Come home to nature.
Forest Bathing | Nature-connected creative experiences in the Surrey Hills.
Welcome to The Quiet Canopy.
A place to step away from the noise and demands of everyday life. No screens, no notifications. Nothing to achieve. Just time to slow down, come back to your senses and and pay attention to the natural world around you.
We all know how to walk through the woods. But in a fast-paced world, it is easy to move through a beautiful landscape whilst our attention remains elsewhere. Forest Bathing is a gentle, guided practice that invites us to give the woodland our full attention - slowing down, awakening the senses and becoming more present in the natural world around us.
This immersive practice forms the foundation of The Quiet Canopy. Under the shelter of the woodland, the usual demands of everyday life can be left at the edge for a while. There is nothing to achieve and nowhere else you need to be. It’s a gentle opportunity for restoration, reflection and presence — an invitation to step away from the constant activity of your thoughts, reconnect with your body and awaken your physical senses.
Each session follows a gentle, considered sequence, combining sensory invitations, mindful breathing and guided meditation. The experience is adapted to the season, inviting you to encounter the woodland differently throughout the year. As you slow down, your attention begins to shift. The familiar can become more absorbing; small details hold your attention for longer; and for a while, there is simply the experience of being there — fully present to the woodland around you.
Forest Bathing gives us time to practice being present - first to the woodland, and then to life beyond it. The more closely we look, the more there is to know, notice and care about.
Come to your senses. See what you notice.
For individuals
Regular small-group Forest Bathing walks hosted at the ancient, woodland of Ashtead Common, Ashtead, Surrey. A supportive, non-clinical space to navigate modern stress, soothe creative burnout, or ground an ongoing practice.
Corporate wellbeing
Tailored group experiences designed to introduce a quiet pause to your workplace, gather your team for a creative reset, or enhance a guest wellness journey.
pause. soften. wonder.
pause. soften. wonder.
About.
Sessions.
Locations.
Science.
Be Immersed
“My first experience of forest bathing has completely converted me and I have Kate to thank for that. I’ve always loved nature and walking, but Kate’s session showed me how to move beyond simply passing through it and truly savour every detail around me.”
-Aniela, a Quiet Canopy Forest Bathing Participant
Feel Connected
“By the end, I felt deeply calm, clear, and genuinely happy. Kate has such a calming, open presence, and she guided us in a way that made connecting with nature feel both natural and completely new. It was also lovely to share the experience with other likeminded people.”
-Sarah, a Quiet Canopy Forest Bathing Participant
Feel Relaxed
“A great way to spend a Friday morning really slowing down after a hectic week, wandering through majestic oaks, breathing in the rich oxygenated forest air and noticing all of the tiny details and textures. I loved all of the relaxation exercises - drifting off on a mat under the trees and waking up to a canopy of leaves above me was magical!”
-Charlotte, a Quiet Canopy Forest Bathing Participant
“Kate was so welcoming, and full of knowledge about the practice as well as the local biodiversity. Immediately, I felt safe and comfortable to totally immerse myself in nature alongside a very lovely bunch of strangers! Sometime during the session, my whole entire being fell into a state of pure relaxation and in fact, I felt peaceful for days after. It really was a beautiful experience.”
-Yasmin, a Quiet Canopy Forest Bathing Participant
Upcoming sessions
Location | Ashtead Common, Woodfield Road, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2DU
What to expect:
Guided Forest Bathing walk with sensory invitations
Mindful herbal tea ritual to close
Walk of no more than 1-2 km
Suitable for 18+
A September Forest Bathing Experience
September marks a turning point in the year — a moment when the natural world begins to shift, just as life around us gathers speed again and summer gives way to the rhythms of autumn. It offers a chance to pause, take a breath and notice what is happening, rather than rushing on to the next thing.
We’ll spend time beneath the ancient oak canopy, using gentle sensory invitations, mindful breathing and moments of stillness to experience the woodland through all our senses — listening to the sounds of the trees and birds, noticing scent and texture, feeling the changing air and following our curiosity. A 20-minute guided meditation offers time to settle more deeply beneath the canopy, letting the mind become quieter and the demands of everyday life feel a little further away.
We’ll finish with a warm herbal tea, sharing the experience together before slowly making our way back.
No previous experience is needed. Just come as you are, and be curious about what September has to offer.
Location | Ashtead Common, Woodfield Road, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2DU
What to expect:
Guided Forest Bathing walk with sensory invitations
Mindful herbal tea ritual to close
Walk of no more than 1-2 km
Suitable for 18+
An October Forest Bathing Experience
October brings a more visible change to the woodland. The canopy begins to open, colour moves through the leaves and the forest floor becomes a tapestry of gold, russet and brown. Beneath the ancient oaks, we’ll slow down and experience this changing landscape through our senses.
As the leaves fall, the days shorten and the woodland begins to settle towards winter, October offers a chance to step out of the usual pace of life and slow down with it. Through gentle sensory invitations, mindful breathing, moments of stillness and guided meditation, we’ll spend unhurried time experiencing Ashtead Common as it is on the day we meet — allowing the mind and body time to settle and the demands of everyday life to recede.
We’ll finish beneath the trees with a seasonal herbal tea, warming our hands around the cups as the woodland continues its quiet transformation around us. A chance to pause, share the experience and let the senses settle before slowly making our way back.
No previous experience is needed. Just come as you are, and be curious about what October has to offer.
Location | Ashtead Common, Woodfield Road, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2DU
What to expect:
Guided Forest Bathing walk with sensory invitations
Mindful herbal tea ritual to close
Walk of no more than 1-2 km
Suitable for 18+
A November Forest Bathing experience
By November, the woodland has begun to quieten. The canopy is barer, the light is lower and the days are noticeably shorter. At Ashtead Common, more than 2,300 ancient veteran pollard oaks stand revealed in all their gnarled and twisting forms. There is a different quality to being beneath the trees at this time of year — quieter, more spacious and less visually busy.
The crunch of leaves and occasional squelch of mud underfoot, earthy scents, damp textures and changing light invite us to slow down and notice what is often overlooked.
As autumn deepens and the woodland moves towards winter, November gives us an opportunity to do the same. A chance to step out of the demands and distractions of everyday life and make space for stillness. Through gentle sensory invitations, mindful breathing, moments of stillness and guided meditation, we’ll spend unhurried time experiencing Ashtead Common as it is on the day we meet — allowing the mind to quieten, the body to settle and our attention to rest on the world around us.
We’ll finish beneath the trees with a seasonal herbal tea, warming our hands around the cups and sharing the experience before slowly making our way back.
No previous experience is needed. Just come as you are, and be curious about what November has to offer.
Contact me with questions
If you’re curious about Forest Bathing, are interested in joining, you can get in touch using the form here or email me directly.
kate@thequietcanopy.co.uk