Hereford
The team are in Herefordshire visiting a habitat creation project, harvesting hops and learning about the new-found popularity of a medieval apple drink called verjuice.
This week we're in Herefordshire where Sean is at Bodenham Lake, site of a huge habitat creation project. When work is complete there will be new spaces for otters, water rail, bitterns and the lake's best-known inhabitant - the grass snake. Sean joins Sophie Cowling, the warden here, and her volunteers as they seek out these slippery creatures as part of an ongoing survey.
Meanwhile, Margherita is in a traditional orchard looking to turn its fortunes around with the help of a brew popular in medieval times - verjuice. Made from the juice of unripe apples, verjuice is proving a hit with foodies and top chefs alike.
Adam is also in Herefordshire, helping to get another of the country's famous crops in - hops. Matt's getting ready for this year's Countryfile Ramble for Children in Need by meeting Josh, an inspirational 14 year old whose ambition is to climb a mountain. John announces the winner of this year's Countryfile photographic competition, and Tom investigates how city-based drug gangs are targeting some of the countryside's most vulnerable children.
Last on
Music Played
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Paloma Faith
Beauty Of The End
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Gabrielle Aplin
The Power Of Love
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Bon Iver
Holocene
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Tom Odell
Grow Old With Me
Bodenham Lake
Sean visits Bodenham Lake, by the River Lugg, at the heart of Herefordshire. Once an old gravel pit, today it is now a thriving wildlife habitat, home to an array of species.Ìý
However, new work is needed to make this site even better for certain wetland wildlife.Ìý
Sean meets Sophie Cowling, from the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, who is managing the reshaping of the site.Ìý
The Trust hopes the work being done here will encourage and entice the likes of bittern to settle alongside the heron and otters that already live here.
County Lines
Countryfile Photographic Competition
Verjuice
It's Autumn and the apple trees at are bursting with fruit - but these ones aren't for eating!
No, this early harvest of green apples is destined to become verjuice,Ìýa sharp, acidic ingredient for cooking.
Margherita meets orchard consultant Laurence Green, who tells her the history and process of producing verjuice.
Laurence believes this juice could be one way of helping small traditional orchards become commercially viable.
Hop Harvest
Countryfile Ramble for 91Èȱ¬ Children in Need
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Grass Snakes
Sean goes in search of the elusive grass snake - with the help of Sophie Cowling from the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust.
The pair look at why Bodenham Lake has become a real stronghold for the snakes and how volunteers are recording the numbers throughout the year.Ìý
The pair are also joined by trust volunteer Wendy Rushton as they lift up each reptile refuge.
But will they find one…?
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Sean Fletcher |
Presenter | Margherita Taylor |
Presenter | John Craven |
Presenter | Adam Henson |
Presenter | Tom Heap |
Executive Producer | William Lyons |
Series Producer | Joanna Brame |
Broadcasts
- Sun 30 Sep 2018 18:15
- Sun 7 Oct 2018 08:35
- Tue 9 Oct 2018 02:15