BBC Countryfile Magazine

Countryfile Magazine inspires you to explore forgotten corners of the great British countryside and provides knowledge of the people and wildlife that inhabit it. We want to tempt you into trying new things, seek out new places and make the most of Britain’s beautiful landscapes.

A love of landscape

THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS

JANUARY IN THE COUNTRY • PICTURES › WILDLIFE › PEOPLE & PLACES › COUNTRY KNOW-HOW › FOOD

Big Garden Birdwatch 2023

This month on the Plodcast

HOW TO DARN SOCKS • Learn how to repair holes in your favourite winter socks with this simple mending project

HOT CHOCOLATE

WINTER FOSSIL HUNT • On beaches around Britain, with a bit of luck and patience, you can unearth a creature that lived millions of years ago, says Hermione Cockburn

USE YOUR OLD CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE GARDEN • On the Twelfth Night – the last day of Christmas – many of us will be taking down our Christmas trees and leaving them out on the street ready for collection. But did you know these prickly spruces, firs and pines can be used in your garden to help wildlife and save money? Here’s how to use them…

SEASONAL CELEBRATIONS • Three traditions to celebrate this month

Adam Henson • STRIVING TOWARDS NET ZERO ON THE FARM

Nicola Chester • Introducing our new columnist

THE RECLAIMED PEAK • Explore the beautiful Peak District in winter, where strange and thrillingly atmospheric ruins rise from a landscape carved by the area’s industrial past, and charming mining villages offer hearty welcomes, writes Ed Douglas

NOW GO TO THE PEAK DISTRICT • Where to stay, eat and drink by Ed Douglas

STAY

THREE GREAT WALKS

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The green king • What are the views of King Charles III on the countryside and environment, and what might he do next? The BBC’s head of rural affairs, Dimitri Houtart, takes a look at the new king’s approach

KING CHARLES III TIMELINE

Highland warriors • Formidable, huge and wildly shaggy, Highland cattle look like ancient beasts materialised through the mists of time. But where did they come from – and how do they survive the winter? James Fair finds out

WHERE TO SEE HIGHLAND CATTLE

JOHN CRAVEN • COUNTRYSIDE WASTE CRIME REACHES CRISIS POINT

HOPES FOR RURAL RECOVERY IN 2023 • It was a difficult year for the environment, farmers and wider rural life in 2022. Will the delivery of improvements in wildlife protection and an easing of the cost of living improve 2023 for rural communities? Mark Rowe asks seven experts about their hopes for the months ahead

Land of the lost nomads • In the low hills of Yorkshire’s East Riding, new walking routes celebrate the Wold Rangers, a nomadic people who once wandered the Wolds’ green lanes and bridleways. Paul Kirkwood follows in their footsteps

PORTRAIT OF A WOLD RANGER

THE WOLD RANGERS WAY

BBC Country file Magazine Dog of the year winners! • Congratulations to these triumphant canines, who have won hearts, votes and holidays

COPING WITH COLD • Rather than shivering in an underheated home, why not get the blood pumping on an exhilarating walk? Dave Hamilton has tips on how to beat the chill on winter hikes

Eating for resilience • Cooking from scratch using inexpensive but healthy ingredients can help us cope with life’s ever-growing challenges, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall tells Annabel Ross

Frozen in time • Each year, the Landscape Photographer of the Year awards celebrate the best images of the British countryside. Our selection from this year’s winners captures the beauty of the land during the colder months

NATIONAL TRUST...