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Private Notes
The team find out what’s been going on across the Scottish countryside during the early months of the farming year.
In January, we follow sheep farmer Cammy Wilson as he scans his ewes to find out how many lambs are due, and Dougie discovers the benefits of fodder beet, a highly nutritious energy crop to keep livestock going through the colder months. Meanwhile, Anne is at the bull sales at Stirling Mart meeting the Stronach family, who are showing and selling their livestock, and hoping for top prizes and prices.
Dougie is at Cairnborrow Farm, in Aberdeenshire, where he meets young farmer Nicola Wordie as lambing gets under way. And Arlene is in Perthshire watching a family of beavers being released into their new home.
Dougie is at Scotland's most southerly point, the Mull of Galloway lighthouse, for a special episode all about Galloway. He finds out about a bid to make the area Scotland's next national park and hears from those both for and against it.
Meanwhile, Arlene heads to the hills with the local mountain rescue team and discovers that they are not to be underestimated. Anne investigates the rising value of upland farm land and the impact it's having on local people, and Cammy meets the mobile cattle hoof trimmer who has become a huge hit on social media.
In this episode, Arlene visits Threave Estate, near Dumfries, to find out how hi-tech cattle are being used to restore a lost landscape. As the price of fertiliser skyrockets, Dougie finds out how it's affecting Scottish farmers and what alternatives there are available.
Meanwhile, Cammy is letting his puppies loose for the first time to see if there is a top sheepdog amongst them. And Dougie is taking a walk around the heritage trail at the Loch Leven National Nature Reserve, where he learns how the improvements to visitor facilities will allow greater accessibility to those with disabilities, giving them a place to connect with nature and encounter wildlife.
In this episode, Dougie visits the Culbin forest in Moray for a special programme all about trees. He discovers why the pine forest was planted there a century ago on what was the biggest sand dune in the UK.
Anne is in Perthshire meeting the woman keeping an eye on the Fortingall Yew, perhaps Europe's oldest tree, discovering the story behind this piece of living history. Following this winter's storms, Dougie assesses the damage to the forests in the worst hit areas of north east Scotland.
Meanwhile, JJ is in Ayrshire finding out how trees have inspired one artist to discover her creative side using a chainsaw, and Arlene meets the man who has devoted his career to looking after trees.
This week, Dougie is at the beautiful Loch Dochart Estate in Highland Perthshire finding out how Blue Grey cattle are bred and why they are a popular choice for Scottish upland beef farmers.
As the cost of living continues to rise, Anne is at home on Lewis, hearing how islanders are finding it increasingly difficult to live in a remote rural community. JJ is in Glengarry looking at some of the damage caused by a growing escaped wild boar population, while Rosie Morton meets the man who has carved himself a career as a master craft butcher and is teaching others to do the same. And Arlene is in Gifford Community Woods helping to tap the birch trees that produce a taste of spring time.
In this episode, Dougie is on the Isle of Skye visiting the spectacular Fairy Pools, one of Scotland's top tourist spots. He finds out how visitor numbers to locations such as this have risen dramatically over the last decade as a result of becoming social media ‘bucket list' destinations. He also finds out what is being done to develop and protect the site, with new paths, bridges and a car park being built.
In this episode, Dougie visits the Abernethy National Nature Reserve to view a sea eagle nest. For the very first time, a hidden camera has captured a pair of sea eagles looking after their newly hatched chicks and is beaming it live to the RSPB's Loch Garten Nature Centre.
Dougie and his dog Jessie are visiting Gordon Castle estate in Moray for a special breed gathering of Gordon Setters. Cammy's in the Borders investigating the growing problem of livestock worrying and attacks by dogs. He finds out about recent changes in legislation to tackle the issue.
Rosie Morton's in Skye to meet the last remaining gamekeeper on the island. She tries out simulated stalking and finds out about the future of gamekeeping. Over in Glen Roy, JJ meets mountaineer Mick Tighe and gets a tour of his artefacts that make up the Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection. And Dougie visits a tailoring business in the Highlands that still makes bespoke tweed outfits for estate workers.
In this episode, Dougie and chef Nick Nairn head north to Shetland to seek out its distinctive dishes and produce. Dougie meets the farming sisters who are using modern methods to raise sustainable beef, while Nick is on the east coast finding out about a traditional method of preserving cod. They use some of the cod to cook up a delicious fish dish on a stunning beach location.
Meanwhile, Cammy is in the north east of Scotland where she meets the young farmer who is keen use social media to teach the public about pig farming. And Arlene is looking out for spring migrants in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh with ornithologist Shenaz Khimji.
In this episode, the fields are bright yellow in Easter Ross as Dougie meets the farmer producing Scotland's most northerly oilseed rape oil. Rosie is in the Angus glens finding out about one estate's efforts to save the curlew, discovering how land managed for grouse has been beneficial for the wader population and has led to a spectacular rise in numbers.
Arlene is near Killin, in Perthshire, stepping back in time inside a traditional longhouse. She discovers what layers of lost wallpaper reveal about its history. And Nick encounters traditional Shetland beef product Sassermaet, bringing some along to his St Ninian's beach alfresco kitchen for Dougie to try, as they make tasty chargrilled beef skewers with tomato salsa.
As competitors make final preparations for the return of a full Royal Highland Show, Dougie visits Falleninch Farm near Stirling. He lends a hand washing Charolais bull show hopeful Stormzy and finds out what the show means to farmers across Scotland.
Cammy is in Moray meeting some of the Valais sheep competing at the show for the first time in a brand new class. Meanwhile, Anne stops off at the Aberdeenshire farm that is offering tours to make you feel good, and Nick cooks up Shetland mussels at a stunning beach location.
In this special episode from Scotland's east coast, Anne is in Aberdeen finding out why it's one the best places to see dolphins in the UK. Dougie visits Coldingham Bay in Berwickshire, where he learns about the lifeguards who keep watch over the beach during the summer months, while Arlene and Shenaz head to Dunbar to get a close-up view of some of Scotland's most at-risk seabirds - kittiwakes.
In the last episode of the spring series, Dougie and the team are at Ingliston for the Royal Highland Show.
As the show celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, Dougie catches up with the livestock showing and judging. Meanwhile, Cammy follows the Young Farmers' sheep shearing competitions. He watches with his expert eye as the younger generation of shearers show off their speed, accuracy and skill.
Dougie visits a new entrant couple running a deer farm near Port of Menteith, Stirlingshire, while Rosie takes part in a moth-trapping project in the Cairngorms that aims to find out how they indicate changes in the habitat.
This week Dougie's in Strathspey, investigating the housing crisis, balancing the need for affordable housing versus holiday lets for visitors. He speaks to local people struggling to find homes in the area and hears how businesses are being compromised. Rosie joins the Highland Raptor Study Group as they ring a nest of goshawk chicks. Arlene's in Angus finding out why more Scottish farmers should be growing hemp. Weather presenter Christopher Blanchett visits the wettest farm in Scotland to demonstrate our microclimates, and Anne drops in to see the findings of an excavation of a Pictish fort in Burghead.
Dougie steps out across the windswept Langholm Moor in Dumfriesshire. He discovers how the local community purchased over 10.000 acres and what they plan to do with it in future.
Photographer Shahbaz Majeed returns to follow the River Tay, looking at the pictures that tell i's story. Arlene is at Loch Insch in the Cairngorms, where she part in a nationwide light display that celebrates the environment, while Cammy is in Galloway meeting the farmer who has brought a bit of New Zealand to Scotland. And Anne is back on the road to meet up with the paramedic travelling 1,000 miles across the Scotland on horseback.
Dougie is in Oban for the Highland Cattle Society's 125th Autumn Show and Sales. He follows the action, meeting the breeders showing and selling their livestock and hoping for top prizes and prices.
Dougie is in the centre of Scotland to climb Schiehallion, one of the country's most distinctive and popular munroes. He hears how landowners the John Muir Trust are balancing the needs of the 30,000 visitors a year with protecting this unique upland habitat.
The Landward team are in Aberdeen for the World Clydesdale Show, the biggest single-breed horse show in Europe.
Dougie is in the far north west of Sutherland at Kinlochbervie to listen out for one of the sounds of the autumn - the deer roaring as the stags battle it out in the annual rut.
In this episode, Dougie visits a farm near Beauly that is taking a regenerative approach to livestock farming. He meets a couple inspired by time spent in Kenya, who move their sheep and cattle around the land regularly to graze. Elsewhere, Anne is in a forest in South Lanarkshire where she gets to grips with the ancient woodland skill of coppicing, and Rosie makes an early start to count pink-footed geese taking off at Montrose Basin. And now the sheep shearing season is over, Cammy tries his hand at goat shearing.
The team investigate the effects of climate change and how extremes in weather are dealt with. Dougie is in the Great Glen in the hills above Loch Ness to find out how foresters future-proof tree plantations from storm events. He sees how the forest is cleared to avoid destruction caused by wind blow. Near Ballater in the north east, Shahbaz captures the aftermath of the recent floods by focusing on three bridges along the river Dee catchment. Rosie is in the Borders at St Abbs to visit a seal colony that was devastated by Storm Arwen. She finds out how their numbers are recovering and sees some of this season's new pups. As the shorthorn cattle breed celebrate its 200th anniversary, Anne visits a farm in Aberdeenshire. And Cammy is being put through his paces in East Kilbride as he meets Britain's fittest farmer.
With the festive season fast approaching, Dougie visits a farm near Buchlyvie, in Stirlingshire, that has diversified from producing beef to growing Christmas trees. He lends a hand as people come along to cut their own trees.
Dougie takes a winter walk at Loch Lubnaig in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in a special festive programme looking back on 2022. He revisits the stories that Anne, Arlene, Cammy, Rosie and Shahbaz have reported on this year. Dougie reflects on the big themes, best places and inspiring people the team have met as they travelled thousands of miles in every direction across the stunning Scottish countryside.
