Climbing the Sugar Loaf, the irresistibly perfect mountain in a ‘wild and lovely’ setting
The Sugar Loaf in Wales’s Black Mountains is a satisfying little peak to conquer, as Fiona Reynolds explains.
Sporting & Country Pursuits
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Sporting Life: Who will win the 2019 Six Nations?
Ahead of the Guinness Six Nations, Owain Jones predicts that Ireland will retain their crown – but they'll be pushed hard by England, Wales and possibly even Italy, based on recent results.
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Sporting Life: Botham, Gower and 17 pints on rest days – a look at cricket in the 80s, through the eyes of Derek Pringle
Pushing the Boundaries: Cricket in the Eighties contains the reminiscences of Derek Pringle reflecting on his years in the world of cricket and the delightful characters he met, both on and off the pitch. Richard Hopton reviews.
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Sporting Life: Can you learn to ballroom dance in seven weeks?
In the wake of Strictly Come Dancing, Alexandra Fraser convinced her partner to join her on a seven-week ballroom dancing course in London to discover how hard it really is to pick up what is fast becoming a dying art.
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Five magnificent winter walks in Britain, from the Brecons to the Broads
A brisk winter walk is the perfect way to shake off the blues of the cold, dark months – here are five superb spots to inspire you to get out there.
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Take the Country Life Christmas Quiz: 40 fiendish questions on everything from the Beatles to lobsters
Each year, Country Life's editor Mark Hedges sets a fiendish quiz – see how you get on, and don't forget to share your results with friends and family to establish who gets bragging rights this year.
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Country Life’s best Living National Treasures of 2018: Stained glass to neon signs, via sculpture, baskets and fishermen
Our hugely popular series tells fascinating tales about extraordinary people keeping traditional skills alive across Britain, illustrated by the wonderful portrait photographs taken by Richard Cannon for Country Life. Our picture editor Lucy Ford makes her selection of her favourites of 2018.
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Sporting Life: The joys of Fen skating, the great 19th century sport that you've probably never heard of
The near-forgotten sport of Fen skating was once a huge draw, with thousands of spectators and making celebrities of the fastest men on the ice.
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Curious Questions: How did Abraham Lincoln come to be the only US president to hold a patent?
Statesman, lawyer, fearless leader – and part-time inventor. Martin Fone looks at one of Abraham Lincoln's lesser-known talents.
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Sporting Life: How to fall back in love with fishing, thanks to a new rod, a borrowed fly and a weekend on the Tweed
After one barren trip too many, our editor Mark Hedges had fallen out of love with fishing. Could a trip to tackle the River Tweed in the company of his regular companion – 'The Judge' – rekindle his joy?
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23 things you need to know before you go skiing
If you're new to skiing – or you're about to go skiing someone who's a novice – Rosie Paterson and Kate Green provide a guide that will save much pain for the newbies and provoke chuckles of recognition from the veterans.
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Sporting Life: The story of the football matches on the Western Front during the truce of Christmas 1914
The folk tale of the First World War's 'Christmas truce' football match is so familiar that it has become accepted among the factual events of the war, but what actually happened when British and German soldiers went over the top on 25th December, 1914?
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Sporting life: 18 golf courses in the UK that every golfer should play before they die
Roderick Easdale nominates his pick of the best golf courses in Britain and Ireland, with some help from the great and the good of the game.
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Sporting Life: Marcus Armytage previews the National Hunt season
For many racegoers, the changing of the clocks signals the start of the National Hunt season proper. Marcus Armytage reveals his top horses, trainers and jockeys.
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The secret spots of the Algarve: A haven for golf lovers and sun seekers alike
Not far from the madding crowds of the Algarve’s splendid, but busy, central coast are tranquil enclaves and unspoilt villages, finds Nicola Venning.
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Ellenborough Park: A luxury getaway for any country sporting enthusiast
Octavia Pollock takes a trip to Cheltenham to experience the best that this equestrian retreat has to offer.
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Sporting life: Hickory golf on the South Downs, complete with plus fours and bow-ties
The Goodwood Revival isn't just limited to the motor racing circuit these days – each year, a group of golfers takes to the fairways of the estate's beautiful Downs Course to try their luck using vintage golf equipement. Toby Keel went along to try it out.
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The infinite wonders of the North York Moors National Park
A world full of endless stretches of heather, green pastures humming with nature, horses and hounds, grouse and trout. Adrian Dangar explores.
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Six of the best shooting jackets made from tweed, 'the original performance fabric'
Mary Bremner explains why traditional tweed is better than ever and picks her six favourite tweed shooting coats currently on the market.
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Nightmare stories from some of the naughiest gundogs in Britain
Although everyone likes to think their gundogs are impeccably behaved, Rupert Uloth observes that they’re capable of letting us down in the most embarrassing ways in the field. Illustrations by John Holder.
