Nature

Thorney Island, West Sussex: The beauty spot accessed via a secret button through a barbed wire fence

The beaches of Thorney Island, next to Chichester Harbour, are our Secret Britain selection today.

Binevenagh, Northern Ireland: Lava-hewn crags and cliffs at the end of one of the planet's great railway journeys

Our Secret Britain piece today takes a look at the view from the top of Binevenagh in Co Londonderry.

Osea Island, Essex: A secret so well-kept that even the locals have barely heard of it

Annunciata Elwes looks at a little-known spot accessible for just a few hours a day.

How do starlings form murmurations?

Murmurations of starlings — the vast clouds of thousands of birds, flocking and swooping through the sky — are one of nature's great displays. But how do the birds do it? Martin Fone investigates.

Kingley Vale, West Sussex: The ancient, twisted yews that are the oldest living things in Britain

Today's Secret Britain spot is a mysterious and magical spot in West Sussex.

The wit and wisdom of snow, from Laurie Lee to Ogden Nash

Snow has always inspired wit and wisdom — and here are some of the best, as picked out by Jonathan Self.

Charlie Mackesy on The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: 'It's humbling... The reaction was beyond anything I ever imagined'

Charlie Mackesy is the author and illustrator of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, the bestselling — and hugely poignant — book that celebrates kindness and understanding. He spoke to Katy Birchall about why there’s no shame in showing weakness and asking for help.

Curious Questions: Why have our oak trees produced so many acorns in 2020?

It's not your imagination: there really were far more acorns on the ground than usual this autumn. Martin Fone looks at the phenomenon of the 'mast year'.

The High Weald AONB: Rolling hills, endless forest and steam railways puffing through a very English landscape

The High Weald AONB's rolling landscape is the archetypal image many of us have of rural England. Octavia Pollock takes a look.

Jonathan Self: 'We blocked every hole, engaged a feckless cat and baited traps with the best Camembert, but still they came'

Jonathan Self tackles a minor infestation, only to miss the hole in his life left by the furry visitors.

Cannock Chase AONB: Heathland, ancient woodland and grand country houses

Cannock Chase is the smallest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Britain. Octavia Pollock takes a closer look.

Curious Questions: How do weather forecasters figure out a percentage chance of rain?

Those 'chance of rain' percentages you see on the weather forecast hide a bewildering range of possibilities. So how are they calculated? The answer is far from simple, much less logical, as Martin Fone discovers.

14 adorable, breathtaking and funny pictures from the Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2020

From a friendly toad to an eel in a dark tropical sea to a group of funghi 'marching' along a tree trunk in Buckinghamshire, we take a look at the best images from the Close-Up Photographer of the Year competition.

Winkworth Arboretum, the 'Museum of Trees' that celebrates the art of planting for autumn colour

When Dr Wilfrid Fox began his arboretum in 1938, he envisaged not simply a collection of tree species, but planting on such a scale as to create its own landscape. Under its new manager, this extraordinary place is, at last, being given the attention it deserves, reveals Charles Quest-Ritson.

Curious Questions: Are cows actually super-intelligent?

Far from being ‘stupid’ or ‘silly cows’, cattle are clever and emotionally intelligent, with bags of personality, too, says John Lewis-Stempel.

'When we take for granted our ever-available, low-cost food, we might remember how that certainty was achieved'

The turn in the weather prompts Country Life's columnist Agromenes to reflect on how modern farming gave us food security and safety as never seen before in human history — and warns us not to forget how it was achieved/

Curious Questions: How far can you see on a clear day?

A walk to a local hilltop prompts Martin Fone to wonder just how far you can see, assuming perfect atmospheric conditions.

The fascinating — and slightly creepy — winners of the first-ever Bug Photographer of the Year awards

James Fisher celebrates some of the finest images hailed by judges at the Luminar Bug Photography Awards.

The Llyn Peninsula AONB: Spectacular views, tragic tales and the rarest apple in the world

The Llyn Peninsla AONB entrances Kate Green.

Patrick Barkham: 'Part of the reason for the mental-health crisis is the disconnect with Nature... access to green space should be a right'

Nature writer Patrick Baarkham spoke to Jack Watkins about a lost civilisation, HS2 and the stress of having an opinion.