As we near the end of 2022, Christmas markets and winter fairs begin to pop up across the UK. Appearing in our cities, market towns, villages and stately homes, each is a nostalgic blend of traditional ingredients. Who can resist the aroma of mulled cider, roasted chestnuts and freshly baked mince pies? What about the gorgeous metallic tones of a local brass band as they play the opening bars of Silent Night, accompanied by the angelic voices of the local infant school choir? Add in twinkling l

Smell the hay, meets the cows and hear the skylarks on Quicke's farm in Devon where they produce award-winning cheddar cheese using traditional methods. Tanya Jackson meets farmer and cheesemaker Mary Quicke and discovers that some of the secrets to producing great-tasting cheese lie in the way Mary works with nature and her landscape. Later in the Plodcast, the team test whether Devon's method of eating scones (cream first then jam) is superior to that of Cornwall (where the jam goes on first)

Wrap up warm, wear your softest clothes and step out into the night with folk singer Sam Lee and violinist Anna Phoebe to listen to nightingales singing in a Sussex woodland. Sam and Anna sing and play while the birds respond with bursts of incredible natural music. A spellbinding experience. You can also find the Plodcast on all good podcast providers including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podfollow Presented by Tanya Jackson with Maria Hodson. Discover more with Sam's superb book on nighting

A pedigree British White Cattle calf has been born at Blenheim Estate as part of a reintroduction programme. It is one of seven to be born at the Oxfordshire site in recent days, with another six on the way, ready to join the existing herd. The herd was introduced into an ancient oak woodland on the 2,000-acre Oxfordshire estate known as High Park three years ago, to trample undergrowth and clear spaces for acorns from the ancient oaks to germinate and grow. Head Shepherd Tom Locke said, “With

Discover more about English wine with our expert guide, including what grapes are used, where English wine is from and a brief history of English winemaking

Archaeologists stunned to find evidence of a 7,000-year-old railway system on the outskirts of Wolverhampton

Is there any nicer piece of research you can do than planning a holiday break? Seeing where to go, what wildlife to see, where to eat and drink, which nearby landscapes you can explore. Of course, for those 395,000 of the population who own electric vehicles, everything becomes about the pitstops. Free electric car charging points are increasing throughout the UK, but they’re far from ubiquitous yet, and no-one wants to find themselves with a flat battery halfway up the M1. Increasingly, holid

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