THE LAKES
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THE LAKES
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world and meet all sorts of interesting people but I can safely say nowhere compares to this. This is Britain at its most breathtaking, a landscape that combines the majesty of imposing mountains and fells with the tranquillity of its lakes. It’sno wonder 8 million people a year make this Britain’s favourite great escape.”
Rory McGrath
ITV1’s successful series, The Lakes, is back for a brand new run in 2011. In this 12 part series, presenter Rory McGrath returns to bring us another summer in the lives of the characters who live and work in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District – one of the most visited parts of Britain. The Lakes is coming soon to ITV1.
In this series, Rory catches up with some of the people he met on his last trip and also introduces some colourful new characters. We meet Rob Rose, a man with a passion for pigs, or rather micro pigs. Rob is on a mission to breed the perfect pet pigs and we will follow his sows to see if they can deliver the best litter yet. We also meet sailing instructor Joe Pester and his wife Lindy who are preparing for their perfect lakeside wedding - a fitting celebration for their love of the Lake District. We’ll also catch up with hotelier Thomas ‘The Gladiator’ Noblett and his right hand man Andrew ‘The Admiral’ Tighe. Last year we saw Thomas conquer the Windermere two way swim and make a valiant attempt at swimming the English Channel. This year he’s heading for Dover once again and we discover he has another epic challenge lined up.
The Lakes is a Shiver production, presented by Rory McGrath, for ITV1.
The Lakes is coming soon to ITV1
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Jo Blanket Peter Gray
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THE LAKES – EPISODE SYNOPSES
Programme One
In episode one we meet Rob Rose, a man with a passion – for pigs…or rather micro pigs.
With the support of his long-suffering partner Helen, Rob’s spent the last 15 years on a mission to breed the perfect pet pigs and this year we’re with him to see if his sows can deliver the best litter yet.
But the big question is, at the end of the summer when the piglets are old enough to be sold to their new owners, will Rob be able to let them go? He gets so attached to all his pigs that he can’t bear to see them leave the farm.
We also meet Joe and Lyndi Pester as they prepare for what they hope will be a perfect lakeside wedding – a fitting celebration for a courtship based around their love of Ullswater. Joe is a sailing instructor at the Glenridding Sailing Centre and Lyndi works at Ullswater Steamers.
But as the Cumbrian weather kicks in, will they be able to have the wedding of their dreams outside by the water? Or will the famous Lake District rain force them inside?
We’ll also catch up with hotelier Thomas ‘The Gladiator’ Noblett and his right hand man Andrew ‘The Admiral’ Tighe.
Last year we saw Thomas conquer the Windermere two way swim and make a valiant attempt at swimming the English Channel. This year he’s heading for Dover once again and we discover he has another epic challenge, much closer to home, lined up for the summer.
Programme Two
In this second episode we join the thousands of travellers and gypsies who come from all over the country to the Cumbrian town of Appleby for an age old tradition – the Appleby Horse Fair.
Organiser and head of the northern Roma Gypsy Clan, Billy Welch, tells us how important this fair has become to the travelling community over the centuries.
Meanwhile Appleby Vicar Sarah Lunn prepares for any ad hoc baptisms which may be required by the travellers over the week-long event – the baptisms have become as much a tradition of Appleby Fair as the trading of horses.
Over in Ambleside, we pay a visit to B&B owners Sue & Jerry. But theirs is no ordinary B&B – this is an American-themed establishment. New Yorkers who left the rat race and escaped to the Lakes, Sue & Jerry pride themselves on their American breakfasts – especially the pancakes.
Over a decade ago, one of their guests set a Lake District record, eating 12 pancakes in one sitting and today one of their regular guests will attempt to eat himself into their record books.
In last week’s opening episode, we met Joe & Lyndi Pester as they tied the knot beside the lake they love – Ullswater. And today, they start a honeymoon with a difference – taking part in the 200 strong Ullswater sailing regattas.
But as their friends and family wait with the boat, the newlyweds are nowhere to be seen…will they arrive for the start of the race?
Programme Three
In this third programme we’re back at the Langdale Chase Hotel on the banks of Lake Windermere for one of their many weddings. But this wedding is one with a difference – because today, it’s the cousin of general manager Andrew ‘The Admiral’ Tighe who’s tying the knot – so Andrew’s even more nervous than usual on a couple’s big day.
As friends and relations, including Andrew’s mum Carol, arrive at the hotel we see a very different side of Andrew as he tries to make sure he does them proud – but also has to enjoy the wedding as a guest.
But Andrew’s nervous for another reason too. Today’s family wedding means that for the first time, he’s having to leave the hotel’s managing director Thomas ‘The Gladiator’ Noblett without his right hand man on a long-distance swim. As a friend of Thomas’ steps in to help out, Andrew worries about losing his Admiral’s hat – and place as The Gladiator’s trainer and charity companion.
Over at Knipe Tarn, a secluded spot just south of Windermere, we find John and Christine Cunliffe and their sons, Barney and Ben. The beautiful lakeside lodge overlooking the tarn has been in the family for many generations and four years ago it was passed on to John and Christine. But the running costs would make it too expensive to live in, so in order to keep it in the family they have decided to turn it into a luxury five star hotel.
It’s a family affair – the project is also being led by their hotelier son Barney and architect son Ben. It’s something John and Christine are well qualified to oversee. Twenty five years ago, they bought the nearby Gilpin Lodge Hotel which has now built up a reputation as one of the best small hotels in Britain. Barney now runs the hotel and son Ben has overseen recent development. But the timescale for this new project will put family relations to the test - especially as mum Christine is not the type to compromise.
Back on Windermere, we rejoin the lake wardens as they look forward to another busy summer on one of the most beautiful lakes in Britain. But, as we hear, it was a very different story six months earlier when the worst floods in living memory hit the Lake District.
With some incredible footage shot by the wardens, they recall how they helped rescue locals and holidaymakers during the floods as ‘Bowness on the water’ became ‘Bowness underwater’ overnight.
Programme Four
Last year, we joined Gerard Richardson, his wife Dianne and son Luke as they prepared for the tenth annual Whitehaven Festival.
When Gerard’s father passed away the night before the festival, we saw Luke step up to the mark and make the whole family proud with his organisation skills. The show the town hopes will put Whitehaven on the tourist map went without a hitch.
But this saw Whitehaven become the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons as taxi driver Derrick Bird went on a murderous rampage through the town. Within just a few days of the tragic events the Whitehaven festival was due to take place, leaving Gerard and the community with a tough decision to make – should the show go on?
Back in the South Lakes near Lowick, we catch up with micro pig breeder, Rob Rose – the man who can’t bear to say goodbye to the pigs he breeds as pets.
But today he’s taking two mini-boars to the Bowland Wild Boar Park in Lancashire for breeding so that the park can start to introduce micro pigs to their herd.
While he’s there, Rob can’t resist the opportunity to try to get in the paddock with some of the really wild boars. “I don’t think he realises how wild they are,” park manager Joe tells us. But that won’t stop Rob.
Over at Windermere, we return to the boathouse where we find sailing brothers Matt, James and Dan Nield. Their home holds many special memories from their childhoods. But now the family is planning to sell up andthe boys are starting to contemplate a life without their beloved house - and middle brother Matt will have to find somewhere new to base his new sailing school.
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INTERVIEW WITH RORY MCGRATH
What do you enjoy about being involved in the series and what were you looking forward to most about returning for the second series?
My involvement in the first series was so different to the second series. The first series was all about the Lake District itself and I didn’t get to meet the people that the show followed. It was just so wonderful to be there, the first time we were there in late summer/early autumn and it’s just so beautiful and so spectacular, it was very exciting for me.
And this second series was a completely different experience for me. The programme is generally about the people who live and work in the Lake District and even though it was lovely to revisit, the scenery is obviously amazing as ever, I actually got to meet, work and stay with the people in the stories. It was really nice for me as I was actually meeting the people that I had known and talked about in the first series. They are all interesting people, but when you have that constant backdrop of the Lake District it makes it more fascinating.
I remember standing on top of Hallin-Fell, which is above Ullswater, with a member of crew who is an excellent photographer. It was a gorgeous evening, the sun was going down and he just said to me,”Look, if we can’t make this look beautiful, if this can’t be spectacular television, then we should all resign now.” He was right, you just can’t fail.
Had you been to The Lake District beforehand?
It is interesting as I had actually never ever been there before. My parents are from Lancashire, which isn’t that far from there and we use to go for holiday to Lancashire quite a lot and I was brought up in Cornwall which is hilly and rugged moorlands and has nice beaches. I now live in Cambridgeshire in East-Anglia, which is so different from the Lake District, it is completely flat, there are lots of rivers and flood-plains but no hills or mountains. It was absolutely amazing when I first went there. Bizarrely, just after I filmed the first series of The Lakes I then went back to the Lake District for two other programmes which were completely unconnected to The Lakes. So having never been there in my life I was suddenly there three times in as many months. I went from being a complete stranger to the area to someone who could say,”Oh yes, I know Windermere and Ambleside very well. I always seem to be there now.”
Which is your favourite area of the Lake District and is there a particular place that you would always want to return to?
There is one, it’s as you come up the path over into Langdale, on the main road. Suddenly you just go over the edge of this hill and suddenly Langdale is stretching out ahead of you. It’s a stunning valley with the Langdale Heights on the one side of you and we were there on a brilliantly sunny day and you just think, ”Wow.” You just have to stop and get out of the car and say,”Look at this.”
Having said that, there are places like Grasmere and the more remote lakes ones are quite interesting, like Wastwater and Bassenthwaite Lake - they’re away from the tourist trap. To be honest though if I was going back to the Lakes, I couldn’t go back there and not call on the Nobletts at the Langdale Chase Hotel or the Cunliffes at Gilpin Lodge, I’d have to extend my trip!
Why do you think the Lakes are so popular with tourists from the UK and abroad?
Without a doubt it’s the scenery – the lakes, mountains, woods and forests. I think also the fact that it’s in a very compact area is a massive bonus, if you are coming from overseas it’s not a four week tour, you arrive at the Lake District and you can see it comfortably in a week or even a long weekend. Obviously the longer you stay the more you can see and enjoy, it’s very compact which makes it a great British National Park. It’s also so easy to get to - it’s on a main railway line and straight off the M6, that’s another reason why it’s so tourist friendly.
Which of the people you met during the series have stuck in your mind and who were your favourite characters?
Well I have a big soft spot for Thomas Noblett and Andrew Tighe at the Langdale Chase Hotel, they’re like a double act and their friendship is amazing – it’s infectious. Everyone at the Langdale Chase is lovely.
Also I got along really well with Andrew Mottram, he’s a larger than life hairdresser and an animal detective. He’s very knowledgeable about bird watching which is one of my passions also. He is a great hair dresser, he gave me a consultation and he gave me some products! He was just such a funny man, he has a very wicked sense of humour and it was lovely to spend time with him. Again, if I went back to the Lake District, I would have to go see him and maybe have my haircut in his shop in Ambleside.