“there’s something special about spring here in the seven valleys”

Our lives, your lives... that’s life!

Does the abundance of rowan berries really forecast snowy days and a hard winter, muses Tessa Waugh , as a home meet draws people of all ages, stages and pre-dawn routines

Her lifelong passion for dogs and horses has shaped her career and lifestyle – and now it has led to her first grown-up novel. So what else lies ahead for the unstoppable Clare Balding?

I HAVE written numerous pieces about mallard – this our most ubiquitous duck is a survivor. Mallard can be found almost everywhere, and I love them and never tire of watching them. They are underrated

Tessa Waugh wonders whether lingering in Downton Abbey waking dreams might be more enticing than rousing two teens for autumn hunting, but finds herself pleasantly surprised

30-minute birder Amanda Tuke sees the benefits of being distracted by birds at home, and on the coast