Moon Bathing - Tuning into the Natural World at Night

Join us as we explore the sights and sounds of the woodland at night. Relax through gently guided connections with nature.

“It’s the quietest my brain has been in years, I was so immersed in my surroundings I honestly didn’t think about anything else during the walk!” Feedback from a participant.

We have been leading Forest Bathing for some time in Shining Cliff Woods and we are now excited to invite you into the woodland at night! Experience the sights and sounds of the woodland after dark. We will provide you with a red light headtorch to borrow for the duration of the walk. The red light prevents us from breaking the night vision. At some points we will turn off these lights to fully appreciate the night time experience.

We will also use ultra violet torches to explore the things which fluoresce in the darkness!

The distance travelled is minimal as we slow down and invite you to join in some simple mindfulness exercises that will encourage connection to the woodland around us and help us to step away from our routine day-to-day lives.

The walk itself will last 1 hour but we will spend some time before the start and at the end completing data collection for the optional research element. Therefore the finish time is approximate depending on how long the data collection takes.

With funding from Amber Valley Borough Council CVS, these 1hr, slow-paced walks in nature are being offered at a special rate of £5 as part of a research project at the University of Derby.

Important Information:

• Ability level: You should have sufficient physical mobility to be able to walk slowly for up to 1hr on uneven ground (covering no more than 500m).
• Over 18yrs only - Anyone (over 18yrs) can come on these walks.
• Taking part in the research - This is optional. Please read the information below before deciding. You can then select to take part or not on the booking form.
• Where are we? The session starts and ends at the woodland car park in Shining Cliff woods. This is a private car park in the woods, directions are provided to the meeting point in your booking confirmation email, however it is not easily accessed by public transport. Using the What3Words app is the easiest way to find us. Use stores.incoming.stability
• Toilets - Please be aware that there are no toilets available during this session.
• What to wear - It can feel very chilly in the woods at night, so layer up to keep warm as we do go at a purposefully slow pace and spend some time standing still or sitting for a while. Sturdy footwear for the uneven and sometimes muddy paths is essential.
• What to bring - We may spend some time sitting or lying on the ground. If you have a sit mat it is a good idea to bring it or just a bag to sit/lie on, to keep you dry. If you are unable to get down to ground level you might want to bring a lightweight camping chair if you are able to carry it for the duration of the session. If you have your own red light headtorch it would be helpful to bring your own.
• Refunds - Please be aware that we are unable to refund tickets with less than 7 days notice. For refunds issued with more than 7 days notice, we are unable to refund the Eventbrite booking fees.
• Cancellations - To ensure safety for all participants and leaders, a session can be cancelled or postponed by Woodland Connections at very short notice due to forecast high winds or thunderstorms. If a suitable alternative date is not available, we will refund the full cost of the session. We will advise you if this decision has to be made either the evening before or morning of the session. Please check for emails or texts.