Now that the warmer weather is tentatively poking its head through various areas of the UK and longer days are well and truly here, now is the ideal time to find yourself a new summer hobby that can enrich your life and give you something to do to enjoy the long days and nicer (hopefully) weather.
But first, why should you take up a new hobby for the summer? Harvard Health noted that one study found people who had a hobby (they were studied for between 4 and 8 years) reported being happier, healthier, and more positive and reported fewer instances of mental health issues than those who didn’t. If that isn’t enough to get you on board with a summer hobby, then maybe these suggestions can help entice you to try something new this summer and maybe find something you love.
Gardening
Gardening is a hobby you can carry on throughout most of the year; however, spring/summer is the ideal time to start testing out exactly how green-fingered you are or could be.
It doesn’t matter whether you have a garden or not, you can look into acquiring an allotment or creating mini gardens or green spaces indoors or on balconies, for example, to benefit from this hobby.
It’s actually a pretty easy hobby to get started with. You might find you want to start by reviving a tired, worn lawn and bringing it back to a lush, healthy green area for you to enjoy this summer. Or you can experiment with easy to care for hardy plants or fruits and vegetables; carrots, potatoes, strawberries, beetroots, or courgettes are really good choices to get started with.
From here, you can expand your expertise, learn new skills, discover the benefits of proper irrigation and propagation, and learn how to stop snails from destroying your plants. You might decide you want to add a greenhouse; Cultivar greenhouses are top tier greenhouses. You might also want to expand your plant life and learn how to take your garden from summer or winter for a healthy-looking green space all year round. If you want a good outdoor activity for this summer, gardening can be highly beneficial and therapeutic.
Cycling
If you’re looking for a new hobby that can help you improve your fitness while getting outdoors and about, cycling is precisely what you’re looking for. With more and more councils getting on board with cycling initiatives and improving the cycle network across the country, the summer months are ideal for you to hit the road on two wheels and get around your local area or beyond. Whether you go off the beaten track and away from main roads or more public places and cycle in the countryside or along the coast, or you decide you’re going to commute to work on a bike or tackle more urban landscapes, it’s entirely up to you.
Cycling isn’t just an effective way to get around or spend a few hours each day; it can literally open up a whole new world and introduce you to thriving cycling communities across the country. You can join group cycles, go on cycling holidays or compete in races once you become more confident. Plus, you can experience many health benefits from cycling, such as improved heart health, boosted mental health and cognitive function, and it can offer some protection against certain cancers, strokes, heart disease and heart attacks.
Wild Swimming
If you’ve been curious about the benefits of wild swimming but have not been brave enough to give it a try, the warmer days are the ideal time for you to take the plunge literally, even if you start with simply entering the water and not going too far out.
In the first instance, you should always try to go wild swimming with another person or group and always tell someone where you are in the event of anything happening so they can easily find you or see rescue services. Pay attention to any tidal and weather warnings that make your swimming location more dangerous, and ensure you know the laws around wild swimming in the UK, which can be complex at times. Everyone has the right to swim in open water; however, in some cases, the land surrounding the water and the waterbeds could be privately owned, and the landowner might not be ok with people on their land using the water to swim.
It could be a good idea to swim in places where there is a lifeguard on duty to ensure your safety or join a club until you gain more confidence and can easily swim out on your own.
Reading
Now the days are longer, and it’s lighter earlier in the morning, and well into the night, it’s the ideal time for you to pick up a book and spend your extra hours of daylight reading. Turn off the TV, put down the devices (unless you’re reading on them), head out to your garden if you have one and open your book. There is something about the summer that helps you feel more relaxed and at peace, especially if you’re sitting outside with the sun on your face.
Getting lost in a good book can help you to promote relaxation and transport you to a different world for a bit of escapism for a short period. Or you choose nonfiction books to brush up your knowledge skills or take a deep dive into a topic that interests you. It doesn’t matter what you decide to read; just read something. If reading isn’t for you, audiobooks could be a great alternative as can podcasts on a topic that sparks your curiosity. You’re still gaining information, which can have the same effect.
There are so many fabulous hobbies you can take up this summer to make the most of the better weather and longer days. These are just a few suggestions that lend themselves well to the summer and can be a great addition to your life.
