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#Trail Therapy
Great for the mind - great for the body
Welcome to our community dedicated to trail therapy!
We believe that nature has the power to transform lives, and we’re here to help you overcome any barriers that may hold you back from enjoying the great outdoors. Through our organised activities, we aim to boost your confidence, fitness, and overall wellbeing while fostering meaningful connections others.
Join us on this journey and discover the joys of exploring woodlands and countryside together!
Men's Movement Monday; The aim of these sessions is to create a safe, non-judgemental and non-competitive space that helps men with their mental health and physical wellbeing. This being through the simple acts of getting out for some physical activity in nature and chatting to/connecting with others.
Walking, Talking, Tuesdays
Join Debs & co. for exactly what it says on the tin, taking place on alternative Tuesday mornings.
Meeting at 9:15am ready for a prompt 9:30am start, you can expect plenty of scenic trails, opportunity to 'connect' to nature and good conversation with the leaders and fellow walkers. As you'll be guided on the walk by trained leaders, these sessions are a great opportunity to safely build your knowledge of the trails in South Derbyshire, whilst building fitness at the same time.
As well as the practical benefits (learning the ins and outs of the trails) and physical benefits (improving fitness and building muscle strength), walking is well-known to have positive effects on mental health too, increasing feelings of happiness and helping us to feel "grounded". And so Walking, Talking, Tuesdays are opportunity to do just that; walk, talk and reconnect to yourself, to others and to the great outdoors!
FGITF
FEEL GOOD IN THE FOREST (FGITF) is a programme coordinated by Forestry England, providing free activities for people who are looking to improve their health and wellbeing, to meet new people and spend time outdoors.
We're delighted to be supporting this initiative by hosting a number of free guided walks and jogs.
GUIDED WALKS AND JOGS These sessions are led by our experienced leaders and are suitable for those with little or no prior experience of jogging or walking in the countryside.
If you’re capable of completing a parkrun (5k) mostly jogging, you’ll be fine on any of the activities. If you’re not quite there yet, we recommend you join a guided walk first.
As with our Trail Therapy activities, the focus on all of these sessions will be on enjoying the surroundings and each others company, rather than speed.
bRUNch Club
Every Thursday (National Forest)
Regular weekday morning off-road outings on scenic trails at a relaxed 'chatty' pace, starting at 9:45am. These sessions are as much about the mind as the body. They are a perfect way to de-stress and connect with nature in some beautiful green spaces, amongst a friendly and supportive group.
The runs take around an hour going at a pace that is comfortable for everyone in the group. Distances range from 6.5k to 8k. There are likely to be some moderate hills on most runs and you may encounter some muddy sections.
We cater for all paces but we recommend that, for the running group, you are capable of completing parkrun or the equivalent distance (5km /3 miles) in around 40 mins or less . If you're not quite at that point yet, we've introduced a RIKE group. This is aimed at those that are newer to running, looking to build confidence or coming back from injury, and will consist of mostly hiking and talking, with short bursts of easy running when the terrain allows.
The regular bRUNch groups starts at 9:45am, so please arrive in good time to register and access the facilities. When there is a RIKE group this will leave 15 minutes earlier than the regular bRUNch so that everyone finishes at a similar time ready to socialise afterwards, should you wish to. If you'd like to join the walk-jog group, please arrive in good time for a 9:30am start.
CURRENT SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS:
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Thursday 26th March at The Maple Leaf Community Cafe, Repton Village Hall, Askew Grove, DE65 6GR
For sessions from 2nd April onwards, please see the dedicated bRUNch Club website for the schedule and bookings: www.brunchclubtrailtherapy.org.uk
#TRAILTHERAPY ACTIVITIES
As and when more #TrailTherapy activities are planned, we'll add them here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How fit do I need to be?
If you are joining an activity that has a walk option, you just need to be capable of walking the distance at a relaxed pace, be able to climb over any stiles on the route and be okay with ground that may be a little uneven or muddy in places.
For running activities, if you are able to complete parkun or equivalent distance (5k/3-miles) in 45--mins or less you should be fine. Although some activities are a bit further, such as our Thursday bRUNch Club. We tend to walk any challenging hills and have plenty of stops to take in the surroundings and let everyone get their breath back.
The emphasis on #TrailTherapy activities is to enjoy exercise in natural surroundings, with a friendly and supportive group of folk, rather than to push anyone to go faster than would be comfortable. Our leaders will make sure nobody gets left behind.
Will I be able to keep up?
Yes, we never go faster than is comfortable for everyone in the group. We usually have at least 2 leaders, so if there is a need we can split into two groups to enable participants to walk/jog with others of a similar ability level.
At our regular bRUNch Club we often split into two or three groups (depending on numbers!) so that everyones pace can be accommodated for, including a RIKE group, which is mostly hiking with bursts of easy running when the terrain allows.
What kit will I need?
Generally just clothing and footwear that is suitable for the activity (walk or jog) and the weather conditions. This should include a waterproof jacket to keep you warm if we have to stop for any reason, as well as to keep you dry if it rains.
We also recommend:
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Grippy shoes (either off-road running shoes or walking boots if walking), especially if it is wet or there has been a lot of rain in the previous few days.
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Carrying a drink if it is a warm day.
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Having a snack in your pocket in case you have an energy dip.
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A head-torch for evening events where it is dark, or gets dark during the activity.
Are there any age limits?
There are no upper age limits.
For jogging activities participants must be 12 or above but those under 18 must be accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian throughout the activity.
For walking activities we allow younger people that are capable of walking the distance unaided, but they must be accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian throughout the activity, and no more than 2 children per parent/guardian are allowed.
Can I bring my dog?
We can only take dogs by prior arrangement, and will often have to turn requests down. This is not because we don't like dogs (we love them!), it's simply because dogs can become a hazard, particularly if routes go close to farm animals, and they can cause stress to other participants who are nervous around dogs.
Can I run with a buggy?
Most of the routes aren't suitable for buggies due to encountering stiles and/or uneven ground. However, if you'd love to be able to participate with a buggy, please do let us know. If we find there is enough demand, we'll look at organising some buggy friendly activities going forwards.
MEET OUR TRAIL THERAPY LEADERS
We have a growing team of volunteer #TrailTherapy leaders. To find out more about them click on the image.
