Nature Encounter Day with Mark Cocker

A Transformative Day of Nature Encounter with Mark Cocker

Nature has never been more emphasised in our daily news and many of us feel the urge to do more or, to learn more about the living world. But how and where do we go to achieve this? This brand-new course tries to go to the heart of how Nature works. It seeks to explore our feelings and thoughts for those parts of life that are proven now to be so important for human health: walking in woods, sharing time out of doors. It is planned as a day of discovery with as much Nature as possible, coupled with a focus on learning to look more carefully, to slow down and to take in the hidden depths. We’ll set the moth traps or the microscopes and plan out a day of encounter with as many plants and animals as we can. You need to bring a deep sense of wonder.

Following this day (across July 3rd and 4th) we are hosting Mark again for a nature writing Masterclass. The two events pair beautifully and you can find more information on that event by clicking here.

At a glance

• Arrive for a 09:30 start, finishing around 5pm with lunch included
• An in-depth day of learning how to notice nature with expert naturalist and author Mark Cocker
• Guided tour of the Hepple estate putting new skills into practise
• Some uneven ground and variable weather conditions may apply!

Wall screw-moss Tortula muralis

The Day

Our society increasingly recognises the importance of Nature, not simply because we rely on its processes to provide all our food, water, soil, wealth and material well-being. Nature is also at the heart of individual health precisely because we are Nature. What is good for the whole is good for its members.

Walking among trees or in open wild space has health benefits for people suffering from respiratory ailments. Trees release volatile compounds that boost mental well-being and stimulate the immune system. In Japan ‘forest bathing’ is proven to increase capacity to combat illness and to reduce adrenaline and cortisol, symptoms of stress and illness. Organic shapes such as those found in woodland are restful, while walking among trees improves our capacity to pay attention. Children brought up in woods are shown to be more developed with better communications skills, more emotional maturity as well as better general health and well-being.

This daylong course is aimed at experiencing all these enormous health benefits, but it is equally about understanding the more-than-human world. Many of us feel compelled to do our utmost for Nature not only because it serves our needs, but because we want to secures its own. Today we will learn about how its processes unfold and interconnect, especially the ancient relations between soil and plants, plants and fungi, vegetation and insects. ‘Rewilding’ is a word we hear all the time. What does it mean? How does Nature, liberated from tight human control, actually operate?

The day will be about learning without overwhelming you with facts, but by paying careful attention, and slowing down to investigate the world around us more completely. Ultimately it is about seeing life and ourselves afresh. 

The course is open to anyone over the age of sixteen. Please note that the day includes some walking on rough ground and a proportion of the session will be held outside so you will need to bring appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather. We may spend small amounts of time exploring aspects of Hepple wildlife on our own. Having binoculars, hand lenses, a (phone) camera as well as notebook and pen will all be very useful, if not essential.

Following this day (across July 3rd and 4th) we are hosting Mark again for a nature writing Masterclass. The two events pair beautifully and you can find more information on that event by clicking here. 

A mix of adders

Who?

The course will be led by professional author and naturalist Mark Cocker. 

Mark Cocker is an author, lifelong naturalist and environmental activist who writes on Nature in a variety of national media such as The Guardian, Country Life and The Spectator. His 14 books include A Claxton Diary: Further Field Notes from a Small Planet (2019), which won the East Anglian Book of the Year Award, and Crow Country, which was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, and won the New Angle Prize. In 2025 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Reviewing his last work, Philip Marsden wrote ‘It isn’t just a glorious celebration of swifts but of their place amid the panoply of life on Earth .. Cocker is one of our greatest living naturalists and he brings to this vast subject a scientist’s rigour and a poet’s expansive vision.’

Mark Cocker, naturalist & author

Also assiting on the course will be Hepple's ecologist & guide, Richard Thompson. Richard is Hepple Wild’s professional naturalist; extremely passionate about all kinds of nature and wildlife. Richard has a number of qualifications in subjects such as wildlife tracking, professional botany, navigation and leading groups in upland environments. Richard has taken the lead on curating and organising our bespoke wildlife and nature experiences and is always thrilled to share the wild wonders of Hepple with new people. 

Richard Thompson, Hepple Guide

Where?

Hepple Wilds is a family-owned estate that is putting ecological renewal at the heart of our long-term plan.

Prior to the project starting, the 4,000 acre Hepple Estate was an open moorland and upland sheep farm but despite decades of gentle farming and classic conservation work, it was not easy to outgrow the national pattern of decline in biodiversity. In 2020 we started on a radical new direction with a plan we call ‘managed wilding’. This looks at building the base of the food-chain, from water, soil carbon and fungal mycorrhiza to diverse vegetation and the insect population.

Across the estate there is a multitude of exciting habitats with beautiful flora to focus on including stunning sphagnum mosses & sundews in our bogs and elegant orchids and wildflowers in our meadows. These areas are also home to some incredible invertebrates including various species of dragonflies, damselflies and demoiselle, as well as bees, hoverflies and butterflies such as the small pearl-bordered fritillary. At night moths flit through the trees and long grass.

Juniper berries in abundance

As well as Hepple Wilds, the estate is home to Hepple Spirits, a premium but small-scale gin distillery that produces a high quality spirit with ingredients fresh from the estate. If there is interest, a distillery tour can be arranged during the day. 

Detailed instructions on how to get to Hepple will be provided prior to the event

What to Bring

• Binoculars and hand lenses would be very useful 
• Warm and waterproof clothes 
• Water bottle
• A notebook and pens

Please come prepared for outdoor walking, including sturdy boots, comfortable walking clothes and any other equipment you may require (i.e. walking poles). Additionally, we cannot guarantee the weather and in the Upper Coquet valley it can be quite changeable so please come prepared for any and all weathers. Waterproof trousers and wellies are sensible for when kneeling or sitting in damp areas. 

Regeneration across the estate

Booking Terms & Additional Info

The full day costs £160.00. If you need to cancel before the event we will aim to refund you but this will depend on the time of cancellation and our ability to fill your space.

If the course has to be cancelled by The Hepple Estate, we will offer you a full refund of any monies paid, and/or an alternative booking date if the day is rearranged. 

The Hepple Estate recommends that customers consider travel insurance to cover cancellation costs however it accepts no liability if customers do not possess this. 

By booking this event you agree that you have a suitable physical fitness for the event. It is your responsibility to tell us of any medical conditions we need to be aware of, should these potentially limit your participation in the day.

In addition, this event is not dog friendly. We may be able to host pooches on our private/bespoke days, with prior arrangement. 

Accommodation is not provided in the course fee however local options can be provided.

On booking you should be asked about your dietary requirements and any special interests you might have. Please get in touch if you think we need to know anything else.

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact Richard at richard@hepplewilds.com

A mosaic of lichens