Country Living UK

Whether you live in the town or countryside, in Country Living you’ll find a wealth of ideas for your home and garden, learn about traditional crafts, keep informed of rural issues, enjoy irresistible dishes using seasonal produce and, above all, escape the stress and strain of modern-day life.

Country Living

A note from the editor

Welcome to JULY

MAKE THE MOST OF THE COAST • July calls for seaside strolling. Max every COASTAL MILE with a few well-chosen essentials

PLAN YOUR ROUTE • 5 coastal walks to try this July

4 SEASIDE SPOTS for the ULTIMATE CRAB SANDWICH

Sea Salts & Sail Festival •  Cornwall

Still Southwold SUFFOLK • Kate Jacobs blisses out in a coastal cabin just outside Southwold, with a PRIVATE BEACH and spectacular sea views, even from the bed

EYE SPY ALONG THE SHORE • Catch your breath and discover the small wonders waiting at the WATER’S EDGE

SHOP FOR THE SHORE • All you need for CAREFREE SEASIDE ADVENTURES

Hannah Bourne-Taylor • Soaring swifts are synonymous with summer but their numbers are nosediving. Meet the campaigner on a mission to bring them back, one brick at a time

7 visits incredible SHORELINE SPECTACLES • Marvel at these historical and geological gems by the sea

STAY ALONG THE WAY • Relax and recharge at chic stop-offs on your COASTAL HIKE

5 places for a secluded sea swim

July

FIELD NOTES THE BRITISH ALPACA SOCIETY NATIONAL SHOW, STAFFORD, STAFFORDSHIRE 20-22 March 2026

FIELD NOTES THE BRITISH ASPARAGUS FESTIVAL, CROOME, WORCESTERSHIRE 23 April 2026

Paula Sutton The Village Noticeboard • In her regular column, Paula reveals the horticultural hysteria set in motion by the announcement of the annual Open Garden Weekend. Secateurs at dawn!

FORCE OF NATURE • After the runaway success of Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell returns with her most personal story yet. She talks to Sam Baker about myth, memory and the landscapes that shape her work

“I left EVERYTHING behind for a life shaped by wind, sea and sky” • Seeking a lifestyle that felt simpler and more purposeful, one woman immersed herself in a new job on a remote island in the Irish Sea

ARTISANS + CRAFT

ROOTED IN COLOUR • From small beginnings in a city back garden to a flourishing flower farm in Dorset, this couple are spreading the joy of colour countrywide

Summer PRINTS we’re COVETING • Classic florals and stripes from our favourite small makers

How to MAKE A PAPER ROSE • Turn simple crepe paper into a beautiful bloom with paper artist Kristen Kong as your guide

Treasures of the TIDE • On the wild north-west coast of Ireland, Flora Kinnaird transforms seaweed gathered from the shoreline into intricate artworks, keeping a centuries-old craft alive

HOMES + DECORATING

Natural instinct • Interior designer Emma Sherlock’s brick-and-flint cottage in Hampshire reflects a lifelong love of the countryside, shaped by pieces gathered over time

Russell Loughlan The Interiors Insider • Our resident decorating expert, and self-styled serial renovator, on his hard-won lessons from multiple property makeovers

OPPOSITES ATTRACT • An earthy Mediterranean feel pervades the layered interiors of this reimagined Yorkshire barn, where rustic touches are balanced by a stylish, modern edge

Wonderful Woodstock COUNTRY LIVING AT DFS

Breezy BEACH HOUSE CHIC • Discover how to layer materials, light and colour for an elegant but relaxed modern seaside style

Introducing the NEW COUNTRY LIVING AWNINGS COLLECTION WITH HILLARYS

GARDENS

SLOPE & GLORY • What was once “a really tricky site” is now a beautifully layered Somerset garden where clever design has...