There is something particularly lovely about going for a walk in autumn.
A summer walk can be glorious, of course. The days are long, the sun is warm and everything feels bright and alive. But sometimes summer walking can actually be a bit too hot. You find yourself looking for shade, carrying water and wondering why you didn’t put more sun cream on.
Winter has its own beauty too. A crisp, frosty morning can be wonderful, but cold winds, rain and short days can make getting outside feel like more of an effort.
Autumn sits rather beautifully between the two.
The temperature is often just right for walking. There is a freshness in the air without the real bite of winter. Put on a comfortable pair of shoes and a light jacket and you can happily keep going for quite a while.
And then there are the colours.
Trees that have been green all summer suddenly become yellow, gold, orange, copper and red. Leaves crunch under your feet and the whole landscape seems to change from one week to the next. Even a familiar local walk can feel completely different in autumn.
There is something else I like about walking at this time of year. It feels calming.
Modern life gives us very little time when our brains aren’t being asked to do something. We have phones, messages, emails, television, social media and a seemingly endless stream of information competing for our attention.
Going for a walk gives your mind some space.
You don’t have to walk ten miles across the countryside either. Twenty or thirty minutes around your local park, along the seafront, through the woods or simply around the streets where you live can be worthwhile.
Walking is also one of the simplest forms of exercise available to us. It costs nothing, requires no gym membership and you don’t have to be particularly fit to start doing it.
Do it regularly and you are doing something positive for your heart, muscles, bones and general fitness. A brisk walk can also burn calories and help with maintaining a healthy weight.
But perhaps we shouldn’t always think of walking simply as “exercise”.
Sometimes it is just nice to get outside.
Notice the trees. Feel the cooler air. Listen to the birds. Look at the changing sky. Give yourself half an hour when you don’t need to achieve anything.
Summer walks can feel energetic. Winter walks can feel invigorating.
But an autumn walk has a character all of its own.
It can be colourful, peaceful, slightly nostalgic and wonderfully refreshing.
So if you find yourself sitting indoors on a pleasant autumn afternoon, put your shoes on and go for a wander.
There is a very good chance you’ll come home feeling better than when you left.
