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The Utterly Inessential Travel Shopping List: Everything you need for winter sun or hitting the slopes
Last week's Country Life showed you all the best places to travel for a holiday now that the summer is over, from swimming with horses in Montego Bay to curling up in a chalet in Courmayeur. Now that you've booked your trip, Alexandra Fraser shows you all the things which may make your journey a little bit easier, a little bit more luxurious and a little bit utterly inessential.
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Country Life Today: The paper wasp arrives in Britain for the first time
In today's round-up we bring news of an exciting insect sighting, a 'landmark moment' for electrical cars in Britain and a golden retriever's take on Brexit.
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: A pet candle with a secret, an American culinary road-trip and the inevitable waterproof
In this week of Utterly Inessential, we take a look at a few things we may (but probably wont) need to get through the cold weather.
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Country Life Today: how the humble elderflower became big business
In today's news round-up, we look at the extraordinary rise of elderflower from weed to the key ingredient in one of Britain's favourite drinks, examine the impact of climate change on the oceans and reveal which famous locomotive is going on display in York.
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The Utterly Inessential Autumn Shopping List: Cheese subscriptions, cosy blankets and everything else you need in the run up to winter
Cuddle up under a blanket and put Friends on in the background; the winter lists are back and better than ever.
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A large, lovingly-restored country home with two ponds, an indoor pool and a wonderful story
Smallwater has been diligently cared for by its current owners and restored to a state of perfection - it's now ready for the next chapter of its life. Alexandra Fraser takes a look.
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A beautiful Norfolk town house with a library by John Simpson, right opposite King's Lynn Minster
2 St. Margaret’s Place offers a wonderful opportunity to own a house right in the centre of King's Lynn – impressively sized with period features and a beautiful location.
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Eight deliciously refreshing summer drinks to get you through the last few days of summer
Rose flavours, healthy sodas and enough gin cocktails to sink a ship, here are the latest concoctions to keep you cool this summer.
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: Everything you need for the last weekend of summer
Alexandra Fraser rounds up the last few things you absolutely don't need this summer, as we reluctantly turn towards autumn jackets, broken brollies and 'do you have any tables inside?'.
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10 breathtaking photographs from the 2019 Audubon Photography Awards
Winning photos and honorable mentions were selected from 2,253 entrants from all over the United States, Washington D.C. and 10 Canadian provinces and territories to appreciate the wonder of birds and the places they inhabit. See the favourites below.
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The Utterly Inessential Bank Holiday Shopping List: A few simple pleasures to indulge in over the historic August long weekend
It's the weekend we've all been waiting for since Christmas. In three short days, everyone in the UK (except the parents of young children, God bless you) will wake up at 7am, glance at their phone clocks and peacefully drift back into their downy pillows with large smiles on their faces. It's here, it's really here – the August bank holiday.
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A stunning, 16th century English mansion on Guildford Estate...across the pond in Pennsylvania
Guildford in Chestnut Hill is the perfect English country mansion with a rich history and beautiful views. Inspired by Sutton Place in Surrey, the stately home has found itself in quite a different setting on the other side of the world.
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Seattle: A foodie (and drinkie) tour of the city which inspired the culinary world of Frasier
The Space Needle, Pike Place Market and its fair share of rain; surely there can’t be much more to this corner of the Pacific North West? Indeed there can, finds Alexandra Fraser.
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The Utterly Inessential Beach Shopping List: From ocean-inspired drinks to a Dragon paddleboard for the entire family to enjoy
Bored of being in the office? Well, this weekend is your chance to drop everything and jump on a train down to our gleaming coastline. Alexandra Fraser rounds up a few of the utterly inessential things that you should probably, potentially, but definitely not absolutely, bring with you.
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Revealed: How to stop seagulls from stealing your chips
Seagulls begging for food are the scourge of many a day at the British seaside — and where there is a problem, there is a team of researchers trying to find a solution. And the team at Exeter University looking into the seagull problem have come up with a plan that simply needs steely resolve and an even-steelier-glare.
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Your own loch and 65 acres of Scottish countryside for the price of small flat on the outskirts of London
Loch Cottage comes with stunning vistas, plenty of woodland and, of course, its own private loch. The house needs some updating, but at this price, how could one say no...
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Pisa, Italy: A wellness haven of ancient thermal baths, historic Italian villas and deliciously healthy food
Pisa's termes have long been the retreat of royalty and the famous, attracting kings, queens and a good number of Romantic writers. Alexandra Fraser went to explore the healing waters and to discover just what makes this quiet corner of the world the ultimate wellness destination.
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The Utterly Inessential Shopping List: Solid chocolate ice cream, a trackable passport cover and a £7,000 silver ice bucket
In this week's round up of utterly inessential items to amaze and beguile, Alexandra Fraser takes a look at a solid chocolate ice cream cone, the world's most expensive (probably) ice bucket and the ultimate solution to losing your passport in the airport.
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Picture-perfect country cottage with a dreamy English country garden
Church Cottage is the idyllic countryside family home for everyone, including Alexandra Fraser, who takes a look at its many remarkable features.
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Longlands, Devon: A magical glamping site perched in the perfect hills of the Exmoor, just a stone's throw from the sea
Longlands is an idyllic haven from the busy world, with a boating lake, a sunset hot tub and a village of safari lodges that make camping the height of luxury. Alexandra Fraser didn't want to leave; here's what she thought when she finally did.
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Country Life Today: The dying tree kept alive by its children
Today's news round up explores how an incredible root system kept a felled tree alive, discovers the best places you can visit to keep cool in this heatwave and finds out how to make a swimming pool out of a skip.
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The Utterly Inessential Polo Shopping List: Everything you'll need for The Hurlingham Polo International Day and beyond
Looking ahead to this Saturday, Alexandra Fraser rounds up all of the Utterly Inessential items you may desire to attend the polo this Saturday in style, from comfy (yet stylish) shoes to the ever-present fedora.
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The rhino who reads Country Life
Yes - really. Monty the rhino enjoyed his Country Life fame so much that he had to have a look at his feature himself.
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Country Life Today: The farmer who made a 23ft gap in Offa's Dyke — and tried to blame his sheep
This morning's news round-up finds a butterfly charity calling for volunteers to count migration of painted ladies to the UK; discovers if making plastic from weeds could reduce a car's carbon footprint before it's even driven; and hears of the farmer who damaged Offa's Dyke and pinned the blame on his sheep.
