Britain’s Naughtiest Dog 2019: All the winners, from the Jack Russell who summoned the armed police to the pointer who vomits glitter
How bad does a dog have to be to demolish the family Easter eggs, chew up a passport a day before a trip to Australia and summon the armed police while their owner was helplesly in the shower? The answer is clear; the dog must be the naughtiest dog in Britain. And that's just what Pici is.
Curious Questions: Did a double decker bus really jump over Tower Bridge?
You think you know the answer to this one. Let us assure you, you really don't. There's a reason why Albert Gunter went onto be the best men of one of the passengers on his bus.
How the Victorians wove beautiful jewellery from the hair of their deceased loved ones
That's right; it was once fashionable to wear jewellery made from human hair. Before you judge, remember two things. 1) Victorians used hair jewellery to imortalise dead loved ones and some of it is actually fairly intricate and beautiful. 2) Lady Gaga wore a dress made of meat. We're not so far removed as we might hope from our batty ancestors.
Curious Questions: How do you make the perfect slice of toast?
It was a question that needed an answer. Thanks to us, it now has one.
Why you shouldn’t fear eating offal — it’s food ‘to soothe, comfort and delight’
Okay okay, when you look at it initially, it looks a little murdery. But give this feature time – time to convince you that there's nothing awful about offal. In fact, one could argue that it's sustainable eating; cutting waste, using every part of the animal and so on.
What it’s like to live for five days on an uninhabited Scottish island
One only needs to meet the enigmatic Patrick Galbraith to stop asking the question: 'Who in their right mind would spend five days on an uninhabited Scottish island?'. The answer is, of course, Patrick Galbraith. The story of a man, a terrier and a fishing rod is well-worth the read.
26 miles of wine and cheese: The madness of the Marathon du Medoc, the world’s daftest (and booziest) running race
Here at Country Life we're blessed with not only Patrick Galbraith, but also the lovably bonkers Emma Hughes as a regular contributor. Whatever Pheidippides thought his legacy would be after trasversing the vast distance between Marathon and Athens, it was not this. Never this.
Curious Questions: Who invented the gin and tonic?
Discover who first opted to mix fire water with medicine to form the nation's favourite drink order.
Revealed: How to stop seagulls from stealing your chips
If you thought Country Life wasn't the place for hard-hitting research journalism, you're entirely wrong. As well as answering some of the most important, unasked questions out there, we also bring you handy tips to protect your lunch on the beach. You're welcome.
Curious Questions: How likely are you to be killed by a falling coconut?
Another question in desperate need of answering thankfully answered; Martin Fone explores the likelihood of death by coconut and gives some sound avice on how to avoid it. Namely, don't sit under coconut trees. Who would've thunk it?
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The winners and losers of summer 2025, from foragers to fishermen, and turtles to troutBlue skies and rising mercury cause have been a theme of this summer, but there are always those who thrive and those who struggle in unusual times.
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The alligator pear is more commonly known as what? Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 19, 2025Test you general knowledge with Tuesday's Quiz of the Day.
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The winners and losers of summer 2025, from foragers to fishermen, and turtles to trout
Blue skies and rising mercury cause have been a theme of this summer, but there are always those who thrive and those who struggle in unusual times.
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'Two months to the Moon, three for rest and refreshment and two more for the return': The English stork success storyLong unseen on British shores, white stork chicks are hatching once again in the UK and a colony is now flourishing in West Sussex thanks to a pioneering restoration project.
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Storm overflow plan 'needs flushing down the lavatory once and for all' say angling groups as perilous state of English rivers revealedThe recently published Cunliffe Report shows that 'waterways are suffering from chronic neglect, corporate greed and useless regulation'.
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From Queen bees to Queen Camilla, how one woman built a multi-million pound beauty empire out of bee venomDeborah Mitchell's skincare range has generated quite a buzz among celebrities including HRH and Victoria Beckham.
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‘Though she be but little, she is fierce’: Everything you didn't know about sparrowhawksScourge of the bird feeder and a master of ‘shock and awe’ assassinations, the sparrowhawk pursues its quarry with such tenacity and unpredictability that it often blindsides its prey.
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An ode to Britain's wildflowers, from the London bloom which grew in the craters of the Blitz, to the weather-predicting scarlet pimpernelDecorating the land with their brilliant and varied hues, our native flora which operate as clocks, calendars and Nature’s medicine cabinet are blooming brilliant, says John Lewis-Stempel.
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Levison Wood: Trekking the Nile, near-death experiences and why nothing beats a cup of tea and a piece of toastThe adventurer, explorer, writer and film-maker Levison Wood joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.
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Is there enough beauty and hope left in the natural world to counter the current state of global despair?Trees are dying, our food is covered in chemicals and we are stuck in a deteriorating international security situation.
