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'Where birds and a wild Englishman roamed': The world's first nature reserve granted listed statusWaterton Park in West Yorkshire was the 'prototype for the modern nature reserve', and has been rewarded by Historic England with protection. Annie Elwes tells the story of the man behind it.
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John Lewis-Stempel: Never look after other people's animalsOur countryside columnist does a friend a favour, and ends up having to free a half-ton heifer from a muddy trench.
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Counting butterflies to calm the anxious mindA new study suggests that taking the time to watch and count butterflies can reduce anxiety, as well as providing vital information in the fight for nature.
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Elmley Nature Reserve – an island of nature in Kent that vibrates with birdsongSpending two days in the wilderness on the Isle of Sheppey shows how much we've lost and how much we have to gain.
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Jonathan Self: The peasants are anything but revoltingThe people who worked the patchwork farms of Ireland until just a few decades ago are all but gone, laments Jonathan Self.
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The buzz is back, says British Beekeepers Association, which celebrates its 150th anniversaryThe number of beekeepers and hives has increased since the lows of the early 2000s, but there is still more to be done to protect our pollinators.
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Joe Gibbs: Even the patron saint of salmon can't save these fish from the sealsAfter a disastrous 2023 fishing season, Joe Gibbs is hoping for better.
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North Yorkshire village is the latest to turn down the lights and become 'dark-skies friendly'Hawnby is the first 'dark sky friendly' village in the North York Moors and residents are already starting to see positive results from dimming the lights
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Helen Rebanks: Farming, food, the meaning of life... and dogs stealing birthday cakesHelen Rebanks, the bestselling author who became Britain's favourite farmer's wife, joins the Country Life podcast.
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Scottish farmers and stakeholders sceptical over new plans for National ParksA recent summit hosted by NFU Scotland is questioning the evidence on the benefits of national parks, with worries that they may negatively impact local farmers and communities.
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The worst-behaved pets in Britain: 'They would grab a cigarette briskly from your lips and fly around the room with it'From leopards in the dining room and jackdaws in the kitchen to demonic dogs, crazed cats and the ferret who broke into a nursery, Bronwen Riley presents a whodunnit of the worst-behaved pets in the history of British country houses.
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Organic farmed salmon is a 'misnomer' and certification should stop, claim fish conservation charitiesIn an open letter to the Soil Association, WildFish and more than 30 other organisations have questioned the organic certification schemes for farmed salmon in Scotland.
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Hope for hedgehogs as new research looks to revolutionise robotic lawnmowersScientists at the University of Oxford have developed a tool that could prevent hedgehogs from being mangled by robotic lawnmowers.
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Is your pony 'nice and fluffy' — or carrying too much weight? How warm winters are making for heavy horsesThe arrival of an overweight pony on The Archers highlights a growing problem with heavy horses, says equine charity World Horse Welfare
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The call of the wild, from gliding past hippos on a mokoro to riding alongside cheetahs and giraffesWhether following migrating wildebeest on foot, gliding past hippos on a mokoro, or riding alongside giraffes, little beats the thrill of an Aardvark safari.
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My week surviving on an uninhabited Scottish islandPatrick Galbraith joins the Country Life podcast to talk about his week living on the uninhabited island of Scarba, off the west coast of Scotland.
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Naughty sheep, clever cows and a lifetime of farming: Rosamund Young on the Country Life PodcastListen to best-selling author Rosamund Young on the latest edition of the Country Life Podcast.
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Country Life 22 November 2023Country Life 22 November 2023 goes wild camping on Exmoor, the plight of the setter and looks at the chaos that surrounds rural development rules.
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Britain's best folk festivals, from the weird and wonderful to the downright dangerousBurning barrels, hare-pie scrambles, bottle kicking and horn dances: no one does eccentric quite like the English. Harry Pearson explores our weird, wonderful and sometimes distinctly dangerous folk festivals.
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The safaris that deliver wild encounters for the whole familyAardvark Safaris create tailor-made wildlife trips in Africa to thrill all ages.
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Patrick Galbraith: The best sport in life is freePatrick Galbraith's trip to the Isle of Lewis shows him a new perspective on how to land a bird for your festive roast.
