CountrySlide

Merry Christmas to you all!

The trio are full of festive spirit(s) as they talk about the realities of trail hunting and what happened with the law surrounding the initial ban on hunting.

They also discuss the recent back pedalling on changes to Agricultural Property Relief related to IHT.

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions to the calendar or for fun at: contact@countryslide...

This is a different episode for us, but it's one we felt compelled to share.

On 19th December 1981 a dramatic rescue played out on the English coast, involving a stricken cargo ship being driven towards a rocky shore by a storm. It's an important story of courage, skill, sacrifice and decisions that ultimately led to tragedy which affected an entire community.

Tonight is the anniversary of that incident, and in this episode we pull together the original radio transmissions to tell the story of the crews of the Union Star and the Solomon Browne.

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As we wind down to Christmas a more relaxed show is in order - this week we talk simply about plans for the big day and what gifts we would bestow on our PM, Keir Starmer.

If you happen to be close to Arundel - this weekend there is a tractor run happening with all proceeds going to Papyrus and Chestnut Tree Hospice.

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin...

They say that you should only repeat good things, but we decided to rebel and repeat our Christmas Gift Guide format once again this year! If you're reading this in 2035 then I apologise that we have now repeated it 10 times...

Following the usual format, Richard, Callum and Richard have each chosen a gift under £10, one under £100 and one over £100 and then proceed to question or better each others choices (all links below). So if you're struggling to find something for the person you love - why not ignore everything that the guys say and just buy a gift pat...

The variances in rural economies, machines breaking the peace, questionable home brews and an unexpected turn into how we view time - can you point at January?

Richard and Richard attempt to navigate unpredictable seas on the good ship CountrySlide whilst Callum is away taking photos of lovely people and even lovelier port!

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions to the calendar or for fun at: contact...

The dream team discuss budget predictions, the farmer's protesting in London, announcements about minimum wage and the impacts on many rural businesses, martial arts, an insider's perspective of the BBC (thank you to Anna Jones and Andy Wilman) and it's balanced representation of stories. Negus even manages to squeeze in a mention of Suffolk's own Leslie Dolphin.

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions to the calendar or for fun...

We're 1!
It's been a fantastic year of recording, editing and reading comments and reviews on the show. We've loved every minute of it and to celebrate we sat down as usual to record and episode, as usual.

This week the guys talk about the news that game dealers in Belgium are no longer going to be taking game birds from the UK (aside from honouring existing contracts) This is possibly just the beginning of a prediction coming true that Europe will no longer be taking game from UK suppliers. This calls into question where the future of...

Shaun Leonard, director of the Wild Trout Trust talks with the guys about the challenges facing our native trout and what makes them so incredible and able to adapt to conditions worldwide. Our rivers aren't in a great shape, although as Shaun recalls they were once much worse, and it isn't in fact all pollution and run-off. The Wild Trout Trust are involved in improving habitats for wild brown trout (and therefore other fish) around the country through adding in woody debris, removing physical barriers and educating land managers and the general public.

The conversation then turns towards...

This week, Richard and Richard are joined by Mark, former Army Chaplain, Church of England minister and farmer, for a thoughtful conversation about faith, farming, and mental health in rural Britain. From Normandy beaches to North Oxfordshire fields, they explore the links between the military and the land, the quiet role of the rural church, and why resilience matters more than resistance. With humour, honesty, and a touch of birdsong for Armistice, CountrySlide welcomes its newest recruit: the Padre of the Countryside.As we head into winter life can get more isolating, depression can set in and the unpredictability of...

Following on from the high level conversation last week, we offer you respite from the effects of nights drawing in and the clocks changing with imagery you never knew you wanted and stories which explain a lot about our hosts. There's also some useful intelligence included about how waterproof fabrics really work, comfortable and durable boots which actually last and some of our plans for the future ("useful" in the loosest sense of the word).

The Patreon only aftershow is dominated by Callum's account of nearly dying on a marsh for a pittance and the latest instalment of...

Nigel Vardy is an outdoorsman in every sense of the word; he grew up in the Peak District fishing for his dinner and hunting for his tea and exploring the woodlands around his home. He is now an accomplished mountaineer, adventurer and motivational speaker who recounts how he lost his fingers, toes and nose to frostbite after the weather closed in on an attempt to summit Denali in Alaska.

Richard P and Nigel talk through topics ranging from sizing footwear with no toes, the crossover between mountaineering and field sports, respect for our countryside and wildlife, and the...

We catch up with Richard, Callum and Richard after a couple of weeks apart and explore what £35 million could achieve if spent on improving things for British wildlife. Richard P talks about some of the current funding available and the Pittman-Robertson act, whilst Richard N champions gathering baseline data and Callum provides a parent's perspective.

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.

Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions to the calendar or for fun a...

We welcomed 2 guests on this weeks episode, Cat Frampton and Richard's mother A.A Prideaux.

Cat talks with Richard and Richard about the England Peat Map released in May 2025 and the problems and errors which have designated reservoirs, walls, hedges and rocky outcroppings as deep peat. We did record for a full hour with Cat, but due to technical issues it sadly only recorded Negus and Prideaux for the last 45 minutes and then blank space where once there was informative content from Cat. Don't worry - we'll invite her back on with a more stable connection!

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The gang are back together and taking every detour available. They shatter our image of Richard Negus, take us down a tangent around the perceptions of traditional management activities vs modern land management and question whether Callum's job is in fact real - hair and makeup for the double decker bus please!

Finally we talk about favourite trees, from historical Oaks to rare Black Poplar and the trees which hold meaning. If you have a favourite tree or species of tree we would love to hear from you!

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks...

The Mullet is our small rural business and marketing advice mini-series, brought to you by Richard P and Callum of CountrySlide.

Gareth from Wales (which isn't on another planet as Callum likes to believe) has written in asking whether it is too late to build up a brand for his hobby business and transform it into a real money maker.

Callum and Richard weigh up the pros and cons of turning something you love into a job and discuss what Gareth could do to develop his love of walking sticks and wood carving into...

This week Callum couldn't make it so we've brought in a stunt double in the form of Poor Producer Amy. Together the Richards and Amy talk about the signs of Autumn - everything from bats to hedges, fruits to frosts!

The trio also discuss a recent article about the decline of birds and the state of wildlife recording overall.

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.

Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions t...

This week we interview Matt (Aspect Forestry and Rural Management) and Nick (Kilmaha Forestry) about what actually happens in forestry and the moves in the last 20 years away from bare monocultures and towards more diverse and sensitive plantations.

We cover every stage of forestry and the consideration taken for nature, from planting and selective weeding through to after care and harvesting of timber with minimal ground damage, and the benefits of using timber over other Carbon expensive materials like steel and concrete.

Finally the guys talk about the industry as a whole and the impact that...

Access to nature and an increase of arable land going into environmental schemes are the hot topics this week.

A recent study has shown that 42.3% of farmers across the UK reduced their cropped arable area to take part in agri-environment schemes for harvest 2025, with the majority being in the South East and East of England where less productive and marginal ground which is difficult to access with machinery are being put into schemes to improve profitability and help the environment.

Meanwhile a Labour-led all-party parliamentary group has released a report which concludes that there is not...

A download of information about the fantastic Hedgerow Fest in Ireland, what the recent changes in government could mean for rural communities, and how Wild Justice can sometimes be an ally.

Callum eventually turns up after a day of no signal and horse shenanigans to disrupt things!

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.

Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions to the calendar or for fun at: contact@countryslide.co.uk 

The Mullet is our small rural business and marketing advice mini-series, brought to you by Richard P and Callum of CountrySlide.

Whilst feeding us with Pheasant burgers hot off the grill at the Game Fair, Hugo asked how to tell when it's time to grow some balls and quit the day job to focus entirely on the side hustle/passion project/own business.

Whether your thing is smoking meat or laying hedges (or both) there are a few things to think about before throwing everything that you've got into it.

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After a month off from regular podcast recording, we've wrangled Richard N and Callum into giving us the lowdown on what they did over the summer holidays. Callum has been to France in search of fine food, family friendly lakes and adventures with his son. Meanwhile Richard has been learning more about the wider nature writing audience through his book tour.

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.

Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions...

The Mullet is our small rural business and marketing advice mini-series, brought to you by Richard P and Callum of CountrySlide.

This episode we answer a question from Danum Blades about how to get around the meta algorithm which appears to be slowing his growth on social media as a craftsman who makes and sells knives.

You can give Alan a follow over on @Danumblades

If you have a question, please DM us or send an email on contact@countryslide.co.uk

We sat down with Nick Von Westenholz CEO of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and had a conversation about what it has been like for him so far, the challenges facing rural wildlife and landowners and managers in 2025, the function of conservation organisations and plans for GWCT in the future.

This episode was recorded on the GWCT stand at The Game Fair with a backdrop of lively chatter and burgers being cooked.

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.

Send us photos of...

A little bonus episode in the form of Richard interviewing Richard about hedgelaying and his book live on stage at FolkEast. There's even a little preview of what the audiobook might sound like!

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life in the British countryside.

Send us photos of your interesting trinkets that your other half wants to burn or bin as submissions to the calendar or for fun at: contact@countryslide.co.uk 

Links

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