BBC Countryfile Magazine

Countryfile Magazine inspires you to explore forgotten corners of the great British countryside and provides knowledge of the people and wildlife that inhabit it. We want to tempt you into trying new things, seek out new places and make the most of Britain’s beautiful landscapes.

Hope for the wild

THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS

HOW TO CONTACT US

APRIL IN THE COUNTRY • PICTURES › WILDLIFE › PEOPLE & PLACES › COUNTRY KNOW-HOW › FOOD

MAP OUR SWIFTS

FOUR WILD READS FOR CHILDREN • Nourish a love of nature and celebrate International Children’s Book Day, on 2 April, with these charming titles

RAILS • Rails are a curious family of birds, all with highly adapted feet and pointed bills. These five species breed in Britain in spring.

Walk to work • Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier in body and mind. Despite all these benefits, the pace of modern life has seen many of us give it up as part of our daily routine for something that gets us to our destination more quickly.

HOW TO REPAIR AN INFLATABLE SLEEPING MAT • Camping season is upon us – but what’s this? A hole in your inflatable sleeping mat? Never fear, fixing these little punctures is easy and affordable. Here’s how to do it…

National Trust Easter adventures

GRILLED HOGGET WITH LAVENDER, FETA AND HONEY

THE RIGHT BALANCE IS CRUCIAL FOR REWILDING PLANS

Nicola Chester • The power of books to connect us to landscapes and other people is stronger than ever

WILD ISLE OF MAN • From rugged sea cliffs and green glens to enchanting kelp forests and horse mussel reefs, the Isle of Man offers lovers of the wild – and wildlife – an escape like no other. Islander Fiona Gell reveals what makes this microcosm of the British Isles so special

NOW GO TO THE ISLE OF MAN • Where to stay, visit, eat and drink on the island by Fiona Gell

Get a 25l Regatta Altorock rucksack

BORN TO RUN • A glimpse of the lightning-bolt that is a running hare is one of Britain’s most thrilling wildlife encounters. Adele Brand takes us deeper into the world of this magnificent mammal

Singing with nightingales • As the sun sets over a Sussex woodland, folk singer Sam Lee leads a small group of curious people to listen to the rare and beautiful song of the nightingale

WHERE TO HEAR NIGHTINGALES • Nightingale territory in the UK is decreasing year-on-year, and it’s now almost exclusive to south-east England. The best time to hear nightingales is after dark. For the best chance of success, be patient, wear non-synthetic material that doesn’t rustle, and keep torches to a minimum.

GO FOREST CAMPING

WILL NEW GOVERNMENT PLANS REVERSE NATURE DECLINE?

WILD CAMPING AND LAND ACCESS • A recent High Court decision determined that no right to wild camp exists on Dartmoor, prompting a large protest on Stall Moor. As people clamour for greater access to nature, we investigate whether the public right to explore the countryside is being eroded

HOPE FOR EDEN? • The BBC’s stunning new series Wild Isles reveals that nature flourishes in Britain’s wonderfully benign conditions: rich seas, varied geology and a kind climate. Despite the devastating setbacks of recent decades, these natural advantages offer good prospects for the future recovery of wildlife, writes Patrick Barkham

A walk in Milk Wood • Writer Dylan Thomas and broadcaster Cerys Matthews grew up looking at the same view of Swansea Bay and share a love of nature and landscape – now Cerys has brought one of his most famous works to life for a new, younger audience

LIFE LINES • Healthy hedgerows teem with wildlife – and absorb greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Anna Turns celebrates these unsung wonders of...