Down to the River and Up to the Trees: Discover the hidden nature on your doorstep. Sue Belfrage
Invite the Neighbours to Dinner
First, a confession – I’ve never been to the Serengeti to marvel at lions. Nor have I witnessed a sunset in the Australian outback, or swum with brilliantly coloured fish over a coral reef. Yet I still remember one of the first times I saw a creature in the wild that made me gasp out loud.
I was sitting on the back of a motorbike at the time, riding pillion at 65 mph. And the creature that caught my eye was a buzzard, waddling across a field by the side of the road. It wasn’t soaring, swooping or doing anything particularly impressive. Most probably it was grubbing about for worms. But I was left buzzing at the thought that such a large bird of prey could exist, free to wander where it liked, within a couple of hours’ drive from London.
Today I live in the countryside and am surrounded by footpaths, green fields and woodland. And each time I step outside I’m struck again by the amazing variety of life – animals, insects, fungi and plants – that surrounds us.
But you don’t have to live in the countryside to experience that sense of wonder. Wherever your home and wherever you find yourself – suburb or seaside, tower block or terrace – you too are surrounded by living, breathing, growing beings, be they trees, bees or woodlice.
All the suggestions in this book are designed to help you create your own sense of connection with the natural world. If you’re drawn to this idea, you probably know intuitively that spending time in nature can be good for us. There’s a growing body of scientific evidence in support of nature’s many health benefits, from helping us destress and find calm, to strengthening the immune system and fighting disease, improving memory and creativity, and grounding ourselves in the present moment.
Most of the activities can be enjoyed at any time of year, although a few, such as nutting, are dependent on the seasons. Throughout this journal you’ll find plenty of inspirational quotes from great nature writers, and you’re invited to add to these by jotting down your own thoughts, ideas, sketches and observations in a notebook.
Other than being mindful of safety – for instance, when handling sharp tools – there are no firm rules. Be kind and give yourself permission to try things out, adapting them in whatever way suits you. Follow your instincts. Some of the ideas might be a better fit for you than others, or need a bit of adapting depending on the circumstances; nobody is going to judge you on the results.
When you do venture out and about in the natural world, please keep your wits about you and respect the environment. Be mindful that, as the poet Tennyson said, nature can be ‘red in tooth and claw’. If you go walking and don’t want to get lost, take a map (and keep a wary eye out for cows – more people are killed by cattle in the UK than tigers, that’s for sure). If you want to try wild swimming, check that you can get out of the water as easily as you can hop in. While some of the suggestions in this book might seem a little like child’s play, the intention isn’t to treat nature like a recreation ground, without any thought for other animals, plants and people; it’s about rediscovering the playful sense of curiosity and calm wonder that spending time in nature can nurture.
This journal isn’t a spotter’s guide and won’t, for example, tell you the weight of a robin’s egg or give you the Latin name of the common frog. If, however, your curiosity is piqued, perhaps you’ll go on to do a bit of research of your own. You might like to record your findings, whatever shape they take, in a notebook. And who knows what that might be – scientific insights, lines of poetry or quick sketches of things that catch your eye?
This much I can tell you: there’s a whole beautiful wild world out there, right on your doorstep, just waiting to be discovered. And it’s time to make yourself truly at home in it.
The Earth is our home in the solar system, and the soil beneath our feet. If you ever feel disconnected from your surroundings, go outside and stand barefoot for a moment or two, take a couple of deep breaths and focus on the uneven surface under your soles and toes. If you’d prefer to ground yourself by getting your hands dirty, try foraging for wild foods or consider growing your own. Perhaps build a wormery. Or walk somewhere new that leads you into the past.
Create a sense of rootedness and belonging wherever you find yourself by familiarising yourself with the smells, sights and tastes that surround you. Discover the plants that thrive against the odds and hidden wildlife.
Welcome yourself back to where you belong.
‘Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.’
HENRY DAVID THOREAU (1817–1862), Walden
Choose a place that you can visit easily. It could be your garden or balcony, an allotment or stretch of hedgerow, perhaps a park bench