News

'Disconnected from our heritage' — conservation charity warns that more must be done to tackle light pollution

According to CPRE, The Countryside Charity, most of us can't see the stars correctly, and is calling on government to help fight back.

Stonehenge, Avebury and the stone circles of Britain, with Professor Vicki Cummings

One of Britain's top experts on stone circles, Professor Vicki Cummings, joins the Country Life podcast.

The 'places to live' ranking that lists all 1,429 towns, cities and large villages in England and Wales — and the surprise at the top of the list

Britain's largest property buying agent has launched an exhaustive list ranking every large village, town and city in England and Wales. But who comes out on top?

A vast Scottish estate for sale that includes the lake which (might) hide Robert the Bruce's sword

Halifax reports surprise jump in house prices — but agents, lenders and analysts call for caution

The latest figures from Halifax are a step in the right direction, but there is plenty of uncertainty and negative pressures in the market.

Country Life's ultimate guide to podcasts — from history and cricket, to politics and flyfishing

To celebrate the launch of the Country Life Podcast, we've curated a list of our favourite podcasts to help cut through the noise.

Clive Nichols: Secrets from the king of garden photography

Britain's top garden photographer Clive Nichols joins the Country Life podcast.

'The countryside can pull us together, a connecting point for a nation that sometimes feels as though it is falling apart'

After 75 years, the job required of national parks has changed. They now need to be hothouses of Nature recovery, and it’s time we got on with it, says Julian Glover.

Meet the dry-stone wallers who restored a 300-year-old sheep pen in Cumbria

Craftsmen Steven Allen and Trevor Stamper hope restored this historic sheepfold as part of a wider campaign to help support and promote common-land grazing

Organic farmed salmon is a 'misnomer' and certification should stop, claim fish conservation charities

In an open letter to the Soil Association, WildFish and more than 30 other organisations have questioned the organic certification schemes for farmed salmon in Scotland.

83% of England's rivers show 'high pollution' levels as sewage and agricultural waste flow into the waterways

Data collected by more than 640 anglers across the country have found that our rivers are in a perilous state.

Norman Foster on the Country Life podcast: 'The Green Belt is one of our greatest inventions'

Lord Norman Foster, one of Britain's great architects, joins the Country Life podcast.

Fit for a (very small) queen — a dolls' house with running water, electricity and working lifts

Queen Mary's Dolls' House celebrates its 100th anniversary with a brand new exhibition and a reimagined display at Windsor Castle.

Plan to save historic church buildings is 'urgently needed', warns National Churches Trust

In the past 10 years, some 3,500 churches have closed their doors, prompting a call to action to rescue those under threat.

Hope for hedgehogs as new research looks to revolutionise robotic lawnmowers

Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a tool that could prevent hedgehogs from being mangled by robotic lawnmowers.

Housing market expectations for 2024 are improving. Here’s why.

Temperatures may be falling outside but the housing market appears to be warming up. Annabel Dixon lifts the lid on the 'tentatively promising' start to the new year.

The weather lore of January that claims to predict the future

Predicting the weather using folklore is not as lackadaisical as it might seem, says Lia Leendertz, as she reveals what we can look forward to this month.

Is your pony 'nice and fluffy' — or carrying too much weight? How warm winters are making for heavy horses

The arrival of an overweight pony on The Archers highlights a growing problem with heavy horses, says equine charity World Horse Welfare

Carla Carlisle: Trying to believe that people will step back from war, elect an honest man

Even as the problems of the world grow greater, Carla Carlisle commits to being an 'affirming flame' of hope.

The Surrey towns where 1 in 5 homes now costs over £1 million

Rising house prices and ongoing buyer demand for luxe properties in Surrey have helped to fuel the county’s high-end housing market. Annabel Dixon finds out more.