The Countryside
The beauty of the British countryside and country life, from the experts at Country Life.
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Goshawks: The birds of prey that came back from extinctionBy the late 19th century, the goshawk was indisputably extinct, but their recent restoration to the British isles makes it worth exploring their history. Expert naturalist Mark Cocker tells more about this fascinating bird of prey.
By Mark Cocker Published
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'The biggest cavities are in the hearts and skulls of politicians': What hope for the swift?Ahead of World Swift Day and Swift Awareness Week, Octavia Pollock ponders the decision not to mandate the use of swift bricks
By Octavia Pollock Published
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'We need to make a case for more resources': What next for wild camping on DartmoorJane Wheatley takes the temperature of the land after years of debate over public access to private spaces.
By Jane Wheatley Published
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From Scotland to Greenland, Earth Photo 2025's shortlisted works showcase our amazing planetThe 203 photographs and films will tour more than 20 Forestry England sites, National Trust properties and other historic houses from next month until spring 2026.
By Country Life Published
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Gwithian Towans: A golden sand beach that stretches along the eastern curve of St Ives BayNear the north-eastern extremity of the bay, Gwithian Towans in Cornwall abuts the cove of Godrevy — said to have inspired Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse.
By Ben Lerwill Last updated
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Nanjizal Beach lets you experience a very different Cornwall to headline-hogging Land's EndThe beach — which is also known as Mill Bay — sits about half an hour’s walk south of Land’s End, though the two couldn't be more different.
By Ben Lerwill Published
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Mawgan Creek: The unspoilt antidote to some of Cornwall's busier cornersThe creek feeds into the Helford river and is a short distance from Frenchman’s Creek, known best because of Daphne du Maurier’s 1941 novel of the same name.
By Ben Lerwill Published
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Dollar Cove's name gets it all wrong — it's a Cornwall beach that's worth a millionBen Lerwill takes a look at the West Country beach which has a rich history.
By Ben Lerwill Published
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'We don’t expect to catch monsters in British seas': The return of the bluefin tunaIt’s no longer necessary to venture to tropical waters in order to catch a monster tuna, says Jonathan Young, as he attempts to land a big-game fish in Falmouth Bay.
By Jonathan Young Published
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Ospreys: The bird that went extinct in Britain for 40 years, and its journey to conservation success storyOnce extinct in these isles, the gargantuan, deep-diving osprey locks onto its piscine prey with a laser-like precision akin to the trajectory of a blunt-tipped missile. Naturalist and author Mark Cocker tells more.
By Mark Cocker Published
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The breathtaking Cornish cove that's 'like something from a fantasy'Ben Lerwill takes a look at Kynance Cove, the 'scenic highlight of the Lizard Peninsula'.
By Ben Lerwill Published
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'Dartmoor is the ultimate one-billion star hotel': Why wild camping mattersFollowing the ruling from the Supreme Court, revisit Lewis Wink's argument on why the right to wild camp in Dartmoor is vital for us all.
By Lewis Winks Last updated
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From 'Gerroff my land' to 'Get on my land': Farmers are keen to set the record straight with Open Farm Sunday 2025The event — which sees farmers throw open their gates to visitors — returns for its 19th year on Sunday, June 8 with hundreds of farms across Britain will be taking part.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Centipedes, honeybees and tall churches: Country Life Quiz of the Day, May 19, 2025Counting legs, measuring spires and more questions about Tom Cruise kick off the quiz of the week
By Country Life Published
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One puffin, two puffin, three puffin, four: The National Trust’s puffin count gets underway on the Farne IslandsThough the islands' shags and terns are in decline, its puffin population has been growing — and the trust is streaming a live recording of their burrows.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Sir David Attenborough’s record-breaking Nature documentary reveals the devastating effects of bottom trawling on our oceansBottom trawling is a disaster for fish stocks, but it also releases previously stored carbon back into the atmosphere.
By Jane Wheatley Published
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Tony Juniper: 'King Charles is the most influential environmentalist of all time'Tony Juniper CBE, the head of Natural England, on saving the world, breeding budgies and the King's importance in raising awareness of the plight of Nature.
By James Fisher Published
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Urban beekeeping — from the illegal rooftop hives in New York City to Chelsea Flower ShowThe Tuesday of Chelsea (May 20) is World Bee Day; to celebrate The London Honey Company is sponsoring the Show's Bees of Development Balcony Garden.
By Rosie Paterson Published
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'All the floral world wants to do is procreate': Why pollen is nothing to sneeze atPollen often hits the headlines for making us sneeze, but it plays a vital role in far more serious matters.
By Ian Morton Published
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Britain's fastest mammal, a tropical tester and a Scottish estate: Country Life Quiz of the Day, May 1, 2025Thursday's Quiz of the Day offers up a great country estate in Scotland.
By Toby Keel Published
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Polluting water executives now face up to two years in prison, but will the new laws make much of a difference?The Government has announced that water company executives caught covering up illegal sewage spills could now be imprisoned for two years, under new laws — but many still have their doubts.
By Lotte Brundle Published


