This September will shine the spotlight on the huge variety of wellbeing experiences available across the North York Moors National Park, including near Whitby.
These include newer initiatives such as pop-up beach sauna and dip-in-the-sea sessions and herbal remedy workshops.
The National Park’s annual Mindful Month has a programme of events, some of which are free, aimed at encouraging people to seek out the myriad ways they can pause everyday life, rejuvenate their spirits and fire up their senses ahead of winter, including discovering how simply being ‘in the moment’ in nature can have a therapeutic benefit.
New events this year include hour-long sessions run by Whitby Wellbeing where guests intersperse sitting in a Finnish-style wood-fired pop-up sauna at beaches like Whitby with cooling dips in the sea, tapping into the physical and relaxation benefits that arise from the contrast in temperatures.
Just inland from the coast near Whitby, Yoga and Spice will be running aerial yoga sessions and a Women’s Wellness Day Retreat where specialist Lorraine Clissold will share gentle restorative exercises and provide a wealth of food and lifestyle advice, including how to balance different ingredients at each mealtime to optimise gut health.
Those keen to benefit from a more spiritual experience can stay at High Dalby House which is registered with the Quiet Garden Movement. Here guests can seek out peace and tranquillity in the Hermitage where there’s a chapel, a labyrinth to walk, sauna and hot tub as well as plenty of seating areas within the six acres of grounds to enjoy a period of reflection.
The ever-popular mindful walking sessions which let nature’s sounds, smells, sights and textures work their magic on people’s senses, are joined this year by one of the National Park’s Breath of Fresh Air guided walks in the company of Buddhist nun Ani Tselha who will lead a group through hay meadows and along quiet woodland paths. Alternatively Yorkshire Coast Nature and Adventures for the Soul have joined forces with Gumboots & Wellingtons at Ellerburn near Dalby Forest to hold a Twilight Nature Sounds Safari where people can tune-in to the sounds of wildlife as night falls.
There’s the calming impact of simply admiring art too. At Danby Lodge’s Inspired by… gallery, the work of skilled local photographers Joe Cornish and Simon Baxter is on display. For both, trees have been a source of meditation and tranquillity and their images convey this in the exhibition entitled ‘A Woodland Sanctuary’.
Emily Watson, the North York Moors National Park’s Visitor Development and Marketing Assistant comments:
“Whether it’s strolling on a beach, walking in woods or sitting on a bench overlooking a fantastic view, there’s now more evidence that spending time in nature is good for our mental health and wellbeing.
“As this year is proving particularly challenging for many people, Mindful Month has even more relevance as a way of showcasing how the National Park’s beauty and the various experiences utilising these natural surroundings can act as a springboard for better health.”
For more details of the Mindful Month event programme go to Mindful Month (northyorkmoors.org.uk/mindfulmonth)
New Support Group for Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide Launches in Scarborough
Scarborough's Rainbow Centre Launches 2024 Christmas Appeal
Operation Recall Combats Rising Livestock Attacks in North Yorkshire
Most and Least Used Railway Stations in Yorkshire Revealed
Thornton Dale Pupils Get Hi-Vis Safety Vests
North Yorkshire Police Rates Highly in New Stats
Scarborough Sixth Form College Staff to Join National Pay Dispute Stike
Yellow Weather Warnings Issued for Snow and Ice on Yorkshire Coast
Scarborough RNLI President Appointed as New North Yorkshire Deputy Lieutenant
Crime Down in North Yorkshire as Police Make More Arrests
Concerns Over NI Hike Impact on Voluntary Sector and Council Finances in North Yorkshire
300 Harvest Mice Released in the North York Moors National Park
Comments
Add a comment