Episode 9

Lifelong wildlife enthusiast Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall celebrates the natural world of the West Country and the people protecting it. This time, Hugh is in the Wye Valley hoping to come face to face with an animal that has intrigued him since boyhood - the barbel, also known as the Prince of the River. With the help of local angling guide, the appropriately named Adam Fisher, Hugh wants to fulfil his dream of swimming with these large, regal fish.

It is not just the river that is teeming with life - the cliffs around Chepstow are home to one of the fastest birds on the planet, the peregrine falcon. Thanks to eagle-eyed birdwatchers, the nests of these rare birds are being protected from persecution. In the north of the valley, Hugh helps to re-introduce tiny harvest mice on a wildlife-friendly farm, and after a day with spider enthusiast Tone Killick, Hugh manages to overcome his arachnophobia, turning his fear into fascination.