Float in the Forest
Beyond relaxation
Float in the Forest
Beyond relaxationFloat in the Forest is a floatation centre in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.
Floatation (or ‘floating’) is a type of relaxation therapy.
You float on the surface of warm water saturated with Epsom salt, in a comfortable environment where sound and light are minimised. Imagine relaxing in a giant bathtub that you can sleep in with peace of mind.
Float in the Forest provides a wonderful floatation experience, with the added benefit of emerging into a beautiful natural environment.

Update after the government announcement on Mon 22nd Feb:
We are hoping to re-open fully (so that anyone will be able to float regardless of their reason) from Wed 14th April.
Until then we will continue to provide floats for physical and / or mental health reasons only. Scroll down to learn about the health conditions which floatation helps. If you need to float for health reasons, you can book your health float here.
We are not opening the calendar for general bookings from 14th April yet, in case things change. If you would like to be informed when you can book a float for any reason, please make sure you have signed up to our email list, which you can do here.
All gift card and package expiry dates will be extended by the duration of the current restrictions, so no-one will miss out.Â
Rest assured that floating remains a low risk activity, and that we continue to follow procedures to best protect your health. You can read more in this blog.

Wondering what to get Mum for Mother’s Day?
You could give her peace, quiet and relaxation with a float gift card!
We do gift cards for 1 float, 3 floats, or 2 simultaneous floats.
All gift cards will be extended for the duration of the current government restrictions, so if she wouldn’t be floating for health reasons, she won’t miss out.
Get your float gift cards here:
What our customers are saying
Find out more about floating
Find out more about floatation, the benefits that many people get from it, the answers to some frequently asked questions, take a look at our blog, and much more.
Why float?
Deep Relaxation
Escape hectic daily life and let your tensions dissolve into weightless relaxation. This is time which is yours alone, free of the demands of others. Above all, the calm comfort of floatation soothes away stress and anxiety. At last a space to truly rest the body and still the chatter of the mind.
Improved Health
Floatation reduces blood pressure and improves circulation. Levels of the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol are reduced. You are bathed in salts of the essential mineral Magnesium. Furthermore, your muscles, joints and bones are released from the effects of gravity.
Pain Relief
Sufferers of chronic pain from many conditions including Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and back pain have gained relief by using floatation for pain management. Muscle tension and joint pain are reduced through being unburdened by the buoyant water.
Sleep Better
The deep rest of floating dissolves fatigue, leaving you feeling truly refreshed. Not only can a single float feel as restorative as a full night’s sleep, but certainly floating also improves sleep patterns, offering relief from insomnia and the ability to ‘reset’ jet lag.
Enhanced Performance
Sports recovery is boosted by floatation as a result of lactic acid broken down faster, allowing you to train smarter and get back to doing what you love sooner. Likewise rehabilitation times from injury are reduced, and what’s more, proper recuperation keeps you at the top of your game. Enhance your performance and visualise your success.
Pregnancy
Floating can give profound relief from the physical strains of pregnancy due to the buoyancy of the water. An opportunity to practise breathing techniques and relax. Not only is this a real rest for you and your baby, but also a chance to build a profound connection together in a peaceful and supportive environment.
Meditation
Floating is a doorway to deeper meditation. The reduced sensory input and weightlessness removes distractions, empowering you to quiet your mind with ease. As a result you can switch off your mind and be present, and make it easier to do so in your every day life.
Freedom from habits
The float environment puts the power to reprogram unwanted behaviours in your hands. Consequently, this is an opportunity to abandon your addictions. Through regular floating you can insert a pause between the stimulus and the habitual response, giving you an opportunity to act from somewhere authentic.
Mental Clarity
Discover a space of peaceful reflection, while free of all distractions. This environment fosters true focus: for improved decision-making, effective problem-solving, deeper insight, and freedom of mind. Certainly here is the clarity you need to make real progress.
Awards
What the press say
'Reawaken your senses and enjoy the benefits of floatation in the Forest of Deanâ
âFor people like me on the go, rushing through life at a hundred miles an hour, flotation provides a pod of tranquillity that forces your mind and body to unwind, relax and just be.â
Lifestyle Magazine
10th July 2019

'Float centre buoys up charityâ
âA new floatation centre where people can literally cast their cares adrift has presented a medical ambulance service with ÂŁ150 raised from its launch day.â
Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review
22nd May 2019

'6 mini adventures around Bristol & Bath to mark 200th anniversary of Robinson Crusoeâ
âthe aim is to find your zenâ
Circus Journal
7th May 2019
'I tried floating in the Forestâ
âAfter just one session I reluctantly climbed out of the pod reminded of those rare blissful mornings when you are emerging from a happy dream that you donât want to end, even though you know you have had exactly the right amount of sleep to feel reinvigorated.â
Gloucestershire Live
2nd March 2019
'EXCLUSIVE: First look inside Float in the Forestâ
âSpeaking exclusively to SoGlos, Shari Vandervelde explained that the layout was very important. âWe want people to feel like the further they step into the centre, the more relaxed they get.â
SoGlos
21st Feb 2019
'Sensory weightless floatation tanks that wash away your stress are coming to Gloucestershireâ
âIn two weeks time Shari Vandervelde and partner Will Griffin are to open a floatation centre in the heart of the Forest of Dean so you can have dip before going back to natureâ
Gloucestershire Live
10th Feb 2019
'New paths to wellnessâ
âLet your worries float away, quite literallyâ
Prime (p39)
Feb 2019
'Slow it down â these wellness retreats will ease you into the new yearâ
âThe ripples of relaxation shimmer long after the float and many feel as if they are walking on air afterwards.â
Monmouthshire & Brecon Living (p54)
Jan 2019
'20 best spa days in the UK'
âitâs set to relax you so much that an hour-long float will feel like a day-long retreat.â
i-news
6th Jan 2019

'Lie back and float off to a world of relaxationâ
âShari Vandervelde and Will Griffin have been given planning permission to convert a Whitecroft industrial unit into a stress-busting âFloat in the Forestâ centreâ
Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review
9th May 2018
'Floatation tank centre opening in Forest of Deanâ
âThe Epsom salts in the water make you incredibly buoyant, so thereâs no pressure anywhere. Itâs perfect for people who have back pain, people suffering from things like fibromyalgia, those recovering from sports injuries or people who want to relax their mind and switch off for an hour.â
SoGlos
8th May 2018
'Where to go on holiday in Feb 2019'
âFloat in the Forest will be one of the only places in the country where you can take part in flotation therapy before emerging into picturesque woodlandâ
Independent
3rd Dec 2018
Check out the latest Float in the Forest blog posts:
Second birthday writing competition
It's our second birthday! This has undoubtedly been a strange year, but with wonderful bits too, and we are pleased to be celebrating our second birthday. We are so grateful to all those who have floated with us, and we have loved being able to float you! To celebrate...
Floatation delivers health benefits
Protecting your health We have all learned a lot about the coronavirus and COVID-19 over the past few months. Knowledge can dispel fear. We have taken scientific advice from expert sources, and are doing some things a little bit differently in order to best protect...
Float with guidance
Having a busy mind Hi I'm Shari, and I have a very busy mind. It has a tendency to go over and over things if I'm not careful. Maybe you can relate to this. I only started experimenting with meditation quite recently, and like a lot of people, I thought I wouldn't be...
The deepest relaxation you will ever feel, the closest to weightless you can be on this planet.
Floating times:
Wed 12pm-10pm
Thu 10am- 6pm
Fri 10am-8pm
Sat 10am-8pm
Sun 10am-8pm
By appointment