The Countryside
The beauty of the British countryside and country life, from the experts at Country Life.
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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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'A phenomenon that has shaped Britain’s landscapes and wildlife for millennia': A five minute guide to mast yearsThe ground is already littered with acorns and beech nuts, notes Florence Allen, thanks to a phenomenon called mast years, or mast seeding.
By Florence Allen 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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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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The winners and losers of summer 2025, from foragers to fishermen, and turtles to troutBlue skies and rising mercury have been a theme of this summer, but there are always those who thrive and those who struggle in unusual times.
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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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
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A romantic view of the countryside, hungry fish, and the world's most popular language: Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 8, 2025Test your general knowledge in Friday's Quiz of the Day.
By Country Life Published
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Storm overflow plan 'needs flushing down the lavatory once and for all' say angling groups as perilous state of English rivers revealedThe recently published Cunliffe Report shows that 'waterways are suffering from chronic neglect, corporate greed and useless regulation'.
By Kate Green Published


