Local volunteer Jay Foster explores different concepts surrounding well-being as part of her daily exercise within Castle Eden Dene NNR.
Hygge and mindfulness are concepts that have recently been in the media as a way to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us, to take time out from the every day chatter of modern life and give ourselves room to breath. Another concept gaining in popularity from Japan is Shinrin-yoku translated means forest bathing.
Jay’s photos taken in Castle Eden Dene
As strange as it sounds, simply put, it is the act of immersing yourself in nature, like mindfulness, to be present in the moment. The idea is to go for a walk (preferably in a woodland), leave behind your phone (or at least turn it to silent) and your camera, and to walk slowly with no plan but to follow your feet using all your senses, listening to the birds or the wind whispering through the leaves, to feel the texture of tree bark or look at the way light shines through the leaves. You could sit and practice breathing exercises, mediate or simply be. Forest bathing has been used as part of medical treatment in Japan since the 1980s with scientific studies behind it showing that time spent with nature can reduce mental fatigue, stress and boost mood and feelings of well-being. Castle Eden Dene is a wonderful place to practice forest bathing, with so many paths it is possible to wander around without bumping in to anyone else.
A fairy-tale quality and whisper of magic
I was asked to pick my favourite path but it is a difficult choice as there are so many beautiful areas and each part of the Dene has its own feel and personality. I can narrow it down to two, Beach Grove and Miss Mary’s walk on the Yew Tree Trail. Both of these paths have a touch of fairy-tale qualities and a whisper of magic. Miss Mary’s is full of beautiful yew trees with their twisting roots and trunks, deep green leaves and shining red berries. Yew trees are unsurprisingly often associated with fairies and the other world in folktales and have a wealth of lore attached to them. It’s a wonderful place to try and spot animals and faces in the shapes made by the Yews , As you leave Miss Mary‘s walk to head towards Saint James’s or back to Castle Bridge where if you look out you may see a face in a old tree.
Can you see a face?
Beach Grove is another peaceful place with ethereal qualities, particularly early in the morning. You can reach Beach Grove by going along the Lower North path from Gunners Pool Bridge, a very steep descent leads you to a bridge crossing the water. As you walk along from the bridge you pass through an area of lichens and moss in a variety of vibrant greens before climbing up to a view a magnificent stand of beach trees, a perfect place to sit for a while. This path, particularly the area by the water always calls to mind “The Stolen Child” by Yeats
Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild With a faery, hand in hand. For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.