playbook
First forest day of spring
A quiet day in the woods, right at the moment the first buds are opening. Walking, sitting, watching, and consciously walking the winter out of your system.
5u
duration
€ 0–15
budget
Ground
pace
The first warm day in March or April feels different from an ordinary walk. The ground smells damp, the first wood anemones are nestled between the leaves, and you hear birds you haven't heard all winter. A forest day at this time of year isn't a sporting achievement, but a way to switch your senses back on after months spent indoors.
You don't need much to make it happen. A backpack with water, a sandwich, shoes that can get wet. Het Amsterdamse Bos or Nationaal Park Veluwezoom both work well, but any forest near you will do. The trick is in the pace: slower than you're used to, with enough breaks to actually notice things. By the end you'll know this little slice of the season, and you'll know where you want to come back to later this year.
Checklist
0 of 13
Waterfles en boterham inpakken
Schoenen die nat mogen
Regenjas of windjack mee
Telefoon op stil zetten
Route of ingang opzoeken
Thermoskan thee vullen
Forest-app klaarzetten voor 's avonds
Teken-check na thuiskomst
Lente = eerste teken-activiteit, ook op honden
Teken-check na thuiskomst
Lente = eerste teken-activiteit, ook op honden
Teken-check na thuiskomst
Lente = eerste teken-activiteit, ook op honden
Teken-check na thuiskomst
Lente = eerste teken-activiteit, ook op honden
Teken-check na thuiskomst
Lente = eerste teken-activiteit, ook op honden
Teken-check na thuiskomst
Lente = eerste teken-activiteit, ook op honden
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by PlayTryBe team
Pack a light backpack: water, a sandwich, an extra jumper, a rain jacket just in case.
Suggestion: Shoes that can get wet make the day so much easier.Put your phone on silent at the edge of the forest and stand still for a minute to listen.
Suggestion: Try to pick out three different sounds before you move on.Walk the first twenty minutes without talking or scrolling, and pay attention to the smell of the ground.
Suggestion: If you're with someone: agree that you won't talk again until the first break.Find a fallen tree or a mossy spot, sit down, and breathe slowly in and out for five minutes.
Spot three signs of spring: a bud opening up, a bird you recognise, a flower just coming through.
Suggestion: Take photos as a personal reminder, not to share.Have lunch in a quiet spot, without any rush. Eat more slowly than you normally would.
Suggestion: A thermos of tea instantly turns it into a proper outing rather than a pit stop.On the way back, pick up a small natural memento: a feather, a pebble, a leaf.
Suggestion: Put it on your desk at home so the day stays with you a little longer.At home, open the Forest app and plant a tree during your evening wind-down, with your phone face down.
Suggestion: Pick a thirty-minute session and tie it to a fixed evening task.For anyone copying this
Do as we did
Suggestions
- Go on a weekday or early in the weekend; it gets busier around eleven.
- Dress in layers, the forest stays cooler than open fields.
- A paper map or offline route keeps you from endlessly tapping at your phone.
- Bring a small rubbish bag so you can pick up a bit of litter along the way.
- Do a tick check when you get home: spring also means the first tick activity.
Variations
- - Doe het samen met een vriend of partner, maar spreek twee stilteblokken af.
- - Maak er een fietsdag van: cycle naar het bos en wandel een kortere lus.
- - Combineer met een bos-yoga sessie op een open plek, mat of doek mee.
- - Doe dezelfde route in zomer, herfst en winter en houd seizoenen bij in een schrift.