Nature Connection: Walking In Nature

I’ve always been a walker. When I was very young, I was also a runner and a skipper. Remember skipping? It was always such fun.

But honestly, walking has always been my favorite. It gets me from one place to another, though not always quickly, and gives me time to settle my thoughts and observe the world around me at the same time.

We walked to school back in the day. We also walked to the little corner store down the road to pick up a few things for our mom, almost daily. Our dog tagged along, leash-less as all dogs were back then. We’d meet other kids and other dogs, and sometimes a whole slew of us would arrive, laughing and shouting, to pick up that half gallon of milk someone’s mom had ordered. If we had some change we were able to spend, we'd buy penny pieces of bubblegum and blow bubbles all the way home.

I grew up in Hyannis back when Hyannis was a quiet village. We had deer, raccoons, and whippoorwills in our backyard and acres of woods where we built elaborate forts with all the neighborhood kids. Toads hung out by our back steps to catch moths at night and the sky was as full of bats as the backyard was full of fireflies. We could lie on our backs on summer nights and look at the stars while hoping to spot a shooting star. Sometimes we did, but mostly we just enjoyed the peace and quiet and the occasional hooting of an owl nearby.

Our walks took us through fields and by ponds and we were experts at catching frogs and snakes and scaring our little sisters with tales of giant spiders and snapping turtles big as houses. In early summer we’d find turtles laying eggs in sandy spots and occasionally a nest of baby bunnies.

We knew where the blue jays nested and where the crows hung out by old Mr. Pelder’s. We knew where to find the easiest tadpoles to catch and the shortest way to get to the beach on foot. 

At the beach we collected shells, but that was never as much fun or as challenging as catching crabs or minnows. Sometimes dads would come along and give us pieces of chicken to tie to strings to use as crab bait, but if we caught an especially big and feisty blue crab we’d shriek and yell and cause such a ruckus the crab would let go and we’d have to start over.

Wherever I’ve lived I’ve walked a lot. I can’t say I’ve walked all the beaches on the Cape, but I’ve sure walked a lot of them, and I can tell you they all have very particular personalities. This is true of our woodlands and fields as well. Fields or pastures are grassy places, often filled with wildflowers in the summer as well as many kinds of birds, insects, small mammals, and even reptiles and amphibians. One field isn’t always the same as another, though. Some are near ponds or vernal pools, some near rivers or salt marshes, and some are quite close to salt water.

Cape woodlands are full of pitch pines and oaks, but there are plenty of other trees as well. Some woods are full of beech and hickory trees while others are the homes of stately and huge white pines. Some swampy areas host cedars, both white and red, while others are full of red maples and tupelos.

As for beaches, they’re all different. Some are quiet and protected, some are wild and windy, and some have flats that extend far into the horizon at low tide.

It takes a walker, I think, to really explore wild places but also our neighborhoods. Walking is a slow means of transportation, allowing us to take it all in, to see and hear things in real time. 

Traveling on foot has allowed me to see countless birds and animals over the years, but it has also allowed me to get to know my neighbors. Summer walks in our neighborhood can be slow going as everyone seems to be outdoors and chatty. We are longtime residents in our neighborhood, and we’ve seen a lot of changes as the years have passed in our once quiet village, giving us lots to catch up on.

Because walking takes time, it gives us a chance to slow down in this busy world that is trying harder every day to engulf us and at the same time remove us from nature. Walking not only allows us to take in our surroundings in a meaningful way, it also gives us a chance to think and perhaps even solve a problem or two. 

For me, walking is a mood enhancer as well. It’s hard to stay cranky when walking. The movement gets our blood flowing and our oxygen levels rising, and it boosts our serotonin levels, too, always a good thing. 

Walking can be difficult for some people but even a short foray outdoors can do us a lot of good. Just being out in the fresh air, taking in the sounds and sights of nature can help us have a better day. There’s a lot of research showing how walking on grass, being out under the open sky, watching stars or staring at the waves going in and out is good for our mental health, and these days maybe we all need a little help staying positive.

If you can, take a walk, especially if you’re feeling stressed. Even a short walk can help clear your head and make you feel better, and who knows? Maybe you’ll see something wicked cool, like a snowy owl or an otter.