Wild saunas are all the rage – and I’m among the growing army of fans.
The moment a new one pops up, I feel a surge of excitement, and I’m desperate to try it out as soon as possible.
The latest offering is at Forbes of Kingennie Country Resort near Dundee.
Visitors to the new wild swimming and sauna experience can relax in the luxury wood-fired sauna before plunging into a freshwater pond to cool off.
When I was invited along for a session, I jumped at the chance.
How to find the new wild sauna
It’s in an absolutely magical setting – on the banks of a gorgeous, spring water-fed, heart-shaped pond.
Libby Sutherland, partner at Forbes of Kingennie, greeted me with a smile and led me from the resort down past the golf club house, over a wee bridge, and along a tranquil grassy pathway to the sauna.
There’s plenty of space outside to hang up towels or dry robes, and you can store your belongings safely in big waterproof boxes.
“It’s ‘wild’ changing,” Libby smiled. “So if you feel comfortable to do so, you can get changed outside.”
Otherwise, if you’re a tad self-conscious, you can make use of the small indoor changing facility, adjacent to the sauna.
This has wee baskets into which you can pop your phone and keys, and an area to leave towels and water.
As I was on my own, I got changed inside (pathetic, I know), but it would be super-easy to do it outside. It’s a really quiet, private area, and you’re likely to have it all to yourself.
Once I’d stripped off and got into my swimsuit, I had no hesitation in heading for the heat.
Take the cold plunge – or heat up first?
Now I know that many people recommend going for the cold plunge first, but, well, I really just wanted a wee warm-up.
And plus, I wanted to keep my hair looking vaguely okay for the first batch of photos that freelance photographer Alan Richardson was planning to take. Feel free to call me vain.
The temperature inside the sauna was pretty high – a glance at the thermometer told me it was almost 100C.
Luckily sauna host Alliyah Kyle was on hand to show me how to pour water onto the sauna stones – sparingly – if I wanted it to cool down a bit.
Sitting on my towel, I took time to relax, get used to the heat, and enjoy the peace and views across the water.
Soon though, I was absolutely roasting – my hair felt as though it might frizz and sizzle.
I remembered I had a special sauna hat back at home, gifted to me during a trip to Finland. I’ll bring that next time.
No sauna cap? No worries. It helps if you keep your hair wet during the entire sauna session – or you can protect it with a protective moisturiser or conditioner.
How do you enter the water?
After about 10 minutes, I was keen to cool off in the pond.
You can jump right into the water, or lower yourself in gently, via the ladder. The other option, of course, is to dive.
I’m not the biggest fan of cold water shocks, or my head being underwater, so I gingerly lowered myself in.
To my surprise and delight, it wasn’t that chilly! But I say that as someone who swam in the freezing waters of Loch Maree and Loch Torridon in February.
The pond here at Forbes of Kingennie was much warmer, and it felt silky and fresh as I swam through its crystal-clear waters.
I really felt at one with nature – especially when I was at eye level with a couple of ducks (quite some distance away) and swimming past bullrushes.
The gorgeous, characteristic smell of burning wood, drifting across the water from the sauna, added to the uniqueness of the experience.
What are the benefits of wild sauna?
Of course, sauna experiences like this are all about ‘contrast therapy’ – where you alternate between hot and cold.
The benefits offered by doing this include increased blood flow and blood circulation.
And sweating it out in a sauna can help eliminate toxins, aid muscle recovery, soothe aching joints, and boost your immune system.
I spent a good hour and a half going between the sauna and the pond, and just for the photos, I ran and jumped into the water about eight times.
It was invigorating, to say the least!
As I was warming up in the sauna and thinking about going for lunch, Jamie Craig-Gentles and Jayne McGhie, who run Wild Scottish Sauna, popped their heads in.
Jamie told me she prefers to finish her wild sauna sessions with a cold plunge, and explained the chilly water triggers the body to burn brown fat in its bid to generate heat.
This means, potentially, you burn off more calories, and your metabolic health improves.
It was enough of a ‘sell’, so I popped back into the water one last time.
Where to eat at Forbes of Kingennie?
Fairly hungry after my session, I was glad of a lunch reservation at The Scullery, the resort’s gorgeous waterside restaurant.
The seafood chowder was delicious, and I left some space for chocolate fondant which was out-of-this-world scrumptious.
If you’re after some much needed pampering and relaxation, then a few hours spent at Forbes of Kingennie‘s wild sauna rounded off with some food, or just coffee and cake, is the way to go. I absolutely loved it.
The resort partnered with Fife-based Wild Scottish Sauna to create the new offering, building on existing sites at Kingsbarns and Eden Springs, near Cupar.
How do you book?
Bookings are now being taken for the sauna on Thursdays through to Sundays, but advance booking is not needed for swimming.
The sauna is available for exclusive or shared use.
It’s £16 for a ‘social’ session, which means sharing it with up to 7 other people.
Or else you can book it privately (for up to 12 people) for an hour at £105, two hours for £180, or £255 for three hours.
- See here for more details.
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