Make Time For Nature

As the New Year begins its a good time to reflect on a year that has impacted everyone around the globe in many different ways. Never in our lifetime as something had such a devastating effect on our day to day lives as Coronavirus.

Without making all the same New Year promises and resolutions to ourselves about getting fitter, being slimmer and happier. The one piece of advice I can give that will benefit every single person is to make time for nature. Look around where you live, visit places you’ve never been, learn about what it is your seeing.

Listen and look for clues and nature will show itself. That contact with nature is priceless, being allowed to witnessed another life form go about their lives around you is something very, very special.

Self care is the best care and after the previous twelve months this has never been more important. Always respect every creature you come across, think your entering their home and wait to be welcomed. Wait for a clue that its ok to come closer, too sit and watch. Always think your the guest like you’re visiting a friends home for the first time. This mindset will stand you in good stead.

The images in this post I hope demonstrate this. They are of a Mountain Hare I came across in the Peak District National Park. There had been a couple of days of snow, so I decided to venture to this area of the national park I know well. I came across this lone Mountain Hare asleep.

Using fieldcraft and lots of respect I started to slowly approach this hare. Once in place I lay flat with the ground as a snow blizzard came in. I covered myself and my camera gear up and just watched this beautiful mammals sleep out the hostile weather.

Then without warning the Mountain Hare opened their eyes and looked at me before going back asleep. Around the same time the sun broke through and the Mountain Hare woke, started to eat some bits of heather and vegetation before stretching and then slowly moving off. The whole experience was around two hours, the encounter was priceless.

Over the next twelve months make time for nature in your lives and it will help you in so many different ways.

Physical health is one thing but everything depends on mental health and there is no better thing for this than nature, good luck and Happy New year.