CATEGORIES

TOP SEVEN ROMANTIC ON-SCREEN STAYS

Spend a dreamy night where love famously blossomed in some of our most amorous films and TV shows, suggests Abigail Whyte

DISCOVER SHETLAND

Escape to a wild archipelago at the crossroads of the North Atlantic and the North Sea, where the drama of the landscape outdoes any action seen in the eponymous TV crime series

CYCLE INTO THE SUBLIME

CYCLE: Keswick, Whinlatter Pass and Crummock Water, Cumbria. From high mountain passes to serene lake shores, Christopher Ridout traces the physical and emotional journey of a couple dealing with the challenges of early-onset dementia

A wandering mind

Diagnosed with dementia in 2014, Wendy Mitchell has defied a gloomy prognosis, writing a successful blog and a bestselling book. Her secret? Routine - and regular walks in the countryside

Ribbons in the Rock

Seek rockpools, fossils and a reviving swim at this wonder of the Welsh coast, says Abigail Whyte

Sara Maitland

Snobby social attitudes undervalue manual labour – especially in the countryside

Top Seven Accessible Winter Beaches

Debbie North reveals some of the best winter shores for visitors with limited mobility

Meet the boss

Ever wondered who is behind the scenes, bringing the nation’s most popular factual programme to our screens every week? Annabel Ross meets Countryfile’s series editor Jane Lomas

A View from the Farm: Adam Henson

The future of farming lies in Social Sustainability

Saving Squirrels

One of Britain’s best-loved animals, the red squirrel is being driven back to its Highland heartlands by the slow advance of its grey cousin. We visit a Perthshire farm where naturalist Polly Pullar is doing her best to save the red

WONDERS OF THE NIGHT SKY

Dark winter evenings are perfect for exploring the magnificent marvels of the firmament – and Britain’s precious Dark Sky sites offer especially spectacular views. Venture outside with Vivienne Crow for an exhilarating evening of stargazing

Mysteries of the WINTER WOODLAND

Head into the trees this January, where strange natural marvels await the sharp-eyed explorer, urges countryman John Wright

Ellie Harrison

Instead of personal goals, hopes and ambitions for the planet’s wellbeing are on my New Year wish list

DISCOVER BERWICK AND THE BORDERS

Visit a spectacular frontier town this winter to explore its hinterland of epic rivers, historic houses and woodlands sparkling with frost, says Susie White

Chalk Stream Dream

DAY OUT: River Itchen, Hampshire | Clear, quiet and unhurried, Hampshire’s iconic River Itchen glides with added lustre beneath the soft light of a low autumn sun, reveals Kevin Parr

Matt Baker – “The countryside made me”

In his first book, Matt Baker celebrates his rural roots and chronicles a year spent transforming the family farm. He chats to Margaret Bartlett about sheep, sketching and new beginnings

Fungi Fascination

The mushrooms in our autumn woodlands are not only strange and intriguing, they and other fungi are vital to life on Earth. James Fair finds out more from biologist and author Merlin Sheldrake

BURE THROUGH THE BROADS

WALK: River Bure, Wroxham, Norfolk | Follow a tranquil autumn river through quiet Norfolk villages to Wroxham, the ‘capital of the Broads’, before returning along the Bure Valley Railway. Anna Paxton leads the way

GOTHIC WHITBY

Yorkshire’s pretty fishing port is popular with tourists – but the town has a dark side. Explore misty ruins, whispers of witches, strange tragedies and a legendary vampire with Karen Ruffles

HORSESHOE AMONG HILLS

DAY OUT: Afon Dyfrdwy (River Dee), Denbighshire | Afon Dyfrdwy is the largest river in North Wales, but its wildlife is suffering. Julie Brominicks explores a project that aims to restore it to its natural state, before ambling its autumn banks

Plant Britain BULBS FOR BEES AND BUTTERFLIES

Autumn is the ideal time to plant bulbs for an uplifting display of colour next spring and summer. But how do you choose the best flowers to benefit insect pollinators? Wild gardener and insect ecology expert Dave Goulson reveals his favourites

THE CUMBRIA WAY

The 70-mile Cumbria Way is an epic walk through England’s most picturesque landscape. Provided you take your time, this spectacular, mostly lowland route is less testing than it might sound, writes Peter Elia

GLEN FOR A QUEEN

CYCLE/WALK: River Avon, Tomintoul, Moray | Silver birch and mountain ash combine on the banks of this effervescent river, which carves and curv its way through some of the least-visited mountains in the Cairngorms, writes Fergal MacErlean

Love, hope and ruin

In her new book, Nicola Chester chronicles a lifetime of joy in nature alongside unbearable losses to our wild world that she has witnessed, and that we must all fight harder to prevent

Rudolph's Highland Home

Reindeer roam wild in just one place in the UK – the snow-covered Cairngorm mountains. Cameron McNeish marvels at an extraordinary animal that thrives in freezing Arctic environments

The Cuckoo Spymaster

In the 1950s, armchair naturalists knew Maxwell Knight as a pioneering wildlife broadcaster. But TV’s avuncular birdwatcher had another life – as the likely inspiration for ‘M’, James Bond’s spy chief.

The Magic Of Islands

There’s something special about time spent on small islands. It’s a chance to escape from a troubled world to a place of tranquility, and to be close to nature. Patrick Barkham explores what islands mean to mainlanders – and finds out what an island life is really like.

Rise Of The Shark

Increasing numbers of shark species are being found in British waters. Why is this happening, asks Ben Garrod – and where can we see them?

King Of Bright Water

Gavin Maxwell, the man behind one of our greatest nature stories, found his inspiration and purpose in the Highlands. Mark Rowe explores his life and legacy.

Flower Power

Would you like gorgeous fresh cut flowers all summer? All you need is a handful of seed, a spare patch of soil, and five minutes a day.