Forest bathing in County Down

County Down has the best known woods in Northern Ireland, under the Mournes. Tollymore Forest Park at Newcastle is Forest Service oak, beech and larch along the Shimna river with Gothic bridges, and Castlewellan Forest Park next door has a lake and arboretum. Kilbroney Park at Rostrevor holds the Rostrevor oakwood, an ancient sessile oak reserve on the slope above Carlingford Lough. Nearer Belfast, Crawfordsburn Country Park at Helen's Bay has a wooded glen running to the beach, and the National Trust estates at Castle Ward and Mount Stewart have mature woodland.

Forest bathing here is a few hundred metres over two or three hours: a small group, a guide offering simple invitations, and most of the time spent standing or sitting under the trees. Each guide's profile below shows their dates and prices.

Tollymore is the natural first choice, with a large car park, a cafe and wide level paths along the river. Crawfordsburn is the one to pick without a car: Helen's Bay railway station is a few minutes' walk from the glen, and there is a visitor centre and car park at the park itself.