Country Life

From the rollercoaster of mortgage rates to the calling of a surprise election, the economic landscape of Britain never seems to sit still these days.Thankfully, award-winning property journalist Annabel Dixon writes regularly for Country Life to help us make sense of what's going on and we're delighted that this week she joins James Fisher on the Country Life podcast.Annabel talks about whether now is a good time to buy, the best places to look, what you can expect if you move across the North-South divide and much more — including her own dream house and part of the country.Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleEpisode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Annabel DixonEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam Wilbourn

We lead busy lives these days — which might be all well and good for getting things done, but is the last thing you want on holiday.That's the central idea behind a new book by the travel writer Liz Schaffer, Slow Travel Britain, in which Liz travelled to 22 off-the-track parts of Britain to really take them in. From walking Hadrian's Wall to exploring the unspoilt corners of the Pembrokeshire coast, Liz made a point of taking her time, talking to the people she met, and avoiding — at all costs — falling in to the trap of box-ticking sights and places.We're delighted that Liz joined us on the Country Life Podcast, speaking to our own Travel Editor, Rosie Paterson, to discuss the places she saw, the people she met, and what she learned about travel — and indeed herself — on the way.Liz's book is published by Hoxton — you can order a copy here.Episode credits Host: Rosie PatersonGuest: Liz SchafferProducer and Editor: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam WilbournOn holiday this week but will be back next time: James Fisher

Some time between the formation of the earth, and now, some human beings decided to draw some lines on the sand somewhere to define ‘our bit’ of the earth and ‘their bit’ of the earth. We now refer to these lines as borders. Journalist and author Jonn Elledge has always been fascinated by why and how this happens, and in this episode he joins the Country Life Podcast to talk about borders and his new book, The History of the World in 47 Borders. Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on Audible  Jonn's fascination with borders made him think that the smart thing to do would be to write a book about them. 47 of them, specifically, which he claims can tell us ‘the history of the world’. We invited him on to the Country Life podcast to discuss just how the border came to be, what they mean, some weird ones, and the somewhat disturbing truth about why a lot of them are simply just straight lines. We answer important questions such as ‘why does Wales exist’, what happened during the partition of India, and why most borders are a bit nonsensical, when you think about it. And at the heart of it all lies the great question: are national identities defined by their borders, or vice versa? To find out the answer, you’ll just have to listen — and if you get to the end and still want to know more (including the answer to the question ‘why does landlocked Bolivia still have a navy?’), you can buy his book, which is available at all good bookshops (and some bad ones). 'The History of the World in 47 Borders' can be bought online here. Follow Jonn on X/Twitter here Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Jonn ElledgeEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam Wilbourn

On May 10, 1824, Britain's National Gallery opened its doors for the first time. This year, to celebrate its bicentenary, the gallery is hosting a whole string of events and celebrations to market the occasion.Of all these, perhaps the boldest and most eye-catching is National Treasures, a selection of just 12 from among the thousands of masterpieces in the National Gallery's collection. The 12 paintings will be on display at 12 galleries around Britain, bringing art to people across the land, and making the National Gallery truly national.Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleBut how do you go about choosing the 12 most famous paintings from such an astonishing collection? It's an almost impossible task, and one that fell to one of the gallery's curators, Dr Francesca Whitlum-Cooper, who led the team that whittled down the almost countless options to the final 12.Francesca joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to talk about how it was done. She also shares the story of her life and career, how she came to be at the gallery, what art really means to us — and, of course, the practicalities and philosophy that underlies the idea of sending a string of artworks worth tens of millions of pounds across the country to be seen by fresh eyes.You can find out more about the National Gallery, and the NG200 celebrations, at the gallery's website, nationalgallery.org.uk. And you can see the 12 paintings that made the cut for the National Treasures exhibitions at nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/across-the-uk/national-treasuresEpisode credits:Host: James FisherGuest: Dr Francesca Whitlum-CooperEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam Wilbourn

James Alexander-Sinclair is one of Britain's foremost garden designers and writers. He's a regular contributor to Country Life magazine and many other titles, and a regular presence on television screens talking about gardening.He is also one of the top judges at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show — and we're absolutely delighted that he joins us to give a full behind-the-scenes account of the entire judging process.James doesn't shy away from any of the issues — or the controversies which have raged in recent years over the unconventional winners that have had many lovers of traditional gardens up in arms.You can find out more about James Alexander-Sinclair at his website or follow him on Instagram.Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleEpisode creditsHost: James Fisher Guest: James Alexander-Sinclair Editor and producer: Toby Keel Music: JuliusH via Pixabay Special thanks: Adam Wilbourn

Paula Lester has been running the features desk at Country Life magazine for over a decade. So when His Majesty The King — Prince Charles, as he was at the time — agreed to guest edit the magazine, she was the obvious choice to guide him and his team through the process.The result, as Paula tells James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast, could never have been foreseen: after months of work and literally thousands of emails, the magazine became Country Life's best-selling issue of all time. A second guest edit came; then The Princess Royal took the helm as well; and in 2022, it was the turn of Queen Camilla, while still Duchess of Cornwall, to try her hand at it.Paula talks through those extraordinary experiences, and what it was like to work with His Majesty and Their Royal Highnesses on putting together an issue of the magazine. Everything from commissioning features to arrange a photo shoot carried out by none other than The Duchess of Cambridge (now Princess of Wales) — who phoned Paula while she was at the hairdresser!As well as the royal guest edits, Paula explains how the magazine's features come together each week, looking at where ideas come from, how they're brought to life, and the amazing team around her who make sure that it happens 52 weeks a year.Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Paula LesterEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam Wilbourn

The housing crisis in Britain has gone on for decades almost unchecked — but it's only thanks to voices such as Nicholas Boys Smith that we can use the word 'almost' in that sentence. Nicholas is the founder of Create Streets, a think tank and consultancy which looks at property development and town planning across Britain. He joins host James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to explain what has been going wrong, why we've lost faith in planners, architects and developers, and what we can do to put things right. Striking a balance between preservation and progress is right at the heart of what Nicholas has to say — for there is no reason at all why we can't make buildings which are modern and practical while also preserving the beauty of our villages, towns and cities.Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleEpisode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Nicholas Boys SmithProducer and Editor: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay

Beyond the Monarchy and the Church, there is only one building in Britain which is designated with word 'palace': Blenheim Palace.This UNESCO World Heritage Site is beyond any doubt one of the world's greatest, and most famous buildings. It was built to commemorate a famous battle 320 years ago: the victory in the Battle of Blenheim led by John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, in which the army of Louis XIV was beaten in what was France's first major military defeat in half a century.Queen Anne was delighted by the outcome, and granted Churchill both the land and the funds to create a grand house which, from the start, was planned as both ancestral home and national monument.Three centuries later, the house and gardens — designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and Capability Brown respectively — are just as magnificent today, and one of the most visited buildings in Britain, with as many as 6,000 people a day visiting.Keeping a great house like this running is no easy feat, as Blenheim's director of operations Emily Spencer explains in this episode of the Country Life Podcast. "It's an ongoing battle," Emily explains of the need to balance restoration, conservation and the needs of visitors, from the £40 million project in place to keep the building standing to towing visitors' cars out of muddy fields.But the efforts are all worthwhile, Emily adds."The second you step across the landscape, it's everything — it all has such a power over you."Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Emily SpencerProducer and editor: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam Wilbourn