I AM standing at the foot of a towering eucalyptus tree, watching light dart and flutter as the breeze moves through the leaves. The scent that wafts on the wind reminds me of massage rooms in luxury resorts, but I am more relaxed than I have ever been on a massage table and I am doing nothing more than paying close attention to the trees and flowers, birds and insects of the wood I find myself in. I am ‘forest bathing’.
The concept was first developed in Japan as an attempt to revive burnt-out townies. People were brought to the forest to recuperate and studies were made to assess the impact on heart rate, cortisol levels and mental health. The positive results saw the trend taking off in neighbouring Korea, then spreading across the western world and eventually reaching Jersey’s shores.
Even on this peaceful island, life can get hectic, particularly for those that work in the busy financial industries, and Amanda Bond, a trained eco-therapist who leads monthly forest-bathing walks, has no shortage of people keen to experience the restorative nature of the forest for themselves.
The arboretum that surrounds St Peter’s Val de la Mare reservoir is a fitting location to take in Nature. The trees here, including giant American redwoods, Japanese cypresses and Australian bottlebrushes, were donated by the Moores family in the 1970s and planted in memory of their son Nigel, who had died in a car accident. After several years, the trees had been allowed to grow to full size, without any human interference, and they now cohabit and interconnect in a peaceful wilderness that unites all corners of the globe.
Denne historien er fra July 14, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra July 14, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
