Woodland Connections is a collaboration between Shining Cliff Centre CIC and Bonnie McNabb from All About the Calm. We offer regular woodland sessions for children and adults, and special events throughout the year, like our Family Halloween Fun and our holiday children’s events. We also offer bespoke sessions to groups either based in Shining Cliff woods or we can come out to your site.
All our sessions are aimed at supporting our wellbeing, through the 5 Steps to Wellbeing (Be Active, Keep Learning, Take Notice, Connect, Give)
We use a ‘Pay It Forward’ ticket system to help us to sustainably continue to offer low-cost woodland wellbeing sessions to all ages. When you book via Eventbrite, the ticket options will include a ‘pay it forward’ ticket and the extra money you pay goes directly to our funding pot. This money is used to keep ticket prices low by funding the admin and session leader costs.
- Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing
- Fettle, Kettle & Cake Volunteer group
- Bespoke Wellbeing in the Woods sessions
- Grith Pioneer Woodland Volunteer days
Upcoming Workshops at Shining Cliff hostel
Photography in Nature Workshop
We had a wonderful workshop with Roger Morgan in April….so we are hoping to run another one this year as it was fully booked. We will update the website when a date is set.
Willow Sculpture Woodland Retreat
This 2-day retreat on the 9th – 11th May is being run by artist Emma Parkins.
Join Emma to make woodland creatures out of willow and relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet of the surrounding woodlands.
See Emma’s website to see the stunning willow sculptures she creates and click on the ‘workshop’ tab on her website to find out more and book your place.
Tree Sketching & Painting Workshop
Join local artist Diana Green at Shining Cliff hostel on Tuesday 20th May, for a morning workshop of sketching a tree in pencil using a guide, using various methods of shading and different pencils to achieve different results. The afternoon workshop will focus on painting a woodland scene using watercolours.
Both workshops are 2 hours, and you can book onto the morning/afternoon/both.
The workshop will be based at Shining Cliff hostel, and weather permitting, the afternoon will include time outdoors in the woods to paint from life.
Sarah Naidoo-Banks is hosting a series of workshops based at Shining Cliff hostel this year; these are aimed at business owners, self employed and early/mid career professionals.
Sarah is an accredited coach and an accredited Business Psychologist who wants to help support individuals to be grounded and calm so we can do our best work.
Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing
Throughout the year Kate & Bonnie lead guided Forest Bathing walks in Shining Cliff woodland.
Enjoy the calming effect of spending time in nature. Reduce stress and anxiety with guided mindful moments, take time to slow down, reconnect with yourself and with nature. Engage your senses and feel the busy day melt away.
Fettle, Kettle & Cake Volunteer sessions.
These free fortnightly Tuesday sessions provide a space for you to have some time-out in the woodland, having a go at a variety of woodland management tasks or helping to maintain the hostel grounds, meeting new people and enjoying a cuppa with some cake!
Tasks can include woodland maintenance, such as coppicing, path repairs, maintaining ditches, rhododendron pulling, sign maintenance & litter picking. Tasks may also involve helping to care for the grounds of Shining Cliff hostel.
Bespoke Woodland sessions.
Woodland Connections offers bespoke sessions for hostel groups, people hiring the Beech Hut or any group wanting to simply come and enjoy the woodland for the day and have a bespoke session tailored to your needs.
If you have an idea in mind, for your company, friends, family or community group then please get in touch to discuss what we can offer you.
Activities offered can include forest bathing, guided woodland walks, practical conservation tasks, learning or building on skills such as using tools for simple woodland crafts, learning to build and cook on an outdoor fire, treasure hunts, birthday parties, team building games and activities, providing support to become confident at spending time in a woodland setting. We are open to ideas and suggestions and can tailor a session to meet your group’s needs.
We also offer a magical range of children’s birthday parties, please get in touch to request our party information pack.
Grith Pioneer Woodland Volunteer days
Shining Cliff hostel is owned by the Grith Pioneers, a charity with the aim of protecting, improving and conserving the physical and natural environment of the land owned for the benefit of the public.
The charity is made up of members, they hold a regular AGM and welcome volunteers to their regular work days in the woods, carrying out tasks to help them maintain this beautiful woodland.
For more information on getting involved, becoming a member and helping out with the woodland management contact grithpioneers@gmail.com
