Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears

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Nature Documentary hosted by Ray Mears, published by ITV in 2014 - English narration

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Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears “I have explored some of the wildest places on earth - but my favourite is still Britain.” - Ray Mears This new ITV factual series follows bushcraft expert Ray Mears as he journeys through some of Britain's most spectacular and diverse landscapes. In Wilderness Walks, Ray takes viewers on a trail of discovery along rivers, through forests and across mountains as he searches for some of our greatest natural treasures. Ray travels from dawn to dusk to explore each unique habitat and the incredible wildlife that exists there. In each episode, Ray visits a different place, each with its own character.

[edit] Dartmoor

In episode one, Ray returns to one of his favourite and wildest places in Britain, Dartmoor, travelling across granite peaks and mysterious oak forests, searching for the country’s largest ground beetle and the elusive wood warbler. He also visits High Willhays, the highest point in the National Park, and explains its rugged appeal. He says: “Today the view is spectacular. I love coming here – there’s a tremendous sense of expansiveness – there’s always a wind and it’s challenging – I like that.”

[edit] Thames Path

In episode two, Ray visits Thames Path where he journeys by canoe along the mighty River Thames from Oxfordshire to London, finding kingfishers and water voles along the way, and camping in one of the world’s most precious and exclusive woodlands. Ray reveals an unusual use for the horse chestnuts he finds lining the river bank, as he navigates the river in his canoe. He says: “The leaves of this tree if you make them wet and tear them up and squeeze the juice out of them, give you soap which you can use to wash your hands, very effective, well it's good soap.”

[edit] Snowdonia

In this episode, Ray visits Snowdonia and discovers how in the rugged landscapes around Britain's highest mountain there are forms of wildlife which survive against all the odds, and can only be found in this very special part of Wales. He puts down mammal traps overnight to see how much wildlife is roaming on a tightly-cropped Snowdonia hillside - and is surprised to discover four wood mice in a small area. He says: “That was so interesting this morning. Putting those traps down has completely transformed my understanding of this landscape – I would never have thought there could be so many small mammals in ground that’s so heavily grazed, makes you think again and that’s the beauty of that kind of research.”

[edit] Galloway

In part four, Ray visits Galloway and explores the riches of the stunning South West of Scotland coast and the hidden treasures that live in Britain’s largest forest park - including the rare and elusive pine marten. Having tracked a pair of the mustelids through Galloway Forest Park with dogs, Ray is wowed by their presence when he meets them after they are brought down from a tree. He says: “That has got to be one of the neatest things I have ever seen in my travels. Pine martens are very special; they are so difficult to see, and to see those young like that, what a privilege. Quite wonderful.”

[edit] Borrowdale

The bushcraft expert's latest stop on his trek across diverse and spectacular landscapes is Borrowdale in the Lake District. Here, he uses the River Derwent as his guide to the Borrowdale valley, home to ancient forests and some very special wildlife including peregrine falcons. Ray goes with National Park officer Peter Barron to view a site used by the birds, and learns about the theft of eggs from nests, and how locals have intervened to protect them.

[edit] Isle of Skye

Ray Mears is on the Isle of Skye, off the west coast of Scotland, a place you can tell he loves by the wide grin on his face. And it is a majestic landscape with its mist-covered crags, heather-clad moors and shimmering lochs. Before he even steps off the ferry he spots Britain’s largest bird of prey, the sea eagle, engaged in aerial combat with a seagull: “That’s as good as anything you’d see on the Serengeti,” he enthuses. Then, after a brief diversion examining the carnivorous wild plants that grow here, the binoculars are back to help him spot the extremely rare golden eagles. They of course need no help with their eyesight as they can spot a mouse from almost a mile away.