Guided Forest Bathing Morning: Autumn Wind Down

Join us for a 2.5-hour forest bathing session with Samantha from Fleeting Fern this Autumn, held in the beautiful Adel Dam Nature Reserve.

This is a calm, guided way to explore the reserve in Autumn while slowing down and deepening your connection with nature.

Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku in Japanese) is a wellbeing practice from Japan. Rather than hiking or exercising, forest bathing invites us to move slowly, pause often, and engage the senses - sight, sound, touch, smell, and even taste - to fully experience the natural world. Research shows that this practice can help reduce stress, calm the nervous system, support mental health, boost mood, leave you feeling cognitively refreshed and foster a sense of connection and belonging.

We’ll begin with a short introduction to the location and the practice, followed by a gentle meditation to awaken the senses. From there, you’ll be guided through a series of slow, optional explorative invitations, such as noticing patterns, textures, creating woodland art or sounds, that encourage curiosity, rest, and presence. There is no pressure to share, no expectations to achieve anything, and no right or wrong way to take part. Much of the session is spent simply being, noticing, and allowing nature to meet you where you are.

This experience is guided by Samantha, creator of Fleeting Fern. After experiencing burnout herself, Samantha trained as a forest therapy practitioner and now supports adults to reconnect with nature, helping people to slow down in our fast-paced world, find peace outdoors, be present, and notice what’s often overlooked.

We’ll close the session with a warm drink, creating space to reflect and gently transition back into everyday life. You are welcome to come on your own or with a friend—all are welcome, and no previous experience is needed. Come as you are, and leave feeling more connected to yourself, others, and the natural world.

What to bring (kit list):

• Weather-appropriate clothing (unless deemed unsafe, sessions go ahead in different weathers)
• Extra layers—more than you expect, as we’ll be moving slowly
• A drink to sip on and a snack if needed
• Any Medic*tion you require
• Optional: a journal and pen to jot down what you noticed

Above all, come with curiosity. This is an invitation to slow down, to explore gently, and to see what the forest has to offer you.

Embrace your wild side - what to expect:

Accessibility and terrain

The path to Marsh Hide is suitable for standard wheelchairs and pushchairs, while the rest of the route is more uneven with narrow passage ways which become inaccessible for some users. Boggy areas frequent so keep to path.

People using wheelchairs, powerchairs and mobility equipment can find more information about this reserve here thanks to Accessible Nature.

If you have any access requirements or need additional support to fully participate in this event, please let us know at checkout or get in touch with us at [email protected]. We are happy to chat through how we can best support your participation in this event and aim to accommodate where possible.

What to bring/wear

This event will take place outside during Autumn so please come prepared for the Yorkshire weather! Bring:

• Weather-appropriate clothing (unless deemed unsafe, sessions go ahead in different weathers)
• Extra layers - more than you expect, as we’ll be moving slowly
• A drink to sip on and a snack if needed
• Any Medic*tion you require
• Optional: a journal and pen to jot down what you noticed

Above all, come with curiosity. This is an invitation to slow down, to explore gently, and to see what the forest has to offer you.

Toilets and catering

There are no toilet or catering facilities on this reserve. The closest toilets are located at Golden Acre Park Café which is a 10-15 minute walk from the reserve. You're welcome to bring a drink and/or snack with you but please take your litter home with you.

Joining us on the day

Meet at the entrance gate to the reserve on the Meanwood Valley Trail path between Golden Acre Park and Adel Dam nature reserve.

What 3 words ///suffer.herds.shell

Coordinates: 53°52'07.2"N 1°35'19.8"W

Parking

Parking is available at the main Golden Acre car park on Otley Road. It is a short, flat walk to the reserve. Please note, parking charges apply.

If you are parking at Golden Acre car park, we recommend you allow yourself an extra 15 minutes before the event start time to get parked up and down to the reserve entrance.

Further directions can be found on our website.

Public transport

There are buses that run from Leeds to Parkway Hotel which is a short walk from the nature reserve.

Join Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is the only charity entirely dedicated to conserving, protecting and enhancing Yorkshire's wildlife and wild places. Find out more about what we do on our website and discover how you can support our work.

Let us know what you think

We hope you have a fantastic time at the event! We always love to hear from our supporters - tell us about your experiences in our feedback survey .

Cancellation and refunds

In the situation that Yorkshire Wildlife Trust needs to cancel an event we will be in touch regarding your booking via email and our Supporter Services team will process the refund of your tickets as soon as possible. Please allow up to 5 working days for this to happen. If you, or members of your party, are unable to attend your booked event, you are eligible for a refund up to 7 days before the event date. For any cancellation and refund queries, please contact our Supporter Services team during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) on 01904 659570 or email [email protected].

Thank you for supporting Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

If you're having difficulties with your booking, or you have more questions about the event, please don't hesitate to get in touch! You can email us at [email protected] or drop us a call on 01904 659570.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is the only charity entirely dedicated to conserving, protecting and enhancing Yorkshire's wildlife and wild places. Find out more about what we do on our website and discover how you can support our work.

Photo: Joanna Richards