After nearly a decade of planning, Dominic and Eve were finally given permission to convert a pair of derelict barns, linking them together to create one very beautiful dwelling Words: Jo Arnell Photographs: David Merewether The story arc of an adventure tale involves a journey into the unknown, meetings with strangers, potential disasters, a point at which everything goes wrong and then, just when the hero is about to give up, a miraculous twist, event or awakening occurs and there’s happily ever after. Epic building projects often have such trajectories, but not usually before the buildin ..read more

Neil and Sharon Maidment’s reconfigured family home is the result of a very successful partnership with OPEN architecture, who opened their eyes to a new layout they never imagined was possible Words: Fiona Patrick Photographs: David Merewether The green modular sofa and the leather armchairs were from Lime Modern Living and John Lewis respectively. The herringbone flooring throughout is by Karndean Emerging from the rain and gloom of the last few months, the one thing that everyone is craving is light. Unsurprising then, how inviting the hallway of Neil and Sharon Maidment’s Forest Row h ..read more

Sue Whigham shares some valuable new-to-gardening advice I’m sure that by now we should be used to the rain but I’m not entirely sure that we are. We had a dry, sunny day the other day and how everybody’s mood changed. Some of us managed a quick first cut of our soggy lawns just to give them some semblance of order. And what a difference it makes. We are very behind with our late winter tidy up having left the borders for hibernating insects and foraging birds to pick over. However, after reading Dan Pearson’s Spring Dig Delve Newsletter, in which he says that he and his team finished their ..read more

We’re kicking off our new travel feature with a collection of ideas to get you trying something new with explorative and adventurous trips Cornish Escape The Park, Cornwall is an award-winning holiday village, just a short stroll from Mawgan Porth beach. There are lots of accomodation options (including plenty that are dog friendly and many with private hot tubs) from luxury lodges to adorable cottages, or even the fairyland style yurt village. There are two pools, The Kitchen by the Beach restaurant, a sauna and steam room, and for children there are play areas and soft play. Perfectly situa ..read more

Serves 10 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 55 minutes A great way to make the most of rhubarb season – this easy loaf cake pairs beautifully with crushed pistachios and a rosewater syrup. Serve it with a dollop of crème fraîche for a lovely afternoon treat. Grease and line a loaf cake tin and preheat the oven to 170°C. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition, then whisk in the vanilla. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder, then add the milk, mixing until you h ..read more

Serves 8-10 Prep time: 4 hours (45 minutes hands on time), plus overnight proofing. If using instant yeast: 2 hours Baking time: 4 minutes Bread is a great excuse to bring people together, and this enriched sourdough loaf is a wonderful accompaniment to any meal. The recipe here uses a sourdough starter, but don’t worry if you don’t have one – it works well with instant yeast too, just follow the instructions below to make the method work for you. Feeding a crowd? Serve it in slices with the wild garlic pesto (find the recipe to the right) or elevate the flavours of the panzanella (p.112) by ..read more

Makes 8-10 Prep time: 15 minutes Baking time: 25 minutes Scones are the perfect excuse to get everyone together around the table with a cup of tea. This recipe comes together quickly, resulting in an easy-to-handle dough that you can mould into classic circular scones or something a little more rustic. They are best enjoyed whilst still warm and, whatever you do, don’t forget the clotted cream! Tip: if you’re a sourdough baker, you can add sourdough discard to this recipe which will give you a super light, airy scone – a great way to use up discard. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Combine all ..read more

Serves 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes There’s nothing quite like panzanella for a quick and easy meal. And when it’s made with seasonal curly kale, pickled radishes, feta and chunky toasted breadcrumbs – you know it’s going to taste delicious. This recipe also includes a homemade vinaigrette made with cold pressed rapeseed oil. The sunshine yellow colour and delicious punchy flavours liven up the entire plate making it the perfect lunch or side to enjoy this spring. To pickle the radishes, put the red wine vinegar, 30ml cold water and a pinch of salt in a jar and add the ..read more

Sarah Maxwell explores how exercise affects your grey matter Exercise has long been recognised for its positive impact on physical health. However, many recent studies have shown that exercise also has many transformative effects on the brain, so if you thought that Sudoku and brain training exercises were the best way to improve your brain, read on… Cognitive function Cognitive function refers to the mental processes and abilities that enable us to perceive, think, reason and remember information. It includes our ability to concentrate, focus attention, enhance memory, problem-solve, and ..read more

Mike Piercy, education consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, sings the praises of music in education What exactly is it that drives parents to make huge sacrifices by sending their children to independent schools? Different families have different priorities and, of course, every child is an individual. For some it is academic ambition. For many it is small class sizes. There are those who argue class size is less important than good teaching. The latter, I would suggest, is a given, but it stands to reason smaller classes bring closer attention; academically and in personal developm ..read more