South West
This walking route might be better than the South West Coast Path – discover Devon and Cornwall’s best kept secret
Skirting the Devon and Cornwall border, the pretty Tamara Coast to Coast Way offers a peaceful alternative to the busier South West Coast Path. Dixe Wills satisfies his adventurous spirit on an 87-mile walk beside the River Tamar
Final and bloody clash of the Monmouth Rebellion: The Battle of Sedgemoor marks the last armed uprising on English soil
Retrace the unfortunate steps of a band of rebellious locals who got lost on the Somerset Levels in the last battle on English soil.
Avebury Ridgeway walk, Wiltshire
Walk from Avebury Stone Circle along the Ridgeway – one of Britain’s most ancient roads – to the glorious heights of Hackpen Hill.
Day out: Bradford on Avon Slow Swim and Picnic
Experience the joy of slow swimming on this wonderful annual event, which includes tailor-made pace groups and plenty of cake.
Bradford-on-Avon to Bath canal walk, Wiltshire/Somerset
Celebrate the Kennet and Avon Canal with a stroll that blends natural beauty and Georgian engineering
200th podcast episode special! Can we find elusive kingfishers on a central Bristol river?
Join the Plodcast team of Fergus, Hannah and Jack on an evening walk up the River Frome in central Bristol in search of kingfishers
Castle Combe walk, Wiltshire
From the old packhorse bridge to the picturesque English cottages, visiting this gorgeous Cotswolds village is like stepping back in time.
Podcast: Discover the magic of cider making on Dowdings farm
Learn the lore of the apple tree in a wildlife-friendly orchard in south Somerset with cider-maker Oliver Dowding in episode 8, season 13 of the Countryfile Magazine Plodcast
Podcast: Exploring a wildlife haven on Dartmoor and discovering the power of soil
Learn how understanding the soil beneath our feet can transform the future of our farms, our wildlife and our approach to climate change – in episode 4, season 13 of the Countryfile Magazine Podcast
Podcast: Explore a traditional Devon dairy farm and home of award-winning cheddar cheese
Discover how cheddar cheese in made – on Mary Quicke's traditional dairy farm in Devon – in episode 2 of our new season: A Taste of the Countryside
Podcast: a fabulous canoe journey at dawn to see beavers on an English river
Join beaver expert Bevis Watts in a canoe on the River Avon near Bath to catch up with the beavers that have made their home here – in episode 6, season 12 of the Countryfile Plodcast
Podcast: How the River Severn is being unlocked for wildlife
Hear how the Unlocking the Severn project is enabling migrating twaite shad to swim up the River Severn once more – in episode 5, season 12 of the Countryfile Magazine plodcast
Podcast: Tales from a Somerset riverbank part 2
The second part of our adventure exploring the world of angling on two Somerset rivers. With Kevin Parr and plodcast host Fergus Collins in episode 12, season 11 of the Countryfile Magazine Plodcast
Podcast: Creating natural flood defences on Dartmoor
Enjoy a walk on the uplands of Dartmoor with Emma Howard Boyd of the Environment Agency exploring how natural solutions can stop flooding downstream
Walk: Leigh Woods, Bristol and Somerset
Visit several iconic Bristol sights – Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Camera Obscura and Leigh Woods
Podcast: Exploring the winter wildlife of Steart Marshes in Somerset with naturalist Ben Hoare
In the first episode of our new Plodcast series: Voices of the Countryside, we meet author and naturalist Ben Hoare to capture the atmosphere created by waders and wildfowl on the WWT's marvellous Steart Marshes reservve
Podcast: Foraging for fungi in Dorset with two brilliant naturalists
Learn about the magic and mystery of fungi with expert mushroom hunter John Wright. He joins our own Kevin Parr for a ramble in a hidden corner of Dorset. John's book A Spotters Guide to Countryside Mysteries is out now. Later in the plodcast, the team talk about the etiquette of saying 'hello' (or not!) to strangers on a country walk – and we capture on tape a strange bird singing in the depths of November.
Podcast: Strange tales of family and folklore from the wilds of Dartmoor with author Tom Cox
Author Tom Cox lives on Dartmoor and infuses his writing with the spirit of the landscape. In episode 14 of the Countryfile Magazine podcast, he reveals some of his favourite tales and legends from the area
Podcast: Uncovering the secrets of a graveyard in Gloucestershire
Discover the forgotten stories, local history and family secrets hidden in a graveyard. Join Who Do You Think You Are's Sarah Williams on an autumn ramble in episode 11, season 10 of the Countryfile Magazine Podcast
Podcast: Exploring the lost town of Old Sarum in Wiltshire with writer Christopher Somerville
Podcast: Strange tales at a Dorset henge… Part 2 of the Knowlton Circles mystery with Mary-Ann Ochota
In episode 2 of our new podcast series, Histories and Mysteries of the Countryside, historian and broadcaster Mary-Ann Ochota explores the deeply enigmatic henge and ruined church forgotten in the Dorset countryside – and hears strange tales of the supernatural from local people
Cottages in Devon: the best places to stay while on holiday
Heading to Devon for your next break? Our list of the best places to stay in Devon is here to help you find the perfect cottage for your South West trip.
Podcast: The mystery of Knowlton Circles with Mary-Ann Ochota, Part one
In the first of a new series of podcasts – Histories and Mysteries of the Countryside – broadcaster and archaeologist Mary-Ann Ochota wanders ancient landscapes in Dorset to unravel the enigma of Knowlton Circles
Podcast: A quest for booming bitterns on the Avalon Marshes in Somerset
Join an adventure to hear the magical and mournful boom of the bittern – plus extraordinary spring birdsong – in the marshes of the Somerset Levels in episode 5, season 9 of the BBC Countryfile Magazine podcast