ROXY: Hey Wildlifer, Roxy here, apprentice Ranger with Ranger
Rae and the Wildlifers. And this week, Ranger Rae is travelling
to the mighty Ben Nevis, Britain's tallest peak. A
familiar sounding voice needs our help, so let's take flight
with Eagle and see what's going on.
EAGLE: Ahhhh! Nothing like breathing in the beautiful crisp
air above Britain's tallest mountain. I can really get some
distance on my Eagle call from here.
Oh, I do love that echo.
One more time.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Help!
EAGLE: Hold on. That didn't sound like an Eagle echo.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Help!
EAGLE: That sounds like someone in trouble on the mountain.
Ah, just as I thought. Some silly human thought climbing Ben
Nevis would be a simple stroll in the park.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Help!
EAGLE: Yes, yes, you need help. But they're never going to hear
you like that. You need to give it a big, powerful... Awooooo!
VOICE OVER: Across the many majestic, wild spaces of the
United Kingdom. From woods, wetlands, to mountain and heath.
Whenever help is needed, one ranger and her animal friends
always answer the call.
THEME TUNE: Its Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers!
RANGER RAE: I can talk to animals! It's a ranger's dream!
THEME TUNE: It's Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers!
RANGER RAE: Say hello to my animal team!
THEME TUNE: With Deer and Fox and Wildcat. Mole and Dragonfly,
Beaver and Bat.
BEAVER: Sound the alarm.
And we'll come running to you!
RANGER RAE: With our animal powers.
We'll know what to do!
THEME TUNE: It's Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers!
EAGLE: I wonder how long it'll take them to get here. Probably
a good while. After all, we are all the way...
RANGER RAE: Somebody call for Ranger Rae. I'm here with Deer,
Bat and Roxy to save the day.
EAGLE: Ranger Rae and their Wildlifers. It's really you.
ROXY: Wow, Ben Nevis is huge. I didn't realise it went up so
high. I have to bend my head all the way back to see the top.
RANGER RAE: So is someone or something in trouble on the
mountain?
EAGLE: It certainly seems that way.
RANGER RAE: Well, don't worry. We're always laser-focused on
saving the day. Isn't that right, Deer?
DEER: Oh, sure. You know, I feel so at home on this mountain. I
bet if I strike the right pose, my antlers will glisten in the
snow and...
Bat, have you fallen asleep on my antlers again?
BAT: Sorry Deer. You know I get sleepy when I travel.
DEER: You get sleepy when you stay perfectly still as well,
you lazy Bat.
BAT: I'm not lazy. I'm nocturnal. Although now you
mention it, I could do with another quick nap before all the
rescuing starts.
RANGER RAE: Bat might need a nap, but the rest of us are
ready to go. So, who needs our help?
EAGLE: There's someone stuck on top of the mountain. Looks like
another human thought they could climb Ben Nevis without the
proper preparation.
RANGER RAE: Someone heading out on an expedition completely
unprepared, hey? That sounds familiar.
ROXY: You think it could be our old friend Expedition Eddie?
RANGER RAE: We'll have to wait and see. Though it wouldn't
surprise me.
EAGLE: Lots of people try and climb Ben Nevis without giving
it the respect it deserves. It is over 1,000 metres tall after
all.
RANGER RAE: Climbing Britain's tallest peak is no laughing
matter. And when the snow hits like this, you best be prepared.
The right clothes, the right climbing gear, and of course,
the right mindset.
ROXY: I'm not sure Eddie has any of those things.
RANGER RAE: We'll need to get confirmation on his location
before we mount a rescue operation.
EAGLE: I can do that. Who wants to join me for an Eagle-eyed
tour of the all mighty Ben Nevis? Bat, you should be able
to perch nicely on my wings.
Fancy it?
RANGER RAE: Great idea. Bat can use their sonar skills to find
whoever is stuck on the mountain.
EAGLE: Perfect. Hop on and off we go.
BAT: Oh, all right.
EAGLE: Hold on tight.
BAT: Woohoo! This is amazing. Look at these majestic mountain
vistas. I'm on top of the world.
EAGLE: Haha Quite a view, isn't it?
BAT: I love all the snow, even if it makes me quite chilly.
EAGLE: It wasn't always so chilly round here. The top of
Ben Nevis is actually the collapsed dome of an ancient
volcano.
BAT: Really?
EAGLE: See that beautiful valley at the bottom of the mountain?
That's Glen Nevis.
BAT: You mean there's a Ben Nevis and a Glen Nevis? That
must get confusing.
EAGLE: Oh, it can do. Oh, look at that lovely Hare.
BAT: Oh, why, thank you. I have been brushing it a little more
often, and I was thinking of using some conditioner next
time.
EAGLE: Ha ha, no, not your hair, Bat. I mean, look at that lovely
Mountain Hare sprinting through the snow.
BAT: Oh, yes.
Do they not get very cold?
EAGLE: They would if it wasn't for their nice, thick mountain
fur.
BAT: It looks so snuggly and toasty. Oh, I wish I was wrapped
up in it right now.
EAGLE: Hold that sleepy thought, Bat. Do you hear something?
UNKNOWN VOICE: Help! Help!
BAT: Yes, yes, yes. I hear a human in distress.
EAGLE: I can hear him all right. But where is he hiding?
BAT: It sounds like he made it all the way to the top.
EAGLE: I'll circle round again.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Somebody help!
I'm trapped on top of the mountain!
EAGLE: Where is that coming from? How are we supposed to
rescue him if we can't find him?
BAT: Not to worry. I can use my super sonar to find him.
EAGLE: Oh, I've heard about Bats and their sonar powers. How does
it work?
BAT: It's the best. I can send out sound waves from my mouth,
which bounce off the surrounding areas right back into my ears.
So by listening to these echoes, I can build a mental map of all
that surrounds me.
EAGLE: I love travelling with the Wildlifers. Your sonar
powers are amazing.
BAT: Super sonar! Activated!
Let's see, looks like there's some ruins on top of the
mountain and looks like, yep, that's where our guy's hiding.
EAGLE: Wonderful! We'll head back to the others and let them
know. Hold on tight, Bat!
ROXY: With Eagle and Bat soaring through the sky, the rest of us
Wildlifers. That's right, I'm an honorary Wildlifer for now,
remember? Waited to hear news from the mountain top. And we
even had a furry little visitor.
RANGER RAE: That's a Mountain Hare. You can find them all over
Ben Nevis. Their coats turn white in the winter, so they're
very good at hiding in the snow.
BAT: Oh, a perfect landing. Thanks, Eagle. That was great.
RANGER RAE: Did you see who was stuck on the mountain?
EAGLE: They were hiding, so we couldn't get a proper look at
them.
BAT: It sure sounded like Eddie.
RANGER RAE: Where is there to hide on top of a mountain?
EAGLE: That said, it looked like some old ruins, but I'm not sure
what that could be.
MOUNTAIN HARE: It's the old observatory.
BAT: Well, who's that? It's like they appeared out of nowhere.
EAGLE: That's my good friend, Mountain Hare.
MOUNTAIN HARE: Over 150 years ago, scientists built an
observatory on top of Ben Nevis to observe the weather
conditions.
RANGER RAE: Where did they go?
EAGLE: Oh, they're still here somewhere, camouflaged against
the snow.
MOUNTAIN HARE: The conditions on top of the mountain were too
harsh, so it was abandoned after 20 years.
DEER: It's like trying to have a conversation with a whack-a-mole
machine.
MOUNTAIN HARE: But the ruins still sit on top of the
mountain, and sometimes struggling climbers use it for
shelter. The end.
RANGER RAE: Thanks, Mountain Hare. So our would-be
mountaineer is hiding in the ruins of the old observatory.
ROXY: Oh, yes. The observatory. I read all about that in my Ben
Nevis guidebook.
RANGER RAE: Eddie could really do with a Ben Nevis guidebook.
EAGLE: I could try and fly up and get him, but even my mighty
two-metre wingspan would struggle to carry a human down
the mountain.
DEER: This is a mission suited to my particular skill set.
RANGER RAE: Deer's right. The balance, speed and strength
makes them a perfect candidate for a Mountain Rescue. Bat,
you'd better go as well. Since you saw where Eddie was hiding.
And, Roxy, would you mind going so you can talk to Eddie?
ROXY: Yes, I get to be on Team Rescue!
DEER: All aboard for Operation Save Expedition Eddie!
BAT: But we're not sure if it is Expedition Eddie yet, Deer.
DEER: All right then, all aboard for Operation Save someone who
may not be but probably is Expedition Eddie!
BAT: Much better.
DEER: All right, off we go!
Bat?
BAT: What is it, Deer?
DEER: Aren't you going to woohoo your way up the mountain, like
you did with Eagle?
BAT: Well... It's just we're not going at quite the same speed.
Eagle was a lot faster than you. This is more of a leisurely
pace. It's quite relaxing, really. I might even...
DEER: So it's speed you want, then, is it?
BAT: Oh, woohoo!
ROXY: Whee!
I can't think of many things more exciting than riding up a
mountain on the back of a Deer with a Bat as company.
Oh, I really wish I could understand what the animals are
saying on an adventure like this.
I wonder, was it really Eddie stuck up there?
We'll find out soon.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Help!
DEER: Sounds like he's around here somewhere.
BAT: My sonar says he's hiding just in there.
UNKNOWN VOICE: Hello?
Has someone come to rescue me?
Oh, thank you. Thank you, thank you.
DEER: It's Expedition Eddie, all right. What a surprise.
EXPEDITION EDDIE: Who's come to rescue me? Mountain Rescue? The
Coast Guard? Spider-Man?
BAT: What would Spider-Man be doing on a mountain in Scotland?
EXPEDITION EDDIE: Oh, it's a Deer and a Bat. That's weird.
And me. Roxy, what are you doing here? I thought you were too
busy to get your mountaineering badge this weekend.
ROXY: I am busy. I'm busy helping Ranger Rae and the
Wildlifers save you.
EXPEDITION EDDIE: You mean this Deer and Bat are Wildlifers?
Well, I am so honoured.
ROXY: And I'm an honorary Wildlifer now too, Eddie.
EXPEDITION EDDIE: Oh, nice badge. Can I have a taste?
ROXY: You want to eat my badge?
EXPEDITION EDDIE: I am so hungry I'll eat anything. All I brought
with me was this bag of crisps. But I can't get them open
because my fingers are too cold.
ROXY: You shouldn't have worn fingerless gloves. Let's get you
down the mountain. Hop up on Deer's back. And don't disturb
Bat. They're very tired.
BAT: Thank you, Roxy.
DEER: All aboard. Off we go.
RANGER RAE: Eagle, how many people climb this mountain every
year?
EAGLE: I'm not sure. I wonder who'd know the answer to that.
MOUNTAIN HARE: Over 150,000 people.
EAGLE: Thank you, Hare.
ROXY: We're back!
DEER: Another successful rescue operation completed by your
humble, fabulous Deer.
BAT: Ahem.
DEER: And Bat.
RANGER RAE: Hello, Expedition Eddie.
EXPEDITION EDDIE: Hi, Ranger Rae. I hope you're doing well on
this fine afternoon.
RANGER RAE: When we were called for a Mountain Rescue, I had a
funny feeling you'd be involved.
EXPEDITION EDDIE: It's harder than it looks, this mountain
climbing.
RANGER RAE: That's why you need to make sure you're well
prepared. If we weren't here to help today, then Mountain Rescue
would have to get involved, and they're mostly volunteers.
ROXY: You can borrow my Ben Nevis guidebook next time, when
you want to try it.
EXPEDITION EDDIE: Thanks very much. Does the guidebook taste
good?
ROXY: We'd best get Eddie to some food.
RANGER RAE: Does anybody know the quickest route down the
mountain?
MOUNTAIN HARE: The quickest way up and down Ben Nevis is the
pony track. Thank you. Goodbye.
RANGER RAE: Thanks, Mountain Hare. Come on, Eddie. Let's get
you fed.
ROXY: And so my first full rescue was complete, and I got
to be part of the whole thing.
Seeing Ben Nevis was an amazing experience.
I wonder, will it be long till my next adventure?
ANIMAL CALL: Ahwoooooo
RANGER RAE: Sounds like another animal needs our help. Come on,
Wildlifers, off we go!
ROXY: I guess it won't be long then. Woohoo!
THEME TUNE: It's Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers!
VOICE OVER: We hope you're enjoying the new adventures of
Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers. To celebrate the launch, it's
competition time.
We've got 10 Ranger Fun Pack prizes up for grabs. For a
chance to win a Ranger Fun Pack, you'll need to answer this
question correctly.
What is a common nickname for puffins?
Is it A. Clowns Of The Sea? B. Bright Beaked Birdies, or C,
Rainbow Jesters. Top tip, listen to Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers
episode one, Puffin Panic at the Farne Islands to find out. If
you're under 16, an adult must enter on your behalf.
Please ask your grown-up to follow the link in the podcast
show notes or at nationaltrust.org.uk/kids-podca-
st. This competition is free to enter and closes at midnight on
the 13th of November 2024. You can only enter the competition
once and full terms and conditions apply. Good luck!
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