With natural beauty all around, getting out and about in Gloucestershire’s gorgeous countryside is a great way to help improve your mood and mental health.
But the county offers so much more than just nature walks — with SoGlos uncovering alternative therapies, craft workshops, outdoor art galleries, relaxing spas and much more, to help give your wellbeing a much-needed boost.
Immerse yourself in a wellbeing hub in Gloucestershire
Nestled in the heart of the lively Gloucester Quays and carefully designed to offer you a calming environment where you can focus on your wellness — whether you’re looking for emotional support, physical healing or a peaceful retreat — Prosperity Holistics has everything you need for your wellbeing journey.
The site's expert therapists and consultants provide traditional and alternative treatments, including massage therapies such as Indian head massage — an ancient Ayurvedic practice which relieves tension, eases stress and promotes mental clarity, while improving circulation and encouraging healthy hair growth and enhancing overall wellbeing; reflexology, EFT (emotion-focused therapy), and reiki; as well as a range of different classes and workshops such as sunrise or sunset yoga, breathwork classes and sound bath therapy.
There's also a range of fitness and nutrition workshops and packages with qualified instructors and nutritional experts.
Go leaf peeping in Gloucestershire
Spending time in nature can help alleviate stress, inspire creativity and help us be more mindful, so grab a coat and get outside!
As the UK’s number one leaf peeping destination, the Forest of Dean is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the beauty of nature. There are more than 20 million trees with colours spanning verdant greens in spring and summer, to vibrant yellows, reds, oranges and golds during autumn — so there’s something beautiful to look at all year round.
Gloucestershire is also home to Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, which has five national tree collections, not to mention its incredible STIHL Tree Top Walkway, providing visitors with prime leaf peeping conditions high up in the tree canopy. Meanwhile, Batsford Arboretum is home to the National Collection of Japanese Flowering Cherries, which burst into beautiful pinks in spring and flaming reds in autumn.
Try your hand at crafts in Gloucestershire
Cirencester’s New Brewery Arts have plenty of classes, workshops and activities to help people to manage moods and block out stress and anxiety — not to mention learn fun new skills.
Gloucestershire has an abundance of places to try your hand at crafting, with workshops in life drawing, crocheting and bath bomb-making at Prema Arts Centre in Uley; basket weaving, printmaking and ceramics at Artspace in Cinderford; and jewellery-making, macramé, modern calligraphy, linocut printing and more at New Brewery Arts, to name just a few.
Give floatation therapy a try in the Forest of Dean
Float in the Forest offers a completely immersive experience in its unique floatation pods. With water saturated with Epsom salts and heated to around skin temperature, your body floats effortlessly — providing a sense of weightlessness.
Floatation is said to help relieve pain, improve circulation, calm the mind and improve sleep quality, while also providing a chance to meditate. The unique warmth and buoyancy provided by floating can also be enhanced by floating in the dark, to increase awareness of the sensations in your body and relax more deeply.
See some outdoor art in Gloucestershire
Engaging with visual arts can help to reduce anxiety, according to research from University College London — so pairing stunning artwork with Gloucestershire’s incredible natural beauty gives visitors and locals a double dose of mental wellness.
There are plenty of opportunities to see fantastic art out in the wild in Gloucestershire, with outdoor galleries like the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail at Beechenhurst, thought-provoking public artworks at Lydney Harbour, as well as art events such as Gloucester Bright Nights and Cheltenham Paint Festival.
Digital detox on a Gloucestershire glamping trip
Leave daily life behind and spend a blissful weekend reconnecting with nature on a Gloucestershire glamping trip — the county even made the top five for most romantic camping getaway destinations in the UK in 2023.
Snuggle up in your very own treehouse; slip into a wood-fired hot tub and soak your stresses away; or cook up a storm on an outdoor fire pit, before settling down for a night under the stars.
For inspiration, see SoGlos’s pick of sustainable staycations in Gloucestershire.
Relax on a spa day in Gloucestershire
For a truly indulgent experience, treat yourself to a spa day in Gloucestershire — with a myriad of treatments on offer, from relaxing massages to invigorating scrubs, not to mention stunning hydrotherapy pools, saunas, steam rooms and Jacuzzi tubs.
Some of our favourites include the luxurious and Michelin Key-winning Cowley Manor, the award-winning Greenway Hotel and Spa, and the five-star Ellenborough Park near Cheltenham; Calcot Manor in the Cotswolds; and the spa at Hatherley Manor near Gloucester.
Be sure to check out SoGlos's curated list for affordable spa experiences in Gloucestershire, too.
Learn to cook something healthy and delicious at a Gloucestershire cookery school
A healthy diet is hugely important for mental wellbeing, with the gut and brain being closely linked together. Whether you’re a whizz in the kitchen or a complete beginner, learning how to whip up a delicious and healthy meal is a great way to be more mindful about what you eat.
There are a wide range of classes and courses available in the county, from foraging walks followed by a class on how to cook with your finds at Harts Barn Cookery School in Longhope; sourdough masterclasses at The Artisan Baker
For more, take a look at our list of places to brush up on your baking skills in Gloucestershire.
Give alternative therapy a go in Gloucestershire
From hands-on treatments like acupuncture, reflexology and Reiki, to meditative sound healing, there are a wide variety of alternative therapies available in Gloucestershire, with the aim to help with mindfulness and mental health.
The Isbourne in Cheltenham is one of the county’s leading alternative therapy venues and offers a range of treatments, including gong baths; mindful movement in the form of yoga and qigong; breath workshops; Reiki; crystal healing; and creative crafts like jewellery making, too.
SoGlos has also rounded up the most peaceful places to do yoga in Gloucestershire, so you can find your next class.
Join a Gloucestershire sports club
Exercise can be transformative for both physical and mental health, but if you’re not much of a gym bunny, joining a sports club could help you hit your fitness goals, while making new friends in the process.
Join a local netball league, get your friends together for some five-a-side football, try tennis at East Glos Club, padel at The Padel Club or tag along to one of the many Parkrun's throughout the county. There’s even a Gloucestershire Mountaineering Club, for anyone who wants to give rock climbing a go!
Get your friends together for a meal at a Gloucestershire restaurant
When you’re struggling with your mental health, socialising can be difficult, but sometimes catching up with good friends over some good food can be just what you need.
Head out on a walk with a cosy Cotswold pub at the end of it; get together for a delicious meal at a local restaurant; or meet up for a quick coffee and some cake at a nearby cafe. You’re sure to be met with a warm welcome at one of Gloucestershire’s many hospitality venues.
Embrace your inner child
Sometimes, the best thing to put a smile on your face is embracing your inner child for a while, running around and kicking up piles of leaves in a Gloucestershire park, expending excess energy at a session at Ninja Warrior UK Gloucester and just pretending you’re 10 again.
For a fun day out packed with childlike fun, feed the ducks at Slimbridge Wetland Centre near Stroud, with plenty to see, do and learn for the whole family; ideal for even the biggest kids, Go Ape centres in the Forest of Dean and 270 Climbing Park in Gloucester both offer thrill-seekers an exciting high ropes experience up in the trees; and The Brewery Quarter in Cheltenham has tenpin bowling and adventure golf, for a healthy dose of gaming nostalgia.
