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.

Of festivals and fables

COUNTRYFILE on TV • What to watch on Countryfile this month*

OUR COLUMNISTS

BBC Countryfile Magazine

Experience awe on the solstice • Never miss the magic with a subscription to BBC Countryfile Magazine

Spot these celestial ocean drifters in our seas this summer

Britain’s best heritage railways • From the Lake District and the North Yorkshire moors to Welsh hills and the Kent seaside, here are author and railway expert Tom Chesshyre’s most remarkable steam and diesel train lines in Britain

FIRST-EVER EVIDENCE OF GLADIATORS FIGHTING BIG CATS FOUND IN YORK • Researchers discover never-before-seen evidence of human-animal combat on a Roman-era skeleton unearthed in York, England

ELK COULD RETURN TO BRITAIN AFTER 3,000 YEARS • Wildlife experts hope to bring this ‘lost species’ back to the East Midlands as part of a rewilding project

BIODIVERSITY BOOST FOR RONAY ISLAND • An uninhabited island in the Outer Hebrides is set to be the focus of a new rewilding project

“ALARMING” DECLINE OF SCOTLAND’S NATIVE SNAKE • Survey shows concerning drop in Scotland’s adder population

The Plodcast • Tune your ears into our podcast this month

WELL DRESSING • This ancient and beautiful custom of creating nature-based art gives thanks for the blessing of fresh spring water, writes Pat Kinsella

OTHER JUNE EVENTS

IN HARMONY WITH NATURE • BBC Gardener’s World contributor Jamie Walton is on a mission to help us all discover the joy of growing

A garden wormery • Save cash by making your own fertiliser and nutrient-rich compost with this simple homemade wormery from garden designer and soil expert Juliet Sargeant

Litter and fly-tipping are disgraceful scourges of our throwaway society

Veteran trees enrich our wildlife and need our support

Subscription offer! • Save 35% and receive a Stanley Iceflow Bottle when you subscribe*

Car-free Lake District • Caroline Butterwick embraces the joy of leaving the car at home on a peaceful trip to the idyllic Lakeland landscapes of Ambleside

NOW GO THERE • Caroline Butterwick on where to eat, sleep and visit near Ambleside

Streams of consciousness • Robert Macfarlane’s Is a River Alive? is set to be one of the year’s biggest – and most vital – book releases. In this exclusive interview, we discover why he’s campaigning to have rivers recognised as living beings

TOP 10 CHAMPING SITES • Pull up a pew for a silent night in one of these hallowed havens – Ellie Tennant picks her favourite churches to ‘champ’ in

CHAMPING IN THE Chilterns • What’s it really like to spend the night in an ancient church? Ellie Tennant tries a sleepover with soul

Your nature prescription • During research for her latest book, Professor Kathy Willis discovered that daily interactions with nature can affect our wellbeing in surprising and profound ways. She reveals the science that proves the healing power of plants

7 ways to transform your wellbeing with nature

Music, myths and magic • Its world-famous festival may grab the headlines but Glastonbury has many other stars on its stage. We walk the Glastonbury Way and discover a beguiling mix of mysticism, legends and timeless beauty

Fairer farming for all • From home-grown cloth to natural pest control and new ways of raising cattle, Fergus Collins reports from this year’s Oxford Real Farming Conference on the key ideas...