Forest Bathing and Foraging at Plessey Woods

Immerse yourself in the enchanting woodland, and celebrate the seasonal offerings of Spring with a peaceful Forest Bathing and Foraging session, in collaboration with Kirstie Mawhinney from Through The Trees CIC.

Kirstie will immerse your senses under the canopy of trees at Plessey Woods on a slow guided forest bathing walk. Kirstie begins the experience by sharing information about what forest bathing is, it’s origins and the benefits for our physical and mental health. Along the route, Kirstie uses breathwork, mindfulness and offers various invitations. These are suggestions to give us opportunities to slow down, be present, help engage our senses and deepen our connection with ourselves, each other and the natural world around us! During the experience there are moments of silence and moments when we gather in circle to share and listen. Finally, we end with a tea gathering - a way to integrate our forest bathing experience into the body and try foraged tea, eat snacks, share the experience.

Research links forest bathing with numerous mental and physical benefits such as reducing stress, improving sleep, boosting mood and memory and enhancing immune response. The forest bathing and tea gathering will be followed by an Introduction to Foraging session where you will explore the incredible abundance of wild edibles. This is a more indepth course style event designed for complete beginners or those looking to boost their confidence with wild food foraging.

- What to Expect -

🌱Learn what it means to forage  and how we can forage safely and within the law.

🌱We'll talk about how we can act sustainably when out and about and why it's important.

🌱We'll cover how to get started with identification and what sources are reliable.

🌱We'll discuss how to build upon your knowledge and avoid being overwhelmed.

🌱Learn how wild food can be used in the kitchen, including tips on how to prepare, store and preserve them.

- What to Bring -

We will be taking a break for lunch after the tea gathering, and we would like to invite you to bring along your own lunch provisions to enjoy during the break. Feel free to bring a drink with you as well.

Please dress appropriately for the weather, wear suitable footwear, long sleeves and trousers and waterproofs are recommended.

Feel free to bring a notepad and pen if you want to take notes.

We will be sitting, standing or lying down when conditions permit for 10-15mins at a time - Kirstie will provide a waterproof sit mat for each person.

-Accessibility-

This route is through woodland and although the paths are surfaced, they can be uneven and very muddy depending on the weather. We will be sitting, standing or lying down when conditions permit for 10-15mins at a time. There is a large car park with free Blue Badge parking available, and the wood is accessible via a short walk from local bus routes. There are public toilet facilities at the park, as well as a cafe. If you have any accesibilty requirements  I ask that you can please get in touch before booking just to make sure that this route is right for you.

-Extra Information-

There is plenty of parking available at Plessey Woods, but it is a pay and display car park. The price for a full days parking is £4 but you can pay using the PayByPhone app.

This particular session is an adult only event.

Once you have booked you will receive an email with a link to our Participant Questionnaire which we require you to complete. It allows us to gather important information about health and allergies prior to attending the event

An email will be sent out to all attendees a few days before the event, to the email addresses used during the booking process, to confirm all of the details, so please check spam filters for this information.

Numbers are strictly limited for this event to maintain a small, intimate group for a peaceful session.