CATEGORIES

Castles In The Sky

In an extract from her book My Scotland, crime writer Val McDermid revisits Assynt in Sutherland and the magic of the Hermit’s Castle, perched on rocks above the sea

A Regency Revival

Ardgowan House, Renfrewshire The seat of Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart, Bt A major Scottish house never previously covered in the pages of Country Life is coming back to life. John Goodall reports on this remarkable building and its fascinating story

A Light Touch

When reinventing estate buildings, less is definitely more

‘Such Smashing Little Dogs'

They’re not as well known as their Pembroke cousins that are so beloved by The Queen, but Cardigan Welsh corgis are small dogs with a big attitude, finds Matthew Dennison

Size Isn't Everything

THE national enthusiasm for growing our own fruit and vegetables, which waxes and wanes with the generations, is presently at a high pitch.

Noble Assets

For tree-loving landowners who want to leave their mark, nothing beats planting your own quercetum. Mark Griffiths celebrates the mighty oak and its determined collectors

My Favourite Painting Guy Oliver

In the West of Ireland

Animal Magic

Swans at the Abbotsbury Swannery

Feel-Good Furniture

A new collection demonstrates the life-enhancing qualities of rattan

A Monastic Puzzle

Ewenny Priory, Vale of Glamorgan Parish church, Cadw monument and property of Jeremy Picton-Turbervill

Here's To The Future

The scion of the family wine merchant on tradition–and making a break for it.

One Man's Meat...

In an age when it’s acceptable to be a picky eater— unlike the terrifying olden days, when you had to eat everything put in front of you—I wonder whether other families have, like us, the thing you can have for supper when one family member is out.

My Favourite Painting Stephen Bayley

The Punishment of Lust

Turning Tables

Powerful and darkly humorous, Paula Rego’s paintings and drawings use stories to examine her own experiences. John McEwen commends two current exhibitions of her work

The Advent Of Daily Musical Delights

Silent Night and Away in a Manger are embedded in our consciousness, but how do you introduce new and contemporary Christmas carols into the cultural bloodstream?John Goodall talks to the artistic director behind a musical Advent calendar

The King Of The Hill

Our correspondent finds that the latest incarnation of Volkswagen’s twin-cab Amarok, the poshest of pick-ups, is as good on the motorway as it is on a muddy track

Gove Promises To Bring Home The Bacon

BRITISH farmers are to be given extra time to adjust to post-Brexit changes in the subsidy system, Michael Gove announced at the Oxford Farming Conference last week.

We Bring You Glad Tidings

The smugness and often staggering insensitivity of the Christmas round-robin letter is enough to drive one to drink, but Kit Hesketh-Harvey admits that their awfulness does add to festive amusement.

We're Not On The Same Planet

I SEND the family WhatsApp group a spectacular photie of the first snows of winter on Ben Wyvis, anticipating a lyrical response.

Drinking The Wren's Silver Laughter

Entranced by a tiny bird in the woods, jay griffiths explores the bewitching effect of the avian voice in her essay birdsong.

How To Cultivate A (Lemon's) Zest For Life

ONE sultry afternoon in 2001, I received a phone call from a friend.

Are You game?

Are You game?

The designer's room

This Cheshire barn has been transformed with a striking industrial look

Joy. Discovery. Invention

Architectural historian and Dorset resident Roger White welcomes the publication of the latest revised ‘Pevsner’

the aliens have landed

where man travels, so persistent members of the natural world will follow, although some of them are definitely more welcome than others. here, we rate the usefulness and attractiveness of non-native and introduced or invasive species, from the delightful to the downright pests.

the beauty that rose out of ruin

built and adapted by a series of wealthy english owners, this fantastical house and its splendid gardens have been triumphantly restored. gerald luckhurst reports

striking the right cord

from rock musicians to novelists and mps, snug, brilliantly coloured corduroy has many fans, finds alec marsh

The Word's The Thing

Modern dramatic interpreters shouldn’t be making a choice between prose and poetry—a play should be a marriage of the two

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead

Go Big Or Go Home

Size and straightness matter when it comes to displaying your vegetables at the annual show, discovers Steven Desmond