Great Ways to Make the Most of the Lighter Evenings
After a long winter, we could easily be forgiven for forgetting about the official beginning of spring on Tuesday 20th March. With the recent visit from Storm Emma, it can feel more wintery than ever.
However, with the changing of the clocks at the weekend, we can at least look forward to brighter evenings. These extra hours of daylight mean that we can try new activities or spend more time in the great outdoors. Find below a list of great ways to make the most out of the brighter evenings.
1. Bring More Yin and Yang with Yoga
Yoga is a great exercise that can be practised the whole year round. With brighter evenings offering us more daylight, now might be the perfect opportunity to grab your mat and head to a local park. Not only will you get plenty of great exercise into a session, you can also relax and unwind with plenty of fresh air, getting your body ready for a peaceful night’s sleep. Several yoga practitioners offer outdoor classes so keep a lookout for these on local noticeboards, Yoga Facebook groups or websites in your area.
2. Volunteer to Help Your Community
Many of our local community groups rely on volunteers to deliver their services the whole year round. Many new activities and programmes start in spring. For instance, if you live near an animal sanctuary, allotment, a woodland trust or initiative for the homeless, find out if they could benefit from a pair of helping hands in the evening time.
3. Let Your Inner Picasso Shine
Take your easel and paintbrush to a quiet spot by a lake or river to connect with nature and capture the essence of its beauty. If painting has always been on your bucket list, make this spring the time you tick it off. You don’t need classes to have a go at painting, however, if you want some direction and guidance to get you started check out the vast selection of arts and craft courses at centres across Northern Ireland.
4. Learn to Swim
Brighter evenings mean that summer is on the way. You could use this time to learn how to swim for a summer holiday in Europe or, if you are feeling brave enough, in local waters, too! Most local pools run kids and adult swimming lessons, so you could make it into a family affair and become a water-loving family before the summer months roll in.
5. Those Boots Were Made for Walking
Northern Ireland is blessed with a large number of walking trails and trekking routes. Whether you’re starting off or building your own knowledge of walking, check out Walk NI for the most comprehensive round up of walking trials Northern Ireland has to offer. There are walks, hill climbs and treks to suit people of all ages and fitness levels.
6. Do More Exercise
The colder winter evenings make us want to curl up on the sofa in front of the fire with a box set. Now that the brighter evenings have arrived we are more open minded to getting out into nature. Find a willing partner and set yourself some fitness goals. Use park benches, parkland trails and outdoor gyms as your fitness facilities to get fit, feel better and lead a healthier lifestyle. If you need some guidance around suitable exercises, see the series of videos from Joe Wicks, which can be replicated anywhere, anytime.
7. Put Your Green Fingers to the Test
The brighter evenings are a great excuse to get out into the garden and plant some new bulbs for blooming across the comings months. At this time of the year, all weather plants may need trimmed and tidied, weeds ousted, and new flower beds planted. Set yourself the challenge of a gorgeous garden makeover in a week and see how talented those green fingers can become.
Do you have any other great ways to make the most of the brighter evenings?
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