5 easy ways to lose your mind

Hands up who’s had enough of list-making and shopping for the holiday season?   If it feels like time to log off, to step away from the contentious ‘roast or seafood’ debate and take a long, deep breath – you’re in the right place.

Don’t get us wrong, Christmas can be magical – no grinch vibes here – but it can be overwhelming. Which is why taking a moment to unplug and chill out after tinsel-time is important.

Our friend John Muir back in the 1800’s wrote “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” He also famously declared, “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul” …and he wasn’t in a family WhatsApp chat with your uncle Gerry.

5 easy ways to lose your mind (in a good way) this summer:

1. Lose yourself in nature

   Pull on your favourite comfy shoes and take a stroll along the beautiful winding alpine trails that criss-cross Mt Buller and Mt Stirling. Stop to take in the native flowers, look for brightly coloured ‘Buller bugs’ and feel the everyday melt away as you gaze across misty blue ridgelines and down to the green of the valley below. Walks vary from short easy strolls to all day adventures. Plan your route, stash some picnic treats and let the trail lead you to tranquillity.
   
   

2. Keep on rolling

   It’s just like riding a bike. Pun intended. There’s plenty of trail waiting for your pedalling pleasure. Keen mountain bikers know about the seriously good refurbishment of the trails, the reboot of Copperhead, the chocolatey-smooth berms on the single-track and how well Stonefly is riding however if you’ve not been in the saddle for a while, it’s time to get in the flow. Shuttles make downhill days more fun, E-bike rentals let you ride from dawn to dusk and trails range from mellow to mad. Make time for a roll along the Delatite River trail and enjoy a cold brew from Mirimbah Store at the end.
   
   

3. Romance yourself

   You can buy yourself flowers (we feel you Miley Cyrus) or you can step up the self-care with a whole weekend of wandering through wildflowers on a mountain top. Sprinkle in superb sunsets, long lazy picnics, paddling in a crystal clear stream and star-studded night skies and you have a swoon-worthy summer escape. Add in a chef-prepared long lunch and take someone special, or simply spoil yourself. Sounds like some great New Year resolutions in the making.
   
   

4. Escape to outer space
   

   The stars are bigger and brighter up here. It’s something to do with the velvet-dark sky and limited light pollution and that boost of being at 1805m above sea level on the Mt Buller summit that makes you feel like you can reach out and touch the Milky Way. Discover the magic of gazing into the night sky and if you’d like to learn more about what lies in galaxies far-far away come to the Star Fest 5-7 January.
   
   

5. Climb a mountain
   

   You’ve got new year’s resolutions and an urge to get your heart pumping, and we’ve got some events you’ll love. Mt Buller’s Send 2 Summit is a duathlon custom-made for this beautiful mountain. Combine an exhilarating downhill ride from the village to Mirimbah with a challenging trail run (or walk) back up to the summit. Burn those Christmas calories away and replace them with bucketloads of endorphins.

The true high country up here in the mountains really is the ideal place to rediscover some balance and start the new year afresh. Just don’t tell uncle Gerry where you’re going!