The Field - November 2024

In this issue

The fantastic four - A quartet of estates provides formidable sport on one epic day in the field.

Shooting brakes - Traditional, quirky or lavish: how best to get to the peg?.

Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside

The gently spoken 51-year-old former Conservative Cabinet minister is a countryman at heart. That's clear: he even changes into a tweed waistcoat for the interview, which takes place at his London home and begins with a question about his precise career status. Having resigned from the Commons and the Conservative Party in 2019, the former diplomat and soldier has reinvented himself, first with an unconventional but promising run as an independent for the London mayoralty (abandoned because of COVID19 in 2020) and then as a media figure, co-hosting one of the country's most popular podcasts, The Rest Is Politics, alongside Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor.

4 mins

Celebrating the game changers

Once served only in the traditional manner, the fruits of our forays now find their way into all manner of diverse and delicious dishes, say Neil and Serena Cross

3 mins

Cloud shadows raced across the landscape below us as the south-westerly wind freshened, causing the first pheasants to lift high and curl over the pegged guns GWCT Fantastic Four Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

A party of guns enjoy the ultimate shoot raffle prize: four thrilling drives on four exceptional sporting estates

7 mins

A military operation

The unique coastal habitat of Geedon marshes is the setting for a bracing day of sport for members of the Colchester Garrison shoot, run by and for soldiers who serve not only their country but also the countryside

7 mins

Travelling in style

The gun bus is an integral part of any shoot but a band of imaginative owners are thinking outside the’box when it comes to finding the perfect shooting brake, be it traditional, quirky or lavish

7 mins

Going wild for great British game

Meet the passionate farmers, stalkers and chefs working tirelessly to put sustainable and healthy game meat on the country’s tables

6 mins

Wall-to-wall excitement

Criss-crossed by formidable drystone walls, the High Peak Harriers’ scenic country provides a day out with an exhilarating difference

7 mins

Talking scents

The canine nose is an astonishingly complex piece of biotechnology that man has harnessed for sustenance and sport for thousands of years

7 mins

Angling for success

It’s never too early to shape up for next season’s salmon and trout, and these top fishing schools are here to help

7 mins

Top of the pups

Canines in all their guises were celebrated at The Field Top Dog Awards lunch at Defender Burghley Horse Trials whether eager on the peg, patient at home or perpetually making mischief

6 mins

'A long way from Piccadilly or Pall Mall'

Marking 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Conor Farrington explores this eminent statesman’s often-overlooked 1907 tour of British East Africa: a journey rich with enchanting natural beauty and sporting adventure

7 mins

School spirits

From grey ladies and ghostly gardeners to more malign entities, public schools are a rich repository of unnatural phenomena

8 mins

The first civil engineer

John Smeaton left an indelible mark on the field of engineering and, three centuries after his birth, his legacy remains as strong as ever

6 mins

Fodder

Local fare with the feel-good factor.

2 mins

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The Field Magazine Description:

The Field is published monthly and dedicated to those brave souls who shoot, fish and hunt way beyond the call of duty. Since 1853, its staff has selflessly brought its readers the cream of rural life, be it pheasant shooting, dry-fly fishing or the distinct merits of Cheval Blanc. If you love field sports, errant terriers and very foxy friends at hunt balls, The Field is for you.