Watch 'The Dales' on Mondays at 8pm on ITV1.
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Episode One: 28 March 2011
Ade with Philip Mellinand his mum, Carol
In this first episode we meet sixteen year old shepherd Philip Mellin who has just left school and is taking on the running of the family farm, alongside his mum Carol, after the loss of his dad last year to cancer. We learn about Philip’s natural ability to train sheepdogs and hear how he’s been winning awards at local sheepdog trials since he was just six years old.
We also meet Dales vet Neil Roberts who works for Dalehead Veterinary Group in Ribblesdale. The practice covers an area of over fifteen hundred square miles of the Yorkshire Dales and with over one hundred thousand animals on their books there’s a lot of routine work to be done. We join Neil out on his rounds where he’s called to a local farm where the farmer is concerned that his cow may need a caesarean. Later on that evening Neil gets an emergency call to attend another calving – will he be able to deliver the calf safely?
Ade travels to the north of the Dales to the remote village of Ravenseat in Swaledale where he meets shepherdess Amanda Owen. Alongside husband Clive she balances running a two thousand acre hill farm with bringing up five children – the youngest of which is just four weeks old.
The footpath of Alfred Wainwright’s famous ‘Coast to Coast’ walk runs alongside the family’s farm so Amanda has taken to offering hungry ramblers home-made cream scones and pots of tea as they pass through. Ade takes the opportunity to sample a scone or two and take in the terrific views from Ravenseat Farm.
Episode Two: 4 April 2011
In the second episode we meet farmer Alex Wilkes who runs a small farm in Leyburn, Wensleydale. She’s taking some of her cows to compete at the biggest agricultural event in the country, the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate.
We follow her preparing her cows for action – including a power wash, shampoo and hair clipping session! We learn about the art of ‘top-lining’ and more importantly how to ensure your cows don’t mess their tails if they need the toilet before going in the ring!
How will Alex and her favourite cow, Lady Laura, cope in front of the judges? Will they come away with any prizes or rosettes?
In last week’s opening episode we met sixteen year old shepherd Philip Mellin. Although he’s been helping on the farm since he could walk, there’s lots Philip still needs to learn, and one of the most important things is how to shear sheep as they have over five hundred on their farm.
So today Philip’s attending a sheep shearing course at a farm in Ribblesdale. Shearing is not for the weak, it takes real strength and skill to control a one hundred and fifty pound sheep and not everyone can do it. How will Philip cope with shearing his first sheep?
Back home on their own farm Carol prepares Philip for his first full day of shearing – without the help of instructors how will he manage with the physical demands of shearing some of the farms five hundred sheep?
Ade with Tom Orde-Powlettat Bolton Castle
Ade travels to Wensleydale to meet Tom Orde-Powlett, heir to the historic Bolton Castle. Tom has been in charge of the castle for four years and helps run its twelve thousand acre estate. Ade finds out about the history of the landmark building and gets a spectacular view of Wensleydale from the top of the castle.
Episode Three: 11 April 2011
In the third episode we’re back with Tom Orde-Powlett who is manager and heir to the historic Bolton Castle in Wensleydale. This summer Tom wants to reintroduce to the castle two traditional attractions that would have existed centuries ago - falconry displays and a wild boar park.
We follow Tom’s plans to reintroduce falconry flying displays inside the castle. He meets bird expert Thomas Graham and they give a Harris hawk a test flight in the castle grounds.
We also learn how Tom wants to be able to offer couples getting married at the castle the opportunity to have a barn owl fly down the aisle and deliver wedding rings. We’ll see Toby on his first practice attempt – how will he cope with the different flying environment?
We join Amanda and Clive Owen up in Ravenseat, Swaledale and find out how they ended up bringing up a large family in one of the most remote parts of the Dales. We also find out how the couple have overcome inevitable challenges that arise from giving birth to five children whilst living remotely and fifty miles from the nearest hospital.
Also in the episode it’s Wensleydale Railway’s annual 1940’s wartime celebration weekend. A steam train is arriving from Scotland especially for the occasion and it’s down to engineer Tim Williamson to make sure that the train gets off the back of a lorry and on to the tracks in time for the big event.
Episode Four: 18 April 2011
In this fourth episode we meet the real life Vicar of Dibley, The Reverend Ann Chapman who runs four rural churches in the north of the Dales. She moved to the area nine years ago and brought with her a quirky and unconventional style of worship. While she still holds traditional services, she’s also introduced some that are more alternative.
We follow Ann during a busy Sunday where she’s leading three very different services at three different churches. First up is a service just for young children and then she hosts an informal service over cake and a cup of tea.
The last service of the day is at the beautiful little church of St Matthew’s in the hamlet of Stalling Busk. With only fifteen houses in the village congregation numbers can be anywhere between two and six people. Will anyone turn up to hear today’s sermon?
We also meet ethical fashion designer Izzy Lane who left a busy life in London six years ago to live in Richmond. Izzy has turned sheep rescuer after buying up old and unwanted sheep from farmers then paying for their upkeep by using the wool off their own backs to make fashionable (and ethical) clothes.
Working with local farmer Ernest Ayre, they’ve now got more than six hundred sheep. In this episode we follow the couple’s attempts to track down a randy ram on the loose in their sheep sanctuary. Will they be able to find the culprit before he gets up to any more mischief?
Also in this episode, Ade tries his hand at sheepdog training as he comes face to face with 16 year old shepherd Philip Mellin and his mum Carol.
Episode Five: 25 April 2011
In episode five we’re back with Tom Orde-Powlett at Bolton Castle in Wensleydale. He’s looking to reintroduce an old tradition at the castle – wild boar. As part of a new visitor attraction he’s creating a boar park and today he’s collecting the wild boar from a local breeder.
Ade meets up with the Leyburn Band as they prepare for the Hardraw Scar Brass Band Contest. There are records of Leyburn having a brass band since 1841. The current incarnation was formed in 2003 when local villagers were invited to join the group –even though some couldn’t play a note!
We’re also back with 16 year old shepherd Philip Mellin as he goes to Skipton Auction Mart for the annual sheepdog sale. He’s hoping to buy a new sheepdog to train while his mum Carol is selling one of her established dogs. Will the auction go well for the pair and could a successful new purchase be the start of Philip and Carol’s new sheepdog training business?
Episode Six: 2 May 2011
In the sixth episode we join Leyburn Band as they compete at the Dale’s biggest summer brass band contest – Hardraw Scar. Fourteen brass bands from across the north of England come together in the hope of walking away with a trophy.
With a proud history stretching back to 1841 Leyburn Band is a living embodiment of all that is great about tradition and community spirit in the Dales. The current incarnation of the band is made up of forty three people of all ages and abilities – some had never played an instrument before joining. How will they perform under pressure at the competition and will they come away with any prizes?
We’ll meet Margaret and Jackie Stubbs, the mother and daughter team who have just taken over as the new landlords of the first Dales community run pub – the George and Dragon in Hudswell, Richmond.
The pub closed in 2008 leaving the locals with nowhere to socialise. Villagers decided to save the pub by forming a group who bought the place between themselves. There are only 200 people in the village but amazingly they managed to find 170 investors.
Up in Swaledale we’re back with Amanda and Clive Owen as they renovate a shepherd’s hut on their land. The couple are hoping to provide a bed and breakfast service for ramblers who walk by their farm. Amanda has selected a special first ever overnight guest to put the hut through its paces and sample the morning after cooked breakfast that comes as part of the deal – but who will it be?
Episode Seven: 9 May 2011
In this seventh episode we’re back in Richmond in the north of the Dales with ethical fashion designer Izzy Lane. Izzy rescues lambs and sheep that would otherwise be sent for slaughter, and with the help of her friend, farmer Ernest Eyre, she buys from local farmers and uses their wool to pay for their keep.
Summer is the busiest time of year for Izzy as it’s when she creates her Autumn/Winter collection. Today a team of stylists, photographers and models from London are in the Dales for the shoot but with lambs taking centre stage in the photos will Ernest be able to get his Swaledale models to behave on set?
We re-join teenage shepherd Philip Mellin. He’s already mastered the art of shearing and has bought his first sheepdog at auction, but his next challenge is setting up a new business with mum Carol. Already experienced at training and trialling their own dogs, they intend to buy young sheepdogs to train up and sell them on. We join Philip hard at work transforming one of his old cow sheds into a deluxe kennel. He’s also been busy on the phone doing some wheeler-dealing with local business men – he’s turning into a Del Boy of the Dales!
At the George and Dragon pub in Hudswell, it’s Fijian festival day and a major challenge for new landladies, mother and daughter team - Jackie and Margaret Stubbs. They are hoping that bringing a bit of the tropics to Yorkshire will get lots of Fijian squaddies, from the local army base, to come to the pub. As part of the celebrations they are going to cook food in a traditional-style underground earth oven. Will bad weather leave the event in jeopardy?
Episode Eight: 16 May 2011
In the eighth episode we’re in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, in Masham, Lower Wensleydale, where it’s the weekend of the annual steam engine rally. Over fifty steam engines drive in convoy through the village square and compete on a local showground. We join couple Richard and Anne Preston who are celebrating two major landmarks – their Golden Wedding Anniversary and the return of their steam engine, Lighting Two, to competition.
In fifty years, Anne has never ridden on board Lighting Two – today Richard wants her to jump on board and join them riding the engine. Will Anne get up on Lighting Two and will they take away any prizes to make their Golden Wedding anniversary even more special?
We’re back with the Reverend Ann Chapman in Hawes for the annual party in the parish. It’s an event she started seven years ago to bring the local community together but this year the party is a little different to usual. It’s the first time it’s not being held on the vicarage front lawn; instead a local farmer is opening up their beautiful garden for the bash!
Later in the episode we hear the sad news that Reverend Ann Chapman’s loving and loyal dog Chloe, who shared the vicarage with her, has passed away. By a twist of fate, two spaniels that have just been made homeless, come her way - will she be ready to take on this new challenge?
And we’re back with the Owen family, in remote Ravenseat in Swaledale, as they take a well-deserved break from work on their farm, and where have they chosen to take their children on a special holiday trip? Blackpool? Bridlington? Well, actually it’s a little closer to home – two hundred meters away in a field on their own farm!
Episode Nine: 23 May 2011
In episode nine we’re in Wharfedale with Ted Mason – local Dale’s farmer by profession, but also a man on a fell running mission. Fell running has been a Dale’s tradition since the nineteenth century and Burnsall Fell is one of the original fell race routes. Alongside seventy competitors, Ted will run nearly two miles up a steep, rocky path to the top of the fell, and then back down again, the fastest way possible, through the gorse and heather.
We join Ted and his training partner and fellow competitor, Fred Bosomworth, as they compete to win the bragging rights of being the fastest local. Who will take away the local title and will either of the boys beat the runners who have come from all over the country?
We’re also in Malham where we meet Yorkshire’s very own iron maiden blacksmith, Annabelle Bradley. She was a tax accountant until 2007 but now creates and sells pieces of metal work that she makes at Malham’s smithy – much of her work is inspired by her local surroundings. This summer Annabelle has a major project on her hands, crafting three traditional-style chandeliers for the local pub. It will be a race against time to get them finished by the end of the summer.
Up in Carperby near Hawes, The Otley and Yorkshire Dales branch of the Dry Stone Wallers Association are preparing something a little bit special, the build of their first ever bridge over water. We join project manager John Heslegrave, and his sidekick, David Tate, as a team of local wallers build up the bridge stone by stone. The key moment during the build will be when they pull away the support holding up the stone over the arch of the bridge – one false move and the whole bridge could end up collapsing into the water.
Episode Ten: 6 June 2011
In the tenth episode we’re back in Settle in Ribblesdale at the Dalehead Veterinary Practice. We join the vets at the companies’ state of the art horse care facilities -The Northern Equine Therapy Centre. The centre is a health farm where all kinds of horses, from racing breeds to prized pets, come for specialist treatment.
Four months ago, show horse Spats was out for his usual morning exercise when he had a nasty fall and injured his leg. His owner Lauren Duffy has brought Spats in for treatment – she knows that without surgery his career could be over. We follow surgeon, Dr Graham Monroe, as he puts Spats under anaesthetic and carries out specialist surgery on his leg. Will the operation be a success?
We’re back at the George and Dragon in Hudswell –the Dales very first community owned pub. This local re-opened earlier in the summer and ever since, mother and daughter team, Jackie and Margaret Stubbs, have been hard at work to show that they really can make a go of the place. The pair think they have a secret weapon they can use to draw even more customers to the pub – the beer garden and its spectacular views.
Local TV presenter and author, Mark Reid, finds the best country pubs and then writes about walks to and from their doors. Jackie and Margaret have invited him over to the pub because a good write up from him, could attract lots of ramblers to the pub. There are plenty of great walks in this area, and today Margaret is joining Mark in coming up with a circular stroll starting right at the pub’s front door.
We’re back at Moor Lodge Farm, near Keighley, where Carol and Philip Mellin have made the tough decision to end their dairy farming operation. It’s a tradition that Carol’s husband, and Philip’s father, Albert, started up forty years ago, but since his death last year they’ve struggled to keep it going.
Carol and Philip have sold lots of cattle at Skipton Auction over the years but having to part with their small herd of dairy cows is another matter altogether, most of them have been on the farm for years and are almost a part of the family.
And it’s time for Malham blacksmith, Annabelle Bradley, to unveil the chandeliers she’s been busy making all summer. Annabelle swapped the desk of the tax accountant for the anvil of the blacksmith three years ago and has been busy forging the chandeliers for one of the local pubs. How will they look when they are hung and will the pub landlords and punters approve?
Episode Eleven: 13 June 2011
In this eleventh episode we’re back at Bolton Castle in Wensleydale. It’s nearly the end of the summer, and Tom Orde Powlett, castle manager and heir to the Bolton estate, has had a busy season. We catch up with Tom, who’s got his first public flying display with Bolton Castle’s new birds of prey.
There’s also one last mission for Tom and Toby the barn owl that he’s been training to be a part of wedding ceremonies at the castle. So far Toby’s practiced his indoor flight without a crowd – how will he perform under the pressure of a wedding rehearsal. Will the bride get her wedding ring?
We’ll also be joining the team behind one of the Dales’ latest microbreweries. Plug and his team at the Kirkby Londsale Brewery have always liked their beer, so much so, that they decided to make their own and set up a brewery. They’ve only been up and running for fourteen months and this weekend they are going to be taking their new brew to a local festival – the Harley Davidson Rally. Over a thousand thirsty bikers will descend on the local town and Plug’s hoping they’ll sup a record amount of the breweries’ finest ale.
Were also at Swinton Park Hotel in Masham on one of the most traditional dates in the Dales calendar; the Glorious twelfth grouse shoot. Swinton Park is the ancestral home of the Cunliffe-Lister family, and is set in 200 acres of parkland. We join Lord Masham out on the moors and learn about how many of the birds shot on the twelfth appear on the evening menus in London restaurants and at Swinton’s own award-winning restaurant.
