At Looking Glass Lodge
Wonder Wanders
Step outside the everyday
When was the last time you really stopped to notice the world around you?
The light filtering through the trees. The sound of birdsong. The feel of the ground beneath your feet. The small, unexpected things that catch your attention when you’re not in a hurry to get somewhere.
Wonder Wanders are guided nature experiences that invite you to slow down, engage your senses and reconnect with the world around you, and yourself.
Combining the principles of forest bathing with mindfulness, gentle movement and curiosity, they’re an opportunity to step away from the demands of everyday life and discover what happens when you give yourself time to simply be.
No destination to reach, no steps to hit, nothing to achieve. Just a chance to pause, notice and explore.
The benefits of forest bathing
Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, originated in Japan. It’s about immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest, engaging your senses and allowing yourself to be present in your surroundings.
Research suggests that spending time in nature can help reduce stress, restore attention and support our wellbeing. But you don’t need to know the science to appreciate the feeling of fresh air, the sounds of the natural world or the sense of perspective that can come from stepping outside.
During a Wonder Wander, I’ll guide you through simple invitations to notice, explore and connect with your surroundings. You don’t need any previous experience with mindfulness, and there’s no right or wrong way to take part.
You might find your thoughts settling. You might notice things you’ve walked past a hundred times without seeing. You might experience a moment of awe, a sense of calm or simply the pleasure of being somewhere beautiful.
There’s no particular feeling you’re supposed to have. The invitation is to be curious and see what you discover.
Your Wonder Wander
Wonder Wanders take place at Looking Glass Lodge, where the natural surroundings offer a wonderful opportunity to slow down and reconnect.
As a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist, I bring my knowledge of psychology and mindfulness to these guided experiences, creating opportunities to step out of your usual patterns of thinking and doing and experience the present moment a little differently.
Together, we’ll explore ways of paying attention that you can take with you into everyday life. Because the benefits of making time for nature don’t have to end when your wander does.
A Wonder Wander might be for you if you’d like to:
- Press pause on a busy mind and the demands of everyday life.
- Reconnect with your senses and the natural world.
- Explore mindfulness without needing to sit still or clear your mind.
- Make room for curiosity, awe and those easily missed moments of wonder.
- Find simple ways to bring more presence and appreciation into your everyday life.
You don’t need to be outdoorsy, particularly mindful or even feeling especially calm when you arrive. Just come as you are.
An hour’s Wonder Wander costs £125.
Looking Glass Lodge Guests
a little wonder in your week
I’d love your Wonder Wander to be the beginning of something, even if it’s simply a renewed appreciation of the world on your doorstep.
For guests at Looking Glass Lodge, I’ve created a collection of free resources to complement the experience. They’re yours to explore during your stay, whether you’d like to revisit a mindfulness practice, follow your curiosity or find inspiration for your own nature-based wanderings.
And if you’d like to keep exploring, you can sign up for my weekly newsletter.
It’s a little moment of reflection in your inbox, with thoughts, questions and practical ideas inspired by psychology and everyday life. A chance to pause, notice the good stuff, get curious about yourself and find new ways to put what you know into practice.
Because sometimes the smallest shifts in how we pay attention can make a difference to how we experience our lives.