Saunas have develop into an enormous development within the UK lately – with increasingly more opening on a regular basis.
In 2023, there have been 45 public saunas across the nation – within the Finnish model, with wood partitions, scorching stones and chilly plunge swimming pools.
However, by the point journalist and sauna fanatic Emma O’Kelly had completed writing her new e book, Wild Sauna, in February 2025, there have been 189 dotted across the nation.
‘It simply exhibits how shortly saunas have boomed!’ Emma says in an unique interview with MailOnline.
Emma travelled the size and breadth of the nation, visiting repurposed horseboxes on windswept seashores and bespoke saunas nestled in historic forests, detailing all of them for her new espresso desk e book, out now.
She even visited bare saunas and took half in a female-only ‘textile-optional session’ in Surrey.
‘Saunas are all actually completely different,’ she says. ‘They’re like espresso retailers. You suppose they’re all going to be the identical, however every one has its personal ambiance, and its personal sort of feeling.’
Right here, Emma talks MailOnline by means of among the UK’s finest, together with beautiful pictures from Wild Sauna, in the stores now…
SLOMO SAUNA, TAPNELL FARM, ISLE OF WIGHT: The newest wellness idea from Rob and Josie da Financial institution, the husband-and-wife founders of family-friendly pageant, Camp Bestival. Such is their ardour for yoga, meditation, sauna and open-water swimming that the pair are on a mission to show the Isle of Wight, the place they reside, into ‘sauna island’
SLOMO SAUNA: Slomo saunas pop up all around the island at completely different occasions, however a floating sauna, handcrafted by Ben Revill of Rooftop Saunas in Hackney sits on a lake at vacation retreat, Tapnell Farm, together with two Nordic saunas and an ice tank
THE WILDWOOD SPA, MAWGAN PORTH, CORNWALL:  Crafted by one of many UK sauna scene’s pioneering corporations, Cornish spa proprietor and builder, Kernow Springs, the five-metre diameter house hosts as much as 35 individuals for social gatherings, rituals and next-level steam adventures, and is run by the staff behind Water & Stone
THE WILDWOOD SPA: Tucked away in a secluded glade amongst the blended woodlands of The Park Cornwall, a couple of minutes’ stroll from Mawgan Porth seashore and a five-minute drive from Cornwall Airport Newquay, The Wildwood Spa additionally provides people and teams an outside pool, conventional copper, tin and brass ice baths, wood-fired scorching tubs, a hearth pit, drench bucket and out of doors scorching showersÂ
STEAMY WONDERS, TRENARREN, CORNWALL: This bespoke sauna was created by designer Sam Ludgate and founder and host Jez Tozer, who additionally took this hilarious photograph after persuaded all his sauna bathers to strip off for the e book. Visitors can wander by means of the three acres of personal gardens and woodlands in between rounds and benefit from the beautiful sea views from the sauna veranda
POOL BRIDGE FARM, YORK, YORKSHIRE: For years, the lakes at Pool Bridge Farm had been among the finest fisheries within the north of England. Right now, these 137 acres of rewilded land outdoors York are one of many nation’s finest wild swimming spots. Fb group The Pool Bridge Farm Swimmers has greater than 11,000 members, and to service them, discreetly located round one of many 4 lakes, are 4 saunas
WILD SCOTTISH SAUNA, ST ANDREWS, FIFE: In 2023, Jamie Craig Gentles and Jayne McGhie opened Wild Scottish Sauna on the beautiful Kingsbarns Seaside in St Andrews. This beautiful two-mile stretch of coast is a part of the Cambo Property and options sand dunes, rocky outcrops and waves which might be light (for the North Sea)
WILD SCOTTISH SAUNA, CUPAR, FIFE:Â Â A second sauna with the identical Scandi- influenced design adopted at Eden Springs County Park in Cupar, the place chilly dips are serviced by a jetty and a loch
BRAW, INVERKIP, RENFREWSHIRE:  Tommy Ryan-Roche obtained into sauna when he began coaching for an ultra-marathon three years in the past. He purchased a barrel sauna from Latvia and christened it Braw, that means ‘unbelievable’ in Scottish slang. Tommy and Braw at the moment are a agency weekend fixture at Lunderston Bay – the closest sandy seashore to Glasgow and a well-liked spot for households
KILN SAUNA, CORNWALL: Kiln sauna occupies a picturesque nook of Gyllyngvase seashore (Gylly to locals), certainly one of Falmouth’s white sand, crystal-blue water jewels (left). Kiln was first launched at Kiln Quay, Flushing (proper), and a second sauna has just lately opened up there
KILN SAUNA, FALMOUTH: Gylly is a tranquil swimming spot at dawn, and a gathering place by night time – as such, Kiln caters to a blended crowd of all ages
Wild Sauna: The Finest Outside Saunas in Britain is in the stores now (£18.99, Wild Issues Publishing)
