Walking the Wellbeing Talk

Publish Date: Tuesday December 13, 2022

Being outdoors in nature makes us feel better – and supporting people’s wellbeing by connecting them to their environment forms the basis of Fife Coast & Countryside Trust’s work.

So, we have been walking the talk – quite literally – with our first Wellbeing with Nature Wander.

Our Education Manager, Aidan Duncan, headed to Balgownie Woods near Culross with a group of people to explore these magnificent mixed woodlands and experience nature with all their senses on a crisp Autumn day.

The session was underpinned by the ‘5 ways to wellbeing in nature’: connect with others; take notice of your surroundings; keep learning; give back; and keep active.

Among activities were:

• Clay Faeries – making a clay face on trees, getting our hands dirty and using natural materials to decorate the faces.
• Nature’s Song – sitting for ten minutes and taking note of and focusing on the sounds of nature.
• Binocular scavenger hunt – finding colours and details with binoculars across a beautiful autumn view.
• Sharing thoughts and experiences with others.

Aidan explained: “Woodlands are a fantastic place to spend time and they contribute towards a sense of wellbeing. As well as practical activities, we learned some skills to help with being mindful and interrupting stressful thought patterns. And at the end of the walk we handed out seed packets to participants so they could improve biodiversity in their garden or local area.”

Keep an eye on our website’s events page for more wellbeing in nature events.