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.

Hope springs eternal

COUNTRYFILE on TV • What to watch on Countryfile this month*

OUR COLUMNISTS

BBC Countryfile Magazine

Forage in the forest this spring • Root out the best of the season with a subscription to BBC Countryfile Magazine

March • NATURE | TRAVEL | NEWS | VIEWS

The UK’s best music festivals • Green fields, great bands and joyous atmospheres – nowhere in the world does outdoor music festivals quite like the UK. Matt Baird picks his favourite weekenders for 2026

THE NEED FOR CHANGE • This winter, parliamentarians, business leaders and environmentalists joined forces at a National Emergency Briefing on climate and nature. Can Labour’s latest policies provide a boost for the economy and environment? Or is our nature at serious risk? James Fair reports

BRIEFING NUMBERS • Key stats from the National Emergency Briefing

RARE CELTIC IRON AGE BATTLE TRUMPET DISCOVERED IN NORFOLK • The musical instrument is one of a number of remarkable items uncovered during a dig

CLEVER COW CONTROLS BROOM TO SCRATCH AN ITCH • The first documented case of a cow using a multi-purpose tool is changing our view of the species’ intelligence

The Plodcast • Tune your ears into our podcast this month*

THE ROCK OF AGES • Philip Marsden explores how mining of minerals changed the course of history, from Cornwall to the Balkans

Flaxseed, sunflower & thyme bread • Chef Natasha MacAller’s latest book brings a wide variety of nutrient-rich, health-giving plants to your plate

Salmon could soon be extinct in UK waters. Yet hope is not lost

The ingenuity of the next generation is essential for farming’s future

The N ORTH • Armed with a North Country Rover ticket, Dixe Wills enjoys a taster of four classic hiking trails of the north in this love letter to the ease and romance of rail travel

NOW GO THERE • Dixe Wills on where to eat, stay and visit in the North of England

Rites of spring • Renewal, awakening, fresh hope… spring is now upon us. Here, Mary Berry, Miranda Hart, Chris Packham, Andy Murray and more reveal how they welcome in the season of new life

TOP 10 HISTORIC STAYS • Take a self-catered journey into the past with Dixe Wills’ pick of the Landmark Trust’s most remarkable properties

Spawn shop • As the world’s coral reefs succumb to warming waters, scientists are racing to save these fragile animals. Melissa Hobson witnesses the secrets of coral spawning… in an unlikely location

COLD-WATER CORALS • Our pick of the corals you can see in the UK

CORAL CHANGES • How the UK’s cold-water corals differ from corals found in tropical seas.

Rise of the resistance • Recent findings that ash trees are showing resistance to dieback offer hope, but further threats loom. Catherine Early investigates the future of this much-loved symbol of life

BRITAIN’S FAMOUS ASH TREES

Beyond the pale • Just a short drive south of Dublin sits a land of soaring peaks, glacial valleys and prehistoric tombs where it’s easy to find solitude. Patrick Kinsella ventures to the wonderful Wicklow Mountains

NOW GO THERE • Patrick Kinsella on where to eat, drink and stay in the Wicklow Mountains

March Q&A • The big questions answered

Become a birder • Few hobbies are as absorbing, satisfying and healthy for body and mind as birdwatching, or ‘birding’ – and you can enjoy it year-round. Here’s how...