Open Country

In the marshy landscape of the Hoo Peninsula you can find much of British history. Saxon and Roman remains point to mans first efforts to hold back the sea and use this land for agriculture. The Churchyard in Cooling provides the backdrop for one of Dickens best known works 'Great Expectations'. In Cliffe you can find the remains of an Edwardian explosives factory and at the RSPB reserve on Northward Hill what is left of a radio station used in the Second World War. Today the military history of the area remains but at Lodge Hill the unused Ministry of Defence site has now become home to a substantial nightingale population. This is the great irony of The Hoo landscape, we can clearly see the imprint of heavy industry at places like Grain where we find essential power stations and infrastructure yet it's isolation has also made this place attractive to birds and rare wildlife. Helen Mark explores this unique part of Kent and uncovers just some of the stories which exist beside the container ports and farmland.

65 years after the first publication of The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe, Helen Mark discovers a real life Narnia in the form of a tranquil Oxfordshire woodland that once belonged to CS Lewis.

It is said that Lewis enjoyed wandering here while writing his children's book series which includes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and that he and his brother 'Warnie' planted trees amongst the woodland. The reserve - now owned and managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust - was Lewis's back garden. At that time, the area of Risinghurst was a rural escape on the fringes of Oxford. Today, with the A40 nearby and surrounded by houses, this small area of land has managed to keep its sense of stillness.

Lewis's red brick home 'The Kilns', still nestles to the edge of the reserve. Today it is cared for by The CS Lewis Foundation and as Helen discovers, it still holds strong memories for CS Lewis's former secretary and friend, Walter Hooper.

CS Lewis was laid to rest in the grounds of the church where he worshipped, just a short walk away, at Holy Trinity Church Headington Quarry.

Including interviews with Reserve Warden Mark Bradfield, local historian Mike Stranks, Rev David Beckmann and Walter Hooper.

Presented by Helen Mark

Shetland is the most northerly part of the UK. The archipelago of islands is home to 23,000 people, who are nearer to Norway than they are to Edinburgh. Helen Mark travels to Lerwick to visit the annual Up Helly Aa fire festival, during which a thousand torches are set alight, and which culminates in the burning of a replica Viking longboat. She also finds out about the wildlife and archaeology of the islands, and visits Scalloway to learn about the "Shetland Bus" - a secret WW2 operation which used undercover fishing boats to send supplies and munitions to the Resistance in Nazi-occupied Norway.

Presented by Helen Mark and produced by Emma Campbell.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill, Helen Mark heads to Chartwell in Kent to explore the family home and gardens.

Churchill bought the home in 1922 to live in with his wife Clementine and their children and remained here until his death in 1965. As well as making structural changes to the grounds he used it as an inspiration for writing and painting and it's been maintained to reflect how he kept it. Helen asks what Chartwell tells us about the man - to so many a great leader - but also a father, husband and nature lover.

Producer: Anne-Marie Bullock.

Helen Mark visits the Ring Of Gullion in Northern Ireland to discover it's ancient geographical features that are now attracting visitors from all over the world.

The Ring Of Gullion is in South Armagh, near the border with Ireland.

For years the area was an area that was dangerous during the troubles and so overlooked by tourists, but the locals have aware of it's beauty, wildlife and ancient history, packed with myths and legends for centuries. Now the area is trying to attract visitors and put itself firmly on the map as an area with plenty to attract visitors from all over the world.

Presenter: Helen Mark

Helen Mark explores the clay mining history of Dorset's picturesque Isle of Purbeck.

Purbeck may look like an unspoilt rural holiday destination, but in reality it is an area steeped in industrial heritage - dictated by the clay mining industry which began as far back as Roman times and took flight when Sir Walter Raleigh bought tobacco to England and created a demand for clay pipes. The landscape is sculpted by traces of this industry and tales from the days of picking clay out by candle light are still shared by mining communities to this day but in the 21st century it's diggers and trucks that do the hard labour that ensures Purbeck's clay goes worldwide.

Featuring interviews with author Chris Legg, Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum Chairman Peter Sills, Learning & Interpretation Officer at Purbeck Corfe Castle Pam White, former Mines Manager Norman Vye, retired Mines Forman Mickey White and Chris Cleaves, Safety Director UK Ceramics & UK Ball Clays GM.

Produced By Nicola Humphries.

Helen Mark meets the people who have found the courage to embrace outdoor life.

The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has been running the Well Being Programme since 2008, in partnership with Wiltshire Council Public Health, providing support for people suffering from mental and emotional stress. The programme is available to anyone experiencing issues such as persistent low mood, depression, anxiety or long-term mental health conditions - this includes people who may be experiencing mental health issues on top of physical or mental disability too.

Joining them at one of their regular weekly sessions, Helen meets those whose lives have quite literally been transformed by this project - and by embracing the landscape on their doorstep have also found their way back to a happier life.

Produced by Nicola Humphries.

Helen Mark travels to Suffolk, to explore the landscape of the coast and the lives of the people who live near it. She hears about the lost city of Dunwich, which in Medieval times was a thriving commercial port, but was gradually claimed by the sea, leaving only a village still standing today. She also hears about the birds which can be found on the RSPB nature reserve nearby, and meets an artist whose life and work are inspired by the sea.

Presented by Helen Mark and produced by Emma Campbell.

The Dart Estuary is one of South Devon's longest and most spectacular ria valleys. The surrounding area is a honeypot for visitors, and the boat trip along the estuary is one of the most popular attractions. Helen Mark visits during the calm tranquillity of winter, taking a boat from Dittisham to Dartmouth exploring the Dart's industries, habitats and naval history.

Helen meets skipper Dave Eggins at the village of Dittisham and they embark down the river soaking up some of the sights on the way. Their first stop is to meet oyster farmer Pat Tucker at a very important time of year as he harvests his oysters for the French market at Christmas. They join him on the first day of a low tide, as the oysters can only be harvested on 25 days of the year when the water is low enough to reveal them.

Next Helen and the skipper pop over the river to meet Nigel Mortimer, Estuaries Officer from the South Devon AONB. He sheds light on some of the characteristically important habitats of the estuary such as mudflats, saltmarsh and reed beds and they see if they can spot any of the regular visiting wildlife. Using nets they take a closer look into the mud to see the important worms, snails and bacteria which recycle the organic detritus from the river basin, and which many other species depend on.

Helen gets back on the boat to head to the port of Dartmouth where the estuary widens into a deep water harbour. No trip on the Dart would be complete without delving into its long and colourful naval history. She meets David Lingard Chairman of the Dartmouth Museum and retired Royal Navy Commander at the historic Bayard's Cove. He reveals how international trade has shaped the fortune of Dartmouth and other settlements along the Dart over the centuries.

Although this global maritime trade may be consigned to the past, the Dart is still used by the Royal Navy today. The Britannia Royal Naval College is an imposing building overlooking the lower estuary with a close connection to the Dart. We meet Lieutenant Commander Sue Bryson on a college jetty to hear about how the estuary provides an excellent environment in which the cadets gain essential seamanship, warfare and leadership training.

Presenter: Helen Mark

This week Caz Graham visits Castle Howard in Yorkshire.

Famous as the setting for 'Brideshead Revisited' the country estate has been gearing up for the festive period for months.

In the heart of the Howardian Hills, the estate has around 6,100 acres of farmland.

Much of the produce ends up in the farm shop on the estate.

There is also 2000 acres of woodland and at this time of year there is only one tree that people are after: Christmas Trees. Caz meets Nick Cooke, the man in charge of making sure that the trees reach the customers in good condition and also responsible for supplying some of Yorkshire's largest towns with their towering Christmas trees. Caz discovers why the Howardian Hills are perfect from growing Christmas trees and gets an insight into what happens in the winter on a large country estate.

Presenter: Caz Graham