At times of stress, getting out into the natural environment works wonders: it is widely acknowledged to have a calming effect on us both physically and mentally. In Japan, they have a special term for this: shinrin yoku, ‘forest bathing’. In this book, Sarah Devos and Katriina Kilpi – true forest fanatics – explain just what forest bathing involves.

They provide specific advice on how to approach the concept: exactly where you should be, the best times to choose, all the things you can expect to experience, and so on. All this plus easily achieved hands-on assignments, space in which to note down your observations, and tips on how to integrate the forest even more deeply into your everyday life.