“It’s about making the most of your surroundings – touching a leaf and feeling the texture, smelling the earth, closing your eyes and listening to what’s around you,” Roberts explains.
Unwind through the art of forest bathing. Spicers Retreats
Need for nature
Many of us intuitively understand that feeling of rejuvenation that comes with being immersed in nature – and it’s increasingly being supported by scientific research, too.
Spending time in nature calms our nervous system, improves our attention and helps us generally feel more positive. As little as 40 seconds spent looking at trees can refresh a tired brain, helping us perform better when we return to a task, found a team of researchers from the University of Melbourne.
Fireside drinks to finish a day spent in nature. Spicers Retreats
And there’s a knock-on effect: having a calm, focused mind allows us to think more creatively and work more collaboratively with others.
There are various theories as to why this might be. Antarctic explorer and environmentalist Tim Jarvis believes it comes as a result of “indirect attention”: a state where our normally hypervigilant brains are able to shift into cruise mode.
“What we tend to find when we live in highly urbanised environments is that we’re not very well suited to them. Humans are constantly trying to work out what potential threats there might be, and our brains are working overtime trying to make sense of our environment,” Jarvis explains.
“In nature, we feel a state of peace because we can give it indirect attention. These green environments are less threatening to us, and we can switch off mentally, allowing for lower cortisol and stress levels, and a greater sense of peace.”
Roberts has seen this happen first-hand on the Scenic Rim Trail. Each day’s hike covers between 10 and 18.5 kilometres, depending on the terrain, and is designed to arrive at the next camp by mid-afternoon.
Green spaces foster a greater sense of peace. Spicers Retreats
“You’re focusing on your immediate surroundings in your immediate time, and the rest of the world that you’ve left behind just disappears,” says Roberts.
“The longer you’re with us, the more removed you become, and the more rejuvenated you get on a return to normal society.”
He suggests building up your “track fitness” before departure. Practice walking long distances with a 3-4kg pack on your back, and if you have new walking shoes, be sure to break them in beforehand.
“Mentally, spend time simply being in nature so the immersion becomes instinctive even before you’ve left home,” he adds.
“Feel the grass beneath your feet or the sand on the beach between your toes. Don’t feel like you need to do anything – just enjoy being where you are.”
Explore Spicers Scenic Rim Trail, a luxury walk taking in mountains, plains, woodlands and rainforests, a million years in the making. Book now for 2022 at scenicrimtrail.com
