Country Living UK March 2022

I’ve been doing a lot of walking recently. It has been a conscious decision. I realised towards the end of last year that I’d been sitting at my desk for way too long each day. It’s so easy to lose track of time when you are constantly juggling deadlines and it isn’t good for the mind or body. So, irrespective of weather or workload, I’ve forced myself to get outdoors for at least an hour every day. The benefits have been immediate and plentiful: I’m calmer, clearer-headed and feel more positive. What’s more, the longer I’m able to spend in the fresh air, the better my perspective on life. “Walking is one of the most underrated things that we can do for our wellbeing,” says renowned documentary-maker Simon Reeve (below right),…

The Insect Crisis by Oliver Milman (Atlantic Books, £16.99) From The Guardian’s environmental reporter, this is part celebration of our insect population, part wake-up call to protect the species upon which our own survival depends. Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy (Vintage, £14.99) This captivating novel charts one woman’s quest to reintroduce wolves to the Scottish Highlands as she attempts to rewild a ruined landscape. Going to Seed by Simon Fairlie (Chelsea Green, £14.99) Simon Fairlie was destined for Oxbridge but dropped out, becoming a vocal campaigner for sustainable living. His story charts a life driven by a deep connection to the land. Forest School for Grown Ups by Richard Irvine (Head of Zeus, £20) Forest Schools aren’t just for children – this guide will teach adults how to forage for fungi, build a fire and…

“March brings breezes loud and shrill, Stirs the dancing daffodil.” Bookworm THE BARN BY SALLY COULTHARD The latest book from our Living the Good Life columnist is both an intimate history of a family house and its hinterland and a wider investigation of shifting patterns of work, leisure and domestic life across two-and-a-half centuries. Above all, it is an affectionate celebration of the enduring charm of rural North Yorkshire and a lost agricultural way of life (Head of Zeus, £20). TAKE YOUR TIME TO… track garden moths Moth populations have decreased by over 28 per cent in the past 50 years, with more than 60 species disappearing from the UK completely. Become a citizen scientist and help monitor these winged insects by joining the annual Garden Moth Scheme. Put your moth trap (available at nhbs.com)…

Start the day in spectacular style as daylight savings moves the dawn closer NESS POINT, SUFFOLK The first part of the UK to see the sunrise, this peninsula near Lowestoft offers a front-row seat. GLASTONBURY TOR, SOMERSET Gold and pink streaks light up the mist rolling over 360° views of the Vale of Avalon. CROMER, NORFOLK Dark waves act as a metronome at the end of the pier, marking out time as day creeps over the North Sea. BAMBURGH, NORTHUMBERLAND (right) Walk along the beach under Bamburgh Castle, silhouetted against fiery orange skies reflected in the rockpools. DARTMOOR, DEVON Watch light spread like molten gold over the moorland from lofty viewpoints such as Haytor or Emsworthy Rocks.…

NORTHERN IRELAND In this ancient Celtic kingdom, wooded glens give way to a craggy coastline interspersed with sweeping sandy beaches. Red squirrels scamper through the deep forests and seabirds assemble in vast cliffside colonies. At this time of year, the weather may be unpredictable, but spectacular scenery is a cert in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. WHAT TO SEE AND DO Embrace the elements on The Gobbins cliff-face walk at Islandmagee. Built by Berkeley Deane Wise, a pioneering Victorian railway engineer, this modernised coastal trail traverses tunnels, tubular bridges and subsea-level caves where waves boom beyond the walls. You’ll be rewarded with views of distant isles, including Ailsa Craig in Scotland (£20 for a guided tour; thegobbins cliffpath.com). For an otherworldly seascape, head for Giant’s Causeway (above right), north-east of Bushmills.…

COUNTRY LOVES ARTISANS Editor’s choice “These stoneware nesting bowls are a useful kitchen accessory – for whisking up batter, mixing dressings, whipping cream or serving a salad. They’re so beautiful, I leave my set out on display even when I’m not using them.” Follow @CLArtisans on Instagram to see more unique products from talented makers FOR STOCKISTS see Where to Buy PHOTOGRAPH BY PICASA. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. *HANDLES ARE SOLD SEPERATELY AND WALLPAPER INSERT NOT AVAILABLE (SHOWN ONLY AS AN IDEA TO DO YOURSELF)…