10 of the best British walking festivals

This year’s hiking events cover everything from vineyard strolls to foraging safaris and coastal routes with spectacular views

‘I paint daily, no matter what’: how one woman’s coping mechanism became a global business

Twelve years ago, in response to tragedy, Margo McDaid decided to paint a picture every day. Now she’s sold 16,000 paintings – and has galleries and collectors queuing up to buy her work

Start with flattery, maintain eye contact and never lie: how to win people over

The secrets of highly persuasive people, from a hostage negotiator to a TV producer

How we met: ‘She was in the next hospital bed – and I loved her accent’

Sarah, 36, and Josie, 41, met in hospital in 2021, when they were both having babies and visiting hours were restricted due to Covid

The microbiome miracle: how to make your own kombucha, kefir, kimchi and kraut

The ‘four Ks’ aren’t just tasty but good for your health – and all are surprisingly easy to create at home. Start fermenting!

I have been forced into a month of minimalism – and I hate it

Far from home, in a rental apartment, the scarcity of my own stuff is making me strange, writes Emma Beddington. Where is the focus, calm and happiness I was promised?

Play outside and sing together: what living in Denmark taught me about raising ‘Viking’ children

Nordic children are out in nature for hours a day – and they top rankings in both education and happiness. So here are seven parenting tips I’ve picked up along the way…

‘I’m scared I’ll never feel the same happiness again’: how to handle a Taylor Swift comedown

After a slog to get tickets and months of anticipation, Taylor Swift fans may face a post-Eras tour crash. Here Melbourne attendees of her Australian tour share how they’re shaking it off

I’ve wasted 7,300 hours lazing in bed in the morning. Why can’t I just get up?

For 40 years, I’ve spent half an hour lying around doing nothing each day after waking up. It’s scandalous behaviour that must be stopped, writes Adrian Chiles

Is going to bed at 9pm the secret to happiness? My week of sleeping like a gen Zer

Young people are increasingly heading to bed early and getting almost 10 hours of sleep. But how do they nod off – and are they missing out on anything?