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Reading Walks Festival: Forests, Farms and Forest Bathing
A sensory walk and talk through The MERL's grounds with Dr Jen Clarke
Join us as part of Reading Walks Festival 2024
Dates and Times
17th May: 3-4.30pm
18th May: 10.30am-12pm (repeat)
About the walk
Embark on a mini adventure with Dr. Jen Clarke – anthropologist, artist, and yogi. Join her for a 90-minute guided, slow walk through the grounds and gardens of The MERL and hear fascinating stories from the museum’s archives and her current research around the rich histories and exciting futures of Britain’s treescapes. The walk and talk will focus on ‘agroforestry’ – farming that includes cultivation of trees – sharing its benefits and principles. But that’s not all –this walk will include some ‘forest bathing’, a Japanese inspired practice, with sensory exercises for all the family, inspired by yoga and art. It’s the perfect family-friendly outing where learning meets fun.
*Please note it is the same walk on both dates.
The walk leader
Dr. Jen Clarke is an anthropologist, artist and educator, currently Lecturer at Gray’s School of Art, Scotland. Working with The MERL, Jen is leading the arts research on a multi-disciplinary project about Agroforestry in the UK.
Further information
- Easy difficulty/1 km / 1.5 hours
- Family friendly
- Booking required, £3 per adult
- Start and finish: The Museum of English Rural Life (Meet point: https://what3words.com/else.punchy.candle)
- Refreshments are available from the museum cafe, which will be open during the walk. Water is available for refilling bottles.
- Toilets, accessible toilets baby changing facilities available at the museum
- Wheelchair accessible. Visit our Access page to help plan your visit.
- Assistance dogs only
- We encourage visitors to use public transport to reach us if possible, visit our getting here page for details.
Image credit: Memories of the forest (Clarke, 2011)
