The Countryside in a Time of Change, the author unravels the pressures and demands which will impact on what we see and often think of as unchanging in the landscape. Issues such as a changing climate, the radical changes to the way in which farming is supported, and the aspiration to greatly increase the area of tree cover, are all discussed against the background of a continuing concern over national food security. Additionally, the experience of 2020 has underlined the importance of the countryside as a place which we value for health and wellbeing. These human requirements sit beside the desire to substantially improve the protection of wildlife and the new trends to re-wild areas of Britain. What are the prospects for a green recovery which can combine 'nature-friendly' farming with the necessity to protect rural life and jobs? What de we expect from the countryside?

Landscape provides a rich recording of our past. In this revised and updated version of an earlier text, Brian Kerr traces the changes which have shaped the countryside of Bedfordshire. Beginning with the fundamental geology, the author describes the natural landscapes and then charts how these have been used, giving us the familiar pattern of countryside, we see today. There ia a renewed interest in farming, food security, the establishment of new woodlands and the impact of climate change. Written in non-technical language, this book will appeal to a wide audience interested in the future of our countryside in Bedfordshre and beyond. This edition of, 'An Unassuming County', has been substantially updated and includes many new photographs. Brian Kerr is a soil scientist living in Bedfordshire and is a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University.

Diana walked along the Fife Coastal Path from North Queensferry - beneath the famous Forth Rail Bridge - to St Andrews. While on her way she trod in the footprints of a multitude of pilgrims and famous people through the ages, but she also followed in the steps of ordinary folks of Fife. She 'met' some fascinating characters - from St Margaret in Dunfermline to the real Robinson Crusoe, Alexander Selkirk, in Lower Largo. Diana was enamoured by her beautiful surroundings along these healing paths. As she paused to have a 'wee blether' with those she 'met,' she learnt a new way of looking at her world, finding values which gave her a blueprint for the next stage in her life and she was fortunate to discover a sense of peace. The further Diana travelled the more she became absorbed in the history of Fife and her affinity for the area grew. Some would call this an allegory but it is certainly a memoir with elements of fantasy. Diana leaves the reader to judge which is which.

Having enjoyed widespread popularity until the late seventeenth century, the warden pear gradually faded into obscurity. The Original Warden Pear uncovers its story, bringing together evidence from monks, horticulturalists, physicians and bookkeepers. Poets, songwriters and playwrights captured the spirit of the pear from the late fourteenth century onwards, while twenty-first century DNA testing has sought to discover whether anything of the old warden pears has survived. The Original Warden Pear will appeal to those interested in horticulture, the arts, theology, Bedfordshire local history and medieval medicine. Recipes are included, so that readers can recreate the sorts of pear dishes enjoyed by the fifteenth-century nobility, or bake one of the famous Warden Pies. All profits from the book will go towards the upkeep of Warden Abbey Vineyard, a Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity project.

A Certain Degree of Magnificence traces the landscape history of Bedfordshire, highlighting the impact individuals have had on the countryside – whether they worked the land to make a living or simply improved the landscape. The chapters trace Bedfordshire's history from the most recent ice age to the present, covering the invasions of the Romans and Danes, the arrival of the plague in the Middle Ages, and enclosure in the eighteenth century. The landowners and landscape gardeners feature, such as Capability Brown and Humphry Repton. The book also discusses recent changes in agriculture, the pressure of housing development and the growing demands of the leisure industry on the land.

Members of The Kinghorn Lunch Club are delighted to share with you these wonderful stories, personal memories, poems and favourite sayings. We hope you enjoy them. Many thanks to all who have contributed. Any profits will go to The Kinghorn Lunch Club, towards social events and activities.