listen hear Rachel Howfield Massey

Rachel discovers some of the species found along the River Trent with Nicola Lynes, Community Engagement Officer from Transforming the Trent Valley.  They investigate riverside and woodland habitats, moving slowly and taking time to discover the details of their surroundings - and they are rewarded by a series of beautiful discoveries - and there's the regular update about robin behaviour as summer turns to autumn. At the end of the podcast Rachel guides a mindful drawing exercise.

This episode was recorded at  Branston Leas Nature Reserve on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border in The National Forest.

Transforming the Trent Valley is a partnership project of 18 organisations working together to restore and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the Trent Valley https://www.thetrentvalley.org.uk/

Red Admiral Butterfly: https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/red-admiral

The Lost Words, Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris: https://www.thelostwords.org/lostwordsbook/ 

Rachel meets Mark Knight in Overseal Community Orchard to talk about paganism and spiritual connections to trees. Mark is a pagan, a musician and an expert in the  history of the National Forest. They discuss different approaches to paganism,  messages in fairy tales and folklore, the role of the natural world in self-care and the anti-consumerist revolutionary act of developing a community orchard. Mark also introduces Rachel to a new technique for connecting with nature, tuning in to unexplained forces or energies. Please note, there is occasionally some mild adult language in this conversation.
For more information:
Overseal Community Orchard: https://www.facebook.com/oversealwassail/
Rachel Howfield Massey, Other Ways to Walk Youtube – Nature Connectedness https://bit.ly/3jLZ1nu  and Meditation on a Dandelion https://youtu.be/dL4VVd9RHGk

Hear from Dr Kirsten McEwan, Senior Research Fellow at University of Derby and learn about her research into the benefits of Forest Bathing, connecting with urban nature and her experience as a nature conservation volunteer, studying colonies of seabirds, dolphins and perhaps most unusually learning about the reproductive cycle of the lugworm. 

Kirsten also invites you to join us for a nature connection activity inspired by her work as a Forest Bathing Guide.

Forest Bathing in The National Forest: https://www.wellbeingatwhistlewood.co.uk/

Go Jauntly app https://www.gojauntly.com/

Park Bathe https://www.facebook.com/groups/233131951577649 or https://www.instagram.com/parkbathe/

Forest bathing research study: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/3/1380

This episode focusses on an interview with Mike Prior from Kirklees Culture Declares Emergency on a very soggy day in the woods in May. Mike is an activist collaborating with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Kirklees Museums, Our Biennale and The Childrens Art School to take part in a global event to raise awareness of the extinction crisis initiated by British artist Emma K Thomas. 

In particular, they are raising awareness of the plight of cuckoos in England - listen to find out if we managed to find one in the woods and learn more about the behaviour of this fascinating and endangered bird.

Follow the links below for more details:

Tune-in to the withNature2020 YouTube channel for the aerial spectacle - watch the Kirklees Cuckoo film on Saturday 22nd May 5pm here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MJwpGRGwA4

Culture Declares Emergency: https://www.culturedeclares.org/

The Childrens Art School withNature Project: https://thechildrensartschool.co.uk/kirklees-cuckoo-a-withnature2020-project/

Our Biennale, a festival of arts and culture made with children and young people in Kirklees https://ourbiennale.org/

Emma K Thomas, withNature2020: http://www.emmakthomas.com/withnature2020/  

Listen Hear is a podcast about creativity, nature, mindfulness and wellbeing by Rachel Howfield Massey from Other Ways to Walk. This is the third of 6 episodes commissioned by the National Forest Company involving interviews with experts and enthusiasts who live, work or spend time in The National Forest in the Midlands. The podcast is in three parts: a conversation with a guest, an outdoor nature connection activity and a guided meditation. 

In this interview with Jason Ingamells we learn about the art of wildlife tracking. Jason is an accomplished wilderness expert with many years of training and experience working all over the world. He leads Woodland Ways a company dedicated to teaching and sharing Bushcraft and Wilderness Training. Jason ran courses for many years in the National Forest before moving to his current base in the Peak District. Due to his extensive outdoor knowledge and expertise Jason has won many awards and accolades, but his real passion is sharing his knowledge with others.

Rachel is a qualified mindfulness instructor, forest bathing guide, artist and wellbeing expert who works with commissioners and partners to develop bespoke resources, training and materials to support staff and client wellbeing. Activities are research-led with clinical benefits, including reduced stress, improved sleep, boosted immune response. Clients include Heritage Lottery, Woodland Trust, National Forest, South West Yorkshire Foundation Health Trust, Barnsley Museums.

Useful Links:


Other Ways to Walk: https://www.otherwaystowalk.co.uk | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OtherWaysToWalk/ | Twitter @rachelhowfield
Woodland Ways: https://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/ | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/woodlandwaysbushcraft | Twitter https://twitter.com/woodlandways
The National Forest Company: https://www.nationalforest.org/
Martin Maudsley, Storyteller: https://martinmaudsley.co.uk/

Listen Hear is a podcast about creativity, nature, mindfulness and wellbeing by Rachel Howfield Massey from Other Ways to Walk. This is the second of 6 new episodes commissioned by the National Forest Company involving interviews with experts and enthusiasts who live, work or spend time in The National Forest in the Midlands.

In this interview with Hazel McDowell we hear about ways of discovering the history and heritage of a landscape through walking. Hazel is an enthusiastic walker and a great example of an 'expert by experience', with all kinds of knowledge of a small patch of land as a direct result of spending twenty years getting to know it. She shares her passion for history and nature, which lead her into new discoveries in the forest. Hazel also sings with The Coal Tits celebrating the past, present and future of the heart of the National Forest through song.

In this podcast we talk about estimating the age of a tree - you can do this yourself by measuring the girth of the tree 1.5metres up from the ground  in centimetres, then divide it by the rate at which that species of tree grows - so in the case of an oak divide by 1.88.

The storyteller who provided the inspiration for the tree tales in the podcast is Martin Maudsley.

Listeners are invited to join Hazel and Rachel in a walk to contemplate the nature of resilience and take part in a guided meditation embodying the qualities of a tree.



About Rachel Howfield Massey

Rachel is a qualified mindfulness instructor, forest bathing guide, artist and wellbeing expert who works with commissioners and partners to develop bespoke resources, training and materials to support staff and client wellbeing. Activities are research-led with clinical benefits, including reduced stress, improved sleep, boosted immune response. Clients include Heritage Lottery, Woodland Trust, National Forest, South West Yorkshire Foundation Health Trust, Barnsley Museums.