Yoga on Whitby beach and alpaca treks in Cloughton - check out what else is on offer for Mindful Month at North York Moors National Park

Alpaca trekkingAlpaca trekking
Alpaca trekking
The North York Moors National Park is harnessing the power of nature, exercise, animals and art to help visitors recharge and calm any anxieties they might have.

The National Park has designated September as Mindful Month for the third year running and in the wake of the stresses and anxiety caused by the pandemic it’s taking on a whole new meaning.

A host of events are scheduled throughout the month making the most of the tranquil coastal, moorland and dales surroundings throughout the National Park.

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For instance visitors can join Happy Seal Yoga for 45-minute sessions on Whitby beach where the lapping of the waves on the shore adds to the soothing environment.

Alternatively they can head further down the coast to Cloughton for some animal assisted therapy courtesy of new business Thorny Beck Alpacas where trekking with the four-legged companions soon becomes a masterclass in achieving a sense of calm. Owner Lynda is also a massage therapist and offers a signature experience of a stress-busting full body massage before visitors continue on the tranquillity journey with an alpaca trek.

More people sought solace in nature during lockdown and so ecologist Richard Baines of Yorkshire Coast Nature and well-being expert Alison Goodwin of Adventures for the Soul have joined forces to offer a twilight nature sounds safari at Ellerburn. Expect to learn how to dial down any distracting thoughts and allow the senses to take centre stage, looking out for nocturnal life like pipistrelle bats and identifying the different sounds made by owls.

Art has also long been seen as a way for people to switch off and so there are plenty of chances to learn new skills from local artists like Meg Huby who will show how natural materials found on the ground in the Yorkshire Arboretum near Castle Howard can make a work of art.

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At Thixendale near Malton visitors will be treated to a private viewing of paintings by wildlife artist Robert Fuller at his own gallery as well as viewing the live footage from the ‘nest cams’ of barn owls, stoats and kestrels.

Meanwhile over at the Inspired by… gallery in Danby, the Back to Nature exhibition will display work by artists from Cleveland Fibre Arts who have interpreted how the natural world is reclaiming land in the National Park that was once dominated by iron ore mining.

Accommodation providers are also joining in Mindful Month. Visitors wanting to stay longer than a day should head to:

Yoga & Spice, Whitby

Owner Lorraine Clissold will be running personalised retreats for guests staying in the log cabins set in their own private woodland.

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Prices start from £120 per night per person which includes breakfast served in the en-suite rooms, a vegan or vegetarian three course evening meal and a private yoga with relaxation session tailored to individual needs.

www.yogandspice.comThe Tree Relaxation Retreat, Rosedale

With panoramic views across Rosedale and an ethos totally geared towards relaxation The Tree Retreat offers guests bed and breakfast accommodation, yoga and meditation classes and soothing treatments.

Prices start from £50 per person per night for bed and breakfast.

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