The Autumn Equinox marks a time of equilibrium, where day and night are equal. Beyond this time, daylight hours become shorter as we move towards Winter.
To embrace this transitional time of the year, join myself and Michelle from Happy Chakras for a relaxing and wholesome walk through the ancient woodland around Tockholes with a nature-based yoga and meditation session set under the lofty trees close to ruined Hollinshead Hall.
During the walk, I will share my knowledge of the area and enthusiasm for nature, where we will be able to identify different tree species, discuss the history of the surrounding area and have the chance to observe various wildlife.
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The pace will be gentle with plenty of opportunities to stop and take in the beautiful surroundings beneath the trees.​
There will be two sessions taking place on Saturday 20th September with the options being 10:00 - 13:00 or 14:30 - 17:30.​
Find out about Michelle's yoga and holistic services at
The initial guided walk will take us down into serene woodland, around Upper Roddlesworth Reservoir and beside the calming babbling waters of the River Roddlesworth. The tracks provide an immersive experience for participants to enjoy walking within deciduous woodland and take in the surroundings while discussing various areas of interest.
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We will emerge at the site of Hollinshead Hall, a ruined manor house with a sacred well house that has been preserved very well. In the trees beyond, Michelle will deliver a nature-based yoga and meditation session, before heading back to Ryal Fold.
The overall distance of walking will be around 8km or around 5 miles in length and is suitable for anybody with good mobility and a basic level of fitness. Most of the paths are well maintained and surfaced but it should be noted that there are sections of uneven terrain and one steep hill climb.
Michelle will guide participants through therapeutic yoga and meditation practices to aid a deep connection between self and nature, leaving all in attendance feeling grounded and calm.
The yoga practice will be set close to the ruins of Hollinshead Hall and guided meditation will take place among the surrounding woodland.
Please bring a journal/notebook and pen for reflections after the meditation.
A yoga mat is not required and there's no need to take off footwear as the yoga movements will all be standing.
This activity is not suitable for pregnant ladies or people with severe heart problems.
​Important details about this specific activity.
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Each session is designed to take around three hours, of which around two hours will be spent walking. This activity is usually designed to be quite a social outing with lots of discussion and time to take in the scenery, expect a gentle to moderate pace.
If the walk leader observes a concern with fitness levels of an individual participant,
it may be necessary for that person to return the start of the activity for their own safety, where it is safe to do so.
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Waterproof walking trainers, trail shoes, approach shoes or more sturdy walking boots are adequate for this activity.
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This activity is NOT suitable for dogs to attend.
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This activity is NOT suitable for children or young people to attend.
Please bear in mind that the activity duration is calculated based on average walking speeds over the types of terrain encountered and previous occurrences of this specific route. The activity may be completed in a quicker or longer time than expected based on individual fitness levels within the group.
As mentioned, it is necessary to have good mobility to take part.
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It should be mentioned that weather in the West Pennine Moors can be unpredictable at all times of the year and so it isn't possible to guarantee excellent views on every walk. It may be necessary for the walk leader to change the itinerary of the route for safety or other reasons, meaning that is is not possible to included certain advertised objectives.
Unless there is a safety concern posed by the weather forecast, activities will go ahead regardless of conditions.
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Please see the Moors to Mountains with Happy Chakras Terms and Conditions before booking.
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Meeting point nd transport information.
Our start point will be the café at the Royal Arms, Ryal Fold in Tockholes (BB3 0PA).
The car park is free for customers there are toilet facilities. It's a very nice establishment serving hot and cold drinks and has a decent breakfast and lunch menu. While there are other places to park nearby, please do not block access for local residents and businesses.
There is no public transport to this location.
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What to expect when booking a professionally
guided activity with Colin from Moors to Mountains.
A friendly and supportive group ethic is promoted on all activities.
It is normal for participants to feel anxious or nervous about joining a guided walk for the first time, meeting new people or just stepping out of their usual comfort zone. This is normal. Please try to remember that other people in the group will likely be feeling the same, and I can assure all participants that they will be making new friends and feeling comfortable in the surroundings in no time.
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Knowledge and enthusiasm is shared throughout the activity.
Not only am I here to keep you safe and lead the group, I like to engage all participants in interesting conversation. Whether we are visiting a site with interesting geology and natural features or perhaps somewhere of historic significance, I like to make sure participants go away having learned something new. And as an environmentalist and lover of the outdoors, it is my mission to try and pass on my passion and knowledge to all who sign up to a Moors to Mountains activity.
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Safety, motivation and attentiveness is guaranteed.
All Moors to Mountains activities are designed for smaller parties. The number of participants that is allowed will depend on the terrain of each specific activity. Suitable group sizes allow me to give each individual client the maximum attention throughout an activity, whether this is to answer questions, provide some guidance or physical assistance.
My promise is to deliver a high level of care and individual attentiveness to each member of the group.
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It is not a race, everybody is here to enjoy the activity!
The benefit of booking onto my activities for small groups for many participants is that the reasonable pricing makes joining a qualified, knowledgeable and experienced Mountain Leader to be more affordable. However, participants in each group are likely to be of mixed abilities. All participants will move together as a group and support each other throughout the activity. If you are a very fit and fast hill walker and would like to experience more of a physical challenge, I am available for private bookings that may be more enjoyable for you than my usual group activities.
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I am qualified, insured and experienced in the mountains and hills of the UK.
As your guide, I am a qualified and insured Mountain Leader registered with the British Mountaineering Council and Mountain Training Association. I will only ever operate in areas where I have experience of the terrain and local knowledge. I have also volunteered with my community walking group for since 2011, where I have organised and led innumerable walks and expeditions across the whole of northern England, many areas of Scotland and Eryri/Snowdonia in North Wales. I also have a lot of personal experience in walking, wild camping and completing solo expeditions in these areas.
In that time, I have been lucky enough to spend time out on the hills and mountains with many people of different backgrounds and abilities. This experience has enabled me to develop an extensive knowledge of particular outdoor areas, and a penchant for designing routes that are both scenic and interesting. There are often places of historical or geological interest along the way and I enjoy sharing my knowledge of the landscape, history, industry, wildlife and geology.
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​Once a place has been booked on any activity.
I will personally contact each participant by email with any relevant information to the specific activity. The booking system will email participants a ticket but there is no need to present this when attending an activity. Participants will be sent thorough information and a Participation Consent Form that should be completed in good time before any activity takes place. This will ask for important medical information, important contact details and also request consent for me to give first aid where necessary, take any photographs (or not) and anything else relevant.
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Thank you for reading and I hope to see you on the activity.
COLIN - MOORS TO MOUNTAINS.