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BB2424
: Shinrin-Yoku
Thursday
11th July 2024
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If
I were to say to you “Shinrin-Yoku”
what would you think I was trying
to suggest?
Would
you think I was drunk? Or
having some sort of medical
episode? Or is it the
start of a Yogic incantation?
I
wouldn’t have known before today.
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We
left the cars strategically placed at the
Old School Brewery at Warton (possibly our
favourite watering hole though the Eagle
and Child at Staveley would also be a contender).
Our first target was the beacon on
the top of Warton Crag but we took a different
path to those previously used. I think.
This dived into woodland and as I
ducked under the arched branches I first
heard the faint chanting:
.....
Shinrin-Yoku, ......Shinrin-Yoku,…. Shinrin-Yoku,
......
A
bit like Hari Krishna.
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The
path led across the face of the cliff- not
quite dangerous but you could have made
it so if you were daft enough to try to
maximise the fine views.
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Then
it turned upwards, scrambling through the
rocks and fighting through bracken before
emerging right alongside the trig point.
It must be many years since it was
last so used as any view that there had
been (and there must have been as every
trig point had to be able to see two other
trig points) is now obscured by trees. Even
climbing up the nearby beacon (assuming
you could) is unlikely to let you see very
much.
We
returned into woodland, Shinrin-Yoku, Shinrin-Yoku
and mm-mm-mm-mmuddy tracks until reaching
the bridle path that drops down to Crag
Foot. Here we turned east into more
Shinrin country as far as the drive that
leads down to Leighton Hall.
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However
they don’t like you walking down that way
when the Hall isn’t open so we continued
along the road to the path that divides
the Leighton Hall territory from Yealand
Manor.
BOOTboys
no longer
being the unrelenting force we used to be,
a demand was made for a coffee stop. Fortunately,
there was a good supply of benches where
we could sit and enjoy the view. “What
was that noise?” I asked the boys.
“You know, that Shinrin-Yoku nonsense.”
“Have
you not heard of Forest Bathing?” was the
reply? Frankly, no I hadn’t. I
assumed it meant leaping into tarns found
in the woods, possibly naked, but I had
seen no evidence of such behaviour, however
clad.
It
was explained to me that it is a Japanese
process of relaxation, keeping calm and
quiet amongst the trees, observing nature
whilst breathing deeply. Its benefits
include helping you to de-stress and boosting
health and wellbeing in a natural way.
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There
was no opportunity to practice it as we
dropped through the open parkland, down
to the Hall then north through fields to
Yealand Storrs. However the next couple
of miles took us south through more forest
so I bathed my way calmly, employing a relaxed
stroll in a calm and quiet manner. I
couldn’t help but observe the trees (and
the mud) and I was certainly breathing deeply
on the uphill stretches.
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We
emerged at the top end of Warton and headed
south, back to the parking place and, more
importantly, the Old School Brewery. Here
we partook of the English form of relaxation
to de-stress and boost health and wellbeing
in a natural way. A familiar, magical
chant could be heard all around:
Pynto-bitta,
Yogud-helthsa............Pynto-bitta, Yogud-helthsa
Cheers!
Don,
Thursday 11th July 2024
Bonus
Pictures from TV Mike
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