eco Forest Bathing
Hannah Collins takes a look at the noble practise of retreating to the woods, not looking at your phone and attaining oneness with the natural world, while still not looking at your phone. There’s even four choice Welsh spots in which to do so. Stop looking at your phone!
After a year of being intimately immersed in the four walls around us, nothing is more appealing than getting back in touch with nature, and with ourselves. Provided you haven’t had enough of your own company by now, of course. Forest bathing, not to be mistaken for wild swimming or your average walk in the woods, is the latest wellness fad with Eastern influences - Japanese, to be exact. The name might also ring a bell for anyone familiar with Amazon Prime’s Nine Perfect Strangers.
Much like meditation and mindfulness, which continue to draw a huge number of practitioners, forest bathing is all about achieving a clearness of mind and spirit in a woodland setting, breathing in deeply and observing little else but the natural world around you. Those who teach it encourage participants to leave their phones and the stresses of modern-day life behind and reap the proven health benefits of paying attention only to the here and now; specifically, the here and now of a still, calm and fresh (or ancient) world of trees, which can foster both a feeling of womb-like comfort or, contrastingly, a point of connection to our expansive natural world that urban environments cut us off from.
Contrary to its name, no literal bathing is required (unless you fancy becoming ‘one’ with a pond) but conifer trees might make for the most authentic scenery, being native to Japan’s Shinrin-yoku forests, from which the English translation of the term derives. Really there is no prescribed right or wrong way to go forest bathing, though. The act itself rather than the destination is key, especially as it’s advised that those who do it follow their senses and not their satnav.
However, if you’re looking to try out this family-friendly wellbeing trend in some especially scenic places, here are the best five spots in Wales to do it – either with some guided help or by yourself.
RSPB LAKE VYRNWY Powys’ Lake Vyrnwy is a hive of activity for water-loving birds, but in more recent years, this 19th-century reservoir has also become known for its more restful qualities. Visitors can enjoy a two-hour forest bathing session delivered by an expert, which includes a silent walk attuning participants to their bodies and senses before expanding that awareness out to the natural elements. The goal is to cultivate a keener connection to nature, releasing any internalized pressure in the process.
rspb.org.uk
CEFN COED Cefn Coed means ‘back of the woods,’ making it an ideal and idyllic spot for some secluded reflection. And with 75 acres of farmland and forestry to choose from, that’s some serious seclusion. Boasting around 400 years of history and topography that ranges from estuaries to lakes, this Snowdonia-set area is ripe for feeding the senses. Pitch your tent in a communal camping site or right in the middle of the forest.
cefncoed.co.uk
AFAN FOREST PARK
Located north-east of Neath, the forest land by the village of Tonna isn’t far from landmarks like Neath Abbey and Castle and includes the fairy tale-esque Ivy Tower, which lies north-west of the River Afan. Afan Forest Park, meanwhile, though beloved by mountain bikers, also lends itself perfectly for slower-paced contemplation. Funnily enough, it also used to have its own ‘Kanji Wood.’ Though now removed, it still retroactively enhances the area’s potential as a hotspot for some Eastern-style communing with nature.
naturalresources.wales
BLUESTONE NATIONAL PARK National parks don’t come much more treasured than Bluestone. These 500 acres of ancient woodland in Pembrokeshire encompass a huge variety of tree, plant and animal life, providing plenty of sights, sounds, and earthy smells for those wandering through. Free Rangers are on hand for guided tours, if nothing else but to keep the kids busy so parents can fully soak in their surroundings.
bluestonewales.com 45
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