Forest bathing in Highland

Highland is bigger than Wales and holds most of what is left of the Caledonian pine forest. Glen Affric, west of Inverness, is a national nature reserve of old Scots pine around two lochs with a Forestry and Land Scotland car park at Dog Falls. In Strathspey, Glenmore Forest Park and Rothiemurchus around Aviemore are pinewood on a grand scale, with the RSPB's Abernethy next door. Beinn Eighe near Kinlochewe was Britain's first national nature reserve, and its woodland trail climbs through pines above Loch Maree. On the west coast the Sunart oakwoods at Ariundle near Strontian are mossy Atlantic oak, and near Inverness Reelig Glen has some of Britain's tallest Douglas firs.

Sessions in woods like these are small, slow and short on distance, two to three hours with long stops among the pines; the aim is to be with the forest rather than cross it. Guide profiles list venues, dates and prices; check meeting points carefully up here.

Glenmore, near Aviemore, is the gentlest introduction: a visitor centre, cafe, large car parks and level paths round Loch Morlich. Reelig Glen, ten miles west of Inverness, has a small car park and a short easy trail.