I don’t really need a destination when I go on the forest walk. I just need a few hours, my dog and a trail I feel like exploring.
Forest walks are probably my favorite way to spend time outdoors. I usually spend two to four hours in the forest, mostly walking, looking around, listening and letting the day unfold without too much of a plan. And almost always, my dog is with me. It is our favorite thing to do together.
I’m not talking about a serious hike here. For me, a forest walk is somewhere around a 3.5 out of 5 on the effort scale. There is enough walking to feel pleasantly tired afterwards, but the point isn’t to conquer a trail or reach a particular destination.
The point is simply to be there.
Why I keep coming back to the forest
I love being outdoors because it feels like a reset from everything that happens indoors.
After hours of looking at a computer and a phone, there is something incredibly refreshing about spending a few hours surrounded by trees. My eyes get a break from screens, my attention shifts away from notifications and work, and suddenly there are much more interesting things to notice: a flower, a mushroom, an insect, the shape of a tree or something moving in the bushes.
Sometimes I put my headphones on and listen to music I love. Other times I leave them in my bag and just listen to the forest.
I also love that I don’t have to make these walks fit anyone else’s schedule.
I rarely organize them around other people because I like being able to decide how far I want to go, when I want to stop and how long I want to stay. That flexibility is part of what makes a forest walk feel like a proper break for me.
And of course, there is my dog.
He gets to walk off leash where it is safe and allowed, explore, sniff everything that seems remotely interesting to him and generally do all the things dogs are supposed to do outside.
I get my movement and my time in nature. He gets his walk and his freedom to explore.
Everyone wins.
What my forest walks actually look like
Most of these walks happen in a local forest I know very well. I’ve walked its trails enough times to know the different routes, where they lead and which parts I particularly like. That doesn’t make the walks boring – quite the opposite. I can mix and match the trails, take a different turn, make the walk shorter or longer, or simply follow whatever feels good that day.
I’m not going into the forest to discover somewhere new every time. Sometimes it’s nice to know exactly where you are and still experience the walk differently.
My favorite forest walks usually happen in spring and autumn.
The temperature is comfortable, the landscape is beautiful and you can walk for hours without feeling like the weather is fighting against you. I don’t mind going in summer or winter either, but rain and mud are usually enough to make me postpone the plan.
When I arrive at the trail, I let my dog off the leash if the surroundings and local rules allow it, and we start walking.
At the beginning of the walk, I like to walk continuously for around one to one and a half hours. I don’t stop every few minutes, and I don’t worry too much about how many steps I’ve done. I just get into a rhythm and keep going.
This is probably my favorite part.
You start walking, your dog disappears a little way ahead to investigate something, you notice something interesting on the side of the trail, a song comes on that you really like – and suddenly you’ve walked much further than you thought.
The goal isn’t really to get somewhere.
It’s to get pleasantly tired without realizing how many steps you’ve done.
Then we take a break
After that first long stretch, I usually feel like we’ve earned a pause.
I make sure my dog has water and give him some time to rest, although he doesn’t always agree with the resting part. He would usually prefer to play.
If we find a good stick, we play with that. Sometimes I bring a ball and throw it for him. If there are other friendly dogs around, he might make some new friends while I get a little break.
Sometimes our pause is on a nice meadow. Sometimes it’s literally sitting on the ground or on a tree stump.
And sometimes I realize that what I thought would be a simple walk has accidentally turned into a tiny picnic.
But I don’t actually pack a full picnic for most forest walks. Usually, I have something small to snack on only if I feel like I might need it.
I often start these walks after breakfast, so food isn’t really the point.
Coffee, however, is a different story.
For an early morning forest walk, I sometimes bring coffee in a thermos and slowly drink it as I walk. Other times I don’t bring anything and stop at a café on the way back. There is one café in the park area of the forest I visit, so sometimes a coffee at the end of the walk becomes part of the ritual.
I don’t plan every detail.
I decide as I go.
The walk back is part of it too
By the time we take our first proper break, we’ve usually covered at least half of the route I’ve planned.
And in my case, because the route isn’t always circular, sometimes that actually means we’ve already reached the furthest point and are turning around.
The walk back is usually easier.
We can stop more often, let my dog explore a little longer and take our time. If I see a particularly nice spot, there is no reason not to stop.
This is also when I might sit down for a coffee, have my snack or let my dog play with another dog we meet.
Eventually, we make our way back home.
And that is usually when I realize that I got exactly what I wanted from the day.
I’m physically tired, but in a good way. My head feels clearer. I spent a few hours away from screens. And my dog is happy, tired and calm.
I can go home and continue working, run errands or leave him to rest while I go out again without feeling guilty that he hasn’t had enough exercise.
What I wear for a forest walk
Because most of my forest walks happen in spring and autumn, layering is more useful than having a specific hiking outfit.
What I wear depends on the temperature that day.
Usually it’s:
- leggings or shorts
- long socks
- comfortable sneakers
- a T-shirt
- a sweatshirt or hoodie, either worn or packed for later
I sometimes wear a cap, but unlike my summer days by the river, I don’t usually bother with sunglasses or SPF for a forest walk. There is generally enough shade under the trees, especially on the trails I choose.
My main rule is simple: wear something you can comfortably walk in for several hours.
You don’t need to dress like you’re about to climb a mountain if your plan is a few hours of walking through the woods.
What I actually bring
My forest walk packing list is surprisingly short.
I usually have:
- water
- keys
- phone
- headphones
- tissues
- dog poop bags
- a collapsible dog bowl, if I know there won’t be water along the way
- a small snack if I think I’ll want one
- coffee in a thermos for an early morning walk, sometimes
That’s about it.
And this is one of those situations where more space in your bag doesn’t necessarily mean you need more things.
I once used a tote-style bag with thin straps instead of a proper backpack because I thought I wasn’t carrying much.
Bad idea.
The straps dug into my shoulders, the water bottle kept moving around and the whole thing became uncomfortable very quickly.
A comfortable backpack is a much better option if you actually need to carry things.
But sometimes you don’t even need one.
If I’m wearing leggings with two side pockets, I can fit my phone in one and my keys and dog bags in the other. If I’m wearing a sweatshirt, I can often fit the rest into the pockets too.
My collapsible dog bowl has a little loop, so I can clip it onto my sweatshirt or another piece of clothing.
And if I know I’ll need to carry more, I simply take a small backpack.
The point is not to fill it just because there is room.
A few things I learned about keeping it comfortable
One of the easiest ways to make a forest walk less enjoyable is to carry too much.
There is something very tempting about looking at an empty backpack and thinking, I might need this.
And then suddenly you’ve packed a jacket you aren’t wearing, three different snacks, a giant water bottle, extra clothes and five things you haven’t touched in months.
For a two- to four-hour forest walk, I really don’t need much.
I would much rather have a comfortable pair of leggings with useful pockets and a small amount of water than a huge backpack filled with things I might possibly need.
The same goes for clothing.
I don’t need special hiking clothes for every forest walk. I need clothes that are comfortable, appropriate for the weather and easy to move in.
My forest walk essentials
If I had to reduce everything to the things I genuinely don’t want to forget, it would be:
For me:
- comfortable shoes
- weather-appropriate layers
- water
- phone
- keys
- headphones
- tissues
For my dog:
- poop bags
- water
- collapsible bowl when needed
- ball or another small toy if we’re planning to play
Nice to have:
- coffee in a thermos
- small snack
- small comfortable backpack
That’s really it.
I don’t think a good day in the forest requires an impressive amount of equipment.
It mostly requires enough time to stop rushing.
If you decide to bring your coffee with you and think which thermos to choose, I recommend checking out Starbucks offer. I have mine (stainless steel, very basic one) for 13 years. 🙂 Choose what you like and enjoy the warm coffee on the go.
The best part is coming home tired
I think what I love most about forest walks is that they manage to do several things at once.
I get to spend time outside, move my body, take a break from screens and let my brain wander a little.
My dog gets his favourite kind of exercise: walking, sniffing, exploring, playing and being a dog.
And because I don’t have to organize the whole thing around someone else’s schedule, I can let the walk take as long as it needs to.
Sometimes we walk for a few hours.
Sometimes we stop for coffee.
Sometimes we sit on a meadow.
Sometimes we barely speak to anyone.
And sometimes we just keep walking until I look at my phone and realize how many steps we’ve done.
Then we go home pleasantly tired.
My dog is happy, exhausted and calm. I’m recharged rather than drained.
And I think that’s why forest walks have become our favourite thing to do together.
I don’t go into the forest to accomplish anything. I go there to feel like myself again and luckily, my dog seems to enjoy the same plan.
Keep reading
Dog hiking checklist: Everything I pack before every trail
A practical look at what I bring when we’re heading out for a longer day on the trail.
What to pack for a summer hike
The packing list I come back to whenever I’m planning a day outdoors.
What to wear hiking in summer
What I actually wear for warm-weather days outside when a regular hike isn’t necessarily the plan.
