The breeze gently shaking the leaves, the ripple of water from a stream, the sleepy drone of buzzing bees. Relaxation really is as simple as going outside, where nature plays you the perfect mindful meditation music, all the time.
This is just one of ten types of experience in The Feel Good 100, a series of ways to boost your wellbeing with the outdoors. You can see the other types here, or sign up to our newsletter, and have them sent straight to your inbox over the next few weeks.
The views as you approach Skirrid Cabin just keep getting better and better with every step. By the time you arrive, you’re looking out at Sugarloaf mountain and miles of misty peaks and listening to the birdsong and bustle of wildlife in the thriving countryside.
Bruadar Shepherd's Hut is so suited to its Glenisla hillside location that you'll feel the urge to round up any stray sheep you find while you're walking to the Pictish Stones or the Reekie Linn waterfall. Better to let them be and simply enjoy the total reset of being far from anything and anyone.
When you get here and disappear into the woodland clearing around Haedd, the name, pronounced "hide" starts to make sense. Sure, there's enough phone signal to send a smug photo but it feels wrong to break the barrier of your camp, with its firepit, outdoor bath and air of perfect seclusion.
Deep into Dorset, beyond the last village of the isle of Purbeck, you find this serenely remote spot, waiting to help you disconnect with the modern world and blend into the motion of the waves. The coastal path runs across the cliffs nearby but it's still miles to anywhere, so enjoy the silence.
In a remote glade by a small river, 1500ft up in the Black Mountains, you’ll find Gwennol, if your map reading is up to it. Its remote nature is almost unparalleled, there’s no wifi, no mobile signal and you’re totally off-grid. If you can't switch off here, you'll have to smash your phone.
This Welsh cabin has the perfect balance of on- and off-grid living. Gas for a quick cup of tea but a wood-fired bath outside to make you slow down and savour the steam when you sink in. For entertainment, watch one kind of star in the unspoilt sky or another on the massive projector screen.
Sometimes taking your mind off things is easier when there's something else to focus on. At Yaffle, in the Sussex woods, you can pick up green woodworking, arts and crafts, foraging skills, tree, flower and fungi knowledge, or even carpentry, coming home refreshed by your new learning.
The Puckshipton Treehouse isn't just off grid, it's off road. You are kindly requested not to travel here by car, using public transport, bikes or any other means to arrive in the quiet of the woods. While there, you're completely self-sufficient and secluded, alone in your treetop hideout.
Take yourself back to a time when people didn't need to switch off because there was no switching on, at a loving recreation of an iron-age roundhouse in the Cumbrian countryside, given just enough touches of comfort for a gentle reboot that you'll remember for aeons to come.
No wifi, no signal, nothing between you and... you. This is a place to sit and stare, let yourself drift away and come back with a clear head. Spectacular views of the Welsh countryside invite you to unravel without distractions except wondering how many baths one person can have in a day.
As part of The Feel Good 100, we’ll be giving away a great prize every week for the next ten weeks. We’re talking wild spa weekends, treehouse adventures and even a stay for six at a Beach House in Dorset.
You’ll have heard the term ‘digital detox’ before, but how exactly is it done? We took a deep dive into the advice online to find out what exactly are the ways you can take to give one a go. Whilst it might seem like a big step to take, often what puts us off a big lifestyle change, is the severity of it, all or nothing. So, here’s a few suggestions for people at both ends of the scale, whether you’re just looking to reduce your screen time, or go for a something a little more extreme.
If you think you’re spending more time with your phone than your friends, family or the dog, it might be time for a digital detox. The great outdoors is the best antidote to a pinging phone screen and it’s much easier to switch off in a place with no wifi and limited phone signal. As you count down to your unplugged glamping getaway, have a look at our tips for a digital detox whether you want to reduce your scrolling time or go full cold turkey.
Whether you fancy al fresco yoga, coastal walks, paddleboarding or stargazing, our places offer unique ways to get back in tune with the rhythms of nature. If you can whip up a tasty dinner and take a long soak outside too, there’s no need to come inside until those soft, squidgy pillows start calling.
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We're committing to raise £50,000 by 2027 to help protect nature in our national parks.
