Whether to walk with earphones or without?

So, which is best? When you go on a walk do you always have your music in your ears, or do you like to absorb the surrounding atmosphere? Does it depend on where you are or where you're going? Does it depend on the mood you're in?

I went on a walk a couple of weekends ago to Cannock Chase. Not a massive walk, just a couple of hours around the big open land in the middle of brindley heath. That's my favourite part about this place. And i must admit i don't like to listen to music when i'm walking here. I like to just take in the curves and dips of the hills, and just the whole silence of it; only broken by the songs of birds darting in the trees. It is so relaxing, and after a few minutes my shoulders untense, as if the toils of the day were left back in the car. If i fancy i'll take the camera with me; i guess it makes me concentrate more on all the finer pieces. Like a perfect little spiders web, or dewdrops hanging delicately off a leaf. Or the way the light pierces through the clouds, and the contrast of the evergreen trees against the red of the wilted bracken.

Today i went for a walk up to northycote woods, just an hours-worth, so i didn't feel like i hadn't done any kind of exercise. And today i had my music on. It kind of gives a purpose to the walk, as if it's encouraging you to keep going, giving you a background noise. I wasn't in the mood to just head through the woods and listen to what was going on. I was content to just look and move on. It wasn't the surroundings that were important. I just wanted to get from A to B. I must admit when i got to the end of the woods i did turn back and notice all the little birds dotted about the floor. And i did take out my earphones for a good ten minutes and just lean against the gate, watching. Which was really nice.

So i guess it does depend on numerous different things. If i go to town on my own for a wander then my music is always there. Or walking up to the shops, unless i'm in a rush. Or if i just don't fancy being bothered listening to anything. But there is nothing better than being in the middle of all this green, all this nature, and just closing your eyes to the sound of absolutely nothing.