Vantage point

The baby of the Aston Martin range still packs a mighty punch

Taking the plunge

With swimming pools closed due to the pandemic, there are enthusiastic groups in Herts who still take to the water – swimming our rivers and lakes instead

ON YOUR BIKE?

With £1.25m emergency funding to support ‘active travel’ post-lockdown in Herts, are we ready to embrace cycling,walking and scootering as our go-to transport?

Have naturists got it right?

Not bothering with clothes has been a trend in lockdown, so what is it about going naked that people enjoy? Julie Lucas bares all at a St Albans naturist site to try and find out

The end of the office?

The last few months have seen record numbers of us working from home, which begs the question: are offies still needed?

Humble saviour

The UK has a significant amount of the planet’s peat resource, one of the most powerful carbon sinks known. We need to protect it and others, Herts Campaign to Protect Rural England

A lady in waiting

A secret marriage that took place this month nearly 150 years ago saw a ‘banjoplaying barmaid’ join one of the wealthiest families in England. The notorious Lady Meux was just getting started

Diary highlights

Our pick of the best (socially distanced) cultural events across the county this month

Burning bright

A new tiger habitat, the first of its kind in the UK, is due to open this summer at Broxbourne’s Paradise Wildlife Park. We take a look as the park welcomes back visitors after a hugely challenging time

A history of recovery

We need to rebuild our economy and confidence as we come out of lockdown. History shows Herts has been at the forefront of ideas for recovery before, and can be again

Tackling Anxiety

Coronavirus has knocked our lives far out of kilter, so it’s little wonder there has been a big rise in anxiety. It’s totally normaland there are simple steps you can take to ease the worry

Working out a home workout

Is a home gym worth the investment, and what do you need to create the ideal workout environment?

Pilots of destiny

This month, 80 years ago, a desperate air battle to stop Nazi domination began over southern England. Here are the stories of three of the Few; young Herts men who helped stop an invasion

Spirit of the Wild

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of William Wordsworth’s birth, Liz Hamilton looks at how his vision informed conservation and how we see the natural world

Take me to the water

Want a simpler, not to mention cheaper, way of life surrounded by nature? Meet those who have taken the plunge to live on our waterways

Tiling styling

Spencer Millbery, director of Ebberns Tile Centre in Hemel Hempstead, gives a guide to choosing the right tiles for your bathroom

Oases of calm

It’s been a stressful few months and, now with lockdown eased, we could all do with finding a place to relax. Here are 12 of the best spots in Herts to practise it safely

THE POWER OF CC

Voted the UK’s top beauty blogger, Letchworth’s CC Clarke has made a career as an influencer. Nowshe’s heading into fashion and music too

Making connections

Painter and supporter of artists, Barnet’s Julia Elmore is a creative force

Life up in the air

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust’s Frieda Rummenhohl looks at the life and plight of a favourite summer migrant

Loss of a literary landscape

At the end of EM Forster’s Howards End, suburbia is looming on the idyllic spot. Now, 50 years after the author’s death, the childhood home that inspired it looks finally to be engulfed

Walk this way

Exploring the many benefits of upping sticks and taking a Nordic stroll

The beauty of time

Trained in the world of fashion photography, Hitchin’s Kasia Burke has turned her lens away from youth towards the beauty of decay

Setting your home work

Has the lockdown got you thinking of ditching the office and going it alone from home?

THAT FELINE FEELING

In times of uncertainty our pets have never been more valuable to us. Turns out our cats in particular have special powers

Gardeners' favourites

This month is a peak time in our gardens, which got Philippa Pearson wondering what plants fellow gardeners love most on their plots

Forget-me-not

With a lifetime’s interest in wildflowers, Liz Hamilton finds lockdown a time to revisit, and find solace in, her favourite books on British flora

GO WILD AT HOME

Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust has launched a project to help us all benefit from the calming power of nature, even in an urban setting

Get growing

There’s never been a better time to discover your green fingers and have a go at growing your own fruit and vegetables

Dog days

While we’ve been able to take our dogs for walks during lockdown, with many of us at home all day our animals demand our attention. PetsPyjamas gives 10 ways to keep order