COUNTRYSIDE CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Grasp ... a brood of chickens (6) 4 See 26 down 9 Donkey’s lifting device? (4) 10 A landmark pile of stones (5) 11 Carefully examines beastly doctors! (4) 12 County town on River Wye, and breed of cattle (8) 14 Bowl-shaped recess in a hillside – and familiar TV soap (6) 15 County location of Inkpen Beacon, start of the Wayfarers Walk (9) 16 Collective noun for a group of e.g. swans (4) 17 __ marshes (RSPB) on Speyside Way – some puffins here (4) 18 Valley by Uffington White Horse – men gather around (3,6) 20 Small cave, often fancifully decorated (6) 22 Withdraws ... places of refuge (8) 24 Peak District Dale – made of 4/6 of Cheddar, say! (4) 25 Energy, enthusiasm (5) 26 Downfall that might well be welcomed by gardeners (4) 27 Salad plant – in extra dishes (6) 28 Playing cards useful in the garden (6)

DOWN

1 Bird of rail family – might be after corn (5)

2 River on Beacons Way: not quite twilight (3)

3 Rather silly birds that don’t make nests! (7)

5 Flowerhead cluster e.g. of some grasses – twisted in place (7)

6 Kent town at eastern end of North Downs Way (5) 7 Hunting dog (9) 8 Any of 46 UK nature reserve conservation bodies (8,5)

13 Foxhole partly near there (5)

15 Scottish mountain ‘The Cobbler’ – makes breath run out! (3,6)

16 Blue, creeping wildflower – that might be blown (5) 18 Animal feed containers (7) 19 Princess Diana’s ancestral home (7) 21 Gripping part of a sole (5) 23 Works hard (5)

26/4 across It’s a mite annoying in the greenhouse! (3,6)