The Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday, under the headline, Urbanites can't tell a lark from a sparrow, that: With its rolling hills, unspoilt woodlands and beautiful coastline, the British countryside attracts visitors from across the globe.
But an estimated two million people who live here have never seen it, according to a new study that reveals the depth of the divide between rural and urban areas.
The research also exposes a lack of basic knowledge about the countryside, with people unable to recognise the most fundamental features of rural life.
Countryside campaigners blamed poor public transport and road congestion for the "shocking" findings.
What's 'shocking' about it? Who cares what the difference is between a lark and a sparrow? I'm tempted to write that the countryside is merely a place for those who can't hack it in cities, but that would probably annoy some people. So I'll restrict myself to pointing out that the countryside is simply somewhere to build when we need more land.