Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal Forest of Dean
Hugh’s Wild West. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal is one of my favourite TV chef’s-come-presenter. I have watched his programs for many years. He’s a sort of posh hippie.
Many of the tv prgrames he made i8nvolved eating road kill, rummaging about the forest to eat all sorts of weird and wonderful plants, as well as rearing sheep, pigs and goats, to eat, of course.
When I was searching the TV for something to watch, I came across this little gem. “Hugh’s Wild West”. I thought he had gone completely tonto! What did HFW know about the wild west?
I need not have worried. The new series started with a great documentary on the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean.
Hugh’s Wild West
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explores the wildlife of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean, the hideaway for some very particular creatures. He becomes captivated by the extraordinary life of the dipper, the UK’s only aquatic songbird. Hugh meets one of his wildlife heroes, the tireless Stephanie Tyler, who has studied these delightful birds for 40 years. With the help of wildlife cameraman Robin Smith, the pair get a privileged insight into the extraordinary underwater agility of these unique birds.
On the river, Hugh takes the chance to relive his childhood, catching minnows in the clear waters of the Wye. And nearby, wildlife enthusiast and IT technician Gareth Jones has rigged his garden with a network of mini cameras to spy on the secret lives of his animal neighbours – and his home movies are more gripping than any soap opera!
The Dipper Bird
I was completely enthralled with the section of the program dedicated to a wonderful little bird called a “Dipper”. A chubby little brown and white coloured bird, rather like a big Robin but with stubby wings more suited for swimming than flying.
If ever there was a reason to visit the Forest of Dean, seeing the Dipper would be high on the list. Almost comical to watch as it dives into the fast flowing streams of the forest and catches dinner for its checks.
Check out this great underwater footage of the Dipper in action.
We look forward to seeing you in 2018 at the Forest of Dean Lodges at Coleford. Check out our main website pages for a great lodge or cottage for your holidays or weekend breaks in 2018.