The pandemic has brought consequences. The fact of having spent so much time locked up at home has meant that more and more, we need connect with nature and therefore, with ourselves, while we return to the desire to socialize and meet new people, which has become a little more complicated if possible.
What if we told you that there is an experience that unites people, nature, music and wellness? Is named discohike and it is the proposal of Phillip Thompson, son of a Londoner and a Valencian de Alginet, who was born in London and at the age of fifteen moved with his whole family to Valencia. Thompson divides his time teaching English and playing the drums in a couple of bands, but the day came when he thought he could do something else and what started out as fun, now he has his own entity.
Connect in another way.
“Two years ago I started the Instagram account @discohike because i realized that young people today spend a lot of time in the city and i thought it would be nice explore nature, explains to Traveler.es. It all started with a post, in which he told where he was going to go with his car and asked a simple question, who is coming?
At that first moment, Phillip would put his car and people would sign up little by little. "The thing was growing and if we started with about five places, now on average we go in six cars, that is, about 30-35 people per excursion.”
Discohike, retreats in Valencia.
A mountain walk, breathe fresh air... But there was something else. As we told you, Phillip, in addition to being a nature lover, is a drummer and thought about what makes his proposal special. “Music is healing. I always wanted to do something like that, bring musicians with us and that, with some instrument, give an acoustic concert on top of the mountain or in a cool place in the middle of nature”, he relates.
The idea? Disconnect from the maelstrom from day to day, do something different and enjoy music.
In this way, every Sunday, unless it rains, Phillip and the little group that signs up -by sending him a message on Instagram-, embark on a walk (about 10 km on average) over the tops of the Valencian Community, to finish on top with a music concert.
The Departures are usually planned from some point of Valencia about 10 in the morning, to return to the city at sunset. The idea is to go with your car and if you don't have one, they will look for a space for you, in addition to bringing water and food to make a picnic on the way.
And the experience could not be more bucolic. You only need to take a look at the videos that you post on your Instagram account, to want to embark on one as soon as possible.
The espadan Peak, the l'Ouet route, which is a real gem Casella (Alzira), the Turche cave in Buñol, the Sierra de Benicadell or the magic Cova de la Galera in Favara, a natural spectacle with a window overlooking the rice fields and the Valencian coast, have been some of the places chosen for the Sunday discohike.
Musicians like Rave on Road, El Cigarra, Coco Green, Cristian Flores, the band Old Barrel... and that's just to name a few have played there. All of this for the modest price of 20 euros per person. “The atmosphere that is created in a Discohike is unique. See everyone, locals and foreigners, connect in such a healthy environment, as they listen to musical talents and help them through these difficult times, it makes for unforgettable experiences, ”he explains in his account on the social network.
Excursions are a success and recently they started with another proposal, the withdrawals. “The thing has been growing and in May of last year, they contacted me from Venue Retreat, an Instagram account that puts people in contact with sites to make withdrawals”, He remembers and continues: "They told me they had a place for me and that they thought I would love it to set up something."
There is time for everything.
Space? Lawyer Estate, in Barxeta, very close to Xativa. “The site could not be better, because in addition to having many rooms, a swimming pool and being in the middle of nature, they love music and have a professional studio inside the house.”
He fit like a glove. So far there have already been three retreats that have been organized here. “We do the same thing as a retreat, yoga, meditation... but with the plus that we complement it c with music, dj sessions, open mic or jam sessions, where we musicians can go and play for a few hours,” Thompson tells us.
“In addition, attendees can meet the musician and vice versa. The musician has the opportunity to be with his audience and some very real connections beyond when he plays in a room. ”
And not only music fans attend, but people of all kinds, from those who seek to disconnect, to the creative or those who simply want spend a different weekend. In addition, the public is both international and local people. “With the pandemic it is more difficult to socialize and a very nice atmosphere is created in the retreats. I love to make a bit of a bridge between both cultures, the international and the local, because Valencia has more and more people from everywhere and it is difficult to integrate.”
Breathe and disconnect.
Well-being, music, stillness... "There are also creative people who we invite to exhibit their art or their photographs and sell it and the possibility of giving you a massage," concludes Phillip. In addition, the retreats include food -also with vegan options – and drink, with soft drinks, beers and wine and they are pet friendly, so pets are welcome.
The next? It will take place between November 26 and 28, at the Abogat farm and there will be music around next to the chimney of Coco Green and Gilbertástico, sessions Sam Belaidi dj, workshops yoga and meditation taught by Ana Calvosi, workout by Teresa Berry and massages from Chiropractor Sara Marchuet. There is more, because it will host an urban photography exhibition, a workshop to help you promote your projects, a movie forum... Your next adventure is just around the corner... Are you in?