The to-do list was getting longer in my mind, the fizzing feelings of anxiety were building in my stomach. I needed to get out, and I knew just the place. Wandering away from the noisy streets of Manor House in north London, I made a beeline for Woodberry Wetlands, a reservoir in the shadow of three tower blocks that’s been turned into a beautiful urban nature reserve.
Walking beside the water, shimmering in the afternoon light, I spotted a coot weaving in and out of the reedbeds, I heard the tapping of a woodpecker in an oak tree and a red kite surfed the wind above my head. Perching on a log at the edge of the reservoir, I realised how completely different I was feeling to before I’d come outside. The fizzing had dissipated, my mind felt clearer and I was absolutely loving my mini-adventure. The outdoors had certainly done its job and the best part was that it was 5.30pm on a Thursday afternoon and I was only a mile from my flat.
The revelation of just how good the outdoors could make me feel had only come a few years previously. I’d been a highly stressed and anxious news journalist suffering from burnout, so I’d taken a work sabbatical and escaped to join a friend on the Te Araroa trail in New Zealand. The 800-mile, 10-week hike massively improved my mental health and it dawned on me that I needed to make the outdoors a bigger part of my everyday life in London.
Back at home, I made that my mission. Setting up a podcast called The Outdoors Fix, I interviewed dozens of people who had managed to do it, from those who’d set up walking groups to people who’d become part-time open water swimming coaches and others who’d uncovered brilliant after-work outdoors adventures. Those conversations and tips helped me to discover more ways to enjoy the outdoors in London than I previously thought possible, as well as better manage my mental wellbeing and bring more joy into my life.
With London’s parks bursting with daffodils, the birds showcasing their repertoires and the sun extending its working hours, spring is the perfect time for you to get out more too. Here are some of the things that I learnt.
The outdoors isn’t just for weekends or holidays
Taking a daily 15-minute walk to my local park to smell the daffodils, look up at the trees, or listen to the parakeets chattering helped me enjoy a more frequent nature hit and I felt the positive effect of it seeping into my every day. The brief escape into green was something I looked forward to. I’d often take photos on my morning walk and scroll through them on the Tube to work, bringing back the good feelings.
Making the most of 5-9pm on weekdays and going on evening adventures after work in the spring and summer was a favourite piece of advice from my podcast guests. Instead of eating dinner on the sofa watching Netflix, why not put your meal in tupperware and have a picnic in the park (my favourite was Clissold Park in Stoke Newington), or head to a hill and watch the sunset? Alexandra Palace is one of the highest points in London and a beautiful place to sit on the grass and watch the golden light seep over the skyline. You could even go for an after-work outdoor swim: take a dip in the 23-acre West Reservoir Centre in Hackney, open in the evenings during the summer. Finding these extra pockets of time for the outdoors helped me feel like it had a more consistent presence in my London life.
Expand your horizons
It’s incredibly satisfying to explore a new green space in the city that you’ve never been to before. A great tip I picked up over the years was to pinpoint your location on the map on your phone, then zoom out to find a nearby public green space you didn’t know existed. Go and wander, and even take a flask of tea or coffee with you.
Doing this from my flat helped me discover Islington’s New River Walk, an oasis of greenery, water and wildlife that winds its way through the heart of the borough along a small river built in the 17th century. That walk became a sanctuary for me during the pandemic.
Make it social
Hanging out with my mates usually revolved around dinner, so when I asked them if they’d swap that for walking, I was surprised by how many of them agreed. Over a couple of years, those Sunday hikes enabled us to tackle walking routes all over the city, and have adventures that we still reminisce about now.
The walks were between 9-12 miles long and often followed a section or two of the Capital Ring – a 78-mile sign-posted circular walking route around London that takes in some of the city’s best green scenery. Our favourite sections were Richmond to Greenford via Osterley Lock, where we wandered along the Richmond riverfront, through the deer-filled Syon Park and beside the Grand Union Canal. Those monthly walks gave me more frequent outdoor adventures to look forward to, while opening my eyes to new green spots in the city.
Don’t be afraid to use your phone
For those who’ve ever wondered what plant they’re looking at or which bird is singing in the tree, nature apps can be a great tool, helping you to increase your knowledge about nature, feel more connected to the outdoors and motivate yourself to get outside.
I was told about the iNaturalist and RSPB My Nature apps by one of my podcast guests, wildlife author Sophie Pavelle. Take a photo of a plant or tree on the iNaturalist app and it will identify it for you, and put in a few details about the bird you’ve just seen and the RSPB My Nature app will help you name it. I find it satisfying to be able to spot Rowan, Hornbeam and Alder trees now and distinguish between wrens and thrushes. The apps motivated me to go out in search of more species to identify too.
Find your tribe
If you’re looking to join an outdoor community in the city and meet other like-minded people, there are plenty of walking groups based in London which offer day walks or even multi-day hiking trips.
One of the interviewees on my podcast, Oge Ejizu, is the London regional leader for the outdoors community Black Girls Hike (BGH). She often takes her group walking in Epping Forest, an 8,000-acre area of woodland on the northeastern edge of London, accessible by London Overground or the central line. Another of my podcast guests, Kate Capelli, runs the group Adventuress in the Wild. They offer weekly walks and adventures both in and outside the capital.
You don’t need a car to escape the city
If you want to get out of the city for a day, there are lots of long walks in the countryside that are possible from London without a car. Discovering these routes that began and ended at train stations reduced the barriers to the countryside in my mind. It didn’t have to be an expensive weekend away or involve hiring a car. Some of my favourites: taking the train to Berkhamsted in the Chilterns and walking a circular loop through the National Trust’s Ashridge Estate to the village of Little Gaddesden and back; travelling to Marlow by train and following the Chiltern Way to the Hambleden valley for a pub lunch before heading back along the River Thames; and walking the classic route from Glynde train station in East Sussex to Seaford, passing through the beautiful village of Alfriston before heading to the coast and spotting the white chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters.
Finding new ways to make the outdoors a bigger part of my life in London was a huge tonic for me, helping my mental wellbeing, work/life balance and giving me excitement about the city again. So with nature enticing us to get outside at this time of year, I challenge you to take one small step this week – scout out your nearest green space you’ve never been to before and spend a few minutes exploring it. I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it.
