Last Wednesday, our WALX Leamington and Warwick group enjoyed a wonderfully peaceful evening at Newbold Comyn during one of our Connecting with Nature sessions. It wasn’t one of our usual walks where the emphasis is on covering miles or raising our heart rate. Instead, we gave ourselves permission to slow down, become curious and reconnect with the natural world around us.

The reflections below have been beautifully written by one of our WALX members, Jill Drew, who is also a physiotherapist. Jill captures perfectly the experience of the evening and reminds us that our wellbeing isn’t just about keeping active – it’s also about taking time to pause, notice and reconnect with nature.

As a physiotherapist, I spend every day encouraging people to keep moving. Movement is one of the most powerful medicines we have. But this week reminded me that sometimes it’s not just about moving through nature – it’s about allowing yourself to become part of it.

Much of the evening was spent beneath a beautiful mixture of towering pine trees and mature deciduous woodland. We sat quietly together, lay on the ground looking up through the canopy and simply noticed what was around us. Watching the branches gently sway overhead, listening to birdsong, feeling the warmth of the evening air and breathing in the distinctive scent of the woodland created an overwhelming sense of calm.

One activity was particularly memorable. We were invited to close our eyes and gently place our hands on the trunk of a tree. Without looking, we explored its texture, shape and contours before opening our eyes to discover “our” tree. It sounds surprisingly simple, yet closing one sense heightened all the others. I became much more aware of the rough bark beneath my fingertips, the coolness of the trunk and the reassuring solidity of something that had stood there for many decades. It was a lovely reminder of how rarely we truly pay attention to the natural world around us.

Experiences like this are often described as Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”, a practice developed in Japan that encourages mindful immersion in woodland rather than exercise alone. Research over the past two decades has shown that spending time amongst trees can reduce stress, improve mood and promote feelings of relaxation. Studies have also demonstrated reductions in heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones following time spent in woodland, while more recent reviews continue to support improvements in anxiety, mood and feelings of restoration.

Woodland offers something many of us are missing. The gentle rustling of leaves, birds singing overhead, filtered sunlight through the branches and the earthy scent of pine needles create an environment that naturally encourages us to slow our breathing, quieten our thoughts and become more present.

Driving home that evening, I realised I felt genuinely refreshed. Not because I’d completed a strenuous workout, but because I’d given myself permission to slow down for a couple of hours and simply be.

Jill’s reflections capture exactly why we include sessions like these as part of our WALX programme. At WALX Leamington and Warwick, we know that being active outdoors isn’t only about improving our physical fitness. It’s about supporting our mental wellbeing, building friendships, reducing stress and taking time to appreciate the natural spaces on our doorstep.

Thank you, Jill, for allowing us to share your thoughtful words. They perfectly express what so many of us experienced during a very special evening beneath the trees.

If you’d like to experience one of our Connecting with Nature sessions or discover the many benefits of walking with WALX Leamington and Warwick, we’d love to welcome you along.