Rainbow walks

‘Greenspace’ can give the impression that all nature is green. Greenspaces are of course dominated by the greens of the trees, shrubs, grass and other plants that make up the habitats. However, within the greenspace, even leaves have subtle variations in colour if you take the time to notice, and some plant leaves are not green at all! Plant stems, flowers, fruit, berries and nuts can also be a whole variety of colours, as can insects, birds and other creatures.

Colour in nature in the UK can seem quite subtle compared to some countries, but it is still there if you look. Midsummer is the perfect time to start exploring colour in nature by going on longer walks. The season is in full flow and there is so much to see. Visiting a larger local greenspace is a great place to start.

A simple activity for promoting mindfulness on your nature walks is to mentally tick off the colours of the rainbow as you discover something natural of that colour on your walk. You could use the pneumonic ’Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vein’ - the first letters of which remind us of the colours of the rainbow - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. As you walk, keep an eye out for something of each of these colours. It doesn’t have to be a big blousy flower. It could be something quite small like a berry or insect, or it could be something quite subtle like the stem of a leaf.

Whatever time of year you try this you will come up with different things to make up your rainbow. Spring, summer and autumn will all provide plenty of variety. The activity will be more challenging in winter though. If you do this activity regularly, can you notice whether some colours are more dominant at different times of the year?

You could also make variations of this activity by limiting it to say just leaves (a good one for the autumn), or just flowers, or some other category. You may also choose to add in black and white too!

By using your eyes to really tune into the colours that are present in nature as you go on you walk, it keeps you in the moment, immersing yourself in the beauty of nature. That has to be good for your wellbeing. Why not give it a go?

‘We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way.’ - Gloria Gaither