Sauna culture is growing quickly in the UK with more locations popping up year on year. According to the British Sauna Society, the number of public saunas in the UK doubled between early 2023 and 2024, jumping from 45 to 90, a figure that's predicted to exceed 200 in 2025.
Sawna Bach is the company bringing sauna culture to North Wales. They launched their first wood-fired sauna along the scenic coastline of Anglesey, at Porth Tyn Tywyn, one of the island’s best beaches.
Following the success of their Anglesey site, they launched their second sauna at the end of 2024 by Llyn Padarn, a glacially formed lake located in the valley created by the mountains of Yr Wyddfa and Y Glyderau in the heart of Eryri.
Both locations are secluded havens which offer the perfect chance to unwind whilst connecting with nature and yourself.
You can book a private session or join a communal session with other members of the public. Both saunas fit up to 8 people, but it is limited to 6 people in the communal sessions. You can choose a 50 minute or 80 minute slot (including the time for changing) and you can also book consecutive sessions.
Your sauna experience is not weather dependent unlike many other activities in North Wales (and the UK generally!) so visiting the sauna has become one of my favourite weekend activities whenever it’s wet, cold, and windy!
Stepping inside the sauna, there is a cosy ambiance and the heat is blissful — often in stark contrast to the cold of the outdoors. Tensions and worries quickly melt away and the gentle crackle of burning wood and aromatherapy scents immediately provide a sense of peace.
Stepping outside, you are either greeted by the bracing chill of coastal winds or the crisp lakeside air and sometimes rain. You can choose to cool down by standing in the wind, take a cold shower, or you can brave the water by heading over the dunes for a dip in the sea at Anglesey or jumping off the pontoon into the still waters of Llyn Padarn.
Cold water swimming, renowned for its myriad health benefits, stimulates circulation, boosts the immune system, and releases endorphins. With each plunge into the cold waters, I feel invigorated and revived in both body and mind.
I am not always brave enough to fully submerge but even if you only get your feet in or just stand on the shoreline, it still feels amazing returning to the heat of the sauna, as you will still experience the contrast of cold to hot.
Beyond the physical benefits, Sawna Bach also offers a sense of community and chatting to other sauna-goers has been one of the great joys of sauna culture coming to North Wales.
Sharing laughter and stories with other locals and visitors from all over the UK enhances the experience and once I even bumped into someone unexpectedly on a hike, the day after our sauna session, at the top of Elidir Fawr!
Sawna Bach provides a sanctuary for the body, mind, and soul. It reminds us of the healing power of nature and the importance of communal connection. If you are ever in the area, add this to your to-do list and turn up the heat!
By Eveline Vouillemin ©
You can book directly on Sawna Bach's website www.saunawales.co.uk, and connect with them on Instagram and Facebook.
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