by
Lindsey Death | Chase & Chalke
4th January 2024
The Chase & Chalke project ‘Ancient Ways’, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aims to connect people to the landscape through walking and exploring.
As part of this project, Lindsey Death of Dorset Forest Bathing has come on board to craft and deliver a year of public walks and experiences that will connect participants to the environment of Cranborne Chase National Landscape. Here, Lindsey talks about her inspiration behind the initiative and how you can get involved.
Photo credit: Claire Mallon Photography
“Life consists with wildness. The most alive is the wildest. Not yet subdued to man, it’s presence refreshes him.” – Henry David Thoreau
This quote does something to sum up my desire to be outdoors, to be exploring, to be in the landscape and to rejoice in it. Sometimes walking, often sauntering and many times being still. My events will certainly offer the opportunity to walk in our wonderful landscape, but also allow time to just be, to connect with others and notice what changes when we spend time outside in nature.
I’m delighted to be working with the team at Chase & Chalke to deliver these walks over the next year. After setting up a weekly wellbeing walk in Shaftesbury over 2022/23 I have been able to see the benefits of such a simple idea first hand.
New friendships made, confidence gained in walking and new skills shared within the group. Our walks usually followed the same short route but often covered bird identification, learning about plants, reading nature poetry and sharing memories and experiences while taking in the views, ending with a coffee is an important part of the wellbeing walk too!
Taking this format we’ll be meeting monthly in the delightful village of Broad Chalke where the walks takes in the pretty Churchyard, the river Ebble at several points, fields, allotments and the community café to end.
On the first walk we enjoyed seeing numerous red kites gliding above, and had great views of goldfinches enjoying winter seeds in the allotment. These walks are open to anyone, with a particular focus on supporting those people that may be experiencing long term heath conditions, dementia, long covid or gaining confidence in walking after illness or injury. Perhaps you would like to widen your social network, or are a carer in need of a break or wishing to bring someone you care for.
In addition to the monthly Walk for Wellbeing, I’ll be running some other events aimed at specific groups across the Chase & Chalke landscape area.
We’ve already completed two Babywearing Wildlife Walks, so far in Sixpenny Handley and Chettle, and these will continue to run roughly monthly at different locations across the area.
Aimed at supporting parents in the early stages of parenthood these walks are open to parents or carers of babies that can be carried in a sling or carrier, or pregnant people wishing to meet a network of others and get to know new walks. The walks are likely to be around 1.5 to 2.5 miles and will usually have a café stop. I’ve already met 18 mums and babies at the walks who have made connections with each other and discovered new routes to walk out in the countryside with all the unknowns such as parking, changing facilities and toilets being covered by the walk leader and communicated in advance.
My children are now a bit big to be carried in a sling, and are at school and nursery, but I’m still extremely passionate about supporting those at the start of their parenting journey, and encouraging them to connect with the landscape a bit more, with the walks providing an excellent chance to support mental health and offer a great outdoor experience with other babies and parents to talk to.
Finally I’ll be delivering some women only nature experiences called Wild Connections; starting with an introduction to Forest Bathing at the end of January.
Being in nature is a huge part of my life and I’m so keen to share that love of the outdoors with others. If these activities support just a handful of people to discover new places and re-connect with the landscape I’ll be delighted. The opportunity to meet like minded people and form friendships is fantastic, so I’m just keen to get going and see what opportunities the next year holds for us. I’m looking forward to meeting you on one of the walks soon, and you can find out more about all the sessions by emailing me at dorsetforestbathing@gmail.com.
Lindsey Death
Bio
Lindsey grew up in rural Wiltshire and had a strong relationship with nature from an early age, she always felt deeply connected to places and landscapes, a feeling which led her to live and work in a number of different countries; spending time studying in the arctic circle, working on a conservation project in coastal Greece and protecting seabirds on the Isles of Scilly.
A career in conservation gave her opportunities to work closely with the land, protecting special spaces and inspiring people about the wildlife that lives there. The south west drew her back and it was Dorset where she settled and started a family.
Passionate about perinatal mental health and wellbeing, Lindsey started walking groups for new parents and trained as a mental health first aider and a dementia friendly event leader, as well as exploring more about nature connection and green therapy through conservation work.
In 2020 she set up Dorset Forest Bathing and has been working with individuals and groups across Dorset and beyond since then, alongside parenting two small children. Lindsey has a particular interest in making the natural world accessible and enjoyable to all, teaching straightforward practical tips to takeaway and improve her clients overall wellbeing on a day to day basis. Sessions are designed in advance to maximise the enjoyment of the specific location, and suit the group attending.