Out-migration from small-scale agricultural holdings in Nepal’s middle hills is resulting in forest succession on abandoned land. Early landscape transitions are often managed by policy to maintain a productivist path; however, rural farmers are themselves transitioning from their dependence and attachment to the land. The walk and talk methodology was selected to follow up socioecological surveys with farmers in rural Nepal to observe farmers’ perceptions around forest succession on abandoned agricultural land. This participatory research methodology engages people in their own socio-ecological context with farmers leading researchers along paths that develops dialogue over the course of the interview. Based on analysis of the discussions and observations of attitudes, farmers’ perceptions appeared to evolve with increased time spent in conversation. Perceptions of changing landuse and benefits associated with forest succession also evolved with time since land abandonment. Based on conversations and attitudes around changing landuse, farmers who had most recently abandoned their land (1 to 3 years ago) were experiencing a sense of loss associated with former productive land. After 6 years of land abandonment, farmers appeared to be in a period of “transitioning outlook”, recognising both benefits of agriculture for food security in the short term and forest for longer-term investment. Farmers had generally moved to tolerate, accept, or welcome forest succession after ten years of ceasing cultivation. Providing a voice for land holders from a bottom-up approach is important to remove generalisations and assumptions by policy makers around land use change and transitioning economies in rural areas.