The Field’s August issue marks the start of the season with a bumper edition celebrating grouse and the glorious North. Robin Hereford explains why the king of the moor not only inspires sportsmen but artists, while Adam Calvert explores another art: that of double gunning. We launch our iconic Field Macnab Challenge, in its centenary year, as Sam Rickitt candidly lifts the lid on the highs and the lows of this devilishly difficult sporting feat as his Macnab attempt becomes a Macnot.

Ever thought about outsourcing your shooting? If you’re short on time and capital, Lucy Higginson suggests this might be for you. Charles Smith-Jones ventures into the heated debate over the reintroduction of large predators,  Adrian Dangar reports on an invitation to address the illustrious Kenyan Fly Fishers’ Club and fish its delightful highland rivers, and Janet Menzies implores us to forget sat nav – the maps that matter are often made by hand and tell us not just where we are but who we are.

There’s Gimcrack, the little horse that left a huge impression on racing and one of the world’s oldest clubs as his legacy, the most alluring and remote islands in the British Isles, the role of gentlemen’s clubs in times of peace and war, and border terriers: the ultimate, compact hybrid that combines a love of the sofa and family life with a stellar sporting instinct.

New for August is North of the border: our series by Scottish sporting agent Mungo Ingleby. Plus, an interview with television farmer and rare breeds champion Jimmy Doherty, and all your favourites from the Cross Country, Philippa Davis and her delightfully straightforward but delicious recipes, Under the hammer, the latest kit, news and much, much more.