The Ultimate Sauna Tour of Scotland

2 days ago

4 min read

Earlier this year, Caroline and Harri took off on a whirlwind adventure and undertook some serious market research of the sauna scene in Scotland. As you can imagine, it was a HOOT! If you've not seen the video, head over to our social pages and watch it (SEE HERE). We can guarantee you'll be planning your Scottish sauna tour right now! Just to give you an extra bit of inspo, we asked the gals for some hot tips for the highlands....

What first drew you to seek out Scotland's sauna scene, and how did you plan the route for your tour?

We have always wanted to travel the NC500 and so we thought it would be a good opportunity to mix a road trip with a sauna trip and visit some Scottish saunas whilst we are there, to get inspired and to meet up with some sauna operators. We had seen many amazing sauna locations pop up within the sauna community over the last few years so we thought, why not? After researching we realised there actually weren't that many saunas along the NC500 so we just designed our route based upon the locations of the wild saunas that we wanted to visit.

How would you describe the difference between the coastal saunas you visited and any inland, loch or forest-based ones?

The majority of the saunas that we visited were loch side, these ones were particularly special for us as they provided us with unique sauna settings that we had not yet experienced. Each loch gave us something different, from the stillness of the waters next to Eir Sauna in Arrochar to the ruggedness and wildness of West Coast Wellness next to Loch Fyne in Argyll.

Which single sauna experience has stayed with you the most, and what made it memorable?

West Coast Wellness for us was a stand out experience because it far surpassed our expectations. We parked up on the side of an unassuming road, walked through a meadow to the most picturesque and secluded loch side sauna. Both the layout and size of the sauna really impressed us, and we were lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves for 3 hours. This meant we were able to enjoy the sauna the traditional way - free from the confinement of swimwear.

Scotland's sauna culture leans heavily on the contrast with cold water nearby (lochs, sea, rivers) - which sauna had the best cold plunge?

For us the cold plunge experience at Soul Water Sauna in Granton, Edinburgh was our favourite. We loved the step down into the large circular barrels which overlook the coastline. The fact that we could get in together paired with a perfect temperature made it a truly enjoyable experience. (As far as cold plunge goes).

What are three things you learned on this trip? Either about saunas, the country, the journey, or each other…

1. We got to practice what we preach massively during our time away. Before we came on this trip our relationship was under a lot of strain, both personally and professionally. We found that through regular use of sauna, time in nature and an escape from the rat race allowed us to reconnect with each other, take space to have difficult conversations and allow ourselves to be vulnerable within the safe space of the sauna. We came home feeling physically and mentally rejuvenated, but most of all stronger and closer as a team.

2. We fell in love with the Scottish wilderness. The dramatic landscapes, the lochs, and the welcoming communities. We came home feeling inspired to come back and discover more.

3. Every year since we have met, we have dedicated time to going on a hiking trip somewhere new. We discovered that incorporating sauna into these adventures is our new obsession and a non-negotiable. We would love for others to experience this with us one day... watch this space.

How did the weather and time of year affect the experience, especially given Scotland's unpredictable climate?

The weather was pretty wet for the duration of our trip, which we actually loved and welcomed. It made our sauna experiences feel more atmospheric and cosy, and made our wild swims a more immersive experience. We love to sauna in all weathers.

Did you try any local food? Or were there any places that you ate that you have to share?

YES! We had the most epic wild dining experience at Inverlonan in Oban. We decided to treat ourselves to a boujee bothy for the night where they offer an 8 course wild dining experience in a yurt. A little spenny but well worth every penny. The ingredients used were ethically foraged from the Inverlonan Estate and we were lucky enough to share this experience with another couple, and were hosted by a fantastic chef, Tim. If you are ever in the Oban area we would highly recommend.