BOOKS, RADIO AND TV
What to read, watch and listen to this month, from Countryfile Diaries to a gripping biography of Thomas Telford.
COUNTRYFILE WINTER DIARIES BBC ONE, 9.15AM MONDAY TO FRIDAY, 13-17 FEBRUARY
Countryfile Winter Diaries shines a light on the dark days and harsh weather of the season. From the stunning scenery of the Trossachs and Loch Lomond National Park, John Craven and the team fan out across the country to discover Britain in all its glory.
At north-west England’s only grey seal breeding colony, the Diaries crew crawl through the shingle to watch as the females wean the new-born pups, suckling them almost without cease for weeks so they can survive a life spent in near-freezing waters.
In Cumbria, at Britain’s oldest working mine, the fascinating and ancient history of rock salt mining is explored, before we hit the road with the gritting team, who use salt to keep traffic moving in the worst weather.
On the slopes, the men and women of Mountain Rescue introduce their search dogs, whose super-sensitive noses can mean the difference between life and death for stranded climbers in winter.
And on a Wiltshire farm, find out how connecting with the land and working with livestock can help disadvantaged children stay on track at school.
The show will also join the debate on how to solve the problem of the 1,500 wild boar in the Forest of Dean, whose activities can encroach on the human population in the area. Closer to home, discover how to create a haven for winter wildlife in your garden and get involved in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. Chloe Rawlings, series producer