Reconnect with nature, calm your mind and revive your spirit
We had the enormous pleasure of staying at the Minds and Mountains Eco Lodge, hosted by the wonderful Doro and Mikkel, aloft in the Spanish Pyrenees not far from Perpignan, France to the north and Barcelona, Spain to the south. From the moment we arrived in the fresh mountain air and deep in the autumnal forest colours we knew we were in for a relaxing and inspirational treat. We were welcomed warmly by the delightful Doro who showed us to our bright and cosy room with stunning views out over the mountains and valleys below. Everything about the beautifully decorated lodge encouraged you to kick back, relax and reconnect with nature from the quirky birch tree branch clothes hangers in our room to the soft and sumptuous fireside sofas replete with books, games and a well stocked honesty bar as well as continually refreshed hot water for the intriguing range of herbal teas and tisanes.
One of our motivations for choosing Mind and Mountains was the promise of their plant based meals (a bit of a rarity in this region) and after a wonderfully restful night their freshly prepared breakfast did not disappoint, the difficulty was choosing which of the several sweet and savoury delicacies to have - so we tasted everything and they were all delicious from the moist mocca cake to the vegan salmon on cream cheese canapes. Doro kindly supplied links to mountain trails starting on our doorstep but we chose our own route to wander along fragrant sun dappled woodland footpaths to partake in some forest bathing and fungi spotting before climbing higher onto the mountain meadows for the panoramic views and alpine flowers.
In the afternoon my more athletic partner set off for some serious hiking whilst I settled onto one of the comfortable loungers on the lodge terrace with a lovely herbal tea to read, paint, knit and commune with the incomparable surroundings.
Then came another treat of our own exclusive ‘spa’ hour of mountain view sauna interspersed with hot and cold tubs all on the sunny terrace in the crisp air, truly the most relaxing and invigorating place experience!
Treat followed treat as it was then time for the most delicious three course supper by candle light on autumn leaf strewn tables, every mouthful an epicurean delight.
We ended a perfect evening around a fragrant pine wood campfire, hot drinks in hand, chatting to several of our fellow guests from all over the globe. This was one of the very special moments, the setting and the hosts facilitated a meaningful way to connect with others and see the world through their eyes and experiences.
Solar powered fairy lights guided us back to bed for another restful night before we sadly had to leave the next day.
As a mindfulness therapist and an environmental activist everything about the concept and ethos of Mind and Mountains resonated for me. Thank you Doro and Mikkel for the most wonderful experience - I thoroughly recommend a stay here to not only reconnect with nature but also hope in humanity.