England: Taylor DuVarney (Forest Bathing)

Forest Bathing

30 minutes north of our residence sits Primrose Hill and Regents Park. I decided to take a visit for the forest bathing exercise. I took the tube to Euston, and walked about 20 minutes to get into Regents Park. It was a crisp fall day, with colored leaves scattered over the ground. Dogs were running ferociously through the leaves, with huge smiles on their faces. As I progressed through the park, I found Primrose Hill. It took a minute to get up, but when I did, I saw some of the best views. There was an interesting contrast between the trees and nature of the park, and the looming city beyond it.

I felt a lot of peace on top of Primrose Hill. It reminded me a lot of the UW Arboretum, especially during fall. There is a hill nestled in the Arboretum that I often go to if I need a break. On the top of Primrose Hill, I found a bench and reflected on how I felt at that moment. I tuned into my 5 senses. I could see the beautiful views of the city and the park. I could have looked at them for hours. I could smell the fall air, coffee from the visitors around, and bagels from the bagel shop that many people stop at before going up. I could feel the cold bench and breeze across my body. I could taste the crisp air. I Could hear the dogs barking, people running, and people socializing as they took the journey to the top of the hill.

Primrose Hill was a great place for me to go and relax. I thoroughly enjoyed getting out in nature and seeing a new area of London. I was able to clear my head from the stresses of schoolwork and get some good exercise in.

Taylor DuVarney

Major: International Studies and Spanish

Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin