Country Living UK April 2020

…means lambs, chickens, bluebells and chocolate treats. It also heralds the Country Living Fair, at which you will find many of the aforementioned items. For our brand development consultant Catherine Gee (left), this is the most full-on season in her schedule, as she corrals some 350 exhibitors for our annual showcase of the best British artisans. This year, she and her team have also lined up the crème de la crème of celebrity chefs to demonstrate their skills. “I’m so excited about our A-list chefs,” she says, “but I’m also proud of our CL colleagues, who will be revealing their hidden talents, too.” These include group chief sub editor Michele Jameson (bottom left) – not only a wizard with words but also very nifty with the knitting needles – who…

NORTH LOCH LOMOND SPRINGFEST FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL 4-5 April Sample sumptuous Scottish fare in the Trossachs National Park. lochlomondfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk HARROGATE SPRING FLOWER SHOW 23-26 April From alliums to azaleas, peonies to pansies, find plants for any plot at the Great Yorkshire Showground. flowershow.org.uk ORKNEY FOLK FESTIVAL 21-24 May For concerts, ceilidhs and good craic, head to this historic harbourside town. orkneyfolkfestival.com EAST CRAB AND LOBSTER FESTIVAL 16-17 May Historic rivals in north Norfolk, the towns of Cromer and Sheringham join together to commemorate their shared coastal heritage. crabandlobsterfestival.co.uk EAT CAMBRIDGE 22-31 May Whether it’s bread from Grain Culture or beer from Wylde Sky Brewing, try the very best in local produce from around the city and county. eat-cambridge.co.uk THE SUFFOLK SHOW 27-28 May Fun for all the family: watch incredible equine displays and try delicious local fare at one of the…

“When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim, Hath put a spirit of youth in everything”William Shakespeare Sense of the season… THE CUCKOO’S CALLING 14 APRIL IS THE TRADITIONAL DATE TO HEAR THE SOUND OF THE FIRST CUCKOOS, BACK FROM THEIR WINTER AFRICAN MIGRATION. THE DISTINCTIVE ONE-TWO SOUND IS MADE BY THE MALES AND CONSIDERED A GOOD OMEN FOR HUMANS – ALTHOUGH PERHAPS LESS SO FOR THE NATIVE BIRDS WHOSE NESTS FEMALE CUCKOOS MIGHT LATER ADOPT FOR THEIR OWN EGGS. Happy birthday to… WILLIAM WORDSWORTH I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud must be one of the most-recited poems in the English canon – and William Wordsworth one of our best-loved poets. This month marks 250 years since his birth. To celebrate, Dove Cottage, where he wrote many of his lyrical lines, is reopening, after a multi-million-pound…

Helmsley NORTH YORKSHIRE Famed for their wild beauty, the North York Moors formed the backdrop of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s children’s book The Secret Garden. With countryside views, the market town of Helmsley features heavily in the film adaptation out this month and is the perfect base to explore the area. WHAT TO DO Begin with a stroll around Helmsley’s five-acre Walled Garden – one of a number of local locations in the film (helmsleywalledgarden.org.uk). Created in 1758 to grow fruit and vegetables for a nearby stately home, it now provides ‘horticultural therapy’, helping people improve their physical and mental health through gardening. On screen, Duncombe Park stood in as Misselthwaite Manor and, while the house is closed to the public, its grounds are open from mid-April (duncombepark.com). Other landmarks in the film include…

FOR STOCKISTS see Where to Buy Alexandra Palace, 23-26 April 2020 For tickets and more information, visit countrylivingfair.com PRICES MAY INCLUDE SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE AT THE FAIR ONLY. ONLINE PRICES MAY DIFFER. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS…