We’ve collated some outdoor activities to fill your day and give you some inspiration for how to make this year's Summer Solstice a little more wild. 

Perhaps you could use today to catch up on some of the challenges you may have missed so far in 30 Days Wild. There’s no need to do all the activities below (and perhaps even 16 hours isn’t enough!) but please feel free to use this list to inspire your plans for the day. 

Watch the Sunrise

Today, the sun will rise at the earliest time of the whole year: 4:52am. So, why not get up early, walk to a high point and watch the sunrise? While you’re there, listen out for the dawn chorus welcoming in the longest day. 

A morning for wildlife at home

The longest day of the year gives us lots of time to nurture the wildlife around us. How about spending the morning making you garden or local green space a nature-haven.

Plant wildflowers...

With the whole summer ahead, some beautiful flowers in the garden could really help our much-loved pollinators this year. Start the day by planting some wildflowers; even a small patch or pot of wildflowers is hugely beneficial - the bees, butterflies, and beetles will thank you!

Build a bug hotel…

Insects are immensely important for our ecosystem and you can help boost their numbers in your garden! By building a bug hotel with sticks, bark and hollow stems, you’re creating a habitat of natural materials for them to live in and encouraging species diversity on your doorstep.

Learn different birdsongs…

While you’re outside, keep a keen eye and ear open to watch out for any birds singing in the garden. Can you identify their birdsong? Try to learn three different songs and the birds they belong to – an app such as Merlin is a great help with this! 

Take your meals outside

Celebrate the longest day of the year by taking your breakfast, lunch and dinner outside, you could even throw in morning and afternoon snacks as well! 

Enjoying a meal outdoors can really help foster a love for nature. Take time alone or with friends and family; head out in your garden or pack a picnic and take yourself to a local wild space. As a bonus, note down any insects or birds you spot while you’re outside.

Will you choose to have one meal amongst the wildlife, or all three?

An afternoon exploring

With so much daylight, day 21 is the perfect day to venture a little further afield and discover a new river walk or nature reserve. Try one of the following ideas or maybe you and combine all three!

Follow a river or stream…

Rivers and streams are havens for a wide range of wildlife, from minnows to otters. There’s so much to discover in these habitats and, at this time of year, there’s a great possibility of spotting dragonflies and damselflies! Make sure to be careful near waterways, and enjoy the ambience in these tranquil habitats. 

Visit a nature reserve…

If you haven’t got round to visiting one of our nature reserves yet for 30 Days Wild, what better day to do so than the longest day of the year? And, if you have, why not visit one you’ve never been to before? You never know what you’ll discover and, with so many hours in the day, you can really get stuck into exploring.

Take a wildflower walk…

Whether in one of our nature reserves or a wild space in your area, wildflower walks are a perfect way to lift your spirits and get the most out of the afternoon. 

Find an area full of natural flora and try to identify the flowers you see. Maybe you’ll do some research on flowers you’ve never seen before, or count the different varieties you can find. Can you find one in every colour? 

Always remember to be mindful around wildflower patches to ensure the blooms remain for the rest of the summer. 

Time to slow down & get creative in the evening

After a busy day, take the evening a little slower and maybe even get creative.

Try cloud spotting…

Reset your mind and body with a bit of cloud spotting - a simple and relaxing way to appreciate nature while reflecting on the day. Spend a few minutes looking up and see which types of clouds you can identify and if any of them look like animals or shapes.

Make some natural art…

At this time of year, nature has a bounty of materials to use for art projects. Creating art doesn’t have to take all day; a moment of creativity can have excellent benefits for our wellbeing and our connection to nature. 

Think Andy Goldsworthy and use stones, fallen leaves and petals to create a masterpiece on a walk or in your garden. 

Create a nature journal…

A nature journal is a great way to document all that you’ve discovered throughout 30 Days Wild so far. Take some time at the end of our longest day to reflect on all that you’ve achieve. 

Note down your observations and feelings about nature, and even topics you’d like to research later on. Sketch your favourite species and stick in leaves and dried flowers from your garden. There’s no right or wrong way to create a nature journal, so let your imagination run wild. 

Finish with the sunset

The latest sunset of the year is June 21st at 9:16pm. Take the time at the end of this wildlife-packed day to watch the longest day turn into the shortest night.

Ready for week 4?

And just like that, we’ve come to the end of Week 3. What will Week 4 have in store? We’ve got lots of opportunities to be creative coming up, and even more amazing wildlife to discover. 

We’ll see you tomorrow to kick off the fourth and final week of 30 Days Wild!