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Matt Baker - THE COUNTRYFILE PRESENTER GOES BEHIND THE SCENES ON HIS SHOWS AND FAMILY FARM

MAKING SPACE FOR WILDLIFE ON THE FARM

Make your garden a wild haven

Fearful of the decline of wildlife in the wider countryside, Colin Stafford-Johnson did everything he could to make his plot a home for nature. At the start of the gardening year, he reveals simple steps to make a difference – and how these will bring you lasting joy

Ellie Harrison

The story of seagrass and the people saving this precious plant reveals an ocean of positive effort

Blackthorn beauty

As March turns to April, millions of tiny blooms spring from the spiny shrubs in our hedgerows, covering their dark stems in creamy white blossom. Adele Brand writes in praise of the unsung but resilient blackthorn

APRIL IN THE COUNTRY

PICTURES › WILDLIFE › PEOPLE & PLACES › COUNTRY KNOW-HOW › FOOD

The Magic of Wild Words

In 2017, a children’s book was published to treasure the disappearing language of nature. It became a worldwide hit that has now spawned two musical albums. Annabel Ross met author Robert Macfarlane to explore the phenomenal power of The Lost Words

Run Like Wolves

On tracks and trails all over Britain, runners out with their dogs, attached to each other via a bungee, are becoming a common sight. Sam Pyrah and her dog Morris try out the growing sport of canicross

Sublime Spring Gardens

Sunshine on your face, the scent of blossom in the air, the dreamy song of a blackbird. What better way to while away a spring day than in an idyllic country garden? Matthew Wilson heralds 10 of the best

Step into a Legend

Learn the strange and wonderful myths of our islands, urges Amy Jeffs, and when you explore our ancient landscapes, saints and giants will walk with you

MELODIES FROM A GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLADE

Settled among the folds and fields of the Severn Vale is a little-known nature reserve, home to the elusive nightingale and its beguiling spring song, says local birder Tolga Aktasstar

SONGS FROM AN URBAN SCRUBLAND

Even in the UK’s largest urban expanses, spring birdsong can be heard rising above the humdrum of city life, says David Lindo as he reveals his favourite birding spots in London

WEIRD WEATHER

We get a lot of weather in Britain. But just when you think you’ve seen it all, you may be lucky enough to witness one of the strange and startling atmospheric phenomena that occur occasionally here. BBC weather experts John Hammond and Sara Thornton report

Your Unmissable Outdoors

Plan a year of exciting mini-adventures in the beautiful countryside

Mobile masterclass

You don't need a fancy camera to take stunning images of nature. Build up your skills with these 10 tips from Sussex photographer Mike Kus and you could take pictures worthy of the Countryfile Calendar

Vampires in the meadow

Key to life on Earth, plants are full of surprises, as new BBC series Green Planet reminds us. Amanda Tuke visits a peaceful wildflower meadow and finds that here, among the swaying grasses, something sinister lurks...

PURSUING PASSION IN THE PEAK DISTRICT

WALK: Lyme Park, Cheshire. When it comes to romantic screen moments, few are more iconic than Mr Darcy's flake scene' in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Helen Moat visits the grounds where the pulse-racing scene was filmed

HOLLYWOOD ON WELSH SHORES

WALK: New Quay, Ceredigion. Dylan Thomas spent one of the most poignant years of his life in New Quay, from 1944-45. A little over 60 years later, his tale was told in film. Simon Whaley explores the romantic coastline where it was shot

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