Here are some reasons why you should walk in autumn:
1. Colourful Autumn Scenery
Autumn is the season of colour! The vibrant colours, the crisp, the crisp cool air is so enticing! Purple heathers across the hills to the natural mosaic of leaves on woodland floors.
Kicking up leaves is fun! Not to mention the wonderful crunching sounds as you walk across dried leaves.
One big appeal of autumn is the changing of colors from a bright green to different warmer tones. Autumn literally bursts with color and walking around in it will make you appreciate nature even more.
Did you know?
Some of the positive key characteristics associated with brown in color psychology include:
a) Feelings of warmth, comfort and security.
b) A sense of strength and reliability.
2. Seasonal Wildlife
Squirrels are the easiest to spot as they come down from the trees looking for nuts for winter. Red squirrels are an endangered species in Britain, however there are several places where they are thriving due to conservation and habitat management: Aira Force in the Lake District, Allan Bank and Grasmere in Cumbria and Borthwood Copse on the Isle of Wight, to name a few.
Starling murmurations are spectacular to behold! Murmurations are huge groups of starlings that twist, turn, swoop and swirl across the sky in beautiful shape-shifting clouds. Just before dusk, small groups of starlings from the same area come together above a communal roosting site. The group grows ever larger, moving in unison in an aerial dance that casts gorgeous shapes against the waning daylight. (1)
Atlantic salmon leap upstream to spawn, red deer stags fight for mating rights, grey seals head to the shoreline to give birth and not to mention the thousands of birds migrating ahead of winter!
3. Health Benefits
Walking not only keeps you fit and stay active but also boosts your mood with all the wonderful colours that autumn brings.
Physical activity, like walking, can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, obesity, type 2 diabetes, many cancers, depression and even Alzheimer's.
4. Therapeutic Effects
Nature gives us energy and keeps us alive. Fresh air stimulates and revitalizes us. Spending time in the great outdoors releases stress and improves physical and mental health.
Many studies suggest that spending time in nature can be linked to mental health benefits. Nature therapy, also called ecotherapy, is the practice of being in nature to boost growth and healing, especially mental health.
5. Seasonal Fruits
Traditionally in the UK, autumn is the season when farmers complete their harvests. Many plants bear fruits and nuts. Some walkers (like myself) like to go foraging on their walks as hedgerows are often packed with ripe berries around this time of year, with various types of nuts and seeds also available for keen foragers to find.
Things to look out for:
- Elderberries
- Rosehips
- Blackberries
- Sweet chestnuts (not to be confused with horse-chestnut which produces conkers)
- Hawthorn berries
Now, will you hang up them boots or go out for a walk? 😊