“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement, the greatest source of visual beauty, the greatest sort of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living” – David Attenborough.
David Attenborough’s quote above is so true. In our fast paced lives, it is easy to miss out on so much of the world around us. We are too often absorbed in the digital world, staring at a screen (I am aware of the irony as I write this for my blog!), or talking on the phone. How often do we just sit, watch and embrace the world around us? It can be difficult to get into ‘the zone’, to disconnect from our busy lives, leave behind our worries, not concern ourselves with the future and just live in the moment.
In the summer we decided to participate in our own version of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Big Wild Sleepout. Aimed at encouraging families to get back to nature and observe birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat, the event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with nature.
We pitched our tents on the farm in a spot near the water’s edge laid out our blankets next to an open fire, ate marshmallows and just had fun in nature! We sat still, we entered into that grand old tradition of conversation, played and watched the world unold around us. We saw bats, deers, rabbits and mice. Our Highland Cattle, as noisy as ever, decided to join us and we were honoured to visited by our resident Kingfisher who took a dip in the water and grabbed as he fished for his dinner. It was a truly magical experience and is something I am so grateful that we have the opportunity to do, living in the countryside.
So many of our visitors to our cabin, cottage and house are excited to escape the rat race and have a few days break from the stress and strains of modern life. Being able to share our rural idyll with our guests is something that I love. There is just so much you can do here to unwind that ultimately can have a positive impact on our mental health as it helps to reduce anxiety levels.
Whether you go ‘off grid’ completely, turn off your phone and unplug the TV, or if you chose to just take a dip into nature, it provides a fantastic opportunity to relax for a few days. You can:
- Walk in our fields
- Connect with nature by taking photos of the countryside and wildlife
- Wild swim in our lakes
- Walk barefoot across the grass
- Pick herbs and vegetables from our vegetable garden and forage for blackberries, sloe berries and mushrooms
- Sleep under the stars
- Watch the sun set (or rise if you are an early bird!)
- Pick a spot for a picnic.
Although few of us can escape from modern life completely, a trip to the countryside, even just for a few days, can be hugely beneficial to our health and well being and is well worth planning.