If you’re a nature lover, you probably feel most at home under the trees or open sky… You may also have trouble finding excuses to get outside as often as you’d like. Or, perhaps you’re simply looking for something new!
To give you some ideas, here are 11 outdoor hobbies for nature lovers:
1.Foraging
To become a forager, there are a few things that you’ll need to know first: what toxic plants and lookalikes grow in your area, and what good stuff grows in your area. This way, you’ll know that to avoid and what to look for.
Otherwise, poisoning is a serious risk. This is eliminated by foraging with great care, and picking only what you are absolutely sure of.
How do you get started foraging and making your own foraged dishes? Do your research, collect a basket or two, and visit a local forest or meadow!
You can find blackberries, wood sorrel, ground cherries, walnuts, rose hips, and more. There are even a few goodies you can find in your own backyard (as long as they don’t have pesticides), like dandelions or clover.
2.Hiking
Hiking can be a fine activity for a loner, as long as you are a careful hiker. If you plant to hike alone, do it on trails where other hikers pass somewhat frequently.
At least, enough so that if you were to get hurt, someone would come by. You also want to bring a first aid kit, energy-rich snacks like trail mix, and plenty of water.
Once you’re prepared and have chosen a good location, you can set out to explore.
Many trails pass by rivers, and there are sure to be trees aplenty, as well as flowers, birds, chipmunks and squirrels, and some hikes even end with an especially magnificent view!
When hiking, you can enjoy the sights, observe wild critters, and soak in some sunlight and fresh air. It can be a wonderful way to relax and get back in touch with yourself.
3.Archery
If you’re looking for a new outdoor activity, look no further. Archery can provide the excuse to escape to the outdoors that you’re after. After all, the best places to practice archery are a wood or meadow.
They provide plenty of spots to prop targets, and it’ll be easier to find a private area where no one will accidentally get shot with an errant arrow!
To get started with archery, all that you need are some basic instructions, lots of practice, and of course, a bow!
4.Rock Tumbling
This is kind of a unique hobby, you’d probably have to like cool or pretty rocks to be interested in it.
Rock tumbling involves collecting likely rocks and polishing them to a shiny, lustrous finish in a rock tumbler. You’d be surprised how much beauty is hidden in even the simplest rock!
If you’ve seen unnaturally smooth crystals or rocks at the store, they have almost certainly been through a rock tumbler.
Tumbled rocks can be used for decor, or to make jewelry, both of which you can gift, sell, and enjoy yourself.
5.Meditation
It’s true, you can meditate just about anywhere that’s free enough of distraction… but the best place to meditate is, without a doubt, outdoors, in nature’s greenery, sunlight, and fresh air.
The idea of meditation is to calm our racing, worried thoughts enough to be able to experience feelings that are more peaceful, and thoughts that are clearer.
It’s an age-old practice that can be used to vastly improve your quality of life, from sleep, to relationships, to how you generally feel.
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Many have attempted meditation yet given up quickly, as it takes some practice and patience. If you’d like to give it an honest shot, this is important to remember.
When done properly, meditation can not only be profoundly relaxing, it can give you the mental freedom to live life more fully, and better. It’s a hobby that’s simple, yet powerful. Perhaps you’d like to give it a try?
6.Kickboxing
Almost anyone can become a great kickboxer. This is a hobby that’s a great outlet for frustration, stress, and anger. Not only that, it’s a workout the entire body, building muscle and serving as a fantastic calorie burner.
All that you need is a punching bag, gloves, and wrist wraps, as well as a bit of know-how! Learn to kickbox by taking classes or do a bit of research online yourself.
7.Flower Pressing
If you’re a nature lover in northern climes, you may mourn the flowers dying each year. With flower pressing, you can preserve the beauty of your favorite blossoms to enjoy in the winter.
How? To get a well-pressed and preserved flower, place the blossom between two pieces of absorbent paper, such as unscented tissue, coffee filters, or brown or white paper.
Allow to dry. Store sealed in a special pressed flower book.
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8.An Outdoor Tea Ceremony
What’s better than home-brewed tea? An outdoor tea ceremony. This is actually perfectly fitting, as tea is an ancient practice that’s largely bound to the four primary elements of the earth: fire, earth, air, and water (particularly earth, fire, and water).
You can learn all about tea harvesting practices, brewing techniques and ceremonies in books and online if you are a beginner.
Brew up your favorite tea, serve it with care, and sip it tranquilly in the peaceful environment of nature. This can be a forest or meadow, or even your own backyard (if you have the privacy).
If you’re not really a tea fan, you’ve probably only tried bagged, store-bought tea. Quality (often aged) loose teas and tea cakes are a completely different story.
You will have many more kinds to choose from, with berries, spices, and more, and they are far superior in ingredients and flavor.
So, you may wish to purchase quality loose tea or tea cakes online to sample, to learn how you really feel about this fragrant, mellow hot drink!
9.Gardening
Gardening can be a perfect hobby for a nature lover. Just set aside a plot and prepare it by tilling it with a good gardening soil.
From there, plant the fruits, veggies and tubers of your choice according to their requirements for lighting and pH.
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You can find information like this online easily, along with pruning instructions, fertilizing suggestions, watering directions, and hardiness zones (what climates to plant what in).
Your own garden can be an invaluable source of delicious berries for smoothies and jams, greens for salads, veggies for stir fries, and more… If you’ve got the garden space (and if it sounds doable and enjoyable), what are you waiting for?
10.Bird Keeping in An Outdoor Aviary
Bird keeping can be a lovely hobby for anyone, and it’s perfect for a bird lover. There are all sorts of birds that you can keep in an outdoor aviary, including finches, mynahs, doves, and more!
What do you need to get started? The proper habitat: a large bird aviary. Birds also require the proper food, toys to play with, non-toxic foliage, and plenty of fresh (and separate) bathing and drinking water.
They should be shielded from both predators and the weather.
They are usually a pet to watch rather than to touch, but with their myriad colors, graceful (or silly) movements, and sweet voices, to observe them is a wonder itself.
11.Build A Fish Pond
Or, perhaps you’re more of a fish keeper. Are you entranced by aquatic life? Fish may not be the most interactive of pets, but they sure are cool to watch: all movement and color!
Once you have the right supplies, pond fish are also fairly simple to care for. The most important item for your pond is a water filter, which will help oxygenate and purify the water (so that it’s both breathable and hygienic).
Pair your fish according to their hardiness and how long they will get along with each other. For example, many have successfully paired Goldfish and Koi!
Final Thoughts
So, what do you think? Have you given all of these activities a try? If so, maybe you’d like to pick up an old favorite, like archery, or maybe you’d like to try something new!
There are lots of hobbies to choose from for the life-loving, ever-curious nature lover!
