Rural Life
Everything you need to know about making the most of life in the British countryside, whether you've lived there for years or are visiting on a day trip.
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From turtles to pink sea fans: Why Mediterranean marine life is drifting into British waters
Both leatherback sea turtles and the soft corrals’ presence near our shores coincides with our warming seas, Lotte Brundle writes.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Whatever floats your moat: Tower of London's former waterway receives help to adapt to the pressures of climate change
It is one of five gardens across the globe that have been selected by the fund for aid in adapting to the growing pressures of climate change.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
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It's a cruel summer to be a bee with up to 80% of swarms dying if they cannot find a safe place to settle — but here is how you can help
Currently, swarms of bees are taking flight to search for new homes and up to 80% of these swarms will perish if they cannot find a safe place to settle, but we can all help, says the BBKA.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
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Hen harriers: The 'marvels of evolutionary adaptation' that are 'ballet and theatre and poetry inscribed on air'
The hen harrier is one of the most glorious birds of prey in Britain — yet it provokes fierce debate. Mark Cocker unpicks why this breed is among the most controversial of all British birds.
By Mark Cocker Published
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Arthur Parkinson: When it comes to happy hens and yellow yolks, grass is king
Don't get too focused on the colour of an egg. If you provide your hens with a happy habitat, everything else will take care of itself.
By Arthur Parkinson Published
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'I spent 84 years living in the countryside, and have just moved to a city. Here's what I've discovered.'
Charles Moseley has lived in a small village in Cambridgeshire for decades, but now he’s made the leap with his wife to the cathedral city of Ely, the subject of his latest book.
By Charles Moseley Published
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Arthur Parkinson: Ruffled feathers and a bad attitude — my guide on how to deal with broody hens
A chicken's desire to sit on and hatch a clutch of eggs can be the most effortless way to rear your own birds, but for those who are after eggs and not chicks it can be a real issue.
By Arthur Parkinson Published
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'We don’t expect to catch monsters in British seas': The return of the bluefin tuna
It’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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One puffin, two puffin, three puffin, four: The National Trust’s puffin count gets underway on the Farne Islands
Though 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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Urban beekeeping — from the illegal rooftop hives in New York City to Chelsea Flower Show
The 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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Britain's fastest mammal, a tropical tester and a Scottish estate: Country Life Quiz of the Day, May 1, 2025
Thursday's Quiz of the Day offers up a great country estate in Scotland.
By Toby Keel Published
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Puffins, the world's smelliest fruit and Einstein's socks: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 30, 2025
Wednesday's Quiz of the Day wonders if you know what an 'interrobang' is.
By Toby Keel Published
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George Monbiot: 'Farmers need stability and security... Instead, they're contending with chaos'
The writer, journalist and campaigner George Monbiot joins the Country Life podcast.
By Toby Keel Published
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Arthur Parkinson: ‘I want my chicken coop to look like the one from “Far from the Madding Crowd”’
In his second instalment of all things chicken keeping, our columnist outlines the dos and don'ts of hen house maintenance.
By Arthur Parkinson Published
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What the cluck? Waitrose announces ‘trailblazing’ pledge to help improve chicken welfare standards
Waitrose has signed up to the Better Chicken Commitment, but does the scheme leave Britain open to inferior imports?
By Jane Wheatley Published
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How an app can make you fall in love with nature, with Melissa Harrison
The novelist, children's author and nature writer Melissa Harrison joins the podcast to talk about her love of the natural world and her new app, Encounter.
By James Fisher Published
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Everything you need to know about one of sport's most gruelling rivalries
This year's Boat Race is expected to play out to a global audience of 100million.
By Amie Elizabeth White Last updated
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From robins and hedgehogs to the Loch Ness Monster: Professor Karen Jones on Beastly Britain
Professor Karen Jones joins the Country Life podcast to talk about the animals that populate Britain, and how they've shaped our land, our culture and our lives.
By Toby Keel Published
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Hold the front page: How to find the ladybird hiding on this week's Country Life cover
Did you struggle to find the ladybird on this week's Country Life front cover? You weren't the only one.
By Rosie Paterson Published
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The humble hazel dormouse — 'the flagship species of the health of our countryside'
The sleepy and very sweet hazel dormouse is one of Britain's rarest mammals.
By Jack Watkins Published
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The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West Sussex
Although the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
By Rosie Paterson Published


