Any resident of the UK will agree that summer is the best time of year. After all, it’s when our tiny island is graced with (some) good weather, longer evenings filled with barbeque potential, and seemingly endless fresh produce lining the shelves.
However, regardless of how much Vitamin D we’re getting, it’s still important to protect your mental well-being and deal with stress that may arise in the summer months.
Difficult times can strike at any point in daily life, whether it’s to do with money worries and financial insecurity, a physical health condition, or feelings of anxiety.
Recent studies have shown that in Kent and Medway, rates of mental illness are similar to the national average, with Mental ill health currently representing 23% of the total burden of ill health in the UK.
While these figures are worrying, it shows anyone struggling with their mental well-being that they certainly aren’t alone. What’s more, Kent is a beautiful county that’s filled with ways of protecting and boosting your emotional well-being!
From historic towns amid rolling fields of green, to the iconic white cliffs that hug its coastline, Kent is teeming with ways to boost your dopamine levels and protect your emotional health.
What’s more, its proximity to London makes it accessible to those seeking a reprieve from urban everyday life.
Explore Kent’s Green Spaces
According to numerous mental health services and just about every scientist out there, spending time in nature is one of the best ways to protect your psychological well-being.
Research has shown that exposure to nature daily can reduce stress within minutes while boosting feelings of happiness.
For centuries, Kent has been affectionately known as “The Garden of England”: Boasting the rolling countryside of the Weald and the Downs.
Within these national parks are forests, rivers, and towns boasting a wealth of gardens and parks to stroll through.
Getting Into Walking
Walking is perhaps the most accessible way to enjoy the Kentish countryside and boost your mental health. Not only is it beneficial for everyone, whether you’re an avid hiker or rarely have time to exercise, but it’s also a great form of low-intensity steady-state cardio.
Various avenues of research suggest that our mental and physical health are closely intertwined, and walking is a key example of this.
Going for a stroll through Kent’s countryside could improve your cardiovascular health, help you sleep, increase your energy, and combat anxiety.
Cross-country trekkers have a variety of walks to choose from in Kent, all of which come alive in the summertime. The Saxon Shore Way travels from Gravesend to Hastings, weaving through castles and nature reserves as it makes its way towards the coastline.
There’s also the iconic North Down’s Way: famous for taking ramblers through Kent’s areas of outstanding natural beauty.
If you’re short of time and looking for a quick injection of fresh air, Kent offers a range of short-distance walks that are wheelchair and pushchair friendly.
Popular excursions include the East Peckham River Walk: a short 3-mile course trailing through Victorian Hop Farms, or Clowes Wood: a pretty trail offering shade from the summer heat.
Walking Groups
While walking in solitude can be incredibly therapeutic, there are plenty of group walking activities that you can sign up for in Kent County: many of which are free of charge.
Communal activities allow members to form new friendships, providing opportunities to socialise with new people while exploring the Kentish countryside.
The county is host to a variety of welcoming, friendly, and upbeat walking groups that take advantage of the summer sun and explore their local green spaces.
Groups such as The Medway Ramblers and Medway Valley Wellbeing Walks cater their trails to all ability levels and ages.
For those based in one of Kent’s urban areas, groups such as the Canterbury Ramblers plan routes through the city’s greener areas, including the historic canal walk.
Make Contact With Wildlife: Sign Up to a Wildlife Trust Event
Along a similar vein, learning about Kent’s wildlife and the efforts to protect it can do wonders for your mental health. Numerous studies have shown that being around or observing wildlife in its natural habitat is beneficial for well-being.
Many people, for example, feel a rush of dopamine when watching birds in their gardens, and these activities have even been shown to reduce cortisol levels in just 20 minutes.
The summer months are the busiest time of year for organisations like the Kent Wildlife Trust. While they are an animal charity rather than a mental well-being service, the events that they put on across the summer are certainly feel-good occasions.
The trust hosts a number of guided wildlife walks in the Pegwell area: allowing members to experience local birdlife and take in the relaxing atmosphere of Kent’s coastal wetland reserve.
Another branch of summertime events is the Wilder Kent Safari, with each instalment focusing on a different species. Some Safaris invite visitors to learn more about the Beaver Wilding Project, while others hone in on local butterfly populations.
Swap Booze for Quality Food
It probably won’t come as a surprise that cutting back on alcohol this summer is one of the most effective pieces of mental health guidance. What with alcohol’s link to increased anxiety and depression, it’s no wonder that phrases such as “quit booze now!” appear on every list of mental well-being tips.
It’s also no secret that unlike drinking alcohol, eating nutritious food does wonders for both our physical and mental health. Eating meals that we enjoy can trigger the release of endorphins in the brain: a feel-good hormone that lessens intense anxiety and the stress we feel from certain life events.
Fortunately, counties such as Kent are home to various summertime food festivals and pop-up events that’ll quickly replace the urge to drink.
Sample mouthwatering delights at Canterbury’s Cooking Festival, a weekend-long affair starting on September 22nd that boasts over 100 local food stalls, complete with live bands and a kid’s play area.
For lovers of the Kentish coast, Broadstairs is hosting its own food festival in late September: an event heralded as one of the county’s best festivals for its views over the English Channel.
The September celebration will have 100 stalls of regional produce, and opportunities to sharpen up your skills with chef demonstrations and cooking workshops.
If you’d rather not be tied down to a specific weekend, Kent is full of al-fresco dining opportunities during the warmer months, with each venue having something to offer in the way of local produce.
Those wanting to experience one of Kent’s walled gardens can book a table at Water Lane in Hawkhurst. Here, the site of an old polytunnel has been transformed into an open kitchen, complete with wood-fired pizza ovens and views onto the terrace.
For a more rustic, budget-friendly approach to al-fresco dining, seafood lovers should head down to Cullin’s Yard in Dover Harbor.
This converted shipyard is brimming with history and has stunning views of the iconic white cliffs that you can enjoy while sampling locally-sourced fruits of the ocean.
Cutting back on booze isn’t always that easy, and specialist services such as rehabs in Kent exist if you need more help. Check out something like Rehab Recovery or Forward Trust.
Learn a New Skill or Pursue a New Hobby
There’s a lot to be said for relaxing as a way of protecting your mental health this summer, but why not learn a new skill, or get involved in a new activity that aligns with your interests?
Learning to do something new, especially if it’s something we’re passionate about, means we experience something known as behavioural activation.
This refers to the idea that completing rewarding activities can greatly improve our mental state, especially if it builds on pre-existing life skills or knowledge.
If you’re wanting to get physically or mentally active this summer to protect your mental health, Kent is the perfect place to do so! The towns of Kent & Medway are home to various sports clubs, recreational hobby locations, and course providers for those wanting to further their education.
Kent Adult Education is one example: providing a vibrant, extensive and diverse programme of courses which are designed to enhance emotional well-being participation.
They work closely with partner organisations in Kent County to provide in-person and online courses that are accessible in terms of pricing. Their huge range of courses includes Arts & Crafts, Business & IT, Languages, Fitness & Wellbeing, and much more.
Try a Water Sport
It’s rare to equate the UK climate with watersports such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking, as even our summer months are temperamental. However, Kent is the most south-easterly county in the UK and enjoys some of the warmest, driest weather around.
Paired with warmer sea temperatures than elsewhere in the UK (averaging a balmy 17-18 degrees), Kent is probably the best location to try your hand at a water sport this summer.
Kayaking and canoeing are popular activities in the warmer months owing to Kent’s extensive coastline and network of inland waterways.
The beaches and bays of Ramsgate are well-known sea kayaking hotspots, with self-guided trails available for all abilities through Canoe Wild.
Another great option is Kent Surfschool, the county’s leading surf and stand-up paddleboarding school, located conveniently in Broadstairs.
For those keen to try watersports without heading to the coast, we suggest heading down to Maidstone’s Mote Park Watersports Centre, a reputable company providing family-friendly courses in raft building, kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding.
The lake itself is a safe venue free from boat traffic and dangerous currents, with shallow enough waters for children to stand in.
Join a Martial Arts Club
Whether you want to meet some realistic fitness targets this summer, or simply learn some self-defence, there are plenty of Martial Arts Clubs located across Kent.
The county is home to various gyms that specialise in a variety of practices: from Karate, Muay Thai, Tae-Kwon-Do, or Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), there’s a discipline for everyone regardless of ability.
Whichever style of martial art you’d like to give a go in Kent this summer, they each carry an array of benefits for your physical and mental health.
Cardio-fuelled warmups can help with weight loss and strength training, while the technical moves allow you to see tangible progress the more you practice.
The martial art itself is only one aspect, however: these clubs make fantastic communities filled with like-minded people.
Volunteer for a Local Charity
Helping out at one of Kent’s many voluntary organisations can be a great way of helping vulnerable people, those struggling with mental health concerns, or animals in need of rescue.
Countless avenues of research have proven that volunteers aren’t just helping the organisations they serve, they actually experience a boost in their own mental health.
In times when the cost of living is at an all-time high, and mental health issues are widespread, it makes sense to come together in ways that benefit the wider community.
Here are some of Kent’s most well-known volunteering organisations that are crying out for people to help their fantastic community this summer.
- Medway Valley Countryside Partnership: Since 1988, this conservation project has been protecting Kent’s landscape and wildlife, and they’re always looking for new volunteers to create ponds, build woodland paths, and plant trees. Their award-winning Action Groups take place every week and are filled with camaraderie and cups of tea!
- Friends for Mental Health: This mental well-being charity has supported vulnerable people with a variety of mental health conditions, and volunteers have a huge part to play. As a volunteer, you can dedicate your time to FMH by raising funds, helping to organise breakfast groups and community walks, and much more.
- Good Neighbour Project: This Tunbridge-Wells-based charity acts as a mental health support service for isolated members of Kent’s communities, typically the elderly. Their care staff, together with a team of trained volunteers work alongside NHS Kent to provide elderly residents with emotional care: providing company, a listening ear, and extra help where needed.
Join a Club or Group
Because so many of us have experienced mental health difficulties of some kind, it’s more important than ever to come together and bond over a shared activity or interest.
No matter what your hobby is, you’ll be able to find a group or club within one of Kent’s communities, and while these groups operate all year round, the summer months allow for frequent meetups and outdoor activities.
Here are just some of Kent’s active groups and communities that share mood-boosting hobbies:
- Kadampa Meditation Centre: When it comes to well-being advice, the topic of meditation often crops up, and for good reason. Meditation centres such as Kadampa teach Buddha’s meditation techniques that can help everyone increase their inner peace. Many members find that after practising meditation with a group of like-minded people, feelings of anxiety become more manageable, and daily problems seem less daunting.
- Canterbury Society of Art: There’s a good reason why Art Therapy features in countless mental health action plans, and that’s because of its power to uplift. Groups such as the Canterbury Society of Art offer a varied programme of events for around 40 weeks of the year, arranged in two sessions; March to July and September to February. Programmes include talks, demonstrations, and various outdoor painting sessions that take inspiration from the local scenery.
- Ightham & District Gardeners Club: This group are interested in all things gardening and loves to take advantage of Kent’s summer weather: attending gardening events, visiting shows, or going out for lunch. While they ask for a small donation from visitors, membership is otherwise free of charge.
Absorb Kent’s History and Culture
As we’ve already mentioned, having an open mind to knowledge and new experiences can have great benefits for our mental health, and that includes learning about the past!
However, rather than struggling through history books, in counties such as Kent, ancient sites are here in front of you waiting to be discovered.
Home to some of the nation’s most stunning historical relics, summertime in Kent wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the many romantic castles or a stroll in the footsteps of Charles Dickens himself.
As experiencing much of Kent’s historical culture involves being outside, the summer months are by far the best time of year to explore its heritage.
Among the top historical locations to visit in Kent this summer is Canterbury Cathedral: one of the oldest structures in England and a designated UNESCO world heritage site.
Often referred to as “England in Stone”, this iconic building has seen over 1,400 years of momentous events, and its detailed stone architecture is a sight to behold.
If you’d rather combine historical learning with exploring Kent’s luscious countryside, the county has its fair share of castles, crumbling Roman forts, English Heritage and National Trust properties: each with its own mood-boosting atmosphere.
Reach Out for Support in Kent or Online
It’s easier than ever to feel disconnected from our mental well-being, or even feel that we need to protect our psychological health. Fortunately, it’s easier than you might think to boost your mental health, and simple everyday activities can help a great deal.
It might be that you’d prefer to open up to friends or family or reach out to local mental health services in Kent. Whichever option suits you, it’s important to access support when you feel a dip in your mental health.
When it comes to overcoming feelings of everyday stress or anxiety disorders, it’s important to feel that you can communicate these feelings, as bottling them up rarely helps in the long term.
Fortunately, Kent is home to a plethora of resources for those struggling, in the form of mental health clinics, workshops, and support groups.
There’s also a wealth of online resources through platforms such as Mind.org [[18], or apps such as BetterHelp through which you can access the help of a therapist.
For more localised support, head to the Kent & Medway Mental Health and Well-Being website, where you can find services in your area and tips on how to feel better this summer.