11 magical snow days across Britain which really delivered the goods
The national obsession with weather kicked into overdrive on Thursday as people across the nation were gripped by Thundersnow fever.

Across vast swathes of Britain the roads are deserted save for a few people trundling along at 5mph, schools are closed and supermarkets are full of people shopping for Armageddon.
But there's always an upside to snow: fun, beauty and grandeur. Here's our pick of some wonderful snowy moments across the nation.
These images of wonderful winters of the past come from the Science & Society Picture Library.
Nuns on the (toboggan) run
The brewery delivery man shows the true meaning of ice-cold beer
It's always the right time to do the conga
Shadow dancer
Steam trains and snowy winters? The old days really were just like your grandfather always told you...
Frozen lakes of yesteryear – without a health and safety official in sight
Definitely the wrong type of snow
These sheep were only too happy to be told to huddle up – just to keep warm
"What do you mean, 'I still have to go to school'? You can't be serious!"
Let's just hope the driver doesn't brake too suddenly...
If you hadn't seen the skier, what would you think had made these patterns...?
From mizzle to drizzle and dreich to dibble: 17 fascinating British words for wet weather
Mizzle, drizzle, dreich and dibble are just some of the many ways we describe rain. Antony Woodward considers our obsession
Credit: Tresco
Tresco: Like Britain, but with better weather, beaches, gardens... and no cars
Michael Sissons visits Tresco, a beautiful, tranquil, family-owned island off the coast of Cornwall.
Credit: Alamy
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
10 fascinating things you should know about the Shipping Forecast
From the tragedy which sparked its inception to the modern tweaks which have had listeners up in arms.
150 years of the Shipping Forecast: The magic and poetry of Dogger, Fisher and German Bight
Credit: Fish and chips (Alamy)
The best fish and chip shop in Britain for 2018 has been officially crowned
The best fish and chip shop in Britain has been named as Millers of Haxby.
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
Designer's Room: A solid oak French kitchen that's been cleverly engineered to last
Kitchen and joinery specialist Artichoke had several clever tricks to deal with the fact that natural wood expands and contracts.
By Amelia Thorpe
-
Chocolate eggs, bunnies and the Resurrection: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 18, 2025
Friday's quiz is an Easter special.
By James Fisher
-
In all its glory: One of Britain’s most striking moth species could be making a comeback
The Kentish glory moth has been absent from England and Wales for around 50 years.
By Jack Watkins
-
The birds of urban paradise: How to get twitching without leaving the city
You don't need to leave the concrete jungle to spot some rare and interesting birds. Here's a handy guide to birdspotting in Britain's towns and cities.
By Richard Smyth
-
Food with a pinch of salt: The crops we can harvest from the sea
Filling, rewarding and nutritious, vegetables and plants grown in saline environments — whether by accident or design — have plenty of potential. Illustration by Alan Baker.
By Deborah Nicholls-Lee
-
White-tailed eagles could soon soar free in southern England
Natural England is considering licensing the release of the raptors in Exmoor National Park — and the threat to pets and livestock is considered to be low.
By Jack Watkins
-
Britain's whale boom and and the predator that's far scarier than a great white shark, with wildlife cinematographer Dan Abbott
The wildlife cinematographer Dan Abbott joins us on the Country Life Podcast.
By Toby Keel
-
'They are inclined to bite and spray acid to protect territory': Meet the feisty red wood ant
By Ian Morton
-
The King wants YOU: His Majesty's call-to-arms for under-35s across Britain
The King’s Foundation has launched its ‘35 under 35’ initiative — a UK-wide search for ‘the next generation of exceptional makers and changemakers’ who want to work holistically with Nature.
By Amie Elizabeth White
-
'A big opportunity for a small, crowded and beautiful country': Fiona Reynolds on how the Land Use Framework can make Britain better
The Government’s Land Use Framework should be viewed as an opportunity to be smarter with our land, but conflicts need to be resolved along the way says Fiona Reynolds, chair of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission.
By Fiona Reynolds