35 WAYS TO LIVE THE DREAM
For three and a half decades, this magazine has championed the rites and rhythms of rural life. As a manifesto for the future, we show how we can all be more ‘country living’
The small, positive changes we can all make to be more ‘country living’
1 MESS ABOUT IN A BOAT
Explore Britain’s canals and rivers from a barge or boat to experience nature at a leisurely pace. For routes, see canalrivertrust.org.uk.
2 HELP A HEDGEHOG
Leave out water and dog or cat food for hedgehogs during hot spells or cold snaps, when rations might be scarce. For more tips, visit countryliving.com/uk/hedgehogs.
3 GIVE THE MOWER A BREAK
Mowing your lawn fortnightly instead of weekly offers more nesting places for pollinators. Keep buttercups, daisies and dandelions by adjusting your mower blades so they cut above 10cm. Find out more in my book The Bee Bible (Head of Zeus, £10).
4 GO FOREST BATHING
Reduce stress and help strengthen your immune system by adopting the ancient art of forest bathing – surrounding yourself with trees. Discover your nearest forest at forestryengland.uk.
5 SWITCH TO ECOFUEL
Embrace low-carbon, eco-fuels by switching to a green-energy supplier or buying an electric car. Join the green revolution at energysavingtrust.org.uk.
6 DISCOVER YOUR LATENT LUMBERJACK
Learn how to fell trees and split wood safely with an axe at a bushcraft centre. For courses in locations including Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, and Scotland, visit wood land-ways.co.uk.
7 WELCOME EARTHWORMS
Earthworms put nutrients back into the soil, so attract them to your garden by scattering vegetable peelings and not clearing away fallen leaves. For more details, see earthwormsoc.org.uk.
8 GET ON YOUR BIKE
There are around 16,000 miles of cycle routes across the UK. The Lakeland Loop, around the Lake District, offers views across Coniston Water, while the stretch between Mortehoe and Croyde negotiates North Devon’s rugged coastline. Find a route at sustrans.org.uk.
9 JOIN A BEACH CLEAN
Help tackle ocean pollution and seaside litter by signing up to the Great British Beach Clean (18-21 September). To find an event near you, head to mcsuk.org.
10 TUNE IN TO THE DAWN CHORUS
On 3 May, we celebrate International Dawn Chorus Day as the daily serenade to the sunrise reaches a crescendo. Join a birdsong walk with the RSPB at rspb.org.uk. And find out how to support our songbirds – whether you have a windowbox or large garden
– at songbird-survival.org.uk.
11 TAKE THE TRAIN
Keen to go abroad but concerned about your carbon footprint? A Eurostar trip from London to Paris emits 90 per cent less greenhouse gas than the equivalent flight. Book at eurostar.com/uk-en.
12 RENT AN ALLOTMENT
No room on your estate to grow fruit and vegetables? Rent an allotment instead. It’s also a great way to make friends. Contact the council to find out about available plots at gov.uk/find-local-council.
13 MARVEL AT A MURMURATION
Catch hundreds of thousands of starlings in a synchronised spectacle during autumn and winter. One murmuration at Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve in Somerset was made up of six million birds. For suggested locations, see wildlifetrusts.org.
14 STAY ON A FARM
Pull on your wellies and help out with lambing or haymaking on a farm. Find accommodation at farmstay.co.uk.
15 LOSE YOURSELF IN A BOOK
For the finest in nature writing, seek out The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn, a moving memoir about the meaning of home. The Salt Path, Winn’s previous book, was shortlisted for the 2018 Costa Biography Award. Find a local independent bookshop at booksellers.org.uk.
16 COMMISSION A CRAFTSMAN
Support traditional skills and local jobs by commissioning a craftsman to make a ceramic bowl or a steam-bent chair. You’ll end up with a unique piece of work, too. Find a maker near you in the Crafts Council Directory at craftscouncil.org.uk.
17 FIND LOVE IN THE COUNTRY
Share your passion for the countryside and find love on our secure dating site. Join for free at country-loving.co.uk.
18 CULTIVATE A HERITAGE CROP
Rediscover traditional flavours by joining a ‘seed library’ and planting heritage crops such as Pig’s Nose Pippin, a sweet, aromatic apple, and Wheeler’s Imperial cabbage. For details, see gardenorganic.org.uk.
19 REWILD YOUR CHILD
Playing outdoors as a child brings a wealth of benefits, including a lower risk of childhood depression, higher fitness levels and a long-lasting passion for the environment. Find the location for a family adventure at nationalparks.uk.
20 STAY IN THE KNOW
From eco-living to craft fairs, keep up to speed on all things Country Living by signing up to our weekly newsletter at countryliving.com/uk.
21 LEARN A TRADITIONAL CRAFT
From crewel-making to ceramics, many heritage crafts are in danger of dying out. Keep these skills alive by joining a course at West Dean College in West Sussex. For details, see westdean.org.uk.
22 POP A CORK
English wine producers won 138 medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards last year. Find your nearest vineyard and discover home-grown varieties at winegb.co.uk.
23 MAKE YOUR OWN FRUIT JUICE
Press organic apples, pears and soft fruit for your own fresh juice. Drink immediately or leave to ferment into fruit wine or cider. Presses start from £59 at pressfruit.co.uk.
24 MEET THE CL TEAM
Browse stalls run by British producers and makers at our Spring Fair in London from 23-26 April, pop into the Country Living Pavilion at the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival in July, or come to one of our Christmas fairs across the country later in the year. For more information, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @Clfairs, or visit countrylivingfair.com or countryliving.com/uk.
25 HOST A BEEHIVE
Offer your garden or roof terrace as a home for bees. Ask the British Beekeepers Association to pair you with a beekeeper seeking a home for a hive at bbka.org.uk.
26 PLANT A HERB GARDEN
From mint to rosemary, herbs make delicious garnishes, as well as attracting much-needed bees. For advice, go to rhs.org.uk.
27 CUT BACK ON PLASTIC
There are about 19.5 billion single-use plastic items in our homes. Reduce your use by taking containers for shampoo, cereal and pasta to refill shops around the country. To find a shop near you, head to zerowastenear.me or countryliving.com/uk/less-plastic. 28 PLANT A TREE
Trees absorb carbon, fight flooding and provide a home for wildlife. Plant one in your garden to slow climate change and encourage biodiversity. Hawthorn, apple and magnolia are among the best for smaller plots. For details, see woodlandtrust.org.uk.
29 ESCAPE FOR THE WEEKEND
Explore the countryside from the comfort of a Country Living Hotel. Choose between Bath, on the doorstep of the Cotswolds, or Harrogate, on the fringes of Nidderdale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Book at countrylivinghotels.com.
GROW GOURMET MUSHROOMS
From yellow oyster to shiitake, these are easy houseguests. Buy organic growing kits at merryhill-mushrooms.co.uk. Keep them out of direct sunlight and water regularly.
31 EMBRACE ‘BIOPHILIA’
Biophilia literally means ‘love of life’, the idea that spending time in nature – or bringing natural elements inside – could make you healthier and happier. Find Fairtrade flowers for your home at fairtrade.org.uk.
32 BUDDY UP
Almost three-quarters of us “hardly know” our neighbours, according to a Country Living poll. Change that – and help to ease loneliness – by taking round homemade biscuits or offering to walk your neighbour’s dog. To support our loneliness campaign, see countryliving.com/ uk/loneliness-countryside.
33 SLEEP UNDER CANVAS
Sleeping outdoors is said to reset your body clock and help your slumber, especially in areas of low light pollution. To find a camping spot, head to pitchup.com.
34 SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARM
Enjoy local, seasonal produce and support smaller, sustainable farms in the community by buying from farm shops and markets. Find your local one at farma.org.uk.
VOLUNTEER YOUR SERVICES
Make use of your expertise or learn a new skill by helping out at one of thousands of volunteering projects across the UK. From organic farming (wwoof.org.uk) to gardening (rhs.org.uk) to lock keeping (canalrivertrust.org), projects are as varied as the people who make them happen. Head to do-it.org to find opportunities near you.
Let us know how you make your life more ‘country living’ on Instagram and Twitter, using @countrylivinguk, or by sending us a card at 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 9EP.