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.

<...

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!

...

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 
Duration: 00:54:38

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.

...

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

- Subscribe on Patreon for extra content (you can cancel a...

Richard P sat down with Avian Sandercock - regular cohost of the Guns on Pegs podcast, ex-gin distiller, current gin drinker, woodland manager and proud Cornish man.

The pair talk about Cornwall's different coastlines and Avian's struggle to find local apple trees, experimenting with gin flavours - Clotted cream infused gin anyone?, and the realities of being in a syndicate shoot and managing a small woodland. The conversation flows from topic to topic like a river full of pools and gives vibes of a pub chat between friends.

This episode was recorded on the Guns on...

Farmer Clusters have been referenced more times than we can count in the last 38 episodes so we went straight to the source and arranged a conversation with Megan Lock and Lizzie Grayshon from GWCT who facilitate Farmer Clusters, work with waders, monitor wildlife and offer advice to farmers across the UK.

Richard Negus takes the helm for this interview and the three discuss Wild Quail, the problems facing our breeding waders, how the government could help, mapping hedgerow habitat and more.

This episode was recorded behind the GWCT stand at The Game Fair with a backdrop...

We interviewed Tim Bonner, Chief Executive at Countryside Alliance, and asked him about working in/around politics, upcoming policy and legislative changes which will affect shooting, what has changed in the last 20 years, the impacts of social media, and whether or not a cocker spaniel should be retrieving pink-footed geese. All bundled in with some light-hearted banter and chat.

This episode was recorded on the Countryside Alliance stand at The Game Fair with a backdrop of headache inducing orange carpet and background chatter.


CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and...

Feeling a bit giddy from having fun at The Game Fair... Richard, Callum and Richard discuss tricking people into foraging in the wrong areas, meeting listeners at the Game Fair, mushrooms, Grey Squirrels, and the harvest.

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

- North Wales Mushrooms on Instagram
...

An episode which strays seamlessly from Charismatic Megafauna into Food Security, The Game Fair and the real reason that farming in the UK changed.

If you are going to be at The Game Fair and see us wandering around then please say hi! It'll help Producer Amy to herd us onto the next thing if we all stop at once!

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...

George Browne joins Richard P and Callum this week to talk about Scribehound, fishing, herding writers, curating varied content, the future of Scribehound, digital vs print magazines, American influences on fieldsports and much more...

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

- George on Instagram
- Scribehound on Instagram Duration: 00:57:36

This week we talk about the misuse of artificial intelligence / where it can't replace humans. Richard fills us in on what he has been doing in the woods this week and Callum provides an audio recipe for a tequila and port based cocktail.

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

...

Unsure where to start with this episode description....a winding pathway through the price of a chippy tea, rural internet, broken down cars, Groundswell, social observations, three-legged stools, public service information films and a dabble into politics.

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

- Subscribe on Patreon for extra co...

Social media recently flew into outrage at one man's decision - we talk about perceptions of rural life as viewed through the media, should it only show the highlights or is it better to provide a balanced view of life in the countryside?

Callum has also been working with his suspiciously ChatGPT like glamourous assistant to devise a better tree planting scheme which takes into account life after planting and right species in the right place.


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

...

The main topic for this weeks episode is the mid-season spending review, but we ease you into it with the usual banter. Callum has been creating memorable summer evenings for his kids. Richard P has been out in the woods and cooking up a storm with locally sourced ingredients. Meanwhile Richard Negus has been out and about meeting interesting people like the Duke of Norfolk and Davie Scott.


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

Send us photos of your interesting trinkets as submissions to...

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

This week we talk about setting up and marketing workshops - everything from whether to create an online version, to how to sell tickets and the logical steps of setting up a teaching enterprise.


If you have a question which you would like answering, you can email us at: contact@countryslide.co.uk or drop us a DM on social media

Links
- Subscribe on...

Learn about crypto in the countryside, William Alldis at the Cart shed and his catfishing pond which fulfilled Callum's lad's dream...and the nightmare which buying wheelbarrows has brought into Richard P's life.

The guys also discuss some British geography, pick on Paul in his shed and just in general talk about what they have been doing in the past week.

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

Send us photos of your interesting trinkets as submissions to the calendar or for fun at...

This week's question is whether to hire a professional photographer or look into other options.

"Hi both - I run a small rural dog grooming business and have been getting by with phone photos for social media, but they just look a bit flat and inconsistent. I’ve been quoted £400 for a local photographer to do a shoot. That’s a lot of money for me, but could it actually help me bring in more (better) clients, or am I being sold a dream?"

- Jess, Northumberland


If you have a question which you w...

As we really enter into show season and stewards across the nation blow the dust and cobwebs from grandads old bowler hat, we delve into the nature of County Shows nowadays and how they have changed. From ugly garden ornaments to expensive paddling pools, they offer a whole host of ways to spend money - even going so far as hiring Spudman to attend! (don't ask me, I'm just the producer)

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

Send us your interesting trinkets as submissions to...

This week's question is:

"Love the show – it’s the only podcast I can listen to while mucking out! I’ve recently taken over the social media and marketing for our family’s farm diversification business (a mix of glamping and selling beef boxes). I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth getting a proper logo and branding done, or if it’s just a waste of money when we’ve already got a name and some basic Canva graphics. Any thoughts?"— Tom, Carmarthenshire


If you would like to send us a photo or get in touch, y...

There is one very small spoiler in this episode, you have been warned!

With the release of the latest series of Clarkson's Farm we struck whilst the iron was hot to bring you an episode which (eventually) gets into some of the interesting features of this hit show. Whether you love or hate it, there is no denying that Clarkson's Farm has had an impact on awareness about farming in the UK, diversification and the pressures on agriculture.

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

Welcome to the new mini-series of CountrySlide Business / Marketing.

There is going to be a new episode each week in which we answer a question from the audience. If you have a question, you can send it in by email to contact@countryslide.co.uk or DM it to us through our social media platforms (the pod, Richard P or Callum) or drop it in the comments below!

This week's question is:
Hi Callum and Richard – I’ve been running a small cut flower business from my family farm for the past...

A mixed bag of an episode covering hard hitting topics including the benefits our little podcast is having to our listeners mental health - expressed through the medium of Callum reading a thread from X.com; Richard's rural plumbing woes which have lead to a less than ideal but still functional adaptation to the outside loo, and the other Richard sharing his in depth thoughts about a recent poll of Gen-Z to discover how they view the countryside.

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

If...

Sorry that this episode is later than usual, it took a long time to edit as the heady rush of being in the same room only 2 days previous seemed to empower your beloved hosts (some more than others!) Leading to many tales and standing on soap boxes.

In this week's episode we talk about La Palombe - THE wild food restaurant in London; Richard Negus' book launch; the complete lack of water in the UK right now; and foxes both urban and rural!

CountrySlide is a podcast that looks at farming, conservation and life...

The trio are back together and as unruly as ever in an episode which is guaranteed to make you laugh at least once. Topics vary from responsibly feeding birds, to Negus' next (hallmark movie inspired) book, to the time the Prideaux nearly died playing rural pub games and the guys worst public speaking engagements. 

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


If you have a local rural pub game which you think we should try, you can email us at: countryslide@ruralandoutdoor.co.u...

Following the release of his latest book Uncommon Ground, we invited Patrick Galbraith to talk to Richard P and Callum about what inspired him to write about land access, some of the opinions he encountered in his research and also whether he thinks there is a sweet spot.

Along the way topics covered include the Great Wall of China, the history of land access in the UK - from common land to mass trespass to now, the actual realities of access and the effects that we as humans (along with our four-legged friends) can have on wildlife. 
Duration: 01:08:56

(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:02:41) Tarquin Millington-Drake
(00:21:24) Emily Graham
(00:35:06) Prof. Charles Tyler
(00:46:45) Caz Raine
(01:02:14) Dave Scott
(01:17:42) Post-event Discussion

This episode is the result of an invitation to attend a Conservation Communication event in Northumbria along with 7 other people. We were there for a little over 24 hours and taken out to different parts of the upland there to experience the absolute abundance of wildlife.

Rather than writing an essay here, we'll leave it to the people we interviewed to explain the importance of events like these and how we can better communicate and publicise rural...

We share a whole host of suggestions on where to get your worldly news from, after spending the first half of the show sharing our own news...

Callum's been making sacrifices for his children but on the plus side got to eat donuts and ice cream before hunting for fossils.
Richard N finally has more to talk about than hedgelaying and visited an excellent restaurant in Lambeth.
Richard P has just about recovered after a week of mini digger hire shenanigans and improving some old drainage ditches for wildlife.

CountrySlide is a...

We delve into two hot topics this week - is there such a thing as British Country music and Turtle Dove season is here. As you no doubt expect, we get a little sidetracked along the way by topics like drill music, the jellyfish song, David Bellamy, foraging law (again), interesting bird sightings and the usual anecdotes and book talk.

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


If you would like to get in touch with your British Country music suggestions or connections, you can...

There was a plan for the episode this week, it involved everyone bring a little bit of something along to talk about. It ended up with a long ramble which included each little thing at some point along the journey.

Expect to hear about staircase lining parties, Aldi drinks, port cocktails, technical issues, massive trees, foraging in spring, attack hawks, fashion choices, illegal foraging, who should be in the cabinet next, and cats....

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


If you would...

Being a parent and raising children is a minefield in so many ways, Richard Negus and Callum talk about some of the highs and lows they've experienced whilst being dads in the countryside. Expect tales including snail racing in the rain, falling into streams, learning bad language and being shown dodgy videos. All whilst embracing and being embraced by the countryside and rural communities.

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


If you would like to get in touch with your stories of disastrous outings...

Mike Warner from 'A Passion for Seafood' is our guest this week on CountrySlide. Expect to hear about the positive state of UK fisheries, the less positive facts about what we export and import (the 'fresh' fish you enjoy on holiday might actually have made the same journey as you) and why we don't eat as much fish as we once did.

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


Links

- Subscribe on Patreon for extra content (you can cancel at...

An episode of twists and turns as Richard Negus recounts the talks from the GWCT Game Conference, Richard Prideaux describes an information gathering trip to learn about Biochar and Callum tells a tale of protecting a man's plums from an old deer.

Our Guest next week is Mike Warner from A Passion for Seafood - if you have any questions then feel free to send them in and we'll fit in what we can.

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


Links Duration: 00:59:59