Something has happened to the humble sauna over the past five years. British Sauna Society figures show that dedicated outdoor and community saunas in the UK have grown from around ten in 2021 to more than 600 today. They have escaped the spa and spilled out into orchards, car parks and riverbanks – it’s about as far from the beige leisure-centre sauna of old as you can get.
Across the southwest, there are now DJ nights and live music, Finnish-inspired rituals, sound baths, ice plunges and wild swims, plus community saunas that turn a sweaty hour into a social occasion. Of course, there are very real health benefits too – better circulation, faster muscle recovery, a mental reset – but there’s also something to be said for simply enjoying the shared experience. And sometimes you just need an hour of getting very hot and then very cold.
The social sauna
The point isn’t always to sit still and sweat. HotBox Social (@hotbox_social) in Bedminster pairs sauna and ice plunges with club nights, turning the hot room into a warm-up act. Its founders describe the concept as “integrating two worlds we love: music and wellness”, with Friday and Saturday sessions designed to “redefine what an alternative night out looks like”.
Out in Horfield, Ardagh Community Sauna (@ardaghcommunitysauna) runs Sauna Sounds with DJs and live music – with guests including snooker champ turned cosmic music aficionado Steve Davis – alongside its wood-fired sessions. Yoga and sound baths offer a gentler way to start the day, while the evening atmosphere is perhaps best summed up by co-owner Jon Savage, who says, “It has a backstage festival hot-spot vibe, solid playlists of blissful tunes, a special warmth and friendly nature that gives it a unique feel.”
Farm, field and orchard
Not every sauna needs a soundtrack. Some rely on nothing but the setting itself. At Campwell (@campwell.farm) in Winsley, a wood-fired sauna overlooks farmland, while its sister sauna in Marshfield sits at the edge of a wild wooded valley. For founder Tim Bowles, the appeal is being “just wild enough to let go”, with “the crackling fire and the sound of wind in the trees”.
The barrel sauna and cold plunge pools at Windmill Hill City Farm’s Orchard Sauna (@orchard_sauna) are tucked among fruit trees, with a variety of sessions throughout the week, from reflective silence to longer, livelier gatherings. It’s an intentionally welcoming place, and regulars describe the community as open, sociable and varied.
In Bristol’s Old Down Country Park, the sauna at Fire & Ice Wellness (@fireicewellnessbristol) seats 14 and comes with two ice baths and a fire pit for warming up afterwards. Its flagship site, however, is in the grounds of Westbury-on-Trym Wildlife Park, with a natural cold plunge pool in what was once the seal pond.
The cold bit
Whichever setting you choose, the ritual rarely ends with heat alone, and the shock of the cold plunge is an integral part of the experience. An icy tub is one thing – a river is another entirely, and Aether’s (@aethersauna) sauna sessions step straight into the Avon at Warleigh Weir, near Bath, delivering a jolt no outdoor tin bath can match.
Owner Johnny Palmer describes Aether’s wild, off-grid location as attracting “adventurous guests who like an intense yet relaxing experience”. The sauna also brings aufguss into every session, a guided ritual incorporating lighting, immersive audio and aromatherapy. The combination has been such a hit that Aether is now taking some southwest magic to the White Isle, transporting a Bristol-built mobile sauna all the way to Ibiza.
For a more leisurely take on the hot-cold ritual, head to Oakhill Ponds (@oakhill_ponds) near Shepton Mallet, where the wood-fired sauna is followed by a plunge or wild swim in the spring-fed pond. Pair your visit with a paddleboard Pilates or foraging session – or make a stay of it in a shepherd’s hut or yurt.
Just another Tuesday
For all the novelty, though, the real shift is less exotic: sauna is becoming a habit. It’s no longer something you book as a special treat; it’s something that fits into a weekly routine. That’s long been normal in Scandinavia, and the same idea is starting to take hold here.
At The Sauna Drop (@thesaunadrop) in Brimscombe, it’s all about keeping things simple: one small wood-fired sauna, with shared or private sessions – no membership needed, just turn up. It’s less about making an occasion of it and more about having somewhere to go, get sweaty and get on with the rest of your day.
Bristol Sauna Yard’s (@bristolsaunayard) setup in a disused car lot just off Church Road in Redfield includes a sauna in a converted horsebox. Founders Rob and Will explain: “Our family-run community sauna and cold-water therapy space is built around the belief that sauna should be for everyone and not a luxury.”
For others, building a sauna session into the week means making regular visits easier. Unfold Sauna Club (@unfoldsauna) in Backwell sells bulk-buy passes rather than one-off tickets, while Wildplunge (@wild.plunge) in Farrington Gurney and Wildcat Community Sauna (@wildcatsauna) in Frome offer tiered memberships, from a weekly session to unlimited use.
“The memberships work because it takes the decision out of it,” Wildcat’s Araminta Sudworth says. “It’s use it or lose it, so people tend to build it into a weekly rhythm rather than letting it slide.” At Wildcat, that community ethos extends beyond memberships, with a ‘Community Kitty’ using pay-it-forward contributions to subsidise sessions for people on low incomes.
