Taking Time Out
Making Mental Health a Priority, Not an Afterthought
We’re very good at talking about physical wellbeing.
Steps, strength, sleep, protein, posture.
We measure it, track it, optimise it.
And while all of that matters, it often distracts us from something quieter and more essential: how we’re actually coping.
Taking time out isn’t indulgence or avoidance. It’s maintenance. Mental health deserves the same respect as physical health — not as something we address only when we’re depleted or overwhelmed, but as something we protect deliberately. Sometimes the most restorative reset isn’t doing more for the body, but creating space for the mind to catch up.
Finding Your Own Way to Switch Off
We should all have our own way of relaxing. Our own way of enjoying downtime.
For some it’s exercise, for others it’s reading, cooking, gardening, or being near water. For me, it’s touring in our caravan.
There’s something grounding about slow travel. The simplicity. The rhythm of moving on, setting up, settling in. No schedules beyond daylight and distance. It creates a kind of mental quiet that’s hard to replicate in everyday life.
A Winter Loop Through Southern Europe
This festive period we decided to take time out properly and do a loop down to southern Spain, drop into Portugal, head to Albufeira, then up to Nazaré to see the waves, on to Porto, and back to the Costa Blanca via Salamanca and Valencia.
In total, we covered almost 2,500 kilometres and stayed at six different sites.
We had family join us for parts of the journey, which added another layer to the experience — shared meals, shared walks, shared moments that you don’t rush because there’s nowhere else you need to be.
And along the way, we found some beautiful surprises. One of them was Nazaré.
Nazaré and the Power of Perspective
We had recently watched 100 Foot Wave, the documentary that charts the early days and rapid rise of big-wave surfing and firmly establishes Nazaré as the home of the biggest waves ever ridden.
The underwater Nazaré Canyon funnels and amplifies Atlantic swells, creating waves of extraordinary height and power. Over the past decade, it has become the stage for modern big-wave history.
The current verified world record for the largest wave ever surfed stands at 26.21 metres (86 feet), ridden by Sebastian Steudtner, setting the benchmark at Nazaré. There are now reports of even larger waves having been ridden — including an unverified claim exceeding that height — which speaks to just how extreme this place can be when conditions align.
In winter, Nazaré has developed a devoted following. Photographers, surfers, and spectators gather at the famous lighthouse, hoping to capture the perfect moment — the tiny human figure against a towering wall of water, scale suddenly made very clear.
We weren’t quite so lucky. The waves during our visit were far more modest. But standing there in person, even restrained, they were still immense. Still humbling. Still enough to stop you in your tracks.
More Than a Big-Wave Destination
Before its rise to global fame as a big-wave mecca, Nazaré was — and still is — a beautiful coastal town.
In summer, it’s expansive beaches, open skies, and dramatic scenery. In winter, it’s quieter, more reflective, with a rawness that suits the season. It’s the kind of place that reminds you how small you are, and how useful th⁹at feeling can be.
Finding What Works for You
For some people, winter camping — even in a modern, comfortable caravan — sounds far from appealing. But for my wife and I, we’ve found our thing.
And that’s really the point.
It doesn’t matter what your version of switching off looks like. What matters is that you find it. A place, an activity, a rhythm that allows you to breathe properly again. Something that gives your mind permission to slow down.
Because looking after your mental wellbeing doesn’t always require fixing something that’s broken. Sometimes it’s simply about stepping away long enough to remember how it feels to be calm.
Written By Rick Kirby
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