Spending time in nature can become even more important as the evenings start to draw in. But if the changing weather and shorter daylight hours mean you’re finding it a bit harder to leave the house, here are our top tips for getting out there and enjoying autumn forest bathing:
- Keep it toasty – if you are feeling cold, this will get in the way of relaxing and enjoying. Autumn weather can be unpredictable in terms of sunshine / rain / temperature etc so always take plenty of layers and waterproofs. I’d go so far as to say clothes-wise take more than you think you need: worse case scenario you can take a layer off and pop it in your rucksack – much better than ending up shivering! A hot drink in a flask can also be a good idea.
- Focus on the positives – one for you if you’re already missing summer and not loving the grey skies. Try and think about the benefits that autumn brings to your forest bathing practice – windier weather means being able to close your eyes and hear it in the trees; rain brings out the smells of the forest; and as the woods get ready for winter we get a beautiful display of colour followed by leaf piles we can enjoy walking through / kicking / jumping in!
- Pick a spot and notice the changes – this can really help you keep getting out there. Choose a place to regularly visit, ideally at least once a week, and every time you go there try and discover as many differences from your last visit as possible. Warning: this is something you can easily get hooked on!