CATEGORIES

The power of awe

Ancient wonders inspire feelings of awe that can help transform your mental health, argues photographer David Abram and scientists, it seems, agree

Return of the aurochs

Extinct since 1627, an ancient species of huge wild cattle could soon be back from the dead to graze on Scottish hillsides.

DISCOVER The art of Cornwall

With its gorgeous coast and mild weather, Cornwall has attracted artists and crafters for generations. Jo Caird seeks out the places that inspired some of Britain's finest painters, potters and sculptors, and admires their handiwork

Adam Henson

What can you do for our farmers? Go to an agricultural show this summer and talk to them

Strange sunfish

Is it missing something? Spot the bizarre head only’ ocean sunfish in UK waters in summer

SCOTTISH ECOLOGICAL RECOVERY ON CAMERA

A unique photographic record brings Scotland’s nature restoration into sharp focus

FARMING AND THE RISE OF SUPERBUGS

Antibiotics save lives but unless farmers stop overusing them on animals, scientists warn they could become useless, triggering a global health crisis. Caroline Stocks finds out how British farmers are taking action

Sense of place

Vivienne Crow enjoys a classic summer walk in the Peak District with Amar Latif, the blind adventurer and president of the 4 Ramblers, who is set on making the world more accessible to all

TOP 10 PIERS

What could be more redolent of an oldfashioned holiday than a walk on one of Britain's piers? When it comes to length, the following 10 have no peers, says Dixe Wills

American INVADERS!

Escaping from fur factories in the 1950s, mink flourished in the countryside and began devastating native species. Now conservationists in East Anglia are finally turning the tide on the...

Colour therapy

Before synthetic dyes, we turned to plants to provide colour in our lives. Steph Wetherell meets a Devon farmer who is not only growing gorgeous dye plants - she's helping people bloom too

Wild silence

What happens when you spend three days walking wordlessly across Dartmoor, wild camping along the way? Maria Hodson finds out...

DISCOVER Coast to Coast adventure

Alfred Wainwright's breathtaking Coast to Coast walk passes through England's three most spectacular national parks. But more than that, it is a chance to slow down, live the simple life and absorb the stories of the land, enthuses Vivienne Crow

BIG CAT DNA FOUND IN CUMBRIA

Speculation over big cats in our countryside rises as a leopard or jaguar is suspected in a sheep killing

Are tourism taxes pricing the public out of the countryside?

Starting this month, holidaymakers along the Dorset coast will find themselves having to pay the UK's first seaside 'tourist tax' - an extra £2 per room per night - if they stay in larger hotels in Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch.

FARMERS ARE THE ORIGINAL FIRST RESPONDERS

Across the country, a secret army is at work, coming to the rescue at times of crisis and springing into action when their communities are in danger.

Nicola Chester

Building more affordable homes is vital for the survival of rural communities

Hush... it's spring!

The colours and scents of spring are exhilarating after a long, gloomy winter, but to fully appreciate the power of the season, shut your eyes and listen, urges Ajay Tegala

In hope of a bright future for our national parks

At experts came the height of the Second World War, a group of remarkable together for the first time.

Wild London walks

From vast parks and ancient woods to overgrown graveyards and flower-banked canals, England's capital is filled with green surprises. Discover them on foot with six sensational London walks

The truth about dogs

As arookie dog owner, Cotswolds writer James Fair was overwhelmed with advice and dire warnings about how to care for his puppy. But how many of the often-repeated truths about canines are really myths?

TOP 10 ROMANTIC RUINS

For a thrilling encounter with history, fall in love with a crumbling castle or tumbledown church this spring, swoons Dixe Wills

THE GREAT SOLAR DEBATE

If developers have their way, miles of Oxfordshire farmland will soon be covered with solar panels. Many local people are opposed but how vital is this sustainable energy for our countryside? Andrew Griffiths investigates

DISCOVER 100 miles of heaven

Looking for an adventure? An intoxicating mix of rolling downland, sleepy hamlets and wave-hewn cliffs makes the South Downs Way one of Britain's loveliest walks. Dixe Wills reveals the highlights of six days on the trail

THE COMEBACK KITE

Once virtually extinct in Britain, a magnificent bird of prey now thrives in British skies. What went so right? Nicola Chester profiles the red kite

TOP 10 NATIONAL TRUST HOUSES

Visit a real-life Downton Abbey at England's 10 most majestic country houses

Hamza and the Hope Spot

Hope Spots are springing up around the world - but what are they? Countryfile presenter and wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin lives in the heart of one in Argyll, literally on the 'spot'. Here's what he found

Bird of prayer

This September, Christopher Eccleston narrates A Kestrel for a Knave for BBC Four's The Read. Stephen James-Yeoman discusses the enduring power of this classic countryside book

Find your inner caveman

You have been walking all day, wading through the long grass that shimmers in the sun to crest a hill and drink in the view, before slipping into the coolness of dappled woodland

COULD MORE OF SCOTLAND BE COMMUNITY OWNED?

From the wild mountains in the north to the rolling hills of the south, much of Scotland's countryside is owned by a relatively small number of private landowners and public bodies