Forest bathing at Hardcastle Crags

Hardcastle Crags is a National Trust valley of more than 400 acres just north of Hebden Bridge, where Hebden Water runs through mixed woodland of beech and pine with some ancient woodland on the slopes. Halfway up the valley sits Gibson Mill, a nineteenth-century cotton mill that now runs off-grid with a café and exhibitions. The sound of the water and the steep, sheltered sides make it an easy place to slow down.

Most people park at Midgehole and follow the river up to the mill; Clough Hole car park, higher up, is a steeper way in. You can also walk from Hebden Bridge station, about 1.8 miles to Midgehole. The paths by the river are the busiest, so climb a little onto the side paths for quieter woodland. Most trails are uneven and natural, and can be muddy. Beech woods make autumn here very colourful, and the valley holds its shelter in winter.