News — countryside

To read Richard Jefferies is to step instantly into England’s past. The Victorian nature writer was an acute observer of detail, and his books and articles are full of scenes that have largely vanished, now, from rural life. He describes sitting behind a haywain in the setting sun, waiting for rabbits to surface; a farmstead with only a mud track leading to its candlelit windows; workers scything the crops.

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of John Cowan, a lifelong gamekeeper and cherished author of ours who we worked with over many years.

Born in the Scottish Borders, John dedicated more than 40 years to gamekeeping, rising to become headkeeper on a major Scottish estate. His knowledge was forged through a lifetime spent in the field - learning his craft from seasoned keepers, managing wildlife, and working closely with generations of dogs. 

Through his writing, John shared not only practical wisdom but also a profound respect for the countryside and its traditions.

His book Advice from a Gamekeeper remains a cornerstone of modern gamekeeping literature - full of insight and hard-earned advice from a life devoted to the land. It offers readers a vivid window into the challenges and rewards of running a sporting estate. 

In The Gamekeeper’s Dog, John turned his attention to working dogs, blending expertise with engaging personal stories. His writing has been praised for going beyond instruction, bringing warmth and personal experience to the subject. 

John’s books will continue to educate and inspire those who care deeply about the countryside and its traditions.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.

— The Team at Merlin Unwin Books

An extract from Racing the Wind by Patricia Nolan. This powerful and beautifully-written account is the memoir of Patricia who lived in a tiny community in Cumbria and it captures the end of an era in the 1950s.

Looking for a proper countryside read? Jill Mason’s Everything You Wanted to Know About the Countryside is a brilliant, down-to-earth guide for anyone who loves rural life, whether you're from a farming background or are just curious about it!

Some of us are shooters who fish; others, like respected countryside writer Laurence Catlow, find the deeper pull lies in water, not heather. Here, he reflects on why he is, quite simply, a fisher who shoots. His new book Testament of a Trout Fisher is out now.