Here in the UK the clocks have gone back & while the extra hour of sleep was much appreciated I can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness as the evening starts to draw in from 5pm. At this time of year it’s tempting to hide away from it all and hibernate, only leaving the cosiness when absolutely necessary. However it is important to resist this urge as there is still a lot to be gained by venturing out even when the days are shorter. At least that’s what I keep telling myself so I thought if I write it down then I might find myself more convincing!

Go for a walk

Today was a gorgeous autumnal day, full of colour as the skies were a brilliant blue, the grass was green and the leaves were a vibrant mix of orange, yellow and red. On days like this going out for a walk is an obvious choice and a way to fulfill a desire to be surrounded by beauty. The challenge will come on the grey days, and lets face it, there are going to more of those than there will be days like today. As much as possible though I will still encourage myself to head out on those dull days and make the most of the daylight before the early evenings draw in. A walk, even a short one, always boosts my mood, whether it’s a chance to breathe in some fresh air, get a break from the screens, be alone with my thoughts or simply to spend some time with nature. When the days are longer, there is time to both dilly & dally before finally making the decision to head out for a stroll but at this time of year if you leave it too long, the light has faded and that may affect the decision on whether to stay or go.

Be aware of the dark

Theoretically there is nothing wrong with going for a walk in the dark but it would be remiss, as well as hypocritical, of me to encourage you to still go once the sun has gone down. Nor will I say you can’t go for a walk in the dark, as is often the case, there is a middle ground. Of course there will be plenty of times when I walk in the dark before spring, whether it’s part of the commute, heading home after an event or simply deciding to stay out a bit longer than originally planned. Most of the routes will be well-lit and on the rare occasions they are not then I always have a torch with me, thanks to my phone. However where the shorter days do have an impact is on my leisure walks, or rather my soothing strolls. If I’m walking just for the pleasure of walking then I prefer to do it in daylight, mainly because I generally head for woodlands or the countryside and it’s not safe to be walking along these uneven routes in the dark. A torch is fine for a little bit but not for too long, particularly if you might need both hands free for balance. A leisure walk is still possible if the route is amended, instead of heading to the local park I could just stroll around the block but it’s a less enticing route. So while the dark won’t stop me from walking it does have an affect and therefore while I’m not afraid of the dark but I am aware of it.

Don’t go for a walk

Inevitably on shorter days there will be times when I either don’t have time to go for a walk before it’s dark; the weather will be too severe or I simply lack the energy. On days like this I still like to connect with nature, studies have shown that time with nature helps to improve your wellbeing and reduces stress. Ideally this is a physical connection with nature (eg a walk) but the benefits can still be felt even if you can’t go out and be a part of it. This is an example of when social media can be a tool for good as there are plenty of feeds that are full of gorgeous nature photos or videos. Alternatively just take a 5 minute break to look out the window, even if you live in an urban area there should still be some trees you can look out at or even a grass verge. If you are lucky enough to have a garden or a patio then I can highly recommend purchasing a bird feeder. It is one of the best things I have bought this year, we used to get birds visiting the garden occasionally but now I get to see a greater variety & they stay longer so I really get to observe them. My favourite visitors are the sparrows as they are small & cute but also polite visitors to the feeder. They will take it in turns to take a dainty nibble and are happy to make room for their friends to join them. Starlings on the other hand, arrive in a gang, stab at the food and squabble amongst themselves. Jackdaws and magpies are also aggressive eaters but they don’t tend to stay very long. Regardless of their behaviour, I love watching all of them and it’s a simple way to enjoy a few minutes with nature.

Cosy evenings

While I started this blog by saying there is an element of sadness at the thought of the longer nights, there is a part of me that enjoys them. I love summer, I love the heat and despise the cold but there is something rather lovely about being cosy. While we shouldn’t hibernate for the whole season there is nothing wrong with moments of hibernation, be it an evening of snuggles or perhaps a cold, wet & windy weekend spent indoors. When the weather is against you then it can be rather wonderful to bury yourself in blankets and lose yourself in a good book, a thrilling film or a nostalgic TV show.

While it is tempting to hide away until the spring, heading out in the colder months still offers moments of joy and makes those cosy evenings in even more rewarding.

That’s how I stroll.