Winter Walks

Whilst there is a real temptation to hunker down during the cold winter months, we do love nothing more than wrapping up and putting on our wellies for a bracing cold weather walk – with Truffles in tow of course!

Of course, a bright crisp sunny day would be our preference but even if it’s looking a little murky outside, walking in the colder weather can have huge benefits for both your physical and mental health.

During colder weather, your body has to work harder to keep its core temperature constant. This means that whilst you are burning extra calories (and let’s face it who didn’t overindulge at Christmas), the exposure to sunlight and the increased blood flow to our brains on a walk can also help boost our serotonin and endorphin levels. They can help improve our mood and well-being and ultimately help us feel less stressed. This can be a great boost if you are feeling stagnant or overwhelmed at your desk – a walk doesn’t have to be limited to the weekend.  Additionally, exposure to the cold can also help activate our immune systems.

It is important to make sure you protect your skin when out in the cold but it’s also good to know that moderate cold weather can actually be good for your skin. This is because it helps constrict the skin’s blood vessels making it less prone to redness and can also tighten pores.

One of Truffles’s very favourite walks is on the Berwyn Mountains above Corwen where you can climb up through the forestry and out onto the heather clad hill and then take a winding track right to the top to a place called Liberty Hall from where the views are spectacular as far as the eye can see over the Dee valley and as far as the impressive Snowdon range of mountains. In the late summer the Berwyn’s are a rich carpet of purple flowering heather.