On a mission to help people reconnect with nature
In 'Spotlight' we speak with inspiring entrepreneurs. This time: Back to Nature Hikes. Helping others to reconnect with nature and taking time to stand still in a world that is always moving is the goal of Back to Nature Hikes.
A hike with Back to Nature Hikes is not your average hike. Expect ice baths, retreats, cacao ceremonies, raves, breathing exercises and more. Connecting people with each other, themselves and nature is at the core of their mission. The increasing popularity of their activities, especially among younger people, is an indication of a shift in awareness and lifestyle.
“We believe in the power of nature. Many people who are living in the city and are caught up in their jobs, are unaware of the many health advantages hiking in nature brings.”
Sprouted from personal experiences, founders Eva Spigt and Nicola Dow both had to deal with a physical or mental condition. They found their remedy and solace not in medicine, but in nature. They discovered the many healing benefits of hiking and regretted the dull image it has amongst young people, who are missing out on the many health advantages.
They found that modern-day life in the Netherlands is full of stressors. A heavy workload, always rushed, the big city life and high social and work expectations. The disrupted balance between work and relaxation in our society has many young people ending up with a burn-out. Just like Eva.
She met Nicola during this time, who already had discovered the benefits of nature. After an inflammatory bowel disease at an early age, Nicola made the transformation to a more natural lifestyle. ‘I can tell you that it wasn’t easy as a 14-year-old to eat non-sugar products. It took some time to get used to.’ Their family was always an outdoor type of family. Together this experience led her to do a study in naturotheraphy. This was a different way of looking at healing using herbal medicine and addressing personal development, and Nicola took these skills into the activities they organise. ‘We recently published a book - Back to Nature - for which I could share much of my knowledge about this natural way of healing too, and it is great to apply it in this format.’
The power of nature
Eva admits she was a bit reluctant at first when Nicola took her hiking in nature. ‘What is fun in that, why should we do that?’ she said. But they started walking all across the Netherlands every week. Eva began to notice the health benefits. ‘Many of the problems I was having at that time started to fade to the background during hiking. During that time, we were increasingly discussing the power of nature a lot.’
“People feel guilty if they are not working hard, like everybody else. Taking the time to go into the forest is not a choice that many people make.”
‘We are both very active on Instagram and posted about our trips,’ says Nicola. They got a lot of responses, most of which consisted of amazement: was this to be found in the Netherlands? ‘People started to ask if we would please take them with us. That is how the idea came about.’
Nicola says that it sort of started as a joke to organise a walking event. ‘But we wanted to do not just a hike. And I had just been to a retreat for transformational breathing. So I thought let’s combine it. And that was the first event we organised. We thought everybody should do this and be aware of these health benefits.’
It is mostly the young people living in the big cities who are unaware of what hiking can bring. It suffers from a dull image: nature is boring and hiking for old people. As a city person, it is easy to get stuck in your own bubble. ‘Nowadays many people are quite far removed from nature, being consumed by their job. More than ever people are having burn-outs.’ The pressure in society to perform is high. ‘People feel guilty if they are not working hard, like everybody else. Taking the time to go into the forest is not a choice that many people make.’
Hike and Rave
‘We always combine a hike with personal development and a play element. It is about a form of vulnerability, which in a group gives recognition and a feeling of being seen. Even though you don’t know each other yet, already in one day you can go into that vulnerability and connection.’ For Nicola and Eva it is important that it doesn’t all get too heavy. ‘We make the personal development part a bit lighter, more accessible,’ they say. ‘So it is more appealing to the target group.’ That is why they also always include an element of games and adventure.
A great example is their popular Hike and Rave activities. First, a walk, sometimes in silence. Then, dancing your heart out and letting completely loose in the middle of a forest through a silent disco: a guarantee for a lot of tension release.
Change of lifestyle
Perhaps slowly a shift is arising in this generation, that people are finding out that only working hard to end up with burnout, doesn’t feel right. ‘And that because of that people are searching for something more. Like, is this it? Only working? I want to have fun and feel good as well. There are many different reasons why people join our activities, but mostly it is about wanting to explore what else is out there.’
Eva and Nicola want to help people slow down, to allow space and quiet in your head. ‘Even with 40 minutes of walking it will automatically become quieter in your head. Nature can give you insights that help you in daily life. Walking allows you to reconnect with your body. More peace, focus and a good feeling as a result, will enable you to live more decisively.’
Nicola says that they make sure their activities are as sustainable as possible. ‘I think that every person, so also every company has a responsibility in this. We also organise events for companies, but only those who are being active in sustainability. In this day and age really, every company should take this responsibility. It is a difference between only making money. If you are more in tune with what is going on, there really is no other way.’
Want to know more? Visit backtonaturehikes.nl and follow on Instagram
