5 ecotherapy environments and activities for your UK family vacation

In our fast-paced world filled with manmade structures and infrastructures, getting back to the simplicity of nature can satisfy our natural yearning for harmony and tranquillity. Some would argue we were made to live in a garden. Studies have shown the mental and physical benefits of walking among trees or beside a river or sea. Ecotherapy, or nature therapy, is just that: experiencing the therapeutic effects of our connection with the natural environment, be it forest, open country, the shore, waterways or wetlands. Interacting with nature is not only restorative, but also a lot of fun! What outdoor activities could enhance your next family holiday? Hiking, canoeing, forest-walking, birdwatching, mindfulness meditation on the beach... The possibilities are almost endless. Here are some we have picked out for you, with recommended destinations.

Walking – perhaps the simplest and most natural of physical activities – has long been recognised as beneficial to mental and emotional well-being. There’s something about moving forward at a regular pace that favours peace of mind. Combined with green hills, sunshine, fresh air and birdsong, it can be an almost transformative experience!

A favourite location for hikers of all ages, Peak District National Park is only a half-hour drive from Sheffield, where we recommend this family-friendly hotel. Hiking works best as ecotherapy when it’s just as much about the journey as the destination. So, keep an eye out for all the creatures you might see along the way: butterflies, lizards, snipe, rabbits and sheep. Pause often to take in the stunning, far-reaching views. Begin in the Upper Burbage Bridge Car Park and allow a couple of hours for a 4.5 km circular hike to Higger Tor through purple heather and inspiring rock formations.

This has to be one of the most relaxing ways to practise blue care or blue space therapy: enhancing mental and emotional well-being through being on the water. Canoeing is a great way to bond with nature as a family, as most canoes can hold three or more people. Slice through the water or be carried by the current as you experience harmony with nature and within yourself.

There are many good spots to canoe on the Thames. One of our favourites is from Henley-on-Thames upstream via the Hennerton Backwater to Wargrave and back again on the main River. Pike, herons, kingfishers, mink and otters can all be seen along the way. Take your time. Feel all tension flowing away downstream.
 

Good to know: If you’re doing a ‘there and back again’ canoe trip, it’s best to finish with the more relaxing downstream leg.

Wetlands are hotspots of biodiversity and possibly the best places to observe birdlife. Birdwatching can enhance listening and observation skills and engage children and adults more fully with the natural world. Wear clothing that blends with the surroundings, keep quiet and move slowly. Merging with their environment encourages the feathered inhabitants to go about their daily life as if unobserved. Except that you, hidden behind your binoculars, will be watching their every fascinating move.

It has been said that if forests are the lungs of the earth then wetlands must surely be its kidneys, acting as natural sponges against river flooding, protecting our shores and helping regulate the climate. We would add that they also regulate our mental and emotional well-being. Arundel Wetland Centre has many hides for observing red kites, kestrels and sparrowhawks, kingfishers, swallows and martins, oyster catchers, warblers and other birds. 

No need to bring your swimsuits – you’re simply here to immerse yourselves in the serene atmosphere of the forest. Evergreen trees are aromatic, releasing airborne essential oils that naturally boost immunity and lower cortisol (stress hormone) and the heartrate. Walk slowly. Breathe deeply. Listen intently. This is rejuvenation for the body and soul.

With ancient woodlands of ash, beech, oak and elm, and introduced species such as redwoods, the New Forest is also home to ponies, deer and other wildlife. We recommend the circular trail beginning at Ashurst station, 20 minutes by train or car from Southampton.

Relax and revitalise by practising mindfulness on the seashore. Take a beachcombing walk along the shore with your children and see how many different life forms you can spot, from shellfish, crabs and seaweed to marine birds, butterflies and more. Fill your lungs with the iodine-rich air and feel the salt on your skin. Stand in the foamy shallows and bury your feet in the cool, wet sand as you look out at the vast horizon. This is rejuvenation at its finest.

Part of a National Nature Reserve, this beach is an unspoilt treasure with wide sands, extensive dunes and a saltmarsh. Eight minutes’ drive from Wells-next-the-Sea, you can park at the top of Lady Anne’s Drive and enjoy a ten-minute walk through pine woods to the beach.

Most of us are aware of the benefits of spending more time outdoors and may say with Claude Monet, “My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature”. While it may not be possible or even desirable to move to the countryside to achieve this, simply walking intentionally by water or through trees in a city garden or park is a form of ecotherapy. Why not plan a family wellness retreat to enhance your connection to each other and nature?