The Importance of Repetition

I heard a fascinating fact recently from a study on the happiness of a child’s upbringing. It concluded that one key element to a fulfilled and happy childhood was repetition.

Maybe it was pizza every Friday night, the holiday location you visited each Summer, or the same friends you met at school year on year. When you reflect on your childhood, were there times where you had repetition and if so, how does looking back on them make you feel?

Reflecting on that, I realised how privileged my upbringing was, in that it was filled with repetition.

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Wild Swimmers Fighting the War on Waste

Wild swimming is an amazing experience.

The refreshing coolness of the water, the calmness of the surroundings, the breathtaking scenery… and an empty bottle of Coke.

Sadly, we are starting to see litter in our rivers, lakes, and seas more and more.

Between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic are tossed away into the sea every year.

And by 2040, this is expected to triple to over 26 million tonnes.

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Kelly’s Vegan Caesar Salad

Kelly’s salad is a twist on the classic Caesar. Totally plant-based summer’s end salad finished with homemade rehydrated shiitake “bacon” and a cashew parsley 🌿 Caesar dressing.

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The Famous Footballers Who Swear By Yoga

There’s no doubting the summer holidays can be a stressful time of year. That dream beach or peaceful mountain retreat sounds great on paper but the hassle of getting there can try the patience of even the most patient. The traffic jams to the airport, the queues to check-in, having to go through onerous security – and you have to do it all again at the other end. So much standing around waiting for the next stage of the process means your body goes into hibernation almost leaving you feeling slow and lethargic. Being able to disconnect from your surroundings, even for a few moments, can do wonders for stress levels as a BBC TV show called Trust Me, I’m a Doctor found out and perhaps the whole travel scenario is just one reason why more and more people are seeing the benefits of yoga. (more…)

Dyb, dyb, dyb!

In today’s society I feel there is a huge pressure to be perfect, and not just perfect at one thing, but perfect in every aspect of life. Even if your life isn’t flawless there is this idea that one has to portray the fact that it is.

When you get asked the question “How are you?”, how often do you reply with an “I’m fine, life is great”, when inside you are feeling overwhelmed and that things might not be as bright as you would like. Do we respond in that way for fear of how people might react to our slightly less than positive, perfect response?

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My most asked questions on wild swimming

Wild swimming is one of the most freeing experiences you can do. Not only is it a great workout, but it’s easy to allow yourself to just be absorbed by the nature surrounding you, clearing your mind of the hustle of everyday life.

However, wild swimming can set alarm bells off for many people. You may have questions about what happens when you go, or how you might feel.

Here are some FAQs I get from people either new to wild swimming or people who have never tried it.

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Catherine’s Summer Potato Salad

Catherine’s summer potato salad is the perfect meal to keep cool and refreshed this summer.

When the summer heat is high, refreshing greens and salads feel like the perfect way to keep cool. Catherine’s summer potato salad is an all-natural explosion of taste.

With new potatoes to warm your stomach and a salad to help you feel fresh and restored.

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Embracing the simplicity of being human

So, this month sees the celebration of Simplicity Day. Theirs seems to be a day for everything these days but this is one that really struck a chord with me.

Since the lockdown when everything was much simpler, life has sped up. I don’t know about you but it almost feels like it is back to how it was pre pandemic. It’s hard to remember what it was like all those months ago when we had to go so slow and we actually had time to stop smell the roses as they say.

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Wild Swimming Safety Tips for Beginners

Wild swimming is the most wonderful experience. There is something invigorating about feeling the cold, natural waters of rivers, lakes, and seas against your skin.

As well as providing an immediate sense of relaxation, it also has many benefits, such as soothing aching muscles, releasing endorphins, and relieving stress. If you keep at it, your body starts to adapt to the cold and at this point, cold water immersion is clinically proven to relieve depression, boost your immune system, tone your muscles, and even increase your libido.

While I love the sense of freedom wild swimming provides, it’s important to remember that it can be dangerous. So, here are my top 10 tips for staying safe in the water this summer.

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Zesty Summer Pea Soup

This delicious pea and mint soup is a big favourite with our guests.

Summer and its abundance of fresh produce is an opportunity to draw upon the foods that help cleanse our bodies at this time of year. This pea and mint soup is summer and vitality all wrapped up in one easy and delicious meal.

We serve this warming soup as part of our picnic lunch after a morning of wild swimming, it always goes down a treat!

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