26 FEBRUARY 2000, Page 30

Bitter lessons

From Mr Gregory K Pilkington Sir: Your Country Life correspondent demonstrates (19 February) the gritty com- mon sense of the countryside to which we townies can only aspire. When I had a teenage experience similar to hers, I, rather pathetically, gave up gin for life, while she sensibly blamed it on the bitter lemon.

Gregory Pilkington

London SW10