Countryfile Season 37, Episode 11: Wessex Downs

1

Norfolk North Sea

Anita Rani and Matt Baker head to Blakeney National Nature Reserve, a four-mile-long shingle spit that offers protection and provides a perfect habitat for grey seals to come ashore and breed.

55 min

2

Tamara Way

Charlotte Smith and Sammi Kinghorn visit the Tamara Coast to Coast Way, connecting the north and south of Cornwall’s coastal paths for the very first time.

55 min

3

Newport

Sammi Kinghorn and Matt Baker witness one of nature's greatest displays – a starling murmuration – at the Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve in south Wales.

55 min

4

Somerset Willow Harvest

Joe Crowley is in the Somerset Levels to experience the history, heritage and farming of this unique environment. In the Cotswolds, Adam Henson is restoring his ancient orchard.

55 min

5

Bodmin Moor

Matt Baker and Charlotte Smith learn how Bodmin Moor, a windswept terrain scarred by its industrial past, is gearing up to welcome back wildlife.

55 min

6

Ashdown Forest

Matt Baker and Charlotte Smith visit Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, the inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh’s magical home, 100 Aker Wood, to learn more about this ancient woodland.

55 min

7

Snowdrops

Joe Crowley and Anita Rani are at the Colesbourne estate in the Cotswolds, where its gardens at this time of year are home to millions of one hardy flower – the snowdrop.

54 min

8

Powis Castle Compilation

Britain is home to over 4,000 castles. Charlotte Smith visits one of Wales’s finest, Powis Castle, to explore the impressive grounds and grand rooms of this former medieval fortress.

55 min

9

Pontcysyllte Canal

Matt Baker and Charlotte Smith head to the UK's longest and highest aqueduct, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in north Wales, and Joe Crowley investigates claims of threats to Britain's historic waterways.

55 min

10

RNLI 200 Years

As the RNLI celebrates its 200th anniversary, Matt Baker and Sammi Kinghorn meet some of its volunteers at the charity's station in Minehead, Somerset.

55 min

11

Wessex Downs

Charlotte Smith and Sean Fletcher explore Marlborough Downs, which is home to one of the UK’s newest nature reserves – Bay Meadows.

54 min

12

Archaeology at Hinton Ampner

Anita Rani visits Hinton Ampner in Winchester, a medieval village and Georgian country estate that is also the site of both Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements and barrows.

55 min

13

Trent Valley

Margherita Taylor and Matt Baker head to the Trent Valley, where over the past two centuries, industrialisation along the river Trent has taken its toll on the landscape.

57 min

14

Westonbirt Arboretum

Hamza Yassin and Charlotte Smith celebrate the arrival of spring at the majestic 600-acre National Arboretum at Westonbirt in Gloucestershire, home to a collection of 2,500 different tree species.

55 min

15

Wrynose and Hardknott Passes

Buckle up as Anita Rani and Matt Baker are on a road trip along the Hardknott and Wrynose Passes in the heart of the Lake District.

55 min

16

Wisley Bees

From the blooming gardens of RHS Wisley in Surrey, Hamza Yassin and Sammi Kinghorn celebrate one of nature’s heroes – the not-so-humble bee!

55 min

17

Rutland

Sean Fletcher and Margherita Taylor travel to Rutland, historically the smallest county in England. Despite its size, it is home to the largest man-made body of water in the country – Rutland Water.

54 min

18

Lambing

To wrap up this year’s lambing season, we’re at Adam Henson’s farm in the Cotswolds to see what’s next for his new spring additions. As well as the mischievous lambs, Adam checks in with his Highland calves, Gloucester old spot piglets and a brand new Exmoor pony foal. With ewes and lambs to sell on, and one-year-old rams to shear, there’s plenty to be getting on with. Adam also takes a dive into the Countryfile archives to revisit some of our favourite lambing memories – from hardy breeds that lamb outdoors to exhilarating moments from the lambing shed.

54 min

19

Rural Mental Health

Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, Sean Fletcher and Margherita Taylor travel to the Sharpham Trust, located in the beautiful wilds of south Devon.

55 min

20

Northumberland Coast

Joe Crowley celebrates the 60th anniversary of the National Nature Reserve at Lindisfarne and joins the ranger team protecting nesting ringed plover on the shore.

55 min

21

Camel Trail

Adam Henson and Charlotte Smith travel to north Cornwall to explore the history of the Camel Trail, encounter local wildlife and meet the people that live and work along its route.

55 min

22

D-Day: 80th Anniversary

Anita Rani and Charlotte Smith travel to Dorset, where 80 years ago, tens of thousands of troops amassed as the Allies’ combined forces prepared for D-Day.

55 min

23

South Wales Farming

Charlotte Smith and Joe Crowley head to south west Wales, where they help with a kelp harvest at Câr-y-Môr, Wales’s first regenerative ocean farm.

54 min

24

Hidden Treasures of Wanlockhead

Sammi Kinghorn and Sean Fletcher explore the natural riches and hidden treasures of Wanlockhead – the highest village in Scotland.

55 min

25

Three Rivers Race

Joe Crowley joins the teams at the Horning Sailing Club as they get ready for the Three Rivers Race.

55 min

26

The East Riding of Yorkshire

From the towering cliffs of RSPB Bempton on the coast to shallow, crystal-clear streams further inland, Charlotte Smith explores England’s most northerly chalk outcrop.

53 min

27

Montacute House

Matt Baker and Margherita Taylor visits Montacute in Somerset, home to an impressive 400-year-old Elizabethan mansion and some of the rarest wildlife in the UK.

54 min

28

Hengistbury Head

Charlotte Smith and Sean Fletcher are on Hengistbury Head in Dorset, where a large-scale engineering project is set to save huge swathes of this coastline from being lost to the sea.

55 min

29

Chew Valley

Joe Crowley visits Chew Valley and learns about one of the UK's largest farming projects. He also discovers how the wider Chew Valley inspires those who work and live in the local area.

51 min

30

The Fens

Anita and Matt are at the lowest point in the UK, the Fens, to explore the way wildlife and people coexist at and below sea level.

55 min

31

Britain's Rarest Creatures

Joe Crowley is on the lookout for some of the UK’s most elusive animals at Thursley National Nature Reserve in Surrey, one of the largest remaining areas of heathland.

55 min

32

Royal Welsh Show

With over 7,000 livestock being shown, and an expected turnout of 250,000 people, Adam Henson and Charlotte Smith are at one of the largest agricultural shows in Europe – the Royal Welsh.

54 min

33

Borrowdale

Sean Fletcher explores Borrowdale Oakwoods, England’s largest remaining temperate rainforest and one of the rarest habitats on earth.

55 min

34

Wakehurst

Wakehurst, Kew’s botanic gardens in West Sussex, is the location for judging this year’s Countryfile photographic competition. John Craven and Charlotte Smith are joined by presenter, journalist, author and avid nature lover Vick Hope to pick the final 12 images that will grace the 2025 Countryfile calendar in aid of BBC Children in Need. Charlotte also explores Kew’s millennium seed bank at Wakehurst, looking at the work being done to support our native meadows. She meets the high-tech team using robots, drones and LiDar to unlock the mysteries of trees and plants. We also catch up with Wakehurst’s nature reserve warden as he repurposes an area felled due to ash dieback, as well as meeting a bee expert deciphering the DNA of pollen.

55 min

35

Angling

Fishing is one of the most popular outdoor pursuits in the UK, with three million anglers casting their lines each year. The UK’s coastlines and rivers offer incredible fishing opportunities, from bass swimming in our seas to trout meandering through our rivers. Some fish, however, are trickier to catch than others. Joe Crowley visits the Dorset coast to team up with a local fly fisherman as he takes on one of the UK’s most difficult fish to catch – the mullet. Joe learns about a very specific method, using unique flies created to hopefully entice one in. Along the way, we trawl the Countryfile archives in search of stories about our relationship with the fish that call our rivers and seas home.

53 min

36

West Exmoor

Sean Fletcher and Anita Rani explore the rugged hills and valleys of west Exmoor, where landscape-scale change is occurring with the introduction of large animals to aid nature restoration.

55 min

37

Salisbury Plain

The Ministry of Defence is not only responsible for the nation's security, but they are also one of the UK’s major landowners. Charlotte and Matt have security clearance to enter their largest site, Salisbury Plain, where they find out how the MoD maintain a balance between military training, farming and conservation. Matt dons his waders and meets a team looking after a threatened and vitally important chalk river, whilst Charlotte finds out how endangered flora and fauna survive under the wrath of heavy military vehicles. We also hear from a farmer managing his cattle around tight military training operations, and meet a passionate birder who has dedicated his life to bringing back one of the heaviest flying birds in the world to Salisbury Plain, the great bustard. And Adam is in Northern Ireland catching up with young farmer Emily McGowan to help with harvest.

55 min

38

Wild Britain - Anglesey

Joe Crowley and Anita Rani continue Countryfile’s Wild Britain initiative, galvanising the nation into helping our beloved wildlife. This week, they’re exploring how communities are supporting nature on the wild island of Anglesey, off north west Wales. Joe takes to the seas looking for rare Risso's dolphins and finds out how a citizen science project is monitoring marine life around the UK’s coast. Joe also visits a community woodland to learn about the ongoing challenges facing red squirrels and meets the volunteers looking out for them. Anita catches up with the people championing choughs on Anglesey, and we visit the island's only hedgehog hospital. Adam Henson is in Cornwall, seeing how a change in farming practices has increased the population of dung beetles on one farm.

55 min

39

Kelso Ram Sales

The Kelso Ram Sales on the Scottish Borders is one of the largest and oldest ram sales in Europe, with more than 3,500 rams expected to be sold on the day. Charlotte Smith joins local farmer Anne Mair-Chapman as she prepares her prized animals for the big event and meets the farmers buying the all-important ram that will help their flocks flourish over the next year. She also goes behind the scenes to see how this massive market is organised, including moving thousands of sheep around the sale in their very own taxis. Away from Kelso, Charlotte finds out about the official vets who keep key parts of our food supply chain running. Adam Henson is in Cumbria helping shepherdess Katy move her flock down from the fells, and we hear from an inspiring young person who will be joining us on this year’s ramble for BBC Children in Need.

55 min

40

The Supreme

Adam Henson and Charlotte Smith are in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, at the 2024 International Sheepdog Championship.

54 min

41

Stranraer Oyster Festival

Joe Crowley is on the west coast of Scotland, celebrating a local delicacy – the oyster! Every year, people flock to the small coastal town of Stranraer to visit the Stranraer Oyster Festival, where people come together to celebrate these very special shellfish. Joe meets the people behind the festival and finds out why this event has put Stranraer back on the map. He sails out onto the sparkling waters of Loch Ryan to discover how the fisherman harvest oysters with sustainability at the forefront. Over a campfire, Joe is shown how to cook a simple oyster dish by chef Pam Brunton and meets the competitors of the weekend's biggest event - the shuck-off! Meanwhile, Adam Henson is in the Cotswolds, welcoming two new additions to the farm.

55 min

42

Autumn Harvest

The cereal harvests of summer are finished, and now it’s the time to gather in our autumn crops, including one of our most popular - potatoes. Joe Crowley visits an Essex potato farm at the height of their harvest, only to discover that the recent rain isn’t making it easy to lift the crop. He finds out that it’s been a challenging time for potato farmers across the country, with the weather and higher production costs taking their toll on this staple crop. Joe follows the potatoes from field to factory, where he sees the farm's onsite production line making their very own crisps. Along the way, we dig into the Countryfile archives to unearth some treasures of autumn harvests gone by.

55 min

43

Rare Crop Harvest

It’s harvest time, but not as we know it. Charlotte Smith meets pioneering farmer David Mwanaka, who grows crops from his native Zimbabwe.

56 min

44

BBC Children in Need Countryfile Rambles 2024

Presenters Matt Baker, Anita Rani, Sean Fletcher, Margherita Taylor and John Craven are celebrating the tenth anniversary of Countryfile Rambles for BBC Children in Need.

70 min

45

Westonbirt at Autumn

John Craven visits Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, in Gloucestershire, to see it in all its autumnal glory. At this time of year, 2,500 different species of trees, from around the world, burst into a mosaic of colour. John finds out about the history of the arboretum’s autumn colour parties, which were celebrated in the Victorian period, and discovers why leaves change colour at this time of year. He meets the team saving the arboretum's older trees from the winter storms and plants a rare native Sorbus tree to help preserve the species for the future. In celebration of the season, we also delve into the Countryfile archives to revisit autumn stories from around the UK.

55 min

46

Yorkshire Dales

Sean Fletcher and Sammi Kinghorn are in the Yorkshire Dales with its craggy hills, plunging valleys and expansive moors - but the landscape hasn’t always looked like this. Sean discovers the Dales were once covered in trees as he joins one of the biggest native tree planting projects in England, helping to restore woodland to the area. He also meets a young farmer embracing the local tradition of making cheese from a small herd of cattle. Sammi learns the story of Yorkshire wool, from the cottage industry of knitting shepherds, to the water-powered textiles mills of the 18th century. We also meet the man who has spent 35 years filming the underwater world of one of the Yorkshire Dales’ many rivers, and join a printmaker who takes inspiration from her daily fell runs. And Tom is looking at the government’s plans for a big increase in house building and what that will mean for the countryside.

55 min

47

Northumberland Coast in Autumn

Hamza Yassin and Charlotte Smith are on the beautiful Northumberland Coast. Hamza travels to Coquet Island with the RSPB’s site manager, warden and volunteers to help restore a nesting platform for the very rare roseate tern, repairing the damage caused to it by burrowing puffins. Hamza also embarks on a wildlife safari at Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve as he attempts to spot some of the magnificent birds that flock to the area over the winter months. Charlotte meets Kuki the biosecurity dog, who is tasked with seeking out pests that could have a devastating effect on precious seabird colonies. We also meet community volunteers from the coastal village of Alnmouth who are restoring their three-acre pond into a haven for wildlife. In the Cotswolds, Adam harvests apples to make into juice.

55 min

48

Woodoaks Farm

John Craven and Margherita Taylor explore Woodoaks Farm in Hertfordshire, where efforts are under way to restore nature’s balance and reconnect people with farming. John discovers the rural heritage of the farm, which was donated to the Soil Association in 2020, and learns about the vision for its future. He also meets a historian who has unearthed the lost diary of a local farmer, written over 150 years ago, and hears about the wisdom within its pages that still holds true for farming today. Margherita meets the community of people that are part of daily life on the farm, from the volunteers that make up the compost club to the local bird enthusiasts who follow the feathered fortunes of some of the farm’s wildlife. Away from Woodoaks, Adam reveals the Countryfile Young Countryside Champion finalists.

53 min

49

Romney Marsh

Matt Baker and Margherita Taylor are visiting Romney Marsh in Kent, known for its sweeping skies, marshland and shingle beaches, and at this time of year, home to tens of thousands of wintering birds.

55 min

50

Peak District

Sammi Kinghorn and Matt Baker explore the Peak District, the first national park created by the transformative National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949.

55 min

51

Christmas at Highgrove

It's Christmas, and Countryfile has received a very special invitation to visit Highgrove Gardens, which surround the private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Matt Baker, Margherita Taylor and Adam Henson meet staff from His Majesty’s charity The King’s Foundation, who manage Highgrove and transform it into a festive wonderland each Christmas, all while staying true to His Majesty’s passion for nature and sustainability. Matt joins Highgrove’s garden team to harvest the King's brussels sprouts and meets students taking part in The King’s Foundation education programmes using British timber, and Adam joins a local farmer shepherding his Shropshire sheep onto the estate's wildflower meadow for grazing. To finish the episode, there's a taste of a Highgrove Christmas, as the royal chef prepares a delicious feast of turkey and brussels sprouts.

54 min

52

Winter Walks

After the indulgences of the festive season, one way to blow away the cobwebs is getting outside for a winter walk. Charlotte heads out on one of Britain's most famous trails, the South West Coast Path, to get a breath of fresh air and discover the power of walking. She meets inspiring people taking to the footpath for their health and wellbeing, looks out for wildlife from the clifftops, and joins an artist for whom this coastline is his muse. Along the way, we explore the Countryfile archives for adventures of winters past.

55 min