Give your mind some summer loving: How to soak up the sights, sounds and smells of nature this summer

Summer has arrived. The season of picnics and barbecues, Wimbledon and music festivals, trips to the beach and liberally applied suncream.

It’s also the season when UK nature is at its brilliant best, as longer, warmer days are filled with the sound of birdsong, flowers in full bloom, the taste of freshly picked fruit and the feeling of grass underfoot.

Being in nature for just 20 minutes a day is enough to improve our mental wellbeing, and WWF has shared some fun, unique and accessible ways you can get your daily dose of nature this summer.

Connecting with nature and each other in the summer sun

Summer in the UK can often seem unpredictable, from humid, overcast days, to weeks of scorching heatwaves. But there are plenty of different energising and stress-free ways to get your daily dose of nature this summer, whether you’re looking to relax in the sunshine or cool off on those extra hot days:

• Pack a picnic – A summer staple, packing up a picnic with your favourite foods and enjoying them in beautiful surroundings is a great mood-boosting feeling. Just remember to leave everything as you found it and take your rubbish with you.
• Pick your own fruit and veg – Fruit and veg picking is a great way to get hands-on with our food as a family and reminds us of where it really comes from. Often available at farms, city farms, orchards and garden centres, it’s a chance to boost our wellbeing while supporting a local business.
• Parkrun– WWF has teamed up with Parkrun to encourage everyone to get their daily dose of nature at parkrun’s nature-rich 5km trails across over 850 locations in the UK. This summer, Parkrun and WWF will be sharing ways you can connect with nature during your parkruns, what plants and animals to look out for, and there may even be some special guests along the way.
• Trek for WWF– If running isn’t your thing, taking on a hike is a great way to enjoy the benefits of nature while raising funds to protect it. From the Lake District to the Jurassic Coast, there are plenty of walking events to sign up to, whilst raising money for conservation projects.
• Great Wild Walks– WWF’s family-friendly 5 or 10-mile walks help everyone take in beautiful landscapes and picturesque woodland routes, giving friends, families and other like-minded people the chance to connect with nature in your local area and raise funds for the places they love.
• Wild swimming – Looking to cool off on a hot day? Take a refreshing dip in nature with some wild swimming. Or you can take on the WWF Swim Challenge and swim 5, 10 or 20km at your local pool, lake or in the sea to raise money for WWF. Find out more on the WWF events page or search ‘WWF Swim Challenge’ on Facebook. If you’re planning a wild swim, stay safe and please read WWF’s safety guidance before you go.

Look and listen out for sights and sounds of summer

Nature is bursting with life in the summer months and there’s so much to awaken the senses and get your daily dose of nature when out on a sunny stroll. From the sweet scent of flowers to the gentle hum of pollinators, nature really is abuzz with activity, if you know where to look for it.

• Badgers – The UK’s largest land predator, early summer is the best time to spot badgers. Though nocturnal, they may emerge before sunset during warmer summer evenings. While they typically live in woodland setts, badgers can also thrive in urban areas with enough cover and nearby green spaces for foraging.
• Honeysuckle – A sweet, fragrant, woody climbing plant, honeysuckle flowers are trumpet-shaped, cream to butter-yellow in colour, and sometimes with a rose-pink tinge. Found across the UK in woodlands and hedgerows, honeysuckle is a vital food source for pollinators including butterflies and bumblebees.
• Elderflower – With clusters of tiny white flowers, elderflower is sweet-scented and a favourite for pollinators throughout the summer. They can also be foraged to make a refreshing drink on those hot summer days, as long as you leave plenty behind for nature.
• Butterflies – Summer is the height of insect activity and a great time to spot them. In coastal regions, keep an eye out for beautiful wall brown butterflies with distinctive eyespots on their wings basking on a sunny rock face or wall.
• Dragonflies and damselflies – The speedy and spectacular dragonflies and damselflies can also be spotted throughout the summer. The emperor dragonfly can be seen darting around lakes, ponds and meadows, with males identifiable by their bright blue abdomen and females a brilliant green.
• Cuckoos – Despite their beloved call, the cuckoo has a dark reputation as a ‘brood parasite’. The female cuckoo removes an egg from an existing nest and replaces it with her own. Once hatched, the imposter chick pushes the other chicks out of the nest and consumes all the food brought by its adoptive parent before leaving the nest in early summer.
• Swifts – You may hear them before you see them as swifts screech and dart about overhead. Found across the UK in the summer, these birds migrate to the UK for the breeding season, the only time in the year when they’re not constantly in flight. Dark, sooty brown with short, forked tails and curved wings, these superb flyers are often seen looking for nesting sites in gaps in walls or roof eaves.

If rain comes to dampen the summer vibes... connect with nature indoors

Sometimes summer just isn’t summering, or maybe it’s too hot and you find yourself trapped indoors. But you can still connect with nature and the wellbeing benefits it brings without having to venture out in the rain or the blistering heat. WWF’s Prescription for Nature hub has plenty of ideas to let nature in on those summer days at home.

• Make art with nature – Look out of your window or choose a natural object at home and get cracking. Paint your favourite plant, sketch flowers or fruits, or even try sculpting with clay.
• Cook with the seasons – Cooking can be a great wellbeing boost and using seasonal produce is a great challenge and way to celebrate nature. Next time you write your shopping list, have a think about what’s in season in the UK this summer, and see what creative, delicious recipes you can give a go. Check out Riverford for some recipe ideas.
• Tend to houseplants – Your green housemates can help reduce stress and bring a fantastic sense of calm, as well as being beautiful to look at. So, take a moment to show them some love and a much-needed drink in the summer.
• Meditate with nature – Need a mindful moment to cool off? Why not try meditating with the sound of nature. WWF even has a guided meditation with Miranda Richardson, which is a great place to start.