When the magazine lands on the doormat every month, my routine is always the same. First, I turn to the pages written by my old friends and TV colleagues John<\/a>, Matt<\/a> and Ellie<\/a>. Although I\u2019ve known them all for donkey\u2019s years, and I don\u2019t live a million miles away from either John or Ellie, it\u2019s rare that we actually meet while filming the programme. Despite the fact we frequently appear in the same episodes, we can be at opposite ends of the country on our individual assignments and those shoots often take place weeks apart. But when Sunday evening comes round, we\u2019re all together on screen; that\u2019s the magic of television.<\/p>\n After the presenter pages, I\u2019ll look for articles and pictures from places around Britain that I know and love. The Cotswolds<\/a>, obviously, but also East Devon<\/a> and north-east England, where two of my sisters have lived for many years and which I know like the back of my hand.<\/p>\n At least, I like to think so. It\u2019s always a thrill to discover something new about a place that\u2019s familiar. I found out just what makes Seaton Wetlands in Devon<\/a> so popular when it was shortlisted for Best Nature Reserve in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards<\/a> four years ago (issue 176, May 2019). I had no idea how much work had gone into creating and maintaining the marshland and reed beds in such a beautiful location beside the River Axe. As well as thousands of visitors every year, the site attracts an abundance of wildlife, from curlews and kingfishers<\/a> to butterflies<\/a>, dragonflies and even otters.<\/p>\n More related content:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> Then there are the places I dream of visiting. I\u2019ve lived and worked in the landlocked Cotswolds for most of my life, so it\u2019s no wonder that the British coast, and especially the Scottish islands, have always attracted me.<\/p>\n Maria Hodson\u2019s wonderful article about St Kilda (issue 151, October 2016) really left its mark on me with its description of the isolated archipelago in the North Atlantic, a full five-hour sea journey from Lewis in the Outer Hebrides<\/a>. Perilous rocks, rugged cliffs and fog-shrouded sea stacks were brought vividly to mind in what she evocatively described as \u201ca gannet-crowned kingdom\u201d.<\/p> Although I\u2019ve never visited the ribbon of little islands way out in the ocean, I feel a special connection to St Kilda because it\u2019s the original home of one of Britain\u2019s precious breeds of primitive sheep. The Soay is an intelligent, nimble sheep which takes its name from one of the isles in the archipelago and can be traced all the way back to the Bronze Age.<\/p>\n![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/09\/COUNTRYFILE_TV_PRESENTERS_WEB-c59efe3.jpg?quality=90&resize=579%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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