This tale about male friendship and the devastating impact of disease is moving and heartfelt <\/p>\n\n DIRECTOR: PAUL ROBINSON Penned by West Country playwright Bea Roberts, the two-hander And <\/em>Then <\/em>Come <\/em>the <\/em>Nightjars <\/em>transfers from stage to screen, along with its lead actors, David Fielder and Nigel Hastings, who brilliantly reprise their roles as farmer Michael and veterinarian Jeffrey. <\/p>\n\n Set in South Devon against the backdrop of the foot-and-mouth epidemic, the action starts in 2001, when the disease first makes headlines, and we see Michael diligently disinfecting his farm gates to protect his beloved dairy herd. Vet Jeffrey assures him that he has nothing to fear, and their affectionately scoffing relationship is established. <\/p>\n\n Homespun and sweary Michael is recently widowed and estranged from his son; he is attached to the past, to the continuation of his family\u2019s 200-year-old farm, and to the natural world around him \u2013 he knows his cows individually, as well as the birds that pipe in the dawn and dusk. Middle-class alcoholic Jeffrey is in a tricky marriage, has one daughter and a fondness for trivia, although he cannot identify a quail. Against beautiful shots of the Devon countryside, and over a period of many years, their unlikely friendship plays out, though it is violently tested when Michael\u2019s herd must be sacrificed to the gods of foot-and-mouth. <\/p>\n\n The nightjar is heard early in the story, and its whirring call, along with its folklore associations with death, returns near the end. Whether one would really hear the scrub-loving bird in a dairy farmyard is by the by. Hear it we can, and it seems to both mourn the relentless pace of change while heralding the strength and constancy of friendship. <\/p>\n\n Maria Hodson, reviews editor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n BY CHRISTOPHER SOMERVILLE <\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n As a child, Christopher Somerville found geology heavy going, and spent his lessons entranced by his teacher\u2019s ear hairs illuminated in the sunlight. As an adult, and a teacher himself, he ripped a geological map of Britain out of the Philips Modern School Atlas, <\/em>this time entranced by the swirls of colour that represented the different types of rock beneath the surface of these islands. <\/span><\/p>\n\n This mild act of vandalism would come to pay off many years later, when he decided to walk the length of Britain, from the oldest rocks of the Scottish islands to the youngest rocks of the Thames Estuary. As he puts it: \u201cHere I was, a lot older, maybe a touch wiser, and at least no longer afraid of the word \u2018orogeny\u2019\u201d (spoiler: orogeny is when two landmasses collide to build mountains). <\/p>\n\n It is no easy task to translate such a journey through Britain into a book for those who might find geology as challenging as Somerville once did. Yet he moves with ease between different geological epochs and eras of human history. Humans home in and out of view, sometimes significant, sometimes utterly insignificant. Yet always, their stories are embedded in rocks that took millions of years to form, operating on an unimaginably vast timescale beyond human comprehension.<\/span><\/p>\n\n As in all his writing, Somerville provides not only a sense of place, but also a sense of personality. His gentle companionship never dominates the narrative, but he is always ready with an illuminating explanation of something geologically complex and a selfdeprecating sense of humour. <\/p>\n\n His inclusion of notes made by those who came before him act as a reassuring reminder that walking can be a tiring business for the best of us. He quotes Wainwright: \u201cThis section is commonly considered the toughest part of the Pennine Way. It is certainly mucky, often belaboured by rain and wind, and weird and frightening in mist. But cheer up\u2026 There is worse to follow.\u201d <\/p>\n\n Likewise, his recollection of walking with Benny Rothman \u2013 who led the mass trespass on Kinder Scout in 1932\u2014 reminds us not to take our access for granted. Ultimately, Somerville reaches a conclusion that transcends the classroom geology lessons, transcends even beautiful maps rippling with colour, and is easiest to grasp out among the bones of Britain itself: \u201cGeology is not just about a pile of rocks. Geology is entangled, right down to the roots, with souls and plants, with wind and water, sand and silt, rain and fire, the breathing of a salmon and the crawling of a snail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Eleanor Barraclough, historian<\/strong><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n BY ISABELLA TREE <\/p>\n\n Following the success of Knepp Wildland, there isn\u2019t much that Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell don\u2019t know about rewilding \u2013 its incredible potential, interesting history and extraordinary results. Every mistake they made, lesson they learnt and transformation they witnessed has gone into creating this go-to manual for aspiring rewilders. <\/span><\/p>\n\n The Book of Wilding <\/em>is a step-by-step guide to the practical application of rewilding across different landscapes. The chapters \u2018Rewilding Your Garden\u2019 and \u2018Urban Rewilding\u2019 encourage holistic thinking when rewilding; even the smallest piece of land can act as a stepping stone to help rewilding flourish. Habitat complexity and variation is crucial for biodiversity, so these chapters urge bringing that variety found in nature into your garden \u2013 for example, imitating the uneven surface of the ground by creating humps and hollows. <\/p>\n\n Essential reading for any large-scale landowner or manager, large sections focus on the how and why of reintroducing large herbivores and keystone species, such as beavers. Putting nature back in the driving seat is a crucial stage in rewilding. <\/p>\n\n The picture painted of an alternative, wilder future for our uplands and lowlands will give hope to anyone feeling overwhelmed by the climate and biodiversity crises. I defy anyone to finish The <\/em>Book <\/em>of <\/em>Wilding <\/em>and not feel inspired to believe that a wilder future is possible and, indeed, within our grasp. <\/p>\n\n Harriet Riding, media officer at Rewilding Britain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n BY NINEBARROW <\/p>\n\n From the moment the warm cello comes in, this album feels personal. It\u2019s the fifth from Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere of Dorset folk duo Ninebarrow. It draws on material they streamed during lockdown, so don\u2019t expect blazing trails anywhere new. But it\u2019s a deeply meaningful collection, shared in earnest. <\/span><\/p>\n\n Like all good folk albums, there are songs about the beauty of birdsong, merry traditions and pregnant women out of wedlock. \u2018The Colour of Night\u2019 is a postcard to all those in dark places, written by Jay at night from their newly planted woodland. \u2018Walk With Me\u2019 is a love song that touches with its simplicity. Covering \u2018Ride On\u2019 is a brave move, after Christy Moore\u2019s haunting baritone forever defined it. However, their version of Nick Drake\u2019s \u2018River Man\u2019 is breathtaking on piano and a real treat. <\/p>\n\n Ninebarrow\u2019s trademark close harmonies appear on every song, which can feel repetitive. But if you\u2019re looking for something gentle for a sunny day, you\u2019ll love this. <\/p>\n\n Tanya Jackson, online editor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n BBC RADIO FOUR, 7 SEPTEMBER <\/p>\n\n Nature writer Paul Evans explores the rich folklore and natural history of St Melangell church near Llangynog in Powys in this episode, called Fieldnotes from Eternity. <\/em>He is inspired by the 2,000-year-old yew trees that grow in the churchyard, and the legend of Saint Melangell, a nun who fled here from Ireland to avoid an arranged marriage.<\/p>\n\n We talk to Kerri Andrews, editor of the Way <\/em>Makers <\/em>anthology <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n What inspired this anthology of women\u2019s writing about walking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Women\u2019s writing about walking has been hugely underappreciated and overlooked and for no good reason. I think people have for a long time made assumptions about what women can and cannot do. That\u2019s meant a lot of superb writing has been missed. Way Makers <\/em>aims to address this by showcasing women\u2019s writing about walking from the last three centuries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the earliest writing about walking that you found?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The earliest I\u2019ve gone back to is the 1740s, but there will almost certainly be writing from before then, waiting to be discovered. Elizabeth Carter, a classicist and gifted translator who is the earliest entry in my anthology, took for granted the fact that she and her friends would roam across Kent in the 1740s, implying that women walking for fun and writing on it had been established for a while. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You write in the introduction \u201cwalking can be a metaphor for control in a woman\u2019s life\u201d \u2013 what do you mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To be able to choose to walk a path is one of the most fundamental aspects of self expression and self determination, whether that path is physical or metaphorical. In Way Makers, <\/em>writers explore both kinds of path, but the ability to choose to take a particular path is key in both cases. Walking a path is an expression of autonomy, a claim for freedom, even if just for a few minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your favourite extract?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the extracts I come back to the most is Elizabeth Barrett Browning\u2019s extraordinary description of a young woman asserting her right to choose her own path in her poem Aurora Leigh. <\/em>Or Mary Shelley\u2019s terrifying description of Frankenstein\u2019s ultimately fatal pursuit of his creature across the world to the icy reaches of the Arctic. Thrilling stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you a keen walker yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Very much so. I came to walking late; I was lucky in finding friends who loved walking and took me along, and when I moved to Scotland, I joined a walking group that helped me advance my skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n WAY MAKERS BY KERRI ANDREWS: AN ANTHOLOGY OF WOMEN\u2019S WRITING ABOUT WALKING<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n BOOKS \u203a TV \u203a RADIO \u203a FILM \u203a LETTERS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":29838,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"82","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"82","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_82-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_82-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"September-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"September-2023","purple_external_id":"September-2023-82-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"September-2023-82-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084073||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084073||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.207","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.207","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.207","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.207","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-08-24T08:27:47Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"f61a6401-be7d-4697-bb93-8d3153b0cfd5","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-08-24T10:25:52Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A9hpkAb59Rpe7k40xU7DP1Q","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[33],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"9","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b.jpg",2018,1152,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b-300x171.jpg",300,171,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b-768x438.jpg",768,438,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b-1024x585.jpg",800,457,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b-1536x877.jpg",1536,877,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b.jpg",2018,1152,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"BOOKS \u203a TV \u203a RADIO \u203a FILM \u203a LETTERS","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29847"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29847"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29847\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30754,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29847\/revisions\/30754"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29847"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/b85e0b48-12e0-47a3-8eb4-65b2d810b69b.jpg\")
FILM<\/span><\/h5>\n\nAND THEN COME THE NIGHTJARS<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
RELEASED NATIONWIDE SEPTEMBER <\/p>\n\n
\n\nBOOK<\/span><\/h5>\n\n
WALKING THE BONES OF BRITAIN<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
TRANSWORLD, \u00a325 (HB)<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/GettyImages1435912807_cmyk_preview-1024x769.jpg\")
<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/WalkingTheBonesOfBritain_cmyk_preview.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n\nBOOK <\/span><\/h5>\n\n
THE BOOK OF WILDING <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
BLOOMSBURY, \u00a335 (HB) <\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/6a09c331-38ce-49ba-897a-8a8bedfd5263.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/TheBookOfWilding_cmyk_preview.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n\nMUSIC <\/span><\/h5>\n\n
THE COLOUR OF NIGHT <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/cf7a2bfe-ee8b-46ff-9265-4056d10da874.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/TheColourOfNight_cmyk.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n\nRADIO <\/span><\/h5>\n\n
OPEN COUNTRY <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
<\/p>\n\nQ&A <\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
PAVING THE WAY<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/603cea7c-c062-4bec-9697-435891f5a2c3.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/08\/WayMakers_cmyk_preview.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
REAKTION BOOKS, \u00a315.99, AVAILABLE FROM 1 SEPTEMBER <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n