Iolo's Valleys

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BBC One

BBC One Wales

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Factual: Travel

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Iolo Williams explores the south Wales valleys.

From the industrial past to a remarkable rewilding. Iolo Williams explores the history, heritage and habitats of an abundance of wildlife in the south Wales valleys.

Series 1

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

Iolo Williams

Osian Griffiths

Iolo's Valleys: Series 1: Episode 2

Episode 2

BBC One - Iolo's Valleys, Series 1, Episode 2

Iolo Williams finds adders, barn owls and water voles in the south Wales valleys.

Iolo Williams explores the valleys inland from Port Talbot in south Wales. He finds adders on a rugby pitch, hears the haunting sounds of a nightjar and watches a barn owl hunting.


Iolo is surprised by adders living on an old colliery site next to Tonmawr rugby pitch, up the valley from Port Talbot. The uplands at the head of the Afan valley are a surprising place to find water voles that have become increasingly rare elsewhere. Here, they have taken up residence in pools next to the wind turbines. 

And in the Ogmore valley, Iolo’s patience is rewarded with the chance to watch a barn owl’s ghostly flight as it hunts over the heather. Even more haunting is the astonishing sound called churring made by nightjars as they call at dusk. These birds have flown all the way from Africa to raise their chicks. Iolo is thrilled to hear them calling until finally the midges force him to head for home.

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Iolo's Valleys

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