Get your conkers out

As autumn draws in, children everywhere are gathering conkers and smacking them together like there's no tomorrow.

And for seasoned nut-bashers, there's only one event to look forward to in the conker calendar. Every year more than 500 contestants of all ages from across the world gather in the Northamptonshire village of Ashton for the world conker championships, as the traditional cries of 'Hobily, hobily honker, my first conker' reverberate around the green.

This year is set to be no different, and is being held in support of the Royal National Institute Of The Blind. Why not go along and join the fun?

Ashton Village, Nr Oundle, Northants.

Clive Aslet is the editor of Country Life