Out & About

The problem with geese: A farmer's nuisance, but a musician's dream

These avian visitors are a nuisance when they eat all the grass, but winters would be bleaker without their music. Jamie Blackett explains his conundrum.

£3.5 million campaign launched to save Derek Jarman's iconic Prospect Cottage for the nation

Art Fund is running a campaign to save Prospect Cottage, the former home of film director Derek Jarman, which has become a place of pilgrimage in the years since his death. James Fisher reports.

Boxer dogs: Loyal, trusting and affectionate – once you get past the drool

Clownish and energetic, yet devoted and trainable, boxer dogs make an entertaining addition to the family.

Millennials gone mad? How 2020's dog owners are playing Spotify podcasts to pooches called Quinoa

2020 is already shaping up to be the year of the dog, with owners doing their absolute utmost to ensure their pet's comfort and happiness. Alexandra Fraser explores the top dog trends of the year – so far.

Inside Haworth: The humble parsonage where the Brontë sisters changed literature

Some of our most enduring stories were conceived at Haworth – Jeremy Musson enjoys a literary pilgrimage.

Jason Goodwin: The £9 million-per-pylon removal programme has begun, and it's already revealed bizarre secrets

Our columnist writes about the unsuspected secrets revealed by a project to rid our prettiest skylines of electricity pylons.

Flatcoat retrievers: The dogs that are charming, endlessly happy and will do anything to capture your heart

Intelligent, devoted and adept at working all country, the flatcoated retriever is the Peter Pan of the dog world with a tail that never stops wagging, discovers Matthew Dennison. Photographs by Sarah Farnsworth.

Curious Questions: How did a stork with a spear through its neck solve the mystery of the migration of birds?

For thousands of years, most people were convinced that birds hibernated in the winter — until a staggeringly resilient stork proved otherwise. Martin Fone explains.

A week-by-week guide to the National Trust's properties in 2020

The great garden birdwatch schemes which need your help

This is the time of year when the big birdwatching schemes ask for the public's help to record the numbers of our feathered friends in the gardens of Britain. Annunciata Elwes explains more.

The penguins of London Zoo: Traditionally good parents, occasionally clumsy and strictly not monogamous

'Once, the BBC was filming here and the penguins would take apart the equipment and run away with it, always the most expensive bits.'

The Cotswold Water Park: A break for nature lovers and thrill seekers alike, with the rest of the Cotswolds on the doorstep

The Cotswold Water Park might not be what springs to mind when thinking of the archetypal Cotswolds escape, but it makes a delighful spot for a weekend away, as Toby Keel found out.

Stunning skies, terrifying falls and the thrill of the (steeple)chase: Six stunning pictures captured by the racing photographer of the year

The winning portfolio that saw the Racing Post's Edward Whitaker earn the Racing Photographer of the Year award is spectacular.

Gordon setters: Distinguished, handsome and kindly dogs who deserve consideration

Developed by the 4th Duke of Gordon, the handsome black-and-tan Gordon setter has fallen out of fashion as a working dog, but deserves our attention as a potential pet.

Country Life's quirkiest features of 2019: The dog who summoned the armed police, the bus that jumped Tower Bridge and the likelihood of death by coconut

The best thing about being a magazine with such a wide readership is the truly eclectic mix of articles that we're able to deliver to your doorsteps. Here are our favourites from the past year.

Country Life's best dog stories of 2019: Adorably loyal terriers, political pooches and the dog who ate Christmas

Here at Country Life we (unsurprisingly) discuss a lot of four-legged friends. Here are our favourites from 2019.

Country Life's best Instagram posts of 2019: Gorgeous interiors, stately homes and the lamb that broke the internet

One of Country Life's crowning jewels is our carefully-curated Instagram feed, displaying the Best of Britain twice a day, every day.

The perennial fascination with snow at Christmas, and how it's all down to Charles Dickens and the Little Ice Age

Snow at Christmas is a rare sight across most of Britain, yet it’s indelibly intertwined in the collective imagination. Felicity Day explains why.

The nativity camels: Unbelievably clever, a tad greedy and undeniably festive

‘They know we’d never take them anywhere dangerous. They trust us so much.'

Why the Penny Farthing is once more a frequent sight on the streets of London

The dinosaur of the bicycle world is back in the spotlight with the help of the Penny Farthing Club and its intrepid members.