How mindfulness can enable you to harness the full relaxation powers of walking.
TAKE A MOMENT Use the calming environment of the forest to enjoy a relaxing walk.
Anyone who's begun their journey towards the coveted #walk1000miles Completer Medal will already understand the virtues of walking in a forest compared to a treadmill. An ever-changing view replaces four walls, birdsong replaces the whirring of gym equipment, and the scent of pine needles replaces sweat and lycra.
PATHS FOR MILES The acres of green space are just the spot to rack up that distance
Yet in our quest to up our mileage, the temptation might be the same as on that indoor conveyor belt – to crack on as quickly as possible and get the hard yards out the way, knowing we’ll feel good about ourselves once we’re done.
But doesn’t this defeat the object of being somewhere as beautiful and vibrant as a forest? One of the reasons we visit wild places is to de-stress and develop a closer relationship with nature. But we may just need to drop the pace at times in order to reap all these benefits.
Most of us will have engaged with mindfulness to some extent while on our walks, whether intentionally or not. It’s all about taking notice of what’s happening at that very moment in your surroundings and in your body and mind. Walking often enables us to do this without really thinking about it – if you spot a heron you’ll probably stop and admire; the same goes for when you see a giant sequoia or hear a blackbird in full song.
But if you still find yourself feeling stressed or anxious, then it might be worth slowing down a bit more to really take notice of what’s around you. Giving yourself extra time will enable you to use your senses to heighten your awareness of where you are – the feel of the breeze in your face, the smell of forest ferns, the sound of a gurgling stream, and so on.
““Most of us will have engaged with mindfulness to some
extent while on our walks, whether intentionally or not.””
And if that all sounds a bit hippy for you, then why not set yourself a challenge that inspires you to stop and observe the world around you? Forestry England encourage mindful movement around their 1500 forests situated across the country. They suggest trying a rainbow walk, where you keep an eye out for things that are red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, and surprise yourself at how many colours there are if you look closely enough.
They also recommend giving mindful photography a try to help you slow down, focus and see the forest in an enhanced level of detail. Pick a theme – say, texture – and search for as many as you can find: a smooth rock, rough bark, a sharp thistle, spongy moss. You’ll be amazed at the level of detail you’re observing by the end.
Once you’ve finished searching for textures, you could then focus on things that make a sound or things that move. Or if you’ve had enough of photography, you could bring along a pad and pencil and sketch what you spot en-route.
As with the #walk1000miles challenge, there are no rules to this. It’s just a case of finding what works best in terms of putting you in a better mindset for whatever life throws your way. And even if you’re not someone who needs to de-stress necessarily, you might just find it a more enjoyable and fulfilling way to walk.
● To find a forest near you, visit www.forestryengland.uk/visit and get searching.
Four forests to charm
the senses…
With a choice of two sensory routes (1.4 miles and 2.5 miles) where you can see sculptures, hear a trickling waterfall and touch a giant Douglas fir.
Acer Glade Walk is a short sensory route that includes woodland, a pond and open grassland. It’s also wheelchair friendly on compact gravel paths.
WENDOVER WOODS, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Features a 0.6-mile circular sensory walk that’s wheelchair friendly and provides seating at two sensory highlight points.
CHOPWELL WOOD, NEAR NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
An easy 0.9-mile circular walk taking in all the sights, sounds and smells of the forest
Enter Here for a chance to win a Forestry England Membership.
