCountryside
⚠️ Copyright Disclaimer: This video is shared for promotional, review, and informational purposes only. All rights to "Countryfile" belong to BBC Studios and BBC One. This upload complies with Fair Use guidelines (Section 107, U.S. Copyright Act). No copyright infringement intended.
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FunTranscript
00:00Oh, the local rubbish bin.
00:04What do we do?
00:06A problem that faces rangers, I suppose, on these narrow roads.
00:37The Peak District National Park, it's renowned for its stark beauty, its wildlife and, of course, its breathtaking views.
00:47It is glorious, but it takes an awful lot of work to keep it looking this good.
00:52Yeah, and it's not just the park rangers who are taking care of it. There's an awful lot of volunteers
00:57involved as well.
00:58Particularly at this time of year, when visitor numbers start to soar.
01:03And after the wet winter we had, I expect this season will be very busy.
01:10The Peak District was the UK's first ever national park.
01:14And over its 75 years, it's been carefully protected, restored and maintained to keep it thriving for both wildlife and
01:23visitors.
01:24But it's the volunteers that work year-round, in all weathers, to care for this landscape that gives the place
01:31its heart.
01:32Why do you love this place so much?
01:34It's part of my soul. It's what makes me who I am, I think.
01:38All of the national park, it makes me feel complete, really.
01:43We always say, a brew of you and a loo.
01:46This could be dangerous.
01:48Oh, my giddy aunt.
01:50You all right? You all right, babe?
01:52I'm just a bit wibbly.
01:54Alongside the volunteers helping to protect the peaks, farmers here are teaming up too.
02:01So across the businesses, how easy is it, or useful is it, working together?
02:05It helps, there's no end. It's nice to have somebody to talk to that's on the same side.
02:19The Peak District National Park covers more than 550 square miles,
02:25so the job of looking after this first landscape is no walk in the park.
02:30A small team of rangers keep everything in balance, from public safety to wildlife.
02:36And today, I'm joining team leader Hayden Bridgman on the rounds.
02:41Well, good morning, Hayden.
02:43Good morning, John.
02:44Ranger, temporary ranger, Craven, reporting for duty.
02:47Oh, pleasure to have you on board today.
02:49I must admit, I was expecting we were going to be in a go-anywhere 4x4 for a ranger.
02:54I know, we have got a couple of 4x4 vehicles,
02:56but these are our electric vehicles as we move to sort of low emissions.
02:59And what kind of stuff have you loaded on today, in case we need it?
03:04So we've got personal protective equipment, high-vis, a couple of tools,
03:08and our litter pickers, just in case you never know what we're going to find.
03:11Let's get going, shall we?
03:12Let's go.
03:17Having worked as a ranger in the New Forest before arriving here a few months ago,
03:22Hayden's no stranger to the challenges of the job.
03:25And how many are there of you rangers here?
03:28There's only 10 area rangers in the national parks,
03:31not as many as there used to be, unfortunately.
03:33Well, that's a heck of a ratio, isn't it? 10 rangers to, what, 13 million or so visitors?
03:39It's a lot. We do feel the pressure talking to all those people about how they can protect the countryside.
03:45It's a big ask, but we do love it.
03:48What's your day like? Is there an average day?
03:51I think the best thing about being a ranger is that there is no average day.
03:55It's amazing. You can be hanging a gate one minute, litter picking the next, dealing with a wildfire.
04:01We're often described as the eyes and ears of national parks.
04:04We're sort of the first people on the scene a lot of the time.
04:07So, yeah, it's a really exciting job.
04:09And what is the biggest problem that you come across, do you think, on your travels around?
04:14The most immediate threat that we have is barbecues, which can lead to wildfires.
04:18And if people are in real trouble out in the hills, I mean, once you discover that, what do you
04:25do?
04:25Rangers tend to be sort of the convener in those situations,
04:28so we will call Mountain Rescue, call 999 and...
04:32Oh!
04:34Don't call the local rubbish, then.
04:38What do we do?
04:40A problem that faces ranges, I suppose, on these narrow roads.
04:45I'm going to really test my reversing skills now.
04:50OK, I think we're in the club.
04:55This is where we need a 4x4, John.
05:00With Hayden's driving skills passing muster, it's on to our first call of the day,
05:06helping out with some essential maintenance during the lambing season.
05:11Well, what's going on here, then, Hayden?
05:13So, we've got a traditional squeeze style, and my colleague Julia here is putting a gate across it
05:19because the lambs can still squeeze through it, even though they shouldn't.
05:23So, yeah, that's what we're doing today.
05:25So, hello, Ranger Julia.
05:27Hello, John.
05:28Shall we squeeze through?
05:28Let's squeeze, John.
05:30Let's squeeze.
05:33There's an arm here.
05:36I can just about get through.
05:39It's quite tight.
05:40I've never heard of a squeeze style before.
05:43Is it very peak district?
05:45Yes, because the materials that are easiest to hand are stone rather than wood,
05:51so they'd use stone to create gateways.
05:54Why make them so narrow, though?
05:56To stop the sheep getting through.
05:58But, unfortunately, this one isn't narrow enough to stop lambs.
06:02So, what often happens is a farmer will put a style or some wood across
06:06just to stop the lambs getting through,
06:08but we've been putting wicket gates on instead,
06:11which makes it a little bit easier for people to cross.
06:15With over 1,600 miles of paths
06:17and a dizzying number of dry stone walls crisscrossing the Peak District,
06:22rangers rely on volunteers like Julian and Ian.
06:26Their work helps keep access open to everyone,
06:30except, of course, inquisitive lambs.
06:33What's the next thing to do with the gate?
06:35So, we've got to put the hinges on so that we can hang the gate,
06:40more or less get it square first time, hopefully.
06:42What made you join as a volunteer?
06:45Well, a lovely day like this,
06:46out in the countryside doing something useful.
06:48It's kind of hard to beat, really.
06:50What about when it's not a nice day?
06:52Unfortunately, there are some of those.
06:53Yeah, it has to be said, but we still have a great time.
06:56When you're not fixing gates, what else do you do?
06:59So, do some walling.
07:02What, you're a dry stone waller?
07:03I'm learning.
07:04I'm learning.
07:06And we do what we call engagement work,
07:09where we're out in the countryside, particularly at the weekend,
07:12trying to help people enjoy the national park.
07:14How long have you been doing it?
07:17Two and a half, three years now.
07:18What, a newcomer?
07:19Yeah, yeah, compared to a lot of people.
07:21Yeah, there's people who've been doing it, you know,
07:23sort of for 20 years, and that's great as well,
07:24because they know their areas really, really well.
07:27And they, you know, I love going out with them,
07:30because you can learn so much.
07:31Well, I'll leave you guys to it,
07:33because Hayden and I have to continue with our rounds, don't we?
07:36I'm ready. Let's go.
07:55The Peak District may look like rugged wilderness,
07:58but this is a landscape shaped over the centuries by people.
08:03And look closely enough, you might spot the traces left behind.
08:07Scattered through the peaks are 473 historic monuments.
08:13Some are really obvious.
08:15Others, not so much.
08:18Pillsbury Castle was built nearly 1,000 years ago,
08:22a Norman, Mott and Bailey fortress
08:23that once stood guard over this valley.
08:26Today, it's little more than a series of lumps and bumps.
08:30But this ancient site still needs protecting,
08:33and that's where a small army of volunteers come in.
08:36It's lovely to see you all here today.
08:38Some old hands and some newbies
08:41who are being trained up
08:42to make sure this historic gem isn't lost in the rough.
08:45We have various tasks for you to do today here on site.
08:49Some of that is going to be learning
08:50how to do scheduled monument monitoring,
08:53dry stone walling,
08:54a bit of fencing that we need to repair.
08:56There's also some wildlife surveys we want to do.
09:00And one of our newest volunteers here today is Charlotte.
09:04Yes, I know nothing.
09:05So I'm just going to follow you lot around
09:07like a little lost sheep.
09:11And before I'm thrown in at the deep end,
09:14project manager Catherine Parker-Heath is on hand
09:17to give me the lay of the land.
09:19Catherine, I'm going to ask the question
09:21I'm sure everybody asks when they come here.
09:23Where's the castle?
09:25You're sat in it.
09:26Am I?
09:26You're on it, you're in it, yes.
09:28What was it then?
09:29It was a Mott and Bailey castle.
09:32It's a special one because it's a Mott with two baileys.
09:34When does this date back to then?
09:36So it dates back to the early Norman period.
09:38So to around about the 1080s
09:41that we think that this place was built.
09:43I mean, it must have been amazing in its time.
09:46Why, in the nicest way, bother with it now?
09:50Because it's kind of a lumpy field.
09:52Because it is a lumpy field.
09:54But this is what we call a scheduled monument.
09:56So scheduled monuments are the creme de la creme
09:59of our archaeological sites and monuments
10:01in the whole country.
10:02How important are the volunteers in looking after this place?
10:06The volunteers are immensely important.
10:08Volunteer rangers have been helping us
10:10monitor our scheduled monuments for a very long time.
10:13However, we want to kind of increase that.
10:16So we're trialling and testing all different ways
10:18of recruiting volunteers,
10:20finding ways to make it sustainable for the long term as well.
10:23Lots of people think about volunteering,
10:25but it does require quite a lot of effort, doesn't it,
10:27on everybody's part, and a lot of commitment.
10:29So it can do.
10:30But what we're trying to find are different ways
10:32for people to volunteer.
10:34And we want to provide opportunities
10:35where people can just come once.
10:37You know, or we can have family volunteering.
10:39It doesn't have to be onerous.
10:41Can't be onerous coming out here, can it?
10:43I mean, it is a lovely place to sit,
10:45but I suspect we should do something more useful.
10:47Yes.
10:50These volunteers aren't just lending a hand.
10:53They're being trained in new techniques and technologies
10:56to monitor and protect these sites for the long term.
11:00Helping with today's survey are volunteers Merrick and Freya,
11:03along with support officer Karen.
11:07Hey, guys.
11:08What are you up to?
11:09Well, we're looking at our old way of recording
11:12shade employment monitoring,
11:13which is basically paper-based,
11:15and how a new app-based model works.
11:19So this is the first time we've ever seen it.
11:21How's it going?
11:22Well, we've started.
11:24We've got about four questions asked.
11:25You came along with the first one, which is nice.
11:27Well, there you go.
11:28But at least you haven't thrown it in tempo across the place yet.
11:30So it's a triumph.
11:31As we stand here then,
11:34you know, because I really am the very newest of the new,
11:37I am seeing a grass bank,
11:39which obviously has got a bit of damage.
11:42I've run out of things that I know.
11:44When you look at a grass bank like that,
11:46you've got things like basic collapse of the soil surface.
11:51You also get things like what are called sheep scrapes,
11:54where basically sheep will go into the side of the hill
11:57to protect themselves from the wind,
11:59and they will damage that surface.
12:01By doing the monitoring this year and then next year and on,
12:05we will know whether that gets worse or better.
12:07We might decide that we need to do some work to repair it.
12:12You sound like you've done this before as a volunteer.
12:14I have done quite a lot of shelter monitoring.
12:17How about you? Have you done this before?
12:18No, no, this is my first time.
12:20Oh, great.
12:20Even as much experience as you've got.
12:22Yeah, exactly.
12:23What is it about the history of all of this
12:25that makes you want to do the volunteering?
12:27What's the fascination?
12:28I did a degree in ancient history,
12:31and then I've just been continuing it
12:34because I just find it fascinating,
12:36like, how many people have come before us,
12:38and I'm thinking of doing it in the future
12:40because I think it's such a lovely career.
12:42And it was actually a really nice day, so...
12:45Yeah.
12:45It's made it a very lovely day.
12:46Yeah, we were lucky with the weather.
12:49Not all conservation work happens at ground level.
12:53To truly understand Pillsbury Castle,
12:55you have to rise above it.
12:59That's where experienced volunteers Richard and Angela come in,
13:03using aerial surveying skills
13:05to bring sites like this into sharper focus.
13:09Oh, a drone.
13:11Yeah.
13:11So what's this for?
13:13One of the easiest ways of surveying a site like this
13:16is to do it via a drone.
13:18What I do is I take, could be a couple of hundred images,
13:22as a flyover to get a crisscross of the whole site,
13:26and I put it through an app,
13:29and I get a 3D model of it.
13:31Oh!
13:32It's a lot clearer, isn't it,
13:34where the lumps and bumps are, if you like.
13:36It's very useful because you can, for instance,
13:38where the erosion is there,
13:40you could go in and look at it from the model that I do.
13:42And you're doing all this as a volunteer?
13:44Yes.
13:44Do you have a background in all this, then?
13:46Well, photography has been my hobby for 60 years, at least,
13:50and as a mature student,
13:52I went to university, studied archaeology,
13:54and when the drones came out,
13:56I started using photogrammetry,
13:58which is putting all these images together.
14:01It opens up a whole new area for me.
14:05What's the point of you doing all this, then?
14:07What are you hoping it will help with?
14:08Well, it gives us a whole new view of the sites that need surveying
14:14because of the ability, then,
14:16to look at the 3D model and interrogate it,
14:19and you can do that compared to, say, last year or even three months ago.
14:23And we'll be doing that to other sites as well.
14:26Because if we don't protect these areas,
14:28they're going to be destroyed.
14:30And so getting out and recording them,
14:31people can see them online and think,
14:33oh, yes, that's somewhere that needs looking after.
14:37What keeps you volunteering?
14:39What is it about this place?
14:40We're both retired and...
14:42The thought of watching daytime television.
14:45LAUGHTER
14:51For these volunteers, both old and new,
14:54this work is a pleasant way to spend a spring evening.
14:57But there's something much bigger happening here, too.
15:01At first glance,
15:02this may not be the most impressive castle you've ever seen,
15:06but there's so much history here.
15:08And what's amazing to see today
15:10is all the people, all the new technology,
15:12and all the new volunteers who are getting involved to protect it.
15:29Looking after the peaks isn't just about the landscape.
15:32It's about keeping its farms going, too.
15:36Adam's meeting some upland farmers
15:38who've discovered the power of working together.
15:42Farming in these parts has always been tough,
15:46particularly up here on the tops.
15:47The weather can be really challenging.
15:49It's blowing an absolute gale today.
15:51But for smaller farms here and across the country,
15:54the pressure is building.
15:56Costs are up, margins are tight,
15:58and going it alone is getting harder and harder.
16:04But here in the peaks,
16:06two small farms from very different backgrounds
16:08are joining forces.
16:10They're pooling skills,
16:11supporting each other,
16:13and selling their beef directly to customers.
16:15You quite like that, don't you?
16:17Aww.
16:18The idea is simple.
16:20To build something that works for wildlife,
16:22animal welfare,
16:23and keeps both farms going at the same time.
16:26At the heart of it all is the belted Galloway,
16:29a hardy breed perfectly suited to this landscape
16:32and widely valued for its beef.
16:34Hello, sweetie.
16:35Hello.
16:36Hello, then.
16:37I'm going for a bit more.
16:39Sarah and James Frith are one half of the partnership.
16:42They were both ecologists before getting into farming.
16:45They run 30 cattle on a small 24-hectare farm
16:48on mostly tenanted land.
16:52My word, lovely belties and little calves.
16:55We've had two so far.
16:56We're a close herd,
16:57so we breed all our own replacement females.
17:00How did the herd get started?
17:01Before we were married,
17:02I was bought two cows for my birthday.
17:06And the way James did it was,
17:08when I opened my present in the morning,
17:09were two little stripy humbug boiled sweets
17:12that he'd drawn faces on.
17:13Did you want two cows?
17:14I think it's the best present I've ever had, actually.
17:17Much better than perfume chocolates or anything.
17:20It was great.
17:21Why belted Galloways?
17:22Because they're so cuddly.
17:24We wanted to do our bit for rare breeds.
17:27They just tick all the boxes for us.
17:29And up here in the Peak District,
17:30I mean, presumably the winters are pretty hard.
17:32They actually call it Moscow.
17:34So there's nothing between you and...
17:36The wind comes straight from Siberia.
17:38Yeah, yeah.
17:39And you really feel it.
17:42They've got fabulous coats.
17:43Two types of hair.
17:45There's the thick, insulating fur close to the skin.
17:49But on the outside,
17:50there's much longer shedding hairs.
17:52They shed the rain.
17:54And then the skin never gets wet.
17:56Could do with a good brush, couldn't you?
17:57Yeah.
17:59Lovely, aren't you?
18:05Galloway cattle come all sorts of different colours.
18:07So black, dun, which is a chocolatey colour.
18:09They come red.
18:10And then there's a rigget,
18:11which is a sort of brindley yellowy colour.
18:13But then, of course,
18:14the classic is the belted Galloway.
18:16And they've been selectively bred to get these belts.
18:19And I understand the reason is
18:21is so that farmers could see them
18:23when they're way up in the hills
18:24and they could count their cattle.
18:26And they're just wonderful animals to be around.
18:34They're just wonderful animals to be around.
18:35Sarah and James' farm is certified organic
18:37and their cattle live entirely outdoors.
18:41You can have that one.
18:42A little seed goes a long way,
18:44so it doesn't matter if it blows about a bit.
18:46It'll just cover a bit more of the food.
18:47Yeah.
18:48Today, they're spreading seed-rich hay
18:50to keep their pasture diverse and full of life.
18:54They think there are probably about 10,000 seeds
18:58in a small bale of hay.
19:00And some of those will still be viable.
19:02What have you got in here, then?
19:03Well, apart from the grasses, that's actually an orchid.
19:06Amazing.
19:06And that's a herb called natweed.
19:08Yeah, I know that one.
19:10And there's one called self-heal.
19:13Oh, yes.
19:13I think we're up to about 38 wildflowers
19:16and 10 different types of grasses.
19:20Sarah and James say this produces beef richer in omega-3 oils
19:24and supports wildlife too,
19:27reflecting the ecology background they bring to the partnership.
19:31Before we started farming,
19:32we were actually telling other farmers how to go about it.
19:35Sure.
19:35And then we got the chance to do it for ourselves.
19:38You've come in the spring.
19:39There's not much to see.
19:40But walking through these fields, middle of the summer,
19:42it's an absolute treat.
19:44It's what the countryside ought to look like.
19:46One of the things that really gives me real satisfaction
19:49is end of the summer, swallows.
19:52Yeah, gorgeous.
19:53All skimming about at ankle height,
19:55feeding off abundant insect life.
19:58It is quite humbling to think
19:59that you're actually part of something that big.
20:08Around three miles away, as the crow flies,
20:11is the other side of this partnership,
20:13an 80-hectare farm run by John and Helen Parsons,
20:16who inherited it when the business was in decline.
20:21Oh, wow, what a beautiful calf.
20:24There we go.
20:26This little calf seems so calm.
20:29What have you got to do to it?
20:29It's only a few days old,
20:31so we're going to give it its new ear tags.
20:33OK.
20:34Yep.
20:34So what John is doing now is tagging the calf,
20:37which is like having your ears pierced.
20:39It just stings initially, and then it's all over.
20:41And it's a legal requirement.
20:42All cattle in the country have to have an identification ear tag
20:46that stays with it for the rest of its life.
20:49It's so quiet, isn't it?
20:50It is, it's very quiet.
20:51Really lovely.
20:53Belted galloways haven't always been part of the farm.
20:56John was raised here, working with fast-growing continental beef breeds
21:01that rely on concentrated feed and intensive management.
21:04But the system he inherited just wasn't working anymore.
21:08When Father passed away, I think it's fair to say it was...
21:12In decline, wasn't it?
21:13In decline, or a little bit dilapidated.
21:15But due to the lack of profit,
21:17we had to think about things a bit differently
21:18to try and keep the farm together.
21:20And taking on a farm that was a bit run down
21:24with a different type of breeding system,
21:26with a different type of cattle,
21:28how difficult was it to make the changes?
21:31For us, it was quite easy,
21:32because we hadn't got any set mindset.
21:35I think it was more difficult for my mother.
21:37She didn't want to change.
21:38My parents were a little shot.
21:41My dad thought we were absolutely bonkers
21:42going with a slow-growing beef cattle
21:46like the Belted galloways.
21:47But I think he's begun to realise
21:49the whole system works together.
21:51It's not just the profit that we've been after,
21:54it's improving the whole farm.
21:56If you look at the bank account, you'll not see much in it,
21:58but you'll see some beautiful land around us,
22:01beautiful animals.
22:02We've got nice food in the fridge and freezer.
22:04It works.
22:04I think we're so lucky to be able to continue farming the land,
22:09but in a more sustainable way.
22:14The big switch to Belties happened about ten years ago,
22:18after John bought three in-calf heifers from James and Sarah.
22:22That first deal sparked a friendship,
22:24and then a partnership.
22:27Come on.
22:28Now, working together,
22:30they sell their meat directly to customers.
22:32That round you go.
22:35Go on, babies.
22:36They run their farms individually without sharing profits,
22:39but when it matters, they back each other up.
22:43And today, James is helping John sort cattle to sell as starter herds,
22:48passing on that opportunity to others just starting out.
22:52Great.
22:53Each animal is individually recognisable by their tag number.
22:57We've just got to find the seven we want.
23:01So, when it comes to selling stock,
23:03how do you work that out between the two of you with the business?
23:06Well, it's fairly independent, really.
23:09There's so much demand, it's not difficult to find a buyer.
23:12Sure.
23:12And it's just timing.
23:13John's got these ready at the moment.
23:15We haven't got any ready at home.
23:16So, there's no conflict between who's selling to who?
23:19No, not at all.
23:20No, we work together, don't we?
23:25So, across the businesses, how easy is it, or useful is it, working together?
23:29It helps, there's no end.
23:31It's nice to have somebody to talk to that's on the same side.
23:37And their different backgrounds turn out to be their biggest strength.
23:41Straight out.
23:44Thanks to his career in ecology, James is great at the paperwork.
23:49So, these grants and the Sustainable Farming Ascent of Countryside Stewardship type things
23:53are important to you?
23:55They are very important.
23:56Without them, we wouldn't be where we are now.
23:59For example, the cattle crush, that was funded 80%.
24:02That's a big chunk of the capital cost of it.
24:05We buy things and we share things.
24:06The other thing that it's enabled us to do is to employ a person full-time, Josh.
24:11He helps out and he helps James do things as well.
24:14You're bringing technical advice to the party.
24:16What does John bring to you?
24:19John's from a farming background, so he's just got that farming knowledge.
24:22He can read cattle.
24:24And certainly in the early days, when Sarah and I were setting up,
24:27it was really John's help.
24:29You know, watching John, how he related to the cattle,
24:32got us out of problems time and time again.
24:37Together, they've built something neither could have done on their own.
24:41And they say demand for their meat is already outstripping supply.
24:45Is there any opportunity for another local farmer to start breeding belties
24:49and sort of be part of your marketing group?
24:52Oh, definitely, yeah, yes.
24:53It was always set up, but it was a bolt-on thing.
24:56So any other farmer who's farming the same way,
24:59particularly small producers,
25:01then that's what we're here for.
25:03Many hands may like work.
25:11So this one is one that we want to put in the train, look, 266.
25:20Two small farms, one hardy breed,
25:22and a simple idea of farmers working together...
25:25Come on, nice and steady.
25:26Come on, sweetheart.
25:27...that could help farms like theirs not just survive, but thrive.
25:33Well, good skills, gentlemen.
25:36So one last question.
25:38Yeah?
25:39Who's got the biggest bank balance?
25:40We hope to share that information.
25:44It's been a pleasure to meet you both, I have to say,
25:47and impressive what you're doing.
25:48And long may it continue, eh?
25:50Yeah, thank you.
25:50Well, yes, we hope so.
25:51Yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:56Do you want more?
25:58So, show it out for this one, please.
26:06Mm.
26:08Mm.
26:10Mm.
26:12Mm.
26:15Mm.
26:18Mm.
26:33The Peak District is England's last stronghold for the mountain hare.
26:37and ecologist and volunteer Dr Carlos Bedsen knows the population better than most.
26:44After first spotting them while fell running here more than 20 years ago,
26:48he began tracking their numbers across 26 remote sites.
26:53Today I'm joining him for one of his final surveys of the season.
26:58Welcome to Bleaklow, one of the coldest places in England.
27:02We're heading for that red line way over there.
27:06Oh gosh.
27:07Mountain hares tend to stay away from the paths and the road.
27:11They're like somewhere secluded, away from human beings.
27:15Lead on. I'm ready for anything.
27:17Let's go.
27:19At least I think I'm ready for anything.
27:25Have there always been mountain hares up here?
27:28Well, mountain hares lived in England 6,000 years ago in the Glacial Ice Age.
27:34And then as the ice sheets melted and retreated northwards, the mountain hares followed and stayed in Scotland.
27:39So there were no mountain hares here.
27:41But in the 1870s, some sporting landowners decided they wanted to make this look like a touch of Scotland.
27:50So they captured some in Scotland, put them in crates and brought them down on the train and then released
27:57them out onto the moors.
27:59It's possibly the world's first mammal translocation reintroduction.
28:08Now we're going to leave the nice, easy human trail and we're going to look for mountain hares trails in
28:16the real bog.
28:18You're making this sound so attractive.
28:20It's lovely.
28:22You'll love it.
28:24And once we leave the beaten track, signs of mountain hares start to appear.
28:31Ah.
28:32What's that?
28:32So here we've got some mountain haper.
28:35That is a good sign.
28:36Yeah, and it's molting because it's springtime.
28:39So they're turning brown now.
28:41So they'll be camouflaged in the summer.
28:46After nearly an hour of hard walking, we arrive at the edge of the site.
28:52Encountering a hare today is far from guaranteed.
28:55Since Carlos started these surveys, his average rate of sightings has decreased from 25 hares per 10 kilometres down to
29:03just 13.
29:04Such detailed data is possible thanks to precision monitoring.
29:08From here, we have to survey exactly one kilometre squared of habitat.
29:13This ensures the results are a fair comparison, site to site, year on year.
29:18What we're going to do is walk in a complete straight line over there, east, following the grid lines on
29:27the GPS,
29:28straight through the bog and the marsh and the heather.
29:32Gosh, this has to be very exact.
29:34It's quite advanced geographical science.
29:37We're also going to stop every 200 metres with binoculars and scan around the landscape.
29:43And typically hare's, they're solitary during the day, they're dormant, they're resting, so they don't particularly hide.
29:52So binoculars, you know, GPS, laser rangefinder, camera.
29:56Okay.
29:56Let's go.
29:57After you.
29:58We have to be quiet.
29:59Shh.
30:00They've got very long ears.
30:01They'll hear us.
30:08First 200 metres hiked, we stop to scan the landscape.
30:13No hairs.
30:14Not yet.
30:15Typically, I'd see them in those gullies.
30:17We might see some when we get closer.
30:20Okay.
30:22And before long, we start to encounter some obstacles on our journey.
30:27So this is blanket bog.
30:29There's star moss in there, but there's also sphagnum moss, which is the darker green.
30:35And that's floating on water.
30:36And if you tread on that, you're going to sink into a bog.
30:39So follow me closely, walk in my steps.
30:44Okay.
30:45What can possibly go wrong?
30:47I've got waterproof trousers.
30:49It's all good.
30:54So far, so good.
30:56I haven't sunk.
30:59Oh.
31:04That's what the sticks are for.
31:07Gosh, this is harder than it looks.
31:10Okay.
31:12200 metres.
31:16Oh, yeah.
31:17Really?
31:19There is a white mountain hare in that gully where there's a tiny tree at the top.
31:25And it sat in the lay of the hill.
31:29That is a mountain hare.
31:30Yeah, I see it.
31:32Wow.
31:33Why is he just sitting there?
31:34It's just tucked out of the wind.
31:36Oh, I see.
31:37Yeah.
31:38Cool.
31:39Wow.
31:42So what do you need to record?
31:44The distance to the mountain hare.
31:46Yeah.
31:47And then also, the angle is from north, so it's 376 metres away, and it's an angle 305 degrees.
31:57And then record where we are, our location, which is on our GPS, and then back home, I can do
32:06trigonometry and plot exactly where that is on the map.
32:10And then you can compare the numbers between the years.
32:14Absolutely.
32:15Absolutely.
32:16And is this a good place for mountain hares?
32:17This is pretty good.
32:19This is pretty good.
32:19Bleak low is good.
32:20Although it's declined over the past 10 years.
32:23So the population has dropped substantially by about 80% over the past 10 years.
32:28And do we know why?
32:29It's likely disease.
32:31It could be gut parasites.
32:33It could be problems with their genetics because they came from a small founder population.
32:39Then we've got human beings.
32:40We've brought climate change.
32:42Lots of problems for mountain hares.
32:44First of all, our coat is white, so they stand out against this brown background because we no longer have
32:48snow.
32:49So they get picked off by predators.
32:51In high summer, there's wildfires as well.
32:54So all these climate change factors are really bad for mountain hares.
33:01Carlos's decade of data has shone a spotlight on the plight of the mountain hares here.
33:07And while the species is doing better in Scotland, there's a real danger the peak district population could die out
33:13if current trends continue.
33:16But whatever the future holds for these elusive mammals, Carlos is determined to carry on and continue his work to
33:23keep track of a species that could otherwise slip from view.
33:28And how lucky am I to have seen one in this amazing landscape?
33:36I keep coming out.
33:38Some days I have no counts at all.
33:40I see no hares after six or seven hours of surveys, which is disheartening.
33:45But a day like today, we've seen this guy up there.
33:47It's a treat.
33:48It's always exciting.
33:50It is a treat.
33:51I've never seen one before, so thank you.
33:53Come with me another three kilometres.
33:55We'll try and find some others.
33:57Yeah, I might leave you to it, Carlos.
33:59I'll be going back to the car.
34:00Slowly.
34:02Slowly.
34:04Slowly.
34:21The eastern moors are one of the peak district's richest habitats, a patchwork of heather, woodland and open ground.
34:30It's a landscape rich in wildlife, much of it hidden from view and increasingly under threat.
34:39Keeping a close eye on the wildlife here is site manager Danny Udall.
34:44Danny leads a team of 105 volunteers and today he's out on owl patrol with two of them.
34:52The team are gathering data to help guide the conservation and land management of these precious habitats.
35:04We're out meeting one of our volunteers, Tomo, and what we've done is we've deployed a series of acoustic recording
35:10units.
35:10These are small listening devices that are listening for bird sound in the landscape.
35:15What these devices do is they're running all the time, so they capture so much more information.
35:21And they're particularly picking up owl activity in the landscape.
35:24What that does for us, it not just shows us that owls are present, but how much they are present
35:28as well.
35:33Well, Tomo's just had a period of just listening and making sure he's not disturbing anything.
35:38Hiya, Tomo, we've found it.
35:40Yeah, it's just here. I'm just having a usual listen to make sure I'm not in anything's way and about
35:46to take it down, I think.
35:49So these little recorders that sit in the woodlands, they just listen for everything and they'll pick up the bird
35:53sound that's around.
35:55The computer will then sort through what it thinks is in the landscape.
36:00It's particularly owls that we're after, tawny owls, long-eared owls, short-eared owl,
36:04particularly the woodland species that will benefit from having more trees in our uplands.
36:09We've got birds like lesser red poll.
36:11Night jars are a species that we're using these recorders for.
36:16And that will monitor how these species thrive and benefit as we restore more woodlands in our upland landscapes.
36:24Across the wooded edges of the eastern moors, habitats have shifted over decades,
36:29from dense conifer planting to the restoration of open heath and native woodland,
36:36reshaping the fortunes of species like the long-eared owl and night jar.
36:41And it's data like this that helps monitor how they're faring.
36:46Hi, Julie. Nice to see you. I've just seen Tom Owen. He's given me that for you.
36:50Lovely. I'll check it first, then I'll need to just input it into the computer. Thank you.
36:55All right. See you later. Thanks. Bye.
36:57Julie's been a ranger here for six years and knows these woods by sound alone.
37:03Well, here's an example of a male tawny owl sonogram.
37:07And they're all different.
37:08So the eagle owl will look different to a tawny owl, will look different to a long-eared owl.
37:12So this shows the hoot that it makes.
37:17So there's three distinct frequencies that the hoot gives.
37:21It's the t'woo of a twit t'woo.
37:28There's also wind noise, so it's difficult. You need to really listen.
37:33Oh, there's the owl going again.
37:37It is a game changer.
37:39It means that people don't need to wander around the moors at night hunting for the sounds by just being
37:43out there.
37:44They can leave the electronics to collect the information.
37:48So it saves time for us to be able to do other roles in our volunteering lives.
37:55The best thing about working in the Peak District is the space, the peace and the beautiful skies.
38:06Volunteers from the Derbyshire Amphibian and Reptile Group, led by Chris Monk, are also on the hunt, surveying the peak's
38:14most overlooked species, the elusive reptiles.
38:19We're looking for common lizards on this site, especially along this walk here, where they can bask and warm up.
38:26And also with the grass at the bottom, the two sort of habitats that common lizards are often found in.
38:32And possibly there might be other reptiles here.
38:35So we put down some cover objects which increase the warmth of the ground.
38:41There could be slow worm up here.
38:43There could be adder, but we're not certain either of those are present.
38:48And that's part of the reason for doing the survey, trying to find out exactly what species are here.
38:55With two and a half square kilometres to survey for this project, it requires plenty of eyes on the ground.
39:02On a day like today's weather here, it's not ideal.
39:05You might see something like a frog or a toad.
39:12Ben seems to have found a lizard over there in this wetland area here.
39:16Yeah. It's gone quite quickly, that's the trouble. Very fast moving.
39:21It would have been a common lizard, the only ones we get round here.
39:26But we've also got other local people like Jim and his daughter, Ilari, who is really good at spotting stuff.
39:34She's got really better eyesight than we have.
39:35And we've got Kirsty as well.
39:39We've just found some hatched frog spawn in a very small pond here.
39:43Little tadpoles, actually. Hundreds, thousands of tadpoles just here.
39:46Those hatched out. They've already hatched.
39:49We record any of the amphibians or reptiles we come across when we're doing the survey.
39:55Even our so-called common species of frog, toad and lizard aren't so common anymore,
40:02with common toad numbers down by nearly 70% over the last 30 years.
40:11The last record for an adder in this area, I think, is around about 10 years ago.
40:16But there's a big area to survey, and we've only surveyed some pockets of it.
40:20But it's important that we know what the populations are like,
40:23so that we can protect the habitat in which these declining reptiles are living,
40:28so that we can look for the future to try and prevent there being disturbance and damage in those areas.
40:37Rodent dropping, so it's been a shelter for some rodent probably overnight.
40:42We didn't find any reptiles or amphibians under this one,
40:45but also a record of nothing is still a record, so it's still useful information to know.
40:51I really enjoy just being able to see the reptiles that I've never seen before.
40:56So doing these surveys, I've seen adders, and that was the first time in my life that I'd ever seen
41:00an adder,
41:00and that was amazing.
41:02But on another site, there was really large slowworm populations,
41:06so basically any cover object you lifted up, you'd be able to find 5, 10, 15 slowworms underneath.
41:13It always felt like a little Easter egg hunt to me, sort of lift them up and there they are.
41:17The best day was on a nice sunny day when we counted about 30 common lizards on that wall that
41:23day.
41:25If no one came out to do this work, we'd have very little knowledge of the state of the common
41:30species
41:30and how well or badly they are doing at the present time in the countryside.
41:45I'm back on the rounds now with Ranger Hayden,
41:48who covers many miles of the Peak District every day.
41:51She doesn't just rely on her trusty electric vehicle,
41:55but also on the network of volunteers she works alongside to keep this landscape running.
42:02We rely on volunteers so much.
42:04There's a really small team and a huge sort of area to cover.
42:07We wouldn't be able to do half the things we do without them,
42:09and they've got such a passion for the job and such a sort of broad knowledge of the area.
42:14It's an experience that we really need.
42:18Working with Hayden and her team are 180 volunteer rangers from 11 to 16-year-old junior rangers getting their
42:27first taste of the job
42:29to seasoned volunteers like 88-year-old Margaret, who spent the last three decades helping protect the peaks.
42:38Why do you love this place so much?
42:40It's part of my soul. It's what makes me who I am, I think.
42:45All of the National Park, it makes me feel complete, really.
42:50If I didn't get out into the countryside and see what it was doing, I wouldn't feel me.
42:57Have you seen the peaks change in those 30 years?
43:01The peaks haven't changed much, but the visitors that come here have changed a lot, I think.
43:08We get some visitors who don't really know what it's all about or how to behave.
43:14And they leave a lot of litter, so they don't know that that's what you're not supposed to do, really.
43:21You help them, you give them a few hints on how to behave here.
43:25Yeah, talk to them and say, you know, can we help you at all?
43:28And mostly they appreciate that.
43:31And do you pick up a lot of litter, then?
43:34It does vary, but yes, we do.
43:37It's not what we're here for, but you can't not pick it up.
43:40At your age, what else do you find you can do?
43:42Well, most things, so long as I can stop when I get tired.
43:46Yeah.
43:47I feel the same.
43:50It's the passion and dedication of volunteers like Margaret,
43:54working hand-in-hand with the rangers,
43:56that makes this landscape so enjoyable for all of us.
44:01Something head ranger Rob Kenning knows only too well.
44:04Well, Rob, there are ten of you to look after 550 square miles apique.
44:10Yeah, rangerings change quite a bit.
44:11They're a fantastic ten, and of course we can't forget we've got 180 volunteer rangers,
44:16and there's a couple of other thousand people that are volunteering for the park in various other ways.
44:21So there's a whole crew of people involved, but yeah, for the staffing out on the ground,
44:26we're more of a quality, not a quantity situation.
44:29And of course all national parks are facing big cutbacks now, aren't they?
44:32How will that affect the Peak District?
44:36So we've had a few restructures, unfortunately.
44:39I think in the last ten years we're now at a situation, real terms,
44:43where we've got half the money that we would have had ten years ago.
44:46So more and more people come into the park, which is fabulous.
44:49It's a public asset for everybody.
44:50But yeah, we've just got to be smart about the way we use what we have.
44:54You're not worried about the future then?
44:56I think there's always concern.
44:59We don't know what the future looks like.
45:01You know, the environment and climate change are such big topics at the moment,
45:05at the same time as there is less money available.
45:07And that's a really difficult place to be.
45:09But, you know, all the people that are here, you know, the people you've been meeting today,
45:13they're super passionate and they're very good at what they do.
45:16When people come to this place, they fall in love with it,
45:18and hopefully that passion will ride us through for the next few years.
45:21Well, it's been a lovely day. What's next?
45:23Time for a cuppa, John. Let's go.
45:25Good idea.
45:42If you're planning to visit a national park or anywhere else in the countryside in the week ahead,
45:47well, you want to know what the weather's going to be like,
45:50so here's the country of our forecast.
46:00Hello there. Good evening to you.
46:02Spring so far has brought mixed fortunes of weather to the UK.
46:05Many northern and western parts of the UK have seen above-average rainfall,
46:08whereas further south and east, it's been drier than average,
46:11and temperature-wise, we're a little above average both by day and by night,
46:14especially in the south and east.
46:16Now, it's pretty much what we expect to see.
46:18Most of the rain towards northern and western areas, drier to the south and east,
46:21but some parts of the north and west already have seen around or above their spring rainfall,
46:27and we're likely to see more, of course, as we head through April and certainly into May.
46:33Dryest conditions have been towards the south and east, well below average here.
46:37But for this upcoming week, high pressure's dominating,
46:39so in the next few days, it's the northern parts of the UK which will see most of what little
46:44rainfall will have,
46:45much of England and Wales, staying completely dry.
46:48So the week ahead, dominated by high pressure, we're going to stay mainly dry.
46:51There will be some sunshine around, best of it, southern and western areas,
46:55but we'll always have quite a cool easterly breeze,
46:58so make it feel chilly, southern and certainly eastern coast.
47:01Now, through tonight into Monday, we've got this week weather front affecting the northeast of Scotland.
47:05That's going to bring thicker cloud, outbreaks of rain here,
47:08so temperatures holding up to five or six degrees further south under clear skies.
47:12It's going to be chilly with some pockets of frost and mist and fog.
47:15So plenty of sunshine again to start Monday morning.
47:17We'll have showers when the word go northern, eastern Scotland.
47:20It looks like that weather front could increase the cloud generally across the northern and eastern half of the country,
47:25so some showery bursts of rain into the afternoon.
47:27In fact, Monday's looking like being the wettest day of this week,
47:30and it'll feel cool as well, low teens for most.
47:33Through Monday night, that weather front fizzles out, the showers ease.
47:37There'll still be one or two across Scotland, but the vast majority staying dry with clear skies.
47:42Starting to pick up an easterly wind now, so temperatures holding up four to six degrees,
47:46but one or two chilly spots further west, western England and in towards Wales.
47:50Now, for Tuesday, high pressure really dominating the scene.
47:52We are tapping in some cooler air from the North Sea on that strengthening easterly breeze.
47:57So, again, a chilly start to Tuesday.
48:00That breeze will pick up through the Channel and down in towards southwest England.
48:04There'll be variable cloud, but a lot of sunshine around.
48:07I think most places are looking dry on Tuesday.
48:10Like I mentioned, the winds will be quite a feature, feeling cool down the North Sea coast,
48:14strongest towards the Channel Islands and the southwest.
48:17So temperatures low teens here.
48:18Head further inland, we're looking at 15 or 16 Celsius,
48:21and the April sunshine at this time is strong.
48:25Wednesday, similar story.
48:26The winds could be even stronger towards the southwest,
48:28and this area of low pressure and weather front could just bring one or two showers to the Channel Islands,
48:32the far southwest.
48:33Bit of low cloud, perhaps for eastern Scotland, northeast England, moving in off the North Sea,
48:38but most places will be dry and sunny.
48:40Windy in the south, a breezy day to come for most,
48:43but if you head inland, we're looking at the high teens.
48:46It'll feel a little bit warm, I think, on Wednesday, away from North Sea coast.
48:51As we head into Thursday, that area of low pressure pulls away.
48:54High pressure dominates the scene.
48:55We're starting to lose that blue hue as well,
48:57so I think temperature's coming up generally across the board.
49:00But where we have low cloud, northern eastern Scotland, northeast England,
49:04again, it could feel quite chilly here.
49:06Still breezy through the Channel and the southwest,
49:08lightest of the winds across more central areas,
49:11and by this point, we could be up to the high teens for many,
49:13perhaps even hitting the 20 Celsius mark.
49:16And we continue with this theme into Friday and next weekend,
49:19with the best of the sunshine towards southern and western areas,
49:22where it was a little bit cooler towards the north and the east.
49:24That's it from me.
49:25I'll hand you back to Charlotte in the Peak District.
49:36Back in the Peak District National Park...
49:38What do we do?
49:41...the volunteers and rangers work year-round...
49:44It's the two-woo of a twit two-woo.
49:47To help protect and maintain this special landscape.
49:51Oh!
49:53I can just about get through.
49:57But for much of its 75-year history as a national park,
50:01not everyone has had the chance to enjoy it in the same way.
50:06For years, large parts of the Peak District
50:09have been effectively out of bounds for visitors with disabilities.
50:13Well, here at Parsley Hay, they've changed a few things
50:17and opened up this landscape for more people than ever before.
50:23And it's thanks to people like carer and accessibility campaigner
50:27Gillian Scottford that trails and facilities are being opened up.
50:33It's not something you think about until you actually need it.
50:37But then, when I had my three children,
50:39two of whom had got severe disabilities,
50:42it suddenly became very apparent
50:44that we had to choose very carefully where we would go.
50:47Tell me about your family, then.
50:48I've had three children.
50:50Max, who is 32 now.
50:52Then I had my Thomas, who, when he was born,
50:56he had catastrophic brain injury
50:59and was 21 when he sadly died,
51:02which was in 2017.
51:06And then my other son, Sam, who is now 27,
51:10actually had a stroke during pregnancy
51:13and his left side was affected.
51:15So I went from fit, active, climbing mountains
51:20to this situation which was unthinkable, actually.
51:25Did it make it difficult to come and do this,
51:28all the things you'd been used to doing?
51:30Yeah.
51:30We said it was like a military operation,
51:33you know, bringing all the medicine, equipment.
51:36Yeah, it was a challenge.
51:38What were the barriers?
51:40Needing hoisted toilets, poor surfaces.
51:43They look OK, but when you're in a wheelchair,
51:45which is manual, it's a real challenge.
51:48Um, styles, signage, food and drink,
51:52getting into cafes.
51:53And we always say a brew, a view and a loo
51:56is like what a lot of people would really like.
51:58And so that's how you got involved
52:00in actually trying to change everything.
52:02Yeah, absolutely.
52:06Changes over the last decade
52:08include a 30-mile network
52:10of these wheelchair-friendly paths
52:12known as Miles Without Styles,
52:14as well as accessible cycle hire
52:17and new and improved facilities.
52:19And what difference has that made
52:21to families like yours?
52:22It means the world
52:23because the challenges I've had in my life
52:26have been pretty huge, really.
52:28And my hiking boots have been my saviour.
52:31So being able to take my family
52:33has been absolutely amazing.
52:36It's about keeping people together.
52:41And here at Parsley Hay Cycle Centre,
52:43the latest changes are plain to see.
52:46The Peak District National Park
52:48have installed this amazing
52:50Changing Places hoisted toilet.
52:52It really makes the difference
52:53between a great day out
52:54and no day out at all for certain people.
52:59A height-adjustable sink.
53:01So, oh, wow, up and down
53:03to suit different wheelchair heights.
53:05We've got a changing table bed
53:07that pulls down with a shower.
53:09The big thing is the hoist.
53:11This is the vital thing.
53:13It's lifting with dignity, safety.
53:17What do people do before these,
53:20or if there isn't one of these,
53:21where they are?
53:22Many people lay their loved ones
53:24on a public toilet floor
53:26and it's so horrendous.
53:29So installing facilities like this
53:32shows that people care
53:33and the Peak District National Park
53:36want to give that warm welcome
53:37to everybody.
53:41Thanks to the hoist
53:42and a range of specialist kit on offer,
53:45including all-terrain Trumper scooters,
53:47more people than ever
53:48can hit the trails,
53:50including today's adventurers,
53:52Mandy and Gary Flint,
53:53who's trialling out this new scooter
53:55and facilities for the first time,
53:58opening up new ways
53:59to experience the landscape.
54:02Hi, you must be Gary.
54:04I am.
54:05And Mandy, hello.
54:06Hiya, hello.
54:06Hiya, lovely to meet you.
54:07Oh, well, I'm muscling in
54:08on your day out.
54:09I hope that's all right.
54:11While Gary gets into the Trumper...
54:13OK.
54:14Yeah, yeah, yeah.
54:15..I'm sneaking in
54:16a last-minute practice
54:17on my electric bike.
54:19Don't look at this bit
54:20because I might fall off.
54:21A quick lesson on the scooter...
54:23This is your ignition key,
54:24so we're off at the moment.
54:27Turn it on, just turn it that way.
54:29..a trike for Mandy
54:30and we're ready to hit the trail.
54:33Am I leading the way?
54:34Yeah.
54:35This could be dangerous.
54:37Oh, my giddy aunt.
54:39You all right?
54:40You all right, babe?
54:41I'm just a bit wibbly.
54:43Oh, yeah, you're a bit more
54:44in control than me.
54:45I wouldn't have said that.
54:47You're still there, Mandy?
54:49I'm still here.
54:50I don't turn round
54:51in case I fall off.
54:53What made you want
54:54to come out like this today, Gary?
54:55The difference it can make
54:57just a day like this
54:59is tremendous.
55:00So you're an outdoorsy type?
55:02Definitely.
55:03I have been all my life.
55:05So what's your thing?
55:06What do you do?
55:07Sailing.
55:08Right.
55:08Yes, yeah.
55:10I retired ten years ago
55:12and a physio at the time
55:15asked me if I'd tried sailing
55:17and me and Mandy went,
55:19and we fell in love with it.
55:21The freedom that it gives you
55:23and it puts you on a parity
55:26with able-bodied people.
55:28You do find, unfortunately,
55:32people with certain abilities,
55:35because they've got limited options,
55:37they spend a lot of the time indoors.
55:39Yeah.
55:40And they can't actually go out
55:43and experience something like this.
55:44It can be life-changing for people.
55:48I see a bench.
55:50What do you reckon?
55:51Should we have a pause?
55:52I think...
55:53Cup of coffee.
55:53If we can both stop at the same time.
55:58That was almost elegant.
56:03How have you got on with it, Gary?
56:05Excellent.
56:06Yeah?
56:07Excellent.
56:07I think it's steering me more than I'm steering it.
56:12But it's fantastic,
56:13because obviously I'm a tetraplegic,
56:17which means I couldn't do this without it.
56:19And it gets you both out, doesn't it?
56:21Definitely, yeah.
56:22Yeah, it's something you can do together.
56:27Cheers, guys.
56:29Cheers.
56:29Cheers, thank you.
56:30Well done.
56:31Well done.
56:33How much has accessibility changed
56:36over the years for you two?
56:38It is improving,
56:39because there's a greater awareness.
56:41A lot of places have websites
56:43so you can actually have a look before you go
56:45to just check that it is going to be suitable for you.
56:49I still will not go to a new venue without researching.
56:54Anywhere we go,
56:55we will do due diligence,
56:56because we want it to work,
56:59because it's about enjoying yourself, really.
57:02Well, we're certainly doing that, aren't we?
57:04Gillian says the key to life is a view, a brew...
57:07A view, a brew.
57:08..and a loo.
57:09And a loo, yeah.
57:10And we've got all of it.
57:11Yeah, yeah.
57:13I like that.
57:14Yeah, she's not wrong, is she?
57:15No, definitely not.
57:16You come again, Gary?
57:18100%.
57:18Definitely.
57:32Well, what a lovely time we've had here, Charlotte.
57:34It's been glorious, hasn't it?
57:36I saw a mountain hare,
57:37and I didn't crash a bike.
57:39Well, and I managed to squeeze through
57:41a squeeze style about that way.
57:44In style, I trust.
57:44In style, yeah.
57:46Well, that's about it from us here in the peaks.
57:49Next week, Adam and Sammy are in the Vale of Evesham.
57:53Which, of course, claims to be the fruit and veg baskets of England.
57:59We have actually slowed down at the moment.
58:01Just for me?
58:02Just for your benefit.
58:04I'm sure Kevin could knock us up a gear.
58:06Oh, we're going quicker now.
58:07Here we go.
58:08There we are.
58:08Oh!
58:09Oh, that's great.
58:11You've got a job.
58:11That looks nice.
58:13Perfect.
58:14I'd want to eat it as well.
58:16Yeah.
58:16You're not supposed to do that, are you?
58:19We are sowing seeds on recycled fabric,
58:22growing 365 days of the year.
58:24It's incredible, isn't it?
58:26That's next week on BBC One at six o'clock.
58:29Let's hope they get an ice cream too.
58:31Bye-bye.
58:32Bye for now.
58:40A moment in history.
58:42Filmed over three and a half years at NASA.
58:44Artemis II, the moon and back, starting now on BBC Two.
58:47Coming up, we're a little closer to home on BBC One.
58:50Meet the mice, newts and moles of a Lake District secret garden.
58:53Next.
59:01See you next week on BBC One at six o'clock.
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