books to help you reconnect with nature
It's well known that spending time in nature is good for us. Mother Earth helps boost our mood and lower stress levels. Addiction to smartphones coupled with the fast pace of modern-day life often leaves time for the outdoors at the bottom of our priority list. The colder months keep us huddled up indoors and there is no better time to curl up with a good read that can transport you into new worlds.
“there is no better time to curl up with a good read that can transport you into new worlds.”
Here, we have picked out a handful of inspiring reads, from adventures over adversity of the Salt Path to understanding the power of nature's communication with The Hidden Life of Tree's, to help you reconnect with the great outdoors.
If you’re a book lover, just getting started or looking for mental health advice, you may want to check out this:
1. The Swordfish and the Star / Gavin Knight
If you enjoy the wilds of the Cornish coast, this book brings hair-raising stories from the fishermen of Cadgwith Cove. This raw and honest account brings the rugged truth of battling mother nature in stormy seas where Mother Earth is your saviour as much as your grim reaper. A poignant account of Britain's most treacherous coastline.
2. The Hidden Life of Trees / Peter Wohlleben
This thought provoking read helps you take a closer look at what you may have taken for granted. This is about more than trees, Wohlleben suggests that the forest is a social network. Drawing on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like families, supporting each other to grow, sharing nutrients and warning each other of impending dangers. A walk in the woods will never be the same again.
3. The Salt Path / Raynor Winn
Following the tragic story of a couple, whose livelihood and terminal illness left them with little but a thirst for adventure, the brave duo embark on a 630 mile hike of the sea-swept South West Coastal Path. An honest and life-affirming true story of how the power of the natural world can help to heal the deepest of wounds.
4. How to Build a Boat / Jonathan Gornall
How to Build a Boat is a bold adventure. The story of an unskilled modern father, Gornall set out to build a traditional wooden boat as a gift for his newborn daughter. This book celebrates traditional skill coupled with the connection to nature and passing this down as a legacy to his newborn daughter. Undaunted, he embarked on a voyage of rediscovery, determined to navigate his way back to a time when we could fashion our future and leave our mark on history using only time-honoured skills and the materials at hand. A raw connection between man and mother nature.
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with their mental health, you can find support and resources on our website, Instagram and on the blog.
Further afield, these websites and charities are a good place to start too.
MIND “We provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.”
EVERY MIND MATTERS “Every Mind Matters is a campaign run by NHS England, which features the mental health tool My Mind Plan at the heart of their resources and advice for those facing mental health problems.”
MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION "Find out how to look after your mental health and help prevent mental ill health from developing.
If you are struggling with your mental health, you can also ask your GP for a referral to NHS Talking Therapies, or you can self-refer.
For confidential support, you can also call the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
