On this episode of Trail Notes by Trash Free Trails, Rach Coleman introduces us to the fourth pathway of nature connection; Sense. This episode takes us on an immersive exploration of our senses, inviting us to practise a variety of ways to engage with nature. Rach offers up questions, ideas and curiosities around the body as a sense-factory, and how by drawing a little more attention to its processes, we can deepen our connection to the natural world.    ‘Explore, take a closer look and get in touch with the natural world. Engage with nature through the senses for pleasure e.g. listening to birdsong, smelling wild flowers, watching the sunset.’   Follow & Tag us on your #pureposefuladventures @trashfreetrails  Purposeful Adventures is Trash Free Trails summer campaign celebrating what nature connection means to you. Find out more and share your adventures: https://www.trashfreetrails.org/purposeful-adventures

On this episode of Trail Notes by Trash Free Trails, Rach Coleman introduces us to the third pathway of nature connection; Beauty. This episode explores the role aesthetics play when imagining and valuing the natural world. Rach shares the story of the Hackney and Leyton Marshes, these now dry wetlands holding a vested place in their heart and as a reminder that nature can be close, ugly, and altogether familiar.  ‘Take time to appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature. Engage with the aesthetic qualities e.g. appreciating natural scenery or connecting through the arts.’ Follow & Tag us on your #pureposefuladventures @trashfreetrails  Purposeful Adventures is Trash Free Trails summer campaign celebrating what nature connection means to you. Find out more and share your adventures: https://www.trashfreetrails.org/purposeful-adventures https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/wastelandscapes/case-studies-and-sites/hackney-and-leyton-marsh/

On this episode of Trail Notes by Trash Free Trails, Rach Coleman introduces us to the second pathway of nature connection; compassion. We explore some origins of humans’ negative impact on the natural world and how we’ve come to acknowledge the traces we leave. Join us in reflections on why treating nature with compassion seems to be difficult and why we don’t seem to consider ourselves as nature. Together, we get into the nitty gritty of why compassionate environmental acts are radical, in a world that teaches us we are separate.   ‘Think about what you could do for nature. Extending the self to include nature, leading to a moral and ethical concern e.g. making ethical product choices, concerned with animal welfare.’   Follow us on @trashfreetrails and use the #MyPurposefulAdventures tag to share your adventures! Purposeful Adventures is Trash Free Trails summer campaign celebrating what nature connection means to you. Find out more and share your adventures: https://www.trashfreetrails.org/purposeful-adventures

On this episode of Trail Notes by Trash Free Trails, Rach Coleman introduces us to the first pathway of nature connection; Emotion. We dive into the life and story of Nan Shepherd, a 20th century nature writer who’s words on the Cairngorms in The Living Mountain have taught a generation how to put words to the feelings nature conjures in us. Together, we acknowledge nature’s profound impact on how we feel and reflect on how the attempt to put these feelings into words draws us back into ourselves - creating a profound and dynamic relationship between us and our environment. ‘Find happiness and wonder. Find an emotional bond with, and love, for nature e.g. talking about, and reflecting on your feelings about nature.’   Learn more about Nan Shepherd and The Living Mountain: https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poet/nan-shepherd/   2017 Paper ‘Beyond Knowing Nature’, Richardson et al. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177186    Follow & Tag us on your #pureposefuladventures @trashfreetrails  Purposeful Adventures is Trash Free Trails summer campaign celebrating what nature connection means to you. Find out more and share your adventures: https://www.trashfreetrails.org/purposeful-adventures

Welcome back to Trail Notes - The one stop adventure podcast from Trash Free Trails. To inspire our community while they head into a summer of adventures, we are offering five weeks of stories linking to different themes that have emerged from nature connection research. Join us in exploring the power of our relationship with nature while uncovering ways to integrate this into our daily lives!   Follow & Tag us on your #pureposefuladventures @trashfreetrails    Purposeful Adventures is Trash Free Trails summer campaign celebrating what nature connection means to you. Find out more and share your adventures: https://www.trashfreetrails.org/purposeful-adventures

In this final episode of the series, Rach comes back to the meaning behind Purposeful Adventures, and asks how we can transform the energy of the summer into a year of motivation to leave more positive traces. You can find out more about Purposeful Adventures here: https://www.trashfreetrails.org/purposeful-adventures Music by Holizna Thank you to Red Bull, Trek, Bosch eBike Systems, The North Face x EOCA, komoot and Orbea

In the first episode of our limited season of Trail Notes, host Rachel Coleman takes you on a deep dive into what makes adventures purposeful, and how you can leave a positive trace while out exploring this summer. You can find out more about Purposeful Adventures here Music by Holizna Thank you to Red Bull, Trek, Bosch eBike Systems, The North Face x EOCA, komoot and Orbea