“A great way of connecting with the moment and with nature and being present.” (Davy Greenough)
For Davy, mindfulness began in 2008 as practical help during a period of hard work, stress and anxiety. He joined an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy course at Bangor University and, within weeks, felt his anxiety ease.
That first course did more than ease Davy’s anxiety; it opened a lifelong path of practice, study and sharing. He went on to deepen his training through Mindfulness Based Compassionate Living with Judith Soulsby, teacher training with Sarah Silverton, assisting with teaching, and a five-day silent retreat at Trigonos in North Wales. Along the way, his understanding was shaped by teachers and writers including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Thich Nhat Hanh and Eckhart Tolle. Over time, Davy’s own teaching grew to include both formal and informal mindfulness, including several years holding a community practice group at the Ucheldre Centre in Holyhead.
His daily practice is modest: three to five minutes of morning meditation with his wife Jayne, plus informal mindfulness throughout the day. It might mean noticing the body during chores, bringing awareness to driving, or catching the mind as it drifts into planning. The effect has been profound: less anxiety, more joy, and a life that feels vivid and authentic.
It has also changed how he meets difficulty. Mindfulness is not only about calm; it is about being present when things are hard, Davy explains. Rather than blocking out unpleasant experiences, Davy describes an ability to stay with what is happening helping him be more present with loved ones while “real life is going on” in front of him.
Today, Davy shares the practice through mindful walking. A qualified lowland leader walk guide through the Mountain Training Association, and outdoor first aider, he leads walks around Holyhead, Cwm Idwal and Eryri National Park, with organisations such as the National Park and the National Trust, and local groups along the Anglesey coastal path.
The format is simple but powerful. Participants walk the first half in silence, leaving wide spaces between each person. The group pauses three or four times for short meditations, standing or sitting as appropriate. There may be readings or poems linked to the landscape, history or season. Around halfway, coffee and a snack mark the point where the return walk opens into conversation.
Davy frames silence not as a rule, but as an invitation. Some find it difficult; others feel relieved that the usual pressure to talk has lifted. A few remain silent even during the second half. Humour helps, and the emphasis is always on experimenting rather than performing.
“It’s a great way of connecting with the moment and with nature and being present.” (Participant)
“We walk in such beautiful places it’s a fantastic opportunity to appreciate the nature we have all around us.” (Participant)
People often leave more relaxed and grounded. Many notice their surroundings properly, perhaps for the first time in a while. The pace slows, the “constant chatter in the head” quietens, and the body remembers how to move without rushing. For visitors, the walks offer a memorable encounter with Anglesey and Eryri; for locals, a renewed relationship with familiar places.
“The spirit of each walk is peaceful and nurturing, making it ideal for those with fragile mental health.” (Participant)
Grounding, feeling connected with the earth, noticing spaciousness, and sensing oneself as part of something bigger is key to Davy’s approach:
“In the mountains, beside water, or on the coast, worries can shift in scale—not because they disappear, but because they are held within a wider field of sky, stone, weather and breath.”
Davy would love to see mindfulness become more mainstream, including a daily ‘meditation gap’ in schools. He also sees potential for mindful walking through social prescribing and hopes to offer mindful nature walks to more visitors, keeping people connected to the local area while making the practice more accessible.
At its heart, Davy’s mindful walking is not about escaping life, but entering it more fully. Step by step, breath by breath, it invites people to come back to where they already are.
To contact Davy:
Email: davyrgreenough@hotmail.com
Website: Events | Eryri National Park
Facebook: group page – Holyhead mindful walking group
Instagram: davy_walk
LinkedIn: Davy Greenough