Woodland Sessions

Woodland Connections at Shining Cliff Woods is a partnership with 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 sessions.

All our sessions are aimed at supporting our wellbeing, through the 5 Steps to Wellbeing (Be Active, Keep Learning, Take Notice, Connect, Give)

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Monthly Wellbeing Walks

Throughout the year Kate & Bonnie will be hosting guided, seasonal, mindful walks through Shining Cliff woodland. Both Bonnie & Kate have completed Natural Mindfulness Guide Training.

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.


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 they welcome volunteers to their regular work days in the woods, carrying out tasks to help them maintain this beautiful woodland.

At the moment there are no work days planned, but when dates have been decided they will be published on here.


Fettle, Kettle & Cake Volunteer sessions.

These monthly 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 and clearing, rhododendron pulling, sign maintenance & litter picking. Tasks may also involve helping to care for the grounds of Shining Cliff hostel.


Women’s Wellbeing in the Woods.

These monthly sessions also aim to support women to feel comfortable in coming out to a woodland setting on their own and to learn skills to feel confident in spending time in woodlands.

You are welcome to attend one session or come along to as many as you wish; we will start the session with some guided mindful activities as we wander in the woodland, followed by some time sitting around the fire – either having a go at fire lighting, or crafting using natural materials and simple tools, or simply sitting and chatting; you can choose what you prefer to do.


Bespoke Woodland sessions.

Shining Cliff Centre C.I.C, in partnership with Bonnie McNabb of ‘All About the Calm’ offers bespoke woodland sessions tailored to your group requirements.

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 include 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.