Water has a magical hold over us. While mountains and valleys, trails and woods each offer a breathtaking experience of their own, there is something about water that has an unrivalled ability to calm the soul and ease our minds.
The benefits of wild swimming have been well-reported of late, too, with research telling us that time in blue-green spaces, as well as the effects of immersing our bodies in water, can have a positive effect on our mental and physical health.
Planning a day out around a swim can be a huge amount of fun. But when it comes to family summer holidays, the temptation is always to head for the coast to find water. While beach days are undoubtedly a favourite, it's worth exploring our inland water as well. By doing so, you deliver valuable nature experiences to children and can easily plan an adventure on your doorstep by walking to a swim spot, before enjoying a dip and a picnic.
In the UK, our myriad freshwater environments are rich with wildlife, and organisations such as The Rivers Trust are working hard to highlight the creatures and plants that need our help, in order to conserve them for future generations. Catching the flash of turquoise and orange as a kingfisher zips along a river or spying a yellow-bellied newt basking in the sun these are experiences you will never forget.
Loch Morlich, Inverness-shire
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von BBC Countryfile Magazine.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von BBC Countryfile Magazine.
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Guilt-Free Meat? - Should the world stop eating meat to tackle the climate crisis? Chris Baraniuk meets an experimental farmer who says we don't all have to become vegetarians
Should the world stop eating meat to tackle the climate crisis? Chris Baraniuk meets an experimental farmer who says we don't all have to become vegetarians. Livestock farming around the world is facing scrutiny because of its greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, the sector contributes somewhere between 11.1% and 19.6% of total emissions. Meat production is roughly twice as bad as the production of plant-based food, according to some analyses. And beef is the worst of all. Study after study has suggested that, in order to curtail the devastating effects of climate change, we ought to shift to a diet containing less meat - or even go vegetarian or vegan.
Discover Cider Country - Explore mellow golden countryside, pedalling between medieval villages, historic inns and fruitful orchards, on a delightful Herefordshire Cider Circuit adventure with Julie Brominicks
Explore mellow golden countryside, pedalling between medieval villages, historic inns and fruitful orchards, on a delightful Herefordshire Cider Circuit adventure with Julie Brominicks. I'm cycling Porter's Perfection, one of three cider circuits developed for Visit Herefordshire over the past few years. Each showcases a section of this bucolic county's loveliest villages, pubs, orchards and cidermakers via lanes suited to bicycles - e-bikes for hill-averse cyclists like me. The idea is to allow you to appreciate the sights, sounds and smells of cider country while traversing roads never meant for modern cars. If you have dodgy knees, or are keen to indulge in the local adult apple juice as you go (remember, it's illegal to cycle while under the influence), Visit Herefordshire also promotes cider bus routes.
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Amid pastures farmed by her family for more than four centuries, Mary Quicke is reviving forgotten dairy traditions to produce delicious Devon cheeses
How to eat 30 plants a week
As science proves the many health-boosting benefits of eating at least 30 different plants each week, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall shares recipes to help you meet the magic target
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SPECTACULAR STONEHENGE FINDS
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GALLOWAY NATIONAL PARK DEBATE
Would this protected status bring welcome recognition and attention - or overcrowding and problems for farmers?
Farmers are valued, so why do they feel we don't care?
For farmers out in their fields in all seasons, worried about the future as dramatic levels of rainfall blamed on climate change damage their crops, inflation and uncertainty push up their costs and what they see as unfair imports threaten their livelihoods, here's a spot of unexpectedly good news: the rest of us think you are doing a good job.
Pumpkin patches
Find the perfect jack-o'-lantern for Halloween at a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Some are simple affairs in tranquil countryside; others offer activities ranging from ghost trains to spooky mazes.
