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If You Go Down to the Woods Today...

The Dairy Diary is so much more than a place to jot down your plans; it's a place to inspire them, too. From tempting recipes that will have you itching to get in the kitchen, to garden and home advice, it offers so much more than your run-of-the-mill notepad. Have a browse of the 2023 edition’s pointers for fun weekend walks surrounded by nature.
Dairy Diary
Posted 10-11-22

Forests are an essential part of the world’s ecosystem, covering a third of our planet, and they are amazing places to spend time. Beautiful and calming, the world would be a very different place without them – and so would we.

In fact, the world as we know it would not exist at all without forests. We depend on the woods for our survival – they provide the air we breathe, the wood we use to build houses, and the paper we write on, not to mention countless habitats for a diverse assortment of living creatures beyond the human.

And that’s not all, of course: forests also have many environmental benefits that cannot be overestimated. The world’s woods help to cushion changes to the climate, reduce soil erosion and remove carbon from the atmosphere. And of course, the views can be pretty breath-taking.

In today’s fast-paced and high-tech world, life can feel like it is moving at a breakneck pace. Spending time in forests can provide a welcome relief from this feeling – offering many chances to slow down, rest and recharge. And if you’re based in the UK, you’re really spoiled for choice. These verdant isles are home to 3.2 million hectares of woodland and these areas are incredibly diverse, ranging from temperate rainforests (yes, really!) to native conifer woods and smaller urban woodlands.

It is only relatively recently that our connection to the woods and the wilderness has waned.

Most of our evolution as humans took place deep in nature. Our ancestors relied on their natural surroundings for food and building materials. It is really only in the last two centuries, following the Industrial Revolution, that our interactions with the outdoors have dramatically decreased.

Returning to nature gives us a chance to subconsciously remember the way we used to live more at one with the land and the seasons. This can bring us into a state of heightened sensory awareness – a feeling of being calm and yet observant. Some describe it as a feeling of returning home, bringing a deep sense of peace.

The Japanese have been clued up on the benefits of time spent in the forest for many years. There, the practice of shinrin-yoku – which translates as ‘forest bathing’ – was introduced by the government in the 1980s as a way to alleviate stress among harried businessmen. Forest bathing sees participants spending uninterrupted chunks of time deep in the forest, breathing deeply and opening their senses to their surroundings. Each year around 5 million Japanese citizens are estimated to participate, relieving stress and revitalising their bodies and minds among the trees and birdsong.

The advantages of this type of activity are many. Forest bathing inhibits the production of stress hormones, lowers blood pressure and subdues the ‘fight or flight’ reaction that kicks in when we feel stressed or anxious. Many of the original participants of Japan’s forest bathing scheme reported being happier and calmer, enjoying better sleep and feeling more at home in their bodies.

Part of the reason why being in the depths of a forest is wonderful is because it is such an all-encompassing sensory experience. Nature is never silent. Spend an hour in the woods and you’ll likely hear wind rushing through the trees, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the splutter of streams passing down valleys and birds calling out to one another. And yet the sounds of the outside world are dulled, as the trees cast a hush over traffic sounds and other noise pollution.

Connecting with forests has many benefits, but always comes back to the idea of an invitation. An invitation to shift our perspective, reconnect with ourselves and appreciate the bigger picture of how we are connected to nature. Woods are vital to the ecosystems that give us life. And yet they give us much beyond that too. The invitation to go down to the woods today is always there; we just have to be open to accepting it.

 

5 Fantastic Forests Around the UK

Grizedale, Cumbria

Grizedale sits at the heart of the Lake District World Heritage Site and offers the sort of breath-taking views you’d expect from an area of such world-renowned beauty. It can be easily explored on foot, mountain bike or even horseback. Keep your eyes peeled for the unusual sculptures dotted throughout the forest.

Galloway Forest Park, Dumfries & Galloway

Scotland’s Galloway Forest is often nicknamed the ‘highlands of the lowlands’ thanks to its stunning beauty, ancient woodland habitats and fantastic walking opportunities. It’s also a certified dark skies park, so it’s an ideal spot for stargazing.

Ashdown Forest, East Sussex

This vast area of public space is found in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so gorgeous scenery is guaranteed. The woodland is probably better known, however, as the location of the Hundred Acre Wood made famous by A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories.

Sherwood Forest, Nottingham

Could this be the UK’s most famous forest? Perhaps, given its connections with the well-known legend of Robin Hood. It is also home to the Major Oak, a tree thought to be around 1000 years old and the very spot where Robin Hood and his Merry Men are said to have spent the night.

Tollymore National Forest Park, Northern Ireland

This was the first state forest park in Northern Ireland and has the claim to fame of providing the oak wood used to furnish the cabins on the Titanic. The forest is full of curiosities, from bridges to grottoes to giant redwoods, as well as striking trees like monkey puzzle and eucalyptus.

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