Summer is here, so take your yoga outside.

Aaah - glorious British summertime. The time of year when, at the first flash of sunshine, we suddenly think it's a good idea to burn food over hot charcoal; unwisely reveal bits of flesh which haven't seen daylight for months, and remember that wasps are intrinsically evil.

If you’re loving the al fresco life, but your yoga mat is only seeing action as a picnic blanket, combine the two and take your yoga outside. In fact, as you can see from these photos, you don’t even need to shift the sandwiches because for these moves all you need is a friendly tree.

One of the brilliant things about yoga is that you really can bust out an asana wherever takes your fancy, and there’s something about doing it outdoors that makes it an entirely different experience. Yoga is all about finding that sense of ‘union’ and it’s hard to think of a better way to get in touch with our roots (literally and metaphorically).

It’s true that practicing yoga outside can make you feel a teensy bit self-conscious, but that too brings rewards. It encourages you to bring your attention entirely to what you’re doing in that moment; away from the distractions around you and into each breath. Plus, practicing on uneven surfaces adds a brilliant way to make the postures a little more intense. The shoulders, spine, core, thighs, knees and feet will all benefit from a little wake-up call when you’re not on level ground.

I strongly recommend that you warm your body up a little before starting to play with these poses. Some sun salutations would be perfect – after all, they’re the best thing to do if you’re underneath it!