Enjoying Nature in Unexpected Places

Discovering the beauty of the wild in towns, cities and urban edges

Hi, I’m Sue and I write about the beauty and ingenuity of Nature, and how we can deepen our connection for our optimum health and wellbeing. Discover more Nature-inspired content on Spiral Leaf, Twitter and my video Nature Channel.

More than half of people on this Earth live in cities and that number is growing. This is why it is becoming increasingly important to know that Nature thrives in our man-made environments and where to find it.

Nature is often considered to exist far away from towns and cities. In reality, natural ecosystems can be found everywhere and not just in dedicated recreational spaces or informal green spaces such as public parks, green streetscapes, dedicated green areas, roof gardens and community gardens.

As wonderful as these places are, an abundance of Nature can also be found in lesser known public places, especially abandoned places where Nature has been left to grow wild.

This is the topic of today’s post which I hope will provide inspiration for town and city dwellers to explore further off the beaten track where you can enjoy wildlife and even perhaps claim a patch of Nature as your own.

Abandoned Spaces

With the proviso that most land nowadays is privately owned, abandoned spaces can be found scattered across town and cities. Without ‘breaking in’ which would be considered trespassing, discovering unfenced or open ground of this kind is entirely possible.

It is always worth finding out what laws apply. For example, in England in general, exploring an abandoned location is not illegal and trespass is not a criminal offence. It is rather a civil matter but very often these places are unmanned and left open for exploration.

It is, of course, important to be aware of the history of the ground you intend to walk on and to identify any potential hazards such as crumbling buildings, old shafts and so on that might pose any danger.

Applying common sense is the best option. If you are doing no harm to the land, are aware of dangers and ‘leave no trace’ of your presence, this can be an exciting way to discover Nature growing in the wild in towns, cities and old industraial areas.

It is worth noting that ‘commons’ or ‘common land’ still exist in the British Isles and America, although their extent has been practically eliminated from millions of acres that existed in the 17th century under The Enclosure Act in England and from land stolen from Indigenous Peoples (all over the world).

Churchyards and Cemetaries

Churchyards may seem an odd place to go looking for Nature but I have found them to be one of the most tranquil and abundant of urban Nature reserves. Many forms of life can be found growing naturally in these secluded sanctuaries.

Old cemeteries are peaceful and often well tended where Nature is preserved (and in some areas left to grow wild) as part of a calming aesthetic. Semi-natural habitats provide homes for many plant, bird, bat, animal, reptile and insect species.

With cemeteries being increasingly recognised as places of refuge for wildlife – especially in big cities - many of them are leaving the older parts of the graveyard, where people don’t visit much anymore, a bit more unkempt.

Nature can be found growing on and around gravestones and stone walls with shrubs and hedges providing plenty of nooks and crannies for wildlife to hide. Old trees and the church building itself offer places for birds and bats to nest and flourish in an oasis of undisturbed green space in the most built-up areas.

Pathways and Cyclepaths

In England and Wales, we have over 140,000 miles of footpaths, bridleways and byways that make up our public rights of way.

It’s an ancient network maintained at the public expense by the local Highway Authority - although 49,000 miles of paths could be lost forever if they are not registered by 2031. The Ramblers are working hard to do this under their Don’t Lose Your Way campaign which I have been supporting for several years.

While Public Paths are more prevelant in the countryside and towns over here, in every city you will find secret pathways or shortcuts that have been paved by choice rather than by prescription marking the most effective routes between common areas and across central grassy areas too.

Cycle paths are another place where Nature can be found and if you are lucky enough to find a hidden pathway - why not clear away the debris and claim it as your own?

Old Ruins

Old and ancient ruins can be found anywhere. From crumbling castles and abandoned churches, to unfinished manors and forgotten follies. Many are found in remote rural locations, while others are hidden in leafy suburbs and busy cities – even in London with its ancient abbeys and secret cemeteries slowly being returned to Nature.

These relics are often best approached slowly on foot from a distance so that you can feel the first flicker of excitement when you spot a ruined tower poking above the trees, or spy the shell of a distant ruin rising beside a riverbank. After all, finding each one is part of the adventure.

The walls of ruined buildings become habitats for uncommon plants and are often surrounded by grassland and banks that support the richest wild flower and butterfly sites. Barn owls, Kestrels and Little Owls are birds that often haunt ancient sites and every ivy covered ruin wall is a potential nest site for Wrens, Robins and many other small birds. 

Viaducts and Railways

Viaducts are commonly used in many cities that are railroad hubs such as Chicago, Birmingham, London and Manchester. They often keep highway and city street traffic from having to be continually interrupted by train traffic and some carry railroads over cities with many cross-streets and avenues.

There are thousands of disused railway lines all over the British Isles that are open to the public, running through cities, towns and spectacular areas of countryside. Here you can enjoy a walk that is flat, traffic-free and often suitable for bikes, pushchairs and wheelchairs. A railway walk is the perfect way to get moving whatever the time of year and you will always find Nature flourishing along these undisturbed lines.

The same applies in America where transit enthusiast, Andrew Grigg, has pieced together a map with all the fragmented railroad lines and old train routes that have been lost to history over the years.

Through his work, it’s possible to find old railroads that once crossed through places where modern-day highways, shopping malls and housing developments now stand.

Canals and Towpaths

Across England and Wales there are around 2,000 miles of canals and rivers that flow through cities, past homes, alongside offices and out into glorious countryside, bringing walking and wellbeing opportunities to millions of urban dwellers.

The Canals and Rivers Trust is the best place to find information about where these networks are and what they have to offer. When I lived in the Midlands or Black Country as it is known for it’s industrial connotations, a walk along the canal was my lifeline with towpaths bursting with trees, wildlife and waterborne creatures of every kind.

One unique attraction you can find everywhere in America is canal cities where towns were connected by a network of waterways for transportation purposes. In the early 1800's canals were built across America to connect towns, cities and settlements.

The success of the Erie Canal leading into the port of New York spurred a canal-building boom. By 1840, engineers and workers had built more than 3,000 miles of canals across the existing country. This means that you can enjoy the quiet of Nature where you might least expect it - in the heart of the city.

Urban Edges

Reading the wonderful book Common Ground by Rob Cowen completely changed my perspective on the forgotten wastelands that can be found on the edge of towns and cities.

Drawn to a piece of wasteland or 'common ground' set against the backdrop of everyday life as a young couple moving to a new town, the author fell upon the opportunity to write about 'the wildness encountered in the more expected places' - this following many years exploration into the wilder aspects of national parks, moorlands, coasts and mountaintops.

Abandoned by the local council and avoided by residents until taken on as a conservation project towards the end of the book, this common land, encircled by an old viaduct, the meandering River Nidd, the Old Railway line and Bilton Lane, is cross-crossed with semi-hidden paths trodden only by the animals left free to roam there.

These places can be found anywhere where towns and cities end and the countryside begins. Regular visits reveal an abundance of trees, scrubland and wildlife that can be observed and enjoyed throughout the seasons.

Nature in the city

Even in the busiest town or city you will find animals out and about in the early morning before the day’s bustle begins. Walk around your neighborhood, or your neighborhood park, as close to sunrise as possible, and see what animals you can spot as they make the most of the quietest time of the day.

You might see bugs, worms, birds, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, rats and mice. Some may be considered pests but they are part of Nature too. Watching their movements and antics can be as entertaining as it is relaxing - it’s a great way to start the day.

An urban landscape can vary greatly even in the same town or city. There might be some places that only have tall buildings with streets or green spaces lined with trees and flower beds, and other places where there are houses with gardens or small backyards where Nature spills out onto the pavement (or sidewalk) to brighten everyone’s day.

Apart from anything else, looking out for Nature on walls, between cracks, along fences and iron railings, is a great exercise in mindfulness and honing in on your observation skills. It’s the best way to focus, free the mind from stressful thoughts and get to know your urban location from Nature’s point of view.

I hope this post enthuses you to seek out Nature in your town or city, and many thanks to

James H

and

Victory Palace

for your comments on my first post Being in Nature is About Quality Not Quantity which inspired me to write this post.

Discovering, observing and appreciating Nature is a tonic for the soul, you never know what you might find in your urban landscape and I think you might be pleasantly surprised.

Recommended Books

Common Ground by Rob Cowen

A Spell in the Wild by Alice Tarbuck

The Book of Tresspass by Nick Hayes

Who Owns England by Guy Shrubsole

Click on the link to purchase this wonderful book from my affiliate bookshop. Books are sold by independent sellers and bookshops in the British Isles and Spiral Leaf may earn a small commission on purchases with no extra cost to you!

Thank you for reading Nature-loving friends, I look forward to seeing you again soon.