Climb a tree

WANT TO RECONNECT with nature? Then climb a tree on your next walk, says Jack Cooke, author of The Tree Climber’s Guide. “Climbing a tree gives you a completely different perspective on the world,” he says. “At first you’re focused on not falling out. But stay there long enough and you find yourself surrounded by wildlife and at peace with the world.”

Here are Jack’s top three tips for getting started…

1 PICK YOUR TREE

There are some nice ladder-like trees out there such as Monterey pine, which grows in an almost spiral staircase, English oaks with their great lateral growth, and yew trees, which can reach ages over 1000 years old and have an association with churchyards.

2 TAKE A FRIEND

There are some trees where it helps to have a leg-up to get hold of that first branch. Climbing is something we associate with children so if you’re worried about other people’s reactions it can be reassuring to climb with someone else.

3 SAVOUR IT

Whether you’re in the city during your lunch break or in the countryside, once up in a tree you’re invisible and in the middle of an entirely new ecosystem. Climbing trees gives you a window into an older world. Enjoy it. The Tree Climber’s Guide by Jack Cooke (£9) is out now, published by HarperCollins.