Winter Wellbeing

Winter can make us reflect and need to nourish our minds and bodies. The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley offers nature on your doorstep and a range of wellbeing experiences ideal for some 'me' time and to brighten your mood when things get dreary!

Yoga: Immerse yourself in a wellness retreat with Forest Retreats and enjoy expert yoga tuition in a relaxed and peaceful environment. Perfect for beginners and intermediates.

Floatation: For total relaxation, book a floatation experience with Float in Forest where you will float effortlessly on the surface of warm water filled with Epsom salt. Your muscles relax, your mind drifts off in the peace and quiet and you emerge refreshed and regenerated. The most relaxing experience you will have.

Forest bathing: Experience Shrin-yoku (Forest Bathing) and absorb the forest atmosphere helping you to feel a deep connection to nature. 

Photowalking: Enjoy a guided photogrpahy session with practical hints and experiences to get you into the 'moment' and improving mood as well as creating a mindfulness visual diary for reflection.

Hot tub holidays: Step into bliss with a relaxing hot tub stay in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. It’s no longer an expensive luxury as we have many properties which come with hot tub on site.

Activities: Wellbeing means something different to each of us. Learning a new skill or doing something you've never done before is treating yourself and giving yourself the time to do what you want! An arts and crafts experience, a one-to-one cookery class or a boat trip can be just the winter treat you need to feel nourished and relaxed.

Get Outside: Being in nature benefits your mental and physical health no matter the season. We often think winter means being outside less, but it can be an invigorating and exhilarating experience, and so important for our wellbeing.

The Telegraph recently wrote that: “Spending time outdoors in nature, including in woodlands and forests, can really improve mental health... Our senses are engaged differently, our attention changes, we naturally become more mindful, our mood settles if aroused or anxious, or lifts if low or depressed, our imagination can be sparked and we can gain a different perspective on our lives, projects and problems. So get your wellies and your raincoats on, ride a bike, walk through the forest, splash in puddles and don't worry about the mud, just do whatever you can to make the most of the outdoors no matter the weather. While it can be tempting to retreat at this time of year, it’s so important to keep going outside and keep exploring. Even a short visit to the woods can work wonders for how we feel.”

And then you can come into the warm and enjoy a hot chocolate in a local cafe, or snuggle up by a pub's fire.

The new year especially often makes us think of resolutions such as healthy eating and exercise and making changes in our lifestyles for the better. This is the perfect rural area for nourishment and wellbeing.