Sporting & Country Pursuits

Curious Questions: Were the Wright Brothers actually beaten to it by a farmer from New Zealand?

Climbing Ben Stack: A perfect, conical mountain whose paths are adorned with bluebells, violets and orchids

Fiona Reynolds takes time out during a trip to Scotland to climb one of its most beautiful little peaks: Ben Stack.

Meet the animals who sustainably work Britain's most beautiful woodlands

From heavy horses to Longhorn cattle and snuffling truffle hounds, there’s no more satisfying way of managing our woodlands than with creatures great and small, concludes Vicky Liddell. Photographs by Millie Pilkington.

How to do Wimbledon in style: Courtside tickets, Michelin-starred food and chatting over lunch with superstars of the game

Wimbledon fortnight is almost upon us — it runs July 1-14 this year — but there's still plenty of time for you to line up a magnificent day out at the Championships, whether you're coming as a couple or bringing a few guests.

Glamping DIY: Taking a bit of interior chic with you when you're out and about this summer

No longer relegated to the pages of Harry Potter, luxury camping is now a very viable and comfortable option for those wishing to holiday closer to home. Read our advice for how to keep your tent looking and feeling as luxurious as possible.

Curious Questions: Why do cricketers call it a 'duck' when they get bowled out for 0?

Martin Fone, author of 50 Curious Questions, explains how a duck egg led to the popularisation of a term in one of the world's great sports.

The Derby Preview 2019: Andrew Balding’s tips for Epsom this year

Racehorse trainer Andrew Balding’s stables resonate with Derby history. He explains to Kate Green why the race is still the ultimate prize and reveals his tips for the meeting.

John Gosden: 'I don’t care how many winners I’ve trained; it’s the quality you remember'

Jack Watkins talks to the champion racehorse trainer on quality over quantity and preserving Newmarket.

Toyota Hilux review: Forget three men in a boat — three men in a double-cab 4x4 pick-up truck is the true test

Our correspondent and two fishing friends find the refreshed Toyota Hi-Lux is more than a match for New Zealand’s rocky terrain and a mountain of gear.

Curious Questions: How do you survive the Summer Season?

Potential faux pas abound in a British summer, but is it possible to find your way through to September unscathed? The answer is yes, says Rupert Uloth, so long as you always carry a brolly, know how to share a carriage with The Queen and own at least seven hats. Here are his tips.

70 years of the Badminton Horse Trials: From the pig-sticking champions to the miracle champion who took four decades to win

The world's most famous horse trials is seventy years old this year. Kate Green looks at some of the most remarkable moments in its history.

Badminton 2019: The six best riders to follow, six best fences to watch and six best shopping stalls to visit

Badminton is one of the undisputed highlights of the year for anyone who loves horses – Kate Green shares her tips for anyone making it along to this wonderful event.

Fiona Reynolds: A walk on the Suffolk coast that brings home the true horror of the new plans for Sizewell

A few months after writing about a development at Otmoor, Fiona Reynolds visits the beautiful Suffolk coast — and can't quite believe how the proposed new work will tear up this idyllic landscape.

Adare Manor: The golf course that dreams of being the Irish Augusta

Augusta National Golf Club is one of the sporting world's greatest treasures. It's also the model on which Adare Manor, near the charming Irish city of Limerick, is being recreated – and a very fine job they're doing, says Toby Keel.

Your child's first pony: A survival guide for parents

The request for a pony is dreaded by many parents, but, with the right help and the right animal, the process of your child’s learning to ride need not be painful.

Jason Goodwin: 'My carpentry depends largely on heavy leaning and a few nails and it works'

Our Spectator columnist tells tale of his carpentry skills and why one's children should conceal their superior skills until long after one is gone.

Looking back at the Grand National, decade by decade

To mark 180 years since the first running of the Grand National, Kate Green charts the decade-by-decade history of the much-loved race by focusing on the years ending in '9', beginning with the inaugural staging in 1839.

Sporting Life: Why now is the time to get involved with your village cricket team – before it goes the way of the pub and the post office

Village cricket is going through something of a crisis – so now is the time to get out there and get stuck in. Annunciata Elwes reports.

Female farmers: 'It doesn’t matter what sex you are – it’s about whether you’re good at the job'

Female farmers are far from being a rare breed. Not only are they getting their hands dirty but plenty of them are running the show as Anna Tyzack finds out.

Sporting Life: Catching the skittish bonefish with peanut butter and a single, solitary fly

Our correspondent goes through the necessary rituals to pursue ‘the little white foxfish’ in the West Indies.