OCTOBER 2025 - Jules and Greg's Wild Swimming coming in 2026:)

Filming got underway for another season of Jules and Greg’s Wild Swimming, and this time we headed for the Scottish Borders. A part of the country I’ve not spent nearly enough time in, which was reason enough to be quietly excited about it. Plenty of water, plenty of space, and a fair bit of scenery I’d somehow managed to miss over the years.

We were filming in October, which added an extra edge to things. The water was definitely starting to turn by then, especially in the lochs and rivers. You could feel it straight away. The sea, thankfully, hadn’t quite caught up yet and was still hanging on to a bit of warmth, relatively speaking anyway.

The plan over the course of a few weeks was fairly straightforward, at least on paper. Start off swimming in the sea on the east coast of the Borders, then work our way right across the region, stopping off at lochs, rivers and anything else that looked inviting, before finishing on the west coast and wrapping things up at a lighthouse in the far south-west of Scotland. A proper journey, with a lot of cold water involved.

As well as the swimming, Jules and Greg also got stuck into a few other water-based activities along the way, which kept things interesting and, in some cases, slightly colder than planned.

One of the nice things about coming back to this job is how quickly everyone settles back into their roles. Within minutes it felt like we’d never been away. Tony was directing as ever from Solus Productions, Jim producing, with Rowan also producing on the ground. Sean was on main camera as director of photography, Colin on sound, Raonaid as Production assistant, runner and helping Jules and Greg throughout, and I was on second camera and drone, trying to get some nice shots while also keeping the drone dry. Jules and Greg did what they do best, talking to camera with the sort of enthusiasm that somehow survives repeated cold water immersion.

We were also joined by a cracking bunch of swimmers from all over the Borders, all with different backgrounds and different reasons for getting into wild swimming. Proper sound folk, and a big part of what makes the series what it is.

The Borders themselves are absolutely spectacular. Big skies, quiet places, and landscapes that just seem to roll on forever. It’s also just a really good job to be on. Everyone knows each other, everyone gets on, and there’s always a few laughs along the way. One night round the campfire, with a couple of small drinks, was particularly memorable. Nothing daft. Just good company and a fire.

Rowan Green is from this neck of the woods originally, from Traquair, and we filmed at Traquair Castle and in the maze there. The maze turned out to be memorable for another reason as well. That was the day Bonnie the dog had what can only be described as a bit of a situation. She ended up needing a wash in the river before she was allowed back into the van. We’d all been wondering why she was so grumpy that day, with half-serious threats of never taking her on a shoot again. Turned out she’d been having a far worse day than the rest of us. These things happen.

Jules and Greg also stayed at Traquair Castle, which was all very impressive until night fell. At one point we all agreed their living room looked particularly spooky, which didn’t do much for Jules’ nerves for the rest of the evening.

Accommodation on this shoot was a proper mix, in the best possible way. Old gypsy carts, yurts, castles, camper vans, and everything in between. Swimming-wise, we covered sea, lochs and rivers, including one loch that looked for all the world like it belonged in the Cairngorms, complete with Caledonian pines, despite being firmly in the Borders.

All in all, a brilliant job in a beautiful part of Scotland, with a great crew, great people, and just enough unpredictability to keep things interesting. Looking forward to seeing it on BBC Scotland, BBC, and iPlayer when it comes out later this year.

SEPTEMBER 2025 - Drone filming with Guy Martin on The British Train That Changed the World

Steam, stories, and a sky full of drones

Every so often a job comes along that feels a bit special. This one did. Channel 4 were filming Guy Martin: The British Train That Changed the World, marking 200 years since the Stockton & Darlington Railway — the line that more or less started everything on rails.

I was back on board as drone pilot, capturing the sights from above — steam, countryside, and a fair bit of history rolling beneath the rotors.

Back with the gang

Ewan, the director, gave me the call for this one. We’d worked together last year up in the Cairngorms on Guy Martin’s Proper Jobs with Mountain Rescue Sarda Dogs. It was a great shoot and a cracking team, and we all got on well — folk who could graft all day then still have a laugh over a pint at night.

So when he said the same crew were back — Justin Evans on camera, Graeme Smiles producing, Andrew Cholton on sound, and Simon Stubbs on minicams — I knew it’d be a good few days. We met up for dinner the night before, swapping stories and a bit of slagging about who’d drawn the shortest straw on call times. It’s the kind of easy company that makes early mornings a lot lighter.

A royal start to the day

Next morning was bright and freezing — that proper northern air (southern for me a suppose) that wakes you up faster than any coffee. The train was sitting ready at the line, steam drifting into the cold air, and there was a bit more buzz than usual. Turned out Prince Edward was coming along for the launch, which meant there’d be police drone teams flying too.

We all had a quick briefing, sorted our flight levels, and made sure everyone knew who was where. It’s not every day you’ve got three drone teams sharing the sky — especially with royalty standing a few yards away — but everyone handled it well. Bit of coordination, bit of patience, and a lot of mutual respect.

Getting airborne

For this shoot I ran my Mavic 3 Pro Cine for general shots and my brand-new Mini 5 Pro for closer shots but not as close as I’d hoped. 50m away because DJI made the drone 3 grams too heavy!. It’s a lovely bit of kit but will be more useful to me from January when the rules change.

The first location they’d marked for me was wide open, perfect for flight — only thing was, I couldn’t actually see the track from ground level. Once I sent the drone up though, there it was: the locomotive gleaming in the low morning sun, steam curling across the fields, the line stretching out through County Durham.

There’s something about watching a steam train from above — the rhythm, the smoke trail, the whole movement of it — that feels like stepping through time.

After those runs, we shifted to a second spot closer to town. Narrower airspace, more folk about, but that’s where the Mini 5 Pro came into its own. Smooth flying, plenty of control, and the footage looked brilliant on playback.

Wrapping up

Once we’d finished the last sequence, we packed down, had a few quick words with the crew, and I hit the road north again. Short trip, long day, but one of those satisfying ones where you know you’ve caught something a bit special.

A line that changed everything

On 27 September 1825, the Stockton & Darlington Railway opened its line from Shildon to Stockton via Darlington. George Stephenson’s Locomotion No. 1 hauled the first public steam train, carrying passengers and goods, and set off a chain reaction that spread across the world.

Two centuries on, it’s still a powerful story — invention, industry, and people connecting places for the first time. To film it now, with modern cameras and flying drones, felt like closing a neat wee circle between past and present.

Final thoughts

Jobs like this remind me why I love what I do. It’s the mix of history, craft, and teamwork — the buzz of working with a great crew and the privilege of framing something that means a lot to people.

Flying over the birthplace of the railways, marking 200 years of progress, and doing it alongside good folk — that’s a day well spent in my book. On Channel 4 26th October 7:30pm

A few pics from screen grabs below