Country Living UK November 2018

Autumn is the time… …when we segue slowly from outside to inside as the days shorten and the light dims. It’s often a gentle season marked by the distinctive smells of damp leaves and lingering wood smoke, and a chill in the early mornings as a portent of the winter to come. In this issue we’ve got plenty of ideas for getting out – to witness the amazing natural wonders of starling murmurations (page 48) and discover what we can read in cloud formations (page 86). We’ve counterbalanced this with autumn projects you can settle down to if the weather closes in – pressing and framing leaves (page 21), making toffee apples (page 36) and inspiration for creating your own preserves (page 50), plus fabulous recipes for slow-cooked, fortifying dishes (page…

For stockists, see Where to Buy PRICES AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLIE COLMER AND RACHEL WHITING. STYLING BY BEN KENDRICK AND HESTER PAGE…

LONDON • HARROGATE • GLASGOW BDC LONDON, 7-11 NOVEMBER • SEC GLASGOW, 15-18 NOVEMBER • HCC HARROGATE, 29 NOVEMBER-2 DECEMBER For more information and to book tickets, visit countrylivingfair.com. To book a room at the Country Living St George Hotel in Harrogate, visit countrylivinghotels.com *COST OF FABRIC NOT INCLUDED COMPILED BY ALAINA BINKS. REINDEER GARLAND PHOTOGRAPHED BY PAVEL DORNAK OF LUCKY IF SHARP. PRICES, STAND NUMBERS AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. PRICES QUOTED MAY INCLUDE OFFERS AVAILABLE AT THE FAIRS ONLY; ONLINE PRICES MAY DIFFER…

TAKE PART IN ALL SAINTS’ DAY The day after Halloween, All Saints’ Day has been a Christian tradition since 609AD. Devised by Pope Boniface IV, it is the day to remember saints and martyrs. From St John the Baptist to Mother Teresa, there are more than 10,000 to celebrate. Acquaint yourself with some lesser-known martyrs – such as St Michael, who, in the 5th century, appeared to Cornish fishermen above St Michael’s Mount. Or St Winifred, the 7th-century Welsh nun, whose burial site in Gwytherin still attracts pilgrims today. Alternatively, set out on one of Britain’s pilgrim routes – from St Cuthbert’s Way in the Scottish borders to the 120-mile Pilgrim’s Way, running from Winchester to Canterbury. Marvel at the money spider ON STILL, SUNNY MORNINGS, look out for signs of the money…

Rhapsody in Green (Octopus, £16.99) Novelist Charlotte Mendelson was laughed at by friends for being an “extreme gardener”. But, undeterred, she wrote this book, describing how she transformed her urban outdoor space into a productive plot, where she now grows more than one hundred things to eat. Britain by the Book (John Murray, £8.99) This travelogue by Oliver Tearle leads you on a tour of Great Britain as seen through a literary lens. Learn why Thomas Hardy was buried twice and why Agatha Christie was investigated by MI5, while discovering the surprising places that inspired some of our favourite fictional locations. FOLLOW US… INSTAGRAM.COM/COUNTRYLIVINGUK FACEBOOK.COM/COUNTRYLIVING TWITTER.COM/COUNTRYLIVINGUK…

For luxury No Man’s Fort, Portsmouth, Hampshire Fall asleep to the sound of the sea at No Man’s Fort (top). Built in the 1880s, it was once used as a base for coastal defence, but now comprises a luxurious hotel and spa. Depart from the pontoon at Gun Wharf Quays and head straight to the restaurant where fresh local fare awaits. From £600 B&B (solentforts.com). For romance The Rockhouse Retreat, Low Habberley, Worcestershire A truly weird and wonderful hideaway, this cave was hand-carved into hollowed sandstone cliffs in the midst of the Habberley Valley more than 700 years ago. Inside, a minimalist interior combines historic flourishes with modern-day comforts. Sleeps two. From £195 per night (therockhouseretreat.co.uk). For history The Egyptian House, Penzance, Cornwall Once home to a collection of fossils, maps and minerals, The Egyptian House, from the…