Romance takes centre stage this month as we celebrate Valentine's Day. It plays an important role in the film industry too, of course, whatever the genre - action, drama, comedy, fantasy or thriller.
Location scouts have no difficulty sussing out places of enchanting beauty or dark romance on our diverse islands, from the rugged coasts and mountains of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to England's leafy country estates. Drawing inspiration from TV and film settings, we can explore the interiors of nearby stately homes on rainy days, and their gardens and parks on bright frosty mornings. For the mountain, coast and moorland locations further away, we can start planning for longer spring or summer trips.
DRAMA AND ROMANCE
The dramatic Highland landscapes that inspired the romance of Braveheart and Rob Roy, as well as the dreamy settings of 1983's Local Hero, linger in the memory. From the old-world fishing village of Pennan to the white sands of Morar and Arisaig filmed in this gentle drama-comedy, the Scottish coasts cast a spell.
Love and passion in Game of Thrones is much darker often ending in death - but the series makes use of Northern Ireland's most mesmerising locations. Castle Ward and the medieval ruins of Inch Abbey in County Down, the wild Atlantic at Ballintoy Harbour, Cushendun Caves and the Dark Hedges of County Antrim are just a few of them.
In Wales, The Edge of Love (page 80) centres around the poet and playwright Dylan Thomas. It showcases alluring Welsh landscapes, from Cardigan Bay and the cliff-top harbour town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire to Snowdonia National Park.
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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.
TOP 10 WILD AUTUMN FOODS
Make the most of seasonal abundance with foraging tips and recipe ideas from wild food expert Liz Knight
The taste of England
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
RARE RAFT SPIDER MAKES A COMEBACK
Thanks to dedicated conservation work, this impressive but vulnerable arachnid is resurgent in East Anglia
SPECTACULAR STONEHENGE FINDS
Following the latest astonishing revelation about the Stonehenge Altar Stone's Scottish origins, Dixe Wills looks at recent discoveries that have changed the way we view this impressive and enigmatic Neolithic monument
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.
