Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Reviewing Winter Walks In Nature For Wellbeing

 

Silver Birch Tree winter

When we are in mid-winter it is all too tempting to stay indoors warm and cosy and away from the wintery weather. Often that is a really lovely thing to do. However, I find if I stay indoors for too long I start to feel a bit down and a bit sluggish especially in the winter. We suffer from the lack of daylight hours and the same scenery. Also, we may well miss out on some beautiful scenes in nature

So as long as the weather is not too bad or dangerous conditions, my husband and I agreed that every day we will go for a winter walk. We like to wrap up warmly take our camera and go out to find the beauty in this season.


frosted shrub leaves


We find it very uplifting to become absorbed in nature in this way even if only for half an hour. It lifts our spirits and clears the mind. I always feel better after a winter walk. A few hours is ideal and when we can do that and drive deep into the countryside it is so beneficial. However, when it is too cold to stay out that long we just take a short walk and even if it has only been for fifteen to thirty minutes I really notice a difference. 

Winter Trees

I love to see the beauty in the trees this time of year. All the leaves have fallen now and all we can see is the structure and majesty of their gorgeous limbs and trunks. My favourite tree this time of year is the Silver Birch which once it has lost all its leaves and stands proud with its silver trunk takes on a magical quality especially if covered in frost or snow.

 

Silver Birch Trees
Silver Birch Trees In Winter


Noticing Nature and Colour In Winter

I find at mid-winter when we are not distracted by gorgeous colourful flowers and trees in full leaf we notice other natural things that we overlooked before. Like an old fallen log that is covered in fungi and the shape of a tree. The spider webs are clearly visible now all covered in sparkling frost.

Winter is not devoid of colour though. we may need to look harder for it but it is there. Of course, there are the Holly berries shining out bright red against the dark green of their evergreen leaves. Cotoneaster is covered in red berries and looks especially lovely with a light dusting of frost. Equally one of the more beautiful things to look for are wild rose hips, so red and shiny and in abundance. The one below was a gorgeous wild rose covered in flowers in summer, now a thicket of red rose hips. 

Rose Hips
Rose Hips



Cotoneaster berries
Cotoneaster berries


Christmas Lights On Winter Walks

Around Christmas time we find it lovely to take a walk at dusk so that we can wander around our neighbourhood to look at all the beautiful lights and decorations. 

It is a real joy to see all the sparking lights and different colours at the time of year when daylight is in short supply. 

Then when we get home is a large mug of hot chocolate and maybe a warm mince pie to warm up.  

Frosted Plants In Winter

In the winter I like that you do not need to travel far to view gorgeous plants. Often if the roads are icy or poor traveling conditions or just very cold and threatening rain or snow we prefer to walk locally.

By walking around your own neighbourhood you can see lovely beauty in people's gardens like this frosted Smoke bush. It normally has reddish frothy seedheads that look like smoke but as you can see the freezing temperatures have transformed it into an ice spectacle! 


White Frozen Smoke Bush
Frozen Smoke Bush


Also, watch the bare branches of any shrub in your garden or the road you live on, you will start to see tiny buds. They are ready just waiting, resting steady for now but ready to burst forth into leaf once the weather warms and the days become longer. 

Winter Sky Can Be Stunning

My other recommendation in winter is to look up at the skies. They can be spectacular at this time of year in daylight hours on a clear day taking your breath away with their sheer beauty. At night if it is clear and dark there is something amazing about gazing up at the bright stars and feeling like you can reach out and touch them.




Feeding Ducks On A Winter Walk Brings Joy

I love to get out and feed the ducks, geese and coots at a local wildlife center. They are invariably hungry at this time of year and it is often quiet and calm with few people around. Unlike in summer we often have lots of space to ourselves and it is a joy to feed the birds and get close to them. 


ducks on pond


Winter Solstice

The winter solstice on or around the 21st December is one of my favourite days. It is the day with the shortest hours of daylight but it also means that from now on each day is getting a little lighter, a little nearer Spring and that gives me such a feeling of hope and happiness in mid-winter. We always light a candle and feel thanks for the new life to come. 

So if winter is getting you down with its short hours of daylight and poor weather and it seems still a long time until spring do weather permitting, try to get out there for just a little while. The fresh clean air and exercise will do us good, lift our spirits and with the added benefit if it is sunny of the sunshine on our faces to brighten up the darkest days of year.

 

Wellbeing And Nature In Winter

We need to be safe and clearly not to go out in severe weather but if and when conditions allow we can wrap up warmly and take a little wander. There is no need to go too far but your body and mind will benefit from time out of the house absorbing yourself in nature for just a little while. 

If the weather is so bad that you cannot get out at all, as I know it is in some areas of the world right now,  then sit awhile by your window to watch nature from the safety of your home.

In these bleaker times we let the world of nature come to us. Hopefully, you can see some winter sky, shrubs or trees and maybe birds, squirrels and other wildlife will pass by. Frost, ice and snow make everything in the garden or sightline look and feel different.

We can take comfort in the fact that this winter will pass and Spring is invariably on its way as it always does. Winter can be the harshest of seasons yet it too has its beauty. 

I always take great comfort in the delicate, exquisitely beautiful and strong hardy snowdrop that is ready under the ground now just waiting to burst forth often into so cold weather and snow shows us that there is hope in the deep mid-winter for brighter, lighter days to come. 






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7 comments:

  1. Finding something nice to do when the weather isn't the "greatest" is a wonderful way to enjoy nature even if your have to bundle up to do it/ Once you get used to the idea, you just might find that the daily walk is something to look forward to! I love getting out in the open and only miss a day when it is really, really cold outdoors! Thanks for reminding us that nature has it's beauty at all times of the year!

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  2. Nature definitely has beauty any time of year, and winter is no exception. Your descriptions of a wintry world are lovely, Raintree Annie and have encouraged me to look for and really see the beauty in nature even though the cold is seldom welcoming to me. :)

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  3. Like you, I find short walks tend to rejuvenate my spirit as well as the physical health benefits. We get a lot of ice in the winter, which does keep us off the roads and off any kind of pavement, but we can usually walk in the grassy areas without risk. We just have to get to them first. On days when I can't venture outdoors, I will stand in my open doorway, breath in the air, listen to the sounds of nature and enjoy the beauty of my own backyard.

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    Replies
    1. btw, I love your picture of the frozen smoke bush!

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  4. I don’t tolerate the cold well but, like you, I try to take a short walk with my husband every afternoon, when weather permits. We, too, try to look at and appreciate our surroundings, not only natural but also architectural. My husband also often points out the color of the sky and sees subtle shifts in the quality and hue of the light that I wouldn’t notice otherwise. An afternoon outing is definitely good for our mental, physical and emotional well-being! Thanks so much for your encouragement to keep up this daily practice and for your inspiring photos.

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  5. Beautiful photos, and the card is lovely. Winter walks can be healing. I used to spend a great deal of time outdoors in the winter, but due to my knees walks are no longer an option. One of my fave things to do was to go out and enjoy the winter air, even at night.

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  6. Brilliant article walking in a winter wonderland.

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