Bags First Aid

Mental Health & Physical Well-being - Night Walking

The clocks changing means an end to evening walks in daylight for a while. As Autumn gives way to Winter the hours of darkness extend and it can be hard to find time to get out and about. But the lack of daylight doesn’t necessarily mean an end to outdoor evening walks.... it just means they become ‘night walks’.

Walking in the dark is an exciting experience. When I worked teaching Outdoor Education it was often one of the most popular activities for the young people to experience on their residential. It is rarely completely dark at night. Street lights reflecting off cloud cover in urban areas, moonlight and even star light in the countryside creates a dim monochromatic view of our surroundings. As our visual input decreases the other senses become sensitised and we hear, feel and smell more than we would otherwise.

There are chances of a fleeting view of wildlife. Nocturnal animals such as fox, badger, hedgehog, bats and owls as well as small rodents and moths.

Take the time to savour the solitude, the calm and tranquility once the day visitors have left. Even normally busy paths become quiet and peaceful once the sun has set.

Stay safe! It is harder to navigate in the dark so I suggest sticking to routes you have done before in daylight (unless you relish the challenge of night navigation). Take your mobile phone and a torch. A head-torch is great for hands free use. It can be cold once the sun goes down so wrap up warm.