Discover the Spread Eagle Hotel Forest Bathing experience for the ultimate wellbeing getaway in the countryside…

When was the last time you felt truly relaxed? And not just sinking into the sofa after a long week relaxed, but totally at peace? If like me, it’s near impossible to remember, there’s a wellness activity you need to try – Forest bathing. And no, it’s not hot tubs in woodland, nor swimming in a natural lake as I’d wondered when I first heard of the concept; it’s a form of nature therapy, whereby you spend time in a forest drawing in on the therapeutic powers of nature, connecting with the environment and improving your wellbeing. And that is something Historic Sussex Hotels Spread Eagle Hotel is helping to promote, with their new Forest Bathing experience. A wellness retreat unlike anything else, you will leave feeling renewed, rejuvenated and a whole lot calmer than when you arrived.

The Spread Eagle Hotel

It’s not until you leave the city that you realise just how loud it can be. The constant sounds of sirens, bustling footsteps, tannoy announcements, phones ringing. It’s a constant buzz we don’t even realise it happening around us. This is one reason it’s so important to get away sometimes, to escape the confines of the city life and head somewhere to reconnect with yourself, your thoughts and to just pause for a second. To wind the fast-paced life back and realise some of the simpler things. The Spread Eagle Hotel is a real olde-worlde Hotel that will sweep you off your feet with its sheer force of character, sense of cosiness and utter relaxation. Tucked off a winding road in Midhurst West Sussex, its facade exudes a whimsical, historical air; green vines climb white bricks, burnt red tiles cover the roof and cobbled stone walls border the exterior. It’s charming, intriguing and welcoming, beckoning you in with open arms and making it near impossible for you to want to leave. One of the oldest buildings in Sussex, it dates back to 1430 and still has its original lattice windows and undulating floors that add charm and character – a far cry from the harsh, perfected symmetry of modern buildings.

Your Forest Bathing experience at the Spread Eagle Hotel begins the second you arrive on the Sunday. Take your afternoon at leisure where we recommend you check out the spa – with a hot tub, pool, sauna and beautiful outdoor terrace where you can recline with a book and glass of fizz in the sunshine.

Take the time to explore your room – each one in the Hotel is different, yet many of which have fascinating stories associated with them – from a secret passage reputedly used by fleeing smuggles and a suite which is said to have welcomed the queen. Beds are deliciously comfortable, with crisp, white linen and fat, fluffy pillows – begging for languid snoozes after the spa and promising a best nights sleep when you retire at the end of the day. Bathrooms are complete with Temple Spa products and fluffy dressing gowns and the rooms have Nespresso machines and complimentary tea – all the perfect ingredients to prepare you for the most relaxing stay.

Dine on a delicious three-course dinner in the Hotel’s restaurant, then enjoy a drink in front of the crackling fire in the bar when the weather is cooler. Enjoy a relaxing nights sleep, before commencing your day with a hearty full English to set you on your way to Forest Bathing.

The Forest Bathing Experience

Wear comfortable clothes for this, and ones you don’t mind getting a little grubby as you will spend some of your time lying on the forest floor. We recommend you take an extra layer as it can get a little chillier than you might think. Our Forest Bathing experience at the Spread Eagle Hotel began with meeting Helena Skoog (who runs the experience) at 11 am in the hotel lobby. She’s a lovely lady who was born and raised in the forests of Sweden and has spent the past four years living off-grid in ancient forestry in Sussex. We were taken on a short walk to a forest just a stone throw from the Spread Eagle Hotel where we were told to pick an object off the floor (I chose a clover) and had to imagine we were physically putting our stresses and worries into this. Helena then gathered these objects and explained how she had taken these away, so we could not worry or stress for the next 120 minutes.

We were then led into the most beautiful clearing, where we sat on fluffy towels we’d brought with us and were told to take some deep breaths, getting the air deep into our lungs. And it turns out country air doesn’t just feel fresher – it actually is fresher. This is due to various essential oils – generally called phytoncide – which trees emit to protect themselves from germs and insects. Inhaling this has actually been said to decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol and also boost the immune system function. We took time to lay down among the luscious greenery, closing our eyes and becoming really attuned to our senses. We were told to focus on sounds – firstly those that were further away such as a dog barking in the distance, then those that were closer, until we were focusing on those immediately around us -the gentle swish of the grass around our ears and the thrum of an insect’s wings. We were told to focus on our nose – what we could smell and what we could taste. It’s so rare to be able to just stop and really take in your surroundings, I became aware of quite how much we miss out on.

The next step of the journey saw us walk silently through serene forest paths, stopping to smell fluffy moss clinging to trees, stroke the different shapes of the leaves, feel the roughness of low-hanging branches. We walked barefoot through a field, wiggling our toes on the earth; hot from the late-afternoon sunlight and stopped to take in the sounds of a small flowing pond. I could feel the anxiety I have from everyday life begin to slip away as I allowed myself to leave work worries behind and focus on the simple things that were right there in front of me. In a time where more and more are suffering from what has been coined Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD), it couldn’t be more important to pull ourselves away from the confines of our homes, transport and office blocks to spend more time outdoors. NDD is a term coined by American Author and co-founder of the Children and Nature Network Richard Louv who has analysed the bad health effects we suffer from being deprived of the great outdoors. And right there at that moment, I noticed it more clearly than I ever had before. The real difference between being cooped up at your desk, surrounded by man-made sights, sounds and scents, to being in the great outdoors, a breeze teasing at your hair, the soft feel of grass beneath your feet and the sun on your face. It’s quiet and peaceful and a real chance to get to grips with your thoughts – but not so much so that you get lost in a whirlwind or your mind races back to your worries and stresses. By simply focusing on your breathing you will find yourself feeling so much more relaxed, your mind calmer and your posture better.

The Forest Bathing experience continued along similar lines, getting us to grips with our surroundings and our senses, noticing things we would often walk past. For even though we may occasionally go for a walk in the countryside, it’s usually with someone and you’ll be so busy wrapped up in a conversation you don’t get a chance to just stop and look around you. Forest Bathing allows you to be utterly peaceful and serene, to just think of your inner self and your experience. With everyone in silence, there’s no room to make conversation, to worry about anything and it’s so refreshing.

After two hours we finished the experience and headed back to the Spread Eagle Hotel. There was a definite change in aura within the group, we were speaking in more hushed tones, we were comfortable to meander back in silence and the positive impact the Forest Bathing experience had had on everyone was evident to see. I couldn’t remember a time when I had last felt so at peace. And the feeling was unanimous I found as we all chatted of the experience over a delicious two-course lunch bin the Hotel’s beautiful dining room. We sipped on healthy forest-inspired mocktails and devoured a delicious two-course lunch, hungry from our time spent outdoors.

The experience was rounded off with a 90-minute yoga session in the Hotel’s Jacobean Hall – a beautiful and historical space complete with natural stone walls, heraldic banners and a beamed ceiling. Candles were lit on the ground and fresh lavender was placed next to our mats. Similar to the forest bathing it was designed to invigorate all the senses. The yoga session was also run by Helena and suited those of all abilities.

90 minutes sped by all too quickly and it was time to check out of the hotel and head back to our respective homes. I felt so utterly relaxed, calm and collected I couldn’t quite imagine heading back to the hustle and bustle of city life quite yet. It made me all the more determined to take the skills and ethos to take time out for ourselves and into the outdoors, that I promised myself to incorporate this into my everyday life. If we all took the time we spent scrolling through pointless social media posts every day and instead gathered those minutes to head to a park or a forest, how much better would our wellbeing and mindsets be? We need to remember that we are designed to belong outside and within nature, not glued to a screen and enclosed inside all hours. I learnt what it feels to be well and truly relaxed – something I don’t remember the last time I had genuinely felt. I thought I had, after all, there are times such as sinking into the sofa after a hectic week, the bath at the end of a manic day, or your bed after a late-night when you feel chilled, but nowhere to the levels that I experienced on this forest bathing experience. It’s something we all need to remember and to cherish.

Book your Forest bathing experience at the Spread Eagle Hotel here

Forest Bathing overnight experience at The Spread Eagle Hotel & Spa starts from £275 based on two sharing a classic room on a dinner, bed & breakfast basis, including one 2-hour forest bathing session and a 2-hour yoga session with Helena Skoog. This package is available on certain dates: Sunday/Monday 11^th/12th August, Sunday/Monday 25^th/26th September, Sunday/Monday 13^th/14th October, Sunday/Monday 10^th/11th November

Forest Bathing day experience at The Spread Eagle Hotel & Spa is £25 per person which includes a 2-hour forest bathing session and a two-course lunch and softail with Helena Skoog. This package is available on certain dates: Monday 12th August, Monday 26th September, Monday 14th October, Monday 11th November

Other experiences and add-ons available upon request.