Country Life
Country Life magazine has been celebrating the best of life in Britain for over 126 years, from the castles and cottages that dot the land to the beautiful countryside around us.
Episodes
From Norman Foster and Ken Follett to James May's Lego and Sadam Hussein's Rolex: The best of the Country Life Podcast
We’re taking a break, and while I’m not sure when we’ll be back, I am sure we will be back. The world of digital media moves quickly, which is somewhat anathema to the work we do at Country Life. While I have enjoyed every single episode we have made, it is absolutely time to have a look at refreshing, updating and improving the format of the podcast we produce, so that is what we are going to do.
What not to miss at the 2026 Chelsea Flower Show, with Clive Nichols and Kathryn Bradley-Hole
Here at Country Life, we love the Chelsea Flower Show — and we know you do too.So we're absolutely delighted to bring you this very special edition of the Country Life Podcast, recorded live in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, with Clive Nichols and Kathryn Bradley-Hole.Kathryn was Country Life's gardens editor for 18 years until moving on to concentrate on writing, and has a lifeti
70 years of housing hell — and how to make it stop: Jonathan Glancey on the Country Life Podcast
Britain is full of architectural talent and ideas. So why is our affordable housing in such a state? 'We need to think of unusual sites and then do something special with them,' says the architecture critic and writer Jonathan Glancey, who joins James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast.Making housing better for all of us — not just the privileged few — is at the heart of the disc
'I hadn't seen anyone who looked like me moving outdoors': Bethany Handley on nature, access, and going up mountains in a pink wheelchair
Bethany Handley was always an outdoorsy kid. Climbing mountains, crossing rivers or surfing in the sea near her home in South Wales, she lived and worked in the wild, with a job as an outdoor activity instructor.All that changed in the matter of a few months as illness left her in a wheelchair. Instead of being out and about, she found herself in a rural home where all the paths she once walked we
Is the cure for modern life as simple as going for a walk? Annabel Streets on the Country Life Podcast
Your grandmother was right: going for a walk really does do you a power of good.Just how much, though, is something that we're only just beginning to discover — a point made beautifully by the writer and researcher Annabel Streets, who joins James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast.Annabel's book The Walking Cure has been hugely successful, and she spoke to us on the eve of its paperb
Is now the time to buy a country house? Strutt & Parker's experts on the Country Life Podcast
A wise man once said to me, about buying a house, that you ‘have to remember that this is the most money you will spend on anything, ever, so you want to make sure you get it right’. It’s probably best, therefore, to make sure that the people advising you know a thing or two about the market and property, and come loaded with bags of experience about the finer workings of buying and selling your h
Viking hats, natural wines and messy lunches, with Leonie Cooper
Depending on who you ask, the food and drink scene in London is either in a state of despair or it's never been in better health. As always, when there is this much noise, it's best to get an expert on to cut a path through the metaphorical fog. Who could be better than Leonie Cooper, food and drink editor at Time Out London, and co-host of Messy Lunch with Gizzi Erskine.Where can you meet a man c
The craft renaissance, with Giles Kime
Each year, the Country Life Top 100 names the very finest country house architects, interior designers, landscapers, garden designers and craftspeople in Britain. It's one of the magazine's undisputed highlights of the year, with our interiors expert Giles Kime spending months alongside experts from across the country to produce the final list.We're delighted, then, that Giles joins James Fisher o
Vanbrugh, Castle Howard, and iconic buildings destroyed in the flames, with Dr John Goodall
On March 26, it will have been precisely 300 years since the death of Sir John Vanbrugh, the visionary architect behind buildings such as Blenheim Palace, Castle Howard, and Seaton Delaval. He is, without a doubt, one of the most influential ‘surveyors’ (as they were known back then) in British history.To talk about John, we needed the help of another man called John. The one and only Dr John Good
Borders, identity, and the truth about Cornish independence, with Richard Collett
The River Tamar that forms the Devon-Cornwall border comes within four miles of making Cornwall an island. In and around the Scottish Borders, many people define themselves as Bordermen first, and Scottish or English second. And the the great medieval border created in the years of Danelaw both split Britain, and lives on today as one of the biggest roads in the country. These are just a few of th
Do androids dream of electric cars, with Adam Hay-Nicholls
The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the Formula One season kicked off on Sunday, we saw the advent of full hybrid racing at the top level for the first time. A full 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power at the pinnacle of motorsport. Quite the change. And then Mercedes ran off into the distance. More of the same (mostly).The world of cars is changing, slo
The untold story of Stephen Sondheim, by the people who knew him best
The composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim was an icon. As the creative force behind a string of huge musicals — including West Side Story and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum — he is widely regarded as the 'Shakespeare of the musical'.Sondheim's life and legacy are the subject of a new podcast entitled Loving You: The Untold Sondheim, hosted by two close friends of th
Justine Picardie: Fashion, spies and Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe, from timeless tweeds to a pair of Marigolds
Novelist, biographer, journalist and writer Justine Picardie joins the Country Life Podcast to talk about her life in fashion and journalism, her writing, and her close encounters with the Royal Family — including the day she found herself in a remote Scottish bothy, helping the late Queen Elizabeth II clean up after lunch.Subscribe to the Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to th
Moving to the Cotswolds and DIY disasters, with Jim Chapman
Is it worth the effort? That’s the question that many people might ask themselves as they stand in the doorway of a knackered old house in the Cotswolds, wondering whether to buy it and start renovating.For Jim Chapman, author, illustrator, presenter, occasional model, fashionable dad and social media star, the answer was ‘yes’. And so began the year-long (and still ongoing) odyssey of transformat
'They've nourished us, sheltered us, protected us... we owe trees far more than they owe us': Aidan Meighan on the folklore of trees
For as long as he can remember, the writer and illustrator Aidan Meighan has been inspired by Nature. His early exploits might not have been entirely welcomed by those around him — collecting and storing slugs and snails in a cupboard at school, and stashing a dead adder in a drawer at his parents' home — but they paved the way for a career illustrating the beauty of the natural world, both i
Adders, Shetland ponies and the future of the human race: Tom Hilder on the Country Life Podcast
Tom Hilder was born to a life in the country. Born in rural Scotland but raised in Hampshire, he went through school always thinking – and being told — that he needed to find a life, and a career, out in the countryside, working with his hands.A chance meeting with a lecturer at Sparsholt College changed his life for good, and put him on a pathway to become (deep breath) the 'Senior Natu
Two years, 2,000 miles and counting: Katharine Hay, the woman walking the length and breadth of Scotland
It's just over two years ago that the journalist Katharine Hay, a year into her new job as rural affairs correspondent for The Scotsman newspaper, had an epiphany.'98% of Scotland is rural,' she recalls thinking, 'and here I am sitting in the two per cent urban area. It really doesn't feel like I'm doing the role justice.'What Katharine decided next changed her life: she decided to walk the length
1,000 issues and counting: Mark Hedges on two decades editing Country Life magazine
It's 2006. Tony Blair is the Prime Minister, George W. Bush the US President, the existence of global warming is still up for debate, and a couple of new websites come out of early test versions to open their doors to the world: YouTube and Facebook. Amid all this, in an office on London's South Bank, Mark Hedges takes a new job: Editor of Country Life magazine.Two decades later, Mark has passed a
Secrets from the world of whisky, from the 60-year-old bottle that sold for £650,000 to the tipple you get at the supermarket
In the last 20 years, the world of whisky has exploded, being transformed beyond recognition.What was once a croft industry in the Scottish Highlands and Islands has spread around the world. The Scots' craft has spread out across the world, from Ireland and Wales to Japan, India and beyond. In India alone, tens of millions of cases of whisky are made each year. And even the English have been getti
Where should you go in 2026? Anywhere that you can just kick back and relax
An off-grid lodge in the Canadian Wilderness? The colourful charm of Germany? A weekend jaunt to New York? Or perhaps a palazzo in Florence?Rosie Paterson, who is both Country Life's Travel Editor and Digital Content Director, has done all of this and more in 2025, and she joins James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast to talk about the best places to go in 2026.The good news is that Rosi
The King, The Queen, David Beckham and me: Paula Minchin on Country Life's best guest edits
Country Life's features editor Paula Minchin is a force of nature. Every week she steers her team of editors and writers through the creation of dozens of pages of magazine features, with hardly a glitch and never, ever a missed deadline.So when Country Life brings in a guest editor — something which has happened five times in the past 12 years — it's Paula who is at the helm alongside our te
Jane Austen's greatest scoundrel: Being Mr Wickham, with Adrian Lukis
In the heady days of mid-1990s Britain, the actor Adrian Lukis went to a screen test for a glossy new drama: an adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice. To an actor, auditions come and go — most don't work out — and having hated the book while at school, he didn't have high hopes. They fell even lower when he bumped in to his rival for the part of Mr Wickham, a dashing m
The dogs of Country Life, with Agnes Stamp
What makes Country Life? Country houses, gardens, nature, fine art — and dogs. Right from the first issue of the print magazine in 1897, Man's Best Friend has been right at the heart of Country Life — with that original edition featuring an article on Princess Alexandra and her Borzois.Almost 130 years later, dogs are just as important as ever, and September 2025 saw the publication of Countr
The Falconer's Tale: Tommy Durcan on how an ancient art lives on in the 21st century
The ancient and noble art of falconry has been practised for thousands of years, but it's rarely been more easily accessible to the curious.Today, there are places across Britain, Ireland and the rest of the world where you can go on a hawk walk — or an an owl prowl — accompanied by an expert guide and a bird of prey, to see for yourself how these majestic creatures fly and hunt.One such expert is
Amelia Thomas: The woman who learned to talk to animals
A few years ago, Amelia Thomas and her husband packed up their fast-paced lives and moved to a remote farm in Nova Scotia.Faced with a desolate landscape, appalling weather and a husband who — like most Finns — abhorred small-talk, she found herself spending more and more time listening to the animals she cared for in her house and on her farm. And at that point, something magical began to ha
Stefan Pitman: Making great country houses cost less to heat than a suburban semi
Ten years ago, Stefan Pitman set up SPASE Architects. Right from the start, he realised many of his clients were coming to him with one big problem: they might own beautiful old buildings, but they cost a fortune to run.'We have really close connections with our clients,' he tells James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast, 'and we talked about what is it like to actually have the responsibility and
The lives, wild parties and country houses of the Guinness family: Adrian Tinniswood on the Country Life Podcast
'When they came to me and said, "do you want to do a book on the Guinness houses?" I leapt at the chance. Because, I've got to tell you, they have some astonishing houses. I mean, some really amazing places.'So says Adrian Tinniswood, who — like the Guinness family houses — is also amazing and astonishing. He's a historian and writer who has enjoyed a fifty-year career writing books abou
Amanda Owen: The Yorkshire Shepherdess on farming, life, and having tea with her sheep
Growing up in the cityscape of Huddersfield, Amanda Owen was inspired by tales of farming life, from the adventures of James Herriot to the classic Hill Shepherd by John Forder, painting a picture of fell farming that became all she wanted to do.Fast forward to the 2020s and Amanda has become one of the best-known farmers in the country, starting with her Instagram account — where she has over hal
James Robinson: A fifth-generation farmer on the ups and downs of 'the most glorious job in the world'
'It's often the most glorious job in the world,' says James Robinson, a farmer in Cumbria whose family have been working the same piece of land since the 19th century.The bad days, though, can be bleak, and when 'you're life's work is disappearing before your eyes' there are days when 'you wish you'd never started farming at all,' James tells the Country Life Podcast this week.• Listen to Cou
Hannah Shergold: Flying helicopters, rampaging elephants and painting Ronnie Wood
Hannah Shergold is nothing if not proof that following your instincts really can take you anywhere.Today, she's one of the best-known artists in Britain, a painter and sculptor who has sold countless works, and raised over £350,000 for charity while doing it.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify• Listen to Country Life podcast
Mark Ashley-Miller: The man who sailed to (almost) every harbour in the British Isles
In 2018, Mark Ashley-Miller bought a boat. There's nothing unusual in that, but there is in what happened next: he decided to sail around the coasts of Britain and Ireland, visiting every single harbour in the British Isles. And unlike most people who have such pipe dreams, he actually did it.The journey is now over, and we're delighted that Mark joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to
Jules Perowne: Where to go in 2026, hotel disasters and podcasting with Richard E. Grant
Jules Perowne — CEO and founder of Perowne International — is one of the most respected voices in the luxury travel industry, working as a consultant and PR guru for some of the most famous hotels in the world, including Gleneagles, Claridges and dozens more around the globe.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify• List
White-tailed eagles: From 'the greatest wildlife crime imaginable' to Nature's most wonderful comeback story
For most of the last 2,000 years, the white-tailed eagle — or sea eagle — has been one of the most common birds of prey in Britain.That all ended in horrendous fashion from the late 18th century onwards. Shooting, poisoning, egg collection, a mania for taxidermy and more combined to see this majestic creature — affectionately dubbed the 'flying barn door — hunted to extinction
If there's no fish, there's no fishing, with Robin Philpott
If you are a person who lives in the UK, and you like standing in, or nearby, rivers, there’s a good chance you will have heard of Farlows. It is one of the great outdoors companies of the UK, a place for all fishermen and women to obsess over rods and reels while they tell themselves that they would catch way more fish if they could just buy a bit more gear.• Listen to Country Life podcast o
What the hedge can tell us about the countryside, with Richard Negus
Hedges are fascinating because they are like buildings. They are pretty much everywhere in rural England, Scotland and Wales, and yet do we ever really stop and think about what they are and what they do?One man who thinks a lot about what they are and what they do is Richard Negus, a professional hedgelayer and writer from Suffolk. His recent book, Words from the Hedge: A Hedgelayer's View of the
Ken Follett on Stonehenge, building cathedrals, and the glaring flaw in Shakespeare's greatest soliloquy
Ken Follett is a man who doesn’t really need much introduction, but introduce him I will anyway. Thirty-eight books written. 197 million copies sold in 80 countries and in 40 languages. Very popular across the world — and even in China and Brazil, according to the man himself.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify• Listen t
The finest wines available to humanity, and how to buy them, with Beth Pearce
You would be forgiven that a trip to space might be one of the hardest things that a human being could do. But, it might actually be becoming a Master of Wine (MW). After all, more people have been to space than there are MWs.One such master of the grape is Beth Pearce, the head of buying at Flint Wines, who took some time from her very busy schedule of finding, trying and signing off on some of t
Levison Wood: Trekking the Nile, near-death experiences and why nothing beats a cup of tea and a piece of toast
'There was a time when I couldn't walk down the King's Road without being mobbed,' chuckles Levison Wood. This is no brag, though: it's said with the bemusement of a man who was catapulted to fame after his plan to trek the length of the River Nile made him into an unlikely celebrity alongside today's crop of modern explorers.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to
Bruce Hodgson: Artichoke's founder on catflaps, carpentry and the future of crafts
What do catflaps and some of the finest carpentry in the land have in common? Bruce Hodgson, that’s what. The man who founded Artichoke is our guest on the Country Life Podcast this week, talking us through the history of the brand, as well as his own personal journey as a craftsman, and what the future holds for heritage crafts.Bruce’s journey to Artichoke wasn’t what we’d call traditional. After
The truth about P.G. Wodehouse: Robert Daws on playing England's greatest comic writer
Anyone who loves P.G. Wodehouse knows Jeeves and Wooster, Blandings Castle and the Oldest Member golf stories. But what of the man himself? His early life as a sensation on Broadway? His extraordinary seven-days-a-week work ethic? The truth about his attempts to flee the Nazis, scuppered by an unreliable car, before he was interned and pressured into making wartime broadcasts for the German regime
What it's like to come face-to-face with a great white shark, by Dan Abbott of Netflix's All The Sharks
How do you come to a point in your life when you find yourself swimming with great white sharks?And how can it be that when you do, you find that moment 'completely normal'?Dan Abbott — aka Shark Man Dan — answered these and many more questions when he joined us on the Country Life Podcast at the beginning of 2025.In the six months or so since then, Dan's career has taken a huge upswing after
Marcus Janssen: Chelsea Lifejackets, bagging a 'MacNab' and recognising the best of the British countryside
'We still see people out wearing colours which we know for a fact we haven't produced in 15 or 20 years,' chuckles Marcus Janssen, head of Schöffel, as he speaks about the company's gilets — the 'Chelsea Lifejackets' — to James Fisher on this week's edition of the Country Life Podcast.Marcus took over at Schöffel after a career as a countryside journalist, stepping in to a role as head o
Corinne Fowler: Exploring the hidden history of the British countryside, one walk at a time
Corinne Fowler has never been one to shy away from straight talking.The Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at the University of Leicester made headlines for weeks back in 2020 after co-authoring a report for the National Trust on how the history and creation of many of our great houses are bound up with the history of slavery, conquest and colonialism. She was vilified in the right-wing press a
Steve Backshall on sharks, idyllic childhoods and getting his fingertips eaten by piranhas
The adventurer, broadcaster, scientist and writer Steve Backshall has been a fixture on TV screens in Britain for nearly three decades — and we're absolutely thrilled that he joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify• Listen to Country Life podcast on AudibleSteve talks through s
Hannah Bourne-Taylor: Saving swifts, naked protests and the bird that nested in my hair
‘I thought, okay, well it worked for Lady Godiva, didn’t it? This whole naked stuff? So let me give that a try. I felt like it was the only option.’Just as it worked for Lady Godiva, so it has for Hannah Bourne-Taylor, the campaigner, naturalist and writer who has spent years fighting for change to help Britain’s bird population — and particularly the swift.• Listen to Country Life podca
Simon Armitage: "I've tried getting AI to write poems — and they've all been reassuringly awful"
Poet, author, musician and Yorkshireman, Simon Armitage has been Britain's Poet Laureate since 2019 — so we're thrilled that he joined James Fisher on the latest edition of the Country Life Podcast.From the surprising details of what he does — or, more accurately, doesn't — have to do as part of his role, to the primary school teacher who didn't even put his Christmas poem in his cl
Poppy Okotcha: The model-turned-gardener who swapped the catwalk for the vegetable patch
Amid the birdsong, the snores of a dog, and the purrs of a cat, sits Poppy Okotcha. The horticulturist and author joined the Country Life Podcast this week to discuss all things gardening and, specifically, its restorative effects on not only nature but people.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify• Listen to Country Life podcas
What you absolutely must see at the Chelsea Flower Show 2025, from the King's new rose to the 'perfect' garden
The Chelsea Flower Show is one of the high points of the summer: a celebration of plants, gardens and creativity, as well as an unbeatable opportunity to rub shoulders with those who share the passion for making the most of this gorgeous time of year in England. This year, Country Life has its own presence at the show, at stand PW210, and we're thrilled to be part of this incomparable event. We'll
Tony Juniper: Saving the world, breeding budgies and why the King is 'the most influential environmentalist of all time'
When it comes to England’s environment and our landscape, few people in the country are as important as Tony Juniper. Since 2019, he has been the chairman of Natural England, the public body for ensuring that the country’s natural environment is protected and enhanced. Not a small job, as we are sure you’ll agree.He is also a recognised authority on parrots. More on that later.• Listen to Cou
Louis D. Hall: Crossing the Alps, sailing the Atlantic in a glorified bathtub and bringing sanity to how we live with horses
Most people have friends who text them about going to the pub. If you're Louis D. Hall, you've got friends who'll text you about crossing a mountain range, sailing the Atlantic or coming face to face with remote tribes.All in a normal day (or week's) work for Louis. Most recently, he's trekked on horseback from Italy to Cape Finisterre in Spain, in a journey that spanned more than 100 days. He wro
George Monbiot: 'Farmers need stability and security... Instead, they're contending with chaos'
For four four decades, George Monbiot has been one of Britain's strongest voices speaking out on the environment.After starting his career with the BBC, Monbiot is now best known for his books and his weekly column in The Guardian, winning a reputation as a tireless and passionate advocate for the natural world, as well as making plenty of enemies along the way. He joins James Fisher on this week'
Vintage tractors and memories of summers past, with Oliver Godfrey
Everyone has their passions. I, for example, enjoy collecting football shirts. Other people like stamps. Some people like vintage tractors. Oliver Godfrey, from Cheffins, is very good at auctioning them. It is important to understand people and their passions.So we asked Oliver to join the Country Life Podcast, to talk us through the slightly niche world of vintage tractor buying, selling and coll
Melissa Harrison: The accidental nature writer who became an accidental nature app developer
The nature writer, children's author and journalist Melissa Harrison joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to talk about her life, her career, and how she found herself creating a smartphone app to help people connect with nature.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify• Listen to Country Life podcast on AudibleEpisode cr
The remarkable history of Britain and its animals, with Karen Jones
The animals we share Britain with mean far more to us than we realise. Beyond the obvious companionship, food and farming, they are a part of our folklore, our language and intertwined with our lives. Karen Jones, professor of environmental and cultural history at the University of Kent, has long been fascinated by the creatures that populate our island, and our interactions with them. We're delig
Chloe Dalton: The woman who swapped top-level geopolitics to rescue a baby hare, and had her life changed forever
Before lockdown changed life in Britain in early 2020, Chloe Dalton led an almost overwhelmingly metropolitan existence. A foreign policy expert, her comfort zone was in the corridors of power, around Whitehall and Westminster, a person who — in her own words — was ‘addicted to the adrenaline’ of flying around the world playing a key role in the decisions that shape the nation. A ch
The photographer on a 15-year quest to find the most incredible doors in London, with Cath Harries
It's almost two decades since photographer Cath Harries set out to work on a book documenting London's finest pubs. As she walked the streets of the capital, however, she found herself wondering about a new project: London's most extraordinary doors. The idea took hold, and she found herself embarking upon a project which would take a decade and a half. Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Pod
Britain's whale boom and and the predator that's far scarier than a great white shark with Dan Abbott, aka Shark Man Dan
Wildlife cinematographer Dan Abbott has travelled the world documenting marine life from the peaceful turtles of the Mediterranean to the iconic great white sharks off the coast of South Africa.More recently, though, Dan has hit the headlines for the videos he has shared of the colonies of whales who have made the British coast a regular stop in recent years.We're delighted, then, that Dan was abl
The timeless elegance of English country house style, with Guy Goodfellow and Steven Rodel
Guy Goodfellow and his Creative Director Steven Rodel have carved out a reputation as two of the finest interior designers working in Britain today. We're thrilled, then, that they were able to join us for the Country Life Podcast, to discuss the unique qualities of British design, the country house look, and what it feels like to see your cushions in the background while watching The King on
Eleanor Doughty: The secret lives of the aristocracy in Britain
After starting her career writing about student life, Eleanor began to write about Britain's great country houses, and — more importantly — the people who live in them. Over a decade later she has travelled to over 150 of the finest country piles in Britain, interviewing their owners to discover the ups and downs of their lives.Listen to the Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen t
Patrick Galbraith: Dukes, drug dealers, nudists, and the truth about access to Britain's countryside
Should we have a right to roam? It's something that we've talked about a fair bit at Country Life in recent times — not least with our articles from opposing sides of the argument from Alexander Darwall and Lewis Winks.Rather than just listen and read, Patrick the author and journalist Patrick Galbraith decided to travel the length and breadth of Britain to discover for himself what access re
Gareth Dennis: The truth about HS2 that you never knew until it was too late
HS2: blot on the landscape? Or the greatest missed opportunity in a generation?What if the future of transport in Britain wasn't about electric cars and extra runways at Heathrow, but a 200-year-old technology of the past?That's the argument made by Gareth Dennis, the engineer, writer, policy adviser and podcaster who has made a name for himself in recent years with his clear-headed analysis of ho
The best places to visit in 2025 and hunting for the Ark of the Covenant, with Lonely Planet's Tom Hall
It’s an annoying thing to have to write down, because in my head it felt like it was only yesterday, but it’s been 10 years since I finished university, packed a big rucksack, and went to go and see the world. Lots of people had gap years. We all knew that there were only two essential items that you needed. Some rehydration tablets and a Lonely Planet guide.This week, I was joined on the Country
Marina Gibson: The angler extraordinaire on salmon fishing, conservation and bagpipes on the Tay
We are back. Thank you all for bearing with us while we get our ducks in a row for another year of the Country Life Podcast. If it’s even possible, it’s going to be better than last year, that we can guarantee.Our first guest for 2025 is the legendary Marina Gibson, angler extraordinaire, who was more than happy to indulge me in lots of fishing related conversation. She was at Gleneagles, where sh
Mushroom gin, Lego houses, and Dull Men (and women), with James May
Like all serious journalists, James May used to work for Country Life writing about cars. It didn't go very well, but thankfully he bounced back and went on to present Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and many other TV shows including his latest, James May and The Dull Men. He's also been busy making his own gin. James Gin started off as something to pass the time during Lockdown, but it soon got a bit s
Champagne with fish and chips, and what to drink at Christmas with Oscar Dodd of Fortnum & Mason
'Anything said with absolute confidence and in absolute terms is normally nonsense,' says Oscar Dodd, about Fortnum & Mason's wine and spirits buyer, when it comes to discussing the oft-trotted out truisms about wine, beer and spirits that you often hear. But not everything you hear is so wide of the mark. 'They say that the English drink their red wine too old and too warm, and their white w
Kelvin Fletcher: From Strictly to sheep dip
Dancer, actor, father of four and farmer. There are very few things that Kelvin Fletcher cannot do. ‘Hold on’, you might say. ‘What do you mean farmer? I thought that was just acting?’ Well, it was, until about three years ago when Kelvin and his wife Liz decided that they needed a change of scenery. Plans to move to Los Angeles were touted, but a far more sensible decision (we think) was made: a
Henrietta Spencer-Churchill: My life at Blenheim Palace
Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, the only daughter of the 11th Duke of Marlborough, has by any measure led an extraordinary life. As a girl she moved from the family home in Oxfordshire to Blenheim Palace, the family seat and — by any measure — one of the finest buildings not just in Britain, but the world (it has UNESCO World Heritage Site status to prove it). Listen to Country Life po
The science behind how Nature can heal us, and how it's easier than you think, with Professor Miles Richardson
The idea of 'nature as a healer' as become a truism, often repeated without much thought given to how or why it should do so.One man who has thought about this phenomenon — and spent much of his life researching and writing about it — is Professor Miles Richardson, a member of the psychology department at Derby University, founder of the Nature Connectedness Research Group, and author of
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen: Changing rooms, velvet and leather, and growing old disgracefully
In 1996, a television show arrived on British screens which changed the way we see interior design: Changing Rooms.It made household names of several of its stars, including host Carol Smilie and carpenter 'Handy Andy' Kane, but none became so famous as designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, whose flamboyant dress sense, often outrageous designs and laconic demeanour made him world-famous.As he turns 6
Louise Davidson: Haunted houses, psychic aunts, Gothic novels and writing at night with the lights off
Why are country houses so often the perfect settings for horror novels?That's just one of the questions posed by James Fisher to Louise Davidson, author of The Fortunes of Olivia Richmond, on the latest episode of the Country Life Podcast.Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleGrowing up in Northern Ireland
Do leopards hunt in packs, and other frequently asked questions on travel, with Rosie Paterson
When it comes to travel, few know more than our very own Rosie Paterson. She has been to many places, and seen many things. And that’s just this year. She also has her finger on the pulse when it comes to places people might like to go in the future. Imagine how smug you would feel telling friends at a drinks party that, actually, ‘Japan is a bit overdone at the moment; south-west China is where i
Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham: 'We're designing houses for the next 50 years'
Interior designers Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham, better known by their company name Salvesen Graham, have earned a reputation as some of Britain's most sought-after interior designers, developing an aesthetic which blends classic principles with modern touches.Yet as well as having a great love of beautiful rooms and objects, they're both firmly rooted in how people actually live day to day in
The truth about growing up in a castle, with Cosmo Linzee Gordon
I suppose we all remember the house, or houses, we grew up in. Where we learned to walk, or first explore the garden, or climb some stairs. Most houses are quite small. Some are quite big. And then there are houses like Cluny Castle in Abderdeenshire.I was joined on the podcast this week by its owner, Cosmo Linzee Gordon, who grew up there. Cosmo agreed to answer the questions that I imagine I am
Poems about pies, the foul-mouthed parrot upstaging Margaret Atwood and starting World War III via Desert Island Discs: Ian McMillan on the Country Life Podcast
What is the fundamental job of a writer? 'We try to turn the world into language,' according to the poet, broadcaster and writer Ian McMillan.Ian, one of Britain's best-loved poets and writers, as well as the presenter of The Verb on BBC Radio 4, joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast in what is one of the most entertaining and wide-ranging chats so far.Listen to Country Life podcast on A
Literature, landscape and bending rivers, with Vicky and Charles Rangeley-Wilson
Organising a literary festival is no mean feat. You've got to book the right guests, organise plenty of activities, and find somewhere to host it.Vicky and Charles Rangeley-Wilson joined the podcast this week to talk about exactly that, ahead of the upcoming Literature and Landscape Festival in Norfolk. With a star-studded lineup, there was plenty to talk about. Listen to Country Life podcast on A
Lucy Shepherd: Britain's most intrepid young explorer on trekking the Amazon
The bushmaster snake is on the one hand, very polite: it announces its presence with a two-tone whistle.On the other hand, however, it's utterly merciless: a creature which will chase humans through the jungle, attack aggressively, and should it miss with its fangs will leap on to its intended prey and attempt to whip them in to submission.Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to
Charlie Bigham on food, farming and why it takes three hours to make the perfect lasagne
We were thrilled to discover that Charlie Bigham is a real person. It's a bit like meeting Aunt Bessie, and asking how she does her Yorkshire Puddings, or running swapping tips with Ronald McDonald about how to get your fries crispy.But real person he is, and he's a man with a fascinating story to tell, from ditching a hugely promising career in order to drive a campervan to India, then to return
Adam Hay-Nicholls: How to sneak onto a yacht at the Monaco GP, rub shoulders with Beyoncé and accidentally buy a Bentley
Here at the Country Life Podcast, we like to think we deliver a useful and necessary service. We want to discuss the important issues. We want to talk to Norman Foster about why architecture matters. We want to speak to farmers about how they can help tackle the climate crisis. We strive to compress the beauty of nature into an audio format so we can learn to cherish and appreciate the world aroun
The Spice Girls, The Stage and the state of the Arts, with Alistair Smith
If it wasn’t for The Stage, there’s every chance that Britain and, indeed, the world may have been deprived of such great names as Kenneth Brannagh, Harold Pinter, Michael Caine, Sharon D Clarke, Idris Elba, The Spice Girls and Steps.Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleIt goes to show the importance of tr
How to live like a Tudor, and other stories, with Ruth Goodman
It’s important to think about the past. I think about it often. Usually when I’m lying in bed and my brain decides that’s the best time to think of mistakes I’ve made, loves that have been lost, and, of course, the Roman Empire.A lot of history is about kings, queens and battles. Which is very interesting in its own way. But is it real history? After all, most of history doesn’t involve kings or q
