THE field of home entertainment has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years with DVDs, MP3s and enormous flat screen televisions being advertised in almost every paper and magazine.

However, it has long been recognised, particularly by the producers of perfumes and toiletries, that neither vision nor hearing can trigger as much of an emotional response as the sense of smell.

We can all recall occasions that certain smells bring to us vivid memories of childhood or great feelings of well being.

Outside the world of perfumes, however, little effort has been made to utilise this human response.

However, if we are lucky enough to live near some countryside we are not going to be hard pressed to find some wonderful odours to simulate our senses.

Some people associate the countryside with foul, unpleasant smells and, yes, there are some nasty whiffs to be found both from agriculture and the natural world, but there are also some beautiful smells out there that can give you the same 'wow' feel as gazing out onto a beautiful view.

Some of my favourites are the smells of Hurcott Pool's Wet Woodland in early May.

The nearby dry woods are full of bluebells and the scent from these drifts into the still air of the wet wood and mingles with the scent of countless marsh marigolds.

Birch woodland in autumn is also a particular favourite, especially on still damp mornings.

Moist conditions are always good for intensifying a scent but, in autumn, it also encourages the production of wonderfully earthy-smelling fungi which, combined with the subtle smell of composting leaves, is fantastic.

Sometimes you can come across some beautiful scents almost accidentally, be it a waft of fragrance from seasonal blooms or, just like the other day, when I took a stroll round the Devils Spittleful at 5am.

Here cold air had got trapped between two cushions of warm, creating a telltale thin band of fog.

The cool air had lain for some time on the just-opening buds of the heather and had picked up a lovely rich sweet scent.

The undulating nature of this nature reserve's ground meant that, as you walked around, your head would pop in and out of the fog band so intermittently exposing you to the sweet heathery smell.