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High Peak

In the Peak District, John Craven looks at how to make the countryside accessible to all, Ellie Harrison meets some search dogs and Anita Rani explores the Pennine Way.

John Craven and Ellie Harrison are in the Peak District. John meets Roy Taylor, who has worked for the RSPB for 20 years. Diagnosed with motor neurone disease in autumn 2013, he is now entirely dependent on a wheelchair, but this hasn't stopped him. John discovers Roy's inspirational story and his aim to make the countryside more accessible to all. John also finds out about a new piece of kit called the mountain trike, which allows wheelchair users to get over much rougher terrain and therefore enables them to explore places that were once unreachable.

The National Search and Rescue Dog Association is 50 years old this year. Ellie discovers what it takes for trainers and search dogs to become fully fledged life savers. She also visits Lane Farm End Trust, a working hill farm where disabled and disadvantaged young people get to connect with nature. One particular rare breed of pony, the eriskay, is making a huge difference.

Anita Rani puts on her walking boots to explore the magnificent Pennine Way, discovering how it has changed in the 50 years since its creation.

Adam Henson discovers the norfolk horn, a breed of sheep which helped make East Anglia of the Middle Ages rich.

One in five people in the UK have hayfever, and more are suffering from it every year. Tom Heap asks what's causing this increase and finds out if there is anything we can do to stop it.

1 hour

Last on

Mon 4 May 2015 00:50

Disabled access

Disabled access

Access to the countryside for people with disabilities, especially wheelchair users, is often difficult if not impossible. However at Dove Stone Nature reserve there is one man who is helping to change that.  John Craven meets Roy Taylor who has worked for the RSPB for 20 years. Diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease in autumn 2013, he is now entirely dependent on a wheelchair but this hasn’t stopped him doing his job. John discovers Roy’s inspirational story and his aim to make the countryside more accessible to all.

Eriskay ponies

Eriskay ponies

Lane Farm End Trust is a working hill farm in heart of the Peak District. Here, disabled and disadvantaged young people get an opportunity to connect with nature. One kind natured resident which makes a huge difference to the development of these young adults is the Eriskay pony. One of the oldest and rarest breeds in the UK, these ponies help to build the confidence of the young people that work with them. Ellie Harrison gets stuck in, helping to groom the ponies before they go out on the moors on the weekly ‘Riding High’ project.

The Pennine Way

The Pennine Way

Anita Rani puts on her walking boots to explore and celebrate the 50th year of the magnificent Pennine Way. She takes us on a journey of discovery seeing how the landscape has changed in the half century since its creation.  On her journey Anita meets Terry Holden, a man who was only fifteen years old when he walked the 268 miles from north to south. Terry and three school friends walked the whole trail only a few weeks after it opened in 1965. Anita also walks the southern part of the trail where she meets photographer Derry Brabbs. He has captured the ever changing landscape of the Pennine Way over the last 30 years.

Seasonal suffering

Seasonal suffering

Around one in four people in the UK suffer from hay fever and the problem is getting worse. Charlotte Smith discovers that it is not just grass that brings on this allergic reaction - tree pollen does too. In the worst cases the range of over the counter treatments do very little to ease the symptoms, but a treatment called immunotherapy can stop them altogether. However, as Charlotte finds out, at the moment immunotherapy is only available on the NHS for those with the most severe symptoms. 

Norfolk Horn sheep

Norfolk Horn sheep

In the 1970s several enthusiasts, including Adam Henson’s father Joe, rescued a breed of sheep called the Norfolk Horn from the brink of extinction. Forty years later, Adam heads east on a journey to find out what made these sheep so important. The Norfolk Horn was one of the breeds that made East Anglia rich. Today the evidence of the wealth that the wool trade created is all around – in the form of grand buildings from the Middle Ages.  Adam visits Kentwell Hall and Long Melford church in Suffolk to find out more about the golden age of wool.

Rescue dogs

Rescue dogs

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Search and Rescue Dog Association, an organisation instrumental in establishing modern day mountain rescue. Ellie meets Nev Sharpe, the President of the association and gets involved in a training session where volunteers and their puppies are put through their paces. Ellie also meets with Mick Nield and his search dog, Bob, who demonstrate what it takes for trainers and their search dogs to become fully fledged lifesavers. Ellie then gets a chance to put them to the test, but can Bob the dog find her?

Mountain trikes

Mountain trikes

John continues his journey to discover how inspirational people are making the countryside accessible for wheelchair users. He meets Craig Grimes who runs rambling trips with a piece of kit called a ‘Mountain Trike’. It is a new type of off-road wheelchair that enables the user to explore parts of the countryside that would be impossible to access in a normal wheelchair. John speaks to its creator Tim Morgan and to the people whose lives have changed by using it.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter John Craven
Presenter Ellie Harrison
Presenter Anita Rani
Presenter Tom Heap
Presenter Adam Henson
Executive Producer William Lyons
Series Producer Joanna Brame

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