COUNTRYSIDE CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Large, powerful dog with a wrinkly forehead (7)

5/3 down Cheshire’s highest point – is northing faulty? (7,3) 10 Hebridean island connected by causeway to Vatersay (5) 11 Breed of dog that might follow border (7)

12 Back ... part of rare artichokes (4)

14 Neolithic earthwork like Avebury Circle (5)

15 See 29 across

16 Fen Raft ___, or False Widow ___ (6)

18 Neck of land like La Coupée connecting Great and Little Sark (7) 20 Fodder container that goes to a horse’s head! (7)

22 Mortimer ___ near Ludlow has the world’s only long-haired fallow deer herd (6)

23 Pinch off plant’s growing tip to prevent further growth (4) 25 Permission to depart? (5) 26 Canal enclosure for raising/ lowering boats (4)

28 Crataegus tree that bears mayflowers (8)

29/15 Froth secreted by froghopper larvae on plants (6,4) 31 Songbird’s frolic (7)

32 Lakeland mountain – skis endlessly keep breaking (3,4)

DOWN

2 A leisurely walk ... able to go round top of Munro (5)

3 See 5 across

4 A down one is soft and fluffy (7) 6 Time to reap what you’ve sown (7)

7 Fixes a horseshoe? (5)

8 Britain’s only native species of this spring bulb is Lent Lily (9)

9 Another name for the common ragwort – ‘Foul-smelling goat’? (8,5)

13 Salmon nests on river bed – sound like shades of crimson, scarlet etc. (5)

17 Another name for the ‘tourist’ route up Ben Nevis – makes party conk out! (4,5) 19 Honeycomb-capped mushroom, edible when cooked (5)

21 Leicestershire village with castle, home of the Dukes of Rutland (7)

22 Charges dishonestly for sheep’s shorn wool? (7)

24 Part of a flower’s corolla (5) 27 Shepherd’s staff (5)

30 Edible mushroom in lettuce patch (3)