What is your best season to stay outdoors?

[Tony]

he he, yeah, it's best when there's nothing about to bit me to death I like this time of the year, through winter and spring. I do like the summer if it's relaxed and as mentioned before the biting pests aren't around.

I think that my thoughts are more introspective in the colder months and in the warmer months i look around me with wonder at all the growth and beauty

 

[locum76]

summer because the extra daylight means there is more time to play.

 

[Intertidal]

Depends where.
If sea kayaking, its gotta be Summer. Sleeping bag on a beach, no tent, maybe a tarp.
In the hills I like Autumn for the colours and nip in the air. Spring is good too, new life and lengthening days to look forward too. Warmer rock for climbing as well.
I do like winter too, especially trips to Snowdonia, or New Year in Wasdale. Snow-holing is fun for a one nighter, but don't get much chance outside Scotland nowadays (Tho' I did dig a hole on Dartmoor in winter 1990/91 I think).
I'll probably be camping on Dartmoor this weekend as a matter of fact.

 

[Bushwhacker]

There's no way that I can split the difference, every season has its own redeeming qualities.

 

[falling rain]

Defo Autumn............... Beautiful tree colours, cooler weather, best Bass fishing season (about right now) and all the crowds have gone home. Plentyful food, berries and nuts, Mackerel are going crazy feeding up before the winter, the rut, my birthday in October, squid fishing inshore (around November) Cod and whiting on the way. The season of plenty. Chrimbo around the corner, a chance to remember and honour the good and great brave soldiers of the wars, firework night, halloween parties, Being kindly invited by my good friend Mr Buckshot to go beating, gorgeous sunsets and sun rises..........did I mention the crowds have gone home ...............oh loads of stuff.

SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep,
Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

That John Keates just about got the measure of it.

 

[firecrest]

Do you think you might suffer from SAD Lindsey?

More like Rain and miserable cold affective disorder! I might like it more if I had a tipi and stove. Infact Id be in the woods all the time then.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Come, pensive Autumn, with thy clouds, and storms,
And falling leaves, and pastures lost to flowers;
A luscious charm hangs on thy faded forms,
More sweet than Summer in her loveliest hours,
Who, in her blooming uniform of green,
Delights with samely and continued joy:
But give me,Autumn, where thy hand hath been,
For there is wildness that can never cloy, -
The russet hue of fields left bare, and all
The tints of leaves and blossoms ere they fall.
In thy dull days of clouds a pleasure comes,
Wild music softens in thy hollow winds;
And in thy fading woods a beauty blooms,
That's more than dear to melancholy minds.

John Clare

 

[falling rain]

Come, pensive Autumn, with thy clouds, and storms,
And falling leaves, and pastures lost to flowers;
A luscious charm hangs on thy faded forms,
More sweet than Summer in her loveliest hours,
Who, in her blooming uniform of green,
Delights with samely and continued joy:
But give me,Autumn, where thy hand hath been,
For there is wildness that can never cloy, -
The russet hue of fields left bare, and all
The tints of leaves and blossoms ere they fall.
In thy dull days of clouds a pleasure comes,
Wild music softens in thy hollow winds;
And in thy fading woods a beauty blooms,
That's more than dear to melancholy minds.

John Clare

Sweet :You_Rock_

 

[Big Geordie]

I adore the West of Scotland in all seasons. However I find it easier to enjoy without the excess people & midgies during the summer.
So it has to be : autumn, winter, spring.

Like Grooveski I havent been able to get my solitary week or two away this summer. Just when I got ready, I ended up with another bug that would keep me at home. It will happen verrrry sooon now - cant wait!
G

 

[drewdunnrespect]

me anytime due being in the woods is good enough for me but if must pick one it would have to be autumn or spring

 

[Jay.in.the.woods]

I like summer as theres more daylight hours but i camp all year round. anytime in the woods is good.

 

[John Fenna]

Anytime!
But in the Spring you have more greens to forage, Autumn you have nuts, berries, fungi (if you know your stuff!) and a riot of colours.
In summer it stays light too long for that real campfire bull session, in winter there is not enough light during the day for everything you want to do.....
So on balance Autumn!
Strange thing - that is now!!!

 

[scrogger]

Early Spring for me and the whole of Autumn. closley followed by Winter. I dont mind the Summer I do a lot of mountain top stuff in the summer months when I like to wander around taking pics etc. As most people have said there is something very romantic and primeval about been out in the woods with a bit of a chill and a lovely flickering fire.

 

[jackcbr]

This is my first year for camping out any other time than summer. But I am loving autumn this year. Gonna try a bit of winter shelter building too. So any tips welcomed.

So in short, autumn, so far...

 

[Tiley]

Autumn because of the amazing range and quantity of things to eat; because of the cooler, blustery weather; because the tired greens of summer get replaced with stunning burnished golds; because of the first frosts; because it leads so elegantly into winter.

It's a magical season and one in which, whether inside or out, you can justify lighting a fire to huddle around as the evenings draw in. Keats, Clare, Hughes and so many others manage to capture its essence perfectly.

There's no better time to be in the woods.

 

[Thijzzz]

The dry days (we get a looot of rain here in autumn) of autumn and winter, definately.

As a pikefisherman: the weeds and reeds start dying off, better access to water and less tangle with greens on my hooks.

As a bushcrafter:
There's more to see because there's less leaves blocking the view.

The freshness of cold morning air, oh I love it. Just the other day I got up early for work, opened the window and breathed it in. Sublime. You can smell winter coming.

There's less people around, you can have the forest to yourself more easily. It's quieter, calmer, less disturbance. And the fog on the fields sometimes in the early morning.

Not unimportant: a wee sip of whisky tastes a lot better when it's cold

I'm spending the weekend of November the 7th/8th in the Ardennes with some great people, I really can't wait. It was -5 degrees last year! Getting up at first light, running for a p*ss and then starting the fire for hot coco

Here's from last year:

 

[jackcbr]

Now that just makes me jealous. Must plan my next trip to the woods. I might drag a few guys from work too!

 

[Toddy]

I like them all
Spring has still the chill but the Sunshine is coming stronger and there's that wonderful green to the light in the woodlands, and the colours after the long grey are a delight.

Summer..........dawn comes before you've hardly been asleep and it's warm, warm enough to wander barefooted, arms and legs too

Autumn, and again the light changes, and the colours, and that breath of cold air that makes a fire a pleasure to be near again

Winter, especially on a crisp, cold, sunny day is a real pleasure to be out and about. Sleeping in the cold though It gets weary, especially when it's wet too.

Best of all, well it's now, whenever now happens to be

cheers,
M

 

[Wayland]

All seasons have their pros and cons but I'm usually interested in atmospheric weather conditions for photography which Autumn, Winter and Spring tend to be better for.

Summer can be a bit bland for my taste.

 

[rik_uk3]

Winter has the lead, spring and autumn come joint second, and summer last. I don't mind the rain, sit in the tent, Radio4 and a game of cards with your tent mate etc or a good book if solo tenting, pot of coffee on the Primus its great stuff.