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                            <title><![CDATA[ Latest from Country Life in Countryside ]]></title>
                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside</link>
        <description><![CDATA[ All the latest countryside content from the Country Life team ]]></description>
                                    <lastBuildDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000</lastBuildDate>
                            <language>en</language>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'I can get the same sort of wellbeing from a glass of wine in the bath': A snob’s guide to pretending you like cold-water swimming ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/i-can-get-the-same-sort-of-wellbeing-from-a-glass-of-wine-in-the-bath-a-snobs-guide-to-pretending-you-like-cold-water-swimming</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ As temperatures rise so too will the calls to go cold-water swimming — much to Sophia Money-Coutt's chagrin. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Sophia Money-Coutts ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9R3twtZzXAqToPYsShdc85.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A cold-water swimmer will always make sure you know that they are a cold-water swimmer.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Aerial photograph of six woman swimming on their backs in Hampstead Heath ponds]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Aerial photograph of six woman swimming on their backs in Hampstead Heath ponds]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ If England wants to win the World Cup, it should listen to these emperor penguins ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/if-england-wants-to-win-the-world-cup-it-should-listen-to-these-emperor-penguins</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ As it turns out, the natural world has a lot of good advice for how to make a great football team. Country Life and the World Wide Fund for Nature break down the keys to success. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Andrew Peacock/Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Six penguins facing the camera in the antarctic]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Six penguins facing the camera in the antarctic]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Six penguins facing the camera in the antarctic]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Cheerio Churchill, hello hedgehogs: The British animals Country Life wants to see on our banknotes ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/say-cheerio-churchill-and-hello-hedgehogs-the-native-british-animals-country-life-wants-to-see-on-our-banknotes</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ As the nation votes on the British wildlife that will appear on the next series of banknotes, our writers argue their case for their favourite animals. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:40:07 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Lotte Brundle ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SLdbiV7B2oCXWcgrkkoW2h.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The European hedgehog, one of the options to be the face of our new money, is now Red Listed in Great Britain, meaning it&#039;s at risk of local extinction.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[hedgehog]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: Why Britain's county shows are thriving ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-why-britains-county-shows-are-thriving</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ As Labour continues to sideline those in the countryside, seven million people are flocking to county shows this summer to sample rural life at its most tangible. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:04:48 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Martin Clunes opens the Royal Bath &amp; West show 2026]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Martin Clunes opens the Royal Bath &amp; West show 2026]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Martin Clunes opens the Royal Bath &amp; West show 2026]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ These iridescently beautiful birds can slow time, reproduce the human voice and sing like angels —so why have we nicknamed them ‘stinker’ and ‘scootie’? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/these-iridescently-beautiful-birds-can-slow-time-reproduce-the-human-voice-and-sing-like-angels-so-why-have-we-nicknamed-them-stinker-and-scootie</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ A surprising members of the Unloved Birds Club is the starling. Mark Cocker explains why. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A starling murmuration can make for a striking display.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Starling]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ A snob's guide to the village fête ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/a-snobs-guide-to-the-village-fete</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Sophia Money-Coutts waxes lyrical about the most English of summer countryside traditions. Illustration by John Holder. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Sophia Money-Coutts ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9R3twtZzXAqToPYsShdc85.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[John Holder for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[&#039;The dog with the waggiest tale&#039; is a popular village fête tradition. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Illustration of people and dogs at an English village fete]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Illustration of people and dogs at an English village fete]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ From Worzel Gummidge to the kakashi of Shikoku: The scarecrow is iconic the world over ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/from-worzel-gummidge-to-the-kakashi-of-shikoku-the-scarecrow-is-iconic-the-world-over</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ They might be questionably effective at frightening away birds, but scarecrows remain a quirkily enduring feature of our physical and cultural landscape. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:05:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:19:16 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Aeneas Dennison ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bMc9fiPZZSFfFfRRzFhaW7-1280-80.jpg">
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[A scarecrow in a bowler hat standing in a field]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A scarecrow in a bowler hat standing in a field]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: How Gen Z fell in love with fly-fishing ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-how-gen-z-fell-in-love-with-fly-fishing</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ They may look closer to Brad Pitt's Paul Maclean than to the grandfathers who taught them how to cast. But they are flocking to the sport in their hundreds, lured by Nature's bounty. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 20:24:27 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Robert Redford&#039;s 1992 film, &#039;A River Runs Through It&#039;, did much to elevate fly-fishing&#039;s image across the pond. The hype is finally catching on in Britain.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Brad Pitt casting a line in Robert Redford&#039;s 1992 film A River Runs Through It]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Brad Pitt casting a line in Robert Redford&#039;s 1992 film A River Runs Through It]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The marine animals that look suspiciously like dogs ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/lifestyle/dogs/the-marine-animals-that-look-suspiciously-like-dogs</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ From Staffie-shaped seals and smiling Samoyed belugas to borzoi swordfish, World Ocean Day seemed the perfect opportunity to tackle one of life's most important questions: which marine animals look most like dogs? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Dogs]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Florence Allen ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wuKsWYXzQQXDP7DG83Sa6c.png ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy / Flo Allen]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[An unhinged image of the ocean&#039;s canine counterparts.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Playful collage comparing marine animals and dog breeds, including seals, sharks, dolphins, a manatee, walrus, beluga whale, pufferfish and dumbo octopus alongside their canine lookalikes.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Playful collage comparing marine animals and dog breeds, including seals, sharks, dolphins, a manatee, walrus, beluga whale, pufferfish and dumbo octopus alongside their canine lookalikes.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ We rudely refer to them as 'sky rats', but pigeons add a touch of the natural world to our busiest metropolises ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/we-may-rudely-call-them-sky-rats-but-pigeons-add-a-touch-of-the-natural-world-to-our-busiest-metropolises</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ Mark Cocker defends the ungainly pigeon in this weeks column, where he defends Britain's least likable birds. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The actress Jane Darwell played a character who had a particular affinity for pigeons in the film &#039;Mary Poppins&#039;.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Mary Poppins film still]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Mary Poppins film still]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Small-scale cut flower growers have now been formally recognised by the government ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/small-scale-cut-flower-growers-have-now-been-formally-recognised-by-the-government</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ The UK trade body that represents more than 1,000 small-scale cut flower growers, has been awarded dedicated Standard Industrial Classification codes. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Gardens &amp; Interiors]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Julie Harding ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XbVKQXzE8tSxAi6wYsfXJZ.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Clive Nichols for Country Life ]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The Standard Industrial Classification codes for the trade body comes just in time for British Flowers Week.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Tulip flowers in bottles]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Tulip flowers in bottles]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Where to listen to the greatest musical performance on Earth ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/do-not-miss-out-on-the-greatest-musical-performance-on-earth</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ The dawn chorus is a rich reminder of the beauty of the world we live in, far removed from its many horrors. And you can hear it from anywhere. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Country Life ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PLmTivjz9BZwGPM2UCXuvG.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images/James Silverthorne]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, adult singing at sunrise, Skokholm, Wales, July]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, adult singing at sunrise, Skokholm, Wales, July]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ You've got to have a lot of bottle to be an independent wine merchant ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/lifestyle/food-drink/youve-got-to-have-a-lot-of-bottle</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Independent wine merchants are going from strength to strength in rural communities. Gabriel Stone raises a glass to some of the best. Photographs by Millie Pilkington and Mark Williamson. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Sat, 30 May 2026 20:56:45 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Food &amp; Drink]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Gabriel Stone ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YQqGqtFuynQisRiz248oCh.png ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Mark Williamson for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[James Tanner is the managing director of Tanners a Shropshire-based wine merchant founded in 1872. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Wine]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ ‘The food system is where the big fight will happen for climate change in this country — and the time to start fixing that system is right now’: Meet the new generation joining the good fight at trailblazing Knepp  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/the-food-system-is-where-the-big-fight-will-happen-for-climate-change-in-this-country-and-the-time-to-start-fixing-that-system-is-right-now-meet-the-new-generation-joining-the-good-fight-at-trailblazing-knepp</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ For the last quarter of a century, the Knepp estate in Sussex has become a pioneer of the rewilding revolution, and now a new generation is joining the cause. Oliver Berry meets Ned Burrell and Lia Brazier to talk wild charcuterie, climate change — and making their own Marmite. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Oliver Berry ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q7EdExEDk62jJm2JJ6rRMm.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Knepp]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Rare-breed longhorn cattle are prized for conservation grazing, gentle temperaments and exceptional, high-quality marbled beef. It was rescued from oblivion by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in 1980.  ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Herd of Longhorn Hampshire cattle in long grass]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Great black-backed gulls: Hitchcock's villain remains a formidable predator on the big screen and on our coastlines ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/hitchcocks-villain-the-great-black-backed-gull-remains-a-formidable-predator-on-the-big-screen-and-on-our-coastlines</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ 'The Birds' vilified this species of bird on the big screen. They remain instinctively wary and you can almost never get close to one — with good reason, writes Mark Cocker. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[In his horror classic &#039;The Birds&#039;, Hitchcock made crows and gulls his two most gruesome killers.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Large gull]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Will AI be the saving grace of Britain's beloved hedgehogs?  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/will-ai-be-the-saving-grace-of-britains-beloved-hedgehogs</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A group of scientists at the University of Cambridge has managed to identify specific sites that might offer habitat for hedgehogs, writes Will Hosie. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Hedgehog]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Hedgehog]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Why is this British bird sometimes dubbed 'the black death'? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/why-is-this-british-bird-sometimes-dubbed-the-black-death</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ In the second instalment of our series on Britain’s most misunderstood birds, the voracious cormorant is in the spotlight. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Dark satanic bills: John Milton made the bird an image of Satan in his biblical epic poem &#039;Paradise Lost&#039;, which probably hasn&#039;t helped its reputation.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Cormorant]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Cormorant]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What not to miss at the Chelsea Flower Show: Clive Nichols and Kathryn Bradley-Hole on the Country Life Podcast  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/gardens-interiors/gardens/what-not-to-miss-at-the-chelsea-flower-show-clive-nichols-and-kathryn-bradley-hole-on-the-country-life-podcast</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Clive Nichols and Kathryn Bradley-Hole join the Country Life Podcast live from the Chelsea Flower Show. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 15:02:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Gardens]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Country Life Podcast]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Gardens &amp; Interiors]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Clive Nichols / Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The &#039;Flourish in the City&#039; garden at the 2026 Chelsea Flower Show drew special praise from Kathryn and Clive — as did the King&#039;s garden.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Addleshaw Goddard: Flourish in the City by Joe and Laura Carey RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Addleshaw Goddard: Flourish in the City by Joe and Laura Carey RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: The secret life of plankton ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-the-secret-life-of-plankton</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Plankton generates at least five times more oxygen than tropical rainforests. Yet its various subspecies remain opaque and poorly understood. That could soon be changing. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Few depictions of plankton have ever measured up to those of 19th-century zoologist and philosopher, Ernst Haeckel.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Plankton as illustrated by Ernst Haeckel]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Plankton as illustrated by Ernst Haeckel]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Alex Hassell and Bella MacLean can’t compete with the raw sex appeal of Rivals’ real star — The Cotswolds ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/alex-hassell-and-bella-maclean-cant-compete-with-the-raw-sex-appeal-of-rivals-real-star-the-cotswolds</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Bella MacLean and Alex Hassell speak to Meg Walters about season two of Rivals and the sex appeal of the Cotswolds. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 16:30:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Meg Walters ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BGw9Q2QAzcKvB9rNYjv68S.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Robert Viglasky Photography/Disney+]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Alex Hassell and Bella MacLean as Sir Rupert Campbell-Black and Bella MacLean in season two of &#039;Rivals&#039;. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Stills from season two of Rivals]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Stills from season two of Rivals]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The much unloved, many talented, quick-witted bird that inspired the Cold-War poetry of  Poet Laureate Ted Hughes ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/the-much-unloved-many-talented-quick-witted-bird-that-inspired-the-cold-war-poetry-of-poet-laureate-ted-hughes</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ In the first of our new series on ‘unloved birds’, we take a beady-eyed look at the charred black carrion crow, the clever corvid with the coarse voice. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Cocker ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R7aWd5Bj5JpoZoiiMUHqjD.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Carrion crow]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Carrion crow]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Carrion crow]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The silent extinction crisis threatening vanilla, magnolias — and the world’s tiniest waterlily ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/the-worlds-main-source-of-vanilla-smallest-waterlily-and-many-magnolia-species-could-disappear-entirely</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The world's main source of vanilla, smallest waterlily and many magnolia species could disappear entirely,  according to scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and others. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Gardens]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Gardens &amp; Interiors]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Julie Harding ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XbVKQXzE8tSxAi6wYsfXJZ.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Ines Stuart-Davidson © RBG Kew]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[&lt;em&gt;Amorphophallus titanum&lt;/em&gt; is recognized as a top-ranked species in recent EDGE assessments due to its risk of extinction. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Amorphophallus titanum]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Amorphophallus titanum]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'Simply sustaining is not enough — we must rebuild, improve and enhance if we are going to save the planet': Meet the forward-thinking farmers of the Cotswolds ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/simply-sustaining-is-not-enough-we-must-rebuild-improve-and-enhance-if-we-are-going-to-save-the-planet-meet-the-forward-thinking-farmers-of-the-cotswolds</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ They might struggle with stony, dry Cotswolds-brash soil, but the region's food producers explain why working the land sustainably and regeneratively is the best way to balance food production with wildlife recovery. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 15:05:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mary Skipwith ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VAp38XsfSbznwm5fT9JZw8.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Mark Williamson for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Charles and Chipps Mann (with dog Rover) in a cowslip meadow at Oxleaze Farm. &#039;We planted woodland and hedges to encourage wildlife and paid closer attention to the land itself, rather than merely what we could extract from it.&#039;]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Charles and Chipps Mann with Rover in Hanging Lands cowslip meadow at Oxleaze Farm, Filkins in Gloucestershire]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Charles and Chipps Mann with Rover in Hanging Lands cowslip meadow at Oxleaze Farm, Filkins in Gloucestershire]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Bertie Gregory: 'You know the cliché line people say “never meet your hero”? Those people haven’t met David Attenborough’ ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/bertie-gregory-you-know-the-cliche-line-people-say-never-meet-your-hero-those-people-havent-met-david-attenborough</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Wildlife cameraman Bertie Gregory has travelled all over the world in pursuit of the perfect shot. He talks to Rosie Paterson about a few of his favourite moments. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Thu, 21 May 2026 21:05:44 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Rosie Paterson ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4Fpt8Npn4ACJguryQwnkL.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[National Geographic for Disney+/Will West]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Bertie Gregory]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Bertie Gregory]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Bertie Gregory]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'He doesn’t hold back on the fact that that life in the animal kingdom is a brutal survival of the fittest': Happy birthday Sir David Attenborough   ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/he-doesnt-hold-back-on-the-fact-that-that-life-in-the-animal-kingdom-is-a-brutal-survival-of-the-fittest-happy-birthday-sir-david-attenborough</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The beloved broadcaster, natural historian and writer turns 100 today — and we have a lot to thank him for. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Fri, 08 May 2026 11:20:39 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Kate Green ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DiyjxbFnwttEcHFmWr8FMh.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alfred Markey/Mirrorpix/Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Sir David Attenborough speaking at a BBC conference in 1965, as controller of BBC Two, ahead of the the channel&#039;s North launch.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[David Attenborough ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[David Attenborough ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: Why we need more female trees  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-why-we-need-more-female-trees</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ For too long, urban planners and landscape designers have favoured male trees for easier maintenance — but it's made hay fever a whole lot worse. Fortunately, a solution exists. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Female trees trap pollen in the air, and yield flowers and fruit. We need more of them everywhere. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Trees forming an archway in a forest]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'I hadn't seen anyone who looked like me moving outdoors': Bethany Handley on nature, access, and going up mountains in a pink wheelchair ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/culture/people/i-hadnt-seen-anyone-who-looked-like-me-moving-outdoors-bethany-handley-on-nature-access-and-going-up-mountains-in-a-pink-wheelchair</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The author, poet and campaigner Bethany Handley joins the Country Life Podcast. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 11:25:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Tue, 05 May 2026 17:19:10 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Country Life Podcast]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Bethany Handley]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[&#039;My legs are purely decorative now&#039;, Bethany Handley told James Fisher the Country Life Podcast. But she&#039;s not let her disability stop her from enjoying the beauty of nature.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Bethany Handley / Rossiter Books]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Bethany Handley / Rossiter Books]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ How the curlew's call inspired some of Britain's best writers ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/how-the-curlews-call-inspired-some-of-britains-best-writers</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ For centuries, this enigmatic wader has brought both gloom and joy to many of the nation's literary minds. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jack Watkins ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bf42hhPN4xUa3R5J2SWZV4.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[WildlifeGmbH/Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Curlew (Numenius arquata). Adult walking in shallow water with wings opened.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Curlew (Numenius arquata). Adult walking in shallow water with wings opened.]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'To stick it to one side and let it rot is such a waste of a valuable resource': The buildings most at risk, according to the Victorian Society ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/to-stick-it-to-one-side-and-let-it-rot-is-such-a-waste-of-a-valuable-resource-the-buildings-most-at-risk-according-to-the-victorian-society</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The Top Ten Endangered Buildings list is endorsed by the charity’s president Griff Rhys Jones. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Julie Harding ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XbVKQXzE8tSxAi6wYsfXJZ.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[CAV Aerial]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[St Michael’s Cemetery Chapel in Sheffield is one of the buildings on the list.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[St Michael’s Cemetery Chapel]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Is the cure for modern life as simple as going for a walk?  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/culture/people/is-the-cure-for-modern-life-as-simple-as-going-for-a-walk</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Annabel Streets, author of 'The Walking Cure', joins the Country Life Podcast. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:30:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Country Life Podcast]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cgPTqWvsTAmGZ7GhbWiSb5-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Walking does you the world of good.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Going for a walk can do you the world of good ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Going for a walk can do you the world of good ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Divine tears, fairy footsteps or the sweat of heavens: The delight of dew ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/divine-tears-fairy-footsteps-or-the-sweat-of-heavens-the-delight-of-dew</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The transient beauty of early-morning moisture has bewitched poets, playwrights and scientists alike, finds Deborah Nicholls-Lee. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Deborah Nicholls-Lee ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SdyQZwWJiMciHDkfEvBUq9.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Andy Sands/Naturepl.com]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[- Yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) female, resting on stem at dawn covered in dew, Hertfordshire, England, UK. May. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[- Yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) female, resting on stem at dawn covered in dew, Hertfordshire, England, UK. May. ]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ With a fighting spirit and human help, the red squirrel is fighting back ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/kapow-the-red-squirrel-has-a-fighting-spirit-and-is-cautiously-staging-a-comeback-in-the-uk</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The red squirrel’s plight is well known, but, recently, there have been some encouraging signs of a revival. Vicky Liddell listens out for rustling overhead. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Vicky Liddell ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DWemJq86k6CpkUQhnmxs6M.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Terry Donnelly]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Flying high? There are signs the fortunes of the endearing red squirrel are on the up.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Red squirrel jumping through the air]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The battle for our countryside rages on  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/the-battle-for-our-countryside-rages-on</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Arguments about the despoliation of the British countryside in the name of economic survival are not new, nor are they going away. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Country Life ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PLmTivjz9BZwGPM2UCXuvG.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Winding Road taken from Mam Tor near Castleton, Peak District, Derbyshire, England]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Winding Road taken from Mam Tor near Castleton, Peak District, Derbyshire, England]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Winding Road taken from Mam Tor near Castleton, Peak District, Derbyshire, England]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[  'This event epitomised our vision for me: snow leopards and people living in harmony' ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/this-event-epitomised-our-vision-for-me-snow-leopards-and-people-living-in-harmony</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ This Earth Day, the World Wide Fund for Nature asks its experts to remind us what it's worth fighting for. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:39:41 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[WWF/Sascha Fonseca]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A wild snow leopard triggers a DSLR camera trap high up in mountains of Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Snow leopard in a mountain setting.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Snow leopard in a mountain setting.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Rooting for you: The many merits of the valerian ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/rooting-for-you-the-many-merits-of-the-valerian</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A versatile herb valued as a tonic for the nervous system, valerian’s soporific effects were once considered a great asset to public decorum, discovers Deborah Nicholls-Lee. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:12:14 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Deborah Nicholls-Lee ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SdyQZwWJiMciHDkfEvBUq9.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Shutterstock]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The plant’s scent is particularly appreciated by felines, who may roll in its vivid green foliage and chew on the root, much as they would with catmint.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Valerian flower]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ A window on the wild: The best of British wildlife photography ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/a-window-on-the-wild-the-best-of-british-wildlife-photography</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ This year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards celebrates the wonder of the natural world. Whether it’s a patchwork leaf-cutter bee hard at work or the springtime spectacle of boxing hares, here’s our pick of the best shots ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stuart Martel ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                            <dc:contributor><![CDATA[ Lucy Ford ]]></dc:contributor>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Sarah Darnell/British Wildlife Photography Awards]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[It&#039;s boxing day for the brown hares of Bintree in Norfolk, captured in Sarah Darnell&#039;s &#039;The Fur Flew&#039;]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Two hares boxing ]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Stop being led astray by red herrings —here is what the fish is really like ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/stop-being-led-astray-by-red-herrings-here-is-what-the-species-of-fish-is-really-like</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Chris Dwyer takes a deep dive into the rich and intriguing lore of the flatulent fish that gave us Yarmouth Bloaters and kippers. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Chris Dwyer ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/T6CD37WLKk4t6HMqQ3GjSH.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Somewhere in the region of one trillion herring swim in our waters.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Herrings]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Bringing home the bison: The lords looking after the UK's largest land mammal ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/bringing-home-the-bison-the-lords-looking-after-the-uks-largest-land-mammal</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The imposing yet sensitive bison isn't a common sight on our shores, but a cohort of enthusiasts has taken up its cause. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Eleanor Doughty ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YhyiW3QYjDyWK4odngk9z3-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[John Millar for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Two large American bison stand in a field]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Two large American bison stand in a field]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: How to get rid of the foxes on your roof? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-how-to-get-rid-of-the-foxes-on-your-roof</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ A skulk of foxes has occupied the roof of Google's building in King's Cross for close to a year. The tech behemoth wants them gone: but where will they go? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:24:49 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[London fox ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[London fox ]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ From coast to coast: Why seaside foraging is in our blood ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/from-coast-to-coast-why-seaside-foraging-is-in-our-blood</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Our shingle, cliffs and beaches offer a veritable natural larder packed with succulent stems, umami-rich seaweed and aromatic herbs, says Mark Williams ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark Williams ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2GQ7dENZFqEDRoV5vBGZRn.png ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Getty Images]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Far from a weed: rocks off Porthcurno, Cornwall, offer a rich harvest of seaweed.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A man spear fishing off Porthcurno, Cornwall]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A man spear fishing off Porthcurno, Cornwall]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ The chalky figures festooning our landscape might be a mystery, but they delight us nonetheless ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/rural-life/the-chalky-figures-festooning-our-landscape-are-still-something-of-a-mystery</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ The abstract white steed of Uffington and the excitable giant of Cerne Abbas may be Britain’s most famous chalk icons, but our landscape is filled with plenty more ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Vicky Liddell ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DWemJq86k6CpkUQhnmxs6M.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Icon-Pix/Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[The Uffington White Horse, Oxfordshire, is the nation&#039;s oldest.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[An aerial view of the Uffington White Horse, an ancient chalk hill figure in the English countryside.]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[An aerial view of the Uffington White Horse, an ancient chalk hill figure in the English countryside.]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: Walk more slowly, will you? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-walk-more-slowly-will-you</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ It should not necessarily follow that Spring begets a spring in one's step. Indeed, there is more to be said in this fair season for slowing down. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Philip Bannister for Country Life/Future Plc.]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Illustration of man and dog on spring walk]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Illustration of man and dog on spring walk]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Illustration of man and dog on spring walk]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Burford Brown eggs have become a household name, but what of the hens who lay them? ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/burford-brown-eggs-have-become-a-household-name-but-what-of-the-hens-who-lay-them</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Arthur Parkinson salutes the preferred breed of royalty, aristocracy and celebrity. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Arthur Parkinson ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mSpzC2vv7u6CjtKfM6WQC4.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Philip Lee-Woolf]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Burford Browns]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Burford Browns]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ ‘It looks like a miniature hamster. It’s just absolutely exquisite’: How the lucky ladybird took the worlds of French patisserie, jewellery and interior design by storm ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/it-looks-like-a-miniature-hamster-its-just-absolutely-exquisite-how-the-lucky-ladybird-took-the-worlds-of-french-patisserie-jewellery-and-interior-design-by-storm</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ Country Life isn't the only brand obsessed with the teeny-tiny ladybird, says Susanne Madsen, who investigates why we all find them so appealing. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:27:28 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Susanne Madsen ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YnnqmFruqq9HBAxFATGTZA.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Single ladybird climbing up a thin green shot against a blurry background]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Single ladybird climbing up a thin green shot against a blurry background]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ What is everyone talking about this week: Where have all the rabbits gone?  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/what-is-everyone-talking-about-this-week-where-have-all-the-rabbits-gone</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ There used to be dozens in every field, emerging at springtime and dancing around us in a pastoral conga line. Where are they now? ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Rabbits in the grass kissing at springtime]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Rabbits in the grass kissing at springtime]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'I’m in awe of him. He’s very special. I’m just in the shadows of what Attlee does': A brief guide to the working cats of Britain ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/the-working-cats-of-britain-a-brief-guide</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ From seafaring heroes of the Royal Navy to the solemn halls of Westminster, cats have a long and distinguished tradition of assisting in the workplace. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:45:33 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ James Fisher ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fYru9NUfP7aM9oukwkaxEe.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Mark Williamson for Country Life]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Attlee, the Maine Coon belonging to The Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, is not bothered by such nonsense as party politics.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Attlee, Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s cat in the Crimson Drawing Room in the Speakers House at the Houses of Parliament in London]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Attlee, Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s cat in the Crimson Drawing Room in the Speakers House at the Houses of Parliament in London]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Why national parks are our national pride ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/why-national-parks-are-our-national-pride</link>
                                                                            <description>
                            <![CDATA[ As the Peak District, which was the first national park in the UK to be designated, celebrates its 75th anniversary, Country Life celebrates our national parks. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Country Life ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PLmTivjz9BZwGPM2UCXuvG.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A view over Keswick town and Derwentwater to Cat Bells and Newlands in the Lake District. ]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[A view over Keswick town and Derwentwater to Cat Bells and Newlands in the Lake District. ]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[A view over Keswick town and Derwentwater to Cat Bells and Newlands in the Lake District. ]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Is this the new Bruton? How Nottinghamshire's grandest estate reinvented itself  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/is-this-the-new-bruton-how-nottinghamshires-grandest-estate-reinvented-itself</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ Welbeck Abbey has been in the Portland family for nearly 300 years. The new generation has turned its once sleepy reputation around. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                <updated>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:55:25 +0000</updated>
                                                                                                                                            <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Will Hosie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBwePqG6Xdt5FDMyJvtk6N.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Welbeck Abbey]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[Welbeck Abbey has reinvented itself as a temple of art and artisanship.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Welbeck Abbey facade]]></media:text>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ Waddle I do without you? The joys of sharing your home with gaggles of geese  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/waddle-i-do-without-you-the-joys-of-sharing-your-home-with-gaggles-of-geese</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ Keeping a gaggle of geese promises to bring oodles of charm and character to the yard, says Mary Skipwith, as she takes a gander at why these stately birds become the heart and soul of family life. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mary Skipwith ]]></dc:creator>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:content type="image/jpeg" url="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BJkzhqEKfAgvdEuf29oTCW-1280-80.jpg">
                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Alamy]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                        <media:description><![CDATA[A gaggle of Embden geese returning to their barn at dusk.]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Gaggle of Embden geese returning to their barn at dusk]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Gaggle of Embden geese returning to their barn at dusk]]></media:title>
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                                                            <title><![CDATA[ 'The ache for English orchards and hedgerows is rooted in a landscape that generations of poets have studied as scripture': Jacqui Ritchie, poet and wife of Guy, on the magic of spring  ]]></title>
                                                                                                                                                                                                <link>https://www.countrylife.co.uk/countryside/nature-wildlife/jacqui-ritchie-the-ache-for-english-orchards-and-hedgerows-is-more-than-nostalgia-it-is-rooted-in-a-landscape-that-generations-of-poets-have-studied-as-scripture</link>
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                            <![CDATA[ With this week’s equinox marking spring’s long-awaited calendar arrival here in Britain, Jacqui Ritchie investigates the spell it has always cast over the nation’s poets. ]]>
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                                                                        <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <category><![CDATA[Nature &amp; Wildlife]]></category>
                                                    <category><![CDATA[The Countryside]]></category>
                                                                                                                    <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jacqui Ritchie ]]></dc:creator>                                                                <dc:description><![CDATA[ https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uWEAQADcrdVNR7XJ2bgJe7.jpg ]]></dc:description>
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                                                            <media:credit><![CDATA[Michael Frith for Country Life/Future Plc.]]></media:credit>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    <media:description><![CDATA[Illustration of baby birds in spring scene]]></media:description>                                                            <media:text><![CDATA[Illustration of baby birds in spring scene]]></media:text>
                                <media:title type="plain"><![CDATA[Illustration of baby birds in spring scene]]></media:title>
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