Country Life's best 10 articles of 2021
The Country Life website team takes its pick of some of our favourite articles of the year — some of which were big hits, some of which went under the radar, but all of which we think were fascinating slices of life.


These are presented in no particular order. And if we had to pick just one? It'd probably be the brilliant interview with photographer Charlie Waite.
Charlie Mackesy on The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: ‘It’s humbling… The reaction was beyond anything I ever imagined’
You've read the book — you've quite possibly been given multiple copies — so this interview with the man himself was wonderful and eye-opening.
Curious Questions: How did cats come to be man’s second-best friend? (Or best, depending on who you ask)
It’s a curious quirk of statistics that cats outnumber dogs in the UK, despite there being more dog owners. The reason? Cat owners seldom stop at one.
Seahenge, Norfolk: The ancient Bronze Age circle that lay hidden for 4,000 years
Our 'Secret Britain' at the start of the year was full of fascinating gems, but this was probably the pick of the bunch: an intriguing look at a little-known site which we can't help but thing ought to be more famous.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
How to win favour with a difficult dog, and other conundrums — solved by Mrs Hudson
Country Life's agony aunt is pithy and hilarious. If you've not worked your way through her collected columns, this is the time to start.
Curious Questions: Where do wedding anniversary traditions come from?
From paper and steel to lavender and gold, Martin Fone unwraps the history and meaning behind anniversary gifts.
Rosie and Jim: ‘They realise there’s no Uber, the postcode takes you into the middle of a muddy field and the local Waitrose is 600 miles away. Then they come straight back again.’
Country Life staffers Rosie Paterson and James Fisher originally started writing regular columns in lockdown, but they picked it up again later in 2021 — and produced a series of gems.
Jeremy Clarkson: ‘The countryside should be given to rockstars… they want it to look nice and they are prepared to invest in it’
‘I’m flabbergasted,’ declared Jeremy Clarkson when we asked him about the success of 'Clarkson's Farm'. ‘I honestly thought it would serve up gentle disappointment to fans of Top Gear and The Grand Tour, who have watched me for years, but it’s gone berserk.’
The Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021: Renaissance Man, Family Man and tireless pillar for Queen and country
Royal biographer Hugo Vickers looks at the life of the Duke of Edinburgh whose life 'was nothing if not an unusual one.'
Curious Questions: Why are four-leaf clovers lucky?
Ian Morton investigates the myths and legends linked to Ireland's favourite plant.
Charlie Waite: One of the world’s best landscape photographers on how to take pictures, the unknowable beauty of Britain and why an iPhone can be good enough
Annunciata Elwes spoke to Charlie Waite about his striking landscape images and how amateurs might follow suit — and good news: 'it's not about the equipment.'
The ultimate way to see The Lake District? By air, from the cockpit of an autogyro
In this article, Charles Harris experiences views that no man had from the dawn of time until the 20th century–and few do now, as he explores the Lake District in a 3ft wide and 15ft long autogyro.
A Great British holiday on wheels?
We’d been at the campsite for all of three minutes before we got stuck in the mud.... The kids were crying — one with laughter, one in fear — and I could feel my other half’s blood pressure climbing even beyond the closed door. The things I do for Country Life.'
10 superb pictures from Nature Photographer of the Year 2019
A cheeky duck and a majestic arch of the aurora borealis are among the magnificent photographs honoured by the 2019
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country Life
An Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
The legacy od Dad's Army
Kate Green takes a look at Dad’s Army, the iconic BBC sitcom written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry.
-
The greatest moment in the life of Jessie Owens: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 13, 2025
Breathtaking athleticism and Shakespeare's birthday are among the questions in the final quiz of the week.
-
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 12, 2025
A Rolling Stone and a familiar-sounding place find their way into Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
-
England's answer to New York: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 11, 2025
A Rolling Stone and a familiar-sounding place find their way into Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
-
David Beckham to guest edit Country Life
'I am looking forward to celebrating what the countryside means to me and my family,' says David Beckham as he gets ready to edit Country Life's issue of October 22, 2025.
-
Tulip-mania, Travolta v Hanks and the worst-named castle in Britain: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 10, 2025
Tuesday's Quiz of the Day tests your spelling, and ponders kings without facial hair.
-
Country Life 11 June 2025
Country Life 11 June 2025 is our Best of Britain special issue, celebrating the places, people, plants and craftsmen that make this country great.
-
Castles, candles and cards: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 9, 2025
Poker hands, pithy quotes and unusual pets feature in Monday's Quiz of the Day.
-
Country Life 4 June 2025
Country Life 4 June 2025 is a celebration of the best of Hampshire, from Jane Austen's cottage to the winding streets of Winchester.