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LOWTHER ESTATE
IMAGE: A Grand view – Matt learns more about the Lowther Castle restoration
More about the Lowther Estate
This year’s World Sheepdog Championships came from the magnificent Lowther Estate, 3,500 acres set in Cumbria’s beautiful Eden Valley. Countryfile’s cameras went behind the scenes to see how the estate geared up for the event. Matt Baker caught up with the shepherds responsible for the estate’s 5,000-strong flock. He also found out about the months of preparation that went into selecting the right sheep for the championships and got a look at the work going into restoring Lowther’s fabled castle and gardens. -
FLYING SHEPHERD
The Eden Valley is undoubtedly beautiful. Come winter though it’s a different story. The last couple of years have seen some of the heaviest snowfall on record. Tractors and 4 x 4s couldn’t budge. Farms were cut off. Hill farmers couldn’t get to their flocks.
More about the Flying Shepherd project
Enter the flying shepherd. An ultra high tech bit of military hardware adapted to hunt out stranded sheep. It flies over flocks, beams pictures back to a computer, and allows the farmers to keep an eye on their sheep without getting stuck in the snow. Could it be the answer to our hill farmers’ prayers? Helen Skelton spent the day high on the fells finding out. -
JOHN CRAVEN INVESTIGATES: COUNTRY PLANNING
The government’s proposing to strip back the planning process in a bid to get more houses built and to kick-start the economy. With a shortage of affordable homes, particularly in rural areas, some people are welcoming changes to the planning laws. But others fear the proposals could change the face of our countryside and lead to unwelcome development. John discovers more about the pros and cons of the plans.
BBC News – changes to planning law cause controversy -
TREES FOR CHICKENS
IMAGE: Happy Hens – Katie and the girls at Meg Bank Farm
More about the hen enrichment scheme
The Eden Valley is true farming country. There are sheep on the high fells and dairy cattle in the low pastures. Ten years ago though it was all nearly wiped out. Foot and Mouth devastated the area. Those farms which didn’t go under had to diversify to survive. And they did. Their salvation? Chickens. A whole network of farmers and small scale producers got into free range and never looked back.
But it’s not just eggs. These farms are breaking new ground in our understanding of what makes free range chickens tick – it seems answer is trees! Katie Knapman visits the farm where planting trees should mean happy chickens. And happy chickens should mean more eggs. -
MINE EXPLORERS
IMAGE: Kitted up – Helen gets ready to explore the mines at Nenthead
The Mine Explorer Society
There’s lead in them there hills. Lots of it. The prosperity of Alston and the surrounding area was built on it. Helen explores the village of Nenthead where the mining company built hundreds of homes for its new workforce. Then she goes underground with a group of mine explorers to see for herself what conditions were like mining for lead in the Cumbrian Hills. -
WORLD SHEEPDOG TRIALS
IMAGE: The Countryfile crew brave the worst of the Cumbrian weather
Find out more about this year’s winners at the sheepdog trials
Cumbria’s one of the training heartlands for competitive sheepdog trialling and for the first time in its history, the World Sheepdog trials was hosted in England on the Lowther Estate. Competitors from as far away from Brazil, New Zealand and Japan flocked to take part in the trials which sees their dogs demonstrate technical skill, agility and control. Matt and Helen discover just what it takes to make a champion sheepdog handler before competing against each other - and the weather! -
ADAM’S FARM: WHITE PARK CATTLE
It’s a big day down on Adam’s farm. His cattle are being tested for TB. Amongst them are some rare White Park Cattle he’s only just brought to the farm. But are they infected? And has he accidentally brought TB back to the farm which has been disease-free for 10 months?
The White Park Cattle Society
Credits
- Series Producer
- Teresa Bogan
- Presenter
- Matt Baker
- Presenter
- Helen Skelton
- Presenter
- John Craven
- Presenter
- Adam Henson
