News
No Mow May 2025: Why it's time to let the weeds grow
Want to help the wildlife in your garden? All you have to do this month is… nothing. Welcome to No Mow May 2025
Unmissable originals: 5 audiobooks to listen to before their 2025 film and TV adaptation releases
Inspired by the London Marathon? You could take part next year – here's how to get a head start on training
Roman gladiator skeleton dug up in York reveals first evidence of human vs big cat combat
Three-dimensional scans show the tooth-marks of a "large cat such as a lion" on the skeleton.
Extremely rare spider spotted in London for the first time ever
It's only the fourth time the species has been recorded in the UK in the past 30 years.
What's new?
Pen y Fan opens some of the highest-altitude EV charge points in the UK
Pont ar Daf at the foot of Pen y Fan in Wales is the latest National trust site to install electric vehicle chargers as part of an ongoing rollout.
Did you know sparkling wine was actually invented in England? Discover 18 fascinating and bizarre facts about Britain
From cheese-rolling to rivers with only one letter, Britain is home to some baffling places and traditions
Why London's blackbirds are dying – and how you can help
The public's help is needed to survey the spread of a virus that targets blackbirds, say researchers from the British Trust for Ornithology.
Boater films magical dolphin encounter in Sussex
The playful dolphins approached the boat off the coast of Brighton and leapt through the water, bow riding in the waves.
Smooth snakes, adders and sand lizards: UK national park to create huge haven for rare reptiles
Conservationists are enhancing 250 hectares of heathland – an area roughly the size of 350 football pitches.
Blog
British fava beans – history and recipes
The majority of the pulses we eat in Britain are imported from farms across the world - except the humble fava bean which is making a bold comeback. Here is our guide to the history of British fava beans, where to buy them and recipe ideas.
My Countryside interview: Anita Rani
Countryfile presenter Anita Rani talks about wild walks, hair-raising holidays and the importance of inner-city access to the great outdoors
The Island Diary Part 1: finding a home on Seil
Poet Kenneth Steven and his partner Kristina Hayward yearned for the sea – and where better than an island in the Western Isles that so nourished Kenneth's childhood. But could they make a life there? Find out in our new blog series