A dose of country air is good for you: Tiny doses of POISON released by plants trigger the body's healing mechanism. A walk along the coast, like that above, brings more than simply an escape from the pollution in a city centre, according to toxicologist Michael Moore. He says it exposes our bodies to low levels of toxic compounds released by plants and algae, which can trigger repair mechanisms to help improve the way our bodies work

Rosewood Cottage is in Flamborough with good access to areas of great historical beauty

Flamborough Outer Headland Nature Reserve Local Nature Reserve is a special place with stunning sea views. Somewhere to blow away the cobwebs! This unique triangular headland pointing out into the North Sea is an extension of the Yorkshire Wolds and the most northerly outcrop of chalk in Europe.The combination of hard chalk overlain by glacial material gives rise to a coastal landscape type found nowhere else in Britain.Together with the North Sea, these factors give rise to the presence of wildlife habitats and communities that have unique characteristics.

Flamborough Outer Headland was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2002

There are few things more restorative than a refreshing walk in the country air, but there may be a surprising explanation for why this makes us feel healthier - it is slightly poisonous. Claims

For most a walk in the countryside can simply be a way to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, but recent research has suggested it may be beneficial to our immune systems and lower levels of stress. The new theory suggests biochemicals in the country air may also be acting to make us feel healthier

'Take a stroll by the ocean or in the woods, and you can smell the difference compared to a town or city. It's more than just a lack of pollution.'

Professor Michael Moore, a toxicologist at the University of Exeter and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, has developed a new theory for why a ramble through the woods or along the coast can be good for us.

'In fact, exposure to low levels of these toxins can be beneficial due to the mild stress they induce, which triggers repair mechanisms and enhances tolerance to bigger doses – an effect known as hormesis.'

His theory may help to explain why walking in the countryside can have such a radical impact on mood and health in people.

While man-made pollution, such as car exhaust fumes, can cause a range of health problems including increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, biologists have never been able to satisfactorily explain the boost a walk in the country can provide.

Recent research has shown that people living in coastal locations take much more exercise than those inland.

Other findings have shown walking in the country can lower blood pressure and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared to walking in the city.

It is also thought that pollution can interfere with the way the immune system responds, making inflammation more likely.

Professor Moore said urban areas also lack the diversity of biologically derived molecules and this may also help to explain why the countryside can have such a beneficial effect when we go there.