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The Best Episodes of Countryfile Season 23

Every episode of Countryfile Season 23 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Countryfile Season 23!

The people, places and stories making news in the British countryside.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Countryfile Season 23 Episode 1 - January 3, 2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - January 3, 2010

    S23:E1

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury re-kindle some animal magic when they look back at the close encounters they've had with the creatures at the heart of our countryside. They get up close to some of our best loved native animals at the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey, including some frisky foxes, otters and some very shy red squirrels.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 2 - January 10, 2010
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    #2 - January 10, 2010

    S23:E2

    In this special edition of the programme, Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury head for the Isle of Man to take a look back at some of their favourite places from the series so far. Julia takes the plunge coasteering off the Pembrokeshire coast, Matt experiences perfect peace in the Durham Dales and John Craven is in search of the beavers that have been reintroduced into the Scottish countryside.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 3 - January 17, 2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - January 17, 2010

    S23:E3

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury explore the Kennet and Avon canal in Wiltshire which is celebrating its 200th anniversary, while John Craven investigates food waste including claims that up to half of the produce grown on some of our farms never even finds its way to the supermarket shelves. Adam Henson gets to grips with the big freeze as he battles through the snow to make sure all his animals are fed and watered. Plus Katie Knapman heads to Cambridgeshire to have a go at fen-skating.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 4 - January 24, 2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - January 24, 2010

    S23:E4

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury head for Jersey to lend a hand with potato planting and to find out how the island's infamous war tunnels are being given a new lease of life. Jules Hudson takes to the skies with the scientists conducting an aerial survey of Scotland's grey seal population, and there are new arrivals on the farm as Adam Henson's sows give birth. Tom Heap finds out about controversial plans to dispose of the waste from ten new nuclear power stations underground.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 5 - January 31, 2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - January 31, 2010

    S23:E5

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury are in the Cairngorms, a part of Scotland which has seen its heaviest snowfall in more than a decade. Matt makes the most of the icy conditions by taking part in the annual sled dog rally and finding out what makes a good racing husky. Julia helps to create a snow hole, which can offer a lifeline for people caught out in the mountains. Back on his farm in the Cotswolds, Adam Henson ensures his sheep and cattle get what they need to stay healthy through the winter, and John Craven heads to Herefordshire to investigate one of the biggest issues in rural Britain - its ageing population.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 6 - 07/02/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - 07/02/2010

    S23:E6

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury are in the Yorkshire Dales, to see how one of the world's greatest railways is keeping communities together. They also re-home some travelling cave spiders and explore a remote location which inspired one of the finalists in the Countryfile Photographic Competition. On his Cotswold farm, Adam calls in a horse whisperer to help him move some stubborn Exmoor ponies. Meanwhile John Craven investigates the demise of our dairy farms and asks whether there is any way to make money out of milk.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 7 - 14/02/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - 14/02/2010

    S23:E7

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury explore the area around Long Mynd in Shropshire. Matt finds out why setting fire to the hillside is not as damaging as it sounds, while Julia tries to catch a glimpse of the red grouse, one of the county's wildlife success stories. Meanwhile, Countryfile's resident farmer, Adam Henson, takes some rare breed sheep back to their roots, and John Craven investigates the massive growth in offshore windfarms.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 8 - 21/02/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - 21/02/2010

    S23:E8

    Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker explore the wetlands known as the Somerset Levels and visit the limestone cliffs of Cheddar Gorge. On his farm in the Cotswolds, Adam Henson discovers why farming is one of the most dangerous professions. Meanwhile, John Craven investigates the effectiveness of domestic energy-generating devices such as solar panels and wind turbines.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 9 - 28/02/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - 28/02/2010

    S23:E9

    Matt and Julia explore the Wye Valley, a dramatic limestone gorge on the Welsh border, and Julia takes to the water to explore the landscape that earned the Wye its reputation.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 10 - 07/03/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - 07/03/2010

    S23:E10

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury head for Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland to get a sneak preview of a spectacular plan to light all 73 miles of the iconic landmark as part of its 1,600th anniversary celebrations. Elsewhere, John Craven investigates why culling certain species of animals can help to conserve others and asks if the costs outweigh the benefits. James Wong looks at the future of food production and examines whether vertical farming - growing food on walls - could help feed our cities, while Adam Henson is hoping spring has finally sprung down on the farm when he scans his ewes to see how many lambs he can expect this season.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 11 - 14/03/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - 14/03/2010

    S23:E11

    Matt Baker heads for the Severn Estuary in Gloucestershire to surf one of the wonders of the natural world - the infamous Severn Bore - while Katie Knapman finds out what the Slimbridge bird reserve is doing to prepare for its spring arrivals. Cornwall is the destination for John Craven who investigates whether fishermen need to radically change the way they do business if they're to save the industry from collapse. Plus James Wong discovers how appearing in a movie blockbuster can transform the fortunes of cash-strapped stately homes and, in the run up to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Adam Henson discovers how his goats are ideal companions for thoroughbred race horses!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 12 - 21/03/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - 21/03/2010

    S23:E12

    Julia Bradbury takes to the skies over Wales on a mission to help restore the peat bogs that criss-cross the Brecon Beacons, while Matt Baker heads deep underground to explore one of the UK's most important caving systems. John Craven returns to Cumbria - four months after the big floods - to see how farmers are coping with the clear-up operation. And, spring may be in the air, but Katie Knapman's been to a part of the Lake District which is still in the grips of the big freeze - ideal conditions for ice-climbing. Down on Adam Henson's farm, there are plenty of new arrivals but his plans to boost farm income with a fun ride aren't going so smoothly - and it's all because of our unpredictable weather!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 13 - 28/03/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - 28/03/2010

    S23:E13

    Julia Bradbury and her dad go walking in Dovedale, where she first fell in love with the great outdoors. Matt Baker goes on exercise with a team dedicated to fighting wild fires, and finds out why a helicopter comes in handy. A mysterious hole has opened up in one of Adam Henson's fields, just what is down there? Meanwhile John Craven investigates plans for Britain's largest dairy herd.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 14 - 04/04/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - 04/04/2010

    S23:E14

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury head for the Brighton Downs in Sussex to find out about the rise of urban shepherds, why water voles are making a comeback and to mark the 150th anniversary of Brighton's Outdoor Swimming Club - an unseasonal dip in the briny. John Craven meets rural campaigners fighting against the invasion of supermarkets but are they local heroes or villains standing in the way of progress? Jules Hudson discovers how you can experience the thrills of off-roading without carving up the countryside. Plus, the new arrivals are coming thick and fast down on Adam Henson's farm but not all sheep are natural mothers as he discovers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 15 - 11/04/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - 11/04/2010

    S23:E15

    Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker head for the Essex countryside to explore the landscape that inspired artist John Constable and to find about a natural approach to flood management. Matt's also in search of Britain's only venomous snake - the adder - while Julia meets the ex-prisoner who believes pig farming has saved her from a life of crime. John Craven investigates dire predictions that hundreds of our native animals are in danger of extinction while, down on Adam Henson's farm, the new arrivals are coming thick and fast - and it's not just lambs. Plus self-confessed map addict Jules Hudson heads to Loch Ness to find out if can chart a course as easily on water as on land.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 16 - 18/04/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - 18/04/2010

    S23:E16

    Julia Bradbury heads to Ennerdale in the Lake District to find out what is being done to make this wild and wonderful landscape wilder still, while Matt Baker gets to grips with hound-trailing, one of Cumbria's oldest and most popular sports. John Craven investigates predictions that we are going to need 60,000 new farmers and workers to keep British agriculture afloat, and looks at whether anyone can become a farmer. James Wong finds out how freezing temperatures back in the winter of 2009 are still affecting some of our most precious wildlife. Plus a look at what happened when Adam Henson put the animal-handling skills of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Dorothys to the test down on the farm.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 17 - 25/04/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - 25/04/2010

    S23:E17

    Julia Bradbury heads to Ennerdale in the Lake District to find out what is being done to make this wild and wonderful landscape wilder still, while Matt Baker gets to grips with hound-trailing, one of Cumbria's oldest and most popular sports. John Craven investigates predictions that we are going to need 60,000 new farmers and workers to keep British agriculture afloat, and looks at whether anyone can become a farmer. James Wong finds out how freezing temperatures back in the winter of 2009 are still affecting some of our most precious wildlife. Plus a look at what happened when Adam Henson put the animal-handling skills of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Dorothys to the test down on the farm.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 18 - 02/05/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - 02/05/2010

    S23:E18

    In a special edition of Countryfile, Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury celebrate the spirit of adventure when they head for the National Mountain Centre in North Wales to look back at some of their favourite countryside activities from the last year. Julia gets a bird's eye view of the countryside when she tries her hand at microlighting before taking to the water for a boating regatta on the Norfolk Broads. Meanwhile, Matt relies on pedal power to explore the Brecon Beacons and takes on the might of the Severn Bore using a surfboard.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 19 - Spring Special
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Spring Special

    S23:E19

    Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker head off on a trip through the New Forest, to celebrate the height of Spring. After catching their lunch in the seas off the Hampshire coast, Julia spends the night under the stars in a geodome - the last word in camping chic. The next morning, she and Matt discover how to record the Spring dawn chorus for posterity. Meanwhile, John Craven finds out what truly seasonal food is available in Spring, and Katie Knapman goes star spotting in the UK's only Dark Skies Park.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 20 - 09/05/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - 09/05/2010

    S23:E20

    Matt Baker heads to Lacock in Wiltshire to discover why it's a ready-made backdrop for period dramas. It's also the birthplace of photography, making it the ideal place for John Craven to launch the Countryfile Photographic Competition for 2010. Fellow judge Jo Brand proves you don't have to be a hot shot to get good results while wildlife presenter and photographer Chris Packham has some expert advice to inspire you to grab your camera and go for glory. Down on the farm Adam Henson's on tenterhooks as his cattle are re-tested for TB. Will they go clear of the disease this time? Plus the challenges of farming bison, and a look at whether the UK be growing more food and importing less.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 21 - 16/05/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - 16/05/2010

    S23:E21

    Matt Baker heads to Snowdonia National Park, where he hitches a ride on a train that relies on the laws of gravity to move it, and finds out about the challenges of farming on the side of the highest mountain in Wales. Joining him is Ellie Harrison, who meets the man who's come up with a novel way of growing mushrooms and discovers what is being done to control the foreign invaders threatening our native wildlife. John Craven is in the Orkney Islands in Scotland to investigate controversial plans to harness energy from the sea, while Adam Henson's got some expert advice for Kate Humble as she gets to grips with pig production on her smallholding in Wales.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 22 - 23/05/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - 23/05/2010

    S23:E22

    Ellie Harrison puts her faith in Cedric Robinson, the Queen's official guide to the treacherous sands of Morecambe Bay, while Matt Baker trains with the RNLI rescue crews who spring into action when disaster strikes. John Craven heads to Wales to investigate controversial plans to cull hundreds of badgers in an effort control bovine TB, while Adam Henson puts his young apprentice through his paces down on the farm. As railway enthusiasts get ready to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Great Western Railway, Katie Knapman finds out why steam trains continue to provoke such passion. Plus why salt marsh lamb is becoming increasingly popular with chefs.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 23 - 30/05/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - 30/05/2010

    S23:E23

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury head to Adam Henson's farm in the Cotswolds to look back at some of the highlights of his farming calendar and to get a progress report on some of the animals we've met along the way. It's been a year of real drama for Adam - from the highs of a successful lambing season to the lows of losing prize cattle to bovine TB. Matt also gets a chance to put his sheep shearing skills to the test while Julia gives Adam's prize bull a wash and brush-up in an effort to entice a prospective buyer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 24 - 04/06/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - 04/06/2010

    S23:E24

    Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury head to Adam Henson's farm in the Cotswolds to look back at some of the highlights of his farming calendar and to get a progress report on some of the animals we've met along the way. It's been a year of real drama for Adam - from the highs of a successful lambing season to the lows of losing prize cattle to bovine TB. Matt also gets a chance to put his sheep shearing skills to the test while Julia gives Adam's prize bull a wash and brush-up in an effort to entice a prospective buyer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Countryfile Season 23 Episode 25 - 06/06/2010
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - 06/06/2010

    S23:E25

    Matt Baker heads to Slapton Sands in Devon on the 66th anniversary of D-Day to discover how a training exercise cost 749 American troops their lives, and finds out why this area is now being used to train a new generation of military recruits. Julia Bradbury's on the freshwater lagoon which also played a part in training for the Normandy invasion to discover what's being done by modern day King Canutes to hold back the sea water and protect this fragile freshwater lake. John Craven investigates the dairy industry practice of killing male calves and goats at birth and asks if there's an alternative. While Matt looks at the current fashion for micropigs, Adam takes a journey back in time to find out about their Iron Age ancestors.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 23 Ratings Summary

"January 3, 2010" is the best rated episode of "Countryfile" season 23. It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/3/2010. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "January 10, 2010".