“I grew up with dogs. Our first family dog was a small poodle called Perro. At that time we lived in London and Perro was chiefly trained by my grandfather who lived with us. Perro was so well trained that when we moved to the Scottish countryside we

Writer/director Harry Macqueen is explaining the thought processes behind his new film Supernova. Its centrepiece is a road trip to the Lake District taken by a middle-aged couple: novelist Tusker, played by Stanley Tucci, and Colin Firth’s concert p

It’s one of the most remote places in mainland Scotland – a vast, open, mountainous landscape surrounded by the sea on three sides. And I feel privileged to call it my home. The Ardnamurchan Peninsula is a two-hour drive from the nearest towns – the

Height: Up to 20 metres Tree shape: Slender, spreading Bark: Smooth, grey with horizontal lines Leaves: Nearly round, wavy edges, a little paler on underside, trembles in any breeze, vary in size from 2.5cm to 6cm across; leaves are more heart-sha

BY ANITA SETHI, BLOOMSBURY, £16.99 (HB) Anita Sethi is a Mancunian and woman of colour (the least-worst term available, she says) who grew up in a working-class family in the inner-city. While recovering from the trauma of a race-hate crime, she bra

One May evening, already enchanted by hedgerows and estuarine coast, I ducked into Whitehill Down and was overwhelmed. The meadow was too glorious – an innate memory of something now so rare it was almost intangible. But Whitehill Down is no dream.

DISTANCE: 4.2 MILES/6.8KM TIME: 2.5–3 HOURS LEVEL: MODERATE ASCENT: 198M TERRAIN: Woodland paths, firm tracks and rough pasture. There are some stream crossings and one or two short but steep sections, so walking boots are essential. Rhaeadr Fawr,

DISTANCE: 17.2 MILES/27.1 (RETURN) TIME: 2.5–3 HOURS LEVEL: EASY–MODERATE ASCENT: 38M TERRAIN: Easy, flat and mostly off-road cycling along paved and gravel surfaces. Depart the cathedral city of Exeter and follow one of the oldest surviving canals

At last the familiar springtime green is returning as the trees unfurl their leaves. Wherever you are in Britain, look out for a native tree that is different to the rest. It’s slender and graceful, airy and light, with pale bark. Round, wavy-edged l

The name ‘Hills and Holes’ accurately describes this undulating national nature reserve. The area was a limestone quarry until the Middle Ages, hence the holes (or hollows), with piles of spoil and original ground level making the hills. Its unusual

DISTANCE: 8.8 MILES/14.2KM TIME: 4.5–5 HOURS LEVEL: MODERATE ASCENT: 236M TERRAIN: An undulating section on the stony, tree-rooted coast path, then inland along country lanes, woodland paths and town pavements. Perched on the western fringes of Car

If things go according to plan, many of us will begin emerging from our enforced seclusion this spring and summer, and at last be able to escape our homes and immerse ourselves in the natural beauty of the countryside. During the restrictions of the

When the young Anne Boleyn lived at Hever Castle, nestled within Kent Weald countryside in the River Eden valley, the landscape would have been mainly marshland and meadows. When American millionaire William Waldorf Astor bought the property in July

At first, our eyes wonder if we are looking at a close-up image of yellow and green lichen growing on a boulder beside a rockpool, before realising this is, in fact, a bird’s-eye view of the coast. In May, Clashach Cove on the Moray Coastal Trail, no

The all-new Cholatse is a highly technical four-season pack, with dedicated fixtures for carrying serious alpine equipment, including trekking poles and ice-axe. The easy-to-adjust back system keeps the pack away from your skin and prevents sweatines

DISTANCE: 14.2 MILES/22.9KM (RETURN) TIME: 2.5–3 HOURS LEVEL: MODERATE ASCENT: 130M TERRAIN: A mostly flat, well-graded towpath with one quiet road section. Two optional detours both involve road cycling and are for traffic-confident cyclists only.