As well as being good exercise, most of us go for walks for views, flowers, bird watching etc, and on one of my regular walks in Sussex, along the river from Lewes to Hamsey and back, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy all three. However, how many of us bother to look beyond the obvious when we are out?
I always take loads of photos on all my walks, and often have a ‘topic’ in mind when I set out, dependent upon the time of year, weather, and location. For example, I might keep a look out for fungi, unusual trees, wild flowers and so on.
On a recent walk I decided to ‘look beyond the obvious’ and take more notice of nature’s many and varied textures. Next time you go out, take a moment to seek out the less obvious beauty around you.
Those little plants that people write off as ‘just a weed’ often have fascinating structures to their leaves, stems and flowers.
Even the smallest tree can have wonderful patterns in its bark and leaves. And by taking more note of the little things, you’ll realise there is so much more to see when you’re out and about.
Some of the flora is imaginatively named.
Whilst inspecting the plants around me, I also spotted a couple of ladybirds (pun intended!), a worker bee, and other bugs resting on leaves.
Of course, it’s lovely to look at the far-reaching views, but don’t let them distract you from all the other interesting things right under your nose.
Next time you head out into our beautiful Sussex or Kent countryside, try taking a look at things close up!!
Nature is not just about fine vistas and pretty flowers; even ‘weeds’ can be beautiful.
