How a night-time walk can sharpen the senses
Perched atop a rugged outcrop, I observe the sun’s final glow sinking below the horizon, casting a warm blush across the sky. As night creeps over the land, the resonant call of a bush stone-curlew reverberates through the valley. Behind me, a cricket’s chirp fills the air, circling around the rocky headland and colliding with the fragrant eucalyptus. Somewhere in the distance, a secretive tawny frogmouth commences its nightly calls. I’ve spent countless days on this hill, and I know its every contour, yet as darkness descends, a transformation takes place. The landscape undergoes a mysterious shift, becoming unfamiliar.
For some, this cloak of darkness will be a mere inconvenience, while others will find it frightening. For nocturnal wildlife, however, it’s a necessity, which means that anyone who embraces night-time walking needs to tread carefully. And, it seems, midnight rambling (or, at least, a post-dusk stroll) is becoming increasingly popular as more people choose to experience the world from this renewed and often exhilarating perspective – generally in guided groups. With this safety net, it’s possible to traverse the night-time landscape while forging new friendships and taking time out from the 24/7 demands of the digital world.
As well as bringing a sense of calm and being at one with the world, nightwalking can bring more practical benefits. Heading out for a stroll 30 minutes after your dinner, for example, can help to aid the digestive process, relieve back pain, and ease any stiff muscles, all of which can lead to a better night’s sleep. Not convinced? One person who might change your mind is Tristan Gooley, author of titles including The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs and The Natural Navigator. As the titles imply, Tristan’s exploration is guided by nature, from plants and animals to weather and celestial bodies. ‘Without a [navigational] kit you’re forced to start a dialogue with the landscape around you,’ he says. ‘If you let the kit do the job for you, it will do it and often do it very well, but it’s almost like the kit’s having fun.’ Put away the technology, however, and he says that the experience becomes more intense, especially in the dark, when visibility is limited. In this situation, walkers need to get to know their surroundings intimately if they are to navigate their way safely.
How to use the moon to navigate
‘The night is more challenging, so you learn practical hacks,’ says Tristan. ‘For example, the Moon can be quite bright, but you’ll see more detail in the landscape if the Moon is ahead of you rather than at your back. There are basic building blocks, so the Moon, like the sun and stars, rises in the east and sets in the west. [This means] that if you’re on the western side of a hill, and the Moon has just risen, you aren’t going to see much on the ground.’ To the layman, this might sound daunting, but Tristan, who also runs online courses in natural navigation, believes everyone has it within them to explore the outdoors without an over-reliance on technology: ‘People talk about how we’ve lost these things but they’re obviously still within us, we’re just not using them regularly. It’s easy to tap into and change how we navigate the landscape. The key is not to run before you can walk and just to have fun.’
There’s magic, too, especially as it offers an opportunity to glimpse the many nocturnal creatures who emerge as the light dims to go about their nightly business. Some of these captivating creatures include possums sugar gliders, and various species of bats, such as flying foxes. These bats are a marvel to behold, as are their prey, like pollinating moths, which exhibit striking and delicate beauty, rivalling that of daytime butterflies. These moths,
and other nightly critters, are drawn to the alluring scents of night-blooming flowers such as jasmine and moonflower. There will also be creatures that are more often heard than seen, like owls, frogmouths, and bush stone curlews, but their hoots, calls, and eerie nocturnal serenades are just as enchanting.
Discover the joys of night walking in different environments and seasons.
Different environments and countries will, of course, bring their own delights, as will the seasons. In Iceland, for example, which has 24 hours of light in summer and 20 of darkness in winter, night-time walking takes on a whole new meaning. For travel agent Ólöf Ýrr Atladóttir, who runs a lodge in the north of the country, each period has its own advantages: ‘There’s nothing like hiking through the night during an Icelandic summer,’ she says. ‘You get the stillness and the peacefulness, and nature is in night mode even though it’s light. Walking at night during good weather with the Northern Lights above and the starscapes is an extraordinary thing.’
In winter, however, it’s the silence that entrances many night walkers. According to Ólöf, you can hear the snow falling: ‘Sometimes, when I’m out with groups, I stop and ask people to listen for a minute. It’s funny how the silence affects people. Some become nervous because there’s no sound, but it’s something that I think will become more and more valuable.’
Although Ólöf emphasises that navigational and safety kits are essential in the Icelandic landscape, her feelings about nature’s own guidance points echo Tristan’s: ‘There’s something magical about walking across terrain you know, guided by the light of the Moon and the stars. Your senses are more awake. Your hearing, your sense of smell, even your experience of the wind changes, and it is an enhanced experience because you feel more alone – even if you’re in a group – because you are enveloped by darkness.’
Ending my own night walk, I find myself stopping every now and then, my ears tuned to unfamiliar sounds, tales of bush spirits in hidden caves, and spectres of the outback flickering through my thoughts. I jump at the curious glow of eyes in a bush. But despite the occasional frisson of fear, there’s a sense of freedom, accomplishment, and belonging. My senses are sharpened, my mind refreshed, and my appreciation for this space deepened. Perhaps it’s time to cherish the darkness once more, respect its importance and value to our nocturnal Earth dwellers, and let our senses tap into nature’s grand design.
‘The night is more alive and more richly coloured than the day’ ~ Vincent Van Gogh
How to make sure your night walk is safe and magical
- Walk with others. Join a night-walking group – lots of local ones can be found online – go with a friend, or hire an experienced guide to lead the way.
- Spread the word. Always tell someone when you are going, the route you are taking, and the time you expect to be back.
- Plan your route with safety in mind. It’s wise to choose somewhere you already know and ensure there are no hazards – potholes, steep cliffs, burrows (often created by wildlife like wombats), deep water, and areas with busy traffic are among the things to be avoided.
- Stick to your plan. If you do get into difficulties, it will be easier for any emergency services to locate you if you’ve not deviated from your path.
- Check the weather. Wear and carry appropriate clothing and don’t be tempted to take chances. If the forecast says there might be rain, take waterproof gear.
- Be prepared. Take some high-vis clothes or straps, a torch and a back-up, warm clothes plus spares, and a means of communication. What3words is an app that can be downloaded to your phone and gives your precise location should you need help.
- Keep your eyes and ears open. Pop your phone in an easily accessible place, take out any headphones, and notice the world around you. It will encourage you to engage with your surroundings and increase your awareness of any potential dangers.
- Respect wildlife. Keep your distance from nocturnal creatures, don’t shine torches towards them, and avoid flash photography. If you’re lucky enough to glimpse any animals, allow them to carry on in peace.
Give your eyes time to adjust
It’s important when embarking on a night walk to give your body time to adjust to the dimness, especially your eyes. To do this, the pupils will widen and allow more light in and the photoreceptors (or light sensors) become more sensitive. Some detail might be lost but they will still register the environment. Tristan says ‘Going out at sunset is good because there’s still plenty of light, so for the first half an hour, you’re not struggling to see anything. It gives your eyes loads of time to adjust.’
This article was originally published under the title By the Light of the Moon in Breathe Magazine Issue 45 – Pause for Perspective. You can purchase previous issues and enjoy more mindful inspiration here.
