Out & About

Country Life's verdict on the Downton Abbey film: Patchy plots and sickly schmaltz, but 'a blissful two hours of escapism'

The new Downton Abbey film offers fans a final fix of life above and below stairs with the characters of a much-loved series. Kate Green went along to find out if it delivers on its promise.

Walking the 79-mile Dales Way: 'The Wharfe is full and raging; we’re getting worried messages as people hear about the mayhem'

Torrential rain swells the River Wharfe as Fiona Reynolds embarks on a 79-mile walk along the Dales Way, just one step ahead of the floods.

'You’re alive, make the most of it': The 77-year-old British woman who has just become the oldest person to sail around the world

Jeanne Socrates was met by a flotilla of 30 boats when she completed her circumnavigation at the port of Victoria in British Columbia.

Jason Goodwin: Mysterious beach bones, lively ceilidhs and the other wonders of holidaying in the Western Isles

Loch Ness Monster isn't a dinosaur, say scientists — but it might it be a giant eel

After examining 500 million DNA sequences, researchers from New Zealand's University of Otago found no evidence to support popular Loch Ness monster theories — but they think it's plausible Nessie could be an overgrown eel

How a pony in the Highlands always beats a quad bike: 'Unlike a vehicle, ponies will avoid bogs that swallow the unwary'

On estates such as Balmoral, The Queen’s home in Aberdeenshire, tough and shaggy Highland ponies are vital members of the stalking team when it comes to bringing deer off the hill. Octavia Pollock found out more.

Young film-makers set out to solve the mystery of Big Cats roaming Southern England

The A–Z of Burghley: All you need to know for this weekend's Horse Trials

Kate Green charts all you need to know about this weekend’s Burghley Horse Trials, from Princess Anne to Zara Tindall.

Urban rooster bringing a touch of the country to South London falls 'fowl' of neighbours

A vocal cockerel's wake-up calls are less than welcome in his urban environment.

'We have been systematically shaping the brains of another species': Study reveals full impact of selective dog breeding

Selective breeding in dogs influences far more than their outer appearance.

How white-feathered barn owls terrify their prey into submission: 'It’s like a ghost coming on it'

Scientists have found white owls are superior in their hunting ability to their darker counterparts.

Alastair Cook on cricket and farming: 'Nature, like international sport, can be simultaneously cruel and wonderful'

Ancient mosaic 'unique in Roman Britain' to be re-buried, despite hundreds of hours spent revealing it to the world

Cardigan Welsh Corgis: 'Smashing little dogs’ which deserve as much recognition as their Pembroke cousins

They’re not as well known as their Pembroke cousins that are so beloved by The Queen, but Cardigan Welsh corgis are small dogs with a big attitude, finds Matthew Dennison.

Guard dogs are seeing off foxes and badgers to protect one Somerset farm's poultry population

An experiment using guard dogs to protect poultry on one Somerset farm is going great guns

We're searching for Britain's naughtiest dog — could it be yours?

It's four years since Country Life last sought out Britain’s Naughtiest Dog — and we're doing so again. Does yours fit the bill?

22 of the best village shops in Britain, from the West Country to the Western Isles

A good village shop is the heart and soul of the community — does your local make our list?

Keeping fish: Building a world-class aquarium, choosing what to put in it — and getting them to swim into your arms

Keeping fish at your home can bring a great sense of serenity — but did you know that fish can become tame, and swim right up to your arms? Katy Birchall found out more.

Matthew Parris on his llamas: 'They’re interested in everything humans are doing'

Matthew Parris, the MP-turned-journalist/political commentator, keeps pet llamas at his home in Derbyshire. He spoke to Octavia Pollock.

Walking Derby and the Derwent Valley, on a morning with 'dappled light on the river reflecting the monumental 18th-century mills'

Fiona Reynolds walks the Derwent Valley Heritage Way in Derbyshire, and is struck by the contrast between Man and Nature.