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.

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THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS

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

Podcast of the month

GROW TOMATOES • Follow these six simple steps from BBC Gardeners’ World and you’ll have sweet, fresh tomatoes ripe for picking all the way through summer.

ID GUIDE: EARLY SPRING BIRDSONG • One of the most evocative sounds in nature, the dawn chorus returns this month as avian songsters, full of purpose and ambition, sing at the beginning of each day to stake their claims on territories and mates.

THE SEASONAL TABLE: A TASTE OF FEBRUARY • Join Kathy Bishop and Tom Crowford on their West Country smallholding

FROM THE BOOKSHELF: BIRD BOOKS • Fly head-on into the avian world with our favourite books about birds

On the farm with Adam Henson • SIMPLE STEPS CAN HELP OUR WATERWAYS

Sara Maitland • In times of isolation, getting out to enjoy the natural world can help ease our worries

GORGEOUS GARDENS OF THE COTSWOLDS • Brighten your February days by planning a summer tour around the beautiful rose-filled havens of these famous Gloucestershire hills

GREAT WALKS

OTHER COTSWOLDS GARDENS TO VISIT • More garden delights to discover, by Victoria Summerley

MORE GREAT GARDEN ESCAPES

CROWD-FREE ESCAPES • It’s been a long winter, so why not cheer yourself up by dreaming of a tranquil break? Here are 18 sensational holidays to unsung but gorgeous countryside, far from the crowded honeypots. We start with a trek through the green hills of Wales, with a gaggle of friendly packhorses to carry the gear

THE HEYDAY OF THE PACKHORSE

HOLIDAYS WITH HORSES • For the inexperienced, here are five ways to include horses on your next adventure.

Birds on tour • Each spring, thousands of birds flock to British shores from the far-flung lands where they spend the winter months. As we anticipate their imminent return, we visit them in the exotic destinations that serve as their second homes

ARCTIC TERN

GOING INTO HIDING

JOHN CRAVEN • HOW FLEA TREATMENTS ARE POLLUTING OUR WATERWAYS

THE ROAD TO PEACE • As growing traffic threatens to spoil parts of our national parks with noise, fumes and delays, will we have to leave our cars at the park boundary? Andrew Griffiths asks whether technology can provide an answer

HIGH-TECH TRAVEL SOLUTIONS

Falling for the fells • Struck by the beauty of the Lake District, Terry Abraham set out to record the life of three of its famous hills on film. As he completes the trilogy with his new film about Helvellyn, Terry reveals how he first fell in love with the fells

SIX TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING THE FELLS • You don’t need expensive equipment to capture stunning images. Here are Terry’s tips for getting the best shots

MY LAKELAND • Terry’s three favourite places in the Lake District

HOLIDAYS IN THE HILLS • Six gorgeous, crowd-free uplands to explore

Conservation pioneer • Did you know the world’s first nature reserve was created in 1826 near Wakefield? Debbie Rolls profiles its founder, the extraordinary Charles Waterton

MOVE, THINK, EAT Your 2021 wellness plan • Feeling cooped up, fed up and out of shape thanks to winter weather and Covid-19 restrictions? We have just the remedy. Follow health coach Lesley Waldron’s simple 10-point plan to help you get outdoors and on the path to health and happiness

PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI

Great days out ...