Lunchbreak Wanders: 20 Minutes to Reset and Explore

Even on the busiest days, it’s worth stepping away from your desk and going on a walk in Caerphilly Business Park to get a bit of fresh air. For all you lovely members and day-pass users coworking in our hub, this is a little reminder, for me as much as you, to take a proper break 🌤️

Get some air. During the day, even though work life is busy, go outside and see some sunlight (even if it’s behind heavy clouds). I started on a mission to explore some short walks around our hub in Caerphilly Business Park, and if you’ve never tried this yourself, this novice has got some tips to get you started.

The Uphill Lane 🍂

After a tip from one of our members (thanks, Kev!), I spent some lunch breaks exploring a route just 10 minutes out of the Business Park. Get to the exit, walk straight across the road, and keep going towards an uphill lane. You’ll find yourself under a tunnel of trees, ferns down by your feet at the roadside

At this point, if you turn around, you can already see the trees flooding over the hills opposite. When I first started working in Caerphilly, I was honestly blown away by these views. After eight years working in Cardiff, I couldn’t have imagined seeing this many trees by simply wandering out of the office.

In October and November, I watched the trees turn yellow, orange, and red. On the uphill lane, if it’s raining, you’ll hear the pattering on the leaves above you. Keep going, and it becomes a track (often muddy, don’t wear your nice shoes 😅) and opens out onto a grassy hilltop.

At this point, I can’t guide you any further, as I’ve always needed to turn back to make sure I reach the hub before my break is over. If you go further, take pictures and tell me what you find!

I did this for a few weeks, and then I started exploring another route.

The Winding Road 🍁

If you come out of the business park and turn right, walk down the winding road for five minutes, you’ll see an opening in the trees to your left. Walking up this track is gorgeous in autumn, with a stream running down its left-hand side. There are forks in the track leading off to grassy areas, or you can follow the path further and further in.

This is another one where I’ve never seen the end of it, needing to get back to work within the half hour. Another one for wearing shoes you don’t mind getting muddy, too.

The first day I tried this route, all the leaves above me were pale yellow, surrounding me in this otherworldly glow I’d never imagined I’d feel on an average workday. When I stopped to look at a robin in the branches beside me, it stayed close much longer than a sensible bird should. It kept tipping its head, looking me up and down, like it was properly noticing me. Or maybe just judging my outfit 😅

Beyond the Lunch Break 🌳

There are many versions of these routes you can explore, and many more routes to find around our business park if you have a little longer on your breaks. I want to try out Coed y Werin (‘The People’s Woods’) southeast of Welsh ICE, which is looked after by Caerphilly Woodland Trust, but that’s a longer walk for another time.

Venturing out just before work is another option; that magic sunrise, low-light, and cold air on your cheeks can really start your day right, if you manage to wake up early enough (a rare occasion for me!).

Your 20-Minute Reset 🌞

So this is my reminder to you and myself: go outside for a bit. There’s the air, the sun (no matter how weak), which does wonders for our physical and mental health. There’s also the feeling, even if just for 20 minutes, that you’ve gone to someplace different, that you can infuse your everyday with a sense of wonder, and that a lunch break is full of possibilities.