Christmas in the countryside

 Ye Olde Christmas

With castles and carols, ancient hills and festive cheer, Shropshire offers a classic country Christmas.

The real robin

The nation’s favourite bird graces seasonal greetings cards but there’s a lot more to this fiery character than meets the eye, says Stephen Moss.

Wild people

In the latest of our Wild People series, we look at Ronald Lockley, the naturalist who inspired Watership Down.

Woven into history

An old wool mill on the Pembrokeshire coast still produces beautiful Welsh blankets and cloth – take a peep inside.

Highland reindeer

Rudolph’s cousins roam the Cairngorms, where a herd from Sweden has lived happily for 65 years.

Mulled drinks and yuletide bakes

Smoking Bishop, vicar? Get into the spirit of the season with traditional mulled drinks and tasty baked treats.

England’s snowiest place

For a White Christmas, head deep into the northern Pennines, home to the highest snowfall in the country.

Christmas gifts

Great gift ideas for country lovers, from a cosy jacket to a wooden boules set.