Moving to the country? You need to think about the stink... and you'll be hard

Release time：2024-05-21 07:59:30 Source：Culture Chronicle news portal

It is the sumptuous glossy magazine that for more than 120 years has celebrated the delights of an idyllic rural existence.

But Country Life is now warning townies not to be too captivated by the bucolic dream it promotes – by offering some home truths about the less charming parts of village life.

Editor Mark Hedges has warned that reality involves whiffy farmyard smells, getting stuck behind tractors and a dearth of barista-brewed lattes.

His comments are aimed as a wake-up call for the estimated 80 per cent of people who say they want to quit the rat race and move to the countryside, perhaps to one of the stunning properties his magazine features each week.

But Mr Hedges warns would-be movers to expect a culture shock they may not be ready for. 'Moving to the countryside is a bit like going back in time,' he said.

Editor Mark Hedges has warned that reality involves whiffy farmyard smells, getting stuck behind tractors and a dearth of barista-brewed lattes. His comments are aimed as a wake-up call for the estimated 80 per cent of people who want to move to the countryside

An English village in the countryside. Country Life is now warning townies not to be too captivated by the bucolic dream it promotes – by offering some home truths about the less charming parts of village life (stock image)

Budford Church in the Cotswolds. Mr Hedges, 60, who lives in Petersfield, Hampshire, added that people expecting peace and quiet may be in for a rude awakening – quite literally. 'The countryside in a bizarre way is quite noisy,' he said (stock image) 

'It can definitely smell a bit. Cities have quite a monochrome smell, whereas the country smells more varied, sometimes unpleasant and sometimes breathtakingly beautiful.'

Mr Hedges said that rural smells may even get worse, as the push towards more environmentally-friendly agriculture could see farmers making more use of manure on their land rather than chemical fertilisers.

But he added: 'Obviously it can at the same time smell amazingly beautiful – even the smell of nettles to me is the smell of green.'

Mr Hedges, 60, who lives in Petersfield, Hampshire, added that people expecting peace and quiet may be in for a rude awakening – quite literally. 'The countryside in a bizarre way is quite noisy,' he said. 'I think people think of it as utterly peaceful. This is generally true, though I am kept awake at night by owls hooting. It's incredibly noisy at the moment with the dawn chorus. If you are not accustomed to it, it's like 'What is going on?'. Our church in the village chimes on the hour... but because it comes out of nothing, it sounds more prominent.'

Similarly, he said there is more lawnmower noise in the country as people have more grass to tend. His advice to families seeking to sample the rural way of life is to make efforts to fit in with the neighbours, such as getting a dog, helping out at the village fete and understanding the importance of farming to the community.

Mr Hedges issued an alternative country code for city dwellers thinking of moving to the countryside, left, revealing his list on the Property Exchange podcast, presented by Anne Ashworth.

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