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Get outdoors into nature

Havering is one of the greenest boroughs in London. There are lots of beautiful parks and open spaces where you can get outdoors and into nature.

 

Spending time in nature is one of the easiest ways to feel better. Whether you walk in the park, sit in your garden, or listen to birds, nature can help your mind and body stay healthy. 

Nature helps your mind

  • It calms you down when you feel stressed or worried. 
  • It helps you think more clearly and feel more focused. 
  • It can lift your mood and make you feel happier. 
Two older women in an allotment gardening together

Even just 10 minutes outside can make a big difference. 

Two women jog on a path with trees and tall grass. One wears a pink top, the other a blue top. Both wear black leggings.

Nature helps your body

  • Walking, gardening, or cycling keeps your body active and strong. 
  • Fresh air and sunlight help you sleep better and feel more awake. 
  • Being outside can lower your blood pressure and help your heart. 

Easy ways to connect with nature

  • Go for a walk in a local park or green space. 
  • Sit outside and listen to the sounds around you. 
  • Grow a plant or flowers at home. 
  • Watch the clouds, birds, or trees move in the wind. 
Two people stand in a garden. One hands a potted plant to the other. A house with a tiled roof and flowers is in the background. Their faces are blurred.

You don’t need to go far or spend money. Just step outside, take a deep breath, and enjoy the world around you. 

Find green spaces to get outdoors in Havering

Each tree icon represents a park, open green space or place where you can get outdoors and into nature.

Join local groups to get outdoors

There are lots of community groups you can join where you can get outdoors:

  • Find places to walk or run, alone or in a group
  • Find cycling routes and groups 
  • Join in activities at Thames Chase Forest Centre:
Deer grazing in a fenced grassy field with trees in Bedfords Park. There is a distant cityscape under an overcast sky.

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