Viking 'drinking hall' unearthed in Orkney
We're not entirely sure why it should be described as a 'drinking hall' rather than just a hall, but you can't deny that the phrase adds a bit of Norse charm to the discovery made at Skaill Farmstead in Westness, Rousay.
Researchers from the University of the Highlands have made the discovery and believe it to be the former home of Sigurd, a powerful 12th century chieftain, whose hall is mentioned in the sagas.
'You never know,' said Dan Lee, head of the excavation, 'but perhaps Earl Sigurd himself sat on one of the stone benches inside the hall and drank a flagon of ale.'
'One scoop of the net brought us a newt straight out of Jurassic Park, a raft spider and a Notonecta galuca'
John Lewis-Stempel's piece on ponds is really something — if you've not yet read it, it comes highly recommended. And if you have, you'll probably want to read it again. Here's a sample:
'There’s that unseen universe below the surface, teeming with creatures, as Orwell knew, as fantastic as anything in science-fiction. The other day, I went ‘pond-dipping’ with my daughter, Freda — one scoop of the net brought us a newt straight out of Jurassic Park, a raft spider and a Notonecta galuca, a backswimmer.'This scarab-shaped bug hangs from the surface film, loitering, until it detects the vibrations of prey moving about. Then, it dives down at speed, using its oar-like back legs for propulsion, clutches the prey with its forelegs and stabs it with its rostrum, before injecting a toxic juice to paralyse and liquefy, much as spiders do. The backswimmer takes a leisurely while sucking out the ‘soupy’ innards of its victim. The beast can live for nearly a year.'
Weather watch: Don't expect a nice weekend...
It's looking particularly bad if you're based in the West Country — a music festival in Newquay has been cancelled due to fears of flooding.
Thatch the way to do it: 8 picture-perfect thatched cottages
It's hard for us to believe now that thatched roofs were once considered only good enough for the poor. Would-be buyers of country cottage now chase these charmingly picturesque properties with huge zeal — and it's not hard to see why.
The giant cannibal parrot taller than a toddler
A parrot that stands over three feet tall and weighs in at over a stone? The discovery of Heracles inexpectatus is the stuff of nightmares.
Full story (National Geographic)
On This Day... Mata Hari born
Not many names go down in history to the extent that people know them without knowing why, but Mata Hari has. Born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle in the Netherlands on August 7, 1876, the dancer and courtesan became one of the most notorious double agents in history. Her dancing was once described as 'majestically tragic, the thousand curves and movements of her body trembling in a thousand rhythms' and her fame spread throughout Europe before the First World War, with Kaiser Wilhelm II's son one of many well-connected fans.
Those connections saw her recruited as a spy by both sides during the war, leading to her arrest, prosecution on the flimsiest of evidence and tragic death by firing squad at the hands of the French — her adopted country, and the one to which she swore she owed her true allegiance.
And finally... how to stop seagulls stealing your chips
The answer is to stare them out, apparently. Simple as that. 'Experiments by the University of Exeter found that the birds are surprisingly easy to intimidate, and will back off from a meal if they think someone is watching,' reports the Daily Telegraph.
Country Life Today: The astonishingly simple solution to making our canals litter-free and beautiful
Today we look at why our canals have become rivers of plastic, but it needn't be that way; the scrapping
Country Life Today: The town-dwelling sheepdogs that end up needing counselling
Country Life Today: Scottish paradise seeks teachers for school with six children
If you're looking for a place to start a new life, this morning's news round-up has the answer.
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The Country Life guide to Somerset: What to do, where to stay and how to eatSomerset is rich in natural beauty and history, but it is its wealth of small-scale food and drink producers, farmers and makers that really set it apart from the competition. Find out how to make the most of it all with our indispensable guide.
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How to make a gloomy city garden into a haven of colour and natureTiffany Daneff discovers how to transform a typically dark London back garden into a light-filled green haven that is always in use. Photographs by Clive Nichols.
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The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
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London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
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90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
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Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
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Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
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Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
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Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
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Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
