Escape the Christmas stress and find peace in the nation’s forests

Much as we may love the chance to connect and celebrate with loved ones, Christmas can leave us tired and feeling overwhelmed.

Salcey Forest offers the perfect escape whether it’s for a solo winter walk among the trees, an activity to connect with others or to restore wellbeing. Time among trees delivers powerful health benefits, from lowering blood pressure to boosting your immune system. This Christmas, give yourself the gift of forest time. Here's how you can explore the wonderful wellbeing activities on offer:

A winter wellbeing walk

Winter in the forest is a magical time. Life slows down and without the leaves rustling in the wind, the forest falls quiet. Leave the headphones at home and tune in to the sights and sounds all around you on a forest wander on one of the waymarked walking trails.

Winter forest bathing

The hushed quiet of a winter woodland is the perfect time of year for forest bathing - the Japanese practice of relaxing in the forest. Known in Japan as shinrin yoku, being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you whilst breathing deeply can help boost health and wellbeing naturally.

Read Forestry England’s guide and try forest bathing on your own in Salcey Forest.

Wellbeing trail

This self-led trail winds through the trees and encourages you to pause, unplug and mindfully reconnect with nature as you walk. These sensitively designed trails have themed panels, and the beautiful silhouettes of bare-branched trees make a peaceful woodland backdrop for a mindful walk.

Winter wildlife walks

Winter months are an excellent time to get to know mammals in the forest. You may not meet an animal face to face, but you can read the tracks and signs they leave behind.

Prints in the mud or snow can show the journeys animals in the forest have made before you. You can quickly learn the difference between fox, badger and deer prints.

You can also enjoy a bit of tree identification on your walk. Broadleaved trees become ghosts of the forest in winter, leaving their skeletons on show. Each species is built differently, with the silhouette of oak being round and stocky with low branches, and birch standing tall and slender with trailing branches.

Low cost family get together

Wrap the kids up warm, pull on your boots and fill the flask. The forest is a perfect natural playground. Let the kids run wild and burn off that excitement for Santa with a family or friends forest get together.

Car parking charges apply when you visit the nation’s forests. Forestry England membership offers free parking where charges apply and is a wonderful way to explore hundreds of forests across England while supporting our work caring for these beautiful places.