From today's #DailyNewsDigest📰: "The broadcaster and the green energy industrialist signed a letter sent to the Government on Monday claiming that Labour had “lost its way” on environmental policy." – @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social | @telegraph.co.uk www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...

Over on Substack, I wrote about going to visit a cheese maker who lives down the road open.substack.com/pub/ducktown...

The cheesemaker down the road

From 'Binham blue' to 'Wells Alpine': How a Norfolk farming family, who were up against it with their dairy herd, decided to think differently

open.substack.com

Over on Substack I wrote about a tireless political radical who tried to introduce capercaillie to Norfolk open.substack.com/pub/ducktown...

When a political radical released capercaillie in Norfolk

From abolitionism to capercaillie reintroduction, the very busy life of an 18th century brewer

open.substack.com

reviewed @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social's excellent Uncommon Ground for the latest Resurgence & Ecologist. I had too much to say about this book to squeeze into 600 words, so ended up a bit incoherent. But suffice to say: highly recommended.

3. "Another Rave Review" @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social "The rules of the UK’s outdoor rave scene are simple: Keep the secret. Arrive in darkness. Don’t post on socials. Leave before the police arrive." www.the-fence.com/another-rave...

Another Rave Review

Police in Helicopter

the-fence.com

Over on substack I wrote about making toilet seats out of English walnut A worthy end for beautiful timber open.substack.com/pub/ducktown...

Make a toilet seat from a walnut tree

A very involved celebration of the beauty of the wood

open.substack.com

Over on substack I wrote about the need to do so much more the grey partridge, and why it matters open.substack.com/pub/ducktown...

The beloved English partridge

People need to do much more to save one of our most iconic farmland species

open.substack.com

Also featuring writing from Clive Martin, Jade Angeles Fitton, @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social, @williamasclarke.bsky.social, @henrywismayer.bsky.social, Tom Parker Bowles, @bronmaher.bsky.social, @franciscogarciadf.bsky.social, William Hanson and Katy Hessel.

The Pub Is Finally Open! With writing from @seamas.bsky.social, @roisinlanigan.bsky.social, @anakinsella.bsky.social, @jimmymcintosh.bsky.social, @charlotteivers.bsky.social, John Banville and @vizcomic.bsky.social. Available at all bookstores & the link below 🍺 www.penguin.co.uk/books/462310...

“In the past 70 years, Norfolk has lost some 8000 ponds” Over on substack, I wrote about the joy or restoring centuries old ponds open.substack.com/pub/ducktown...

The joy of restoring old ponds

In the past 70 years, Norfolk has lost thousands of ponds but it doesn't take all that much to bring them back to life

open.substack.com

Over on substack, I wrote about the best fish I ever caught “There is something about fishing that makes you move slowly and look properly — even if it’s only later that you come to really appreciate what you saw” open.substack.com/pub/ducktown...

“They lived on the edge – they are part of that rural underclass that urban Britain cannot see.” Over on Scribehound, I wrote about the madness of Sycamore Gap www.scribehound.com/countryside/...

“But which field was it shot in?” Over on substack, I wrote about the immense joy of selling venison locally open.substack.com/pub/ducktown...

Becoming a meat man

It all started by chance but selling venison to local customers is possibly the best thing I've ever done

open.substack.com

Why do people put deer heads up on the wall and are they just hippies, in a roundabout way? Head over to substack for my thoughts open.substack.com/pub/patrickg...

Roebuck worship and the strangeness of putting animals' heads on the wall

Why trophy hunters might just be hippies in a roundabout way

open.substack.com

I finished this book today and I strongly recommend that everyone with even a fraction of an interest in the countryside should either read it or listen to it as an audio book. Patrick Galbraith has covered the subject of countryside access from every conceivable angle. 🧵

Issue 24 is here 🛏️ www.the-fence.com/shop With writing from @bronmaher.bsky.social, @evawiseman.bsky.social, @roisinlanigan.bsky.social, @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social, @emmafmagnus.bsky.social, Sophie Wilkinson, John Phipps, Ray Philip, Clare Considine & many more. Cover by Nishant Choksi.

Looking forward to @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social at FORUM Books talking #UncommonGround - vital, engaging & highly relevant to our Northumberland community 💚 we’d love to see you there! 🗓️ Mon 9 June 🎟️ www.ticketsource.co.uk/forumbooks/f...

🏺 I always find @rsmythfreelance.bsky.social 's perspectives on things challenging and refreshing, in the best way. There's a lot in this review for anyone interested in human relations to & engagement with land, including the archaeological (in its many senses)

Richard Smyth@rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · last yr.

I reviewed @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social's magnificent new book, UNCOMMON GROUND. "No-one that I know of matches Galbraith’s rangy, restless, itinerant curiosity about what’s over that fence, who lives here, what this or that fellow thinks about things." engelsbergideas.com/reviews/coun...

Last summer I reviewed 'Wild Service', an anthology/manifesto from the Right to Roam camp (who have not, let's say, responded positively to Galbraith's book). engelsbergideas.com/reviews/walk...

Walk on the wild side

Britain’s countryside is in a bad way, even by the standards of fraught global ecologies, but sentimental and spiritual interpretations of its plight detract from the urgency.

engelsbergideas.com

Richard Smyth@rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · last yr.

I reviewed @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social's magnificent new book, UNCOMMON GROUND. "No-one that I know of matches Galbraith’s rangy, restless, itinerant curiosity about what’s over that fence, who lives here, what this or that fellow thinks about things." engelsbergideas.com/reviews/coun...

Getting Deep into Land Access Issues with @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social. ➡️ Full episode pinned in my profile. 🎧

I reviewed @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social's magnificent new book, UNCOMMON GROUND. "No-one that I know of matches Galbraith’s rangy, restless, itinerant curiosity about what’s over that fence, who lives here, what this or that fellow thinks about things." engelsbergideas.com/reviews/coun...

Countryside writing's rebirth

In the writing of Patrick Galbraith, country life has won the observer and interpreter it needs.

engelsbergideas.com

Are we being locked out of the countryside, or is land access more nuanced? How can we balance the needs of farmers, conservationists and recreational users? In his new book, 'Uncommon Ground', @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social takes on this contentious topic. 🎧➡️ pod.fo/e/2d7a91

In the writing of @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social, country life has won the observer and interpreter it needs. Countryside writing’s rebirth | @rsmythfreelance.bsky.social engelsbergideas.com/reviews/coun...

Countryside writing's rebirth

In the writing of Patrick Galbraith, country life has won the observer and interpreter it needs.

engelsbergideas.com

I'll be hosting @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social on behalf of @thebookery.bsky.social this coming Thursday, when I'll be trying to maintain order as we discuss land access, nature and our relationship with the countryside around us. Come along and be part of it.

Happy publication day to Patrick McCabe's Goldengrove, out now (unbound.com/products/gol...) A perfect time to revisit the brilliant piece Pat wrote for us, on the joy and terror of seeing his 1992 masterpiece, The Butcher Boy, get turned into a major film: www.boundlessmagazine.com/p/when-holly...

When Hollywood puts your darlings on the block

The Irish novelist, Pat McCabe, on the joy and terror of seeing his 1992 masterpiece, The Butcher Boy, get turned into a major film

boundlessmagazine.com

Delighted with these reviews of my new book on land access Last weekend, the FT said that “a nuanced look at this white-hot debate and the often-unheard voices affected by it was overdue” If you haven’t bought a copy, hit up Waterstones: www.waterstones.com/book/uncommo...

Sad because: my best half is away Happy because: half the bed empty means the WHOLE bedside table is available for NEW BOOKS 🩶 #everycloud @troopersnooks.bsky.social @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social

Review of Uncommon Ground by @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social in @financialtimes.com #access #nature www.ft.com/content/51c9...

Uncommon Ground — Patrick Galbraith’s nuanced take on the freedom to roam debate

A pithy and passionate book looks beyond class, clichés and megaphones to scrutinise how we engage with the UK countryside

ft.com

A hugely positive and immensely perceptive review of Uncommon Ground in the FT “A nuanced look at this white-hot debate and the often-unheard voices affected by it was overdue. In Uncommon Ground, journalist Patrick Galbraith’s superb second book, we have it.” www.ft.com/content/51c9...

Uncommon Ground — Patrick Galbraith’s nuanced take on the freedom to roam debate

A pithy and passionate book looks beyond class, clichés and megaphones to scrutinise how we engage with the UK countryside

ft.com

This is on, next Tuesday @themerl.bsky.social, 11.30-12.30. merl.reading.ac.uk/event/monthl...

Monthly Gallery Tours – May - The Museum of English Rural Life

The Curator of MERL Collections and a different specialist each month discuss themes on a tour of the MERL galleries.

merl.reading.ac.uk

Ollie Douglas@olliedouglas.bsky.social · last yr.

Also, @guyshrubsole.bsky.social got a mention in the discussion - he’ll be joining us for a gallery tour of @themerl.bsky.social later this month. merl.reading.ac.uk/event/monthl...