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As the UK weather starts getting sunnier, there’s a deep yearning within us to get outside and make the most of the weather. From BBQ-ing in cold climes, to embracing our adventurous spirit after a long, grey, soggy winter, us Brits are definitely in need of some vitamin D. But how do we get past the indecision and anxiety of heading outside after a winter indoors? Read on for my tried-and-tested tips for getting outside for a walk and making the most of the sunny spring weather while it lasts!
Getting outside: Walking in the UK in spring
This first proper sunny weekend of 2025 brought about a change in my mood and demeanor and I couldn’t bear to be inside any longer. Going from forcing myself outdoors for a daily walk (which, in all honesty, wasn’t as daily as I would have liked) to now being charged with joyous optimism and hope for the future, you could not have kept me inside!
Here’s how to get yourself outside when you’re stuck in a rut, yet ready for adventure:
Make a list of walking routes near you and walks you want to try
If you’re feeling extra organised, you can try grouping or colour-coding walks based on how long it takes you to get there. That way, if you want to go out after work one evening, you can pick a route close to home, requiring minimal prep and drive-time to get there. Or if you decide on a Friday that you want to spend a day out hiking, you can pick an option easily. Check out the section below for tips on where to go.
Let go of expectations for your walk
We all want a fabulous experience every time we leave our house for an adventure, but I’ve found that if I head out with an idea of what my walk requires, in order for me to deem it a success, I will come back feeling cheated and lacking the post-walk buzz. Keep your focus on getting to the walk itself, especially if you consider it a “boring” one that you’ve done countless times before. Look out for the little details along the way and take joy in noticing the small things as you go. I guarantee you will find magic along the way. Noticing the little changes can be an intensely rewarding experience.
Prepare for your walk ahead of time
Time is still of the essence at this time of year, especially in the evenings. Getting everything ready ahead of time can save you precious moments of daylight. This could be physical preparation, such as packing a small ready-to-go hiking bag, or getting all your bits and pieces together in one place to grab and go. Alternatively it could be a mental list of everything you need to take with you… so long as you know for certain where everything is! There’s nothing worse than being delayed because you can’t remember that smart and inspired place you moved your hiking boots to earlier in the year.
Don’t lose momentum before your walk
I know as well as you, that once we sit down on that big comfy sofa, there’s no hope for us. As creatures of habit, our brains will always opt for the easiest and safest route. Back in the day, this would have helped us to conserve energy after a long day of hunting or foraging and was a useful asset for us to survive. These days, navigating fractious office relationships while trying to get your work done to deadline burns through our mental stamina, but not our physical stamina.
Our brains can’t always tell the difference about why it is that we’re tired and interpret both types of tiredness in a similar way. If we are mentally tired, getting out into nature, slowing our pace and noticing the little details helps us to calm our frazzled nervous systems and can help to re-energise us. Realising how small we are in the grand scheme of things and remembering how we are all connected helps to put our problems in place. I find it’s a good buffer between my work-self and who I actually am as a human being (not a human doing!)
Chase childlike joy and wonder on your walks
Drink in the sights and sounds you see. Creating joy is a muscle that needs to be flexed in order for it to get stronger. The more you do it, the easier it will become. We get so stuck in our heads these days (smart phones and social media anyone?), with the world’s problems at our fingertips, that we forget about the beauty of life, and the sheer joy of living.
Leave your phone at home for your walk
Ok, deep breath, I know this feels uncomfortable and perhaps downright terrifying. What if something happens? What if someone needs to get hold of you? If you don’t track it, it doesn’t count! If I can immediately come up with a million excuses to keep my phone with me, then I know you can too. It might feel scary, but if it does then trust me this is exactly what the doctor orders.
If it’s possible, can you go for a solo walk by yourself, minus the distractions of your phone? Can you go with your partner and leave both your phones at home? What about a family walk with no devices? If taking your phone is necessary, try switching it to silent or airplane mode. Oh, and don’t reach for it to Google that song lyric, or jot down a note as your mind wanders. Try without, and see how it feels. How free and connected do you feel afterwards? Isn’t it ironic that becoming less connected with the wider world, makes us feel more connected to our world?
How to pick a spring walking route in England
We have a wealth of gorgeous routes available to us on our little island, but we tend to think the world is a much smaller, infinitely less interesting place than it actually is. With no end of map apps to pick from, zooming and scrolling has made our world a tiny, bite-sized and easily accessible place. Cars, trains and planes have all shortened distances for us, though have removed us of our ability to understand what it’s like to move under our own steam from place to place.
There is so much to still be discovered in the world, especially close to home. I know we’d rather be where the ‘gram says it’s worth it, or somewhere exotically far flung, but adventure can be much closer than you expect. I’d wager that there are a wealth of routes you can walk from home, that you currently don’t know about!
Where to go for a spring walk in the UK
Here’s some ideas of places to look, to plan your spring hike:
- Routes from home – pick a direction and start walking! Even if that’s just around your local, built-up area, you might discover some hidden gems along the way.
- Routes from work, or on the way home – have you ever stopped to consider where that footpath leads to? Perhaps your new favourite walk is a short detour out of your way.
- A local beauty spot – these will likely be quieter in the off season, with most people opting for a meal in front of the telly.
- Somewhere new – a little research might reveal a gap on your map that you haven’t yet coloured in with your experiences.
How to plan your spring walking route
Here are some places of where you can look to plan your routes:
- Map or hiking app – such as Google Maps, OS Explorer, Komoot, AllTrails, Maps.me, Outdooractive and Go Jauntly
- Paper map – such as OS Explorer or Harvey maps.
- Books – such as local interest books, history books or your favourite hiking book.
- Websites – such as local sites, or larger sites like Lonely Planet or the National Trust.
- Blogs – search for local hiking or outdoors bloggers, or check out the rest of my site for an ever-growing bank of inspiration.
If you are after more specific places to go in the southwest of England and South Wales, keep an eye out for more upcoming blog posts on A Woman Walks.
What to pack for a spring walk in England
Let’s keep it nice and easy, light and breezy. We need to make the most of our precious daylight hours after all! What you pack depends on where you’ll be going. For this article, we’ll be looking at safe and easy walks, but if you’re after a more extensive packing list for a more adventurous hike, check out my article on Safely Preparing for Winter Mountain Hikes.
For short, easy walks, close to home, you’ll want a base-level list of things to pack:
- Water bottle
- Snack
- Headphones (if you must)
- Trainers or hiking boots
- Jacket – this could be a fleece or a waterproof coat
- Optional: Tissues, hayfever tablets, phone
Optional extras include tissues, hayfever tablets for early sufferers and your phone. If you are going somewhere for the first time, you might wish to take an OS Explorer map, or a portable charger to ensure your phone remains full of juice.
For longer walks and more “serious” hikes, you might consider adding:
- Hiking pack or rucksack
- Head torch or hand torch
- Compass and map
- More clothing layers – base layer, mid-layer, fleece and coat
- First aid kit
Optional extras include hiking poles, a multi-tool and emergency equipment, such as a foil blanket and whistle. These would be for wilder terrain, or if you plan on scaling a mountain after work or at the weekend. Look at you, you adventurous beaver!
Now get out there and create some new memories!
Let’s make 2025 the year doom scrolling dies. 💪
Know when to walk and when to rest
This all being said as a woman who walks, it’s important to know when to listen to your body and to rest if you need to. I find that in spring, when the sun starts to shine and the flowers start to bloom and bring colour back into our lives, that I want to do all the things, all the time. Remember that we are still emerging from the cocoon and hibernation of winter. Nature is waking up gently and slowly, so allow yourself to do the same!
This is the time of year to start creating small habits that benefit your mind, body and soul. Sometimes the best thing we can do is rest. Perhaps we’ve planned a quick hike before the evening darkness, but after a day of meetings and deadlines, we are drained and craving a bath and early bed. If that’s what your body is calling for, then honour your intuition and take an evening off.
Make doom-scrolling a non-option and put your phone in another room, perhaps even turn it off. Take a bath, read a book, create art, eat a nourishing meal and get an early night if that’s what you need. In the age of hustle, when our worth is tied to what we’re doing, it pays to know when to step away and truly embrace the ‘being’ side of human. Those walks can wait for another day.
Final thoughts before embarking on your UK spring walks
Spring is a wonderful time of the year to explore your local area. With less people about and more space to yourself, along with the ever-increasing evening light, it’s a wonderful time of the year to notice and honour the changing seasons. As we emerge from winter, tired of the gloom and grey and in desperate need of some vitamin D, taking the chance to enjoy the increased daylight hours is a special opportunity.
For me, however mentally fatigued and foot-dragging I feel, getting outside and connecting with nature helps me to keep my equilibrium in balance, provides gentle, low-impact cardio and connects me with a higher power. Some call it God, others call it Goddess, Spirit, Self or just put it down to feeling refreshed and energised. However you put it, and however you phrase it, once thing is for certain: getting outside makes us feel good.
💚 Now take the opportunity to get out there, and tag me @awomanwalks to share your adventures with me!
Until next time intrepids, onwards!
Jenni
👣
Have no one to go hiking with and not sure about going it alone? Don’t you worry, because I’m here to guide you every step of the way. Read my Ultimate Beginners Guide To Hiking Alone to discover how I became the confident solo hiker I am today.