Woman sits, knees up on chair and appears to be listening intently; Small group stands in bright sunshine under a tree.
“Joy, pure and simple joy,” is how Lynda feels about the Nature Walks with York Bike Belles.
Whilst Lynda has a background in science and nature, with both a degree and a PhD in Biology, her love of the natural world had had to take a back seat. Life was busy, especially in supporting her children with additional needs and recovering from Long Covid.
“I wasn’t really looking for anything, but a friend who knows I love nature passed on the details of the Nature Walks.” And now she is so glad that she did. “I was a bit hesitant about coming, I didn’t know anybody and thought it might be full of people who know absolutely loads.”
Lynda first started coming on the weekly Nature Walks in our Take The Green Route! programme in July 2024. The group walks are an hour long and focus on connecting with the natural world as we walk, pause and talk. From the first walk, she was hooked, and hasn’t looked back. Lynda has been on seven walks over the Summer and Autumn programmes, coming whenever she can as she finds the benefits for her to be greater than the exercise class she had signed up to! She has also been to a number of our weekend workshops, including one on Growing Wildflowers.
“I just didn’t know I needed this.” Lynda has been surprised by the joy that she has found in learning about nature again. “I have just loved learning about the nature around us, it is such a thrill. And learning it with people who care about the same things, who share that passion has made it more enjoyable and interesting. It’s great to have an excuse to be able to stop and look at things with the group, that perhaps you wouldn’t do on your own, or people would think you were a bit strange!”
Coming on the walks and workshops has encouraged Lynda to spend more time in nature. She finds herself noticing so much more and trying to identify as much as possible whenever she is out and about. “It’s like a seed has been planted, that has just allowed my interest to grow. I asked for nature books for Christmas … and now I have a big bag of books on trees!” As well as the joy of learning, Lynda has found that the nature connection really relaxes her and, very simply, makes her feel happy.
When our programme starts again in Spring, Lynda’s intention is to come to as many walks as possible. Insects are next on her learning wish list. We’ll see what we can do, Lynda, or perhaps you can teach us!
Group talking together under an canopy of orange leaves; Woman scattering seeds in an area of bare soil.
York Bike Belles 