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2025 photo competition

tractor with people stacking hay bales
Stuart Watson

We are delighted to announce the winners in our 2025 photography competition – Somerset: life in the countryside.

CPRE Somerset’s annual photo competition celebrates what is special about Somerset – its people, wildlife and places. This year, we were looking for photos that  capture special times and events you enjoyed or ones which show your everyday life in our Somerset countryside.

We had over 100 entries across both age categories and you can see some of our favourite entries in our gallery at the foot of this page.

And the winners are….

Stuart Watson was our winner in the adult category for his picture “Evening hay baling” .

people loading hay bales from a tractor into a barn

The photograph was taken at Knowle Moor. Just outside Wedmore.  Stuart said “Hay making time required a whole family effort and first outing for our old David Brown 995. Some people might remember seeing this on our driveway – it was our Covid Lockdown Project!”

Olivia D’Ovidio won in the 18s and under category, with her photo “Chicken in the meadow”

black chicken in flower meadow

 

Olivia said: “It was so lovely to find out that me and my chicken, Mini, had won the “Life In The Countryside” photography competition 2025.
The photo of Mini is very special to me because she is one of my pet hens which I hatched out from an egg in spring this year with her 5 brothers and sisters. I enjoy the great outdoors and being around and looking after my pet chickens, they all have such individual characters and are very entertaining. I especially enjoy fresh eggs for breakfast. Well done to everyone who entered.”

Both our winners will receive a £100 prize. Congratulations to them both.

Many thanks to everyone who entered this year – we love seeing your pictures!  Thanks also to our judges – CPRE Somerset Chairman, Hugh Williams; Andrew Lee of Somerset Confidential, Ross Alexander of Moment Photography and Kit Houghton, of Kit Houghton Photography.

Watch this space for our competition in 2026 – our centenary year!

Somerset: life in the countryside

Enjoy our pick of this year's entries. You can click on each picture to enlarge it.

  • buzzard flying

    A sight that most people see in the countryside sky, a beautiful buzzard! Photo by Clark Warren

  • an adult rabbit and a baby rabbit

    Adult female rabbit with her baby by Clark Warren

  • a dog looking at a floating feather

    Dog walking in the countryside is always more fun by Clark Warren

  • several people dressed as Santa riding biks

    Cycling Santas by Loretta O'Grady

  • dog standing on a triangulation point on a hilltop

    Howling on the Hill by Loretta O'Grady

  • a bride and bridesmaid playing on a swing

    Wedding Day Fun by Loretta O'Grady

  • two piglets snuffling in straw

    It's there somewhere by Debbie Hawkes

  • a group of people sitting on a hilltop drumming and looking at the view

    Sights and Sounds, Glastonbury Tor by Debbie Hawkes

  • 3 boys sitting on a bench at sunset overlooking the coast and eating fish and chips

    Friday Night Dinner (Bossington Car Park) by Louise Mayhew

  • someone splashing in the waves

    Where I belong (Minehead Beach) by Louise Mayhew

  • Highland cattle looking over a hillside

    One of nature's beautiful little things by Thomas James Russell

  • people loading hay bales from a tractor into a barn

    Evening hay gathering by Stuart Watson

  • a flock of sheep walking towards the camera in the mist

    Sheep in the mist by Stuart Watson

  • A farmer giving medicine to sheep in a barn

    Treating the sheep by Stuart Watson

  • a horse crossing a ford next to a bridge

    A view of Exmoor at Malmsmead by Paul Allen

  • pony drinking from a puddle with view of coast in background

    Exmoor pony by Paul Allen

  • a highland cow amongst bracken

    Highland cow by Paul Allen

  • a group of people birdwatching

    Watching the birdie? - Ham Wall, by Mary Hill

  • swan carrying cygnets

    Swan carrying cygnets, Ham Wall by Mary Hill

  • swan with baby on its back

    Mumma's precious bundle, Stockmoor by Becky Webber

  • 2 people and a dog on paddleboards on a canal

    Teaching paddleboarding on the canal - Creech St Michael by Lorraine Charnley

  • passengers on a vintage bus

    Take a ride: vintage bus day, Taunton by Lorraine Charnley

  • man fishing in a canal

    Gone Fishing: Bridgwater to Taunton Canal by Lorraine Charnley

  • child jumping in air alongside a waterway at sunset

    June by the River Brue, Glastonbury by Laura Linham

  • two teenagers standing in woodland

    This is more fun than we thought it would be! by Helen Jelfs

  • cow next to a tree with Glastonbury Tor in background

    Nosey Cow by Mike Jefferies

  • swans swimming on river at sunset

    Swans full of grace and beauty perfectly framed in the magical Somerset levels by Samantha Easter

  • family and dog looking at the view from the top of a hill

    Enjoying the sea views on a Father's Day stroll by Claire Enticott

  • young lamb

    Spring lambs on the Levels by Ian Downes

  • two people walking in woodland

    In deep conversation - Sweet track, Shapwick Heath by Helen Jelfs

  • two people riding bikes

    Keeping fit together - Ham Wall, by Helen Jelfs

  • Two women taking selfies in a field of lavender

    Somerset Lavender by Debbie Hawkes

  • man walking through trees

    Taking the lead by Caroline Gibbons Smith

  • Man and horse facing each other

    Meeting and greeting by Caroline Gibbons Smith

  • night sky full of stars

    Sky full of stars by Ian Downes

  • pyramid stage, Glastonbury Festival under construction

    Festival season by Ian Downes

  • swans on a river

    Mist on the moors by Andy Chick

  • river at sunset

    Rhyne at golden hour by Andy Chick

  • dog and tree on hill top

    Taking it all in on Burrow Hill by Andy Chick

  • dogs running at waters edge at sunset on a beach

    Pups at play on Burnham Beach at sunset by Glenda Fry

  • mare and foal on hill

    Quantock mare and foal near Crowcombe Park by Glenda Fry

  • swans and cygnets on water

    Swan family on Shapwick Moor by Glenda Fry

  • cows lining up for a drink

    After milking, we are enjoying the evening sunshine by Catherine Fox

  • black & white photo f clifftop

    Photo by Tim Dyer

  • group of people on clifftop in Cheddar Gorge

    Cheddar Gorge photo by Tim Dyer

  • group of men laughing in a pub

    Photo by Tim Dyer

  • young woman walking through pergola of autumn leaves

    Walking into autumn (Lytes Cary) by Jeanette Broughton

  • fishing on the beach at sunset

    Fishing on Berrow Beach by Pauline Cawkwell

  • boats in a harbour

    Porlock Weir by Louise Mayhew

  • woman on white horse

    On horseback by Bella Kallen

  • swans on a river at sunset

    Sunset swans by Greg Arlotte

  • birds in the mist

    Birds in the mist by Greg Arlotte

  • child and parent next to willow dinosaur

    Willow dinosaurs at Coates Willow Centre by Dinah Whitehead

  • tents under a moonlit sky

    Camping under a fragmented night sky, Chewton Mendip by Annabel Williams

  • person in cycle helmet taking photo across a footbridge

    Capturing the scenery of a sunny day's bike ride, Wells by Annabel Williams

  • dog in long grass under a summer sky

    Spaniel running free in the long grass, Moorlinch by Annabel Williams

  • sunflower with sunglasses

    Smile like a sunflower by Sally Lewis

  • cyclists on a train with a deer in the foreground

    Adventures are out there and so are the deer!!!! - Shapwick Heath - by Amanda Baldwin

  • sailing boat at sunset on reservoir

    Who needs a therapist when you have a boat and a sunset!! - Cheddar Reservoir - by Amanda Baldwin

  • morris dancers outside a village pub

    Hands up to the Morris!! - Axbridge - by Amanda Baldwin

  • fingerpost sign with lots of destinations

    Somerset. Go explore! by Dawn Mahoney

  • high fountain in lake

    How High is a fountain? - Forde Abbey - by Mary Braddock

  • statue in lake

    A fancy headdress to keep her dry - Forde Abbey - by Mary Braddock

  • person in a wildflower meadow

    Hollow Marsh Nature Reserve by Alex Hobbs

  • someone working in a walled garden

    Work person and walkers, Barrington Court by Mary Hill

  • horses on a beach

    Sunny beach ride by Alex Hobbs

  • people in costume and santa hats in a village square

    Boxing Day Mummers, Dunster by Susan Webber

  • Morris dancers

    Morris at Spaxton by Susan Webber

  • people at a music festival

    Party at the Palace, Wells by Susan Webber

  • sun setting over a field of poppies

    Sun setting over a poppy field at Charlton by Alex Hobbs

  • pigeon being cuddled

    Heartfelt by Oliver Hope

  • pheasant

    A classic countryside view-Ham Wall by Leo Biddlecombe

  • bird on twig

    Sitting pretty, Charterhouse by Leo Biddlecombe

  • bittern in reedbed

    Typically Somerset-Ham Wall by Leo Biddlecombe

  • sheepdog watching sheep

    A day at work by Sophie Carver

  • tractor baling hay with sweeping countryside views behind

    Baling with a view by Sophie Carver

  • swan walking tall

    Majestic by Sophie Carver

  • sheep and lambs in a field being fed

    Time for a treat by Thomas James Russell

  • rock pool creatures

    Arthropods at Helwell Bay by Anton Poon

  • creature in frothy bubbles

    Bubble wrap (Nettlecombe Court) by Anton Poon

  • marine woodlouse

    On the rocks, Helwell Bay by Anton Poon

  • black chicken in flower meadow

    Chicken in the meadow by Olivia D'Ovidio

  • dog and person on beach

    Berrow in ice and sun by Tina Williams

  • view of sunset from horseback

    Quantock sunset with Kaz the pony by Felicity Fawden

  • rainbow over pub garden

    Liquid gold at the end of the rainbow by Samantha Easter

  • Berrow in bloom

    Berrow in bloom by Matthew Laing

  • dog on beach at sunset

    Berrow sunset walk by Matthew Laing

  • dog in woods at sunset

    Polden woodland walk by Matthew Laing

  • glossy ibis at reservoir

    Glossy ibis at Cheddar reservoir by Louis Lemasson

  • goldfinch against a blue sky

    Goldfinch at Catcott by Louis Lemasson

  • swan by water

    Swan by the water, Ham Wall by Louis Lemasson

  • girl with cows in background

    My lovely cow friends by Gwendoline Fawden

  • view from a kayak on a river

    Kayaking in Somerset by Monika Biesiadecka

Previous photo competitions

Somerset

2024 photo competition – our winners

Read more

Somerset

Somerset: wild at heart – 2023 photo competition winners announced

Read more
The countryside next door

Somerset

Happy Days in Somerset – winners announced

Read more
The countryside next door

Somerset

2021 photography competition – winners announced

Read more
Competitions

Somerset

2020 Photography Competition – we have our winner!

Read more
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