Each June, The Wildlife Trusts invite people across the UK to take part in 30 Days Wild. A month long challenge to do something wild every day. It’s a call to pause, connect, and rediscover the nature that surrounds us, whether that’s deep in the hills or just around the corner. This year, I took on the challenge again, letting each day guide me to a moment of wildness. Sometimes that meant exploring a hidden gill in the Lake District. Other times, it meant noticing wild strawberries beneath a hedgerow or pausing beside a city canal on a lunch break. Here’s a reflection on my month of mindful moments in nature, big and small.
Day 1
Spotted a Mandarin mum and chick soaking up the sunshine on a quiet Derbyshire river. The perfect start. That evening, we caught up on #Springwatch. This year based at Longshaw, our local patch. Excited to see what unfolds over the next 30 days.
Day 2
Paused during a cycle ride through a cemetery I often pass but rarely explore. Among the trees, a vivid Common Laburnum caught the light. A reminder that beauty often hides in plain sight.
Day 3
Explored an alternative finish on the Blackden Brook scramble up Kinder Scout. A tucked away gully, solid rock, trickling water, and playful moves. Even familiar hills hold surprises when you shift your path.
Day 4
Woke up in my bivvy to a sunrise over Ringing Roger. There’s something special about letting nature set your alarm clock.
Day 5
A short walk between rain showers revealed wild strawberries quietly thriving at the base of a hedgerow. Proof that nature rewards the observant.
Day 6
Visited Longshaw Estate with my son. Home to BBC Springwatch 2025. We spotted camera-rigged nest boxes and behind-the-scenes setups. Fascinating to see how our local patch comes alive on screen.
Day 7
Wandered along Cromford Canal to visit Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s restored Aqueduct Cottage. Its history and revival are testaments to the power of care and attention.
Day 8
An afternoon ride with my son. Local trails, sunshine, and simple conversations. Nothing fancy, but quietly perfect.
Day 9
Evening walk through Upper Rough Wood, once part of a hunting estate. Now it offers birdsong: Redstart, Willow Warbler, Song Thrush echoing through a wilder landscape.
Day 10
Lunch break wander to the Sheffield Canal. Tempted to keep walking under the sun and along the water, letting the rhythm of the path carry me.
Day 11
Teeming life on the Cromford Canal near Ironville. Baby moorhens, dragonflies, and something small darting into the undergrowth. The world humming with presence.
Day 12
Walked through Graves Park after dropping off the car. No parakeets today, but the woodland was alive with Goldcrest, Wren, Nuthatch and more.
Day 13
Out early to greet the day. Just a few minutes of light and movement can shape your whole outlook.
Day 14
Back at Bempton Cliffs: gannets soaring, puffins flapping, and tiny chicks nestled on ledges. Nature’s drama played out on limestone stages.
Day 15
Hot chocolate and chips at the Beach Café above Filey Bay. Then barefoot in the waves, walking toward Bempton’s distant cliffs. The sea always feels like coming home.
Day 16
A cancelled train became an unexpected pause by the river and a park ammonite sculpture. Not all delays are setbacks.
Day 17
Post work walk with my brother. Ducks, sunshine and a catch up that only walking can bring.
Day 18
Evening wander to where the River Greta meets the Tees. Captured by Turner, echoed by herons and rustling bank voles.
Day 19
Spotted a sundew. Small, sticky, carnivorous and quietly wondrous.
Day 20
A moment beside a moss covered Lakeland packhorse bridge. Old stone, flowing water and rising fells. Timeless harmony.
Day 21
Summer solstice. Trangia dinner with my son at the Eric Byne campsite. Warm air, long light and shared stories. Pure wild joy.
Day 22
Backpacking through the edges toward Longshaw. Padley Chapel offered history and stillness. A toad slowly made its way across the trail. A humble reminder of wild life on the move.
Day 23
Evening stroll through the park. Geese gliding across the pond. Calm reclaimed from routine.
Day 24
Spotted a Tinytag data logger in Longshaw woods. As a data professional, I love seeing how numbers quietly serve conservation.
Day 25
Woke to the sound of rain on my bivvy and the Peak slowly stirring. A perfect, peaceful morning.
Day 26
Walked beside the Don and along Sheffield’s canals. Even here, among bricks and bridges, nature moves and speaks.
Day 27
Evening stop at Mayburgh Henge outside Penrith. A Neolithic ring of river stone, 4,000 years old, holding space and silence.
Day 28
A rainy Borrowdale day led to Gate Gill. Moss, water and solitude. Nature doesn’t need to shout to be heard.
Day 29
Scrambling up Skew Gill on Great End. Narrow, steep sided and filled with rushing water. I paused just to listen.
Day 30
A hot day closed with a quiet walk to a local pond. Cool reflections, slow ducks, and space to look back over it all.
Reflections on a Wild Month
Over the course of thirty days, I was reminded again and again: wildness isn’t reserved for remote mountains or rare species. It’s found in the ordinary, the overlooked, the familiar corners of our lives. A city canal, a woodland birdcall, a hedgerow or a pond.
This challenge gave me permission to pause. To tune in. To share moments with my children or alone. It reminded me that noticing is a skill worth practicing and that wonder can be woven into daily life.
#30DaysWild #NatureConnection #EverydayWild