The Countryside
The beauty of the British countryside and country life, from the experts at Country Life.
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James Robinson: A fifth-generation farmer on the ups and downs of 'the most glorious job in the world'Life can be beautiful for farmers, and often is — but it can also be hard and bleak. James Robinson joined the Country Life Podcast to talk about the extraordinary ups and downs of the job he loves, and how Nature helps out when things get tough.
By Toby Keel Published
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The roads less travelled: The shapeshifting glories of Britain’s sea pathsRoger Morgan-Grenville celebrates the joys of wandering along the evanescent byways revealed by our tides.
By Roger Morgan-Grenville Published
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'Top Trumps: British wildlife edition': How do our native animals measure up against one anotherPatrick Galbraith rates ten of the UK's most interesting native animals on their elusiveness, speed and deliciousness, and reveals everything else you need to know about them.
By Patrick Galbraith Published
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What, we hear you cry, is a baby hedgehog called? Find out in the Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 25, 2025Spoiler alert: the answer is unbearably cute.
By Country Life Published
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Dickie Bird: 'I gave my life to the game, and, in return, it’s done a lot for me. It’s given me a clean living, the chance to see the world and to meet some wonderful people. I’m very grateful for that'Dickie Bird, one of the most respected and loved umpires in the history of cricket, has died at the age of 92.
By Roderick Easdale Last updated
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How many hearts does an octopus have? It's the Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 22, 2025And who is Greek god of music?
By Country Life Published
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They will never go out of stileHistoric and idiosyncratic, friend to lovers and an enemy of ageing canines, every stile has a tale to tell, says Harry Pearson.
By Harry Pearson Published
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Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times, blame it on the batsBats and newts are an easy target, but can they actually be blamed for not building enough houses?
By Country Life Published
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The curious world of the penny bun mushroomBlessed with a vastly superior taste, penny buns are the champions of champignons and the perfect accompaniment to maggots
By John Wright Published
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White-tailed eagles: From 'the greatest wildlife crime imaginable' to Nature's most wonderful comeback storyDave Sexton and Alice Boyd join the Country Life Podcast.
By Toby Keel Published
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What everyone is talking about this week: The great porpoise panicWeek in, week out, Will Hosie rounds up the hottest topics on everyone's lips, in London and beyond.
By Will Hosie Published
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Sir Francis Beaufort: The man who measured the wind and set the foundations for the Shipping ForecastNeptune’s realm may never be tamed by Man, but Sir Francis Beaufort ensured seafarers have a way to measure the winds
By Agnes Stamp Published
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Galls: Nature's most beautiful, horrifying and intriguing parasitesA playground for aphids, wasp eggs, and funghi — galls come in all shapes and sizes
By Deborah Nicholls-Lee Published
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Five years of drought means there's only one conclusion for Britain's farmers: 'Climate change is real and affecting us now'The cumulative effects of the past five years of hot weather are causing chaos for farmers — and there's no signs that it will improve. Jane Wheatley reports.
By Jane Wheatley Published
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If there's no fish, there's no fishing, with Robin PhilpottThe CEO of Farlows joins the Country Life Podcast.
By James Fisher Published
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The ring ouzel: The mystery behind the common blackbird's feral twinA master of disguise, inexplicably shy and unpredictably wild, the increasingly rare ring ouzel warrants giving any blackbird a second glance.
By Mark Cocker Published
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A new gilded age: Sir David Attenborough christens a rare golden eagletThe first golden eagle to fledge from the nest of a translocated bird has been rewarded with a name selected by Sir David Attenborough.
By Rosie Paterson Published
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Combine harvesters and pigs in the city: Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 18, 2025It's a farming special for Monday's Quiz of the Day.
By Country Life Published
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'Two months to the Moon, three for rest and refreshment and two more for the return': The English stork success storyLong unseen on British shores, white stork chicks are hatching once again in the UK and a colony is now flourishing in West Sussex thanks to a pioneering restoration project.
By Jack Watkins Published
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The English county where you can gorge yourself on Cheddar: Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 15, 2025Cheese, legendary kings and giant naked men on hillsides light up Friday's Quiz of the Day.
By Country Life Published
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How the acrobatic buzzard survived persecution to become one of Britain's best avian huntersIt may appear lethargic, but no one could argue with the hunting prowess of the common buzzard when it transforms into a surging missile intent on an unsuspecting victim.
By Mark Cocker Published


