1 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:08,800 This is a story of Britain. 2 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,080 But a Britain we rarely see. 3 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,000 Britain as an undiscovered country. 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,520 Our glorious landscape isn't just spectacular. 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,800 It's full of secrets and surprises. 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,000 It's absolutely beautiful. 7 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,440 We asked you to share your secret places with us. 8 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:37,200 And your response was overwhelming. 9 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:41,640 You're taking us to some remarkable sites. 10 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:45,000 Wow. It really is magical. 11 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,920 - What a view! - That is glorious, isn't it? 12 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,600 We'll also share a few secrets of our own. 13 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:53,920 Oh, look at that. Fantastic! 14 00:00:58,240 --> 00:00:59,680 Ah, that's amazing! 15 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:01,680 Like being a child again. 16 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,400 This is Britain as you've never seen it before. 17 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,560 Oh, my word! 18 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,640 Wow, that's really incredible. 19 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,720 I don't think I could dream up a view as good as that. 20 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,800 - So if you want to know a secret... - Then come with us. 21 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,480 Britain is blessed with magnificent mountains. 22 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:47,840 Uplands which are shrouded in secrets. 23 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,640 In the Lake District, a symphony of rock 24 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,680 and water reaches its crescendo with Scafell Pike. 25 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:01,640 While northern Wales is crowned by the majestic peaks of Snowdonia. 26 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,200 But our most mountainous 27 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,680 and mysterious realm is the Scottish Highlands. 28 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,400 With Britain's highest mountain. 29 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,080 And Britain's deepest water. 30 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,360 The Scottish Highlands are the perfect place to keep a secret. 31 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,680 The Highlands stretch across half of Scotland. 32 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,160 We are making for the region of greatest extremes. 33 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:34,560 The Great Glen, which cuts through the Highlands from coast to coast. 34 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:40,120 The mighty Ben Nevis, our tallest peak, looms over the glen. 35 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,520 And in its dark heart, the legendary waters of Loch Ness. 36 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:51,880 I reckon the Great Glen's got to be stacked full of secrets, hasn't it? 37 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:53,400 It has, look at the size of it. 38 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,000 There's bound to be some amazing stories here. 39 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,960 Do you know, I love this part of the world. I can't wait for this. 40 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,640 To unlock our first secrets, we need a view over the glen, 41 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:08,080 and this contraption's going to help us gain some height. 42 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,160 - So, are you up for it? - I'm really excited. Yeah, looking forward to it. 43 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:12,960 - Are you? - But if you want to take a view in, 44 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,600 what you need is a little secret cheat. 45 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,880 - How about the gondola? - Oh, yes, I'm in. 46 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,560 Look at that there, that jump. Come off down those rocks. 47 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,840 Aonach Mor, a mountain just north of Fort William, 48 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,720 attracts extreme outdoors enthusiasts. 49 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,000 - Look... - There's jumps! - All these jumps all through the rocks 50 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,320 - and through the trees. - No, thank you. 51 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:51,240 - Ah, that's terrifying speed! - I did part of it once. - Did you? - Yeah. 52 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:52,320 How did you get on? 53 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:54,760 - Very badly. - Did you? - THEY LAUGH 54 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,160 But these barren mountains offer a secret source 55 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:05,080 of inspiration for a more serene activity. 56 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,440 Jamie Hageman's spent years living here, working as a landscape artist. 57 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,960 Jamie's artistic eye gives him a unique perspective 58 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,320 on the secrets of the Highlands that most overlook. 59 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,120 - You all right, Jamie? - Hello. - Hi, Jamie. - Can we join you? 60 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:22,600 Go for it. 61 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,360 In your workplace. 62 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,080 That's good. You're good. 63 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:27,360 - Thanks. - That's amazing. 64 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:28,800 That's brilliant. 65 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,320 What would you say is the secret to being an artist up here? 66 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,200 For me, it's all about painting the mountains at their most impressive. 67 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:38,960 So it's about finding these hidden viewpoints 68 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,120 that show the mountains at their best. 69 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,400 And in the glens, there must be so many secret hidden spots 70 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,920 that you can get to that people just don't normally go. 71 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:49,040 Yes, definitely. 72 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,720 With Ben Nevis, you've got a broad side above Fort William that's 73 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,200 the usual way up that I would suggest 74 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,360 that you head up, round the northeast side, 75 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,440 and look at the northeast buttress of Ben Nevis. 76 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,960 - That's amazing. - It's not an obvious viewpoint, but this viewpoint shows 77 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:09,960 Ben Nevis looking very alpine and not actually that recognisable. 78 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,600 I think it's about the viewpoints that aren't obvious, 79 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:14,160 - that's the thing. - Lovely. 80 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,480 You've found all these secret vantage points here, 81 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,520 in the Highlands. We're here for a few days. 82 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,560 Can you recommend where we go and see your secret places? 83 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,680 You've got to climb Britain's highest mountain. 84 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,240 You've got to climb Ben Nevis. 85 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,040 But I would recommend climbing it from the northeast side. 86 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,320 Maybe hire a guide to take you up through the 600-metre cliffs. 87 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:33,520 That's for you. 88 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,720 - THEY LAUGH I'll take that one on. - Anything else? 89 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,440 - Well, you've heard of the Loch Ness Monster? - Yes. 90 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,360 There might be other monsters around in Scotland, 91 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,680 so you could search out one of those. 92 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:45,760 - Secret monsters for me. - And what else? 93 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,680 Well, you've heard of Bonnie Prince Charlie 94 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,160 and all his hideaways throughout the Highlands. 95 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,000 - Well, you could try finding one of those. - Good stuff. 96 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,440 What an adventure. Thank you very much indeed. 97 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,520 The scale of the Highlands is immense. 98 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,560 Not only is this the most mountainous part of Britain 99 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,240 but this region's also the least populated part of Europe. 100 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,040 Leaving plenty of space to hide its secrets. 101 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,120 So, using your suggestions and Jamie's top tips, 102 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,160 we're going solo for a spell to cover more ground. 103 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,480 I'm starting with our tallest order - 104 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,440 find a secret route up Britain's highest mountain. 105 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,640 This is Jamie's beautiful painting, 106 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:41,160 but when you see Ben Nevis for real, it's pretty daunting. 107 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,480 Now, I'm a farmer, so the great outdoors is no stranger to me, 108 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:46,800 but I'm no mountain man. 109 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,240 And to discover Ben Nevis' secrets, 110 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,200 I'm going to have to climb up that beast. 111 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,160 Being Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis attracts 112 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,560 tens of thousands of walkers every year. 113 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,720 But few explore the north face. 114 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,280 Its dramatic cliffs make it the mountain's secret side. 115 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,760 John Lyall has spent 20 years mountaineering in Scotland, 116 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,280 so who better to uncover Ben Nevis' mysteries? 117 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,400 So you're going to be my guide up the mountain for the next 24 hours? 118 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:26,680 Yeah. 119 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:28,680 That's a fairly imposing sight, isn't it? 120 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,360 I must say, I'm feeling quite nervous about this. 121 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,400 At least the weather's on our side at the moment. 122 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,000 Yeah, it's looking super, isn't it? 123 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,240 So what's the plan then, John? 124 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,280 Well, we're heading up to the Scottish Mountaineering Club's 125 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,000 hut at the foot of the cliffs of the north face 126 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,240 and then we're going to climb the Ledge Route, 127 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,800 which is actually just straight up above there. 128 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:55,680 Crikey, that sounds a bit scary! 129 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:00,160 You're a man of the mountains. 130 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,880 And what is it that makes it so special to you? 131 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,000 Just everything about the Highlands. 132 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,320 Favourite climbs, yeah. Definitely some favourite climbs. 133 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,480 The Cuillins of Skye, that's an area where I did a lot of my first 134 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:12,920 scrambling and climbing 135 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,680 and they're an amazing place above the sea, 136 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,880 spiky peaks reaching into the sky, and that's a special area. 137 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:21,280 But there are lots of them 138 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,000 and some of them are just hidden little corners 139 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:25,960 that not many other people know about. 140 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,720 It's a hike up to our overnight hut, 141 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,400 and with every step, the weather clears a bit more 142 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:36,560 to reveal the mountain in all its dramatic grandeur. 143 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,240 Ben Nevis is often wreathed in cloud, 144 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:48,640 so it feels like it's enticing me with a secret view all of my own. 145 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,600 - Is that the summit up there, John? - Yeah. That's it. 146 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,080 You can just see above that tiny, little patch of snow. 147 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,520 - Just come out of the cloud? - Yeah. - Amazing! 148 00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:59,480 Little bit of mist. It's fantastic, isn't it? 149 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,240 And what are your favourite spots up there, up the ben? 150 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,120 Well, the summit's pretty good. 151 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:09,520 I've climbed Ben Nevis getting on to 100 times or more, 152 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:12,280 and you get more connected with it the more time you spend there. 153 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:14,760 And have you got some favourite secret spots up there 154 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,560 - and names of places that you love? - Definitely some favourite 155 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:21,480 hidden little corners that not many people go but are real gems, yeah. 156 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,360 There's really only one gem that I'm interested in right now. 157 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,360 Whereabouts is this Ledge Route then, John? 158 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:38,600 - Well, you see this steepish bit of rock up here? - Yeah. 159 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,480 We go around the left side of that and then up 160 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,800 onto the crest of the ridge above it. 161 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,080 And then we go... 162 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,280 - (up there.) - Crikey! 163 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,120 What, we're going to walk along there? Are you sure about this? 164 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:51,280 Yeah. 165 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:57,760 Looks horrible. 166 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,040 This face of the mountain has numerous secrets 167 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:08,320 known only to those bold enough to climb these awe-inspiring cliffs. 168 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,560 Beneath them, nestles our home for the night. 169 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:13,040 No mere bolt hole, 170 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:18,040 this is Britain's only alpine hut, and it has its own surprises. 171 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:24,160 Mountaineers have been exploring Ben Nevis' secrets 172 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:25,600 for over 100 years. 173 00:10:26,680 --> 00:10:30,800 To make it easier to open new routes, the Scottish Mountaineering Club 174 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:35,960 built the alpine hut as a permanent base for the harsh north face. 175 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,920 Opened in 1929, it was named in honour of a local climber, 176 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,000 Charles Inglis Clark, 177 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,120 who had been killed during the First World War. 178 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,640 Since then, the hut has hosted many of Britain's greatest 179 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:56,240 climbers in whose footsteps I must follow. 180 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,600 Here we are, at one of our most famous mountains 181 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:03,600 that's full of secret routes and nooks and crannies. 182 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,760 And the way that I'm going to get up it is supposed to be 183 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,120 up there somewhere. 184 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:11,800 It's really quite daunting. 185 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:13,880 Have to see what tomorrow brings. 186 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:20,920 While you've had your head in the clouds, Adam, 187 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,840 I've been looking into the glen's hidden depths. 188 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:31,000 There are more than 30,000 lochs in Scotland, 189 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,680 and you've told us about many magical places 190 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:35,320 with water at their heart. 191 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:43,160 Of course, the most famous up here is the mighty Loch Ness. 192 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,360 It was born millions of years ago with the shift of a seismic 193 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:49,720 fault line, 194 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,240 then gouged out by enormous glaciers during the last ice age. 195 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,320 Loch Ness holds more water than all the lakes 196 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,120 of England and Wales put together. 197 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,240 And, of course, it's also home to one of the most famous 198 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,320 monster mysteries in the world. 199 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,920 Whether Nessie's here or not, she is a global superstar. 200 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,400 I'm on the hunt for another monster. 201 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,960 But this one I won't find in Loch Ness. 202 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,040 A local tip-off is taking me 30 miles west 203 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:27,160 to the magnificent Loch Morar. 204 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,720 It's wonderfully isolated, easily missed 205 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:42,400 if you stick to the tourist trail. 206 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,360 For some, it's the most beautiful body of water in Britain. 207 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:57,000 What's beyond question is it's the deepest - 208 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,960 plunging down 310 metres, 209 00:12:59,960 --> 00:13:03,480 that's over 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the loch. 210 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:10,480 And try and get your head around just how deep this water is. 211 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,920 Imagine this, you can stand the Eiffel Tower in the loch 212 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,120 and still there would be 30 feet of water above it. 213 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,480 So if you can lose the Eiffel Tower in here, 214 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:25,000 what else could be hiding in Loch Morar? 215 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,160 Rumours of a mysterious monster christened Morag 216 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,880 have swirled around this loch for over 100 years. 217 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:40,760 And to date, there are over 30 reported sightings of Morag. 218 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,000 But a monster? Really? 219 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:47,080 That would be quite some secret. 220 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,760 If there's one person who can lift the lid on the mysteries of Morar, 221 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,440 it's Viv De Fresnes who manages the loch. 222 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:01,440 Go on, tell me about life here. 223 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:03,960 It's just all about the peace and the quiet really for me. 224 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:05,480 I love it. Yeah. 225 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,120 We don't allow jet skies or speed boats on it 226 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,000 to try and keep it as peaceful as this. 227 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,080 And I love the fish here. Wild trout, you can't beat them. 228 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,640 And there's salmon and sea trout in the loch as well. 229 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:18,160 And obviously the monster. 230 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:19,800 Obviously. Obviously the monster. 231 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:24,680 Viv has treated all the Morag stories with a fair degree of 232 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:28,560 scepticism, but some of his friends, like Ewen MacDonald, 233 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:33,120 are absolutely convinced the monster of Morar exists. 234 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:34,760 Ewen, how are you doing? 235 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:36,480 Hello, yes, fine thanks. 236 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,680 Good. So you're a believer in the monster? 237 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,240 Yes. I've seen it a couple of times. 238 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,360 - Oh, you have? - Uh-huh. - Go on, tell me the tale. 239 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,080 We were cruising here on a motor boat between the islands 240 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:48,960 and we seen this wake running in the water. 241 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,760 We followed it and this head came out of the water 242 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,120 and you could see this mane on the back of the head 243 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,560 and it sort of moved around a bit. 244 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,320 And then the head down and then it disappeared. 245 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:00,800 Left a swirl of water. 246 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,400 What did you think at the time? 247 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:03,840 It was a monster, you see. 248 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:07,240 Um. Well, a lot of people over the years have seen something 249 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,760 and some of them are very believable, they really are. 250 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:11,240 Well, most of them. 251 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,640 There's a couple of lads here from Newcastle, 252 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:18,360 and they were out fishing for a week. 253 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,560 And I came up to see how they were getting on. 254 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,120 And they were sitting in the car park, very agitated. 255 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:26,920 I says, "What's the matter?" 256 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:30,440 The monster came up beside them, just beside the surface 257 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,040 beside them. They panicked when they seen this thing. 258 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:35,480 And they really were very believable, those two. 259 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:37,040 They were very scared. 260 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:40,800 Even two terrified fishermen couldn't quite convince Viv 261 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,360 that the monster Morag is real, 262 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,520 but a recent event may have changed his mind. 263 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,440 My daughter Fiona and I were over the far side of the loch 264 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,080 and Fiona said, "What's that, Dad?" 265 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:53,360 I looked out on the loch 266 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:57,280 and there were these two things about a mile away. 267 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,160 I've never seen anything like it in 20-odd years on the loch. 268 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,160 - I managed to get a picture of it. - Let's have a look. - Or them, 269 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,400 - there's two. - Oh, really?! - See if I can find it here. 270 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,880 The day before that, I would have stood here and said, 271 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,000 - "Nah, load of nonsense." - Wow. 272 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,080 It's not like a boat wash, if you know what I mean. 273 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,640 Do you know what shocks me about that? It's quite how big... 274 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,320 They're big things. That's nearly a mile away. 275 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:22,120 Could this really be Morag? 276 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,000 And if it is, why are there two wakes? 277 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,320 - What do you think it is, then? - I've no idea. 278 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,320 - I love that. - I really haven't an idea, so... 279 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,400 The story is that it's land-locked eels, grown huge. 280 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:38,600 And there are records of land-locked eels having 281 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,880 - this membrane-like growth round their heads. - OK. 282 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:42,880 - So that could be the mane. - That could be it. 283 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:44,800 I certainly don't think it's a monster. 284 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,360 If there is something out there, I don't think it's a monster 285 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:48,480 or a dinosaur of any kind. 286 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:50,800 This is about the only dinosaur we've got round here. 287 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,440 - SHE LAUGHS - How rude. How rude. 288 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,480 Maybe an eel could grow to a monster size here, 289 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,880 but I think something else is feeding the mythology of Morag. 290 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,520 It's the magic of this place. 291 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:10,480 And who better ask about the magical secrets of Loch Morar 292 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:13,080 and monster Morag than a child? 293 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,320 Viv's daughter, Fiona. 294 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,560 So can you remember the day that you and your dad were out 295 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,640 and you saw what might be the signs of Morag? 296 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:26,400 Yeah, I did. We were up over there and I said, "Dad, what was that?" 297 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,400 Cos there was these two long things swimming in the water. 298 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,240 So it was you that spotted it first just cos it looked so unusual? 299 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:37,640 Yeah. Cos at first I thought it was two eels, but it wasn't. 300 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,120 Well, I don't know. 301 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,240 There's no sign of the monster so far 302 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:46,040 but the setting of Loch Morar casts its own spell. 303 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,000 I feel like I'm in a child's adventure story, especially 304 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,240 with all these enchanting islands. 305 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:55,160 You're so lucky having this. 306 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,520 Tell me about the islands around here. 307 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,000 - Why are they special to you? - They just seem so magical. 308 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,400 They're really good to explore 309 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,760 cos there are loads of little hiding places and trees to climb. 310 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,440 - Do you have a favourite? - Fairy Island, definitely. 311 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,320 Fairy Island? Which one is it? 312 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,280 This one here? 313 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,680 - What a place. - Yeah. 314 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,480 - This is your own secret entrance to Fairy Island? - Yeah. 315 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:20,280 That's really hidden, isn't it? 316 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,320 As we glide in towards Fairy Island, 317 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,400 I feel like I'm entering a land that time forgot. 318 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:33,760 Wow. 319 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,120 It's absolutely magical. 320 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,960 - It's truly wild out here, isn't it? - Yep. 321 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,560 - There's not a footpath to be found. - Nope. 322 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:55,520 Oh, yeah, this is the viewpoint. 323 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,720 You could see Morag from up here, couldn't you? 324 00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,400 - Yeah. - What do you think Morag is? 325 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,520 Like a big kind of fish thing that has flippers like a seal. 326 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,280 - Oh, right. - But the back like a big dragon. 327 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:09,480 And that day that you were out with your dad and he took the photo, 328 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:10,840 do you think that was Morag? 329 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:12,800 I don't know. 330 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,480 - Do you think she has a lonely life out there? - No. 331 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,400 - I think there's six, seven of them. - So they're sociable? 332 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,400 Yeah, cos there can't only be one. 333 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,080 I've found it so enjoyable experiencing 334 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:34,200 and seeing the loch through the eyes of a child. 335 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:35,480 It's inspired me 336 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,040 to think that if I wait here just a few moments longer, 337 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:43,240 I might just catch a glimpse of Morag the monster. 338 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:50,320 This landscape feels like a fitting home for myths and legends. 339 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,120 They've been a bit of a theme in viewers' suggestions. 340 00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:55,400 Which have taken us all over Britain 341 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:57,480 in search of undiscovered stories. 342 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,120 But right now, I'm tackling a very real kind of secret - 343 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:07,920 finding a route up this terrifying-looking mountain. 344 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:09,320 Don't let me hold you up. 345 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,120 I've spent the night in an alpine hut built nearly a century ago 346 00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:16,840 at the foot of Ben Nevis. 347 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:23,000 Yesterday, bathed in sunshine, the ben's north face looked bad 348 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,240 enough, but now, clothed in mist, it's even more intimidating. 349 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:33,040 It's like the mountain is hiding its secrets, 350 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:34,840 waiting to catch me unawares. 351 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,960 I'm glad John's climbed Ben Nevis nearly 100 times. 352 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:49,560 So, Adam, I think we'll just stop up here and put our harness 353 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:53,760 and helmets on and get roped up. 354 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:01,520 Right. 355 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:04,800 Things are getting a little bit more serious. 356 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,320 And I am feeling a bit apprehensive. 357 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,120 It seems that this journey up the mountain, for me it's all new. 358 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:15,200 It's a complete education. 359 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,400 So you're going to look after me, John, aren't you? 360 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,200 We're going to look after one another. 361 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,840 It's not long before it becomes all too clear why we've roped up. 362 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:31,320 Goodness me, John. 363 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:33,600 It looks like we've come to a mass of cliffs. 364 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,280 Is this a bit of a dead-end? 365 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:39,040 It can look that way with the abyss here in front of us, 366 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,760 - but we're actually going to cross the gully further up. - Yeah. 367 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,720 Then we're going to traverse round underneath this big steep cliff 368 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,800 - and all the way round. - OK. 369 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:49,560 - That looks pretty serious down there. - OK. 370 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,640 Just make sure you get your feet in good, solid footholds 371 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:57,000 as you come round there. 372 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:05,160 Ledge Route was first opened up in 1893 by some of the pioneers 373 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:06,840 of British mountaineering. 374 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,440 We're walking in the footsteps of giants. 375 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,360 The route combines scrambles, traverses and climbs... 376 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:17,680 There's some loose blocks there. 377 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,680 ..which is why mountaineers view this as a real classic. 378 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,280 - Right. - OK. 379 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:28,240 Until now, at least I've been able to see where I'm going. 380 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:32,920 OK, climb when you're ready. 381 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,600 Just step up to your left there. 382 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:37,760 But as the cloud closes in, 383 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:40,840 it's like the mountain is toying with us. 384 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,200 - More exposed here. - OK. 385 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:47,360 - Blimey. - Right. 386 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:53,040 This is quite a ridge. 387 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,240 The swirling mist obscures my view, suddenly opening up to reveal 388 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,080 the hidden, terrifying drops on either side. 389 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:05,280 - We'll just stay a little bit away from the edge there. - Yeah. 390 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:07,120 Good idea. 391 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:08,960 There's some great drops down there. 392 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:11,680 OK. 393 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,360 Crikey, don't want to drop down there. 394 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,320 It's with some relief that we make it off the ridge 395 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:22,800 and onto the plateau. 396 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,280 I'm no mountaineer yet, but I feel it's quite an achievement to have 397 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,200 come along that ridge. 398 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:36,240 And now the top of Ben Nevis is not far away. 399 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:40,960 Groping our way through the mist, 400 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,240 we could be the only people on the mountain. 401 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,680 But Ben Nevis has yet another secret to reveal. 402 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:53,760 Goodness me, John! 403 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,360 We come round the corner from a desolate mountainside 404 00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:58,800 with no people and now there's quite a crowd. 405 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:03,800 What's going on? 406 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:08,520 Well, this is the Ben Nevis Hill Race. It's an annual event. 407 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:10,880 Oh, my word. Cause an accident. 408 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,840 'Suddenly I feel a little...overdressed.' 409 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,160 They're going at a fair old pace, aren't they? 410 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,480 That's the way to go, isn't it? 411 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:21,600 How long does it take them to run up and run down? 412 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,240 Er, quicker than us! 413 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,800 HE LAUGHS 414 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,800 That's all very well, but they haven't had to climb 415 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:31,240 the northeast face. 416 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:35,280 They ran up the walkers' route instead. That has to be cheating. 417 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:41,440 Apparently, 400 people take part every year and the top runners 418 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:46,560 will climb to the summit and race back down in just over 90 minutes! 419 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:47,800 Astonishing! 420 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:51,760 Let's go and put my hand on this final summit. 421 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,840 The mountain has one final secret, 422 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:59,400 one that even those who make this most demanding of ascents 423 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,160 often fail to discover. 424 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:05,760 What are all these rocky shapes in the mist then, John? 425 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,840 They're old ruins of the weather observatory, 426 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,440 meteorological observatory, 427 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,960 that was up here from 1883 until 1904. 428 00:25:15,120 --> 00:25:18,120 That was when the Victorians' excitement with science 429 00:25:18,120 --> 00:25:19,560 reached fever pitch. 430 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,440 Then this weather station was intended to reveal 431 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,240 the secrets of the Earth's atmosphere. 432 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,880 21 years it was manned all the time, storms all sorts of things, yeah. 433 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,320 Quite an experience living up here doing that. 434 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,160 Hmm, I think I know why they shut it down. 435 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,280 1883 - 436 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,160 cloudy, cold. 437 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,320 1884 - 438 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,520 cloudy, cold. 439 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,280 1885 - cold, cloudy. 440 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:55,000 Finally, I've reached the top, the highest point in Britain. 441 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:58,880 - Hey, hey. - Well done. 442 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,680 - Thank you for looking after me. - Not at all. 443 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:03,120 Well done. 444 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:05,160 - The route OK? - Not too bad. Not too bad. 445 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:06,760 Just got to get back down again now. 446 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,560 I think I can feel the sun coming out. 447 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:17,160 'It seems wishful thinking...' 448 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:19,080 The mist is clearing. 449 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:23,040 '..but as we descend, the mountain reveals what's been hidden.' 450 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:28,240 - Beautiful! What a view. - Loch Linnhe, Loch Eil. 451 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,160 Fort William is where? 452 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,680 - Just down here... - Over there, just over the edge? 453 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,080 - You're just seeing the edge of it. - Beautiful. 454 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,080 And the halfway loch just down here. 455 00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:48,680 Nearly 26 hours after setting off, 456 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:52,080 I'm relieved to be back at the beginning. 457 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:53,600 Well, I have to say, 458 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,640 I was pretty nervous about climbing 459 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:59,480 Ben Nevis, but having done it, I can really understand why 460 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:03,880 mountaineers like John are drawn to these extraordinary places, 461 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:07,960 and I feel quite privileged to have shared the secrets 462 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,520 of the highest mountain in the UK. 463 00:27:20,360 --> 00:27:23,600 If, like us, you're on a hunt for Highland secrets... 464 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,360 It's great to go by foot. 465 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,240 The right to roam in Scotland means you're pretty much free 466 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,760 to explore wherever your legs can take you. 467 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:36,800 But 70-odd years ago, access to areas around Fort William 468 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:38,360 was tightly restricted. 469 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:47,280 Even locals had to carry passes and paperwork. 470 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:50,280 Because this was a landscape in lockdown. 471 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,320 That's because, during the Second World War, 472 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:57,360 this area of the Highlands became a top secret training ground. 473 00:27:57,360 --> 00:28:01,960 The rugged terrain was ideal for training a new elite force. 474 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:04,920 The Commandos. 475 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:16,000 From 1940 onwards, men tested their mettle in these mountains. 476 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:19,080 The Great Glen and the surrounding area rang with 477 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:23,960 gunfire as Commando warfare was invented here in secret. 478 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:27,360 I tell you what, having climbed up Ben Nevis, using that as their 479 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:31,280 training ground, these guys must have been as tough as old boots. 480 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,200 But the Commandos weren't the first military figures 481 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,520 to operate in this part of the Highlands. 482 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:46,400 250 years ago, the king's troops were combing the hills 483 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:48,880 and glens for an enemy of the state. 484 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,880 Now, somewhere around here, so the story goes, 485 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:57,160 is the secret hiding place of the Young Pretender to the 486 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:00,440 British Throne - Bonnie Prince Charlie. 487 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,120 - What we've got to do is try and find it. - Yes. 488 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,600 The grandson of James II, Britain's last Catholic king, 489 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:14,680 Bonnie Prince Charlie vowed to overthrow George II, a Protestant. 490 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,280 But the prince's rebellion was to end in defeat 491 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:20,960 at the Battle of Culloden. 492 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:27,440 Branded a traitor, the Bonnie Prince was forced to flee. 493 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,480 Pursued by the government's redcoats, he took refuge in a succession 494 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:35,520 of caves and other hideaways right across the Highlands. 495 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:41,240 One of those secret hiding places is reputed to be nearby. 496 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:44,800 - Oh, look at this. - Wow. 497 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:47,600 - Wow, this is a good one. - Spectacular! 498 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:50,840 - Lovely, isn't it? - Yeah. 499 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,400 - Right, let's get the map out. - Are we anywhere near? 500 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:58,800 Well, if my map-reading's correct, I reckon this cave 501 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:02,480 must be up behind the waterfall there somewhere. 502 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:06,200 So, as much as you'd like to go for a swim, maybe we should get on. 503 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:07,240 Another time. 504 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,080 Today, this is all Forestry Commission land. 505 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,560 These trees are new growth. 506 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:20,440 But back in 1745, this was all open moor. 507 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:23,880 Swarming with redcoats, it would provide scant comfort 508 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,080 for a pampered prince on the run. 509 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,120 BATTLE CRY 510 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:31,000 But making his way from one hiding place to another, 511 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,120 the Young Pretender wrote his name into the very fabric 512 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:35,880 of the Highland landscape. 513 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:41,160 Now, Ellie, according to the map, 514 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,800 this cave that Bonnie Prince Charlie hid away in, 515 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,040 - is somewhere up there. - Let's crack on, these midges are killing me. 516 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:48,400 They're horrible, aren't they? 517 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:57,200 - It could well be up here, that view's amazing. - It is, isn't it? 518 00:30:57,200 --> 00:30:59,280 - You could see the enemy coming. - Yeah, 519 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:00,720 and he was running for his life. 520 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:06,080 It's got to be round here somewhere. 521 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:10,560 There's a bit of a hole there. 522 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:14,400 That's a foxhole, that's not going to fit Bonnie Prince Charlie 523 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,440 - in there. - HE LAUGHS 524 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,720 Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm wrong. 525 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:22,240 - Are we going up? - Yeah, let's go up here. 526 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,200 - Ohh. - Look, that is. - Yeah, you're right. 527 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,760 It's the back of the cave. It's tiny, isn't it? 528 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,800 SHE LAUGHS Good hiding place. 529 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:34,240 - You'd never be discovered in there. - Go on, climb in. 530 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:36,560 - No creature comforts. After you. - HE LAUGHS 531 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,280 You're the red-headed Celt. 532 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,600 - THEY LAUGH - Go on. - All right. 533 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:44,480 Crumbs. 534 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:47,680 If you did get discovered though, 535 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:50,520 - you've got no way of running away. - No. 536 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,760 You're just stuck in here. 537 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:54,520 Come on, Ellie, there's room for two. 538 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:56,880 - There isn't. - You can be my guard. 539 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,000 Look at this. How the mighty fall. 540 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,400 - He went from leading men to living in a... - I know, on the run. 541 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,240 ..a tiny hovel like this. 542 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:07,560 - At least the midges aren't coming in. - That's a bonus. 543 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,680 Looking on the bright side. 544 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:13,480 - He didn't bother scratching his name on the wall, did he? - No, he didn't. 545 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:19,320 He did have a good view, though. 546 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:22,400 He certainly did. 547 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:25,360 Although he didn't have much time to look at it. He had to keep running. 548 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:26,880 True enough. 549 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:28,520 Shame I didn't bring some whisky. 550 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,400 Only these mountains now know whether Bonnie Prince Charlie 551 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,960 really stood here, scanning for signs of pursuit. 552 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,560 But he did spend five months on the run, 553 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,680 scrambling from one bolt hole to the next, 554 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:49,840 before eventually escaping to France...never to return. 555 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:59,040 He has, however, become a figure of romantic legend 556 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:02,000 and I must admit, I'm keen to see what other secrets 557 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,160 might be associated with the prince's adventures here. 558 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:09,960 Ah, Ellie, you're not alone. 559 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:14,120 Romance, legend and drama draw millions of tourists 560 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:15,920 to Scotland every year. 561 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:22,720 Amongst the sights they come to see...are islands like Skye. 562 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:28,800 Peaks like Ben Nevis. 563 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:35,200 And the mythological depths of places like Loch Ness. 564 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:41,080 However, there is one problem many visitors face. 565 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:44,520 The mountains make it difficult terrain to travel through. 566 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:47,280 And in the Highlands, the wiggly routes make it difficult 567 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:49,960 to visualise where everything is. 568 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,720 What you're trying to say is, people get lost. 569 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:56,440 Indeed, but there is a secret solution to this problem, 570 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:58,520 one which you've tipped us off about. 571 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:04,040 The secret's to be found in Eddleston, near Peebles, 572 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:06,160 in the grounds of this hotel. 573 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:14,120 Hunt around and you'll come across an incredible guide 574 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:15,680 to Scottish geography. 575 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,840 One which Keith Burns stumbled across completely by accident 576 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:24,640 when he was visiting the hotel in 1996. 577 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:29,920 I walked into this clearing and saw this pit, 578 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:32,720 full of undergrowth, it was a jungle. 579 00:34:32,720 --> 00:34:34,600 And looking down into the undergrowth, 580 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:37,120 I thought I saw a shape that looked like the Mull of Galloway 581 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:39,720 because the Mull of Galloway's a very characteristic shape. 582 00:34:39,720 --> 00:34:41,800 I thought, no, I'm imagining things. 583 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,960 This is silly. But if that's the Mull of Galloway, 584 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:49,440 there should be an island where the Isle of Arran is. 585 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:52,800 And I walked in the direction of where Arran would be 586 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,040 and I found the Isle of Arran. 587 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:58,400 Ten minutes later, having walked over Ben Nevis 588 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:02,480 and the northwest Highlands, I was at Cape Wrath. 589 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:05,080 Absolutely astonished to have realised that 590 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:08,680 this was a three-dimensional topographic model 591 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,240 of the whole of Scotland. I was absolutely stunned. 592 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:16,800 What Keith had stumbled upon was this... 593 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:20,320 the largest three-dimensional map in the world. 594 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:29,000 Incredibly it had been lost, completely overgrown, 595 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:33,200 a secret hidden in the grounds of the hotel and ignored for years. 596 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,720 It had been commissioned by this man, Jan Tomasik, 597 00:35:38,720 --> 00:35:41,080 the hotel's owner in the 1970s. 598 00:35:42,720 --> 00:35:46,200 Originally from Poland, Jan was stationed in Scotland 599 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:51,520 and fought in Normandy during World War II. He never went home. 600 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:54,160 Confronted with queries about Scottish geography 601 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:59,120 from his hotel guests, Jan built this enormous map in the grounds. 602 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:04,080 Sadly, he was forced to sell the hotel before it was completed 603 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:05,920 and the project was abandoned. 604 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,240 Condemned to disappear in the undergrowth for years. 605 00:36:11,720 --> 00:36:14,320 Since rediscovering it, Keith has raised funds 606 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:18,080 and an army of volunteers to complete Jan Tomasik's vision. 607 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:23,680 Having been overgrown, there's still work to do. 608 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:29,520 But the map is already a testament to its Polish creator's amazing vision. 609 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,200 That's thanks to its original design, 610 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:36,640 scaled down to the millimetre by architectural students. 611 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:43,000 For a one-in-10,000 scale 3D map, the accuracy I find quite amazing. 612 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:49,040 Keith's team hope the map will become a tourist attraction 613 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:52,600 in its own right, one which celebrates the secret links 614 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:55,120 between Scotland and Poland. 615 00:36:56,880 --> 00:37:02,760 The connections between Poland and Scotland go back 400 years or so. 616 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:07,120 Initially, there were a lot of Scottish immigrants to Poland, 617 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:10,800 merchants, mercenaries, craftsmen, 618 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:14,040 and Bonnie Prince Charlie's mother was Polish. 619 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:18,040 So the importance of the map is about the connections 620 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:21,040 between the Polish and Scottish people. 621 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:25,320 The eventual aim is to flood the pit, as Tomasik intended, 622 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,120 so that the water forms the lochs and seas 623 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:31,880 that give Scotland her distinctive shape and character. 624 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:36,080 We hope we can leave the map in the state 625 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:39,440 that Jan Tomasik would be pleased with. 626 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:44,480 And then hopefully there'll be enough local community involvement 627 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:48,120 that it'll be adopted and looked after for the future. 628 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,880 Your insights have revealed many secrets 629 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:11,840 as we've travelled around Britain. 630 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:14,560 But now I'm following my own instincts. 631 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:18,080 My quest to discover more about Bonnie Prince Charlie 632 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:21,880 has led me to an isolated spot on the west coast of Scotland. 633 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:28,080 Bonnie Prince Charlie landed just across the water from here 634 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:31,320 in the summer of 1745. 635 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:34,960 He'd sailed from France to begin a battle not just for the control 636 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,840 of the country but for its very soul. 637 00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:46,960 It was a time of huge religious conflict, 638 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,320 when kings were crowned as much for their religion 639 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:50,880 as for their ancestry. 640 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:56,280 The Highlands were a Catholic stronghold, 641 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:59,800 making them a natural power base for Bonnie Prince Charlie's attempt 642 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:03,760 to overthrow the Protestant King George II. 643 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,840 However, when the Young Pretender's rebellion failed 644 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,800 his supporters here would pay a bloody price. 645 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:14,440 New fortresses were built across the Highlands, 646 00:39:14,440 --> 00:39:17,560 garrisons for thousands of the king's men. 647 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:21,800 Catholicism was outlawed. 648 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,520 The clans were brutally suppressed. 649 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:28,280 Even the wearing of tartan was banned. 650 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:31,800 Anyone who raised a voice at the draconian measures 651 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:33,560 was ruthlessly dealt with. 652 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:40,280 But the battle for the soul of the Highlands continued...in secret. 653 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:46,000 Facing the complete loss of their culture, 654 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:49,800 Catholic Scots established a network of secret hiding places 655 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:53,600 across the Highlands, to train new priests. 656 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:57,200 From locations disguised to look like innocent farm houses, 657 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,120 priests would disperse across the countryside. 658 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:01,960 They slept rough in the heather, 659 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:04,480 giving them their name, heather priests. 660 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:08,120 Constantly on the move to avoid detection by the authorities. 661 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:17,320 I've joined writer Ann Lindsay to walk to one of the communities 662 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:20,160 that relied on these so-called heather priests 663 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:22,920 to keep their faith alive. 664 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:26,480 It's so remote that even now the only way to get there 665 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:28,440 is by boat or on foot. 666 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:31,920 Wow, they're, sort of, revealed to you all of a sudden, these houses. 667 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:34,880 - I know, it's like a little secret village. - Yeah. 668 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:38,040 And there's more, you know, just round the corner and spread around. 669 00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:40,200 Some are still ruined. 670 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:42,080 But no church? 671 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:48,400 No church because this was the time when Catholicism almost died out. 672 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:52,000 So how did people who were Catholic take mass? 673 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:54,200 Well, somehow the word would have gone around 674 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:56,680 and so everybody would gather, down on the beach, 675 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:59,320 because the heather priest had to be able to leave very fast 676 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:02,920 and there's a story, how 1,000 people gathered 677 00:41:02,920 --> 00:41:06,440 right down on the beach to hear mass. 678 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:08,920 This hamlet is a time capsule, 679 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:12,600 it remains much as it was in those dark days. 680 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:17,440 The people here lived in fear of reprisal 681 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:20,520 but it was the heather priests who were most at risk. 682 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:23,320 They knew that the mere act of holding a mass 683 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:27,320 - could result in brutal punishment. - SCREAMING 684 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:32,520 If they were caught the first time, practising mass, 685 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:34,720 the heather priest would be banished. 686 00:41:34,720 --> 00:41:36,960 The second time, they would be executed. 687 00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:49,760 Eventually their faith won through. 688 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:52,320 As the perceived threat the Highlanders posed 689 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:56,920 to the Crown receded, the Acts that banned Catholicism were repealed. 690 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:02,280 The clouds that hung over this remote hamlet disappeared, 691 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:05,880 to be replaced by a sense of timelessness and magic. 692 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:13,120 I've written about all sorts of secret and mystical places, 693 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:17,040 and of all the places that I've found, this is my favourite. 694 00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:22,240 - It is absolutely like a little lost world. - Wonderful. Wonderful! 695 00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:29,400 It's a stunning spot, an unlikely front-line in a secret battle 696 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:31,400 for the soul of the Highlands. 697 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:36,720 The heather priests have long since faded into history 698 00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:40,040 but it's wonderful to wander in their secret steps. 699 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:50,280 Thanks to your suggestions, we're uncovering all sorts of secrets 700 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,480 as we're exploring the Highlands. 701 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:57,480 From the mountain highs, to the depths of its lochs, 702 00:42:57,480 --> 00:43:00,040 you've inspired us to take a fresh look 703 00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:02,960 at some of Britain's most glorious countryside. 704 00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:07,400 Now, you can take the boy out of the farm... 705 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:09,720 But you can't take farming out of the boy. 706 00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:14,880 Yes, there's one story that piqued my farming interest. 707 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:19,560 You know, the last thing I expected to find in the Scottish Highlands 708 00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:23,960 was this, an American-style cattle ranch. 709 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:25,000 Yee-ha! 710 00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:33,280 People have always struggled to bring large scale agriculture 711 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:35,240 to the Highlands. 712 00:43:35,240 --> 00:43:37,960 With steep slopes and large areas of bog, 713 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:42,520 the land hasn't leant itself to the kind of mixed farms like mine. 714 00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:48,160 Instead these mountains have largely been the preserve of sheep, 715 00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:52,600 which flourish despite the difficult conditions. 716 00:43:52,600 --> 00:43:57,480 So what possessed anybody to try and establish a cattle ranch here? 717 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:06,320 I mean, it's a vision of the Midwest that even has a cowboy and a cowgirl. 718 00:44:06,320 --> 00:44:10,120 It's all thanks to an extraordinary character called Joe Hobbs, 719 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:12,600 a Brit who'd ranched in Canada. 720 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:17,480 I'm meeting the present-day owners, Paolo and Elspeth Berardelli, 721 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:19,040 to find out more. 722 00:44:19,040 --> 00:44:22,560 Hobbs had a bit of a vision that this land could produce a lot more. 723 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:24,760 It was relatively unproductive, I think. 724 00:44:24,760 --> 00:44:27,880 It had some sheep on it but he saw the land as very similar 725 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:32,240 to the land that he'd ranched in Alberta and he decided to buy it. 726 00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:35,840 He transformed the place, draining it, doing all sorts, you know. 727 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:38,000 And these are some of the pictures, are they? 728 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:41,360 Yeah, this is the ranch in it's...in its heyday, so... 729 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:44,240 Here they are bringing in the cattle into our yards, 730 00:44:44,240 --> 00:44:47,440 which are still very much as they were then. 731 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:48,840 Wonderful, isn't it? 732 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:54,000 Hobbs' massive project was designed to turn the boggy, 733 00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:58,080 tussock-covered land of the Highlands into grassy pastures, 734 00:44:58,080 --> 00:45:01,040 capable of producing enough good-quality feed 735 00:45:01,040 --> 00:45:04,120 for a large herd of cattle during the long winter months. 736 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:12,320 And in 1950s Scotland, it was a revolutionary idea. 737 00:45:14,760 --> 00:45:18,120 Ever the showman, Joe Hobbs convinced Pathe News 738 00:45:18,120 --> 00:45:21,360 to feature his audacious project. 739 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:24,360 - ANNOUNCER: - Starting with a herd of 70 Angus Herefords, 740 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:26,840 JW Hobbs, a Briton who once ranched in Canada, 741 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:29,960 has raised his stock in seven years to over 1,000. 742 00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:34,840 And all on land where men thought no sizeable herd could ever find feed. 743 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:38,680 All the Scottish cattlemen had to wear tam-o'-shanters and... 744 00:45:38,680 --> 00:45:41,160 everything on horseback, riding around. 745 00:45:41,160 --> 00:45:43,880 I think it was quite...it must have been quite a sight, you know? 746 00:45:43,880 --> 00:45:47,640 And a lot of people, they had a lot, a lot of men working on the place. 747 00:45:53,080 --> 00:45:56,440 The family still uses horses to help wrangle the cattle. 748 00:45:56,440 --> 00:46:01,280 So I'm joining Anna and Fergus for a Wild West-style round up. 749 00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:04,720 Come on, horse! Walk on, walk on. 750 00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:06,840 Come on, horse. And, er... 751 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:11,600 HE LAUGHS 752 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:16,480 I'm not quite as nimble as the children, 753 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:18,440 who are already showing me up. 754 00:46:18,440 --> 00:46:20,400 And, er, there we go. 755 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:24,520 And, thankfully, I've got a lovely steady Highland pony 756 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:27,720 to look after me. Walk on, then so I can get my foot in. 757 00:46:27,720 --> 00:46:33,320 Oh, hello! Ah, it's all gone wrong. HE LAUGHS 758 00:46:34,440 --> 00:46:38,680 We're off to round up some cattle that have strayed from the main herd. 759 00:46:38,680 --> 00:46:41,640 Wait for me. Tck-tck, tck-tck. 760 00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:57,400 Heyup, hup-hup-hup-hup-hup-hup. 761 00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:00,160 WHISTLING 762 00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:03,680 At least I look at home on the range... 763 00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:06,360 ..if not on a horse. 764 00:47:07,720 --> 00:47:09,560 This is absolutely brilliant. 765 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:13,560 I have to let you into a secret. When I was a boy, I wanted to be a cowboy, 766 00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:16,960 but on a motorbike...cos I'm rubbish on a horse. 767 00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:18,480 Come on, then, walk on. 768 00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:22,720 WHISTLING 769 00:47:22,720 --> 00:47:26,160 At the moment, Anna's rounding up the cattle... 770 00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:29,040 and Fergus is rounding up...me. 771 00:47:29,040 --> 00:47:32,280 - He's a bit of a plodder. - Go on, walk on. 772 00:47:32,280 --> 00:47:33,920 Ferg', watch that one. 773 00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:37,960 Well, it's not exactly been Blazing Saddles 774 00:47:37,960 --> 00:47:42,280 but after just over an hour, we've reunited the herd. 775 00:47:42,280 --> 00:47:44,120 Great job, team! 776 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:49,160 Now, I'm looking forward to those cowboy staples - coffee and beans. 777 00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:51,800 Living the dream. Living the dream. 778 00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:53,680 Shall we head back to the ranch? 779 00:47:53,680 --> 00:47:57,880 Let's go, horses roll. Tck-tck, tck-tck. Come on. 780 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:12,560 This big country invites those with grand schemes to make their mark. 781 00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:18,680 The mighty Caledonian Canal links the lochs together, 782 00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:21,080 making a secret watery highway, 783 00:48:21,080 --> 00:48:24,680 its epic scale only appreciated from the air. 784 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:30,480 Surrounding this waterway, rock rises up in grand salute. 785 00:48:36,440 --> 00:48:39,720 Yet in the midst of all this majestic landscape 786 00:48:39,720 --> 00:48:45,200 is a hidden Highland secret that's very human and deeply personal. 787 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:48,400 Which is why I've come to the Black Isle, near Inverness 788 00:48:48,400 --> 00:48:52,120 at the northern end of the Great Glen. 789 00:48:52,120 --> 00:48:55,760 When we asked you to share your secret places with us, 790 00:48:55,760 --> 00:48:58,640 we heard about a rather mysterious tradition. 791 00:48:58,640 --> 00:49:02,680 Now a cloot in Scots is a piece of cloth, like this. 792 00:49:02,680 --> 00:49:06,440 And somehow these cloots are tied up with a secret, 793 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:11,160 intensely private ritual, at something called a clootie well. 794 00:49:15,200 --> 00:49:19,400 I know the tradition is something to do with hanging cloots, or cloths, 795 00:49:19,400 --> 00:49:21,000 in a tree. 796 00:49:21,000 --> 00:49:25,960 Whatever it is, there's a distinctly otherworldly feel to this place, 797 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:31,520 created by an ancient custom sitting side-by-side with our modern world. 798 00:49:31,520 --> 00:49:33,720 Wow, there's more revealing themselves. 799 00:49:33,720 --> 00:49:36,640 Oh, they're quite far flung from the path, 800 00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:39,280 they're all out across the trees. 801 00:49:40,960 --> 00:49:44,920 Clearly, whatever tradition was going on years ago, 802 00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:46,840 is still very much alive today. 803 00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:49,280 Goodness. 804 00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:56,320 They're certainly increasing in number...everywhere you look. 805 00:49:56,320 --> 00:49:59,000 Oh, my word, look at this. 806 00:49:59,000 --> 00:50:01,520 It feels like the whole wood is full of them. 807 00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:07,720 Every branch...is covered. 808 00:50:07,720 --> 00:50:10,360 It looks a bit like a festival from years ago 809 00:50:10,360 --> 00:50:11,960 and everything's just been left. 810 00:50:16,440 --> 00:50:19,120 I've arranged to meet Dr Alix Powers-Jones, 811 00:50:19,120 --> 00:50:22,960 who's going to reveal the ritual of the Clootie Well. 812 00:50:22,960 --> 00:50:27,320 - Hi, Alix. - Hello. - There's even more of them. - They're everywhere. 813 00:50:27,320 --> 00:50:31,240 - It never ends. So this is the Clootie Well, then? - It is. 814 00:50:31,240 --> 00:50:34,360 - Right, what's that all about? - The Clootie Well's all about the water. 815 00:50:34,360 --> 00:50:36,440 It's in fact not a well, it's a spring 816 00:50:36,440 --> 00:50:38,520 that comes out underneath the hill. 817 00:50:38,520 --> 00:50:42,440 - How long have people been coming here? - It's a pre-Christian, Iron Age 818 00:50:42,440 --> 00:50:45,280 Celtic tradition, so potentially thousands of years. 819 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:48,000 And people came to ask for something. 820 00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:52,040 - So it's all for good luck? - More likely for this particular spring, 821 00:50:52,040 --> 00:50:54,120 it was about the health of children. 822 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:57,800 What they would do is they would dip their rag in the water, 823 00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:01,080 say you'd got a headache, they would rub it on your head 824 00:51:01,080 --> 00:51:03,400 and then they would tie the cloot to a branch. 825 00:51:03,400 --> 00:51:07,720 So instead of you decaying, you being ill, or dying, 826 00:51:07,720 --> 00:51:09,760 it was the rag that would decay. 827 00:51:11,560 --> 00:51:14,800 Once, the neighbouring road would have been a pilgrims' route. 828 00:51:14,800 --> 00:51:16,960 Now, it's the A832. 829 00:51:19,720 --> 00:51:22,640 But the well still attracts visitors in the know, 830 00:51:22,640 --> 00:51:25,920 which is why there are cloots as far as the eye can see. 831 00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:30,960 Why do you think people still come, 832 00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:32,880 even though we've got the Health Service? 833 00:51:32,880 --> 00:51:36,080 It's like any superstition. Why do you not go under a ladder? 834 00:51:36,080 --> 00:51:38,080 Why do you throw a coin in a well? 835 00:51:38,080 --> 00:51:41,520 It's exactly that same persistence of old traditions, 836 00:51:41,520 --> 00:51:45,800 - old superstitions. - You can see all these trees are completely covered. 837 00:51:45,800 --> 00:51:49,080 - Where is the well? - The well, the spring is actually down 838 00:51:49,080 --> 00:51:51,480 nearer the road, do we want to go and have a look? 839 00:51:51,480 --> 00:51:53,000 Yeah, let's take a look. 840 00:52:02,400 --> 00:52:05,520 - Yes, that's not much of a well. - No, it's definitely a spring. 841 00:52:05,520 --> 00:52:08,880 - THEY LAUGH - But people left rags, cloots. 842 00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:12,320 We think of rags as almost worthless. 843 00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:16,080 But certainly a couple of hundred years ago or 1,000 years ago, 844 00:52:16,080 --> 00:52:19,240 cloth was very valuable. You perhaps had only one skirt 845 00:52:19,240 --> 00:52:21,120 and a pinafore and a top. 846 00:52:21,120 --> 00:52:25,440 If you had a cloot that you cooked in, that you prepared puddings 847 00:52:25,440 --> 00:52:29,120 or dumplings in, it would be passed from mother to daughter. 848 00:52:29,120 --> 00:52:34,200 They were valuable things. So to give it away, to hang it in a tree 849 00:52:34,200 --> 00:52:36,480 and to say, "I'm not having it any more," 850 00:52:36,480 --> 00:52:39,480 - was a significant thing to do. - You wanted a wish in return. 851 00:52:39,480 --> 00:52:41,720 - You wanted something in return. - Absolutely. 852 00:52:41,720 --> 00:52:44,400 - And to that end, do you have a cloot with you? - I do. - Right. 853 00:52:44,400 --> 00:52:46,880 - I have a cloot with me in my pocket, there we go. - OK. 854 00:52:46,880 --> 00:52:49,720 - I shall leave you to your moment. - Thank you. - Thanks very much, Alix. 855 00:52:49,720 --> 00:52:51,160 - Thank you. - Bye-bye. Bye. 856 00:53:03,680 --> 00:53:08,080 The secret traditions of our ancient ancestors are still very much alive 857 00:53:08,080 --> 00:53:10,560 in this shrine to healing. 858 00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:14,760 It seems hope springs eternal in the human heart. 859 00:53:19,080 --> 00:53:24,200 Your suggestions have inspired us to take a journey round the Great Glen. 860 00:53:24,200 --> 00:53:27,600 And it's revealed all sorts of secrets, from the mysterious... 861 00:53:27,600 --> 00:53:31,840 At first I thought it was two eels. But...it wasn't. 862 00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:34,640 - To the mystifying... - At least the midges aren't coming in. 863 00:53:34,640 --> 00:53:38,440 - Looking on the bright side. - That's good. 864 00:53:38,440 --> 00:53:40,920 But now we're in search of the magical. 865 00:53:42,320 --> 00:53:43,720 I reckon we're nearly there. 866 00:53:43,720 --> 00:53:46,440 - There's a bit of a clearing on this corner. - Yeah. 867 00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:48,480 Got to be a view from there, hasn't there? 868 00:53:48,480 --> 00:53:51,320 - I'm not going to look until the last second. - Don't look, don't look! 869 00:53:51,320 --> 00:53:55,680 - Are you ready? Wait for it. Wow! - What a view! 870 00:53:58,120 --> 00:54:01,360 That's really incredible with the mountains just falling down 871 00:54:01,360 --> 00:54:02,880 into the loch. 872 00:54:08,760 --> 00:54:12,240 This is the Glenfinnan Viaduct. 873 00:54:12,240 --> 00:54:14,320 Completed in 1898, 874 00:54:14,320 --> 00:54:18,880 it was the largest concrete engineering project in Britain. 875 00:54:22,720 --> 00:54:24,600 And over 100 years later, 876 00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:28,880 the 21-arch construction still takes the breath away. 877 00:54:28,880 --> 00:54:31,920 - That's glorious, isn't it? - It really is. 878 00:54:31,920 --> 00:54:36,520 - I don't think I could dream up a view as good as that. - Incredible. 879 00:54:36,520 --> 00:54:39,440 Overlooking the magnificent Loch Shiel, 880 00:54:39,440 --> 00:54:44,240 the viaduct owes much of its recent fame to a certain boy wizard. 881 00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:52,920 Can you just hear that there coming? 882 00:54:52,920 --> 00:54:55,640 I can, yeah. APPROACHING TRAIN 883 00:54:55,640 --> 00:54:58,640 - Look, I can see the steam. - Oh, yeah, yeah! 884 00:54:58,640 --> 00:55:00,200 Oh, wow! 885 00:55:05,920 --> 00:55:10,480 - The Hogwarts Express! Harry Potter rides again. - Yeah! 886 00:55:10,480 --> 00:55:13,200 - A train full of wizards. - HE LAUGHS 887 00:55:14,480 --> 00:55:17,240 Oh, what are we doing up here? We should be on it. 888 00:55:17,240 --> 00:55:20,280 Well, you're always calling me an old witch, let's see what I can do. 889 00:55:20,280 --> 00:55:22,440 BELL CHIMES Goodness me, here we are. 890 00:55:22,440 --> 00:55:24,160 You really have got magical powers. 891 00:55:24,160 --> 00:55:26,880 I told you I was a witch and you will be nice to me, 892 00:55:26,880 --> 00:55:29,440 or I'll turn you into a frog. 893 00:55:29,440 --> 00:55:31,280 - This is amazing. - Look at this. 894 00:55:31,280 --> 00:55:33,400 The views are still good from here. 895 00:55:33,400 --> 00:55:35,840 In fact, this carriage is where they filmed. 896 00:55:35,840 --> 00:55:38,760 - I'm sitting where Harry Potter sat. - You are Ron Weasley. 897 00:55:38,760 --> 00:55:41,240 I am him. SHE LAUGHS 898 00:55:41,240 --> 00:55:44,560 I'm not quite Hermione but I'll do my best. 899 00:55:52,200 --> 00:55:56,400 The real secret of this train isn't starring as the Hogwarts Express 900 00:55:56,400 --> 00:55:57,840 for Harry Potter. 901 00:55:59,320 --> 00:56:03,280 The revelation is the glorious countryside it passes. 902 00:56:03,280 --> 00:56:06,240 Views which cast their own magic spell. 903 00:56:09,760 --> 00:56:13,280 It also has a surprising past. 904 00:56:13,280 --> 00:56:15,840 What was this train originally used for then? Do you know? 905 00:56:15,840 --> 00:56:18,560 So, this line was originally built to transport the herring 906 00:56:18,560 --> 00:56:20,520 - down to London. - Oh, right. 907 00:56:20,520 --> 00:56:22,880 Now, I think, it's just tourists, tourists, tourists, 908 00:56:22,880 --> 00:56:25,160 enjoying these incredible views. 909 00:56:25,160 --> 00:56:28,240 Running between Fort William, at the foot of Ben Nevis 910 00:56:28,240 --> 00:56:33,040 and Mallaig, where ferries depart for Skye and the Outer Hebrides, 911 00:56:33,040 --> 00:56:36,360 the track unites mountains and the sea. 912 00:56:37,760 --> 00:56:41,080 Well, it's a lot easier than walking up Ben Nevis, I can tell you. 913 00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:42,320 That's for sure. 914 00:56:47,960 --> 00:56:52,000 Oh, there's some beaches. That is beautiful. 915 00:56:52,000 --> 00:56:54,240 There's barely a soul, it's lovely. 916 00:56:57,000 --> 00:56:59,360 The track terminates at the sea. 917 00:56:59,360 --> 00:57:03,760 But our journey through Secret Britain isn't quite over yet. 918 00:57:09,560 --> 00:57:12,400 Ahh, we're here. 919 00:57:12,400 --> 00:57:15,520 - I've got one more secret for you. - All right, come on. 920 00:57:15,520 --> 00:57:19,760 It's a bit of a hike but Adam's secret site is worth the effort. 921 00:57:36,920 --> 00:57:40,840 - This is a beautiful spot to end, isn't it? - It really is. 922 00:57:40,840 --> 00:57:42,920 - I thought you'd like it. - Love this. 923 00:57:42,920 --> 00:57:47,320 For me, you know, those rugged, unforgiving tops of Ben Nevis, 924 00:57:47,320 --> 00:57:51,040 down to the beautiful, tranquil coastline with the sunset 925 00:57:51,040 --> 00:57:53,520 - just couldn't be better. - Mmm. 926 00:57:53,520 --> 00:57:58,160 This is a lovely end. Look at that sun now behind the mountains. 927 00:57:59,600 --> 00:58:01,520 It's beautiful. 928 00:58:01,520 --> 00:58:05,320 People forget how many wonderful places and amazing secrets 929 00:58:05,320 --> 00:58:07,760 - we have across the UK. - Hmm. 930 00:58:07,760 --> 00:58:11,400 - Where next? - Well, we need a few suggestions, don't we? 931 00:58:11,400 --> 00:58:13,280 And that's where you come in. 932 00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:17,920 We'd love you to share your secret places, hidden stories... 933 00:58:17,920 --> 00:58:23,600 - And magical mysteries. - So we can share more of Secret Britain. 934 00:58:23,600 --> 00:58:26,440 Visit our website... 935 00:58:29,240 --> 00:58:30,920 ..to get in touch.